AutoCAD 2011 User’s Guide February 2010
© 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Except as otherwise permitted by Autodesk, Inc., this publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form, by any method, for any purpose. Certain materials included in this publication are reprinted with the permission of the copyright holder. Trademarks The following are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and other countries: 3DEC (design/logo), 3December, 3December.
Contents Part 1 Get Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chapter 1 Find the Information You Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Find Information Using InfoCenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Overview of InfoCenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Search For Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Access Subscription Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Receive Product Updates and Announcements . . . . . . . .
Chapter 3 Tools in the Application Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 The Application Menu . . . . . . . . . Search for Commands . . . . . . . Access Common Tools . . . . . . Browse Files . . . . . . . . . . . . Quick Access Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . The Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overview of the Ribbon . . . . . . Display and Organize the Ribbon . Customize the Ribbon . . . . . . Chapter 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Switch Between Model Space and Layouts . Specify Application Fonts . . . . . . . . . . Specify the Behavior of Dockable Windows . Control the Display of Toolbars . . . . . . . Create Task-Based Workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . Save and Restore Interface Settings (Profiles) . . . Customize Startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Play Back an Action Macro . . . . . . . . . . . . Migrate and Specify Initial Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Part 4 Control the Drawing Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Chapter 10 Change Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Pan or Zoom a View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pan and Zoom with the Aerial View Window . . . . . . . . Save and Restore Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Control the 3D Projection Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overview of Parallel and Perspective Views . . . . . . Define a Perspective Projection (DVIEW) . . . . . . .
Control a Camera Motion Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359 Specify Motion Path Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 Record a Motion Path Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363 Use Navigation Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364 Available Navigation Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364 Reposition and Reorient the Navigation Bar . . . . . . . . . . . 366 Control the Display of Navigation Tools on the Navigation Bar . . . . . . . . . . .
Organize a Sheet Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create and Modify Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . Include Information with Sheets and Sheet Sets . Publish, Transmit, and Archive Sheet Sets . . . . . . . . Use Sheet Sets in a Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438 . 442 . 451 . 454 . 459 Part 6 Create and Modify Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463 Chapter 16 Control the Properties of Objects . . . . . . . .
Chapter 17 Use Precision Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549 Use Coordinates and Coordinate Systems (UCS) . . . . . . . . . Overview of Coordinate Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enter 2D Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enter 3D Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Understand the User Coordinate System (UCS) . . . . . . . Specify Workplanes in 3D (UCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assign User Coordinate System Orientations to Viewports .
Draw Polyline Arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . Draw Donuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Draw Ellipses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Draw Splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Draw Helixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Draw Construction and Reference Geometry . Draw Reference Points . . . . . . . . . . Draw Construction Lines (and Rays) . . Create and Combine Areas (Regions) . . . . . Create Revision Clouds . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overview of Dimensional Constraints . . . . . . . . . . Apply Dimensional Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Control the Display of Dimensional Constraints . . . . . Modify Objects with Dimensional Constraints Applied . Constrain a Design with Formulas and Equations . . . . . . . Overview of Formulas and Equations . . . . . . . . . . . Control Geometry with the Parameters Manager . . . . . Organize Parameters into Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Create and Edit Dynamic Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overview of the Block Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Custom Block Authoring Tools . . . . . . . . . . . Test Blocks Within the Block Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modify Dynamic Block Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add Constraints to Dynamic Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overview of Constraints in Dynamic Blocks . . . . . . . . Define User Parameters in Dynamic Blocks . . . . . . . . .
Create 3D Mesh Primitives . . . . . . . Construct Meshes from Other Objects . Create Meshes by Conversion . . . . . Create Custom Mesh (Legacy) . . . . . Create Wireframe Models . . . . . . . . . . . Add 3D Thickness to Objects . . . . . . . . . Chapter 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1049 . 1067 . 1074 . 1078 . 1083 . 1087 Modify 3D Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 26 Create Sections and 2D Drawings from 3D Models . . . . . . 1197 Work with Sections . . . . . . . . . . . Overview of Section Objects . . . Create Section Objects . . . . . . Modify a Section View . . . . . . Save and Publish Section Objects Create a Flattened View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1197 . 1197 .
Create and Edit Columns in Multiline Text . . . . Import Text from External Files . . . . . . . . . . Create Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overview of Leader Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . Create and Modify Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . Work with Leader Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add Content to a Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Use Fields in Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Insert Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Update Fields . . . . . . .
Control Dimension Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set the Scale for Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Linear Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Radial Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Angular Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Ordinate Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Arc Length Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modify Existing Dimensions . . . . . . . .
Overview of Plotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Use a Page Setup to Specify Plot Settings . . . . . Select a Printer or Plotter . . . . . . . . . . . . . Specify the Area to Plot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set Paper Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Position the Drawing on the Paper . . . . . . . . Specify the Printable Area . . . . . . . . . Set the Position of the Plot . . . . . . . . Set Drawing Orientation . . . . . . . . . . Control How Objects Are Plotted . . . . . . . . Set Plot Scale .
Attach Drawing References (Xrefs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set Paths to Referenced Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Detach Referenced Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Update and Bind Referenced Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nest and Overlay Referenced Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . Update Referenced Drawing Attachments . . . . . . . . . . Archive Drawings That Contain Referenced Drawings (Bind) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Import MicroStation DGN Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . Manage Translation Mapping Setups . . . . . . . . . . . Insert WMF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Attach Files as Underlays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overview of Underlays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Attach, Scale, and Detach Underlays . . . . . . . . . . . Work with Underlays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Manage and Publish Drawings Containing Underlays . Attach Raster Image Files . . . . . . . . . . . .
Detach a Data Extraction Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1866 Chapter 39 Access External Databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1867 Overview of Using External Databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Access a Database from Within AutoCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . Configure a Database for Use with AutoCAD Drawings . . View Data in a Database Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edit Data in a Database Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Link Database Records to Graphical Objects . . . .
Use a Hyperlink to Access a File or a Web Page . Use a Hyperlink to Create an Email Message . . Use Hyperlinks in Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . Use a Hyperlink to Start a New Drawing . . . . . Work with Drawing Files over the Internet . . . . . . Open and Save Drawing Files from the Internet . Share Drawing Files Internationally . . . . . . . Access Buzzsaw for Project Collaboration . . . . Work with Xrefs over the Internet . . . . . . . . Insert Content from a Website . . . . . . . . . .
Sun and Sky Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Incorporate Luminaire Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Converting Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Work with Lights in Drawings from Previous Versions of AutoCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Import Drawings into 3ds Max or VIZ . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 45 . . . . 2063 . . . . 2064 Materials and Textures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2065 Overview of Materials . . . . . . . . . . .
Save and Redisplay Rendered Images . . . . Save a Rendered Image . . . . . . . . Redisplay a Rendered Image . . . . . Save Copies of Rendered Images . . . Use Models with Other Applications . Update Legacy Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2142 . 2142 . 2144 . 2145 . 2145 . 2146 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Part 1: Get Information 1
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Find the Information You Need 1 There are various ways to find information about how to use this program, and multiple resources are available. This program is a powerful application with tools that help you work with a high level of efficiency and productivity. You install this software with the Installation wizard that starts automatically when you insert the product media.
■ Access saved topics through Favorites panel ■ Access topics in Help To display the InfoCenter box in a collapsed state, click the arrow to its left. To browse search results ➤ On the panel for Search Results, Subscription Center, Communication Center, or Favorites, on the right side of the category header, do one of the following: ■ Click the Next button. ■ Click the Previous button.
When you enter keywords or a phrase in the InfoCenter box, you search the contents of multiple Help resources as well as any additional documents that have been specified in the InfoCenter Settings dialog box or through the CAD Manager Control Utility. Keyword searches produce better results. In case of a misspelled word, spelling suggestions are displayed on the panel. The results are displayed as links on the InfoCenter Search Results panel. Click a link to display the topic, article, or document.
Symbol Description will find “annotative”, “annotation”, “annoupdate”, “annoreset”, and so on. ? Replaces a single character. For example, “cop?” will find “copy”, but not “copybase”. ~ Adds grammatical form variations to a keyword when added at the beginning or end of a word. For example, “plotting~” will find “plots”, “plotted”, and so on. Also, “~plot” will find “preplot”, “replot”, and so on.
Access Subscription Center You can click the Subscription Center button to display links to information about subscription services such as product enhancements, personalized web support from Autodesk technical experts, and self-paced e-Learning. To learn more about Autodesk subscription membership, visit http://www.autodesk.com/subscriptioncenter.
Autodesk product, product information (such as the serial number, version, language, and the subscription contract ID) is sent to Autodesk for verification that your product is on subscription. Autodesk compiles statistics using the information sent to subscription resources to monitor how they are being used and how they can be improved. Autodesk maintains the information provided by or collected from you in accordance with Autodesk's published privacy policy, which is available at http://www.autodesk.
Communication Center provides the following types of announcements: ■ Autodesk Channels: Receive support information, product updates, and other announcements (including articles and tips). ■ CAD Manager Channel. Receive information (RSS feeds) published by your CAD manager. ■ RSS Feeds. Receive information from RSS feeds to which you subscribe. RSS feeds generally notify you when new content is posted. You are automatically subscribed to several default RSS feeds when you install the program.
Receive New Information Notifications Whenever new information is available, Communication Center notifies you by displaying a balloon message below the Communication Center button on the InfoCenter box. Click the link in the balloon message to open the article or announcement. If you don’t want to receive Communication Center notifications, in the InfoCenter Settings dialog box, turn off Balloon Notification.
To remove a favorite link from the InfoCenter Favorites panel 1 In the InfoCenter box, click the Favorites button to display the Favorites panel. 2 Click the star icon that is displayed next to the link that you want to remove from the Favorites panel. Specify InfoCenter Settings You can specify InfoCenter Search and Communication Center settings in the InfoCenter Settings dialog box. In the InfoCenter Settings dialog box, you can specify the following settings: ■ General.
■ Communication Center. Maximum age of the articles displayed on the Communication Center panel and the location and name of the CAD Manager Channel. ■ Autodesk Channels. Channels to display in the Communication Center panel as well as the number of articles to display for each channel. ■ Balloon Notification. Notifications for new product information, software updates, product support announcements, and Did You Know messages.
■ On the Search Locations panel, in the right pane, right-click anywhere in the pane. Click Add. 4 In the Add Search Location dialog box, specify a file location to search. 5 Click Add. 6 Click OK. To remove a search location 1 In the InfoCenter box, click the down arrow next to the Search button. 2 Click Search Settings. 3 In the InfoCenter Settings dialog box, do one of the following: ■ Select a location to remove, and then click Remove. ■ Right-click a search location. Click Remove.
9 In the InfoCenter Settings dialog box, in the left pane, click Communication Center. The CAD Manager Channel location and name are displayed. NOTE A green check mark is displayed if the channel can be located and a yellow warning sign is displayed if it cannot be located. To specify the channels to display in the Communication Center panel 1 In the InfoCenter box, click the down arrow next to the Search button. 2 Click Search Settings.
6 Enter the number of seconds to set the length of time for balloon notifications to display. 7 Enter the transparency value of the balloon or set the value using the slider. 8 Click OK. To turn on the display of Did You Know hidden messages 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, System tab, under General Options, click the Hidden Message Settings button.
4 In the right pane, do one of the following: ■ Click Remove. ■ Right-click an RSS feed. Click Remove. 5 In the InfoCenter - Remove RSS Feed dialog box, click Yes. 6 Click OK. Search Topics in Help You can click the Help button to display topics in Help. You can get much more benefit from the Help system when you learn how to use it efficiently. You can quickly find general descriptions, procedures, details about dialog boxes and palettes, or definitions of terms.
Autodesk Official Training Courseware Autodesk Official Training Courseware (AOTC) is technical training material developed by ----- Autodesk. You can purchase AOTC from your local reseller or distributor, or you can order it online from the Autodesk Store. e-Learning Autodesk e-Learning for Autodesk Subscription ----- customers features interactive lessons organized into product catalogs.
Where to Find AutoCAD Express Tools Volumes 1-9 AutoCAD Express Tools Volumes 1-9 contain a library of productivity tools designed to help you extend the power of AutoCAD. They are easy to use, easily integrated into your menus and toolbars, and cover a wide range of AutoCAD functions (including dimensioning, drawing, object selection, and object modification). AutoCAD Express Tools Volumes 1-9 are installed as a Typical installation of AutoCAD.
If you participate in the Customer Involvement Program (CIP), specific information about how you use AutoCAD is forwarded to Autodesk. This information includes what features you use the most, problems that you encounter, and other information helpful to the future direction of the product. See the following links for more information. ■ Learn more about the Autodesk Customer Involvement Program: http://www.autodesk.com/cip ■ Read the Autodesk Privacy Statement: http://www.autodesk.
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Get Information from Drawings 2 You can retrieve general information from a drawing including identifying information and the number of objects that it contains. There are types of information stored in a drawing that are not specific to objects within the drawing, but provide useful information to help you understand the behavior of the drawing, the settings of system variables, the number of objects, descriptive information, and so on.
■ Compare Dimension Styles and Variables on page 1425 Quick Reference Commands DWGPROPS Sets and displays the file properties of the current drawing. SETVAR Lists or changes the values of system variables. STATUS Displays drawing statistics, modes, and extents. TIME Displays the date and time statistics of a drawing. System Variables CDATE Stores the current date and time in decimal format. DATE Stores the current date and time in Modified Julian Date format.
To count specified types of objects in a drawing 1 Click Home tab ➤ Utilities panel ➤ Quick Select. 2 In the Quick Select dialog box, do one of the following: ■ In the Apply To List, select Entire Drawing. ■ Click the Select Objects button to select a group of objects. Press Enter. In the Apply To list, select Current selection. 3 In the Object Type list, select the type of object you want to count. 4 In the Properties list, select a property that belongs to the type of objects you want to count.
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Part 2: The User Interface 25
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Tools in the Application Window 3 Use the Application menu, Quick Access toolbar, and ribbon to access many frequently used commands. The Application Menu Click the application button to search for commands, as well as access tools to create, open, and publish a file. Search for Commands Perform a real-time search for commands on the Quick Access toolbar, in the application menu, and on the ribbon. The Search field displays at the top of the application menu.
Quick Reference Commands CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. Access Common Tools Access common tools to start or publish a file in the application menu.
Click the application button to quickly ■ Create, open, or save a file ■ Audit, recover, and purge a file ■ Print or publish a file ■ Access the Options dialog box ■ Close AutoCAD NOTE You can also close AutoCAD by double-clicking the Application button. Quick Reference Commands CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. Browse Files View, sort, and access supported files that you have recently opened.
Pinned Files You can keep a file listed regardless of files that you save later using the push pin button to the right. The file is displayed at the bottom of the list until you turn off the push pin button.
To change the preview display options for recent documents 1 Click the Application menu and then, click Recent Documents. 2 Under the Search text box, click the Display Options menu. 3 Select a display option. NOTE The preview display option you choose remains in both the Recent Documents and Open Documents lists. To change the number of recent documents listed 1 Click Tools ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, click the Open and Save tab.
Quick Reference Commands CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. Currently Open Documents View only files that are currently open with the Open Documents list. Files display in the Open Documents list with the most recently opened file at the top. To make a file current, click the file in the list.
To change the preview display options for currently open documents 1 Click the Application menu and then, click Open Documents. 2 Under the Search text box, click the Display Options menu. 3 Select a display option. NOTE The preview display option you choose remains in both the Recent Documents and Open Documents quick menus. Quick Reference Commands CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings.
Preview Documents View a thumbnail of files in the Recent Documents and Open Documents lists.
View Undo and Redo History The Quick Access toolbar displays options to undo and redo changes to your file. To undo or redo a less recent change, click the drop-down button to the right of the Undo and Redo buttons. Add Commands and Controls Add unlimited tools to the Quick Access toolbar. Tools that extend past the maximum length of the toolbar are displayed in a flyout button.
To add a ribbon button to the Quick Access toolbar, right-click the button on the ribbon and click Add to Quick Access toolbar. Buttons are added to the right of the default commands on the Quick Access toolbar. Move the Quick Access Toolbar Place the Quick Access toolbar either above or below the ribbon using the Customization button. See also: ■ Quick Access Toolbars ■ Toolbars on page 48 To add a command to the Quick Access toolbar 1 Right-click the Quick Access toolbar.
To remove a command from the Quick Access toolbar 1 Right-click the command you want to remove. 2 Click Remove from Quick Access Toolbar. Quick Reference Commands CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product. The Ribbon The ribbon is a palette that displays task-based tools and controls. Overview of the Ribbon The ribbon is displayed by default when you open a file, providing a compact palette of all of the tools necessary to create or modify your drawing.
RIBBONCLOSE Closes the ribbon window. System Variables MTEXTTOOLBAR Controls the display of the Text Formatting toolbar. RIBBONCONTEXTSELECT Controls how ribbon contextual tabs are displayed when you single- or double-click an object. RIBBONCONTEXTSELLIM Limits the number of objects that can be changed at one time with the ribbon property controls or a contextual tab. RIBBONDOCKEDHEIGHT Determines whether the horizontally docked ribbon is set to the height of the current tab or a predetermined height.
Ribbon Tabs and Panels The ribbon is composed of a series of panels, which are organized into tabs labeled by task. Ribbon panels contain many of the same tools and controls available in toolbars and dialog boxes. Some ribbon panels display a dialog box related to that panel. The dialog box launcher is denoted by an arrow icon, , in the lower-right corner of the panel. The dialog box launcher indicates that you can display a related dialog box.
Slideout Panels An arrow in the middle of a panel title, , indicates that you can slide out the panel to display additional tools and controls. Click on the title bar of an open panel to display the slideout panel. By default, a slideout panel automatically closes when you click another panel. To keep a panel expanded, click the push pin, , in the bottom-left corner of the slideout panel.
Radio Buttons Depending on the available space in the vertical or horizontal ribbon, radio buttons can collapse into a single button. A single radio button works as a toggle, allowing you to cycle through each item in the list, or as a split button, where the top half of the radio button is a toggle button and clicking on the arrow icon in the lower half displays a drop-down of all items in the list.
To display the ribbon ■ Click Tools menu ➤ Palettes ➤ Ribbon. NOTE The ribbon displays the ribbon panels associated with the workspace you used last. To display the ribbon panels associated with a specific workspace, click Tools menu ➤ Workspaces. To minimize the ribbon 1 The first button toggles the between the full ribbon state, the default ribbon state, and the minimize ribbon state. 2 The second drop-down button allows you to select the minimize ribbon state.
Quick Reference Commands CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product. RIBBON Opens the ribbon window. RIBBONCLOSE Closes the ribbon window. System Variables MTEXTTOOLBAR Controls the display of the Text Formatting toolbar. RIBBONCONTEXTSELECT Controls how ribbon contextual tabs are displayed when you single- or double-click an object. RIBBONCONTEXTSELLIM Limits the number of objects that can be changed at one time with the ribbon property controls or a contextual tab.
Customize the Ribbon You can customize the ribbon in the following ways: ■ You can create and modify ribbon panels using the Customize User Interface Editor. See Ribbon in the Customization Guide. ■ You can associate a customizable tool palette group with each tab on the ribbon. Right-click the ribbon tab to display a list of available tool palette groups. ■ You can change the order of ribbon tabs. Click the tab you want to move, drag it to the desired position, and release.
To display the tool palette group associated with a ribbon tab ■ Right-click a ribbon tab and click Show Related Tool Palette Group. Quick Reference Commands CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product. RIBBON Opens the ribbon window. RIBBONCLOSE Closes the ribbon window. System Variables MTEXTTOOLBAR Controls the display of the Text Formatting toolbar. RIBBONCONTEXTSELECT Controls how ribbon contextual tabs are displayed when you single- or double-click an object.
TABLETOOLBAR Controls the display of the Table toolbar.
Other Tool Locations 4 Use common tools in the classic menu bar, toolbars, tool palettes, status bars, shortcut menus, and Design Center to find more commands, settings, and modes. Access the Classic Menu Bar Display pull-down menus from the classic menu bar using one of several methods. You can also specify alternate menus. The classic menu bar can be displayed at the top of the drawing area. The classic menu bar is displayed by default in the AutoCAD Classic workspace.
You can specify menus to display in the menu browser for all workspaces by customizing a CUIx file and loading it into the program. See also: ■ Create Task-Based Workspaces on page 148 ■ “Pull-down and Shortcut Menus” in the Customization Guide To display the classic menu bar ■ On the Quick Access toolbar, click the Customization drop-down menu ➤ Show Menu Bar. Quick Reference System Variables MENUBAR Controls the display of the menu bar.
Display or Hide, Dock, and Resize Toolbars You can display or hide toolbars, and you can save your selections as a workspace. You can also create your own toolbars. A toolbar displays as floating or docked. A floating toolbar displays anywhere in the drawing area, and you can drag a floating toolbar to a new location, resize it, or dock it. A docked toolbar is attached to any edge of the drawing area. A toolbar docked at the top edge of the drawing area is located below the ribbon.
Status Bars The application and drawing status bars provide useful information and buttons for turning drawing tools on and off. Application Status Bar The application status bar displays the coordinate values of your cursor, drawing tools, and tools for Quick View and annotation scaling. You can view the drawing tool buttons as icons or text. You also can easily change the settings of snap, polar, osnap, and otrack from the shortcut menus of these drawing tools.
To control the display of icons and notifications in the status bar tray 1 Click View tab ➤ Windows panel ➤ Status Bar. 2 In the Status Bar drop-down, click Tray Settings. 3 In the Tray Settings dialog box, select or clear the following display options: ■ Display Icons from Services. Displays the tray at the right end of the status bar and displays icons from services. When this option is cleared, the tray is not displayed. ■ Display Notifications from Services.
System Variables STATUSBAR Controls the display of the application and drawing status bars. Drawing Status Bar The drawing status bar displays several tools for scaling annotations. Different tools display for model space and paper space. When the drawing status bar is turned on, it displays at the bottom of the drawing area. When the drawing status bar is turned off, the tools found on the drawing status bar are moved to the application status bar.
Keytips Use the keyboard to access the Application menu, Quick Access toolbar, and ribbon. Press the Alt key to display shortcut keys for common tools in the application window. When you select a keytip, more keytips are displayed for that tool. The Command Window Enter Commands on the Command Line You can enter a command by using the keyboard. Some commands also have abbreviated names called command aliases.
To enter a command by using the keyboard, type the full command name on the command line and press Enter or Spacebar. NOTE When Dynamic Input is on and is set to display dynamic prompts, you can enter many commands in tooltips near the cursor. Some commands also have abbreviated names. For example, instead of entering line to start the LINE command, you can enter l. Abbreviated command names are called command aliases and are defined in the acad.pgp file.
You can specify the center point either by entering X,Y coordinate values or by using the pointing device to click a point on the screen. To choose a different option, enter the letters capitalized in one of the options in the brackets. You can enter uppercase or lowercase letters. For example, to choose the three-point option (3P), enter 3p. Execute Commands To execute commands, press Spacebar or Enter, or right-click your pointing device after entering command names or responses to prompts.
Commands that do not select objects, create new objects, or end the drawing session usually can be used transparently. Changes made in dialog boxes that you have opened transparently cannot take effect until the interrupted command has been executed. Similarly, if you reset a system variable transparently, the new value cannot take effect until you start the next command. See also: ■ “Keyboard Shortcuts” in the Customization Guide To copy a command you have recently used 1 Right-click on the command line.
For example, the GRIDMODE system variable turns the dot grid display on and off when you change the value. In this case, the GRIDMODE system variable is functionally equivalent to the GRID command. DATE is a read-only system variable that stores the current date. You can display this value, but you cannot change it. Bitcode Variables Some system variables are controlled using bitcodes. With these system variables, you add values to specify a unique combination of behaviors.
Quick Reference SETVAR Lists or changes the values of system variables. Navigate and Edit Within the Command Window You can edit text in the command window to correct or repeat commands. Use the standard keys: ■ Up, Down, Left Arrow, and Right Arrow ■ Insert, Delete ■ Page Up, Page Down ■ Home, End ■ Backspace You can repeat any command used in the current session by cycling through the commands in the command window with Up ArrowCtrl and Down Arrow and pressing Enter.
detailed information about objects you select. To move forward and backward in the command history, you can click the scroll arrows along the right edge of the window. Press SHIFT with a key to highlight text. For example, press SHIFT+HOME in the text window to highlight all text from the cursor location to the beginning of the line. To copy all the text in the text window to the Clipboard, use the COPYHIST command. To save commands to a log file, use the LOGFILEON command.
The text window is displayed in front of the drawing area. Quick Reference COPYCLIP Copies selected objects to the Clipboard. COPYHIST Copies the text in the command line history to the Clipboard. GRAPHSCR Switches from the text window to the drawing area. LOGFILEOFF Closes the text window log file opened by LOGFILEON. LOGFILEON Writes the text window contents to a file. PASTECLIP Pastes objects from the Clipboard into the current drawing. TEXTSCR Opens the text window.
Some functions are available both on the command line and in a dialog box. In many cases, you can enter a hyphen before the command to suppress the dialog box and display prompts on the command line instead. For example, entering layer on the command line displays the Layer Properties Manager. Entering -layer on the command line displays the equivalent command line options. Suppressing the dialog box is useful for compatibility with earlier versions of AutoCAD® and for using script files.
System Variables ATTDIA Controls whether the INSERT command uses a dialog box for attribute value entry. CMDNAMES Displays the names of the active and transparent commands. EXPERT Controls whether certain prompts are issued. FILEDIA Suppresses display of file navigation dialog boxes. Dock, Resize, and Hide the Command Window Change the position and display of the command window to suit the way you work. Dock the Command Window By default, the command window is docked.
the command window make sure it is floating, and then right-click over its title bar and select either Anchor Left or Anchor Right. Resize the Command Window You can resize the command window vertically by dragging the splitter bar, which is located on the top edge of the window when it is docked on the bottom and at the bottom edge of the window when it is docked at the top.
To dock the command window ■ Click the title bar and drag the command window until it is over the top or bottom docking region of the AutoCAD window. When the command window becomes the same width as the AutoCAD window, release the mouse button to dock it. The docking region is an edge of the AutoCAD application window that allows you to dock a toolbar, palette, or the command window. ■ Right-click the title bar of the Command window, and select Allow Docking.
System Variables PALETTEOPAQUE Controls whether palettes can be made transparent. Shortcut Menus Display a shortcut menu for quick access to commands that are relevant to your current activity. You can display different shortcut menus when you right-click different areas of the screen.
editing-oriented shortcut menu is displayed. You can also display a shortcut menu during PAN or ZOOM. To turn off shortcut menus in the drawing area 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, User Preferences tab, under Windows Standard Behavior, clear Shortcut Menus in Drawing Area. 3 To control Default, Edit, and Command shortcut menus individually, select Shortcut Menus in Drawing Area. Right-Click Customization.
2 In the Options dialog box, User Preferences tab, under Windows Standard Behavior, click Right-Click Customization. 3 In the Right-Click Customization dialog box, select Turn on Time-Sensitive Right-Click. You can specify the duration of the longer click. The default is 250 milliseconds 4 Click Apply & Close. 5 In the Options dialog box, click OK. To control the display of recent input 1 At the Command prompt, enter inputhistorymode. 2 Enter a sum of one or more of the following values: ■ 0.
CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product. CUTCLIP Copies selected objects to the Clipboard and removes them from the drawing. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. PAN Moves the view planar to the screen. PASTECLIP Pastes objects from the Clipboard into the current drawing. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. TRAYSETTINGS Controls the display of icons and notifications in the status bar tray. U Reverses the most recent operation.
SHORTCUTMENU Controls whether Default, Edit, and Command mode shortcut menus are available in the drawing area. TRAYICONS Controls whether a tray is displayed on the status bar. TRAYNOTIFY Controls whether service notifications are displayed in the status bar tray. TRAYTIMEOUT Controls the length of time (in seconds) that service notifications are displayed.
■ External references (xrefs) NOTE When you drag an object onto a tool palette, you can switch to a different tab by hovering over the tab for a few seconds. You can then use the new tool to create objects in your drawing with the same properties as the object you dragged to the tool palette. For example, if you drag a red circle with a lineweight of .05 mm from your drawing to your tool palette, the new tool creates a red circle with a lineweight of .05 mm.
Update Block Definitions on Tool Palettes A block definition in your current drawing does not update automatically when you modify the block in the source drawing. To update a block definition in the current drawing, right-click the block tool on the tool palette and click Redefine on the shortcut menu. If the Redefine option is unavailable, then the block definition source is a drawing file rather than a block within a drawing file.
3 In the drop-down list, select Yes if you want to add a flyout, or select No if you want to remove one. 4 Click OK. NOTE If you remove the flyout from a tool but then add the flyout back, the image, name, and description (the tooltip) that displays on the tool palette for each tool on the flyout will not be accurate. To correct this, return the image, name, and description of the flyout tool to the default settings. See To change the image, name, and description of a flyout tool to the default settings.
Quick Reference CUSTOMIZE Customizes tool palettes and tool palette groups. TOOLPALETTES Opens the Tool Palettes window. TOOLPALETTESCLOSE Closes the Tool Palettes window. UNITS Controls coordinate and angle display formats and precision. System Variables INSUNITSDEFSOURCE Sets source content units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. INSUNITSDEFTARGET Sets target drawing units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. PALETTEOPAQUE Controls whether palettes can be made transparent.
You can also create a tool that executes a string of commands or customized ® commands, such as an AutoLISP routine, a VBA macro or application, or a script. NOTE Even though the tools on palettes can be clicked when the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor is displayed, the end results might be unpredictable. It is best to not use any of the tools on a palette while the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor is displayed.
The black horizontal line indicates where the tool will be located. 3 Release the mouse button. 4 In the CUI Editor, click Close. To create a command tool that executes multiple or customized commands (advanced) 1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ Tool Palettes. 2 In the program, drag a command from a toolbar to the tool palette and, without releasing the mouse button, move the cursor to the place on the tool palette where you want the tool. 3 Release the mouse button.
TOOLPALETTES Opens the Tool Palettes window. TOOLPALETTESCLOSE Closes the Tool Palettes window. Change Tool Palette Settings The options and settings for tool palettes are accessible from shortcut menus that are displayed when you right-click in different areas of the Tool Palettes window. You can dock the Tool Palettes window on the right or left edge of the application window. Press the Ctrl key if you want to prevent docking as you move the Tool Palettes window.
To change the rollover behavior of the Tool Palettes window ■ In the Tool Palettes window, at the top of the title bar, click the Auto-Hide button. NOTE Rollover behavior is available only when the Tool Palettes window is undocked. To change the transparency of the Tool Palettes window 1 In the Tool Palettes window, at the top of the title bar, click the Properties button. Click Transparency. 2 In the Transparency dialog box, adjust the level of transparency for the Tool Palettes window. Click OK.
4 Click OK. Quick Reference CUSTOMIZE Customizes tool palettes and tool palette groups. TOOLPALETTES Opens the Tool Palettes window. TOOLPALETTESCLOSE Closes the Tool Palettes window. System Variables PALETTEOPAQUE Controls whether palettes can be made transparent. TPSTATE Indicates whether the Tool Palettes window is open or closed. Control Tool Properties You can change the properties of any tool on a tool palette. Once a tool is on a tool palette, you can change its properties.
To change tool properties, right-click on a tool, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu to display the Tool Properties dialog box. The Tool Properties dialog box has the following two categories of properties: ■ Insert or Pattern properties. Control object-specific properties such as scale, rotation, and angle. ■ General properties. Override the current drawing property settings such as layer, color, and linetype.
xref, or raster image, you can update the icon by right-clicking the tool in the palette and clicking Update Tool Image. You must save the drawing before you can update the tool image. ™ Alternatively, you can delete the tool, and then replace it using DesignCenter . Specify Overrides for Tool Properties In some cases, you may want to assign specific property overrides to a tool. For example, you may want a hatch to be placed automatically on a pre-specified layer, regardless of the current layer setting.
■ Properties listed under the General category override the current drawing property settings such as layer, color, and linetype. ■ Auxiliary scale for a block or a hatch tool overrides the regular scale setting when the tool is used. (An auxiliary scale multiplies your current scale setting by the plot scale or the dimension scale.) You can resize the Tool Properties dialog box by dragging an edge, or you can expand and collapse the property categories by clicking the arrow buttons. 3 Click OK.
To change the image, name, and description of a flyout tool to the default settings 1 On a tool palette, right-click a tool. Click Properties. 2 In the Tool Properties dialog box, right-click in the image area. Click Delete Image. 3 Click in the Name box and delete the text. 4 Click in the Description box and delete the text. 5 Click OK.
Customize Tool Palettes You can add tools to a tool palette with several methods. You can create new tool palettes using the Properties button on the title bar of the Tool Palettes window. Add tools to a tool palette with the following methods: ■ Drag any of the following onto your tool palette: geometric objects such as lines, circles, and polylines; dimensions; hatches; gradient fills; blocks; xrefs; raster images. ■ Drag drawings, blocks, and hatches from DesignCenter to the tool palette.
■ You can associate a customizable tool palette group with each panel on the ribbon. Right-click the ribbon panel to display a list of available tool palette groups. NOTE If the source drawing file for a block, xref, or raster image tool is moved to a different folder, you must modify the tool that references it by right-clicking the tool and, in the Tool Properties dialog box, specifying the new source file folder.
Read-Only Tool Palettes If a tool palette file is set with a read-only attribute, a lock icon is displayed in a lower corner of the tool palette. This indicates that you cannot modify the tool palette beyond changing its display settings and rearranging the icons. To apply a read-only attribute to a tool palette, right-click the tool palette (ATC) file in the following location: C:\documents and settings\\application data\autodesk\AutoCAD 2011\r17.2\enu\support\ToolPalette\Palettes.
2 In the text box, add the text you want to display in the window. 3 If necessary, drag the text to the appropriate location in the window. To add a separator line to a tool palette 1 Right-click a blank area inside the Tool Palettes window. Click Add Separator. 2 If necessary, drag the separator to the appropriate location in the window. Quick Reference CUSTOMIZE Customizes tool palettes and tool palette groups. TOOLPALETTES Opens the Tool Palettes window.
To create or remove a tool palette group 1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ Tool Palettes. 2 In the Customize dialog box, under Palette Groups, right-click on the lower, blank area. Click New Group. If there are no groups listed in the Palette Groups area, you can create a group by dragging a tool palette from the Tool Palettes area into the Palette Groups area. 3 Enter a name for the tool palette group. 4 Click Close.
3 In the Customize dialog box, under Palette Groups, right-click a tool palette group. Click Delete. 4 Repeat step 3 until all tool palette groups are deleted. 5 Click Close. To copy and paste a tool palette from one group to another 1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ Tool Palettes. 2 In the Customize dialog box, under Palette Groups, select the tool palette that you want to copy. 3 Press Ctrl while you drag the selected tool palette to another group.
Save and Share Tool Palettes You can save and share a tool palette or tool palette group by exporting it or importing it as a file. You can save and share a tool palette by exporting it or importing it as a tool palette file. Tool palette files have an .xtp file extension. Similarly, you can save and share a tool palette group by exporting it or importing it as a palette group file. Tool palette files have an .xpg file extension.
NOTE If a tool palette file is set with a read-only attribute, a lock icon is displayed in a lower corner of the tool palette. This indicates that you cannot modify the tool palette beyond changing its display settings and rearranging the icons. See also: ■ Save and Restore Interface Settings (Profiles) on page 151 To share a tool palette 1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ Tool Palettes. 2 In the Customize dialog box, under Palettes, right-click a tool palette. On the shortcut menu, click Export.
DesignCenter With DesignCenter, you can organize access to blocks, hatches, xrefs, and other drawing content. You can drag content from any source drawing to your current drawing. You can drag drawings, blocks, and hatches to a tool palette. Source drawings can be on your computer, on a network location, or on a website.
System Variables ADCSTATE Indicates whether the DesignCenter window is open or closed. Understand the DesignCenter Window You can control the size, location, and appearance of DesignCenter. The Organization of the DesignCenter Window The DesignCenter window is divided into the tree view on the left side and the content area on the right side. Use the tree view to browse sources of content and to display content in the content area. Use the content area to add items to a drawing or to a tool palette.
The DesignCenter Toolbar The DesignCenter toolbar controls navigation and display of information in the tree view and the content area. For information about these buttons, see the ADCENTER command. The same navigation and display options are available on the shortcut menu. Right-click in the DesignCenter content area to display the menu. To change the DesignCenter rollover behavior 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ DesignCenter. 2 Right-click the DesignCenter title bar. Click Auto-hide.
System Variables ADCSTATE Indicates whether the DesignCenter window is open or closed. Access Content with DesignCenter The tree view in the left portion of the DesignCenter window and the four DesignCenter tabs help you find and load content into the content area.
Open Drawings, History, and DC Online Tabs The Open Drawings, History, and DC Online tabs provide alternate methods of locating content. ■ Open Drawings. Displays a list of the drawings that are currently open. Click a drawing file and then click one of the definition tables from the list to load the content into the content area. ■ History. Displays a list of files opened previously with DesignCenter.
■ DC Online. Displays online content from the Web. NOTE The DesignCenter Online (DC Online tab) is disabled by default. You can enable it from the CAD Manager Control utility on page 104. To change the folder of the Home button in DesignCenter 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ DesignCenter. 2 In the DesignCenter tree view, navigate to the folder that you want to set as home. 3 Right-click on the folder. Click Set as Home.
3 Right-click the background in the content area. Click Organize Favorites. Your Autodesk Favorites folder is opened in a window. Quick Reference ADCENTER Manages and inserts content such as blocks, xrefs, and hatch patterns. ADCNAVIGATE Loads a specified DesignCenter drawing file, folder, or network path. System Variables ADCSTATE Indicates whether the DesignCenter window is open or closed. Add Content with DesignCenter The right portion of the DesignCenter window operates on the content displayed.
Update Block Definitions with DesignCenter Unlike xrefs, when the source file of a block definition is changed, block definitions in the drawings that contain that block are not automatically updated. With DesignCenter, you decide whether a block definition should be updated in the current drawing. The source file of a block definition can be a drawing file or a nested block in a symbol library drawing.
2 Do one of the following: ■ Right-click an item in the DesignCenter tree view. Click Create Tool Palette. The new tool palette contains the drawings, blocks, or hatches from the item you selected. ■ Right-click the background in the DesignCenter content area. Click Create Tool Palette. The new tool palette contains the drawings, blocks, or hatches from the DesignCenter content area. ■ Right-click a drawing in the DesignCenter tree view or content area. Click Create Tool Palette of Blocks.
NOTE You can set your home folder to any folder that contains symbol library drawings. If your home folder is set to a different path, navigate to a folder that contains symbol library drawings and right-click on the folder. Click Set as Home. To load the content area of DesignCenter with hatch patterns 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ DesignCenter. 2 On the DesignCenter toolbar, click Search. 3 In the Search dialog box, click the Look For box. Click Hatch Pattern Files.
2 Right-click a block in the DesignCenter content area. Click Redefine Only or Insert and Redefine. NOTE If the source of the block that you want to update is an entire drawing file rather than a block definition within a drawing file, right-click the drawing's icon in the DesignCenter content area. Click Insert as Block. To open a block from the DesignCenter window in the Block Editor 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ DesignCenter. 2 On the block icon’s shortcut menu, click Block Editor.
can be used in common design applications to assist you in creating your drawings. To access DesignCenter Online, click the DC Online tab in DesignCenter. Once the DesignCenter Online window is open, you can browse, search, and download content to use in your drawing. NOTE The DesignCenter Online (DC Online tab) is disabled by default. You can enable it from the CAD Manager Control utility on page 104. In the DesignCenter Online window, two panes are displayed—a right pane and a left pane.
Once you select a folder in the left pane, all of its content is loaded into the content area. You can select an item in the content area to load it into the preview area. Items can be downloaded by dragging them from the preview area into your drawing or tool palette, or by saving the items to your computer. NOTE If the DC Online tab is not available in DesignCenter and you want to access DesignCenter Online, see your network or CAD administrator.
To install the CAD Manager Control utility 1 Insert the product DVD, or the first CD, into your computer's drive. 2 In the Installation Wizard, click Install Tools And Utilities. 3 On the Welcome to the Installation wizard page, click Next. 4 Choose Autodesk CAD Manager Tools 4.0 on the Select the Products to Install page. Click Next. 5 Review the Autodesk software license agreement for your country or region. You must accept this agreement to procede with the installation.
■ Aggregators. Lists of libraries from commercial catalog providers can be searched for parts and blocks. You use the Collections view to select the categories of online content that you want to display in the Category Listing view. NOTE The DesignCenter Online (DC Online tab) is disabled by default. You can enable it from the CAD Manager Control utility on page 104.
can access Search by clicking the magnifying glass or by choosing Search from the drop-down heading at the top of the left pane. Control the Number of Categories and Items in a Page By using the Settings view, you can control how many categories or items are displayed on each page in the content area as a result of a search or folder navigation. Collections You can choose the type of content to navigate and search.
To specify content collections 1 In DesignCenter Online, at the top of the left pane, click the heading, and then click Collections. 2 In the Collections view, click the check boxes of the collections that you want to use. 3 Click Update Collections. The categories that you have selected are displayed in the left pane. To download content to your computer 1 In DesignCenter Online, at the top of the left pane, click the heading, and then click Category Listing.
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Customize the Drawing Environment 5 You can change many window and drawing environment settings in the Options dialog box. For example, you can change how often a drawing is automatically saved to a temporary file, and you can link the program to folders containing files you use frequently. You can create workspaces to set up a drawing environment that is specific to your drawing needs. Experiment with different settings until you create the drawing environment that best fits your needs.
■ Color Scheme (Options dialog box, Display tab, Colors). You specify a dark or light color scheme for the overall user interface. The settings affect the window frame background, status bar, title bar, menu browser frame, toolbars, and palettes. ■ Background Colors (Options dialog box, Display tab, Colors). You specify the background colors used in model space, layouts, and the block editor.
■ Rollover Tooltips in the Customization Guide ■ Create Tooltips and Extended Help for Commands in the Customization Guide To set options 1 Click the Application button. At the bottom of the Application menu, click Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, click a tab. 3 Set options as desired. 4 Do either or both of the following: ■ Click Apply to record the current options settings in the system registry.
2 In the View Transitions dialog box, check one or more of the following options: ■ Enable Animation for Pan and Zoom. Makes a smooth view transition during panning and zooming. ■ Enable Animation When View Rotates. Makes a smooth view transition when the view angle is changed. ■ Enable Animation During Scripts. Makes a smooth view transition while a script is running. 3 Set the transition speed by moving the slider.
Quick Reference Commands 3DCONFIG Sets options that affect 3D display performance. CLEANSCREENON Clears the screen of toolbars and dockable windows, excluding the command window. CLEANSCREENOFF Restores display of toolbars and dockable windows, excluding the command window. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. VIEWRES Sets the resolution for objects in the current viewport. VTOPTIONS Displays a change in view as a smooth transition.
EXTNAMES Sets the parameters for named object names (such as linetypes and layers) stored in definition tables. GLOBALOPACITY Controls transparency level for all palettes. GRIPCOLOR Controls the color of unselected grips. GRIPHOT Controls the color of selected grips. GRIPS Controls the display of grips on selected objects. HELPPREFIX Sets the file path for the Help system. INSUNITS Specifies a drawing-units value for automatic scaling of blocks, images, or xrefs when inserted or attached to a drawing.
LOCALE Displays a code that indicates the current locale. LOCALROOTPREFIX Stores the full path to the root folder where local customizable files were installed. LOCKUI Locks the position and size of toolbars and dockable windows such as DesignCenter and the Properties palette. LOGFILEMODE Specifies whether the contents of the text window are written to a log file. LOGFILENAME Specifies the path and name of the text window log file for the current drawing.
PALETTEOPAQUE Controls the display of a warning dialog box when attempting to print a layout with a paper size different from the paper size specified by the default for the plotter configuration file. PICKADD Controls whether subsequent selections replace the current selection set or add to it. PICKAUTO Controls automatic windowing at the Select Objects prompt. PICKBOX Sets the object selection target height, in pixels. PICKDRAG Controls the method of drawing a selection window.
SAVEFILE Stores the current automatic save file name. SAVEFILEPATH Specifies the path to the directory for all automatic save files for the current session. SAVETIME Sets the automatic save interval, in minutes. SPLINESEGS Sets the number of line segments to be generated for each spline-fit polyline generated by the Spline option of the PEDIT command. TDUSRTIMER Stores the user-elapsed timer. TOOLTIPMERGE Combines drafting tooltips into a single tooltip.
Set Options for 3D Modeling with Perspective Projection You can set specific display options when working with 3D models using perspective projection. Using the Options dialog box, you can specify the following options when your 3D model is set to use a perspective view: ■ Ground Plane (Options dialog box, Display tab, Colors). When perspective projection is turned on, the XY plane of the UCS displays as a ground plane with a gradient color.
Quick Reference Commands 3DCONFIG Sets options that affect 3D display performance. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. VIEWRES Sets the resolution for objects in the current viewport. System Variables APERTURE Sets the display size for the object snap target box, in pixels. CALCINPUT Controls whether mathematical expressions and global constants are evaluated in text and numeric entry boxes of windows and dialog boxes. CLEANSCREENSTATE Indicates whether the clean screen state is on or off.
EXTNAMES Sets the parameters for named object names (such as linetypes and layers) stored in definition tables. FILLMODE Specifies whether hatches and fills, 2D solids, and wide polylines are filled in. GRIPBLOCK Controls the display of grips in blocks. GRIPCOLOR Controls the color of unselected grips. GRIPHOT Controls the color of selected grips. GRIPS Controls the display of grips on selected objects.
LOCALE Displays a code that indicates the current locale. LOCALROOTPREFIX Stores the full path to the root folder where local customizable files were installed. LOCKUI Locks the position and size of toolbars and dockable windows such as DesignCenter and the Properties palette. LOGFILEMODE Specifies whether the contents of the text window are written to a log file. LOGFILENAME Specifies the path and name of the text window log file for the current drawing.
PICKADD Controls whether subsequent selections replace the current selection set or add to it. PICKAUTO Controls automatic windowing at the Select Objects prompt. PICKBOX Sets the object selection target height, in pixels. PICKDRAG Controls the method of drawing a selection window. PICKFIRST Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you issue a command. PICKSTYLE Controls the use of group selection and associative hatch selection.
SAVETIME Sets the automatic save interval, in minutes. SPLINESEGS Sets the number of line segments to be generated for each spline-fit polyline generated by the Spline option of the PEDIT command. TDUSRTIMER Stores the user-elapsed timer. TOOLTIPMERGE Combines drafting tooltips into a single tooltip. TOOLTIPS Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user interface elements. VISRETAIN Controls the properties of xref-dependent layers.
menu, and on the shortcut menu of the Model/Layout button on the status bar. NOTE Access to all shortcut menu options is available from the tabs only. To change the Model and layout tabs to status bar buttons ■ Right-click the Model tab or a layout tab. Click Hide Layout and Model Tabs. To turn on the Model and layout tabs ■ On the status bar, right-click the Model or layout button. Click Display Layout and Model Tabs. Quick Reference Commands DRAGMODE Controls the way dragged objects are displayed.
DCTCUST Displays the path and file name of the current custom spelling dictionary. DCTMAIN Displays the three letter keyword for the current main spelling dictionary. DEFPLSTYLE Specifies the default plot style for new objects in a drawing when opening a drawing that was created in a release prior to AutoCAD 2000, or when creating a new drawing from scratch without using a drawing template. DRAGMODE Controls the way dragged objects are displayed.
INSUNITSDEFTARGET Sets target drawing units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. INTELLIGENTUPDATE Controls the graphics refresh rate. ISAVEBAK Improves the speed of incremental saves, especially for large drawings. ISAVEPERCENT Determines the amount of wasted space tolerated in a drawing file. LAYOUTREGENCTL Specifies how the display list is updated in the Model tab and layout tabs. LOCALE Displays a code that indicates the current locale.
OLESTARTUP Controls whether the source application of an embedded OLE object loads when plotting. OSNAPCOORD Controls whether coordinates entered on the command line will override running object snaps. PAPERUPDATE Controls the display of a warning dialog box when attempting to print a layout with a paper size different from the paper size specified by the default for the plotter configuration file. PALETTEOPAQUE Controls whether palettes can be made transparent.
QTEXTMODE Controls how text is displayed. RASTERPREVIEW Controls whether BMP preview images are saved with the drawing. ROLLOVERTIPS Controls the display of rollover tooltips in the application. SAVEFILEPATH Stores the current automatic save file name. SAVEFILEPATH Specifies the path to the directory for all automatic save files for the current session. SAVETIME Sets the automatic save interval, in minutes.
VTFPS Sets the minimum speed of a smooth view transition, in frames per second. XLOADCTL Turns xref demand-loading on and off, and controls whether it opens the referenced drawing or a copy. Specify Application Fonts Change the fonts used in the application window and in the text window. You can specify the font that is displayed in both the application and text windows. To change the application font, use the Options dialog box, Display tab. NOTE This setting does not affect the text in your drawings.
System Variables APERTURE Sets the display size for the object snap target box, in pixels. CALCINPUT Controls whether mathematical expressions and global constants are evaluated in text and numeric entry boxes of windows and dialog boxes. CLEANSCREENSTATE Indicates whether the clean screen state is on or off. CURSORSIZE Determines the size of the crosshairs as a percentage of the screen size. DCTCUST Displays the path and file name of the current custom spelling dictionary.
GRIPHOT Controls the color of selected grips. GRIPS Controls the display of grips on selected objects. INSUNITS Specifies a drawing-units value for automatic scaling of blocks, images, or xrefs when inserted or attached to a drawing. INSUNITSDEFSOURCE Sets source content units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. INSUNITSDEFTARGET Sets target drawing units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. INTELLIGENTUPDATE Controls the graphics refresh rate.
LOGFILENAME Specifies the path and name of the text window log file for the current drawing. LOGFILEPATH Specifies the path for the text window log files for all drawings in a session. MTEXTED Sets the application for editing multiline text objects. OLEQUALITY Sets the default plot quality for OLE objects. OLESTARTUP Controls whether the source application of an embedded OLE object loads when plotting. OSNAPCOORD Controls whether coordinates entered on the command line will override running object snaps.
PICKFIRST Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you issue a command. PICKSTYLE Controls the use of group selection and associative hatch selection. PSTYLEPOLICY Controls the plot style mode, Color-Dependent or Named, that is used when opening a drawing that was created in a release prior to AutoCAD 2000 or when creating a new drawing from scratch without using a drawing template. QTEXTMODE Controls how text is displayed.
TOOLTIPS Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user interface elements. VISRETAIN Controls the properties of xref-dependent layers. VTDURATION Sets the duration of a smooth view transition, in milliseconds. VTENABLE Controls when smooth view transitions are used. VTFPS Sets the minimum speed of a smooth view transition, in frames per second. XLOADCTL Turns xref demand-loading on and off, and controls whether it opens the referenced drawing or a copy.
■ Auto-hide. A floating window rolls open and closes as the cursor moves across it. When this option is cleared, the window stays open continuously. Docked windows with auto-hide show up as a bar inside the application. ■ Transparency. Sets the degree of transparency for the window and on mouse over. The window becomes transparent so that it does not obscure objects under it. The window becomes more opaque when it is moused over. This option is not available for all windows.
To float an anchored window Do one of the following: ■ At the top of the window or palette title bar, click the Properties button. Clear Allow Docking. ■ When the anchored window is open, drag the window title bar away from the anchor tab base. ■ Double-click the anchor tab. To dock a window or palette 1 At the top of the window or palette title bar, click the Properties button. Click Allow Docking.
NOTE This procedure applies to the Tool palette, DesignCenter, the Properties palette, and several other palettes. Quick Reference Commands DRAGMODE Controls the way dragged objects are displayed. HIDEPALETTES Hides all currently displayed palettes, including the command window. LOGFILEOFF Closes the text window log file opened by LOGFILEON. LOGFILEON Writes the text window contents to a file. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. SHOWPALETTES Restores the display of hidden palettes.
CLEANSCREENSTATE Indicates whether the clean screen state is on or off. CURSORSIZE Determines the size of the crosshairs as a percentage of the screen size. DCTCUST Displays the path and file name of the current custom spelling dictionary. DCTMAIN Displays the three letter keyword for the current main spelling dictionary.
INSUNITS Specifies a drawing-units value for automatic scaling of blocks, images, or xrefs when inserted or attached to a drawing. INSUNITSDEFSOURCE Sets source content units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. INSUNITSDEFTARGET Sets target drawing units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. INTELLIGENTUPDATE Controls the graphics refresh rate. ISAVEBAK Improves the speed of incremental saves, especially for large drawings. ISAVEPERCENT Determines the amount of wasted space tolerated in a drawing file.
MTEXTED Sets the application for editing multiline text objects. OLEQUALITY Sets the default plot quality for OLE objects. OLESTARTUP Controls whether the source application of an embedded OLE object loads when plotting. OSNAPCOORD Controls whether coordinates entered on the command line will override running object snaps.
PSTYLEPOLICY Controls the plot style mode, Color-Dependent or Named, that is used when opening a drawing that was created in a release prior to AutoCAD 2000 or when creating a new drawing from scratch without using a drawing template. QTEXTMODE Controls how text is displayed. RASTERPREVIEW Controls whether BMP preview images are saved with the drawing. ROLLOVERTIPS Controls the display of rollover tooltips in the application. SAVEFILEPATH Stores the current automatic save file name.
VTDURATION Sets the duration of a smooth view transition, in milliseconds. VTENABLE Controls when smooth view transitions are used. VTFPS Sets the minimum speed of a smooth view transition, in frames per second. XLOADCTL Turns xref demand-loading on and off, and controls whether it opens the referenced drawing or a copy. Control the Display of Toolbars Similar to dockable windows, you can control the behavior of toolbars. To display or hide toolbars, right-click any toolbar to display a list of toolbars.
■ Click View tab ➤ Windows panel ➤ Window Locking ➤ Floating Windows. ■ Click View tab ➤ Windows panel ➤ Window Locking ➤ Docked Windows. A lock icon in the system tray indicates whether toolbars or dockable windows are locked. To unlock them temporarily, hold down Ctrl. Quick Reference Commands CLEANSCREENON Clears the screen of toolbars and dockable windows, excluding the command window. CLEANSCREENOFF Restores display of toolbars and dockable windows, excluding the command window.
VTOPTIONS Displays a change in view as a smooth transition. System Variables APERTURE Sets the display size for the object snap target box, in pixels. CALCINPUT Controls whether mathematical expressions and global constants are evaluated in text and numeric entry boxes of windows and dialog boxes. CLEANSCREENSTATE Indicates whether the clean screen state is on or off. CURSORSIZE Determines the size of the crosshairs as a percentage of the screen size.
GRIPCOLOR Controls the color of unselected grips. GRIPHOT Controls the color of selected grips. GRIPS Controls the display of grips on selected objects. INSUNITS Specifies a drawing-units value for automatic scaling of blocks, images, or xrefs when inserted or attached to a drawing. INSUNITSDEFSOURCE Sets source content units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. INSUNITSDEFTARGET Sets target drawing units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. INTELLIGENTUPDATE Controls the graphics refresh rate.
LOGFILEMODE Specifies whether the contents of the text window are written to a log file. LOGFILENAME Specifies the path and name of the text window log file for the current drawing. LOGFILEPATH Specifies the path for the text window log files for all drawings in a session. MTEXTED Sets the application for editing multiline text objects. OLEQUALITY Sets the default plot quality for OLE objects. OLESTARTUP Controls whether the source application of an embedded OLE object loads when plotting.
PICKDRAG Controls the method of drawing a selection window. PICKFIRST Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you issue a command. PICKSTYLE Controls the use of group selection and associative hatch selection. PSTYLEPOLICY Controls the plot style mode, Color-Dependent or Named, that is used when opening a drawing that was created in a release prior to AutoCAD 2000 or when creating a new drawing from scratch without using a drawing template.
TOOLTIPMERGE Combines drafting tooltips into a single tooltip. TOOLTIPS Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user interface elements. VISRETAIN Controls the properties of xref-dependent layers. VTDURATION Sets the duration of a smooth view transition, in milliseconds. VTENABLE Controls when smooth view transitions are used. VTFPS Sets the minimum speed of a smooth view transition, in frames per second.
For example, when you create 3D models, you can use the 3D Modeling workspace that contains only 3D-related toolbars, menus, and palettes. Interface items that you do not need for 3D modeling are hidden, maximizing the screen area available for your work. When you make changes to your drawing display (such as moving, hiding, or displaying a toolbar or a tool palette group) and you want to preserve the display settings for future use, you can save the current settings to a workspace.
To use the sample workspace, you must first transfer it to your main customization (CUIx) file. To learn more about transferring a workspace, see Transfer and Migrate Customization in the Customization Guide. Workspaces and Profiles Workspaces work with and complement the control over your drawing environment that profiles provide. Workspaces control the display of menus, toolbars, and palettes in the drawing area. When you use or switch a workspace, you change the display of your drawing area.
To save a workspace 1 Tools ➤ Workspaces ➤ Save Current As. 2 In the Save Workspace dialog box, enter a name for the new workspace or select a name from the drop-down list. 3 Click Save. Quick Reference Commands WORKSPACE Creates, modifies, and saves workspaces and makes a workspace current. WSSAVE Saves a workspace. WSSETTINGS Sets options for workspaces. System Variables WSAUTOSAVE Saves changes you made to a workspace when you switch to another work space.
■ Initial folder specified in file navigation dialog boxes ■ Default linetype and hatch pattern files ■ Printer defaults Profile information is typically set on the Files tab of the Options dialog box, stored in the system registry, and can be exported to a text file (an ARG file). Use Profiles for Shared Computers or Different Projects Use the Profiles tab in the Options dialog box to create and save your drawing environment settings as a profile.
2 In the Options dialog box, Profiles tab, select the profile you want to make current. 3 Click Set Current. 4 Click OK. To save a profile 1 Click the Application button. At the bottom of the Application menu, click Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Profiles tab, click Add to List. 3 In the Add Profiles dialog box, enter a Profile name and Description. 4 Click Apply & Close to record the current option settings in the system registry and close the dialog box. 5 Click OK.
Customize Startup Command line switches can specify a separate startup routine for each project. You can use command line switches to specify several options when you start the program. For example, you can run a script, start with a specified drawing template, and display a specified view when a drawing is opened. With command line switches, you can also set up several program icons, each with different start-up options. Command line switches are parameters you can add to the acad.
double quotes. If no path information is included, the program search path is used. /s Support folders Designates support folders other than the current folder. Drawing support files include text fonts, menus, AutoLISP files, linetypes, and hatch patterns. The maximum number of folders you can specify in the path is 15. Each folder name is delimited by semicolons. /r Default system pointing device Restores the default system pointing device. It creates a new configuration file (acad2010.
/w Default workspace Designates which workspace in the loaded CUIx files should be restored on startup. /pl Background plotting/publishing Publishes a drawing set descriptions (DSD) file in the background. Use the following format: \.DSD The syntax for using command line switches is "drive:pathname\acad.
Valid switches are as follows: /b Script name (b stands for batch process) /t Template file name /c Configuration folder /v View name /s Support folders /r Default system pointing device /nologo No AutoCAD logo screen /nohardware Disables hardware acceleration /p User-defined registry profile /nossm No Sheet Set Manager window /set Sheet Set name /w Default workspace /pl Background plotting/publishing for a Drawing Set Descriptions (DSD) file For example, enter "d:\AutoCAD 2011\aca
Based on the current action or request for user interaction in the action macro, an icon near the cursor is displayed to indicate when the action macro needs input in order to continue. A dialog box may be displayed where you enter a value or use the recorded value. As an action macro is played back, the series of commands are performed one after the other until playback is complete or an error is encountered. Some of the reasons for the playback to stop or fail are as follows: ■ Invalid command.
2 Click Play. 3 Follow any Command prompts and dialog boxes displayed to complete the action macro. To play back an action macro from the Command prompt ■ At the Command prompt, enter the name of the action macro that you want to play back and press Enter. For example, if the action macro command name is DRAWLINE, enter drawline at the Command prompt and press Enter. To provide user input during playback 1 Start the playback on an action macro. 2 Follow the prompts displayed at the Command prompt.
System Variables ACTPATH Specifies the additional paths to use when locating available action macros for playback. ACTRECPATH Specifies the path used to store new action macros. Migrate and Specify Initial Setup Migrating from an older release or getting started with AutoCAD for the first time present different challenges. Migrate Custom Settings allows you to copy your custom settings and files from a previous release of AutoCAD to the latest release, making it easier to start using the new release.
See also: ■ Migrate Custom Settings and Files from Previous Releases in the Stand-Alone Installation Guide ■ Basic Customization in the Customization Guide ■ User Interface Customization in the Customization Guide Migrate and Specify Initial Setup | 161
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Part 3: Start and Save Drawings 163
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Start a Drawing 6 All drawings start from either a default drawing template file or a custom drawing template file that you create. Drawing template files store default settings, styles, and additional data. Overview of Starting a New Drawing Before you start to draw, you need to decide what system of drawing units that you will use in the drawing, and then choose a drawing template file appropriate for those drawing units.
Customize a Drawing Template File By customizing your own drawing template file, you save yourself a lot of work changing settings, and you also ensure that the settings are standardized. Choose a drawing template file Start a new drawing, choose a drawing template ----- file similar to what you need for your discipline and units of measurement. Specify units and precision ----- Specify a unit format and precision.
Quick Reference Commands NEW Creates a new drawing. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. SAVEAS Saves a copy of the current drawing under a new file name. System Variables MEASUREMENT Controls whether the current drawing uses imperial or metric hatch pattern and linetype files. Specify Units and Unit Formats Before you start to draw, you decide on the units of measurement to be used in the drawing, and set the format, precision, and other conventions to be used in coordinates and distances.
Convert Drawing Units If you start a drawing in one system of measurement (imperial or metric) and then want to switch to the other system, use SCALE to scale the model geometry by the appropriate conversion factor to obtain correct distances and dimensions. For example, to convert a drawing created in inches to centimeters, you scale the model geometry by a factor of 2.54. To convert from centimeters to inches, the scale factor is 1/2.54 or about 0.3937.
2 At the Select Objects prompt, enter all. All objects in the drawing are selected for scaling. 3 Enter a base point of *0,0. Scaling is performed relative to the world coordinate system origin, and the location of the drawing origin will remain at the WCS origin. 4 Enter a scale factor of 0.3937 (the inverse of 2.54 centimeters per inch). All objects in the drawing are now smaller, corresponding to the equivalent distance in inches.
Set the Unit Format Conventions You can set the format and the number of decimal places to be used when you enter and display linear and angular units. Set Linear Units You can choose from several common conventions to represent the format and the precision of linear distances and coordinates displayed in the Properties palette, dynamic input, the status bar, and other locations. For example, here are three variations of dynamic input.
Quick Reference Commands UNITS Controls coordinate and angle display formats and precision. System Variables ANGBASE Sets the base angle to 0 with respect to the current UCS. ANGDIR Sets the direction of positive angles. AUNITS Sets units for angles. AUPREC Sets the display precision for angular units and coordinates. LUNITS Sets linear units. LUPREC Sets the display precision for linear units and coordinates.
Select a Drawing Template File A set of drawing template files is installed with AutoCAD. Many of them are provided either for imperial or for metric units, and some are optimized for 3D modeling. All drawing template files have a .dwt file extension. While these drawing templates provide a quick way to start a new drawing, it is best to create drawing templates specific to your company and the type of drawings you create.
To start a drawing by selecting a template file 1 Click the Application menu, and click New menu ➤ Drawing. 2 In the Select Template dialog box, select a template from the list. 3 Click Open. To start a new drawing with no template file, click the arrow next to the Open button. Select one of the “no template” options from the list. To create a drawing template file from an existing drawing 1 Click the Application button, and click Open ➤ Drawing.
OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. SAVEAS Saves a copy of the current drawing under a new file name. System Variables MEASUREMENT Controls whether the current drawing uses imperial or metric hatch pattern and linetype files. Add Identifying Information to Drawings You can keep track of your drawings more easily if you add keywords or other information to them. Use Windows Explorer Drawing properties can help you identify a drawing.
Display Properties in Fields You can assign any of the drawing properties to a field in a text object. For more information about fields, see Use Fields in Text on page 1352. To display drawing properties for the active drawing 1 Click the Application button, and click Drawing ➤ Drawing Properties. 2 In the Drawing Properties dialog box, click tabs to view the different types of information. To define drawing properties 1 Click the Application button, and click Drawing ➤ Drawing Properties.
System Variables CDATE Stores the current date and time in decimal format. DATE Stores the current date and time in Modified Julian Date format. TDCREATE Stores the local time and date the drawing was created. TDINDWG Stores the total editing time, which is the total elapsed time between saves of the current drawing. TDUCREATE Stores the universal time and date that the drawing was created. TDUPDATE Stores the local time and date of the last update/save.
This marker cannot be selected, but you can control whether it is displayed using the GEOMARKERVISIBILITY system variable. You can display the latitude and longitude of the cursor in the coordinate display area of the status bar. To specify the geographic location of a drawing 1 Click Render tab ➤ Sun & Location panel ➤ Set Location. 2 Click Enter the Location Values. 3 (Optional) Select the latitude and longitude format, or click Use Map to specify the nearest city and time zone.
4 Click or specify the coordinates for the location in the World Coordinate System (WCS) X, Y, Z format. 5 Click to specify the north direction. A geographic marker is inserted at the specified location. To import a geographic location from Google Earth 1 Start Google Earth and select a location. 2 Click Render tab ➤ Sun & Location panel ➤ Set Location. 3 Click Import the current location from Google Earth. 4 Click Continue.
XATTACH Inserts DWG files as an external reference (xref). System Variables GEOLATLONGFORMAT Controls the format of the latitude or longitude values in the Geographic Location dialog box, and the coordinate status bar in Geographic mode. GEOMARKERVISIBILITY Controls the visibility of geographic markers.
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Open or Save a Drawing 7 You can use several methods to find and open drawings, even damaged drawings. You can save and backup drawings automatically. Open a Drawing You open drawings to work on them just as you do with other Windows applications. In addition, you can choose from several alternative methods. To open a drawing, you can ■ Use Open on the File menu or Quick Access toolbar to display the Select File dialog box.
Work on Drawings During Loading You can work on drawings before they are fully open. This is useful when you work on large drawings and you want to begin working immediately. To take advantage of this capability, three conditions are required. ■ The drawing must have been saved in paper space. ■ The OPENPARTIAL system variable must be set to 1. ■ The INDEXCTL system variable must be set to a non-zero value.
Missing Reference Types Description the drawing or one of the support paths defined in the Options dialog box. For information about custom shape files in linetypes, see Shapes in Custom Linetypes in the Customization Guide. You can use eTransmit to avoid missing files when sharing drawings with others outside of your company. For more information about eTransmit, see Package a Set of Files for Internet Transmission on page 1971.
file is corrupt, you might be able to recover it. See Repair, Restore, or Recover Drawing Files on page 207. Change the Default Drawing Folder Each time you start AutoCAD, the My Documents folder is the default path in each standard file selection dialog box. Alternatively, you can configure AutoCAD to always default to a specified path by changing the default drawing folder using the REMEMBERFOLDERS system variable.
CLOSEALL Closes all currently open drawings. ETRANSMIT Packages a set of files for Internet transmission. OPEN Opens an existing drawing file. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. WHOHAS Displays ownership information for opened drawing files. DWGCHECK Checks drawings for potential problems when opening them. FILEDIA Suppresses display of file navigation dialog boxes. INDEXCTL Controls whether layer and spatial indexes are created and saved in drawing files.
If you work with large drawings, you can use the Partial Open option of the OPEN command to select which view and layer geometry (graphical objects only) that you want to work with in a drawing. For example, if you load geometry from the EXTENTS view and the SITE layer, everything on the SITE layer that falls within the Extents view is loaded into the drawing. You can only edit what is loaded into the drawing file, but all the drawing's named objects are available in the partially open drawing.
4 In the Partial Open dialog box, select a view; the default view is EXTENTS. You can load only geometry from model space views that are saved in the current drawing. 5 Select one or more layers. If you do not select a layer or layers to load, no layer geometry is loaded into the drawing but all drawing layers exist in the drawing. If no layer geometry is specified to load into the drawing, no geometry is loaded even if the geometry from a view is specified to load.
2 In the Partial Load dialog box, select a view, or click Pick Window to define a view. The default view is Extents. You can load only geometry from model space views that are saved in the current drawing. 3 Select one or more layers. If you do not select a layer or layers to load, no layer geometry is loaded into the drawing, but all drawing layers exist in the drawing. If no layer geometry is specified to load into the drawing, no geometry is loaded even if the geometry from a view is specified to load.
Displays all currently open drawings in a row of Quick View drawing images. You can also preview and switch between the model space and layouts in an open drawing when you move your cursor over a Quick View drawing image. For more information, see Switch Between Open Drawings on page 189. ■ Quick View Layouts Displays the model space and layouts in the current drawing in a row of Quick View layout images. You can right-click a Quick View layout image to view layout options.
When you click the Quick View Drawings button on the status bar, each open drawing displays as a thumbnail image in a row. The image of the current drawing is highlighted by default. If you move your cursor over an image, all the layouts and the model for that drawing are displayed in a row of images above the Quick View drawing.
■ Move your cursor over the Quick View drawing image to display the Save and Close buttons on the top corners of the image to save or close the drawing. ■ Move your cursor over a Quick View drawing to display the preview images of the model space and layouts in the drawing. ■ Close all drawings, except the drawing you want to work on, from the shortcut menu. ■ Close and save all open drawings. ■ Manage the display of the drawings in the windows to be tiled vertically or horizontally, or cascaded.
■ When the UPDATETHUMBNAIL system variable is set to 0. In this case, the image is not updated even if you use the UPDATETHUMBSNOW command. When a drawing is saved in DXF format, it does not have a stored image for a drawing. The image is not updated even if you use the UPDATETHUMBSNOW command. A static image is displayed instead. To preview and switch between open drawings 1 Click the status bar. A row of Quick View images is displayed at the bottom of the program.
A row of Quick View images is displayed at the bottom of the program. 2 Press Ctrl + scrollwheel over a Quick View image to resize. Quick Reference QVDRAWING Displays open drawings and layouts in a drawing in preview images. QVDRAWINGCLOSE Closes preview images of open drawings and layouts in a drawing. SYSWINDOWS Arranges windows and icons when the application window is shared with external applications. UPDATETHUMBSNOW Manually updates thumbnail previews in the Sheet Set Manager and the Quick View tool.
You can plot or publish when you move the cursor over a Quick View image of a layout. The toolbar displayed below the Quick View images of drawings has the following options: ■ Pin Quick View Layouts Pins the row of Quick View images of layouts so that it is always visible while you are working in the drawing editor. ■ New Layout Creates a layout that is also displayed as a Quick View image at the end of the row. ■ Publish Launches the Publish dialog box to publish the layouts.
TIP If you often work with many open drawings or many layouts in a drawing, you can use multiple monitors to display complete rows of Quick View images. If a row of Quick View images extends beyond the application display area, scroll arrows display on the left or right side of the row. You can scroll to view the other images. NOTE The Quick View feature will not be fully functional if the drawing is still opening and not fully loaded.
2 On the status bar, click . Quick Reference PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. PUBLISH Publishes drawings to DWF, DWFx, and PDF files, or to plotters. QVLAYOUT Displays preview images of model space and layouts in a drawing. QVLAYOUTCLOSE Closes preview images of model space and layouts in a drawing. UPDATETHUMBSNOW Manually updates thumbnail previews in the Sheet Set Manager and the Quick View tool.
■ Use Match Properties (MATCHPROP) to copy properties from objects in one drawing to objects in another drawing. ■ Use object snaps, the Copy with Basepoint (COPYBASE) command, and the Paste to Original Coordinates (PASTEORIG) command to ensure accurate placement. To switch between open drawings Do one of the following to switch between open drawings: ■ On the status bar, click the Quick View Drawings tool. ■ Click anywhere in a drawing to make it active. ■ Use Ctrl+F6 or Ctrl+Tab.
NOTE If the FILEDIA system variable is set to 0, the Command prompt version displays instead of a file navigation dialog box. Save Part of a Drawing File If you want to create a new drawing file from part of an existing drawing, you use the WBLOCK command. With the command, you can select objects or specify a block definition in your current drawing and save them to a new drawing file. You can also save a description with the new drawing.
may be displayed in paper space viewports at different sizes than in AutoCAD 2008 and later releases. Reduce the Time Required to Save a Drawing File You can reduce the time required to save a drawing file if you specify incremental saves rather than full saves. An incremental save updates only those portions of the saved drawing file that you changed. When you use incremental saves, drawing files will contain a percentage of potentially wasted space.
Maintain Compatibility with Large Object Limits Drawings saved to a legacy drawing file format (AutoCAD 2007 or earlier) do not support objects greater than 256MB. With the AutoCAD 2010 drawing file format, these limitations have been removed allowing you to save objects that are greater in size. When saving to a legacy drawing file format (AutoCAD 2007 or earlier), the drawing cannot contain large objects; there might be compatibility issues with trying to open the drawing.
■ Share Drawing Files Internationally on page 1958 ■ Open and Save Drawing Files from the Internet on page 1953 To save a drawing automatically 1 Click the Application button. At the bottom of the Application menu, click the Options button. 2 In the Options dialog box, Open and Save tab, select Automatic Save. 3 Enter a number in Minutes Between Saves. Click OK. To save a backup of the previous version every time the drawing is saved 1 Click the Application button.
OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. QSAVE Saves the current drawing using the file format specified in the Options dialog box. QUIT Exits the program. SAVE Saves the drawing under the current file name or a specified name. SAVEAS Saves a copy of the current drawing under a new file name. WBLOCK Writes objects or a block to a new drawing file. DWGCHECK Checks drawings for potential problems when opening them. DWGNAME Stores the name of the current drawing.
RASTERPREVIEW Controls whether BMP preview images are saved with the drawing. SAVEFIDELITY Controls whether the drawing is saved with visual fidelity. SAVEFILE Stores the current automatic save file name. SAVEFILEPATH Specifies the path to the directory for all automatic save files for the current session. SAVENAME Displays the file name and directory path of the most recently saved drawing. SAVETIME Sets the automatic save interval, in minutes.
■ Access Content with DesignCenter on page 94 ■ Work with Sheets in a Sheet Set on page 431 To search for files 1 Click the Application button, and click Open ➤ Drawing. 2 In the Select File dialog box, click Tools ➤ Find 3 In the Find dialog box, Name & Location tab, specify a file type, file name, and path. You can use wild cards when specifying a file name. 4 On the Date Modified tab, click All Files, or click Find All Files Created or Modified to specify a date filter.
mapping). Using these options helps improve performance when these files are loaded. Using the Files tab of the Options dialog box, you can also specify the location of temporary files. Temporary files are created on disk, and then deleted when you exit the program. The temporary folder is set to the location that Microsoft Windows uses.
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Repair, Restore, or Recover Drawing Files 8 If a drawing file is damaged or if your program terminates unexpectedly, you can recover some or all of the data by using commands to find and correct errors, or by reverting to a backup file. Repair a Damaged Drawing File If a drawing file is damaged, you can recover some or all of the data by using commands to find and correct errors. Repair and Recovery When an error occurs, diagnostic information is recorded in the acad.
Example: Auditing Files Auditing a file generates a description of problems with a drawing file and recommendations for correcting them. As you start the audit, you specify whether you want the program to try to fix the problems it encounters.
2 Restart the program. 3 In the Drawing Recovery window, under Backup Files, double-click the drawing node to expand it. On the list, double-click one of the drawing or backup files to open it. If the program detects that the drawing has been damaged, a message is displayed asking if you want to proceed. 4 Enter y to proceed. As the program attempts to repair the drawing, a diagnostic report is displayed.
Quick Reference Commands AUDIT Evaluates the integrity of a drawing and corrects some errors. DRAWINGRECOVERY Displays a list of drawing files that can be recovered after a program or system failure. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. RECOVER Repairs and then opens a damaged drawing file. RECOVERALL Repairs and then opens a damaged drawing file. System Variables AUDITCTL Controls whether AUDIT creates an audit report (ADT) file.
Use Backup Files In the Options dialog box, on the Open and Save tab, you can specify that backup files are created when you save drawings. If you do, each time you save a drawing, the previous version of your drawing is saved to a file with the same name and a .bak file extension. The backup file is located in the same folder as the drawing file. You can revert to your backup version by renaming the .bak file in Windows Explorer to a file with a .dwg extension.
3 Click File menu ➤ Rename 4 Enter a new name using the .dwg file extension. 5 Open the file as you would open any other drawing file. Quick Reference Commands OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. System Variables ISAVEBAK Improves the speed of incremental saves, especially for large drawings. Recover from a System Failure A hardware problem, power failure, or software problem can cause this program to terminate unexpectedly. If this happens, you can restore the drawing files that were open.
For each drawing, you can open and choose from the following files if they exist: ■ DrawingFileName_recover.dwg ■ DrawingFileName_a_b_nnnn.sv$ ■ DrawingFileName.dwg ■ DrawingFileName.bak NOTE The drawing, backup, and recover files are listed in the order of their time stamps—the time when they were last saved. Double-click a top-level drawing node listed under Backup Files to display up to four files as listed above. Right-click any node under Backup Files to display shortcut menu options.
2 In the Drawing Recovery Manager, under Backup Files, double-click a drawing node to list all available drawing and backup files. 3 Double-click a file to open it. If the drawing file is damaged, the drawing is automatically repaired, if possible. To remove a drawing from the Drawing Recovery Manager 1 If necessary, click the Application button, and click Drawing Utilities ➤ Open the Drawing Recovery Manager. 2 Do one of the following: ■ Restore the drawing and then save it.
RECOVER Repairs and then opens a damaged drawing file. System Variables DRSTATE Indicates whether the Drawing Recovery Manager window is open or closed. ISAVEBAK Improves the speed of incremental saves, especially for large drawings. RECOVERYMODE Controls whether drawing recovery information is recorded after a system failure. REPORTERROR Controls whether an error report can be sent to Autodesk if the program closes unexpectedly.
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Maintain Standards in Drawings 9 Drawings are easier to interpret if you set standards to enforce consistency. You can set standards for layer names, dimension styles, and other elements; check drawings against these standards; and then change any properties that do not conform. Overview of CAD Standards You can create a standards file to define common properties in order to maintain consistency throughout your drawing files.
Standards File After you define standards, you save them as a standards file. You can then associate the standards file with one or more drawing files. After you associate a standards file with a drawing, you should periodically check the drawing to make sure it conforms with the standards. How a Standards Audit Works When you check a drawing for standards violations, each named object of a specific type is checked against the standards files associated with the drawing.
■ Linetype ■ Lineweight ■ Plot style mode ■ Plot style name (when the PSTYLEMODE system variable is set to 0) The following layer properties are not checked by the layer plug-in: ■ On/Off ■ Freeze/Thaw ■ Lock ■ Plot/No Plot Standards Settings A variety of settings that may be useful to CAD managers are available in the CAD Standards Settings dialog box. This dialog box can be accessed by clicking Settings in the Check Standards and Configure Standards dialog boxes.
Define Standards To set standards, you create a file that defines properties for layers, dimension styles, linetypes, and text styles, and you save it as a standards file with the .dws file name extension. Depending on how you organize your projects, you may decide to create and associate more than one project-specific standards file with an individual drawing. When you audit the drawing file, conflicts may arise between settings in the standards files.
2 In the Configure Standards dialog box, Standards tab, click the plus (+) button (Add Standards File). 3 In the Select Standards File dialog box, select a standards file. Click Open. 4 (Optional) Repeat steps 2 and 3 if you want to associate additional standards files with the current drawing. 5 Click OK. To remove a standards file from the current drawing 1 Click Manage tab ➤ CAD Standards panel ➤ Configure.
To specify which standards plug-ins to use when auditing a drawing 1 Click Manage tab ➤ CAD Standards panel ➤ Configure. 2 In the Configure Standards dialog box, Plug-ins tab, do one of the following: ■ Select the check box for at least one plug-in to audit a drawing for standards violations. ■ To select all plug-ins, right-click in the Plug-ins list. Click Select All. (You can clear all plug-ins. Right-click in the Plug-ins list. Click Clear All.) 3 Click OK.
Check a Single Drawing You can use the CHECKSTANDARDS command to view all standards violations in the current drawing. The Check Standards dialog box reports each nonstandard object, along with any suggested fixes. You can choose to fix or ignore each reported standards violation. If you ignore a reported violation, it is flagged in the drawing. You can turn off the display of ignored problems so that they are not reported as violations the next time you audit the drawing.
Use Notification of Standards Violations While Working in a Drawing You can set options for notification in the CAD Standards Settings dialog box and with the STANDARDSVIOLATION system variable. If you select Display Alert upon Standards Violation in the dialog box, then an alert is displayed when a violation occurs while you work. If you select Display Standards Status Bar Icon, an icon is displayed when you open a file associated with a standards file and when you create or modify nonstandard objects.
NOTE If you select Display Alert upon Standards Violation in the Check Standards dialog box and you fix a violation, you can return to a fixing operation where you left off. If you select Display Standards Status Bar icon and you click the icon and fix a violation, you must return to a standards-fixing operation from the beginning. To audit a drawing for standards violations 1 Open a drawing that has one or more associated standards files.
4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have cycled through all standards violations. 5 Click Close. To turn the display of ignored problems on or off 1 In a drawing with one or more associated standards files, click Manage tab ➤ CAD Standards panel ➤ Check. 2 In the Check Standards dialog box, click Settings. 3 In the CAD Standards Settings dialog box, select or clear Show Ignored Problems. Click OK. To turn notification for standards violations on or off 1 Click Manage tab ➤ CAD Standards panel ➤ Configure.
To create a standards check file for the Batch Standards Checker 1 Click Manage tab ➤ CAD Standards panel ➤ Check. 2 In the Batch Standards Checker, click File menu ➤ New Check File. (You can also click New on the Batch Standards Checker toolbar.) 3 On the Drawings tab, click the + button (Add Drawing). 4 In the Open dialog box, select a drawing to audit. 5 (Optional) Repeat steps 3 and 4 if you want to add additional drawings to the standards check file. 6 Click File menu ➤ Save As.
7 In the Batch Standards Checker, click File menu ➤ Save Check File. (You can also click Save on the Batch Standards Checker toolbar.) To audit a set of drawings for standards violations 1 Click Manage tab ➤ CAD Standards panel ➤ Check. 2 Open an existing standards check file, or create a new one. 3 In the Batch Standards Checker, click Check menu ➤ Start Check. (You can also click Start Check on the Batch Standards Checker toolbar.
■ Plug-ins. Summarizes the standards plug-ins installed on the system used to run the batch audit. ■ Standards. Summarizes the standards files used to check the drawings in the batch audit. ■ Problems. Provides detailed information about each problem that was encountered. ■ Ignored Problems. Provides detailed information about problems that were flagged as ignored. ■ All. Shows all available standards audit information. 5 In the For list, select individual drawings to view their audit information.
Convert Layers to Established Drawing Standards With the Layer Translator, you can convert layers in one drawing to layer standards that you define. For example, if you receive a drawing from a company that does not follow your company's layer standards, you can convert the drawing's layer names and properties to your company's standards.
■ Click New to define a new layer. In the New Layer dialog box, enter a name for the new layer and select its properties. Click OK. You can repeat step 2 as many times as you want. If you load other files containing layers of the same name as ones already shown in the Translate To list, the layer properties first loaded in the list are maintained; any duplicate layer properties are ignored. 3 Map layers in the current drawing to the layers you want to convert to.
3 In the Settings dialog box, do one of the following: ■ To display objects on selected layers in your drawing, select Show Layer Contents When Selected. Only the layers selected in the Layer Translator dialog box are displayed in the drawing area. ■ To display objects on all layers in your drawing, clear Show Layer Contents When Selected. 4 Click OK. To purge all unreferenced layers from a drawing 1 Click Manage tab ➤ CAD Standards panel ➤ Layer Translator.
Part 4: Control the Drawing Views 233
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Change Views 10 You can magnify the details in your drawing for a closer view or shift the view to a different part of the drawing. If you save views by name, you can restore them later. Pan or Zoom a View You can pan to reposition the view in the drawing area or zoom to change magnification. With the Realtime option of PAN, you pan dynamically by moving your pointing device.
Zoom to Magnify a Specified Rectangular Area You can quickly zoom on a rectangular area of your drawing by specifying two diagonal corners of the area you are interested in. The lower-left corner of the area you specify becomes the lower-left corner of the new display. The shape of the zoom area you specify does not correspond exactly to the new view, which must fit the shape of the viewport. Zoom in Real Time With the Realtime option, you zoom dynamically by moving your pointing device up or down.
See also: ■ Pointing Devices ■ Scale Views in Layout Viewports on page 410 ■ Toolbars on page 48 To pan by dragging 1 Click View tab ➤ Navigate panel ➤ Pan. 2 When the hand cursor is displayed, click and hold your pointing device as you move. NOTE If you are using a wheel mouse, hold down the wheel button and move the mouse. 3 To exit, press Enter or Esc, or right-click. To pan by specifying points 1 Click View menu ➤ Pan ➤ Point. 2 Specify a base point. This is the point you want to change.
3 Specify a second (pan to) point. This is the new location for the point you selected first. To zoom by dragging 1 Click View tab ➤ Navigate panel ➤ Zoom drop-down ➤ Realtime. 2 When the magnifying glass cursor is displayed, click and hold your pointing device and drag vertically to zoom in and out. 3 To exit, press Enter or Esc, or right-click. To zoom in to an area by specifying its boundaries 1 Click View tab ➤ Navigate panel ➤ Zoom drop-down ➤ Window.
To restore the previous view ■ Click View tab ➤ Navigate panel ➤ Zoom drop-down ➤ Previous. Zoom Previous restores only the view magnification and position, not the previous content of an edited drawing. Quick Reference Commands DSVIEWER Opens the Aerial View window. PAN Moves the view planar to the screen. UNDO Reverses the effect of commands. VIEWRES Sets the resolution for objects in the current viewport. VTOPTIONS Displays a change in view as a smooth transition.
RTDISPLAY Controls the display of raster images and OLE objects during Realtime ZOOM or PAN. VTENABLE Controls when smooth view transitions are used. VTDURATION Sets the duration of a smooth view transition, in milliseconds. VTFPS Sets the minimum speed of a smooth view transition, in frames per second. WHIPARC Controls whether the display of circles and arcs is smooth.
To pan the drawing, move the view box. Change the View Displayed Inside the Aerial View Window You can use the Aerial View toolbar buttons to change the magnification of the image in the Aerial View window, or you can resize the image incrementally. These changes do not affect the view in the drawing itself. Use the Aerial View Window with Multiple Viewports Only the view in the current viewport is used in the Aerial View window.
The Aerial View image is updated as you make changes to your drawing and as you select different viewports. In complex drawings, you may want to turn off this dynamic updating to improve drawing speed. If you turn off this feature, the Aerial View image is updated only when you activate the Aerial View window. To zoom to a new area using the Aerial View window 1 Click View menu ➤ Aerial View. 2 In the Aerial View window, click inside the view box until you see the arrow. 3 Drag to the right to zoom out.
■ In the Aerial View window, click Options menu ➤ Dynamic Update. A check mark indicates that the Aerial View window shows changes as they occur. To turn viewport updating on and off ■ Click View menu ➤ Aerial View. ■ In the Aerial View window, click Options menu ➤ Auto Viewport. A check mark indicates that Aerial View displays the current viewport as you switch viewports. Quick Reference Commands DSVIEWER Opens the Aerial View window.
■ User coordinate system ■ 3D perspective ■ Live section ■ Visual style ■ Background Restore a Named View You restore a named view to the current viewport. You can use named views to do the following: ■ Compose a layout. ■ Restore a view that you use frequently while you are working in model space. ■ Control which model space view is displayed when the drawing is opened. To restore the previous view ■ Click View tab ➤ Navigate panel ➤ Zoom drop-down ➤ Previous.
2 Click View tab ➤ Views panel ➤ Named Views. 3 In the View Manager, click New. 4 In the New View dialog box, View Name box, enter a name for the view. If the drawing is part of a sheet set, the view categories for the sheet set are listed. You can add a category or select one from the list. 5 In the Boundary section, select one of the following options to define the area of the view: ■ Current Display. Includes all of the drawing that is currently visible. ■ Define Window.
3 In the General section of the Properties panel, select the view name. Enter a new name. 4 Click OK. To change the properties of a view 1 Click View tab ➤ Views panel ➤ Named Views. 2 In the View Manager, click the view name you want to change. If the view isn’t already displayed, expand the appropriate View list, and then click a view name. 3 In the Properties panel, click the property that you want to change.
VPORTS Creates multiple viewports in model space or paper space. ZOOM Increases or decreases the magnification of the view in the current viewport. Control the 3D Projection Style You can view both parallel and perspective projection of a 3D model. Overview of Parallel and Perspective Views You can create realistic visual effects in a drawing by defining either parallel or perspective projections of a model.
System Variables BACKZ Stores the back clipping plane offset from the target plane for the current viewport, in drawing units. FRONTZ Stores the front clipping plane offset from the target plane for the current viewport, in drawing units. LENSLENGTH Stores the length of the lens (in millimeters) used in perspective viewing. TARGET Stores the location (as a UCS coordinate) of the target point for the current viewport. VIEWDIR Stores the viewing direction in the current viewport, expressed in UCS coordinates.
3 Enter ca (Camera). By default, a camera point is set at the center of the drawing. 4 Adjust the view as if you're aiming a camera. A representation of a house shows the current viewing angle. You can set your view dynamically by moving the crosshairs and clicking. 5 To switch between angle-input methods, enter t (Toggle Angle). You also can adjust the view with one of two angle-input methods.
Quick Reference Commands 3DORBIT Rotates the view in 3D space, but constrained to horizontal and vertical orbit only. DVIEW Defines parallel projection or perspective views by using a camera and target. System Variables BACKZ Stores the back clipping plane offset from the target plane for the current viewport, in drawing units. FRONTZ Stores the front clipping plane offset from the target plane for the current viewport, in drawing units.
VIEWTWIST Stores the view rotation angle for the current viewport measured relative to the WCS. WORLDVIEW Define a Parallel Projection You can define a parallel projection. To determine the point or angle in model space, you can ■ Choose a preset 3D view from the View toolbar. ■ Enter a coordinate or angles that represent your viewing location in 3D. ■ Change to a view of the XY plane of the current UCS, a saved UCS, or the WCS. ■ Change the 3D view dynamically with your pointing device.
You can also adjust the view with one of two angle-input methods. ■ For the Enter Angle from the XY Plane option, enter the angle of the camera up or down relative to the XY plane of the current UCS. The default setting, 90 degrees, points the camera straight down from above. After you enter the angle, the camera is locked at that height, and you can rotate the camera about the target with the rotation angle measured relative to the X axis of the current UCS.
WORLDVIEW Choose Preset 3D Views You can select predefined standard orthographic and isometric views by name or description. A quick way to set a view is to choose one of the predefined 3D views. You can select predefined standard orthographic and isometric views by name or description. These views represent commonly used options: Top, Bottom, Front, Left, Right, and Back.
This point represents your position in 3D space as you view the model while looking toward the origin (0,0,0). Viewpoint coordinate values are relative to the world coordinate system unless you change the WORLDVIEW system variable. The conventions for defining standard views differ between architectural (AEC) and mechanical design. In AEC design, the perpendicular view of the XY plane is the top or plan view; in mechanical design, the perpendicular view of the XY plane is the front view.
■ Enter 0,-1,0 for a front view. ■ Enter 1,0,0 for a right side view. ■ Enter 1,-1,1 for an isometric view. To set standard views with VPOINT (mechanical design convention) 1 Click View menu ➤ 3D Views ➤ Viewpoint. 2 Enter a coordinate according to the viewpoint you want: ■ Enter 0,1,0 for a top view. ■ Enter 0,0,1 for a front view. ■ Enter 1,0,0 for a right side view. ■ Enter 1,1,1 for an isometric view. This view is identical to one with a right-out of 45 degrees and a top-out of 35.
To change the current view to the XY plane 1 Click View menu ➤ 3D Views ➤ Plan View. 2 Select one of the following options: ■ Current (for the current UCS) ■ World (for the WCS) ■ Named (for a saved UCS) NOTE PLAN changes the viewing direction and turns off perspective and clipping; it does not change the current UCS. Any coordinates entered or displayed subsequent to the PLAN command remain relative to the current UCS.
VIEWTWIST Stores the view rotation angle for the current viewport measured relative to the WCS. WORLDVIEW Shade a Model and Use Edge Effects Hiding lines enhances the drawing and clarifies the design. The addition of shading produces a more realistic image of your model. Use a Visual Style to Display Your Model Visual styles control the display of edges and shading a viewport. Control the effect of a visual style by changing its properties.
■ Shaded with Edges. Displays objects using smooth shading and visible edges. ■ Shades of Gray. Displays objects using smooth shading and monochromatic shades of gray. ■ Sketchy. Displays objects with a hand-sketched effect by using the Line Extensions and Jitter edge modifiers. ■ X-ray. Displays objects with partial transparency. In shaded visual styles, faces are lit by two distant light sources that follow the viewpoint as you move around the model.
To save a visual style in the drawing ■ At the Command prompt, enter vssave. To apply a visual style to a viewport 1 Click View tab ➤ Visual Styles panel ➤ ➤ Visual Styles Manager. 2 Click in the viewport to make it current. 3 In the Visual Styles Manager, double-click the sample image of the visual style. The selected visual style is applied to the model in the viewport. An icon in the sample image indicates that the visual style is in use in the current viewport.
3 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Tool Palettes. 4 In the Tool Palettes window, click the Visual Styles tab. 5 In the Visual Styles Manager, select the sample image of the visual style. 6 Below the images, click the Export the Selected Visual Style to the Tool Palette button. 7 Open the drawing in which you want to use the visual style. 8 In the Tool Palette window, right-click the visual style and click Add to Current Drawing.
System Variables VSLIGHTINGQUALITY Sets the lighting quality in the current viewport. Customize a Visual Style You can create your own visual styles by changing the face and edge settings and using shadows and backgrounds. Shade and Color Faces Shading and color effects control the display of faces in a model. Face Styles The face style defines the shading on a face. Realistic (below left) is meant to produce the effect of realism.
The None face style produces no shading, and displays only edges. Customize edge settings to control whether facet edges or isolines are displayed. Lighting Quality Lighting quality determines the smoothness of shaded objects. Faceted lighting computes a single color for each face. Individual faces appear flat. Smooth lighting smoothes the edges between polygon faces by computing the colors as a gradient between the faces’ vertices. This gives objects a smooth appearance.
Highlights The size of an object’s highlights affect the perception of shininess. A smaller, more intense highlight makes objects appear shinier. The highlight intensity that is set in a visual style does not apply to objects with attached materials. Opacity The opacity property controls the transparency of objects.
Face Color Modes Display face colors in the normal way, or specify a face color mode. Monochrome displays faces in the varying shades of a specified color. Tint shades faces by changing the hue and saturation values based on a specified color. Desaturate softens colors. To change the display of faces from smooth to faceted 1 Click View tab ➤ Visual Styles panel ➤ 264 | Chapter 10 Change Views ➤ Visual Styles Manager.
2 With the current visual style selected in the sample images, under Face Settings, Lighting Quality, change Smooth to Faceted. To control the face style 1 Click View tab ➤ Visual Styles panel ➤ ➤ Visual Styles Manager. 2 With the current visual style selected in the sample images, under Face Settings, Face Style, select one of the following options: ■ Realistic. Shades faces as close as possible to how they would appear in the real world. ■ Gooch.
To make all faces in a viewport transparent 1 Click View tab ➤ Visual Styles panel ➤ Visual Styles. 2 From the Visual Styles drop-down list, select X-Ray. 3 On the Visual Styles panel, set the opacity by dragging the opacity slider. Quick Reference Commands VISUALSTYLES Creates and modifies visual styles and applies a visual style to a viewport. System Variables VISUALSTYLESCLOSE Closes the Visual Styles Manager. VSFACECOLORMODE Controls how the color of faces is calculated.
Display Backgrounds and Shadows The visual style also controls the display of backgrounds and shadows in the viewport. Backgrounds You can use a color, a gradient fill, an image, or the sun & sky as a background in the viewport in any 3D visual style, even one that does not shade objects. To use a background, you first create a named view with a background and set the named view as current in the viewport. When Background is set to On in the current visual style, the background is displayed.
See also: ■ Use Shadows in Rendering on page 2130 To control the display of shadows in a viewport 1 Click View tab ➤ Visual Styles panel ➤ ➤ Visual Styles Manager. 2 With the current visual style selected in the sample images, under Lighting, Shadow Display, select Off, Ground Shadow, or Mapped Object Shadows. To set a solid as a viewport background 1 Click View tab ➤ Views panel ➤ Named Views. 2 In the View Manager, click the view name you want to change.
5 In the Background dialog box, click the swatch under the Color section. 6 In the Select Color dialog box, specify the color you want to use for the background. 7 Click OK. 8 In the Background dialog box, click OK. 9 In the View Manager, click Set Current. 10 Click OK. To set a gradient as a viewport background 1 Click View tab ➤ Views panel ➤ Named Views. 2 In the View Manager, click the view name you want to change.
2 In the View Manager, click the view name you want to change. If the view isn’t already displayed, expand the appropriate View list, and then click a view name. 3 In the Properties panel, click the Background Override field. 4 Select Image from the Background Override drop-down list. 5 In the Background dialog box, click Browse and specify the image for the background. 6 Click Adjust Image. 7 In the Adjust Background Image dialog box, specify the desired options for the image.
3 In the View Manager, click the view name you want to change. If the view isn’t already displayed, expand the appropriate View list, and then click a view name. 4 In the middle section, click the Background Override drop-down list and select Sun&Sky. 5 In the Adjust Sun & Sky Background dialog box, specify the desired options for the background. 6 Click OK. 7 In the View Manager, click Set Current. Click OK.
Control the Display of Edges Different edge types can be displayed using different colors and linetypes. You can also add special effects, such as Jitter and Line Extensions. In a shaded or wireframe model, the visual style sets the visibility and appearance of isolines, facet edges, silhouette edges, occluded edges, and intersection edges.
To control the display of occluded lines in 2D View, you can: ■ Hide them or make them partially visible with dashes and dots. ■ Make them completely visible. ■ Make them distinctive or indistinctive by changing its color. NOTE You can only change occluded color when the occluded lines are partially or completely visible. IMPORTANT After you have changed the settings for occluded lines, use the HIDE command to regenerate the drawing and display the changes.
To add a jitter effect to edges 1 Click View tab ➤ Visual Styles panel ➤ ➤ Visual Styles Manager. 2 With the current visual style selected in the sample images, in Edge Modifiers, adjust the amount of jitter in Jitter. To control display of silhouette edges 1 Click View tab ➤ Visual Styles panel ➤ ➤ Visual Styles Manager. 2 With the current visual style selected in the sample images, in Silhouette Edges, Show, select Yes or No. 3 If Yes is selected, specify a width for silhouette edges.
3 In Color drop-down, select a color from the list. 4 On the command line, enter HIDE and then press Enter for changed occluded line and color settings to take effect. Quick Reference Commands VISUALSTYLES Creates and modifies visual styles and applies a visual style to a viewport. System Variables FACETRES Adjusts the smoothness of shaded and rendered objects and objects with hidden lines removed.
VSEDGES Controls the types of edges that are displayed in the viewport. VSEDGESMOOTH Specifies the angle at which crease edges are displayed. VSHALOGAP Sets the halo gap in the visual style applied to the current viewport. VSINTERSECTIONEDGES Controls the display of intersection edges in the visual style applied to the current viewport. VSINTERSECTIONCOLOR Specifies the color of intersection polylines in the visual style applied to the current viewport.
VSSILHEDGES Controls display of silhouette edges of solid objects in the visual style applied to the current viewport. VSSILHWIDTH Specifies the width in pixels of silhouette edges in the current viewport. Control Performance 3D graphics display and memory allocation can slow performance on your system. Adaptive degradation, performance tuning and memory tuning are different approaches to delivering the best performance possible.
To change the adaptive degradation order 1 On the status bar, click Performance Tuner. 2 In the Adaptive Degradation and Performance Tuning dialog box, select a feature in the list. 3 Click Move Up or Move Down to change its order in the list. Items at the top of the list degrade first. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands 3DCONFIG Sets options that affect 3D display performance. GRAPHICSCONFIG Sets options for 3D display performance.
Performance Tuning Performance tuning examines your graphics card and 3D display driver and determines whether to use software or hardware implementation for features that support both. Features that cannot work properly on your system are turned off. Some features may work but not be recommended for use with your graphics card or 3D graphics display driver. Enable these features at your own risk.
driver.
To view the performance tuner log 1 On the status bar, click Performance Tuner. 2 In the Adaptive Degradation and Performance Tuning dialog box, click View Tune Log. 3 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To tune performance manually 1 On the status bar, click Performance Tuner.. 2 In the Adaptive Degradation and Performance Tuning dialog box, click Manual Tune.
Quick Reference Commands 3DCONFIG Sets options that affect 3D display performance. GRAPHICSCONFIG Sets options for 3D display performance. System Variables VSSHADOWS Controls whether a visual style displays shadows. Memory Tuning Performance can also be improved by adding memory to your system. This is especially true when working on larger models. The system requirements for AutoCAD require at least 512 MB of physical memory (RAM) for working in 2D.
■ How to set the switch. Refer to the Microsoft website for details regarding the /3GB switch. To check physical memory (RAM) 1 On the Start menu (Windows), click Control Panel (or Settings ➤ Control Panel). 2 In the Control Panel, click System. You might have to click Performance and Maintenance and then System. 3 On the General tab, review the information about your computer. The amount of RAM should be listed on this tab.
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Use Viewing Tools 11 When working in 3D, you'll often want to display different views so that you can see and verify the 3D effects in your drawing. Specify 3D Views You can control the 3D navigation display, projection, and visualization tools. Overview of 3D Views You can create an interactive view of your drawing in the current viewport.
3DFLY Changes the 3D view in a drawing interactively to create the appearance of flying through the model. 3DFORBIT Rotates the view in 3D space without constraining roll. 3DORBIT Rotates the view in 3D space, but constrained to horizontal and vertical orbit only. 3DORBITCTR Sets the center of rotation in 3D Orbit view. 3DPAN When a drawing is in a Perspective view, starts the interactive 3D view and enables you to drag the view horizontally and vertically.
System Variables CAMERADISPLAY Turns the display of camera objects on or off. CAMERAHEIGHT Specifies the default height for new camera objects. Use 3D Navigation Tools 3D navigation tools allow you to view objects in a drawing from different angles, heights, and distances. Use the following 3D tools to orbit, swivel, adjust distance, zoom, and pan in a 3D view. ■ 3D Orbit. Moves around a target. The target of the view stays stationary while the camera location, or point of view, moves.
Animate a Navigation You can create a preview animation of any navigation. Create the preview to fine-tune your animation before you create a motion path animation. You can create, record, play back, and save the animation. For more information about previewing an animation, see Create Preview Animations on page 356. For more information about creating motion path animations, see Create Motion Path Animations on page 359.
To change a visual style in a 3D view 1 Start any 3D navigation command, and right-click in the drawing area. Click Visual Styles. 2 Select a visual style. For more information about visual styles, see Use a Visual Style to Display Your Model on page 257. To start a continuous orbit 1 Click View tab ➤ Navigate panel ➤ Orbit drop-down ➤ Continuous Orbit. 2 Click in the drawing and drag the cursor to start a continuous motion.
Quick Reference Commands 3DCORBIT Rotates the view in 3D space with continuous motion. 3DDISTANCE Starts the interactive 3D view and makes objects appear closer or farther away. 3DFORBIT Rotates the view in 3D space without constraining roll. 3DORBIT Rotates the view in 3D space, but constrained to horizontal and vertical orbit only. 3DORBITCTR Sets the center of rotation in 3D Orbit view.
When you walk through a model, you travel along the XY plane. When you fly through a model, you are not constrained by the XY plane, so you appear to “fly” over an area in a model. Use the Keyboard and Mouse Interactions to Walk and Fly You can use a standard set of keys and mouse interactions to walk and fly through a drawing. Use the four arrow keys or the W, A, S, and D keys to move up, down, left, or right. To toggle between walk and fly mode, press the F key.
To start walk mode ■ Click Render tab ➤ Animations panel ➤ Walk and Fly drop-down ➤ Walk. To start fly mode ■ Click Render tab ➤ Animations panel ➤ Walk and Fly drop-down ➤ Fly. To specify Walk or Fly settings 1 Click Render tab ➤ Animations panel ➤ Walk and Fly drop-down ➤ Walk and Fly Settings. 2 In the Walk and Fly Settings dialog box, under Settings, click the button next to a display option.
5 Continue walking or flying through the model. To turn off the Position Locator window 1 Click Render tab ➤ Animations panel ➤ Walk and Fly drop-down ➤ Walk and Fly Settings. 2 In the Walk and Fly Settings dialog box, clear the check mark next to Display Position Locator. Click OK. Quick Reference Commands 3DFLY Changes the 3D view in a drawing interactively to create the appearance of flying through the model.
Set Clipping Planes You can create cutaway, or section, views of your drawing by positioning front and back clipping planes that control the visibility of objects based on their distance from a theoretical camera. You can move the clipping planes perpendicular to the line of sight between the camera and target (where the camera is pointing). Clipping removes the display of objects from the front and back of clipping planes.
Quick Reference Commands DVIEW Defines parallel projection or perspective views by using a camera and target. PLAN Displays an orthographic view of the XY plane of a specified user coordinate system. System Variables VIEWDIR Stores the viewing direction in the current viewport, expressed in UCS coordinates. VIEWTWIST Stores the view rotation angle for the current viewport measured relative to the WCS. WORLDVIEW Use ViewCube ViewCube provides visual feedback of the current orientation of a model.
or click the ViewCube, switch to one of the available preset views, roll the current view, or change to the Home view of the model. Edge Corner Face Control the Appearance of ViewCube The ViewCube tool is displayed in one of two states: inactive and active. When the ViewCube tool is inactive, it appears partially transparent by default so that it does not obscure the view of the model. When active, it is opaque and may obscure the view of the objects in the current view of the model.
the cardinal direction letters or the compass ring to interactively rotate the model around the pivot point. To display or hide the ViewCube tool in the current viewport 1 At the command prompt, enter options and press Enter.
To control the position of the ViewCube tool 1 Click View tab ➤ Windows panel ➤ User Interface drop down ➤ ViewCube. 2 Right-click the ViewCube tool and click ViewCube Settings. 3 In the ViewCube Settings dialog box, under Display, select one of the available positions from the On-screen Position drop-down list. 4 Click OK. To control the size of the ViewCube tool 1 Click View tab ➤ Windows panel ➤ User Interface drop down ➤ ViewCube. 2 Right-click the ViewCube tool and click ViewCube Settings.
2 Right-click the ViewCube tool and click ViewCube Settings. 3 In the ViewCube Settings dialog box, select Show Compass Below the ViewCube. The compass is displayed below the ViewCube tool and indicates which direction North is in the model. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands NAVVCUBE Indicates the current viewing direction. Dragging or clicking the ViewCube tool rotates the scene. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings.
The ViewCube menu has the following options: ■ Home. Restores the Home view saved with the model. This view is in synchronization with the Go Home view option in the SteeringWheels menu. ■ Parallel. Switches the current view to parallel projection. ■ Perspective. Switches the current view to perspective projection. ■ Perspective with Ortho Faces. Switches the current view to perspective projection unless the current view aligns with a face view defined on the ViewCube tool.
System Variables PERSPECTIVE Specifies whether the current viewport displays a perspective view. Reorient the View of a Model with ViewCube The ViewCube tool offers many intuitive ways to reorient the view of a model. Reorient the Current View You can reorient the current view of a model by clicking predefined areas on the ViewCube tool or dragging the ViewCube tool. The ViewCube tool provides twenty-six defined parts to click and change the current view of a model.
Drag or Click the ViewCube Tool You can also click and drag the ViewCube tool to reorient the view of a model to a custom view other than one of the twenty-six predefined parts. If you drag the ViewCube tool close to one of the preset orientations and it is set to snap to the closest view, the ViewCube tool rotates to the closest preset orientation. The ViewCube tool reorients the object’s view around a pivot point.
Switch to an Adjacent Face When the ViewCube tool is active while viewing a model from one of the face views, four orthogonal triangles are displayed near the ViewCube tool. You use these triangles to switch to one of the adjacent face views. To interactively reorient the view 1 Click View tab ➤ Windows panel ➤ User Interface drop down ➤ ViewCube. 2 Click the ViewCube tool or the compass below the ViewCube tool, hold down the left mouse button, and drag in the direction that you want to orbit the model.
2 Right-click the ViewCube tool, and click ViewCube Settings. 3 In the ViewCube Settings dialog box, under When Clicking on the ViewCube, select Use View Transitions when Switching Views. Transitions from one view to another appear animated when you click a predefined area on the ViewCube tool. 4 Click OK. To automatically fit the model after a view orientation 1 Click View tab ➤ Windows panel ➤ User Interface drop down ➤ ViewCube. 2 Right-click the ViewCube tool, and click ViewCube Settings.
Set the View Projection Mode View projection produces realistic visual effects of a model. The ViewCube tool supports two view projection modes (Perspective and Orthographic) and a combination of both these modes (Perspective with Ortho faces). Orthographic projection is also referred to as parallel projection. Perspective projected views are calculated based on the distance from a theoretical camera and target point.
2 Right-click the ViewCube tool and click one of the following options: ■ Parallel ■ Perspective ■ Perspective with Ortho Faces Quick Reference Commands NAVVCUBE Indicates the current viewing direction. Dragging or clicking the ViewCube tool rotates the scene. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. System Variables NAVVCUBEDISPLAY Controls the display of the ViewCube tool in the current visual style and the current viewport.
view, you can also use it to generate the thumbnail preview when you save a model instead of using the last saved view. The Thumbnail Preview Settings dialog box is used to control the thumbnail preview for a drawing when saved (the Home or the last saved view). Along with defining which view is used for the thumbnail preview, you can also set the Home view back to its default view. To define the Home view ■ Right-click the ViewCube tool and click Set Current View as Home.
Examine Individual Objects with ViewCube You can examine individual objects of a model using the ViewCube tool. With the ViewCube tool, you can define the center of a view based on one or more selected objects. Select an object or objects and use the ViewCube tool to reorient the model. The model rotates around the center of the view. Calculate the center of the view by the extents of the selected objects.
are modeling. Orienting the ViewCube tool with the WCS, you can navigate the model based on the North and Up directions of the model. The settings for controlling the orientation of the ViewCube tool are in the ViewCube Settings dialog box. To control the display of the UCS menu 1 Click View tab ➤ Windows panel ➤ User Interface drop down ➤ ViewCube. 2 Right-click the ViewCube tool and click ViewCube Settings. 3 In the ViewCube Settings dialog box, under Display, click Show UCS Menu.
2 On the UCS menu located below the ViewCube tool, click the down arrow next to the current UCS name. 3 Select a WCS from the list. To set the orientation of the ViewCube tool based on the current UCS or WCS 1 Click View tab ➤ Windows panel ➤ User Interface drop down ➤ ViewCube. 2 Right-click the ViewCube tool and click ViewCube Settings. 3 In the ViewCube Settings dialog box, select Orient ViewCube to Current UCS. The ViewCube tool aligns with the current UCS. 4 Click OK.
Overview of SteeringWheels SteeringWheels are tracking menus that are divided into different sections known as wedges. Each wedge on a wheel represents a single navigation tool. SteeringWheels, also known as wheels, can save you time by combining many of the common navigation tools into a single interface. Wheels are task specific from which you can navigate and orient a model in different views.
NOTE In paper space only 2D Wheel is available. Display and Use Wheels Pressing and dragging on a wedge of a wheel is the primary mode of interaction. After a wheel is displayed, click one of the wedges and hold down the button on the pointing device to activate the navigation tool. Drag to reorient the current view. Releasing the button returns you to the wheel.
To change the size of the wheels 1 Click Navigation Bar ➤ Steering Wheels drop-down . 2 Click one of the available SteeringWheels. 3 Right-click the wheel and click SteeringWheel Settings. 4 In the SteeringWheels Settings dialog box, under Big Wheels or Mini Wheels, move the Wheel Size slider left or right. Moving the slider to the left decreases the size of the wheel, while moving the slider to the right increases the size of the wheel. 5 Click OK.
To enable messages for wheels 1 Click Navigation Bar ➤ Steering Wheels drop-down ➤ click one of the available SteeringWheels. 2 Right-click the wheel and click SteeringWheel Settings. 3 In the SteeringWheels Settings dialog box, under Display, click Show Tool Messages. Messages are displayed when you use the navigation tools. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings.
■ Mini Full Navigation Wheel. Displays the mini Full Navigation wheel. ■ Full Navigation Wheel. Displays the big Full Navigation wheel. ■ Basic Wheels. Displays the big View Object or Tour Building wheel. ■ Go Home. Goes to the Home view saved with the model. This view is in synchronization with the Home view option in the ViewCube tool. ■ Fit to Window. Resizes and centers the current view to display all objects. ■ Restore Original Center.
Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. System Variables NAVSWHEELMODE Specifies the current mode of the SteeringWheel. Navigation Wheels You can choose from several different wheels. Some wheels are designed for 2D navigation while other wheels are better suited for 3D navigation. 2D Navigation Wheel The 2D Navigation wheel is for basic navigation of 2D views.
To switch to the 2D navigation wheel ■ Click Navigation Bar ➤ SteeringWheels drop-down ➤ 2D Wheel. Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. System Variables NAVSWHEELMODE Specifies the current mode of the SteeringWheel. View Object Wheels The View Object wheels are used for 3D navigation. Use these wheels to view individual or groups of objects in a model.
■ Orbit. Rotates the current view around a fixed pivot point at the view’s center. Mini View Object Wheel The mini View Object wheel wedges have the following options: ■ Zoom (Top wedge). Adjusts the magnification of the current view. ■ Rewind (Right wedge). Restores the most recent view. You can move backward or forward by clicking and dragging left or right. ■ Pan (Bottom wedge). Repositions the current view by panning. ■ Orbit (Left wedge). Rotates the current view around a fixed pivot point.
Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. System Variables NAVSWHEELMODE Specifies the current mode of the SteeringWheel. Tour Building Wheels The Tour Building wheels are for 3D navigation. Use these wheels to navigate within the interior of a model. With the Tour Building wheels (big and mini), you can move through a model, such as a building, an assembly line, ship, or oil rig.
■ Up/DownTool. Slides the current view of a model along the Z axis of the model. Mini Tour Building Wheel The mini Tour Building wheel wedges have the following options: ■ Walk (Top wedge). Simulates walking through a model. ■ Rewind (Right wedge). Restores the most recent view. You can move backward or forward by clicking and dragging left or right. ■ Up/Down (Bottom wedge). Slides the current view of a model along the Z axis of the model. ■ Look (Left wedge). Swivels the current view.
Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. System Variables NAVSWHEELMODE Specifies the current mode of the SteeringWheel. Full Navigation Wheels The Full Navigation wheels combine the 2D and 3D navigation tools found on the 2D Navigation, View Object, and Tour Building wheels into a single wheel.
■ Pan. Repositions the current view by panning. ■ Orbit. Rotates the current view around a fixed pivot point. ■ Center. Specifies a point on a model to adjust the center of the current view or change the target point used for some of the navigation tools. ■ Walk. Simulates walking through a model. ■ Look. Swivels the current view. ■ Up/Down. Slides the current view of a model along the Z axis of the model.
To switch to the mini Full Navigation wheel Do one of the following: ■ Click Navigation Bar ➤ Steering Wheels drop-down ➤ Mini Full Navigation Wheel . ■ Right-click the wheel, and click Mini Full Navigation Wheel. Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. System Variables NAVSWHEELMODE Specifies the current mode of the SteeringWheel. Navigation Tools The navigation tools reorient the current view of a model.
below the cursor in the model will be the center of the current view when you release the mouse button. The model is centered on the sphere. NOTE If the cursor is not over the model, the center cannot be set and a prohibited cursor is displayed. The point defined by the Center tool provides a focal point for the Zoom tool and a pivot point for the Orbit tool. NOTE If you want to zoom from the Full Navigation wheels from your defined center point, hold down CTRL before zooming.
Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. Forward Tool The Forward tool adjusts the distance between the current point of view and the defined pivot point of the model. You use the Forward tool to change the magnification of the model by increasing or decreasing the distance between the current point of view and the pivot point. The distance that you can move forward or backward is limited by the position of the pivot point.
3 Drag the cursor up or down to change the distance from which you view the model. 4 Release the button on your pointing device to return to the wheel. Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. Look Tool The Look tool rotates the view horizontally and vertically around a fixed point. With the Look tool, you can rotate the current view vertically and horizontally.
Walking through a Model When using the Look tool from the big Full Navigation wheel, you can walk through a model by using the arrow keys on the keyboard. Use the properties dialog box for the SteeringWheels to adjust the walk speed. Invert Vertical Axis When you drag the cursor upward, the target point of the view raises; dragging the cursor downward lowers the target point of the view. Use the properties dialog box for the SteeringWheels to invert the vertical axis for the Look tool.
2 Right-click the wheel and click SteeringWheel Settings. 3 In the SteeringWheels Settings dialog box, click Invert Vertical Axis for Look Tool. Dragging the cursor downward lowers the target point of the view; dragging the cursor upward raises the target point of the view. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. Orbit Tool The Orbit tool rotates the current view around a model based on a fixed pivot point.
■ Select objects. You can select objects before the Orbit tool is used to calculate the pivot point. The pivot point is calculated based on the center of the extents of the selected objects. ■ Center tool. You can specify a point on the model to use as the pivot point for orbiting with the Center tool. ■ CTRL+Click and drag. Press and hold down the CTRL key before clicking the Orbit wedge or while the Orbit tool is active; then drag to the point on the model you want to use as the pivot point.
To orbit around an object with the Orbit tool 1 Press ESC to make sure no commands are active and to clear any previously selected objects. 2 Select the objects in the model for which you want to define the pivot point. 3 Display one of the View Object or Full Navigation wheels. 4 Click and hold down the Orbit wedge. The cursor changes to the Orbit cursor. 5 Drag to rotate the model. 6 Release the button on your pointing device to return to the wheel.
4 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. Pan Tool The Pan tool repositions the current view of the model by panning. When the pan tool is active, the Pan cursor (a four-sided arrow) is displayed. Dragging the pointing device moves the model in the same direction. For example, dragging upward moves the model up while dragging downward moves the model down.
To start the Pan tool with the middle button 1 Display the 2D Navigation wheel, the Full Navigation wheel, or one of the mini wheels. 2 Press and hold down the scroll wheel or middle button. The cursor changes to the Pan cursor. 3 Drag to reposition the model. 4 Release the wheel or button on your pointing device to return to the wheel. Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor.
When a view change occurs, the previous view is recorded to the navigation history. If the view change is made with a wheel, a thumbnail is automatically generated and added to the Rewind UI. For view changes that are made not using a wheel, a thumbnail is only generated when the system variable CAPTURETHUMBNAILS is set to a value of 2. You can control when thumbnails are generated for view changes in the SteeringWheels Settings dialog box. To restore the previous view 1 Display a wheel.
Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. System Variables CAPTURETHUMBNAILS Specifies if and when thumbnails are captured for the Rewind tool. Up/Down Tool The Up/Down tool slides the current view of a model along the Z axis of the model. Unlike the Pan tool, you use the Up/Down tool to adjust the height of the current viewpoint along the model's Z axis.
2 Click and hold down the Up/Down wedge. The Vertical Distance indicator is displayed. 3 Drag up or down to change the elevation of the view. 4 Release the button on your pointing device to return to the wheel. Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor. Walk Tool The Walk tool simulates walking through a model. With the Walk tool, you can navigate through a model as if you were walking through it.
Movement Speed As you walk or “fly” through a model, you can control the movement speed. Movement speed is controlled by the distance in which the Cursor is moved from the Center Circle icon and the current movement speed setting. You can adjust the movement speed setting permanently and temporarily as you use the Walk tool. To temporarily increase movement speed, press and hold the + (plus) key while using the Walk tool.
To constrain the walk angle to the ground plane 1 Display a wheel. 2 Right-click the wheel and click SteeringWheel Settings. 3 In the SteeringWheels Settings dialog box, under Walk Tool, click Constrain Walk Angle to Ground Plane. Movement when walking is done parallel to the ground plane of the model. 4 Click OK. To adjust the height of the current view from the Walk tool 1 Display one of the Full Navigation wheels or the mini Tour Building wheel. 2 Click and hold down the Walk wedge.
You use the Zoom tool to change the zoom magnification of a model. The following mouse click and key combinations are available to control how the Zoom tool behaves: ■ SHIFT+click. If you hold down the SHIFT key before you click the Zoom tool on a wheel, the current view is zoomed out by a factor of 25 percent. Zooming is performed from the current location of the cursor, and not the current pivot point.
Zoom Constraints When changing the magnification of a model with the Zoom tool, you cannot zoom in any further than the focus point or out past the extents of the model. The direction you can zoom in and out is controlled by the center point set by the Center tool. When changing the magnification of a model with the Zoom tool, you cannot zoom in any further than the focus point or out past the extents of the model. To zoom a view with a single click 1 Display a wheel.
3 Drag vertically to zoom in or out. 4 Release the button on your pointing device to return to the wheel. To zoom in and out by scrolling the mouse wheel when a wheel is displayed 1 Display one of the wheels other than the big Tour Building wheel. 2 Scroll the wheel forward or backward to zoom in or out. 3 Release the button on your pointing device to return to the wheel. Quick Reference Commands NAVSWHEEL Provides access to enhanced navigation tools that are quickly accessible from the cursor.
Shot Sequences Shot sequences are used to organize related shots together. These sequences are also called view categories. By using shot sequences, you can do the following: ■ Quickly locate a shot ■ Play back more than one shot at a time ■ Control the order in which shots are played back Using ShowMotion ShowMotion is made up of three main parts: shot thumbnails, shot sequence thumbnails, and the ShowMotion control.
■ Play All. Starts the playback of shots in all shot sequences. Shots are played left to right, starting with the leftmost shot sequence. ■ Stop. Stops the playback of the current shot. ■ Turn On/Off Looping. Enables or disables playback looping for the animation assigned to the shot or shot sequence when played back. ■ New Shot. Displays the New View/Shot Properties dialog box where you can create a new shot. ■ Close ShowMotion. Closes the ShowMotion control and all thumbnails.
Create and Modify a Shot When a shot is created, it must be given a name and view type. The view type assigned to the shot determines which transition and motion options you can change. After a shot is created, a thumbnail is automatically generated and placed under the shot sequence that was assigned to the shot. The name of the shot is located below the thumbnail. If you need to change a shot, you can right-click the shot that you want to modify.
2 In the New View/Shot Properties dialog box, in the View Name text box, enter a name. 3 In the View Category drop-down list, select a view category. 4 In the View Type drop-down list, select a shot type. 5 On the Shot Properties tab, under Transition, select a transition type from the Transition Type drop-down list. 6 Under Transition, enter a transition duration in the Transition Duration text box. 7 Click OK. To create a recorded walk shot 1 On the ShowMotion control, click New Shot.
5 On the Shot Properties tab, under Transition, select a transition type from the Transition Type drop-down list. 6 Under Transition, enter a transition duration in the Transition Duration text box. 7 Under Motion, set the camera position. 8 Under Motion, set the duration of the movement. 9 Under Motion, set the travel distance of the camera. 10 Click OK. To modify a shot 1 On ShowMotion, hover the cursor over the shot sequence that contains the shot you want to modify.
To delete a shot sequence 1 On ShowMotion, hover the cursor over the shot sequence you want to delete. 2 Right-click, and click Delete. 3 In the ShowMotion - Delete View Category dialog box, click Delete Category. To update the thumbnail for a shot or shot sequence 1 On ShowMotion, hover the cursor over the shot or shot sequence for which you want to update the thumbnail. 2 Right-click, and click Update the Thumbnail For ➤ This View or This Category.
■ Play. Starts the playback of a shot or shot sequence. When the cursor is over the thumbnail, the Play button is displayed in the upper-left corner. The Play button plays back the individual shot or all the shots in the shot sequence. ■ Play All. Starts the playback of all shots in all shot sequences. Shots are played left to right, starting with the leftmost shot sequence. ■ Pause. Stops the playback of a shot or shot sequence. ■ Stop. Stops the playback of the current shot. ■ Go.
2 On the thumbnail for the shot sequence, click the Play button located on the upper-left corner of the thumbnail. All the shots in the shot sequence are played. To play all shots within all shot sequences ■ On the ShowMotion control, click Play All. All the shots saved in the model are played back in the order of each shot sequence. To pause or stop the playback of a shot ■ On the ShowMotion control, click Pause to pause the playback of the current shot or Stop to stop playback.
Overview of Cameras You can place a camera in a drawing to define a 3D view. You can turn a camera on or off in a drawing and use grips to edit a camera’s location, target, or lens length. A camera is defined by a location XYZ coordinate, a target XYZ coordinate, and a field of view/lens length, which determines the magnification, or zoom factor. You can also define clipping planes, which establish front and back boundaries for the associated view. ■ Location.
System Variables CAMERADISPLAY Turns the display of camera objects on or off. CAMERAHEIGHT Specifies the default height for new camera objects. Create a Camera Set a camera and target location to create and save 3D perspective views of objects. You can create a new camera by defining its location and a target, and by further defining its name, height, lens length, and clipping planes. You can also use one of several pre-defined camera types that are available on the tool palette.
4 Click again in the drawing when you want to place the target. To display a camera ■ Click Render tab ➤ Camera panel ➤ Show Cameras. Quick Reference Commands CAMERA Sets a camera and target location to create and save a 3D perspective view of objects. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. System Variables CAMERADISPLAY Turns the display of camera objects on or off. CAMERAHEIGHT Specifies the default height for new camera objects.
There are several ways to change camera settings: ■ Click and drag grips to resize or relocate a lens length or field of view. ■ Use the Dynamic Input tooltip to enter X,Y, Z coordinate values.
■ Modify camera properties in the Camera Properties palette.
To change a camera’s lens length 1 If cameras are not already displayed in the drawing, click Render tab ➤ Camera panel ➤ Show Cameras. 2 Click the camera glyph. 3 Click a Lens Length/FOV grip tool. 4 Move the cursor and click where you want to position the lens. 5 Press Enter. NOTE To change a lens length to a precise value, double-click a camera glyph to open the Properties palette. In the Cameras section, Lens Length option (mm), enter a numeric value.
To change a camera’s location 1 If cameras are not already displayed in the drawing, click Render tab ➤ Camera panel ➤ Show Cameras. 2 Click the camera glyph, drag it to the new location, and click to place the camera. 3 Press Enter. To change a camera’s target 1 If cameras are not already displayed in the drawing, click Render tab ➤ Camera panel ➤ Show Cameras. 2 Click the camera glyph whose target you want to change.
System Variables CAMERADISPLAY Turns the display of camera objects on or off. CAMERAHEIGHT Specifies the default height for new camera objects. Create Preview Animations You can create 3D preview animations and adjust the settings before you create a motion path animation. Preview animations are created with the controls on the Animation panel found on the ribbon and the 3D navigation tools.
3 Click Render tab ➤ Animations panel ➤ Animation Record. 4 Navigate through the drawing. If you are in walk or fly mode, you can use the Position Locator window as a visual guide. 5 (Optional) Do any of the following: ■ Right-click the drawing and click Other Navigation Modes. Click another navigation mode. ■ Click Render tab ➤ Animations panel ➤ Animation Pause to set up another navigation mode or adjust animation settings.
NOTE The playback of the animation gives you a general visual idea of the final output. It may not display the visual style or with the same quality of the final output. 7 If you are satisfied with the animation, click the Pause button. Then click the Save button. 8 In the Save As dialog box, choose a location and file name. NOTE To change the file type, click the Animation Settings button. In the Animation Settings dialog box, Format option, click a file type. Click OK to return to the Save As dialog box.
3DORBITCTR Sets the center of rotation in 3D Orbit view. 3DPAN When a drawing is in a Perspective view, starts the interactive 3D view and enables you to drag the view horizontally and vertically. 3DSWIVEL Changes the target of the view in the direction that you drag. 3DWALK Changes the 3D view in a drawing interactively to create the appearance of walking through the model. 3DZOOM Zooms in and out in a perspective view.
NOTE To link a camera or target to a path, you must create the path object before you create the motion path animation. A path can be a line, arc, elliptical arc, circle, polyline, 3D polyline, or spline. To create a motion path animation 1 In the drawing, create a path object for either the camera or the target. A path can be a line, arc, elliptical arc, circle, polyline, 3D polyline, or spline. NOTE The path you create is not visible in the animation.
8 In the Animation Settings section, adjust the animation settings to create the animation to suit your needs. 9 When you have finished adjusting the points, paths, and settings, click Preview to view the animation, or OK to save it. Quick Reference Commands ANIPATH Saves an animation file of a camera moving or panning in a 3D model. Specify Motion Path Settings You determine the format of the animation file of a motion path animation by specifying settings in the Motion Path Animation dialog box.
2 Click Render tab ➤ Animations panel ➤ Animation Motion Path. 3 In the Motion Path Animation dialog box, Animation Settings section, specify a Frame rate (FPS). 4 Do one of the following: ■ Specify a number of frames. ■ Specify a duration, in seconds. 5 Click Preview or OK. To set animation resolution 1 If the Animations panel is not displayed on the Render tab, right-click the Render tab and click Panels ➤ Animations. 2 Click Render tab ➤ Animations panel ➤ Animation Motion Path.
Quick Reference Commands ANIPATH Saves an animation file of a camera moving or panning in a 3D model. Record a Motion Path Animation You can preview the animation before you record it and then save it in the desired format. To preview and save a motion path animation 1 If the Animations panel is not displayed on the Render tab, right-click the Render tab and click Panels ➤ Animations. 2 Click Render tab ➤ Animations panel ➤ Animation Motion Path.
Quick Reference Commands ANIPATH Saves an animation file of a camera moving or panning in a 3D model. Use Navigation Bar Unified and product-specific navigation tools can be accessed from the navigation bar. Available Navigation Tools The navigation bar is a user interface element where you can access both unified and product-specific navigation tools.
The following product-specific navigation tools are available from the navigation bar: ■ Pan. Moves the view parallel to the screen. ■ Zoom tools. Set of navigation tools for increasing or decreasing the magnification of the current view of a model. ■ Orbit tools. Set of navigation tools for rotating the current view of a model. Use the Navigation Bar in Paper Space In paper space, only the 2D navigation tools (such as 2D SteeringWheels, Pan, Zoom, and the 2D Mode 3Dconnexion tools) are accessible.
Reposition and Reorient the Navigation Bar The position and orientation of the navigation bar can be adjusted by linking it to the ViewCube tool, docking it when the ViewCube tool is not displayed, or freely positioning it along one of the edges of the current window. When linked to the ViewCube tool, the navigation bar is positioned above or below the ViewCube tool and in a vertical orientation.
When Link to ViewCube is checked, both the navigation bar and ViewCube are repositioned together around the current window. To freely reposition the navigation bar along the edge of the current window 1 On the navigation bar, click Customize. 2 Click Customize menu ➤ Docking Positions ➤ uncheck Link to ViewCube. The grip handle for the navigation bar is displayed along the top of the navigation bar.
The Customize menu is displayed by clicking the Customize button on the lower-right side of the navigation bar. From the Customize menus, you click the navigation tools that you want displayed on the navigation bar. The position of the navigation tools on the navigation bar is predefined and cannot be changed. The ViewCube button is displayed on the navigation bar only when the ViewCube tool is hidden in the current window.
System Variables NAVBARDISPLAY Controls the display of the navigation bar in all viewports. Use 3Dconnexion 3D mouse to Navigate Views A 3Dconnexion 3D mouse is used to reorient and navigate a model’s view. The device has a pressure sensitive controller cap designed to flex in all directions. Push, pull, twist, or tilt the cap to pan, zoom, and rotate the current view. When a view change occurs with the 3Dconnexion 3D mouse, the ViewCube tool is reoriented to reflect the current view.
Option Description Example Fly Mode Simulates flying through a model. The view of the model is moved in the opposite direction of the controller cap. The orientation and height of the current view is not maintained. Move the controller cap up to elevate the view. This makes the model appear to move down. 2D Mode Navigates the view using only 2D navigation options. The view moves in the direction of the controller cap. Move the controller cap to pan and zoom the view.
Quick Reference Command NAVBAR Provides access to navigation and orientation tools from a single interface. System Variables NAVBARDISPLAY Controls the display of the navigation bar in all viewports.
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Display Multiple Views in Model Space 12 To see several views at the same time, you can split the drawing area of the Model tab into separate viewing areas called model space viewports. You can save arrangements of model space viewports for reuse at any time. Set Model Space Viewports On the Model tab, you can split the drawing area into one or more adjacent rectangular views known as model space viewports. Viewports are areas that display different views of your model.
You can also create viewports on a layout tab. You use those viewports, called layout viewports, to arrange the views of your drawing on a sheet. You can move and resize layout viewports. By using layout viewports, you have more control over the display; for example, you can freeze certain layers in one layout viewport without affecting the others. For more information about layouts and layout viewports, see Create Multiple-View Drawing Layouts (Paper Space) on page 391.
You can easily modify model space viewports by splitting and joining them. If you want to join two viewports, they must share a common edge of the same length. To subdivide a viewport on the Model tab 1 If you have more than one viewport, click inside the viewport you want to subdivide. 2 To indicate how many model space viewports should be created, do one of the following: ■ Click View menu ➤ Viewports ➤ 2 Viewports. ■ ClickView menu ➤ Viewports ➤ 3 Viewports.
To restore a single viewport on the Model tab ■ Click View tab ➤ Viewports panel ➤ New. To switch from a layout tab to the Model tab ■ Click the Model tab at the bottom of the drawing area. Quick Reference Commands MODEL Switches from a layout tab to the Model tab. VPORTS Creates multiple viewports in model space or paper space. System Variables MAXACTVP Sets the maximum number of viewports that can be active at one time in a layout.
To draw a line using two model space viewports, you start the line in the current viewport, make another viewport current by clicking within it, and then specify the endpoint of the line in the second viewport. In a large drawing, you can use this method to draw a line from a detail in one corner to a detail in a distant corner. To make a viewport current ■ Click anywhere within the viewport border. To cycle through viewports without clicking ■ Press Ctrl+ R repeatedly.
Save and Restore Model Tab Viewport Arrangements Arrangements of model viewports can be saved and restored by name. You don't have to set up viewports and views every time you need them. With VPORTS, viewport arrangements can be saved and later restored by name.
To delete a saved viewport arrangement 1 Click View tab ➤ Viewports panel ➤ Named. 2 In the Viewports dialog box, Named Viewports tab, select the name of the viewport configuration you want to delete. 3 Press DELETE. To view a list of saved viewport arrangements ■ Click View tab ➤ Viewports panel ➤ Named. The Viewports dialog box is displayed. All saved viewport arrangements in the drawing are listed on the Named Viewports tab under Named Viewports.
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Create Single-View Drawings (Model Space) 13 If you are going to create a two dimensional drawing that has one view, you can create the drawing and its annotation entirely in model space. This is the traditional method for creating drawings with AutoCAD®. With this method, you create the building, mechanical part, or geographic area that you want to represent at full scale (1:1), but you create the text, dimensions, and the title block of the drawing at a scale to match the intended plot scale.
With this method, you always draw geometric objects at full scale (1:1) and text, dimensions, and other annotation at a scale that will appear at the correct size when the drawing is plotted. For information about using annotative objects and scaling annotations automatically, see Scale Annotations on page 1224.
VIEWSIZE Stores the height of the view displayed in the current viewport, measured in drawing units. Draw, Scale, and Annotate in Model Space If you draw and plot from model space, you must determine and apply a scale factor to annotate objects before you plot. You can draw and plot entirely from model space. This method is useful primarily for two-dimensional drawings that have a single view.
Specify the display style of drawing units with the UNITS command. The default drawing unit type is decimal. Set the Scale for Annotations and Blocks Before you draw, you should set the scale for dimensions, annotations, and blocks in your drawings. Scaling these elements beforehand ensures that they are at the correct size when you plot the final drawing. You should enter the scale for the following objects: ■ Text.
Using the same calculation, the scale factor for 1 centimeter = 1 meter is 100, and the scale factor for 1 inch = 20 feet is 240. Sample Scale Ratios The sample architectural scale ratios in the table can be used to calculate text sizes in model space.
2 In the Drawing Units dialog box, set the unit values for your drawing. 3 As you change unit settings, you can see examples under Sample Output. ■ Under Length, select a unit type and level of precision. This determines the display style for linear drawing units. ■ Under Drawing Units for DesignCenter Blocks, select the unit that you want used to scale blocks, images, or other content inserted into the drawing. If you do not want inserted content to be scaled, select Unitless.
STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. UNITS Controls coordinate and angle display formats and precision. System Variables CELTSCALE Sets the current object linetype scaling factor. DIMSCALE Sets the overall scale factor applied to dimensioning variables that specify sizes, distances, or offsets. HPSCALE Sets the hatch pattern scale factor. HPSPACE Sets the hatch pattern line spacing for user-defined patterns.
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Create Multiple-View Drawing Layouts (Paper Space) 14 Paper space is a sheet layout environment where you can specify the size of your sheet, add a title block, display multiple views of your model, and create dimensions and notes for your drawing. Quick Start for Layouts There are two distinct working environments, or “spaces,” in which you can create objects in a drawing. These are represented by the Model and layout tabs.
Each layout viewport is like a picture frame containing a “photograph” of the model in model space. Each layout viewport contains a view that displays the model at the scale and orientation that you specify. You can also specify which layers are visible in each layout viewport. After you finish arranging the layout, you turn off the layer that contains the layout viewport objects. The views are still visible, and you can plot the layout without displaying the viewport boundaries.
PSETUPIN Imports a user-defined page setup into a new drawing layout. PSPACE In a layout, switches from model space in a viewport to paper space. VPORTS Creates multiple viewports in model space or paper space. VPLAYER Sets layer visibility within viewports. MAXACTVP Sets the maximum number of viewports that can be active at one time in a layout. PSLTSCALE Controls the linetype scaling of objects displayed in paper space viewports. TILEMODE Makes the Model tab or the last layout tab current.
Process Summary When you prepare a layout, you typically step through the following process: ■ Create a model of your subject on the Model tab. ■ Click a layout tab. ■ Specify layout page settings such as plotting device, paper size, plot area, plot scale, and drawing orientation. ■ Insert a title block into the layout (unless you have started with a drawing template that already has a title block). ■ Create a new layer to be used for layout viewports.
MSPACE In a layout, switches from paper space to model space in a layout viewport. MVIEW Creates and controls layout viewports. PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. PSETUPIN Imports a user-defined page setup into a new drawing layout. PSPACE In a layout, switches from model space in a viewport to paper space. VPLAYER Sets layer visibility within viewports.
Work with Model Space and Paper Space There are several benefits to switching between model space and paper space to perform certain tasks. Use model space for creating and editing your model. Use paper space for composing your drawing sheet and defining views. Work on the Model Tab The Model tab accesses a limitless drawing area called model space. In model space, you draw, view, and edit your model.
Quick Reference MODEL Switches from a layout tab to the Model tab. MSPACE In a layout, switches from paper space to model space in a layout viewport. PSPACE In a layout, switches from model space in a viewport to paper space. LAYOUTREGENCTL Specifies how the display list is updated in the Model tab and layout tabs. MAXACTVP Sets the maximum number of viewports that can be active at one time in a layout. TILEMODE Makes the Model tab or the last layout tab current.
NOTE These tabs can be hidden, appearing instead as buttons on the status bar at the bottom-center of the application window. To display the tabs, right-click the Model or layout button and click Display Layout and Model Tabs on the shortcut menu. Create Additional Layout Tabs By default, a new drawing starts with two layout tabs, named Layout1 and Layout2. If you use a drawing template or open an existing drawing, the layout tabs in your drawing may be named differently.
You can edit the information entered in the wizard later. Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. To move an object from model space to paper space (or vice versa) 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Change Space. 2 Select one or more objects to move. 3 Press Enter to end the command. To activate the previous layout 1 Right-click any layout tab or the Model tab. 2 Click Activate Previous Layout. To select all layouts ■ Right-click any layout tab. Click Select All Layouts.
PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. PSETUPIN Imports a user-defined page setup into a new drawing layout. PSPACE In a layout, switches from model space in a viewport to paper space. VPORTS Creates multiple viewports in model space or paper space. VPLAYER Sets layer visibility within viewports. CTAB Returns the name of the current (model or layout) tab in the drawing. CVPORT Displays the identification number of the current viewport.
After creating viewport objects, you can access model space from a layout viewport to perform the following tasks: ■ Create and modify objects in model space inside the layout viewport. ■ Pan the view inside the layout viewport and change layer visibility. The method you use to access model space depends on what you plan to do. Create and Modify Objects in a Layout Viewport If you plan to create or modify objects, use the button on the status bar to maximize the layout viewport.
To switch between model space and paper space on a layout On a layout, use one of the following methods: ■ If you are in paper space, double-click within a layout viewport. You are now in model space. The selected layout viewport becomes the current viewport, and you can pan the view and change layer properties. If you need to make significant changes to the model, it is recommended that you use VPMAX to maximize the layout viewport or switch to the Model tab.
Quick Reference MODEL Switches from a layout tab to the Model tab. MSPACE In a layout, switches from paper space to model space in a layout viewport. PSPACE In a layout, switches from model space in a viewport to paper space. VPMAX Expands the current layout viewport for editing. VPMIN Restores the current layout viewport. VPMAXIMIZEDSTATE Indicates whether the viewport is maximized or not. Export a Layout to Model Space You can export all visible objects from the current layout to model space.
Changes to Exported Objects When exported, some objects become a different object type, or are modified in order to maximize visual fidelity with the layout. Object Type Representation in Exported Drawing Dimensions Dimensions that exceed the boundaries of the layout viewport are exploded. Constraints Dimensional constraints are removed.
Visual Changes to Objects Not all objects when displayed in a layout will display the same in the Model tab of the exported drawing. This includes (but is not limited to) the following instances: ■ The same object displayed in multiple viewports becomes multiple objects in the exported model space drawing. In addition, objects are transformed and often scaled. Both of these can affect data extraction of blocks. ■ Some objects are converted or exploded in order to trim them.
2 In the Export Layout to Model Space Drawing dialog box, enter a file name. 3 Specify the location where you want to save the file. The default location is the location of the current drawing. 4 Click Save. To achieve better visual fidelity for a drawing containing AEC objects 1 In an open drawing, enter aectoacad. The AECTOACAD command creates a new DWG file with all AEC objects exploded into basic AutoCAD objects.
Create Nonrectangular Layout Viewports You can create a new viewport with nonrectangular boundaries by converting an object drawn in paper space into a layout viewport. You can use the MVIEW command to create nonrectangular viewports. ■ With the Object option, you can select a closed object, such as a circle or closed polyline created in paper space, to convert into a layout viewport.
A nonrectangular viewport consists of two objects: the viewport itself and the clipping boundary. You can make changes to the viewport, the clipping boundary, or both. NOTE In the Properties palette, the default selection for a nonrectangular viewport is Viewport. This is because you are more likely to change the properties of the viewport than of the clipping boundary.
The list includes top, bottom, front, back, left, right, and isometric views, along with any named views that are saved in the drawing. The selected view is displayed under Preview. 7 Click OK. 8 In the drawing area, specify two points to indicate the area to contain the viewport configuration. To place a named viewport configuration into a layout 1 Click a layout tab. 2 Click View tab ➤ Viewports panel ➤ Named.
5 ■ Enter p (Polygonal) to specify a series of points to define a polygonal boundary. ■ Select a paper space object that will define the new viewport boundary. Quick Reference MVIEW Creates and controls layout viewports. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. VPCLIP Clips layout viewport objects and reshapes the viewport border. VPORTS Creates multiple viewports in model space or paper space. MAXACTVP Sets the maximum number of viewports that can be active at one time in a layout.
NOTE You can modify the list of scales that are displayed in all view and plot scale lists with SCALELISTEDIT. When you work in a layout, the scale factor of a view in a layout viewport represents a ratio between the actual size of the model displayed in the viewport and the size of the layout. The ratio is determined by dividing the paper space units by the model space units.
To modify a layout viewport scale using the Properties palette 1 Make sure you are on a layout tab in paper space. 2 Click the border of the viewport whose scale you want to modify. 3 Right-click, and then click Properties. 4 In the Properties palette, select Standard Scale, and then select a new scale from the list. The scale you choose is applied to the viewport. NOTE To use a custom scale, enter a scale in the Custom Scale field in the Properties palette.
VPORTS Creates multiple viewports in model space or paper space. ZOOM Increases or decreases the magnification of the view in the current viewport. Control Visibility in Layout Viewports You can control the visibility of objects in layout viewports using several methods. These methods are useful for emphasizing or hiding different elements of a drawing, and for reducing screen regeneration time.
Freeze or Thaw Layers Automatically in New Layout Viewports You can set visibility defaults for specific layers in all new layout viewports. For example, you can restrict the display of dimensions by freezing the DIMENSIONS layer in all new viewports. If you create a viewport that requires dimensions, you can override the default setting by changing the setting in the current viewport. Changing the default for new viewports does not affect existing viewports.
3 In the Layer Properties Manager, select one or more layers to freeze or thaw. Hold down Ctrl to select more than one layer. Hold down Shift to select a sequence of layers. 4 In the Freeze column, click the icon to freeze or thaw. To freeze or thaw layers in paper space 1 Click a layout tab. 2 Make sure that you are in paper space. (On the status bar, PAPER is on.) 3 Click Home tab ➤ Layer panel ➤ Layer Properties. 4 In the Layer Properties Manager, select the layer or layers you want to freeze or thaw.
3 Click the New Layer button to create a layer. 4 Rename the new layer. 5 Click the icon in the Freeze column to change the layer's state to frozen. The sun icon means that a layer is thawed; the snowflake icon means that a layer is frozen. 6 Click OK. Quick Reference LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. VPLAYER Sets layer visibility within viewports. Screen Objects in Layout Viewports Screening refers to applying less ink to an object when it is plotted.
4 In the Screening box, enter an intensity value between 1 and 100. 5 Click Save & Close. 6 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 7 In the Page Setup dialog box, Plot Device tab, select the edited plot style table from the Plot Style Table (Pen Assignments) list. 8 Double-click within the layout viewport that contains the objects whose screening you want to change. 9 Select the objects whose plot style you want to change. 10 Right-click in the drawing area and click Properties.
viewports. The following illustration shows the effects of turning off two layout viewports. New layout viewports are turned on by default. If you turn off the layout viewports you aren't using, you can copy layout viewports without waiting for each one to regenerate. If you don't want to plot a layout viewport, you can turn the layout viewport off. To turn viewports on or off using the Properties palette 1 Make sure you are on a layout tab in paper space.
VPORTS Creates multiple viewports in model space or paper space. MAXACTVP Sets the maximum number of viewports that can be active at one time in a layout. Scale Linetypes in Layout Viewports You can scale linetypes in paper space either based on the drawing units of the space in which the object was created or based on the paper space units. You can set thePSLTSCALE system variable to maintain the same linetype scaling for objects displayed at different zoom factors in a layout and in a layout viewport.
To scale linetypes globally in paper space 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Linetype. 2 In the Linetype Manager, click Show Details. 3 Under Global Scale Factor, enter a global scale to apply to the linetypes. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference LINETYPE Loads, sets, and modifies linetypes. PSLTSCALE Controls the linetype scaling of objects displayed in paper space viewports.
To adjust the views on a layout with precision, you can create construction geometry, use object snaps on the model-space objects displayed in layout viewports, or use one of the cursor constraint features available on the status bar. To align objects between viewports using a construction line 1 Make sure you are on a layout tab. 2 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Construction Line. 3 Specify a point in the first viewport. Specify a second point to determine a line for the alignment.
4 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Move. 5 Select the viewport to align to the first viewport. Press Enter. 6 When prompted for a base point, specify a point in the second viewport. Choose a point that corresponds with the point selected in the first viewport. 7 When prompted for the second point, hold down Shift and right-click. Click Object Snap ➤ Perpendicular. 8 Click the construction line you created. The first and second viewports, and the objects in the viewports, are aligned.
Quick Reference MOVE Moves objects a specified distance in a specified direction. MVSETUP Sets up the specifications of a drawing. UCS Manages user coordinate systems. UCSICON Controls the visibility and placement of the UCS icon. UCSMAN Manages defined user coordinate systems. UCSICON Controls the visibility and placement of the UCS icon. UCSVP Determines whether the UCS in viewports remains fixed or changes to reflect the UCS of the current viewport.
Another way is to use the Align and then Rotate View options in the MVSETUP command. NOTE The ROTATE command rotates individual objects only and should not be used to try to rotate a view. To rotate a view within a viewport 1 At the Command prompt, enter vprotateassoc. 2 Set the value to 1. 3 Make sure you are on a layout tab. 4 Select the viewport with the view you want to rotate. 5 Enter r (Rotate) to rotate the view to a specified angle or with two points. 6 Specify a base point for the rotation.
To rotate the view 90 degrees clockwise, enter 90. To rotate the view 90 degrees counter-clockwise, enter -90. 5 Click View menu ➤ 3D Views ➤ Plan View ➤ Current UCS. The entire view rotates within the viewport. You may need to specify the scale of the viewport again. To rotate a layout view using MVSETUP 1 On a layout, enter mvsetup at the Command prompt. 2 Enter a (Align). 3 Enter r (Rotate) to rotate the view to a specified angle or with two points.
UCSICON Controls the visibility and placement of the UCS icon. UCSVP Determines whether the UCS in viewports remains fixed or changes to reflect the UCS of the current viewport. VIEWTWIST Stores the view rotation angle for the current viewport measured relative to the WCS. VPROTATEASSOC Controls whether the view within a viewport is rotated with the viewport when the viewport is rotated.
When you create a new layout template, any named items, such as blocks, layers, and dimension styles, that are used in the layout are saved with the template. These definition table items are imported as part of the layout settings if you import this template into a new layout. It is recommended that you use the Save As option of the LAYOUT command to create a new layout template.
2 At the prompt, enter sa to save the current layout as a template. 3 Enter the name of the layout you are saving. 4 In the Create Drawing File dialog box, enter a name for the drawing template file you are saving. 5 In Files of Type, select Drawing Template File (*.dwt). 6 Click Save. To insert a layout using DesignCenter 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ DesignCenter. 2 In the tree view, find the drawing that contains the layout you want to reuse.
PCINWIZARD Displays a wizard to import PCP and PC2 configuration file plot settings into the Model tab or current layout. PURGE Removes unused items, such as block definitions and layers, from the drawing. TDCREATE Stores the local time and date the drawing was created. TDUCREATE Stores the universal time and date that the drawing was created. TDUPDATE Stores the local time and date of the last update/save. TDUUPDATE Stores the universal time and date of the last update or save.
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Work with Sheets in a Sheet Set 15 With the Sheet Set Manager, you can organize drawing layouts into named sheet sets. The sheets in a sheet set can be transmitted, published, and archived as a unit. Sheet sets facilitate the organization and management of drawings in a project, and improve the communication in a work group. Quick Start for Sheet Sets A sheet set is an organized collection of sheets from several drawing files. A sheet is a selected layout from a drawing file.
You can manage, transmit, publish, and archive sheet sets as a unit. Quick Reference NEWSHEETSET Creates a new sheet set data file that manages drawing layouts, file paths, and project data. OPENSHEETSET Opens a selected sheet set. SHEETSET Opens the Sheet Set Manager. SHEETSETHIDE Closes the Sheet Set Manager. SSFOUND Displays the sheet set path and file name if a search for a sheet set is successful.
SSMAUTOOPEN Controls the display behavior of the Sheet Set Manager when a drawing associated with a sheet is opened. SSMPOLLTIME Controls whether plotting a sheet set, multi-sheet plot file, or plot spool file can be interrupted by other plot jobs. SSMSHEETSTATUS Controls how the status data in a sheet set is refreshed. SSMSTATE Indicates whether the Sheet Set Manager window is open or closed.
Sheet Views Tab. Displays an organized list of all sheet views in the sheet set. Only sheet views created with AutoCAD 2005 and later are listed. Model Views Tab. Lists the paths and folder names for the drawings containing model space views to be used in the sheet set. ■ Click a folder to list the drawing files that are located in that folder. ■ Click a drawing file to list the named model space views that are available for placement in the current sheet.
Quick Reference NEWSHEETSET Creates a new sheet set data file that manages drawing layouts, file paths, and project data. OPENSHEETSET Opens a selected sheet set. SHEETSET Opens the Sheet Set Manager. SHEETSETHIDE Closes the Sheet Set Manager. SSFOUND Displays the sheet set path and file name if a search for a sheet set is successful. SSLOCATE Controls whether the sheet set associated with a drawing is located and opened when the drawing is opened.
Create a Sheet Set You create a sheet set with the Create a Sheet Set wizard. In the wizard, you can either create a sheet set from scratch based on existing drawings or use an example sheet set as a template. Layouts from specified drawing files are imported into the sheet set. The associations and information that define a sheet set are stored in a sheet set data (DST) file. When creating a new sheet set using the Create Sheet Set wizard, a new folder is created as the default sheet set storage location.
NOTE Although it is possible to use several layouts from the same drawing file as separate sheets in a sheet set, it is not recommended. This makes concurrent access to each layout by multiple users impossible. This practice can also reduce your management options and can complicate the organization of your sheet sets.
Quick Reference NEWSHEETSET Creates a new sheet set data file that manages drawing layouts, file paths, and project data. OPENSHEETSET Opens a selected sheet set. SHEETSET Opens the Sheet Set Manager. SHEETSETHIDE Closes the Sheet Set Manager. SSFOUND Displays the sheet set path and file name if a search for a sheet set is successful. SSLOCATE Controls whether the sheet set associated with a drawing is located and opened when the drawing is opened.
On the Sheet List tab, sheets can be arranged into collections called subsets. On the Sheet Views tab, views can be arranged into collections called categories. Use Sheet Subsets Sheet subsets are often associated with a discipline such as architecture or mechanical design. For example, in architecture, you might use a subset named Structural; and in mechanical design, you might use a subset called Standard Fasteners.
To create a new subset in the sheet list 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, Sheet List tab, right-click the sheet set node (at the top of the list), or an existing subset. Click New Subset. 3 In the Subset Properties dialog box, under Subset Name, enter the name of the new subset. Click OK. You can drag the new subset anywhere on the sheet list, even under other subsets.
To remove a view category from the view list 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, Sheet Views tab, click the View by Category button. 3 Drag all views out of the view category that you want to remove. 4 Right-click the view category that you want to remove. Click Remove Category. Quick Reference NEWSHEETSET Creates a new sheet set data file that manages drawing layouts, file paths, and project data. OPENSHEETSET Opens a selected sheet set.
SSMPOLLTIME Controls whether plotting a sheet set, multi-sheet plot file, or plot spool file can be interrupted by other plot jobs. SSMSHEETSTATUS Controls how the status data in a sheet set is refreshed. SSMSTATE Indicates whether the Sheet Set Manager window is open or closed. Create and Modify Sheets There are several options in the Sheet Set Manager for creating sheets and adding views either through a shortcut menu or one of the tab buttons.
NOTE Modifying a sheet should always be done using an open sheet set in the Sheet Set Manager. This ensures that all data associated with the sheet are updated. ■ Rename and renumber a sheet. After you create a sheet, you can change the sheet title and the sheet number. You can also specify a different drawing file associated with the sheet. NOTE If you change the layout name, the corresponding sheet title in the sheet set is also updated or vice versa. ■ Remove a sheet from a sheet set.
■ Add callout blocks to views. Callout blocks is the term for the symbols that reference other sheets. Callout blocks have many industry-specific names such as reference tags, detail keys, detail makers, building section keys, and so on. Callout blocks contain data associated with the sheet and view that are referenced. NOTE When you place a callout block with fields or a view on a sheet, make sure that the current layer is unlocked. ■ Create a title sheet and table of contents.
For the field to display the correct information about a view or sheets on which you later insert it, the field must be included within a block attribute, not text, when you define the block. To create the block attribute definition, insert a placeholder field as the value, select the Preset option, and specify a tag. NOTE If you create your own label blocks and callout blocks, set any attribute definitions to Preset to avoid prompts when placing these blocks in a drawing.
See also: ■ Create Multiple-View Drawing Layouts (Paper Space) on page 391 ■ Use Fields in Text on page 1352 To import a layout from the current drawing as a sheet 1 If the Model and layout tabs are not visible at the bottom of the drawing area, right-click the Model button on the status bar and click Display Layout and Model tabs. 2 Do one of the following: ■ Right-click a layout tab and click Import Layout as Sheet. ■ Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager.
To open a drawing file read-only within a sheet set 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, open a sheet set. 3 On the Sheet List tab, right-click a sheet. Click Open Read-Only. To reassociate a sheet in a sheet set 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, open a sheet set. 3 On the Sheet List tab, open the sheet that you want to reassociate. 4 In the Sheet Set Manager, right-click the sheet. Click Remove Sheet.
5 From the list of drawing files, do one of the following: ■ To add a model space view to a sheet, click the plus sign (+) next to a drawing file to list its named model space views. Right-click a model space view. ■ To add an entire drawing as a view in a sheet, right-click a drawing file. 6 Click Place on Sheet. NOTE As an alternative to the previous two steps, you can drag a model space view or a drawing from the Model Views tab to a sheet. 7 Right-click on the sheet.
To add a block to be used for sheet view callouts 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, open a sheet set. 3 On the Sheet Views tab, right-click the sheet set node. 4 In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, click Callout Blocks. Click the [...] button. 5 In the List of Blocks dialog box, do one of the following: ■ Click a block from the list of blocks. ■ Click the Add button and specify a new block to be added to the list. 6 Click OK to close each dialog box.
The callout block is placed on the sheet. The callout block automatically displays view-specific information about the view with which it is associated. Quick Reference NEWSHEETSET Creates a new sheet set data file that manages drawing layouts, file paths, and project data. OPENSHEETSET Opens a selected sheet set. SHEETSET Opens the Sheet Set Manager. SHEETSETHIDE Closes the Sheet Set Manager. SSFOUND Displays the sheet set path and file name if a search for a sheet set is successful.
Include Information with Sheets and Sheet Sets Sheet sets, subsets, and sheets include several types of information. This information, called properties, includes titles, descriptions, file paths, and custom properties that you define. Different Properties for Different Levels (Owners) Sheet sets, subsets, and sheets represent different levels of organization, and each of these includes different types of properties.
To create a custom property for a sheet set 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, open a sheet set. 3 On the Sheet List tab, right-click the sheet set node. Click Properties. 4 In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, click the Edit Custom Properties button. 5 In the Custom Properties dialog box, do one of the following: ■ Click Add to create a new custom property for the sheet set. Click the name and the default value to enter the information for these fields.
■ Click the name and the default value to change the information for these fields. With this method, you can change the value for every sheet in the sheet set. ■ Click a custom property from the list. Click Delete to remove the property. 6 Click OK to close each dialog box. Quick Reference NEWSHEETSET Creates a new sheet set data file that manages drawing layouts, file paths, and project data. OPENSHEETSET Opens a selected sheet set. SHEETSET Opens the Sheet Set Manager.
SSMSHEETSTATUS Controls how the status data in a sheet set is refreshed. SSMSTATE Indicates whether the Sheet Set Manager window is open or closed. Publish, Transmit, and Archive Sheet Sets After you have organized drawings into a sheet set, you can publish, transmit, and archive the sheet set as a package. ■ Publish a sheet set: Use the Publish feature to output the sheet set to a plotter in either normal or reverse order. For more information, see Publish a Sheet Set on page 1636.
Another DWT file, called the page setup overrides file, contains page setups that can be specified to override the page setups in each sheet. You specify the page setup overrides file in the Sheet Set Properties dialog box. When you publish a sheet set, you can use the page setups defined in each drawing file, you can use the page setup overrides for all drawing files, or you can publish to a DWF or DWFx file. For more information about page setups, see Use Named Page Setups with Sheet Sets on page 1549.
To restore a sheet selection 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, open a sheet set. 3 On the Sheet List tab, near the upper-right corner, click the Sheet Selections button. Select the name of the sheet selection that you want to restore. The sheet selection is activated and available for publishing and transmitting operations. To rename or delete a sheet selection 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager.
3 On the Sheet List tab, near the upper-right corner, click the Sheet Selections button. Select the name of the sheet selection to modify. 4 Use the CTRL key to add and remove items from the sheet selection. 5 On the Sheet List Manager, near the upper-right corner, click the Sheet Selections button. Click Manage. 6 Click Delete to remove the sheet selection name from the list. Click Yes to confirm that you want to remove this sheet selection name. 7 Click OK to close the Sheet Selections dialog box.
NOTE Some sheet properties are always published in the DWF or DWFx file (no matter what setting you make in the Sheet Set Publish Options dialog box). These are: sheet name, sheet size, author, creator, creation time, and modification time. 5 Click OK. To publish a DWF or DWFx file using a block template file to include block properties and attributes 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, Sheet List tab, select the sheet set to publish in a DWF or DWFx file.
SHEETSETHIDE Closes the Sheet Set Manager. PUBLISHCOLLATE Controls whether plotting a sheet set, multi-sheet plot file, or plot spool file can be interrupted by other plot jobs. SSFOUND Displays the sheet set path and file name if a search for a sheet set is successful. SSLOCATE Controls whether the sheet set associated with a drawing is located and opened when the drawing is opened. SSMAUTOOPEN Controls the display behavior of the Sheet Set Manager when a drawing associated with a sheet is opened.
A green dot in the lock icon indicates that the Sheet Set Manager session on your computer has temporarily locked the DST file. A red dot indicates that the Sheet Set Manager session on a team member's computer has temporarily locked the DST file. A yellow dot in the lock icon means that the sheet is in a special state; for example, its file properties may be set to Read-Only. Other members of the team can automatically see changes to the sheet set in the Sheet Set Manager tree view.
Work in a Team That Does Not Use Sheet Set Manager With some limitations, you can use sheet sets in a team with members who do not have network access, or do not have access to the Sheet Set Manager. These team members may be using AutoCAD LT or an older version of AutoCAD. In those circumstances, not all members of the team will have access to the DST file.
SSLOCATE Controls whether the sheet set associated with a drawing is located and opened when the drawing is opened. SSMAUTOOPEN Controls the display behavior of the Sheet Set Manager when a drawing associated with a sheet is opened. SSMPOLLTIME Controls whether plotting a sheet set, multi-sheet plot file, or plot spool file can be interrupted by other plot jobs. SSMSHEETSTATUS Controls how the status data in a sheet set is refreshed. SSMSTATE Indicates whether the Sheet Set Manager window is open or closed.
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Control the Properties of Objects 16 You can organize objects in your drawing and control how they are displayed and plotted by changing their properties, which include layer, linetype, color, lineweight, transparency, and plot style. Work with Object Properties You can change the object properties in your drawing by using the Properties palette or the Quick Properties palette. Overview of Object Properties Every object you draw has properties.
See also: ■ Control the Color and Linetype Properties in Blocks on page 870 Quick Reference CHPROP Changes the properties of an object. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. PROPERTIESCLOSE Closes the Properties palette. CECOLOR Sets the color of new objects. CELTYPE Sets the linetype of new objects. CELWEIGHT Sets the lineweight of new objects. CETRANSPARENCY Sets the transparency level for new objects. CLAYER Sets the current layer.
Display and Change the Properties of Objects You can display and change the current properties for any object in your drawing. Use the Quick Properties Palette The Quick Properties palette lists the most commonly used properties for each object type or a set of objects. You can easily customize the quick properties for any object in the Customize User Interface (CUI) editor. See Quick Properties in the Customization Guide.
Use the Properties Panel on the Ribbon On the Home tab, the Properties panel provides a convenient way to verify or change the settings for properties such as color, layer, and linetype. The Properties panel operates similarly to the Properties palette. ■ If no objects are selected, the panel displays the default properties for objects created in the future. ■ If one or more objects are selected, the controls display the current properties for the selected objects.
2 In the Drafting Settings dialog box, Quick Properties tab, select Quick Properties On. 3 Select the location mode for the Quick Properties palette. 4 Under Size Settings, select or clear the Auto-Collapse option to expand or collapse the Quick Properties palette. If this option is selected, enter the height value in the text box. 5 Click OK. Quick Reference CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
LUPREC Sets the display precision for linear units and coordinates. OPMSTATE Indicates whether the Properties palette is open, closed, or hidden. PALETTEOPAQUE Controls whether palettes can be made transparent. PICKFIRST Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you issue a command. QPLOCATION Sets the location mode of Quick Properties palette. QPMODE Sets the on or off state of Quick Properties palette.
To copy properties from one object to other objects 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Match Properties. 2 Select the object whose properties you want to copy. 3 If you want to control which properties are transferred, enter s (Settings). In the Property Settings dialog box, clear the items that you do not want copied (all are on by default). Click OK. 4 Select the objects to which you want to apply the selected properties and press Enter.
By creating layers, you can associate similar types of objects by assigning them to the same layer. For example, you can put construction lines, text, dimensions, and title blocks on separate layers.
LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. LAYERPALETTE Opens the modeless Layer Properties Manager. LAYERDLGMODE Sets the flavor of the Layer Properties Manager that is defined for the use of the LAYER command. SHOWLAYERUSAGE Displays icons in the Layer Properties Manager to indicate whether layers are in use. Use Layers to Manage Complexity You can use layers to control the visibility of objects and to assign properties to objects. Layers can be locked to prevent objects from being modified.
In a layout, you can freeze layers in individual layout viewports. NOTE Instead of turning off or freezing a layer, you can fade the layer by locking it. See “Lock the Objects on a Layer” below. Control Transparency on Layers Set the transparency of layers and layout viewports to enhance drawings by reducing the visibility of all object on specific layers as needed. Set layer (or layout viewport) transparency in the Layer Properties Manager.
Lock the Objects on a Layer When a layer is locked, none of the objects on that layer can be modified until you unlock the layer. Locking layers reduces the possibility of modifying objects accidentally. You can still apply object snaps to objects on a locked layer and perform other operations that do not modify those objects. You can fade the objects on locked layers to make them appear more faint than other objects. This serves two purposes: ■ You can easily see what objects are on locked layers.
To control the transparency of objects or layout viewports on a layer 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties. 2 In the Layer Properties Manager, select a layer. Click the Transparency or the VP Transparency column. NOTE The VP Transparency column is only available when a layout tab is active. 3 In the Layer Transparency dialog box, click the drop-down list to select a transparency level, or enter a value between 0 and 90 . 4 Click OK.
NOTE To restore layers to the layer state before you isolated them, use the LAYUNISO command. Any layer settings you changed are preserved. To copy properties from one layer to other layers 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Match. 2 Select the object whose layer you want to change. Press Enter. 3 Select an object on the layer where you want the object to move. The object is moved to the selected layer.
Quick Reference CLASSICLAYER Opens the legacy Layer Properties Manager. COPYTOLAYER Copies one or more objects to another layer. LAYCUR Changes the layer property of selected objects to the current layer. LAYDEL Deletes all objects on a layer and purges the layer. LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. LAYERPALETTE Opens the modeless Layer Properties Manager. LAYFRZ Freezes the layer of selected objects. LAYISO Hides or locks all layers except those of the selected objects.
LAYTHW Thaws all layers in the drawing. LAYUNISO Restores all layers that were hidden or locked with the LAYISO command. LAYWALK Displays objects on selected layers and hides objects on all other layers. LAYERDLGMODE Sets the flavor of the Layer Properties Manager that is defined for the use of the LAYER command. LAYLOCKFADECTL Controls the amount of fading for objects on locked layers.
NOTE If you consistently use a specific layering scheme, you can set up a drawing template with layers, linetypes, and colors already assigned. For more information about creating templates, see Use a Drawing Template File on page 171. Copy Layers from Another Drawing ™ You can use DesignCenter to copy layers from any drawing to another by dragging. For example, you might have a drawing that contains all the standard layers needed for a project.
A layer name, such as LAYER1, is automatically added to the layer list. 3 Enter a new layer name by typing over the highlighted layer name. 4 To change the properties, click icons. When you click Color, Linetype, Lineweight, or Plot Style, a dialog box is displayed. 5 (Optional) Click in the Description column and enter text. 6 Click OK. To remove an unused layer 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties. 2 In the Layer Properties Manager, select the layer. Click the Delete Layer button.
5 Click Purge. 6 To confirm the purging of each item, respond to the prompt by choosing Yes or No, or Yes to All if more than one item is selected. 7 Click Close. Quick Reference CLASSICLAYER Opens the legacy Layer Properties Manager. LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. LAYERPALETTE Opens the modeless Layer Properties Manager. PURGE Removes unused items, such as block definitions and layers, from the drawing. CLAYER Sets the current layer.
Reassigning an object to a different layer is useful if you create an object on the wrong layer or decide to change your layer organization. Unless the color, linetype, or other properties of the object have been set explicitly, an object that you reassign to a different layer will acquire the properties of that layer. You can change layer properties in the Layer Properties Manager and in the Layer control on the Layers toolbar. Click the icons to change settings.
2 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties 3 In the Layer Properties Manager, select the layer that you want to assign to the objects. 4 Press ESC to remove selection. To change the default linetype assigned to a layer 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers Panel ➤ Layer Properties . 2 In the Layer Properties Manager, select the linetype for the layer you want to change.
To rename more than one layer 1 Click Tools tab ➤ Drawing Utilities panel ➤ Rename. 2 In the Rename dialog box, in the Named Objects list, select Layers. 3 In Old Name, enter the old name, using wild-card characters; for example, enter stairs$*. 4 In Rename To, enter the new name using wild-card characters; for example, enter s_*. Results for this example are as follows: the layers STAIR$LEVEL-1, STAIR$LEVEL-2, STAIR$LEVEL-3 are renamed S_LEVEL-1, S_LEVEL-2, S_LEVEL-3. 5 Click OK.
PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. PURGE Removes unused items, such as block definitions and layers, from the drawing. RENAME Changes the names assigned to items such as layers and dimension styles. SETBYLAYER Changes the property overrides of selected objects to ByLayer. CLAYER Sets the current layer. LAYERDLGMODE Sets the flavor of the Layer Properties Manager that is defined for the use of the LAYER command.
Property override settings for color and lineweight were set on the Wiring layer for the viewport on the left. Notice the wiring is a different color and lineweight than in the right viewport.
If you do not want to display or plot property overrides, set the VPLAYEROVERRIDESMODE system variable to 0. Objects will display and plot with their global layer properties. NOTE Property overrides can still be set even when VPLAYEROVERRIDESMODE is set to 0. Property overrides that are on xref layers are not retained when the VISRETAIN system variable is set to 0.
■ Layers panel on the ribbon. A background color displays behind the layer names in the Layer drop-down list. Override properties are displayed for color, linetype, and lineweight instead of global properties. ■ Properties panel on the ribbon. A background color displays behind the color, linetype, lineweight, and plot style controls. Override properties are displayed for color, linetype, and lineweight instead of global properties. ■ Properties palette.
Remove Layer Property Overrides When you right-click a layer in the Layer Properties Manager, a shortcut menu is displayed that lists options for removing property overrides.
2 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties 3 In the Layer Properties Manager, right-click the property override on the layer to remove. 4 Click Remove Viewport Overrides For ➤ Property Override (Color, Linetype, Lineweight, Plot Style) ➤ In All Viewports. To remove all overrides from a layer for the current layout viewport 1 On the layout tab, double-click inside a viewport to make it current.
To control the transparency of objects or layout viewports on a layer 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties. 2 In the Layer Properties Manager, enter a value between 0 and 90 in the Transparency or VP Transparency columns for each layer you want to make transparent. NOTE The VP Transparency column is only available when a Layout tab is active. 3 Press Enter. To not display or plot layer viewport overrides 1 At the Command prompt, enter vplayeroverridesmode. 2 Enter 0.
Quick Reference CHPROP Changes the properties of an object. CLASSICLAYER Opens the legacy Layer Properties Manager. LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. LAYERP Undoes the last change or set of changes made to layer settings. LAYERPALETTE Opens the modeless Layer Properties Manager. LAYERPMODE Turns on and off the tracking of changes made to layer settings. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. PURGE Removes unused items, such as block definitions and layers, from the drawing.
VPLAYEROVERRIDESMODE Controls whether layer property overrides for layout viewports are displayed and plotted. Filter and Sort the List of Layers You can control which layer names are listed in the Layer Properties Manager and sort them by name or by property, such as color or visibility. A layer filter limits the display of layer names in the Layer Properties Manager and in the Layer control on the Layers toolbar.
Once you have named and defined a layer filter, you can select it in the tree view to display the layers in the list view. You can also apply the filter to the Layers toolbar, so that the Layer control displays only the layers in the current filter. When you select a filter in the tree view and right-click, options on the shortcut menu can be used to delete, rename, or modify filters. For example, you can convert a layer property filter to a layer group filter.
part of the filter. Layer group filters can be nested only under other layer group filters. TIP Layers from the layer list can be included in a filter by clicking and dragging the selected layers to the filter. Invert a Layer Filter You can also invert a layer filter.
Character Definition [~] Matches any character not enclosed; for example, [~AB]C matches XC but not AC [-] Specifies a range for a single character; for example, [A-G]C matches AC, BC, and so on to GC, but not HC ` (reverse quote) Reads the next character literally; for example, `~AB matches ~AB NOTE To filter on a layer name that contains a wild-card character, precede the character with a reverse quote (`) so that it is not interpreted as a wild-card character.
4 Under Filter Definition, set the layer properties that you want to use to define the filter. ■ To filter by name, use wild-card characters. ■ To filter by property, click in the column for the property you want. Some properties display a dialog box when you click the [...] button. ■ To select more than one value for a property, right-click the row in the filter definition. Click Duplicate Row. Select another value for that property in the next row.
■ A new layer group filter can be nested only under another group filter. 3 Right-click. Click New Properties Filter or New Group Filter. 4 Use one of the following methods: ■ For a new property filter, the Layer Properties Filter dialog box is displayed. Under Filter Definition, set the layer properties that you want to use to define the filter. Click OK. ■ For a new group filter, a filter is added to the tree view.
LAYERPALETTE Opens the modeless Layer Properties Manager. LAYERDLGMODE Sets the flavor of the Layer Properties Manager that is defined for the use of the LAYER command. MAXSORT Sets the maximum number of symbol names or block names sorted by listing commands. Use New Layer Notification You can be notified when new layers are added to the drawing before certain tasks, such as plotting, saving, or restoring a layer state.
of new layers when opening the drawing, when loading, reloading, or attaching xrefs, or when restoring a layer state. To make changes to these settings, you can either use the system variables or the Layer Settings dialog box. When layer notification is turned on, an Unreconciled New Layers icon displays on the status bar. At that time, you can choose to view the new layers by right-clicking the icon and clicking the View Unreconciled New Layers link from the menu.
Saving a Template (DWT) File When saving a drawing as a template (DWT) file, you can choose to save the layers in the drawing as unreconciled or reconciled in the Template Options dialog box. By default, all layers are saved as unreconciled, so that when a new drawing is started using the template, a layer baseline is not yet created until the drawing is first saved as a DWG file. If the template file is saved with all layers as reconciled, a layer baseline is created.
To set when new layer notification is displayed 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties 2 In the Layer Properties Manager, click Settings. 3 In the Layer Settings dialog box, click Evaluate New Layers Added to Drawing. 4 Click Notify When New Layers are Present. 5 Select the commands that will cause the layer list to be evaluated for new layers. 6 Click OK. Quick Reference CLASSICLAYER Opens the legacy Layer Properties Manager. LAYER Manages layers and layer properties.
Reconcile New Layers Unreconciled layers are new layers that have been added to the drawing and have not yet been acknowledged by the user and manually marked as reconciled. Reconciling new layers is the process of manually reviewing new layers so that you can avoid potential errors before plotting your drawing or when restoring a layer state. Unreconciled layers are new layers that have been added to the drawing or to attached xrefs since the layer list was last evaluated.
Quick Reference CLASSICLAYER Opens the legacy Layer Properties Manager. LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. LAYERPALETTE Opens the modeless Layer Properties Manager. LAYERDLGMODE Sets the flavor of the Layer Properties Manager that is defined for the use of the LAYER command. LAYERNOTIFY Specifies when an alert displays when unreconciled new layers are found. LAYEREVAL Specifies whether the layer list is evaluated for new layers when added to the drawing or to attached xrefs.
states and layer properties you want to restore later. For example, you can choose to restore only the Frozen/Thawed setting of the layers in a drawing, ignoring all other settings. When you restore that named layer state, all settings remain as they are currently set except whether each layer is frozen or thawed. Save Layer Property Override Settings When layers contain viewport property overrides, those settings are saved to a layer state when the viewport that contains overrides is active.
the layers are modified so that the current layer state is no longer current, “Unsaved Layer State” is displayed instead of the name of the last restored layer state. Restore Property Override Settings When the Apply Properties as Viewport Overrides restore option is selected in the Layer States Manager, viewport overrides are restored to the viewport that is current at the time the layer state is restored.
restored, they cannot be edited. Xref layer states are identifiable because the layer state name is preceded by the xref drawing’s name and separated by a double underscore symbol. (Example: Xref Name__Layer State Name.) When the xref is bound to the host drawing, layer states are identifiable by $0$ that displays between the xref name and layer state name. (Example: Xref Name$0$Layer State Name.) Layer states from nested xrefs are also included.
2 In the Layer State drop-down list, select Manage Layer States. 3 In the Layer States Manager dialog box, select the named layer state that you want to add layers to. 4 Click Edit. 5 In the Edit Layer State dialog box, click Add. 6 In the Select Layers to Add to Layer State dialog box, select the layers you want to add. 7 Click OK. 8 Click OK to exit the Edit Layer State dialog box. 9 Click Close to exit the Layer States Manager.
5 Open the Layer States Manager. Click New. 6 In the New Layer State to Save dialog box, enter a new name for the layer state. In the Description field, enter descriptive text about the layer settings. 7 Click OK. 8 (Optional) Click Delete to remove the legacy layer state. 9 Click Close. Description and material properties are saved with the updated layer state. To select a layer state to restore 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer State. 2 In the Layer State drop-down list, select Manage Layer States.
You can import layer states that are saved in drawing files (DWG, DWS, and DWT) and from layer state (LAS) files. When importing layer states from a drawing file, you can choose multiple layer states to import from the Select Layer States dialog box. When exporting layer states, they are created as LAS files.
To import saved layer settings from another drawing 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer State. 2 In the Layer State drop-down list, select Manage Layer States. 3 In the Layer States Manager dialog box, click Import. 4 In the Import Layer State dialog box, select a file name with a .dwg, .dws, or .dwt file name extension. Click Open. 5 In the Select Layer States dialog box, select the layer states to import. Click OK. 6 To restore the named layer state now, select it in the Layer States Manager.
5 Click Save to exit the dialog box. 6 Click Close to exit the Layer States Manager. Quick Reference LAYERSTATE Saves, restores, and manages named layer states. LAYERNOTIFY Specifies when an alert displays when unreconciled new layers are found. LAYEREVAL Specifies whether the layer list is evaluated for new layers when added to the drawing or to attached xrefs. Work with Colors Color helps to group objects visually. You can assign colors to objects by layer or individually.
■ Colors from imported color books. ACI Colors ACI colors are the standard colors used in AutoCAD. Each color is identified by an ACI number, an integer from 1 through 255. Standard color names are available only for colors 1 through 7. The colors are assigned as follows: 1 Red, 2 Yellow, 3 Green, 4 Cyan, 5 Blue, 6 Magenta, 7 White/Black. True Colors True colors use 24-bit color definitions to display over 16 million colors. When specifying true colors, you can use either an RGB or HSL color model.
To set an ACI color for all new objects 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Object Color. 2 In the Object Color drop-down list, click a color to draw all new objects in that color, or click Select Color to display the Select Color dialog box and do one of the following: ■ On the Index Color tab, click a color or enter the color name or number in the Color box. ■ On the Index Color tab, click BYLAYER to draw new objects in the color assigned to the current layer.
To set a color from a color book for all new objects 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Object Color. 2 In the Object Color drop-down list, click Select Color. 3 In the Select Color dialog box, Color Book tab, select a color book from the Color Book box. 4 Select a color by clicking on a color chip. To browse through the color book, use the up and down arrows on the color slider. 5 Click OK. The Color control displays the current color. Quick Reference COLOR Sets the color for new objects.
layer-determined color of an object with a different one, change an existing object's color from BYLAYER to a specific color, such as red. If you want to set a specific color for all subsequently created objects, change the current color setting on the Properties toolbar from BYLAYER to a specific color. See also: ■ Override Layer Properties in Viewports on page 486 To change the layer of an object 1 Select the objects whose layer you want to change. 2 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties.
To change the color of objects, overriding the layer's color 1 Select the objects whose color you want to change. 2 Click View tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Properties. Alternatively, you can right-click one of the objects and then, click Properties. 3 In the Properties palette, select Color. An arrow is displayed in the right column. 4 Click the arrow and select a color from the list or click Select Color to display the Select Color dialog box.
PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. CECOLOR Sets the color of new objects. Use Color Books When assigning colors to objects, you can choose colors from color books that are loaded on your system. You can choose from a wide range of custom colors when using color books. Color books include third-party or user-defined files that contain named color swatches. These colors can be used to enhance presentation drawings as well as to optimize the variety of color used in your drawings.
2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click Color Book Locations. 3 Click Add to add a color book location. 4 Enter the new location in the blank path box. 5 Click OK. To search for color swatches within a color book 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Object Color. 2 In the Object Color drop-down list, click Select Color. 3 In the Select Color dialog box, Color Books tab, select a color book from the Color Book drop-down list.
To define multiple folders for the color book path 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click Color Book Locations. 3 Click Add to add a color book location. 4 Enter the new location in the blank path box. 5 Click OK. Quick Reference CHANGE Changes the properties of existing objects. CHPROP Changes the properties of an object. COLOR Sets the color for new objects. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. CECOLOR Sets the color of new objects.
In addition to choosing a linetype, you can set its scale to control the size of the dashes and spaces, and you can create your own custom linetypes. NOTE These linetypes should not be confused with the hardware linetypes provided by some plotters. The two types of dashed lines produce similar results. Do not use both types at the same time, however, because the results can be unpredictable. Some linetype definitions include text and symbols.
Load Linetypes At the start of a project, you load the linetypes that are required for the project so that they are available when you need them. If you want to know what linetypes are already available, you can display a list of linetypes that are loaded in the drawing or stored in an LIN (linetype definition) file. This program includes the linetype definition files acad.lin and acadiso.lin. Which linetype file is appropriate depends on whether you use imperial or metric measurements.
To list the linetypes loaded in the current drawing 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Linetype. 2 Click anywhere outside the box to close it. To list the linetypes in a linetype definition file 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Linetype. 2 In the Linetype drop-down list, click Other. Then, in the Linetype Manager dialog box, click Load. 3 In the Load or Reload Linetypes dialog box, click File.
2 To purge unreferenced linetypes, use one of the following methods: ■ To purge all unreferenced linetypes, select Linetypes. ■ To purge specific linetypes, double-click Linetypes to expand the tree view. Then select the linetypes to be purged. If the item you want to purge is not listed, select View Items You Cannot Purge. 3 You are prompted to confirm each item in the list. If you do not want to confirm each purge, clear the Confirm Each Item to Be Purged option. 4 Click Purge.
You can also set the current linetype with the Linetype control. If the current linetype is set to BYLAYER, objects are created with the linetype assigned to the current layer. If the current linetype is set to BYBLOCK, objects are created using the CONTINUOUS linetype until the objects are grouped into a block. When the block is inserted into the drawing, those objects acquire the current linetype setting.
To change the linetype assigned to a layer 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties. 2 In the Layer Properties Manager, select the linetype name you want to change. 3 In the Select Linetype dialog box, select the linetype you want. Click OK. 4 Click OK again. Quick Reference LINETYPE Loads, sets, and modifies linetypes. CELTYPE Sets the linetype of new objects.
If you want to set a specific linetype for all subsequently created objects, change the current linetype setting on the Properties toolbar from BYLAYER to a specific linetype. See also: ■ Override Layer Properties in Viewports on page 486 To change the default linetype assigned to a layer 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties. 2 In the Layer Properties Manager, select the linetype name you want to change. 3 In the Select Linetype dialog box, select a linetype.
Quick Reference CHANGE Changes the properties of existing objects. CHPROP Changes the properties of an object. LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. LINETYPE Loads, sets, and modifies linetypes. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Control Linetype Scale You can use the same linetype at different scales by changing the linetype scale factor either globally or individually for each object. By default, both global and individual linetype scales are set to 1.0.
In a layout, you can adjust the scaling of linetypes in different viewports with PSLTSCALE. To change the linetype scale of selected objects 1 Select the objects whose linetype scale you want to change. 2 Click Home tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Properties. Alternatively, right-click one of the objects. Click Properties. 3 In the Properties palette, select Linetype Scale and enter the new value. To set the linetype scale for new objects 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Linetype.
CELTSCALE Sets the current object linetype scaling factor. LTSCALE PSLTSCALE Controls the linetype scaling of objects displayed in paper space viewports. Display Linetypes on Short Segments and Polylines You can center the pattern of a linetype on each segment of a polyline, and you can control how the linetype is displayed on short segments. If a line is too short to hold even one dash sequence, the result is a continuous line between the endpoints, as shown below.
2 Enter 1 to make the linetype pattern continue throughout the entire length of two-dimensional polylines, or enter 0 to center the linetype pattern on each segment. To change the linetype display of existing polylines 1 Select the polyline whose linetype display you want to change. 2 Click Home tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Properties. 3 In the Properties palette, click Linetype Generation and select Enabled or Disabled. Quick Reference PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects.
the plan view. You can export drawings to other applications or cut objects to the Clipboard and retain lineweight information. In model space, lineweights are displayed in pixels and do not change when zoomed in or out. Thus, you should not use lineweights to represent the exact width of an object in model space. For example, if you want to draw an object with a real-world width of 0.5 inches, do not use a lineweight; instead, use a polyline with a width of 0.5 inches to represent the object.
5 Enter a value for the width at the end of the line segment. 6 Specify the endpoint of the first segment of the polyline. 7 Enter w to specify different widths for the next segment, or press Enter to end the command. To assign a lineweight to a layer 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties. 2 In the Layer Properties Manager, select a layer. Click the lineweight associated with that layer. 3 In the Lineweight dialog box, select a lineweight from the list. 4 Click OK to close each dialog box.
LWDISPLAY Controls whether the lineweights of objects are displayed. LWUNITS Controls whether lineweight units are displayed in inches or millimeters. Display Lineweights Lineweights can be turned on and off in a drawing, and are displayed differently in model space than in a paper space layout. ■ In model space, a 0-value lineweight is displayed as one pixel, and other lineweights use a pixel width proportional to their real-unit value.
Display Lineweights in Layouts In layouts and plot preview, lineweights are displayed in real-world units, and lineweight display changes with the zoom factor. You can control lineweight plotting and scaling in your drawing in the Plot dialog box, Plot Settings tab. To display or hide lineweights Use one of the following methods: ■ Click LWT on the status bar. ■ Select or clear Display Lineweight in the Lineweight Settings dialog box. ■ Set the LWDISPLAY system variable to 0 or 1.
Set the Current Lineweight The current lineweight is the lineweight used for any objects you draw until you make another lineweight current. All objects are created using the current lineweight, which is displayed in the Lineweight control on the Properties toolbar. You can also set the current lineweight with the Lineweight control. If the current lineweight is set to BYLAYER, objects are created with the lineweight assigned to the current layer.
PEDIT Edits polylines and 3D polygon meshes. PLINE Creates a 2D polyline. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. LWDEFAULT Sets the value for the default lineweight. LWDISPLAY Controls whether the lineweights of objects are displayed. LWUNITS Controls whether lineweight units are displayed in inches or millimeters. PLINEWID Stores the default polyline width.
If you want to set a specific lineweight for all subsequently created objects, change the current lineweight setting on the Properties toolbar from BYLAYER to a specific lineweight. See also: ■ Override Layer Properties in Viewports on page 486 To change the line width of a polyline, donut, rectangle, or polygon 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Edit Polyline. 2 Select one or more polyline objects. 3 Enter w (Width) and enter a new width for all segments. 4 Press Enter to end the command.
LWUNITS Controls whether lineweight units are displayed in inches or millimeters. PLINEWID Stores the default polyline width. Control the Display Properties of Certain Objects You can control how overlapping objects and certain other objects are displayed and plotted. Control the Display of Polylines, Hatches, Gradient Fills, Lineweights, and Text You can simplify the display of certain kinds of objects in order to speed performance.
Turn Off Lineweights Any lineweight width that is represented by more than one pixel may slow down performance. If you want to improve display performance, turn lineweights off. You can turn lineweights on and off by choosing the LWT button on the status bar or by using the Lineweight Settings dialog box. Lineweights are always plotted at their real-world value whether their display is turned on or off.
To turn the display of text on or off 1 Click Tools ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Display tab, under Display Performance, select Show Text Boundary Frame Only. The check mark indicates that text is displayed as a rectangular frame. 3 Click OK. 4 To display your changes, click View menu ➤ Regen. To turn lineweights on or off 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Lineweight. 2 In the Lineweight drop-down list, select Lineweight Settings.
FILLMODE Specifies whether hatches and fills, 2D solids, and wide polylines are filled in. LWDISPLAY Controls whether the lineweights of objects are displayed. QTEXTMODE Controls how text is displayed. TEXTFILL Controls the filling of TrueType fonts while plotting. TEXTQLTY Sets the resolution tessellation fineness of text outlines. Control the Transparency of Objects You can control the transparency level of objects and layers.
Transparency can be set to ByLayer, ByBlock, or to a specific value. no transparent objects selected objects 75% transparent IMPORTANT For perfomance reasons, plotting transparency is disabled by default. To plot transparent objects, check the Plot Transparency option in either the Plot dialog box or the Page Setup dialog box. To control the transparency level of objects 1 Select the objects whose transparency level you want to change.
Quick Reference CHPROP Changes the properties of an object. CHANGE Changes the properties of existing objects. -LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. CETRANSPARENCY Sets the transparency level for new objects. TRANSPARENCYDISPLAY Controls whether the object transparency is displayed. Control How Overlapping Objects Are Displayed You can control which overlapping objects appear to be on top.
To change the draw order of overlapping objects 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Draw Order drop-down list. 2 From the draw order drop down list, click one of the options. 3 Select the object(s) whose draw order you want to modify and press Enter. 4 Select the reference object(s) and press Enter. (This step is necessary only for the Bring Above Objects and Send Under Objects options.) Quick Reference DRAWORDER Changes the draw order of images and other objects.
SORTENTS Controls object sorting in support of draw order for several operations. Control the Display of Objects Control the display of objects by isolating or hiding a selection set. Use ISOLATEOBJECTS and HIDEOBJECTS to create a temporary drawing view with selected objects isolated or hidden. This saves you the time of having to track objects across layers. If you isolate objects, only the isolated objects appear in the view.
Quick Reference HIDEOBJECTS Hides selected objects. ISOLATEOBJECTS Displays selected objects across layers; unselected objects are hidden. UNISOLATEOBJECTS Displays previously hidden objects. OBJECTISOLATIONMODE Controls whether hidden objects remain hidden between drawing sessions.
Use Precision Tools 17 You can use a variety of precision drawing tools to help you produce accurate drawings quickly and without performing tedious calculations. Use Coordinates and Coordinate Systems (UCS) For precise coordinate input, you can use several coordinate system entry methods. You can also use a movable coordinate system, the user coordinate system (UCS), for convenient coordinate entry and to establish workplanes.
Another method of entering a relative coordinate is by moving the cursor to specify a direction and then entering a distance directly. This method is called direct distance entry. You can enter coordinates in scientific, decimal, engineering, architectural, or fractional notation. You can enter angles in grads, radians, surveyor's units, or degrees, minutes, and seconds. The UNITS command controls unit format.
To visually locate a point 1 Click Home tab ➤ Utilities panel ➤ ID Point. 2 At the Command prompt, enter the coordinate values of the point you want to locate. If the BLIPMODE system variable is on, a blip (a small cross) is displayed at the point location. To change the coordinate display on the status bar Use one of the following methods: ■ Click the coordinate display at the Specify Next Point prompt. ■ Press Ctrl+I.
Enter 2D Coordinates Absolute and relative 2D Cartesian and polar coordinates determine precise locations of objects in a drawing. Enter Cartesian Coordinates You can use absolute or relative Cartesian (rectangular) coordinates to locate points when creating objects. To use Cartesian coordinates to specify a point, enter an X value and a Y value separated by a comma (X,Y). The X value is the positive or negative distance, in units, along the horizontal axis.
Relative coordinates are based on the last point entered. Use relative coordinates when you know the location of a point in relation to the previous point. To specify relative coordinates, precede the coordinate values with an @ sign. For example, entering @3,4 specifies a point 3 units along the X axis and 4 units along the Y axis from the last point specified. The following example draws the sides of a triangle.
Quick Reference COORDS Controls the format and update frequency of coordinates on the status line. Enter Polar Coordinates You can use absolute or relative polar coordinates (distance and angle) to locate points when creating objects. To use polar coordinates to specify a point, enter a distance and an angle separated by an angle bracket (<). By default, angles increase in the counterclockwise direction and decrease in the clockwise direction.
Relative coordinates are based on the last point entered. Use relative coordinates when you know the location of a point in relation to the previous point. To specify relative coordinates, precede the coordinate values with an @ sign. For example, entering @1<45 specifies a point at a distance of 1 unit from the last point specified at an angle of 45 degrees from the X axis. The following example shows two lines drawn with relative polar coordinates.
To enter relative polar coordinates (2D) ■ At a prompt for a point, enter coordinates using the following format: @distance
Use Default Z Values When you enter coordinates in the format X,Y, the Z value is copied from the last point you entered. As a result, you can enter one location in the X,Y,Z format and then enter subsequent locations using the X,Y format with the Z value remaining constant. For example, if you enter the following coordinates for a line From point: 0,0,5 To point: 3,4 both endpoints of the line will have a Z value of 5. When you begin or open any drawing, the initial default value of Z is greater than 0.
To enter absolute coordinates (3D) ■ At a prompt for a point, enter coordinates in the tooltip using the following format: #x,y,z If dynamic input is turned off, enter coordinates on the command line using the following format: x,y,z To enter relative coordinates (3D) ■ At a prompt for a point, enter coordinates using the following format: @x,y,z Quick Reference GRID Displays a grid pattern in the current viewport. SNAP Restricts cursor movement to specified intervals.
TABMODE Controls the use of the tablet. Enter Cylindrical Coordinates 3D cylindrical coordinates describe a precise location by a distance from the UCS origin in the XY plane, an angle from the X axis in the XY plane, and a Z value. Cylindrical coordinate entry is the 3D equivalent of 2D polar coordinate entry. It specifies an additional coordinate on an axis that is perpendicular to the XY plane.
the last point entered, at an angle of 45 degrees from the positive X direction, and extending 5 units in the positive Z direction. To enter relative cylindrical coordinates ■ At a prompt for a point, enter the coordinate values using the following format: @x
units from the origin, 45 degrees from the X axis in the XY plane, and 15 degrees up from the XY plane. When you need to define a point based on a previous point, enter the relative spherical coordinate values by preceding them with the @ sign.
Understand the World and User Coordinate Systems There are two coordinate systems: a fixed system called the world coordinate system (WCS) and a movable system called the user coordinate system (UCS). By default, these two systems are coincident in a new drawing. Normally in 2D views, the WCS X axis is horizontal and the Y axis is vertical. The WCS origin is where the X and Y axes intersect (0,0). All objects in a drawing file are defined by their WCS coordinates.
Each of these methods have a corresponding option in the UCS command. Once you have defined a UCS, you can name it and then restore it when you need to use it again. To define a new UCS origin in 2D 1 Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ Origin. 2 Specify a point for the new origin. The UCS origin (0,0) is redefined at the point you specify. To change the rotation angle of the UCS 1 Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ Z. 2 Specify a rotation angle.
2 In the UCS dialog box, Named UCSs tab, select UNNAMED and enter a new name. (You can also select UNNAMED, and right-click. Click Rename.) 3 Click OK. You can use up to 255 characters, including letters, digits, and the special characters dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and underscore (_). All UCS names are converted to uppercase. To restore a named UCS 1 Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ Named UCS. 2 In the UCS dialog box, Named UCSs tab, you can view the origin and axis direction of a listed UCS.
Quick Reference UCS Manages user coordinate systems. UCSICON Controls the visibility and placement of the UCS icon. UCSMAN Manages defined user coordinate systems. ERRNO Displays the number of the appropriate error code when an AutoLISP function call causes an error that AutoCAD detects. PUCSBASE Stores the name of the UCS that defines the origin and orientation of orthographic UCS settings in paper space only. UCSFOLLOW Generates a plan view whenever you change from one UCS to another.
Specify Workplanes in 3D (UCS) Control of the user coordinate system is essential for effective 3D modeling. Understand the User Coordinate System in 3D When you work in 3D, the user coordinate system is useful for entering coordinates, creating 3D objects on 2D workplanes, and rotating objects in 3D. When you create or modify objects in a 3D environment, you can move and reorient the UCS in 3D model space to simplify your work. The XY plane of the UCS is called the workplane.
NOTE By default, when you specify a view in 3D, it is established relative to the fixed WCS rather than the movable UCS. To enter coordinates relative to the WCS ■ Precede coordinate values with an asterisk (*). Entering @*2,0,0 specifies a point two units in the X direction of the last point entered relative to the WCS. Entering @2,0,0 specifies a point two units in the X direction of the last point entered relative to the UCS.
Quick Reference UCS Manages user coordinate systems. UCSICON Controls the visibility and placement of the UCS icon. UCSMAN Manages defined user coordinate systems. UCSICON Displays the UCS icon for the current viewport or layout. UCSVP Determines whether the UCS in viewports remains fixed or changes to reflect the UCS of the current viewport. Control the User Coordinate System in 3D Several methods are available for manipulating the user coordinate system in 3D.
■ Align the new UCS with an existing object. The origin of the UCS is located at the vertex nearest to where the object was selected. ■ Align the new UCS with the current viewing direction. ■ Rotate the current UCS around any of its three major axes. ■ Reorient the XY plane by specifying a new Z axis. Use UCS Presets If you do not want to define your own UCS, you can choose from several preset coordinate systems.
To define a new UCS with a specified Z axis 1 Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ Z. 2 Specify a point for the new origin. The UCS origin (0,0,0) is redefined at the point you specify. 3 Specify a point that lies on the positive Z axis. To define a new UCS with particular X and Y axes 1 Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ 3 Point. 2 Specify a point for the new origin. The UCS origin (0,0,0) is redefined at the point you specify. 3 Specify a point that lies on the positive X axis.
To select a UCS preset 1 Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ Named UCS. 2 In the UCS dialog box, Orthographic UCSs tab, select a UCS orientation from the list. 3 Click Set Current. 4 Click OK. The UCS changes to the selected option. To restore the location and orientation of the previous UCS ■ Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ Previous. The previous UCS is restored. Quick Reference ELEV Sets elevation and extrusion thickness of new objects. UCS Manages user coordinate systems.
UCSVP Determines whether the UCS in viewports remains fixed or changes to reflect the UCS of the current viewport. Use the Dynamic UCS with Solid Models With the dynamic UCS feature, you can temporarily and automatically align the XY plane of the UCS with a plane on a solid model while creating objects. When in a draw command, you align the UCS by moving your pointer over an edge of a face rather than having to use the UCS command.
The X axis of the dynamic UCS is located along an edge of the face and the positive direction of the X axis always points toward the right half of the screen. Only the front faces of a solid are detected by the dynamic UCS. The types of commands that can use a dynamic UCS include the following: ■ Simple geometry. Line, polyline, rectangle, arc, circle ■ Text. Text, Multiline text, table ■ References. Insert, xref ■ Solids. Primitives and POLYSOLID ■ Editing. Rotate, mirror, align ■ Other.
OSOPTIONS Automatically suppresses object snaps on hatch objects and geometry with negative Z values when using a dynamic UCS. UCSDETECT Controls whether dynamic UCS acquisition is active or not. Assign User Coordinate System Orientations to Viewports To facilitate editing objects in different views, you can define a different user coordinate system orientation for each view. Multiple viewports provide different views of your model.
The second figure shows the change that occurs when the lower-left, or front, viewport is made current. The UCS in the isometric viewport is updated to reflect the UCS of the front viewport. In previous releases, the UCS was a global setting for all viewports in either model or paper space. If you want to restore the behavior of previous releases, you can set the value of the UCSVP system variable to 0 in all active viewports. Quick Reference UCS Manages user coordinate systems.
UCSVP Determines whether the UCS in viewports remains fixed or changes to reflect the UCS of the current viewport. Control the Display of the User Coordinate System Icon To help visualize the current orientation of the user coordinate system, you can display the user coordinate system icon. Several versions of this icon are available, and you can change its size, location, and color.
You can use the UCSICON command to switch between the 2D UCS icon and the 3D UCS icon. You can also use the command to change the size, color, and icon line width of the 3D UCS icon. The UCS broken pencil icon replaces the 2D UCS icon when the viewing direction is in a plane parallel to the UCS XY plane. The broken pencil icon indicates that the edge of the XY plane is almost perpendicular to your viewing direction. This icon warns you not to use your pointing device to specify coordinates.
To display the UCS icon at the UCS origin ■ Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ Origin. The UCS icon is displayed at the origin of the current coordinate system. The check mark indicates whether the option is on or off. To change the appearance of the UCS icon 1 Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ UCS Icon Properties. 2 In the UCS Icon dialog box, change the settings. 3 Click OK. Quick Reference UCSICON Controls the visibility and placement of the UCS icon.
Dynamic input is not designed to replace the command window. You can hide the command window to add screen area for drawing, but you will need to display it for some operations. Press F2 to hide and display Command prompts and error messages as needed. Alternately, you can undock the command window and use Auto-hide to roll open or roll up the window. Turn On or Turn Off Dynamic Input Click the dynamic input button on the status bar to turn dynamic input on and off.
When you use grips to edit an object, the dimensional input tooltips can display the following information: ■ Original length ■ A length that updates as you move the grip ■ The change in the length ■ Angle ■ The change in the angle as you move the grip ■ The radius of an arc Use the dimensional input settings to display only the information you want to see.
line. Press the DOWN ARROW key to view and select options. Press the UP ARROW key to display recent input. NOTE To use PASTECLIP in a dynamic prompt tooltip, type a letter and then backspace to delete it before you paste the entry. Otherwise, the entry is pasted into the drawing as text. To enter coordinate values in dynamic input tooltips 1 On the status bar, verify that the dynamic input button is on.
■ If you type the @ or # or * prefixes in a pointer input tooltip and then want to change it, you can just type the character you want. There is no need to backspace. To specify relative or absolute coordinates in pointer input tooltips ■ To enter absolute coordinates when relative coordinates are displayed in the tooltip, enter # to temporarily override the DYNPICOORDS system variable.
To change pointer input settings 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Drafting Settings. 2 In the Drafting Settings dialog box, Dynamic Input tab, under Pointer Input, click Settings. 3 In the Pointer Input Settings dialog box, select polar or Cartesian format as the default. 4 Select relative or absolute coordinate format as the default. 5 Under Visibility, select one of the following options: ■ As Soon As I Type Coordinate Data.
To display prompts in tooltips 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Drafting Settings. 2 In the Drafting Settings dialog box, Dynamic Input tab, under Dynamic Prompts, check Show Command Prompting and Command Input Near the Crosshairs. 3 Click OK. Quick Reference DSETTINGS Sets grid and snap, polar and object snap tracking, object snap modes, Dynamic Input, and Quick Properties. DYNDIGRIP Controls which dynamic dimensions are displayed during grip stretch editing.
TEMPOVERRIDES Turns temporary override keys on and off. TOOLTIPMERGE Combines drafting tooltips into a single tooltip. Snap to Locations on Objects (Object Snaps) Instead of entering coordinates, you can specify points relative to existing objects such as endpoints of lines or center points of circles. Use Object Snaps Use object snaps to specify precise locations on objects. For example, you can use an object snap to draw a line to the center of a circle or to the midpoint of a polyline segment.
NOTE Object snaps work only when you are prompted for a point. If you try to use an object snap at the Command prompt, an error message is displayed. Use Running Object Snaps If you need to use one or more object snaps repeatedly, you can turn on running object snaps. For example, you might set Center as a running object snap if you need to connect the centers of a series of circles with a line.
The cursor snaps to the eligible location closest to your selection. To set running object snaps 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Drafting Settings. 2 In the Drafting Settings dialog box, Object Snap tab, select the object snaps you want to use. 3 Click OK. To turn on and turn off running object snaps as you work ■ On the status bar, click Osnap , or press F3. If running object snaps have been set, the settings are turned on or off.
OSMODE Sets running object snaps OSNAPZ Controls whether object snaps are automatically projected onto a plane parallel to the XY plane of the current UCS at the current elevation. OSNAPCOORD Controls whether coordinates entered on the command line will override running object snaps. OSOPTIONS Automatically suppresses object snaps on hatch objects and geometry with negative Z values when using a dynamic UCS. MTP (Command Modifier) Locates the midpoint between two points.
Quick Reference OSNAP Sets running object snap modes. Set Visual Aids for Object Snaps (AutoSnap) ™ Object snaps include a visual aid called AutoSnap to help you see and use object snaps more efficiently. AutoSnap displays a marker and a tooltip when you move your cursor over an object snap location. AutoSnap Tools AutoSnap consists of the following snap tools: ■ Marker. Displays the object snap location when the cursor moves over or near an object. Marker shape is dependent on the snap it is marking.
■ Magnet. Turns the magnet on or off. ■ Display AutoSnap Tooltip. Turns tooltips on or off. ■ Display AutoSnap Aperture Box. Turns the target box on or off when you specify an object snap. This setting does not affect object snaps when you are not using AutoSnap. ■ AutoSnap Marker Color. Changes the color of the marker. ■ AutoSnap Marker Size. Adjusts the size of the marker. 3 Click OK. Quick Reference APERTURE Sets the display size for the object snap target box, in pixels.
For example, if you have set running object snaps but you want to turn them off for one point, you can hold down F3. When you release this override key, running object snaps are restored. There are also temporary override keys for individual object snaps. Override keys are set up to be easy to find by touch without looking away from your drawing. The keys in the following illustration are the default keys, but you can change key assignments and add your own as needed.
Temporary override keys are also available for the other drawing aids that you set in the Drafting Settings dialog box. See also: ■ “Adjust Grid and Grid Snap” ■ “Use Orthogonal Locking (Ortho Mode)” ■ “Use Polar Tracking and PolarSnap” ■ “Use Dynamic Input” ■ Keyboard Shortcuts in the Customization Guide To temporarily override the running object snap settings ■ Hold down F3 while you work. When you release the key, the current running object snap settings are restored.
To change the keyboard response time for temporary override keys 1 In the Windows Control Panel, click Keyboard. 2 In the Keyboard Properties dialog box, on the Speed tab, drag the Repeat Rate slider to adjust the keyboard response time. Then click OK. Quick Reference CUI Manages the customized user interface elements in the product. CUSTOMIZE Customizes tool palettes and tool palette groups. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. OSNAP Sets running object snap modes.
Snap mode restricts the movement of the crosshairs to intervals that you define. When Snap mode is on, the cursor seems to adhere, or "snap," to an invisible rectangular grid. Snap is useful for specifying precise points with the arrow keys or the pointing device. Grid mode and Snap mode are independent but are often turned on at the same time. Control the Display Style and Area of the Grid You can display the grid either as a rectangular pattern of dots or as rectangular pattern of lines.
You can control the frequency of major grid lines in the Drafting Settings dialog box. To turn off the display of major grid lines, set the frequency of major grid lines to 1. NOTE If the grid is displayed as lines, the grid limits are displayed also as darker lines. Do not confuse these boundaries with major grid lines. NOTE When the grid is displayed as lines and SNAPANG is set to a value other than 0, the grid will not display. SNAPANG does not affect the display of the dotted grid.
Change Grid and Snap Spacing As you work, you can turn Grid and Snap mode on and off, and you can change the grid and snap spacing. You can turn Snap mode on and off temporarily by using an override key. Snap spacing does not have to match grid spacing. For example, you might set a wide grid spacing to be used as a reference but maintain a closer snap spacing for accuracy in specifying points.
4 For Grid X Spacing, enter the horizontal grid spacing in units. 5 To use the same value for vertical grid spacing, press Enter. Otherwise, enter a new value for Grid Y Spacing. 6 Click OK. To turn on Snap mode and set snap spacing 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Drafting Settings. 2 In the Drafting Settings dialog box, Snap and Grid tab, select Snap On. 3 Under Snap Type, make sure Grid Snap and Rectangular Snap are selected. 4 In the Snap X Spacing box, enter the horizontal snap spacing value in units.
3 Click View tab ➤ Coordinates panel ➤ Origin. 4 Specify a new origin point for the UCS. 5 Click OK. To change the grid display between dots and lines 1 At the Command prompt, enter VSCURRENT. 2 Do one of the following: ■ To display the grid as dots, specify the 2D Wireframe option. ■ To display the grid as lines, specify any other option. To change the frequency of major grid lines 1 If necessary, at the Command prompt, enter VSCURRENT and specify any visual style other than 2D Wireframe.
SNAP Restricts cursor movement to specified intervals. GRIDDISPLAY Controls the display behavior and display limits of the grid. GRIDMODE Specifies whether the grid is turned on or off. GRIDMAJOR Controls the frequency of major grid lines compared to minor grid lines. GRIDUNIT Specifies the grid spacing (X and Y) for the current viewport. LIMCHECK Controls the creation of objects outside the grid limits. LIMMAX Stores the upper-right grid limits for the current space, expressed as world coordinates.
TEMPOVERRIDES Turns temporary override keys on and off. Use Orthogonal Locking (Ortho Mode) You can restrict cursor movement to horizontal and vertical for convenience and precision when creating and modifying objects. As you create or move objects, you can use Ortho mode to restrict the cursor to the horizontal or vertical axis. As you move the cursor, the rubber-band line follows the horizontal or vertical axis, whichever is nearest the cursor.
To turn Ortho on or off temporarily, hold down the Shift key while you work. While you use the temporary override key, the direct distance entry method is not available. NOTE Turning on Ortho automatically turns off polar tracking. Quick Reference ORTHO Constrains cursor movement to the horizontal or vertical direction. ORTHOMODE Constrains cursor movement to the perpendicular. TEMPOVERRIDES Turns temporary override keys on and off.
angle. The alignment path and tooltip disappear when you move the cursor away from the angle. As you move your cursor, alignment paths and tooltips are displayed when you move the cursor near polar angles. The default angle measurement is 90 degrees. Use the alignment path and tooltip to draw your object. You can use polar tracking with Intersection and Apparent Intersection object snaps to find where a polar alignment path intersects another object.
Specify Polar Distances (PolarSnap) PolarSnap restricts cursor movement to increments of a polar distance you specify. For example, if you specify a length of 4 units, the cursor snaps from the first point specified to lengths of 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, and so on. As you move your cursor, a tooltip indicates the nearest PolarSnap increment. To restrict point entry to polar distances, both polar tracking and Snap mode (set to PolarSnap) must be on.
2 As you move your cursor to specify points, notice the dotted polar tracking line that appears at the tracking angles you specified. Points you specify while the line is displayed conform to the polar tracking angle. To draw objects using polar distance 1 Turn on snap and polar tracking. Make sure Polar Snap is selected in the Drafting Settings dialog box, Snap & Grid tab. 2 Start a drawing command, such as LINE.
SNAP Restricts cursor movement to specified intervals. UNITS Controls coordinate and angle display formats and precision. ANGBASE Sets the base angle to 0 with respect to the current UCS. ANGDIR Sets the direction of positive angles. AUTOSNAP Controls the display of the AutoSnap marker, tooltip, and magnet. POLARANG Sets the polar angle increment. POLARDIST Sets the snap increment when the SNAPTYPE is set to 1 (PolarSnap). POLARMODE Controls settings for polar and object snap tracking.
Specify first point: Specify a start point for the line Specify next point or [Undo]: <30 Angle Override: 30 Specify next point or [Undo]: Specify a point The angle you specify will lock the cursor, overriding Grid Snap, Ortho mode, and PolarSnap. Coordinate entry and object snaps have precedence over an angle override. Combine or Offset Points and Coordinates To specify a new point location, you can combine coordinate values from several points or you can specify offsets from existing objects.
Command: circle Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tangent tangent radius)]: .x of: mid of: Select the horizontal line on the lower edge of the holding plate of: (need YZ): mid of: Select the vertical line on the left side of the holding plate of: Diameter/ Specify the radius of the hole Coordinate filters work only when the program prompts you for a point. If you try to use a coordinate filter at the Command prompt, you see an error message.
3 To extract the next coordinate value, specify a different point. The new point location combines the coordinate values extracted from the points you specified in steps 2 and 3. NOTE Instead of specifying a point in steps 2 or 3, you can enter a numeric value. To use coordinate filters to specify a point in 3D 1 At the prompt for a point, enter a coordinate filter (.x, .y, .z, .xy, .xz, or .yz). For example, enter .x to specify the X value first.
help you create objects at precise positions and angles. AutoTrack includes two tracking options: polar tracking and object snap tracking. You can toggle AutoTrack on and off with the Polar and Otrack buttons on the status bar. Use temporary override keys to turn object snap tracking on and off or to turn off all snapping and tracking. See the keyboard illustration in Override Object Snap Settings on page 590. Object snap tracking works in conjunction with object snaps.
Change Alignment Path Display You can change how AutoTrack displays alignment paths, and you can change how object points are acquired for object snap tracking. By default, alignment paths stretch to the end of the drawing window. You can change their display to abbreviated lengths, or no length. Tips for Using Object Snap Tracking As you use AutoTrack (polar tracking and object snap tracking), you will discover techniques that make specific design tasks easier. Here are a few you might try.
To turn object snap tracking on and off temporarily, hold down the F11 key while you work. To change AutoTrack settings 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Drafting tab, under AutoTrack Settings, select or clear the following alignment path display options: ■ Display Polar Tracking Vector. Controls alignment path display for object snap tracking. When cleared, no polar tracking path is displayed. ■ Display Full Screen Tracking Vector.
POLARMODE Controls settings for polar and object snap tracking. TRACKPATH Controls the display of polar and object snap tracking alignment paths. Track to Offset Point Locations (Tracking) You can use tracking to specify a point by offsetting vertically and horizontally from a series of temporary points. You can use the tracking method whenever you are prompted for a point. Tracking uses the pointing device to specify a point by offsetting vertically and horizontally from a series of temporary points.
The position is determined by the direction in which you moved the cursor after specifying the first point. Quick Reference TRACKING (Command Modifier) Locates a point from a series of temporary points. Specify Distances When specifying a point, you can enter distances, offsets, and measured intervals. Enter Direct Distances You can specify a point by moving the cursor to indicate a direction and then entering the distance.
To draw a line using direct distance entry 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Line. 2 Specify the first point and then, move the pointing device until the rubber-band line extends at the same angle as the line you want to draw. 3 Enter a distance at the Command prompt. The line is drawn at the length and angle you specified. Quick Reference LINE Creates straight line segments. Direct Distance Entry (Command Modifier) Locates the next point at a specified distance in the direction of your cursor.
Quick Reference FROM (Command Modifier) Locates a point offset from a reference point within a command. Specify Intervals on Objects You can mark off equal distances along objects. Overview of Specifying Intervals on Objects Provides a high-level overview of two options for marking off equal distances along objects. Sometimes you need to create points or insert symbols (blocks) at intervals on an object.
Quick Reference BLOCK Creates a block definition from selected objects. DDPTYPE Specifies the display style and size of point objects. DIVIDE Creates evenly spaced point objects or blocks along the length or perimeter of an object. MEASURE Creates point objects or blocks at measured intervals along the length or perimeter of an object. WBLOCK Writes objects or a block to a new drawing file. PDMODE Controls how point objects are displayed. PDSIZE Sets the display size for point objects.
box, you can use DDPTYPE. Alternately, click Format menu ➤ Point Style. The PDMODE system variable also controls the appearance of point markers. For example, you can change the value to make points appear as crosses.PDSIZE controls the size of point objects. To insert points at measured intervals on an object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Point drop-down ➤ Measure. 2 Select a line, arc, spline, circle, ellipse, or polyline. 3 Enter an interval length, or specify points to indicate a length.
MEASURE Creates point objects or blocks at measured intervals along the length or perimeter of an object. PDMODE Controls how point objects are displayed. PDSIZE Sets the display size for point objects. Divide an Object into Equal Segments You can divide a selected object into a specified number of equal lengths. You can create points or insert blocks on an object at a specific number of equal intervals.
To insert points to mark equal segments 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Point drop-down ➤ Divide. 2 Select a line, circle, ellipse, polyline, arc, or spline. 3 Enter the number of segments you want. A point is placed between each segment. To insert blocks to mark equal segments on an object 1 If necessary, create the block you want to insert. 2 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Point drop-down ➤ Divide. 3 Select a line, arc, circle, ellipse, polyline, or spline. 4 Enter b (Block).
PDMODE Controls how point objects are displayed. PDSIZE Sets the display size for point objects. Extract Geometric Information from Objects The inquiry and calculation commands can provide information about objects in your drawing and do useful calculations. Obtain Distances, Angles, and Point Locations You can obtain information about the relation between two specified points or multiple points; for example, the distance between points or their angle in the XY plane.
To calculate the distance and angle between two points 1 Click Home tab ➤ Utilities panel ➤ Measure drop-down ➤ Distance. 2 Specify a first and second point for the distance you want to calculate. 3 Press Enter. The distance displays at the Command prompt in the current units format. To calculate the distance and angle between multiple points 1 Click Home tab ➤ Utilities panel ➤ Measure drop-down ➤ Distance. 2 For the distance you want to calculate, specify a first and second point.
You can calculate the area and perimeter of a sequence of points. You can also obtain the area, perimeter, and mass properties of any of several types of objects. TIP A fast way to calculate an area bounded by several objects in 2D is to use the BOUNDARY command. With BOUNDARY, you can pick a point within the area to create a closed polyline or region. You can then use the Properties palette or the LIST command to find the area and perimeter of the polyline or region.
■ Ellipses, closed polylines, polygons, planar closed spline curves, and regions. Area and perimeter display. For wide polylines, this area is defined by the center of the width. ■ Open objects such as open spline curves and open polylines. Area and length display. Area is calculated as though a straight line connects the start point and endpoint. ■ AutoCAD 3D solids. Total 3D area for the object displays.
Subtract Areas from Combined Areas You can subtract more than one area from a combined area as you calculate. For example, if you have calculated the area of a floor plan, you can subtract the area of a room. Example: Subtraction of Areas from a Calculation In the following example, the closed polyline represents a metal plate with two large holes. The area of the polyline is first calculated and then the area of each hole is subtracted.
Calculate Mass Properties With the MASSPROP command, you can analyze 3D solids and 2D regions for their mass properties including volume, area, moments of inertia, center of gravity, and so on. In addition, the result of the computations can be saved to a text file. See also: ■ Create and Combine Areas (Regions) on page 687 ■ Overview of Object Properties on page 465 To calculate an area you define 1 Click Home tab ➤ Utilities panel ➤ Measure drop-down ➤ Area.
To subtract an area as you calculate 1 While a combined area displays, enter s (Subtract). 2 Do one of the following: ■ Specify points to define the area you want to subtract. Press Enter. ■ Enter o (Object) and select the objects you want to subtract. The running total of all areas updates and displays as you define new areas. 3 Press Enter to end the command. Quick Reference AREA LIST Displays property data for selected objects. MASSPROP Calculates the mass properties of regions or 3D solids.
Use a Calculator You can access a calculator function as you work with the program. You can use either the QuickCalc calculator interface or the Command prompt calculator. Use the QuickCalc Calculator With the QuickCalc calculator, an interface that looks and functions like a hand-held calculator, you can perform mathematical, scientific, and geometric calculations, convert units of measurement, manipulate the properties of objects, and evaluate expressions.
■ Use geometric functions from the CAL command Change QuickCalc Size and Appearance Click the More/Less button on the calculator and only the Input box and History area are displayed. You can use the expand/collapse arrows to open and close areas. You can also control the size, location, and appearance of QuickCalc. See Set Interface Options on page 109. Quick Reference QUICKCALC Opens the QuickCalc calculator.
QCCLOSE Closes the QuickCalc calculator. QCSTATE Indicates whether the QuickCalc calculator is open or closed. Access QuickCalc and Understand Its Behavior Use QuickCalc directly as you would with a desktop calculator, or use it transparently within a command or the Properties palette.
Use QuickCalc Transparently from Within a Command During a command, you can access QuickCalc transparently in the following ways: ■ Right-click to display the shortcut menu. Click QuickCalc. ■ At the Command prompt, enter quickcalc. ■ At the Command prompt, enter qc. Calculations that you transfer to the Command prompt affect the drawing.
To use the QuickCalc calculator Do one of the following: ■ Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ QuickCalc. ■ Right-click the drawing area to display a shortcut menu. Click QuickCalc. To use the QuickCalc calculator within a command Do one of the following: ■ At the Command prompt, enter 'quickcalc or 'qc. ■ Right-click to display a shortcut menu. Click QuickCalc. To use the QuickCalc calculator with the Properties palette 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Properties. 2 Open the Properties palette.
QuickCalc evaluates expressions according to the following standard mathematical rules of precedence: ■ Expressions in parentheses first, starting with the innermost set ■ Operators in standard order: exponents first, multiplication and division second, and addition and subtraction last ■ Operators of equal precedence from left to right The Input box of the calculator is where you enter and retrieve expressions. With QuickCalc, there are two ways you can enter data in the Input box.
■ Angular values entered in the Input box are assumed to be degrees regardless of the settings in the Drawing Units dialog box. To specify radians, grads, and degrees, append an r, g, or d after the angle value. ■ Results of angular calculations are always expressed in degrees with full AutoCAD precision.
For computed results, enter the initial values in feet (') and inches (") to display the results in feet and inches. For example: ■ 5 * 6 = 30 ■ 5" * 6 = 2'-6" ■ 5" * 6" = 30 sq. in. ■ 5" * 0'-6" = 0.208333333 sq. ft. To change the font color of values or expressions in the QuickCalc History area 1 Right-click in the History area. Click either Value Font Color or Expression Font Color. 2 In the Color dialog box, click a Basic Color or click Define Custom Colors.
QuickCalc opens and displays the current value of the object in the Input box. 5 Perform a calculation on the displayed value and click the equal sign (=) button. The new value is displayed in the Input box. 6 Click Apply. NOTE The Apply button is only available for editable number-based properties. The calculator closes and the new value is displayed in the Properties palette. The object is modified in the drawing.
On the QuickCalc toolbar, click the Angle of Line Defined by Two Points button. QuickCalc temporarily closes and you are prompted to specify two points. 2 Enter the coordinate values for the first point and then the second point. QuickCalc opens and appends the value of the angle between the two points to the end of any value or expression already present in the Input box.
The Value to Convert box automatically displays the value from the Input box. You can also enter a different value. The results of the units conversion displays in the Converted Value box. You can paste this result to the Input box by clicking the QuickCalc icon in the Converted Value box. NOTE In the Value to Convert box, enter decimal values without units. To convert units of measurement with QuickCalc 1 In the Units Conversion area, select a unit category on the Units Type list.
2 In the Scientific area, click the d2r button. 3 On the Number Pad, click the equal (=) sign. The conversion is displayed in the Input box. Quick Reference QUICKCALC Opens the QuickCalc calculator. QCCLOSE Closes the QuickCalc calculator. Create and Use Calculator Variables The Variables area of QuickCalc stores calculator variables that you can access as needed. Calculator variables can either be constants or functions. You can use the Variables area to define, store, and retrieve calculator variables.
■ Functions. Any expression entered in the Value or Expression text entry box is stored as text. Functions are evaluated when used in the QuickCalc Input box. Create Global Constants You can use one of the following methods to create global constants: ■ Enter an expression in the Input box using the format $variable_name=value. For example, to define the golden ratio to 8 decimal places as a global constant called Phi, enter $Phi=1.61803399 in the Input box.
CAL functions with the Endpoint Snap mode. The following table describes the predefined variables that are available in the Variables area of the calculator.
2 In the Variable Definition dialog box, under Variable Type, select Constant or Function. 3 In the Variable Definition dialog box, under Variable Properties Name, enter a name for the variable. Variable names cannot contain spaces or special characters. NOTE When referencing this variable from the Input box, the variable name must begin with the dollar sign ($) to differentiate it from local LISP variables. 4 Under Variable Properties Group With, click New.
QuickCalc adds the global constant to the list of variables in the Variables area. To access a global constant from dialog box or window ■ In any text or numeric entry box, enter an expression using the syntax: =$variable_name followed by pressing the END key. To evaluate mathematical expressions in a dialog box 1 If necessary, set the CALCINPUT system variable to 1.
set of specialized functions for calculations involving points, vectors, and AutoCAD geometry.
Here is the command prompr sequence: Command: circle Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]: 'cal >> Expression: (mid+cen)/2 >> Select entity for MID snap: Select the notch line (1) >> Select entity for CEN snap: Select the large circle (2) Diameter/: 'cal >> Expression: 1/5*rad >> Select circle, arc or polyline segment for RAD function: Select the large circle (3) Calculate Mathematical Expressions in a Dialog Box You can also enter and evaluate mathematical expressions in
CALCINPUT Controls whether mathematical expressions and global constants are evaluated in text and numeric entry boxes of windows and dialog boxes.
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Draw Geometric Objects 18 You can create a range of objects, from simple lines and circles to spline curves, and ellipses. In general, you draw objects by specifying points with the pointing device or by entering coordinate values at the Command prompt. Draw Linear Objects A line, the most basic object, can be one segment or a series of connected segments. Draw Lines You can close a sequence of line segments so that the first and last segments are joined.
Use polyline objects instead of line objects if you want the segments to be connected as a single object. See also: ■ Use Coordinates and Coordinate Systems (UCS) on page 549 ■ Use Object Snaps on page 585 ■ Adjust Grid and Grid Snap on page 593 ■ Draw Polylines on page 649 ■ Offset an Object on page 758 ■ Break and Join Objects on page 783 ■ Infer Geometric Constraints on page 823 To draw lines 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Line. 2 Specify the start point.
RAY Creates a line that starts at a point and continues to infinity. XLINE Creates a line of infinite length. Draw Polylines A polyline is a connected sequence of segments created as a single object. You can create straight line segments, arc segments, or a combination of the two.
Create Wide Polylines You can draw polylines of various widths by using the Width and Halfwidth options. You can set the width of individual segments and make them taper gradually from one width to another. These options become available after you specify a starting point for the polyline. The Width and Halfwidth options set the width of the next polyline segments you draw. Widths greater than zero produce wide lines, which are filled if Fill mode is on and outlined if Fill mode is off.
■ Infer Geometric Constraints on page 823 To draw a polyline with straight segments 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Polyline. 2 Specify the first point of the polyline. 3 Specify the endpoint of the first polyline segment. 4 Continue specifying segment endpoints as needed. 5 Press Enter to end, or enter c to close the polyline. To start a new polyline at the endpoint of the last polyline drawn, start the PLINE command again and press Enter at the Specify Start Point prompt.
5 Specify the ending width of the line segment using one of the following methods: ■ To create a line segment of equal width, press Enter. ■ To create a tapering line segment, enter a different width. 6 Specify the endpoint of the polyline segment. 7 Continue specifying segment endpoints as needed. 8 Press Enter to end, or enter c to close the polyline. To create a boundary polyline 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Boundary.
Quick Reference Commands 3DPOLY Creates a 3D polyline. BOUNDARY Creates a region or a polyline from an enclosed area. EXPLODE Breaks a compound object into its component objects. FILL Controls the filling of objects such as hatches, 2D solids, and wide polylines. PEDIT Edits polylines and 3D polygon meshes. PLINE Creates a 2D polyline. POLYGON Creates an equilateral closed polyline. RECTANG Creates a rectangular polyline.
PLINETYPE Specifies whether optimized 2D polylines are used. PLINEWID Stores the default polyline width. Draw Rectangles and Polygons You can create rectangles and regular polygons quickly. Creating polygons is a simple way to draw equilateral triangles, squares, pentagons, hexagons, and so on. If necessary, you can use EXPLODE to convert the resulting polyline object into lines. Draw Rectangles Use RECTANG to create closed polylines in a rectangular shape.
To draw a circumscribed polygon 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Polygon. 2 At the Command prompt, enter the number of sides. 3 Specify the center of the polygon (1). 4 Enter c to specify a polygon circumscribed about a circle. 5 Enter the radius length (2). To draw a polygon by specifying one edge 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Polygon. 2 At the Command prompt, enter the number of sides. 3 Enter e (Edge). 4 Specify the start point for one polygon segment. 5 Specify the endpoint of the polygon segment.
To draw a rectangle 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Rectangle. 2 Specify the first corner of the rectangle. 3 Specify the other corner of the rectangle. Quick Reference Commands BOUNDARY Creates a region or a polyline from an enclosed area. EXPLODE Breaks a compound object into its component objects. POLYGON Creates an equilateral closed polyline. RECTANG Creates a rectangular polyline. System Variables FILLMODE Specifies whether hatches and fills, 2D solids, and wide polylines are filled in.
SNAPANG Sets the snap and grid rotation angle for the current viewport relative to the current UCS. Draw Multiline Objects Multilines are composed of parallel lines, called elements. When you draw a multiline, you can use the STANDARD style, which has two elements, or specify a style that you created previously. You can also change the justification and scale of the multiline before you draw it.
Elements with a positive offset appear on one side of the middle of the multiline; elements with a negative offset appear on the other side of the middle of the multiline. See also: ■ Modify Multilines on page 799 To draw a multiline 1 Click Draw menu ➤ Multiline. 2 At the Command prompt, enter st to select a style. 3 To list available styles, enter the style name or enter ?. 4 To justify the multiline, enter j and select top, zero, or bottom justification.
2 In the Multiline Style dialog box, click New. 3 In the Create New Multiline Style dialog box, enter a name for the multiline style and select a multiline style from which to start. Click Continue. 4 In the New Multiline Style dialog box, select the parameters for the multiline style. You can also enter a description. Descriptions are optional and can be up to 255 characters, including spaces.
5 Click OK. 6 In the Multiline Style dialog box, click Save to save the multiline style to a file (the default is acad.mln). You can save multiline styles to the same file. If you create more than one multiline style, save the current style before creating a new one or you lose the changes to the first style. Quick Reference Commands OFFSET Creates concentric circles, parallel lines, and parallel curves. MLINE Creates multiple parallel lines. MLSTYLE Creates, modifies, and manages multiline styles.
System Variables CMLSTYLE Sets the multiline style that governs the appearance of the multiline. Draw Freehand Sketches Sketching is useful for creating irregular boundaries or for tracing with a digitizer. Draw freehand sketches with the SKETCH command. Freehand sketches comprise many line segments that are converted into a line, polyline, or spline. For Splines, you can determine how closely the spline’s curve fits to the freehand sketch.
need. To avoid this problem, use ZOOM to display the entire work area before you start to sketch. With some digitizers, you cannot select the menus while Tablet mode is on. See your digitizer documentation for details. To draw freehand sketches 1 At the Command prompt, enter sketch and press Enter. 2 Press Enter again to accept the last saved type, increment, and tolerance values. 3 Click in the drawing area to begin sketching.
SKTOLERANCE Draw Curved Objects Curved objects are arcs, circles, polyline arcs, donuts, ellipses, and splines. Draw Arcs To create an arc, you can specify various combinations of center, endpoint, start point, radius, angle, chord length, and direction values. You can create arcs in several ways. With the exception of the first method, arcs are drawn counterclockwise from the start point to the endpoint. Draw Arcs by Specifying Three Points You can create an arc by specifying three points.
Draw Arcs by Specifying Start, Center, Angle You can create an arc using a start point, center, and an included angle. The distance between the start point and the center determines the radius. The other end of the arc is determined by specifying an included angle that uses the center of the arc as the vertex. The resulting arc is always created counterclockwise from the start point. Using different options, you can specify either the start point first or the center point first.
between the start point and the endpoint of the arc. The resulting arc is always created counterclockwise from the start point. Using different options, you can specify either the start point first or the center point first. The length of the chord of the arc determines the included angle. Draw Arcs by Specifying Start, End, Angle You can create an arc using a start point, endpoint, and an included angle. The included angle between the endpoints of the arc determines the center and the radius of the arc.
Draw Contiguous Tangent Arcs and Lines Immediately after you create an arc, you can start a line that is tangent to the arc at an endpoint by starting the LINE command and pressing Enter at the Specify First Point prompt. You need to specify only the line length. Immediately after you create a line or an arc, you can start an arc that is tangent at an endpoint by starting the ARC command and pressing Enter at the Specify Start Point prompt. You need to specify only the endpoint of the new arc.
To draw an arc using a start point, a center point, and an endpoint 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Arc drop-down ➤ Start, Center, End. 2 Specify a start point. 3 Specify the center point. 4 Specify the endpoint. To continue an arc with a tangential line 1 Complete the arc. 2 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Line. 3 Press Enter at the first prompt. 4 Enter the length of the line and press Enter. To continue an arc with a tangential arc 1 Complete the arc.
VIEWRES Sets the resolution for objects in the current viewport. System Variables ANGDIR Sets the direction of positive angles. LASTANGLE Stores the end angle of the last arc entered relative to the XY plane of the current UCS for the current space. WHIPARC Controls whether the display of circles and arcs is smooth. Draw Circles To create circles, you can specify various combinations of center, radius, diameter, points on the circumference, and points on other objects.
To create a circle tangent at three points, set running object snaps (OSNAP) to Tangent and use the three-point method to create the circle. See also: ■ Use Object Snaps on page 585 ■ Draw Isometric Circles on page 2003 To draw a circle by specifying a center point and radius or diameter 1 Do one of the following: ■ Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Circle drop-down ➤ Center, Radius. ■ Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Circle drop-down ➤ Center, Diameter. 2 Specify the center point.
3 Select the second object to draw the circle tangent to. 4 Specify the radius of the circle. Quick Reference Commands CIRCLE Creates a circle. OFFSET Creates concentric circles, parallel lines, and parallel curves. System Variables CIRCLERAD Sets the default circle radius. WHIPARC Controls whether the display of circles and arcs is smooth. Draw Polyline Arcs A polyline is a connected sequence of line segments created as a single object.
■ Use closed polylines to create a polygon ■ Create a polyline from the boundaries of overlapping objects Create Arc Polylines When you draw arc segments in a polyline, the first point of the arc is the endpoint of the previous segment. You can specify the angle, center point, direction, or radius of the arc. You can also complete the arc by specifying a second point and an endpoint. Create Closed Polylines You can draw a closed polyline to create a polygon.
Create Polylines from the Boundaries of Objects You can create a polyline from the boundaries of overlapping objects that form a closed area. A polyline created using the boundary method is a separate object, distinct from the objects used to create it. You can edit it using the same methods used to edit other polylines. To expedite the boundary selection process in large or complex drawings, you can specify a group of boundary candidates, called a boundary set.
To draw a line and arc combination polyline 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Polyline. 2 Specify the start point of the polyline segment. 3 Specify the endpoint of the polyline segment. ■ Switch to Arc mode by entering a (Arc) at the Command prompt. ■ Return to Line mode by entering L (Line). 4 Specify additional polyline segments as needed. 5 Press Enter to end, or enter c to close the polyline. To create a wide polyline 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Polyline.
3 Under Boundary Set, do one of the following: ■ To create a boundary set from all objects visible in the current viewport, select Current Viewport in the list. Avoid this option for large, complex drawings. ■ To specify which objects to include in the boundary set, click New. Select the objects that you want to use to create the boundary. Choosing this option automatically selects the Existing Set option. 4 Click Pick Points. 5 Specify points within each area that you want to form a boundary polyline.
VIEWRES Sets the resolution for objects in the current viewport. System Variables FILLMODE Specifies whether hatches and fills, 2D solids, and wide polylines are filled in. HPBOUND Controls the object type created by HATCH and BOUNDARY. PLINECONVERTMODE Specifies the fit method used in converting splines to polylines. PLINEGEN Sets how linetype patterns generate around the vertices of a 2D polyline. PLINETYPE Specifies whether optimized 2D polylines are used. PLINEWID Stores the default polyline width.
To create a donut 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Donut. 2 Specify the inside diameter (1). 3 Specify the outside diameter (2). 4 Specify the center of the donut (3). 5 Specify the center point for another donut, or press Enter to complete the command. Quick Reference Commands DONUT Creates a filled circle or a wide ring. FILL Controls the filling of objects such as hatches, 2D solids, and wide polylines. System Variables DONUTID Sets the default for the inside diameter of a donut.
Draw Ellipses The shape of an ellipse is determined by two axes that define its length and width. The longer axis is called the major axis, and the shorter one is the minor axis. The illustrations below show two different ellipses created by specifying axis and distance. The third point specifies only a distance and does not necessarily designate the axis endpoint. If you are drawing on isometric planes to simulate 3D, you can use ellipses to represent isometric circles viewed from an oblique angle.
3 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Ellipse drop-down ➤ Axis, End. 4 Enter i (Isocircle). 5 Specify the center of the circle. 6 Specify the radius or diameter of the circle. To draw a true ellipse using endpoints and distance 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Ellipse drop-down ➤ Axis, End. 2 Specify the first endpoint of the first axis (1). 3 Specify the second endpoint of the first axis (2).
The elliptical arc is drawn counterclockwise between the start point and endpoint. Quick Reference Commands ELLIPSE Creates an ellipse or an elliptical arc. System Variables ANGDIR Sets the direction of positive angles. PELLIPSE Controls the ellipse type created with ELLIPSE.
The SPLINE command creates a type of curve known as a nonuniform rational B-spline (NURBS). A NURBS curve produces a smooth curve between control vertices or fit points. The spline on the left is drawn with fit points, and the spline on the right is drawn with control vertices. Close the spline so that the start and endpoints are coincident and tangent. Splines are a critical tool for creating NURBS surfaces for 3D modeling.
3 When you are done, press Enter. To draw a spline in 2D workspace 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Spline. 2 Click in the drawing area to create the spline. 3 When you are done, press Enter. To convert a spline-fit polyline to a spline 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Spline. 2 Enter o (Object). 3 Select a spline-fit polyline and press Enter. The selected object changes from a polyline to a spline. Quick Reference Commands PEDIT Edits polylines and 3D polygon meshes. PLINE Creates a 2D polyline.
Draw Helixes A helix is an open 2D or 3D spiral. You can use a helix as a path with the SWEEP command. For example, you might sweep a circle along a helix path to create a solid model of a spring. When you create a helix, you can specify the following: ■ Base radius ■ Top radius ■ Height ■ Number of turns ■ Turn height ■ Twist direction If you specify the same value for both the base radius and the top radius, then a cylindrical helix is created.
4 Specify the top radius or press Enter to specify the same value as the base radius. 5 Specify the height of the helix. Quick Reference Commands HELIX Creates a 2D spiral or 3D spring. Draw Construction and Reference Geometry Construction lines and reference points are temporary objects you create to help you draw accurately. Draw Reference Points Point objects are useful as nodes or reference geometry for object snaps and relative offsets.
To create a point object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Point drop-down ➤ Multiple Points. 2 Specify the point location. You can snap to a point using the Node object snap. Quick Reference Commands DDPTYPE Specifies the display style and size of point objects. POINT Creates a point object. System Variables PDMODE Controls how point objects are displayed. PDSIZE Sets the display size for point objects.
You may want to create infinite lines on a construction line layer that can be frozen or turned off before plotting. Construction Lines A construction line () can be placed anywhere in three-dimensional space. You can specify its orientation in several ways. The default method for creating the line is the two-point method: you specify two points to define the orientation.
To create a construction line by specifying two points 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Construction Line. 2 Specify a point to define the root of the construction line. 3 Specify a second point through which the construction line should pass. 4 Continue to specify construction lines as needed. All subsequent xlines pass through the first point specified. 5 Press Enter to end the command. To create a ray 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Ray. 2 Specify a starting point for the ray.
Quick Reference Commands RAY Creates a line that starts at a point and continues to infinity. XLINE Creates a line of infinite length. Create and Combine Areas (Regions) Regions are two-dimensional enclosed areas that have physical properties such as centroids or centers of mass. You can combine existing regions into a single, complex region to calculate area. You can create regions from objects that form closed loops.
You can create regions using the REGION and BOUNDARY commands. You create composite regions by combining, subtracting, or finding the intersection of regions. Objects combined using UNION: Objects combined using SUBTRACT: Objects combined using INTERSECT: Invalid Boundaries When a boundary cannot be determined, it might be because the specified internal point is not within a fully enclosed area. Red circles are displayed around unconnected endpoints of the boundary to identify gaps in the boundary.
The red circles remain displayed even after you exit the REGION or BOUNDARY command. They are removed when you specify a closed boundary, or by using the REDRAW, REGEN, or REGENALL command. To define regions 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Region. 2 Select objects to create the region. These objects must each form an enclosed area, such as a circle or a closed polyline. 3 Press Enter. A message at the Command prompt indicates how many loops were detected and how many regions were created.
NOTE You can make a new boundary set to limit the objects used to determine the boundary. To combine regions by adding 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Union. 2 Select one region for the union. 3 Select another region. You can select regions to unite in any order. 4 Continue selecting regions or press Enter to end the command. The command converts the selected regions to a new combined region. To combine regions by subtracting 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Subtract.
Quick Reference Commands BOUNDARY Creates a region or a polyline from an enclosed area. INTERSECT Creates a 3D solid, surface, or 2D region from overlapping solids, surfaces, or regions. MASSPROP Calculates the mass properties of regions or 3D solids. REGION Converts an object that encloses an area into a region object. SUBTRACT Combines selected 3D solids or 2D regions by subtraction. UNION Combines selected 3D solids, surfaces, or 2D regions by addition.
You can set the minimum and maximum default values for the arc lengths of a revision cloud. When you draw a revision cloud, you can vary the size of the arcs by using pick points for the smaller arc segments. You can also edit the individual arc lengths and chord lengths of a revision cloud by adjusting the pick points. REVCLOUD stores the last used arc length as a multiple of the DIMSCALE system variable to provide consistency among drawings with different scale factors.
2 At the Command prompt, enter style. 3 At the Command prompt, enter calligraphy. 4 Press Enter to save the calligraphy setting and to continue with the command, or press ESC to end the command. To convert an object to a revision cloud 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Revision Cloud. 2 At the Command prompt, specify a new minimum and maximum arc length or press Enter. The default minimum and maximum arc lengths are set to 0.5000 units.
2 Move the pick points along the path of the revision cloud to change the arc lengths and chords. Quick Reference Commands REVCLOUD Creates a revision cloud using a polyline. System Variables DIMSCALE Sets the overall scale factor applied to dimensioning variables that specify sizes, distances, or offsets. DELOBJ Controls whether geometry used to create 3D objects is retained or deleted.
Change Existing Objects 19 You can select objects, view and edit object properties, and perform general and object-specific editing operations. Select Objects You have a wide range of options when you need to select objects for editing operations. Select Objects Individually At the Select Objects prompt, you can select one or more objects individually. Use the Pickbox Cursor When the square pickbox cursor is in position to select an object, the object is highlighted. Click to select the object.
If selection preview is turned on, you can cycle through the objects by rolling over the object on top to highlight it, and pressing and holding Shift and then pressing Spacebar continuously. When the required object is highlighted, left-click to select it. If selection preview is turned off, hold down Shift + Spacebar and click to cycle through these objects, one after the other, until the one you want is selected. Press Esc to turn off cycling.
2 Keep clicking until the object you want is highlighted. 3 Press Enter to select the object. NOTE If selection preview is turned on, you can cycle through the objects by rolling over the object on top to highlight it, and pressing and holding Shift and then pressing Spacebar continuously. When the required object is highlighted, left-click to select it. To remove selection from objects ■ Hold down Shift. Click the objects that you want removed from the selection set.
PICKDRAG Controls the method of drawing a selection window. PICKFIRST Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you issue a command. Select Multiple Objects At the Select Objects prompt, you can select many objects at the same time. Specify a Rectangular Selection Area Specify opposite corners to define a rectangular area. The background inside the area changes color and becomes transparent.
With a window selection, usually the entire object must be contained in the rectangular selection area. However, if an object with a noncontinuous (dashed) linetype is only partially visible in the viewport and all the visible vectors of the linetype can be enclosed within the selection window, the entire object is selected. Specify an Irregularly Shaped Selection Area Specify points to define an irregularly shaped area.
You can also remove objects from the current selection set by holding down Shift and selecting them again, or by holding down Shift and then clicking and dragging window or crossing selections. You can add and remove objects repeatedly from the selection set. To see a list of options at the Select Objects prompt ■ Enter ? at the Select Objects prompt. To select objects within an irregularly shaped area 1 At the Select Objects prompt, enter wp (Window Polygon).
Quick Reference PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. QSELECT Creates a selection set based on filtering criteria. SELECT Places selected objects in the Previous selection set. HIGHLIGHT Controls object highlighting; does not affect objects selected with grips. PICKADD Controls whether subsequent selections replace the current selection set or add to it. PICKAUTO Controls automatic windowing at the Select Objects prompt. PICKBOX Sets the object selection target height, in pixels.
use inquiry commands (such as LIST), use object snaps to specify points on objects on locked layers, and change the draw order of objects on locked layers. To help you differentiate between locked and unlocked layers, you can do the following: ■ Hover over an object to see whether a lock icon is displayed ■ Dim the objects on locked layers NOTE Grips are not displayed on objects that are on locked layers. To lock or unlock a layer 1 Click Home tab ➤ Layers panel ➤ Layer Properties.
Quick Reference LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. LAYISO Hides or locks all layers except those of the selected objects. LAYLCK Locks the layer of a selected object. LAYULK Unlocks the layer of a selected object. LAYLOCKFADECTL Controls the amount of fading for objects on locked layers. Select Objects by Properties Use object properties or object types to include objects in a selection set, or to exclude them.
Subobjects are only considered at the object level. For example, when a mesh vertex is selected, SELECTSIMILAR selects other mesh objects, not just the mesh vertices. ® NOTE If an application such as AutoCAD Map 3D was used to add a feature classification to an object, and the associated classification (XML) file is present, you can select objects by classification property. Specifically, you can select a classification in the Object Type box and a property in the Properties box.
4 Under Object Type, select Circle. 5 Under Properties, select Radius. 6 Under Operator, select Greater Than. 7 Under Value, enter 1. 8 Under How to Apply, select Exclude from New Selection Set. 9 Click OK. All circles with a radius greater than 1 are removed from the selection set. To append objects to the selection set You can use Quick Select to append objects to a current selection set.
6 Click Apply. The filter is applied so you can select, in this case, only lines in the drawing. If you select objects with a selection, the filter is applied to all objects in the selection area. To use a named filter 1 At the Select Object prompt, enter 'filter. (The apostrophe makes it a transparent command.) 2 In the Object Selection Filters dialog box, under Select Filter, select the filter you want to use. Click Apply. 3 Use a crossing window to specify objects for selection.
QSELECT Creates a selection set based on filtering criteria. SELECT Places selected objects in the Previous selection set. SELECTSIMILAR Adds similar objects to the selection set based on selected objects. PICKADD Controls whether subsequent selections replace the current selection set or add to it. PICKAUTO Controls automatic windowing at the Select Objects prompt. PICKBOX Sets the object selection target height, in pixels. PICKDRAG Controls the method of drawing a selection window.
You can also choose ■ Whether objects to be selected are previewed during selection ■ Whether selected objects are highlighted ■ How you define selection areas and how you create selection sets Select the Command First When you use an editing command, a Select Objects prompt is displayed and the crosshairs is replaced with a pickbox. You can respond to the Select Objects prompt in various ways: ■ Select objects one at a time. ■ Click an empty area.
Highlight Objects to Be Selected Objects are highlighted when the pickbox cursor rolls over them, providing a preview of which object will be selected when you click. When you specify an area to select multiple objects, the background of the area becomes transparent. These selection previewing effects are turned on by default. You can turn them off or change the appearance of selection previewing (Options dialog box, Selection tab).
■ Include the boundary in the selection set when you select a hatch. To change the size of the pickbox cursor 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Selection tab, under Pickbox Size, move the slider until the pickbox is the size you want to use. 3 Click OK. To change object selection settings 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Selection tab, make changes to the Selection Preview and Selection Modes areas and the pickbox size. 3 Click OK.
2 In the Options dialog box, Selection tab, click Visual Effect Settings. 3 In the Visual Effect Settings dialog box, select one of the following options: ■ Dash. Displays dashed lines. ■ Thicken. Displays thickened lines. ■ Both. Displays dashed and thickened lines. 4 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To exclude objects from selection previewing 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Selection tab, click Visual Effect Settings.
3 In the Visual Effect Settings dialog box, change any of the following settings: ■ Indicate Selection Area. Select to display effects for selection areas. ■ Window Selection Color. Select a color, or click Select Color to display the Select Color dialog box. (WINDOWAREACOLOR system variable) ■ Crossing Selection Color. Select a color, or click Select Color to display the Select Color dialog box. (CROSSINGAREACOLOR system variable) ■ Selection Area Opacity.
PICKAUTO Controls automatic windowing at the Select Objects prompt. PICKBOX Sets the object selection target height, in pixels. PICKDRAG Controls the method of drawing a selection window. PICKFIRST Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you issue a command. PREVIEWEFFECT Specifies the visual effect used for previewing selection of objects. PREVIEWFILTER Excludes specified object types from selection previewing.
Overview of Groups A group is a saved set of objects that you can select and edit together or separately as needed. Groups provide an easy way to combine drawing elements that you need to manipulate as a unit. You can create them quickly and with a default name. TIP Groups are useful in associating 3D solids when you do not want to combine them with a Boolean operation. You can change the components of groups as you work by adding or removing objects.
Named groups are not maintained when you use a drawing as an external reference or insert it as a block. However, you can bind and then explode the external reference or explode the block to make the group available as an unnamed group. NOTE Avoid creating large groups containing hundreds or thousands of objects. A large group significantly degrades the performance of this program. To create a group 1 At the Command prompt, enter group.
object. To select groups for editing with grips, use the pointing device to select the group at the Command prompt. To control whether all grouped objects can be selected individually Do one of the following: ■ At the Command prompt, enter pickstyle. Enter 1 to turn on group selection. Objects within groups can be selected as a group only, not individually. ■ At the Command prompt, enter pickstyle. Enter 0 to turn off group selection.
Edit Groups You can modify groups in a number of ways, including changing their membership, modifying their properties, revising the names and descriptions of groups, and removing them from the drawing. Edit Objects as a Group When group selection is turned on, you can move, copy, rotate, and modify groups just as you can modify individual objects. If you need to edit objects within a group, turn off group selection or use grips to edit individual objects.
2 In the Object Grouping dialog box, select the group name from the list of groups. 3 Under Change Group, select Explode. 4 Click OK. The group is deleted. To reorder group members 1 At the Command prompt, enter group. 2 In the Object Grouping dialog box, under Change Group, click Re-Order. 3 In the Order Group dialog box, under Group Name, select the group to reorder. 4 To view the current order of this group, click Highlight.
Undo a Single Action The simplest method of backtracking is to use Undo on the Standard toolbar or the U command to undo a single action. Many commands include their own U (undo) option so that you can correct mistakes without leaving the command. When you are creating lines and polylines, for example, enter u to undo the last segment. NOTE By default, the UNDO command is set to combine consecutive pan and zoom commands into a single operation when you undo or redo.
To undo a specific number of actions 1 On the Standard toolbar, click the Undo list arrow. A list of actions that you can undo, starting with the most recent action, is displayed. 2 Drag to select the actions to undo. 3 Click to undo the selected actions. To redo an action ■ Click Edit menu ➤ Redo. Only the action immediately preceding an UNDO command can be reversed with REDO. You cannot use REDO to repeat another command.
U Reverses the most recent operation. UNDO Reverses the effect of commands. UNDOCTL Indicates the state of the Auto, Control, and Group options of the UNDO command. UNDOMARKS Stores the number of marks placed in the UNDO control stream by the Mark option. Erase Objects There are many ways to delete objects from your drawing and clean up the display. Remove Unused Definitions, Styles, and Objects You can remove unused named and unnamed objects with PURGE.
2 At the Select Objects prompt, use a selection method to select the objects to be erased or enter an option: ■ Enter L (Last) to erase the last object drawn. ■ Enter p (Previous) to erase the last selection set. ■ Enter all to erase all objects from the drawing. ■ Enter ? to see a list of all selection methods. 3 Press Enter to end the command. To restore the last erased object ■ At the Command prompt, enter oops. The last objects that were removed by ERASE, BLOCK, or WBLOCK are restored.
■ To purge specific linetypes, double-click Linetypes to expand the tree view. Then select the linetypes to be purged. If the item you want to purge is not listed, select View Items You Cannot Purge. 3 You are prompted to confirm each item in the list. If you do not want to confirm each purge, clear the Confirm Each Item to Be Purged option. 4 Click Purge. To confirm the purging of each item, respond to the prompt by choosing Yes or No, or Yes to All if more than one item is selected. 5 Click Close.
REDRAW Refreshes the display in the current viewport. REDRAWALL Refreshes the display in all viewports. REGEN Regenerates the entire drawing from the current viewport. UNDO Reverses the effect of commands. Use Windows Cut, Copy, and Paste When you want to use objects from a drawing file in another application, you can cut or copy these objects to the Clipboard and then paste them from the Clipboard into the other application.
The Windows metafile (picture) format contains screen vector information, and files can be scaled and printed without losing resolution. Use this format to paste objects into Windows applications that support WMF files. Metafiles pasted into AutoCAD are of higher resolution than bitmapped images (BMP files) but are not as easily manipulated as AutoCAD objects. Bitmapped images are raster images consisting of a pattern of pixels and are commonly used by paint applications.
The objects currently on the Clipboard are pasted into the drawing. To convert pasted information to drawing file format 1 Click Home tab ➤ Utilities panel ➤ Paste Special. 2 In the Paste Special dialog box, select Paste. 3 From the list of formats, select Picture. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference COPYBASE Copies selected objects to the Clipboard along with a specified base point. COPYCLIP Copies selected objects to the Clipboard.
WMFOPTS Sets options for WMFIN. WMFOUT Saves objects to a Windows metafile. OLEHIDE Controls the display and plotting of OLE objects. WMFBKGND Controls the background display when objects are inserted in Windows metafile (WMF) format. WMFFOREGND Controls the assignment of the foreground color when objects are inserted in Windows metafile (WMF) format. Modify Objects You can modify the size, shape, and location of objects.
Methods Descriptions Double-click Double-click an object to display the Properties palette or, in some cases, a dialog box or editor that is specific to that type of object. (You can specify the doubleclick action for each object type by customizing a CUIx file and loading it into the program.) Grips Control grip behavior with the following methods: ■ Grip Modes. Click a grip and rightclick to select one of the Grip modes (Stretch, Move, Rotate, Scale, or Mirror).
DRAGMODE Controls the way dragged objects are displayed. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. SELECT Places selected objects in the Previous selection set. DBLCLKEDIT Controls the double click editing behavior in the drawing area. DRAGMODE Controls the way dragged objects are displayed. PICKADD Controls whether subsequent selections replace the current selection set or add to it. PICKFIRST Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you issue a command.
NOTE Grips are not displayed on objects that are on locked layers. Stretch with Grips You can stretch an object by moving selected grips to new locations. Grips on text, block references, midpoints of lines, centers of circles, and point objects move the object rather than stretching it. This is an excellent method for moving block references and adjusting dimensions.
Rotate with Grips You can rotate selected objects around a base point by dragging and specifying a point location. Alternatively, you can enter an angle value. This is an excellent method for rotating block references. Select and Modify Multiple Grips You can use more than one grip as the base grips for the action. When you select more than one grip (also called multiple hot grip selection), the shape of the object is kept intact between the selected grips.
To turn on grips 1 At the Command prompt, enter options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Selection tab, select Enable Grips. 3 Click OK. To stretch an object using grips 1 Select the object to stretch. 2 Select a base grip on the object. The selected grip is highlighted, and Stretch, the default grip mode, is active. 3 Move the pointing device and click. The selected object is stretched as the grip moves. NOTE To copy the selected object while stretching, press and hold the Ctrl key.
4 Move the pointing device and click. The selected objects are moved along with the grip. NOTE To copy the selected object while moving, press and hold the Ctrl key. To rotate objects using grips 1 Select the objects to rotate. 2 Select a base grip on an object by clicking the grip. The selected grip is highlighted, and Stretch, the default grip mode, is active. 3 Cycle through the grip modes by pressing Enter until the grip mode Rotate appears.
2 Select a base grip on an object by clicking the grip. The selected grip is highlighted, and the default grip mode, Stretch, is active. 3 Cycle through the grip modes by pressing Enter until the grip mode Mirror appears. Alternatively, you can right-click to display shortcut menu modes and options. 4 Click to specify the second point of the mirror line. Turning on Ortho mode is often useful when mirroring objects. Quick Reference OPTIONS Customizes the program settings.
GRIPTIPS Controls the display of grip tips and Ctrl-cycling tooltips. Modify Objects with Multi-Functional Grips Modify polylines, splines, and non-associative polyline hatch objects with multi-functional grips. Control the display of these grips with the GRIPS system variable. With multi-functional grips, you can ■ Modify the position, size, and orientation of objects. Use Grip modes on page 729 to move, rotate, scale, or mirror objects. ■ Reshape Objects.
Quick Reference OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. GRIPBLOCK Controls the display of grips in blocks. GRIPCOLOR Controls the color of unselected grips. GRIPCONTOUR Controls the color of the grip contour. GRIPHOT Controls the color of selected grips. GRIPHOVER Controls the fill color of an unselected grip when the cursor pauses over it. GRIPOBJLIMIT Suppresses the display of grips when the selection set includes more than the specified number of objects.
For example, by using the Copy option, you can rotate the selected objects, leaving copies at each location you specify with the pointing device. You can also make multiple copies by holding down Ctrl as you select the first point. For example, with the Stretch grip mode, you can stretch an object, such as a line, and then copy it to any point in the drawing area. Multiple copies continue being made until you turn off grips.
Similarly, you can place multiple copies at angular intervals around a base grip with a rotation snap. The rotation snap is defined as the angle between an object and the next copy when you are using Rotate grip mode. Hold down Ctrl to use the rotation snap. To create copies in any grip mode 1 Select the objects to copy. 2 Select a base grip on an object by clicking the grip. The selected grip is highlighted, and the default grip mode, Stretch, is active.
To create an offset snap for multiple copies using grips 1 Select the objects to copy. 2 Select a base grip on an object by clicking the grip. The selected grip is highlighted, and the default grip mode, Stretch, is active. 3 Cycle through the grip modes by pressing Enter until the grip mode Move appears. Alternatively, you can right-click to display shortcut menu modes and options. 4 Enter c (Copy). 5 Move the cursor and click.
These copies are created at the same rotation snap angle as the first copy. 7 Turn off grips by pressing Enter, Spacebar, or Esc. To mirror objects and retain the originals using grips 1 Select the objects to mirror. 2 Select a base grip on an object by clicking the grip. The selected grip is highlighted, and the default grip mode, Stretch, is active. 3 Cycle through the grip modes by pressing Enter until the grip mode Mirror appears.
GRIPSIZE Sets the size of the grip box in pixels. Control Grips in Blocks You can specify whether a block displays a single grip or multiple grips. You can specify whether a selected block reference displays a single grip at its insertion point or displays multiple grips associated with the objects grouped within the block. See also: ■ Specify Grips for Dynamic Blocks on page 947 To turn grips within blocks on or off 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options.
GRIPCOLOR Controls the color of unselected grips. GRIPCONTOUR Controls the color of the grip contour. GRIPHOT Controls the color of selected grips. GRIPS Controls the display of grips on selected objects. GRIPSIZE Sets the size of the grip box in pixels. Move or Rotate Objects You can move objects to a different location, or change the orientation of objects by rotating them by an angle or to other objects. Move Objects You can move objects at a specified distance and direction from the originals.
Specify Distance with Relative Coordinates You can move an object using a relative distance by entering coordinate values for the first point and pressing Enter for the second point. The coordinate values are used as a relative displacement rather than the location of a base point. NOTE Do not include an @ sign as you normally would for relative coordinates, because relative coordinates are expected.
Use Alternate Methods You can use grips to move and copy objects quickly. See Edit Objects with Grips on page 729. You can also select objects and drag them to a new location; press Ctrl to make a copy. Using this method, you can drag objects between open drawings and other applications. If you drag with the right mouse button instead of the left, a shortcut menu is displayed. The menu options include Move Here, Copy Here, Paste as Block, and Cancel. See Embed OLE Objects in Drawings on page 1724.
2 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Change Space. 3 Select one or more objects to move. 4 Press Enter. The object is moved to the new space, and is scaled appropriately to the new space. To move by stretching 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Stretch. 2 Select the object by using crossing selection. The crossing selection must include at least one vertex or endpoint. Specify crossing selection by clicking, moving your pointing device from right to left, and clicking again.
STRETCH Stretches objects crossed by a selection window or polygon. Direct Distance Entry (Command Modifier) Locates the next point at a specified distance in the direction of your cursor. Rotate Objects You can rotate objects in your drawing around a specified base point. To determine the angle of rotation, you can enter an angle value, drag using the cursor, or specify a reference angle to align to an absolute angle.
(3), and enter the Reference option. For the reference angle, specify the two endpoints of the diagonal line (4, 5). For the new angle, enter 90. Rotate an Object in 3D To rotate 3D objects, you can use either ROTATE or ROTATE3D. ■ With ROTATE, you can rotate objects around a specified base point. The axis of rotation passes through the base point and is parallel to the Z axis of the current UCS.
To rotate an object to an absolute angle 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Rotate. 2 Select the objects to rotate. 3 Specify the base point for the rotation. 4 Enter r (Reference). 5 Enter a reference angle value or specify two point locations. This determines an imaginary line that will be rotated to a new angle. 6 Enter the new angle, or specify a point. The value that you enter for the new angle is an absolute angle, not a relative value.
Quick Reference ROTATE Rotates objects around a base point. ROTATE3D Moves objects about a 3D axis. Align Objects You can move, rotate, or tilt an object so that it aligns with another object. In the following example, two pairs of points are used to align the piping in 2D using the ALIGN command. Endpoint object snaps align the pipes precisely. In 3D, use the 3DALIGN command to specify up to three points to define the source plane followed by up to three points to define the destination plane.
2 Select the objects that you want to align. 3 Specify a source point and then the corresponding destination point. To rotate the object, specify a second source point followed by a second destination point. 4 Press Enter to end the command. The selected objects are moved from the source point to the destination point, and second and third points, if you specify them, rotate, and tilt the selected objects. To align two objects in 3D 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ 3D Align.
Copy Objects You can create duplicates of objects at a specified distance and direction from the originals. Use coordinates, grid snap, object snaps, and other tools to copy objects with precision. You can also use grips to move and copy objects quickly. See Edit Objects with Grips on page 729. Specify Distance with Two Points Copy an object using the distance and direction specified by a base point followed by a second point. In this example, you copy the block representing an electronic component.
Create Multiple Copies The COPY command repeats automatically by default. To exit the command, press Enter. To change the default, use the COPYMODE system variable. Move and Copy Objects by Dragging You can also select objects and drag them to a new location using the left mouse button over one of the selected objects; press Ctrl to make a copy. Using this method, you can drag objects between open drawings and other applications.
Quick Reference ADDSELECTED Creates a new object based on the object type and general properties of a selected object. COPY Copies objects a specified distance in a specified direction. COPYMODE Controls whether the COPY command repeats automatically. Create an Array of Objects You can create copies of objects in a rectangular or polar (circular) pattern called an array. For rectangular arrays, you control the number of rows and columns and the distance between each.
Create Polar Arrays When you create a polar array, the array is drawn counterclockwise or clockwise, depending on whether you enter a positive or a negative value for the angle to fill. The radius of the array is determined by the distance from the specified center point to a reference or base point on the last selected object. You can use the default reference point (usually an arbitrary point that coincides with a snap point), or you can specify a new base point to be used as the reference point.
To create a rectangular array 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Array. 2 In the Array dialog box, select Rectangular Array. 3 Click Select Objects. The Array dialog box closes. You are prompted for object selection. 4 Select the objects to be arrayed and press Enter. 5 In the Rows and Columns boxes, enter the number of rows and columns in the array.
■ Click the Pick Center Point button. The Array dialog box closes and you are prompted for object selection. Use the pointing device to specify the center point of the polar array. 4 Click Select Objects. The Array dialog box closes and you are prompted for object selection. 5 Select the objects to be arrayed.
3 Specify Rectangular. 4 Enter the number of rows. 5 Enter the number of columns. 6 Enter the number of levels. 7 Specify the distance between rows. 8 Specify the distance between columns. 9 Specify the distance between levels. To create a 3D polar array of objects 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ 3D Array. 2 Select the object to array (1). 3 Specify Polar. 4 Enter the number of items to array. 5 Specify the angle that the arrayed objects are to fill.
Quick Reference 3DARRAY Creates a 3D matrix of objects in a rectangular or polar arrangement. ARRAY Creates multiple copies of objects in a pattern. DSETTINGS Sets grid and snap, polar and object snap tracking, object snap modes, Dynamic Input, and Quick Properties. UCS Manages user coordinate systems. UNITS Controls coordinate and angle display formats and precision. ANGBASE Sets the base angle to 0 with respect to the current UCS. ANGDIR Sets the direction of positive angles.
OFFSET creates a new object whose shape parallels the shape of a selected object. Offsetting a circle or an arc creates a larger or smaller circle or arc, depending on which side you specify for the offset. A highly effective drawing technique is to offset objects and then trim or extend their ends.
Closed 2D polylines that are offset to create larger polylines result in potential gaps between segments. The OFFSETGAPTYPE system variable controls how these potential gaps are closed. To offset an object by specifying a distance 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Offset. 2 Specify the offset distance. You can enter a value or use the pointing device. 3 Select the object to offset. 4 Specify a point on the side where you want to place the new objects.
Quick Reference OFFSET Creates concentric circles, parallel lines, and parallel curves. OFFSETDIST Sets the default offset distance. OFFSETGAPTYPE Controls how potential gaps between segments are treated when closed polylines are offset. Mirror Objects You can flip objects about a specified axis to create a symmetrical mirror image. Mirroring is useful for creating symmetrical objects because you can quickly draw half the object and then mirror it instead of drawing the entire object.
MIRRTEXT affects text that is created with the TEXT, ATTDEF, or MTEXT commands; attribute definitions; and variable attributes. Text and constant attributes that are part of an inserted block are reversed when the block is mirrored regardless of the MIRRTEXT setting. MIRRHATCH affects hatch objects created with the GRADIENT or HATCH commands. Use the MIRRHATCH system variable control whether hatch pattern direction is mirrored or retained.
To mirror objects in 3D 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ 3D Mirror. 2 Select the object to mirror. 3 Specify three points to define a mirroring plane. 4 Press Enter to retain the original objects, or enter y to delete them. Quick Reference MIRROR Creates a mirrored copy of selected objects. MIRROR3D Creates a mirrored copy of selected objects across a mirroring plane. MIRRHATCH Controls how MIRROR reflects hatch patterns. MIRRTEXT Controls how MIRROR reflects text.
If you do not specify a boundary and press Enter at the Select Objects prompt, all displayed objects become potential boundaries. NOTE To select cutting edges or boundary edges that include blocks, you can use only the single selection, Crossing, Fence, and Select All options. Trim Objects You can trim objects so that they end precisely at boundary edges defined by other objects. For example, you can clean up the intersection of two walls smoothly by trimming.
The following example uses the fence selection method to select a series of objects for trimming. You can trim objects to their nearest intersection with other objects. Instead of selecting cutting edges, you press Enter. Then, when you select the objects to trim, the nearest displayed objects act as cutting edges. In this example, the walls are trimmed so that they intersect smoothly. You can extend objects without leaving the TRIM command. Hold down Shift and select the objects to be extended.
Trim and Extend Wide Polylines 2D wide polylines trim and extend at their centerlines. The ends of wide polylines are always square. Trimming a wide polyline at an angle causes portions of the end to extend beyond the cutting edge If you trim or extend a tapered 2D polyline segment, the width of the extended end is corrected to continue the original taper to the new endpoint. If this correction gives the segment a negative ending width, the ending width is forced to 0.
To extend an object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Extend. 2 Select the objects to serve as boundary edges. To select all displayed objects as potential boundary edges, press Enter without selecting any objects. 3 Select the objects to extend. To trim an object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Trim. 2 Select the objects to serve as cutting edges. To select all displayed objects as potential cutting edges, press Enter without selecting any objects. 3 Select the objects to trim.
To trim in 3D using the current view plane 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Trim . 2 Select the cutting edge for trimming (1). 3 Enter p (Project). 4 Enter v (View). 5 Select the object to trim (2). To trim objects in 3D wireframe models 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Trim 2 Select the cutting edges to use for trimming (1). 3 Enter p (Project). 4 Enter n (None). 5 Select the object to trim (2 and 3). 768 | Chapter 19 Change Existing Objects .
Quick Reference BREAK Breaks the selected object between two points. EXTEND Extends objects to meet the edges of other objects. JOIN Joins similar objects to form a single, unbroken object. LENGTHEN Changes the length of objects and the included angle of arcs. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. TRIM Trims objects to meet the edges of other objects. EDGEMODE Controls how the TRIM and EXTEND commands determine cutting and boundary edges.
■ Open polylines ■ Elliptical arcs ■ Open splines. The results are similar to extending and trimming. You can ■ Drag an object endpoint dynamically ■ Specify a new length or angle as a percentage of the total length or angle ■ Specify an incremental length or angle measured from an endpoint ■ Specify the object's total absolute length or included angle Stretch Objects With STRETCH, you relocate the endpoints of objects that lie across or within a crossing selection window.
A scale factor greater than 1 enlarges the object. A scale factor between 0 and 1 shrinks the object. Scaling changes the size of all dimensions of the selected object. A scale factor greater than 1 enlarges the object. A scale factor less than 1 shrinks the object. NOTE When you use the SCALE command with objects, the position or location of the object is scaled relative to the base point of the scale operation, but the size of the object is not changed.
■ Specify the base point for the stretch, and then specify a second point, to determine the distance and direction. Any objects with at least one vertex or endpoint included within the crossing window are stretched. Any objects that are completely within the crossing window, or selected individually, are moved without stretching. To scale an object by a scale factor 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Scale. 2 Select the object to scale. 3 Specify the base point.
Quick Reference JOIN Joins similar objects to form a single, unbroken object. LENGTHEN Changes the length of objects and the included angle of arcs. PEDIT Edits polylines and 3D polygon meshes. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. SCALE Enlarges or reduces selected objects, keeping the proportions of the object the same after scaling. SPLINEDIT Edits a spline or spline-fit polyline. STRETCH Stretches objects crossed by a selection window or polygon.
An inside corner is called a fillet and an outside corner is called a round; you can create both using the FILLET command. You can fillet ■ Arcs ■ Circles ■ Ellipses and elliptical arcs ■ Lines ■ Polylines ■ Rays ■ Splines ■ Xlines ■ 3D solids FILLET can be used to round all corners on a polyline using a single command. NOTE Filleting a hatch boundary that was defined from line segments removes hatch associativity.
You can hold down Shift while selecting the objects to override the current fillet radius with a value of 0. Trim and Extend Filleted Objects You can use the Trim option to specify whether the selected objects are trimmed or extended to the endpoints of the resulting arc or left unchanged. Control the Location of the Fillet Depending on the locations you specify, more than one possible fillet can exist between the selected objects.
Fillet Line and Polyline Combinations To fillet lines with polylines, each line or its extension must intersect one of the polyline line segments. If the Trim option is on, the filleted objects and the fillet arc join to form a single new polyline. Fillet an Entire Polyline You can fillet an entire polyline or remove fillets from an entire polyline. If you set a nonzero fillet radius, FILLET inserts fillet arcs at the vertex of each polyline segment that is long enough to accommodate the fillet radius.
The first selected object must be a line or a ray, but the second object can be a line, an xline, or a ray. The fillet arc connects as shown in the illustration. Fillet Objects with Non-Zero Thickness in 3D You can fillet coplanar objects with extrusion directions not parallel to the Z axis of the current UCS. FILLET determines the extrusion direction for the fillet arc in 3D space closest to the direction of the Z axis of the current UCS. To set the fillet radius 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Fillet.
To fillet multiple sets of objects 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Fillet. 2 Enter m (Multiple). The main prompt is displayed. 3 Select the first line, or enter an option and complete the prompts for that option. Select the first line. 4 Select the second line. The main prompt is displayed again. 5 Select the first line for the next fillet, or press Enter or Esc to end the command. Quick Reference FILLET Rounds and fillets the edges of objects. FILLETRAD Stores the current fillet radius for 2D objects.
■ Rays ■ Xlines ■ 3D solids CHAMFER can be used to bevel all corners of a polyline using a single command. NOTE Chamfering a hatch boundary that was defined from line segments removes hatch associativity. If the hatch boundary was defined from a polyline, associativity is maintained. If both objects being chamfered are on the same layer, the chamfer line is created on that layer. Otherwise, the chamfer line is created on the current layer.
Trim and Extend Chamfered Objects By default, objects are trimmed when chamfered, but you can use the Trim option to specify that they remain untrimmed. Chamfer by Specify Length and Angle You can chamfer two objects by specifying where on the first selected object the chamfer line starts, and then the angle the chamfer line forms with this object. In this example, you chamfer two lines so that the chamfer line starts 1.
Chamfer an Entire Polyline When you chamfer an entire polyline, each intersection is chamfered. For best results, keep the first and second chamfer distances equal. In this example, the chamfer distances are set to equal values. When you chamfer an entire polyline, only the segments that are long enough to accommodate the chamfer distance are chamfered. The polyline in the following illustration has some segments too short to be chamfered.
To chamfer two nonparallel line segments 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Chamfer. 2 Select the first line. 3 Select the second line. To chamfer by specifying chamfer length and angle 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Chamfer. 2 Enter a (Angle). 3 Enter the distance from the corner to be chamfered along the first line. 4 Enter the chamfer angle. 5 Select the first line. Then select the second line. To chamfer without trimming 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Chamfer. 2 Enter t (Trim Control).
4 Select the second line. The main prompt is displayed again. 5 Select the first line for the next chamfer, or press Enter or Esc to end the command. Quick Reference CHAMFER Bevels the edges of objects. CHAMFERA Sets the first chamfer distance when CHAMMODE is set to 0. CHAMFERB Sets the second chamfer distance when CHAMMODE is set to 0. CHAMFERC Sets the chamfer length when CHAMMODE is set to 1. CHAMFERD Sets the chamfer angle when CHAMMODE is set to 1.
To break an object without creating a gap, specify both break points at the same location. The fastest way to do this is to enter @0,0 at the prompt for the second point. You can create breaks in most geometric objects except ■ Blocks ■ Dimensions ■ Mlines ■ Regions Join Objects Use JOIN to combine similar objects into a single object. You can also create complete circles and ellipses from arcs and elliptical arcs.
■ Modify Complex Objects on page 785 To break an object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Break. 2 Select the object to break. By default, the point at which you select the object is the first break point. To select a different pair of break points, enter f (First) and specify the first break point. 3 Specify the second break point. To break an object without creating a gap, enter @0,0 to specify the previous point. To join objects 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Join.
Disassociate Compound Objects (Explode) You can convert a compound object, such as a polyline, dimension, hatch, or block reference, into individual elements. You can explode a compound object, such as a polyline, dimension, hatch, or block reference, to convert it into individual elements. For example, exploding a polyline breaks it down to simple lines and arcs. Exploding a block reference or an associative dimension replaces it with copies of the objects that compose the block or dimension.
Quick Reference EXPLODE Breaks a compound object into its component objects. XPLODE Breaks a compound object into its component objects. DIMASSOC Controls the associativity of dimension objects and whether dimensions are exploded. EXPLMODE Controls whether the EXPLODE command supports nonuniformly scaled (NUS) blocks. Modify Polylines Change the shape and display of polyline objects with polyline editing options. You can also join separate polylines.
NOTE Multi-functional grips also support the standard Grip modes (Stretch, Move, Rotate, Scale, and Mirror). For information on working with multi-functional grips, see Modify Objects with Multi-Functional Grips on page 735.
You can modify the width of individual segments with the Properties palette. Changing any other property for a polyline segment affects the entire polyline. Modify Polylines with Coincident Grips Coincident grips are grips that are shared between multiple objects. When polyline objects sharing the same grip are selected together, multi-functional grip-editing options are not supported for the coincident grip.
■ Trim or Extend Objects on page 763 ■ Break and Join Objects on page 783 To modify a polyline 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Edit Polyline. 2 Select the polyline to modify. NOTE To select a single arc or line segment, press Ctrl while clicking the segment. 3 If the selected object is a spline, line, or an arc, the following prompt is displayed: Object selected is not a polyline.
■ Enter d (Decurve) to remove extra vertices inserted by a fit or spline curve and to straighten all segments of the polyline. ■ Enter L (Ltype Gen) to generate the linetype in a continuous pattern through the vertices of the polyline. ■ Enter r (Reverse) to reverse the order of vertices of the polyline. ■ Enter u (Undo) to reverse actions back to the start of PEDIT. 5 Enter x (Exit) to end a command option. Press Enter to exit the PEDIT command.
The first vertex is marked with an X. Use the Next option to move the X to the vertex preceding the one that you want to delete. 4 Enter s (Straighten). 5 Use the Next option to move the X to the vertex immediately following the one that you want to delete. 6 Enter g (Go). The vertex on the polyline is deleted. The vertices on either side of the deleted vertex are joined by a straight polyline segment. 7 Enter x (Exit) to end editing vertices. 8 Press Enter to end the command.
REVERSE Reverses the vertices of selected lines, polylines, splines, and helixes, which is useful for linetypes with included text, or wide polylines with differing beginning and ending widths. GRIPS Controls the color of selected grips. GRIPMULTIFUNCTIONAL Specifies the access methods to multi-functional grips. GRIPSUBOBJMODE Controls whether grips are automatically made hot when subobjects are selected. PEDITACCEPT Suppresses display of the Object Selected Is Not a Polyline prompt in PEDIT.
SURFV Sets the surface density for PEDIT Smooth in the N direction and the V isolines density on surface objects. Modify Splines See also: ■ Draw Splines on page 679 ■ Break and Join Objects on page 783 ■ Create Solids and Surfaces from Lines and Curves on page 966 ■ Edit NURBS Surfaces on page 1155 ■ Rebuild NURBS Surfaces and Curves on page 1157 Modify splines with multi-functional grips or with SPLINEDIT. Spline editing options are available through both multi-functional grips and SPLINEDIT.
In general, editing a spline with CVs allows you to reshape a small area of the curve, while editing the spline with fit points allows you to reshape the entire curve. Depending on the degree of the curve, the spline only changes through a given set of CVs and you can add more CVs to obtain greater control for a given area of the spline (the refine option). Mathematically, fit points affect the entire spline and force the curve to pass through specific points.
Many of the same commands used with NURBS surfaces, can also be used with CV splines. These include: ■ CVADD ■ CVREMOVE ■ CVREBUILD ■ CVSHOW ■ CVHIDE For more information, see Create Solids and Surfaces from Lines and Curves on page 966. NOTE Because periodic curves on page 2174 and surfaces on page 2174 are not currently supported, the objects may kink if they are reshaped. To convert a spline to a polyline 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Edit Spline. 2 Select the spline to convert.
CVREMOVE Removes control vertices from NURBS surfaces and curves. JOIN Joins similar objects to form a single, unbroken object. SPLINE Creates a smooth curve that passes through fit points or near control vertices. SPLINEDIT Edits a spline or spline-fit polyline. REVERSE Reverses the vertices of selected lines, polylines, splines, and helixes, which is useful for linetypes with included text, or wide polylines with differing beginning and ending widths.
When you use a grip to change the base radius of a helix, the top radius scales to maintain the current ratio. Use the Properties palette to change the base radius independent of the top radius. You can use the Properties palette to change other helix properties, such as ■ Number of turns (Turns) ■ Turn height ■ Direction of the twist — clockwise (CW) or counterclockwise (CCW) With the Constrain property, you can specify that the Height, Turns, or Turn Height properties of the helix are constrained.
Quick Reference HELIX Creates a 2D spiral or 3D spring. Modify Multilines Multiline objects are composed of 1 to 16 parallel lines, called elements. To modify multilines or their elements, you can use common editing commands, a multiline editing command, and multiline styles.
Edit Multiline Styles You can use MLSTYLE to edit multiline styles to change the properties of multiline elements or the end caps and background fill of subsequently created multilines. Multiline styles control the number of line elements in a multiline and the color, linetype, lineweight, and offset of each element. You can also modify the display of joints, end caps, and background fill.
To delete a vertex from a multiline 1 Click Modify menu ➤ Object ➤ Multiline. 2 In the Multiline Edit Tools dialog box, select Delete Vertex. 3 In the drawing, specify the vertex to delete. Press Enter. To create a closed cross intersection 1 Click Modify menu ➤ Object ➤ Multiline. 2 In the Multiline Edit Tools dialog box, select Closed Cross. 3 Select the multiline for the foreground. 4 Select the multiline for the background. The intersection is modified.
MLSTYLE Creates, modifies, and manages multiline styles.
Add Constraints to Geometry 20 With parametric drawing, you can add constraints to geometry to ensure that the design conforms to specified requirements. Overview of Constraints Parametric drawing is a technology that is used for designing with constraints. Constraints are associations and restrictions applied to 2D geometry.
In the design phase of a project, constraints provide a way to enforce requirements when experimenting with different designs or when making changes. Changes made to objects can adjust other objects automatically, and restrict changes to distance and angle values.
Thus, there are two general methods for designing with constraints: ■ You can work in an underconstrained drawing and make changes as you go, using a combination of editing commands, grips, and adding or changing constraints. ■ You can create and fully constrain a drawing first, and then control the design exclusively by relaxing and replacing geometric constraints, and changing the values in dimensional constraints.
Remove or Relax Constraints There are two ways to cancel the effects of constraints when you need to make design changes: ■ Delete the constraints individually and later apply new constraints. While the cursor hovers over a geometric constraint icon, you can use the Delete key or the shortcut menu to delete the constraint. ■ Relax the constraints temporarily on selected objects to make the changes.
DIMCONSTRAINT Applies dimensional constraints to selected objects or points on objects, or converts associative dimensions to dimensional constraints. GEOMCONSTRAINT Displays or hides the geometric constraints on an object. LIST Displays property data for selected objects. PARAMETERS Controls the associative parameters used in the drawing. -PARAMETERS Controls the associative parameters used in the drawing. PARAMETERSCLOSE Closes the Parameters Manager palette.
DIMCONSTRAINTICON Displays the lock icon next to the text for dimensional constraints. DYNCONSTRAINTMODE Displays hidden dimensional constraints when constrained objects are selected. PARAMETERCOPYMODE Controls how constraints and referenced user parameters are handled when constrained objects are copied between drawings, Model space and layouts, and block definitions. PARAMETERSSTATUS Indicates whether the Parameters Manager is displayed or hidden.
NOTE The locked geometry is not associated to the other geometry without geometric constraints linked to it. The geometry is not fully constrained, however. Using grips, you can still change the radius of the arc, the diameter of the circle, the length of the horizontal line, and the length of the vertical lines. To specify these distances, you need to apply dimensional constraints. NOTE Constraints can be added to segments within a polyline as if they were separate objects.
LIST Displays property data for selected objects. CONSTRAINTBARMODE Controls the display of geometrical constraints on constraint bars. CONSTRAINTBARDISPLAY Controls the display of constraint bars after you apply constraints and when you select geometrically constrained drawings. CONSTRAINTNAMEFORMAT Controls the text format for dimensional constraints. CONSTRAINTRELAX Indicates whether constraints are enforced or relaxed when editing an object.
When you apply a constraint, two things occur: ■ The object that you select adjusts automatically to conform to the specified constraint ■ By default, a gray constraint icon displays near the constrained object as shown in the previous illustration, and a small blue glyph displays with your cursor when you move it over a constrained object Once applied, constraints permit only those changes to the geometry that do not violate the constraints.
You use this glyph to confirm whether you are specifying the intended point to constrain. The fix, horizontal, and vertical constraint icons indicate whether the constraints are applied to an object or a point. Constraint Point Object Fix Horizontal Vertical The symmetric constraint icons indicate whether it identifying a symmetrical point or object, or the symmetrical line.
Use Fix Constraints A fix constraint associates a constraint point on an object, or the object itself with a fixed location with respect to the World Coordinate System. It is often advisable to specify a fix constraint at an important geometric feature. This locks the location of that point or object, and prevents geometry from relocating when you make changes to the design. When you fix an object, the angle of a line, or the center of an arc or circle is also fixed.
To fully constrain the size and proportions of a design, you will later need to apply dimensional constraints. Remove Geometric Constraints A geometric constraint cannot be modified, but you can delete it and apply a different one. Several constraint options, including Delete, are available from the shortcut menu that is displayed when you right-click a constraint icon in the drawing. You can delete all constraints from a selection set in a single operation with DELCONSTRAINT.
GCCONCENTRIC Constrains two arcs, circles, or ellipses to the same center point. GCEQUAL Resizes selected arcs and circles to the same radius, or selected lines to the same length. GCFIX Locks points and curves in position. GCHORIZONTAL Causes lines or pairs of points to lie parallel to the X axis of the current coordinate system. GCPARALLEL Causes selected lines to lie parallel to each other. GCPERPENDICULAR Causes selected lines to lie 90 degrees to one another.
CONSTRAINTBARDISPLAY Controls the display of constraint bars after you apply constraints and when you select geometrically constrained drawings. CONSTRAINTNAMEFORMAT Controls the text format for dimensional constraints. CONSTRAINTRELAX Indicates whether constraints are enforced or relaxed when editing an object. CONSTRAINTSOLVEMODE Controls constraint behavior when applying or editing constraints.
■ When you roll over an object that has geometric constraints applied to it, all constraint bars that are associated with the object are highlighted. These highlighting features simplify working with constraints especially when you have many constraints applied throughout a drawing. Control the Display of Constraint Bars Geometric constraints and constraint bars can be displayed or hidden, either individually or globally.
You can set the constraint bars to automatically and temporarily display when the constrained geometry is selected. When the geometry is no longer selected, the temporarily displayed constraint bars are hidden. Hiding geometric constraints is useful when you analyze a design and want to filter the display of geometric constraints. For example, you can choose to display the icons for Parallel constraints only. Next, you might choose to display the icons for Perpendicular constraints only.
To hide all geometric constraints ➤ Click Parametric tab ➤ Geometric panel ➤ Hide All. To change the constraint bar settings using the constraint bar shortcut menu 1 Select a constrained object. 2 Ensure that the constraint bar is visible for the selected object. 3 Right-click the constraint bar, and click Constraint Bar Settings. 4 In the Constraint Settings dialog box, on the Geometric tab, select or clear the appropriate check boxes.
CONSTRAINTRELAX Indicates whether constraints are enforced or relaxed when editing an object. CONSTRAINTSOLVEMODE Controls constraint behavior when applying or editing constraints. Modify Objects with Geometric Constraints Applied You can edit constrained geometric objects with grips, editing commands, or by relaxing or applying geometric constraints. By definition, geometric constraints that are applied to geometric objects limit the editing actions that you perform on the objects.
The CONSTRAINTSOLVEMODE system variable determines the way an object behaves when constraints are applied or when grips are used to edit it. BEST PRACTICE You can limit unexpected changes by applying additional geometric or dimensional constraints. Common choices include coincident and fix constraints. Modify Constrained Objects with Editing Commands You can use editing commands such as MOVE, COPY, ROTATE, SCALE, and STRETCH to modify constrained geometry.
The grips are displayed in red to show that the object is selected. 3 Click the grip. 4 Press and release the Ctrl key. 5 Move the object. The object moves freely as it is no longer constrained. Constraint bars will no longer be displayed (if enabled) for the object, as the constraints are turned off. To delete a geometric constraint 1 Select a constrained object. 2 Ensure that the constraint bar is visible for the selected object. 3 Right-click the constraint bar. Click Delete.
CONSTRAINTBARMODE Controls the display of geometrical constraints on constraint bars. CONSTRAINTBARDISPLAY Controls the display of constraint bars after you apply constraints and when you select geometrically constrained drawings. CONSTRAINTNAMEFORMAT Controls the text format for dimensional constraints. CONSTRAINTRELAX Indicates whether constraints are enforced or relaxed when editing an object. CONSTRAINTSOLVEMODE Controls constraint behavior when applying or editing constraints.
■ Collinear Infer Constraints with Line and Polyline Certain object creation and editing commands can infer constraints regardless of the current object snap settings. LINE and PLINE commands infer coincident point-to-point constraints. The Close option infers a coincident constraint between the start point of the first line and the endpoint of the last line.
For example, if a line is stretched and snapped to an endpoint of another line, a coincident constraint is applied between the endpoints of the two lines. A vertical or horizontal constraint can be applied between objects when you move, copy, or stretch an object from a valid constraint point while object tracking vertically or horizontally along a valid constraint point on another object.
PLINE Creates a 2D polyline. RECTANG Creates a rectangular polyline. CONSTRAINTINFER Controls whether the geometric constraints are inferred while drawing and editing geometry. Constrain Distances and Angles between Objects You can control distances or angles between 2D geometric objects or points on objects applying dimensional constraints and specifying values. You can also constrain geometry with variables and equations.
If you change the value of a dimensional constraint, all the constraints on the object are evaluated, and the objects that are affected are updated automatically. Also, constraints can be added directly to segments within a polyline as if they were separate objects. NOTE The number of decimal places displayed in dimensional constraints is controlled by the LUPREC and AUPREC system variables.
For more information about using variables and equations with constraints, see Constrain a Design with Formulas and Equations on page 840 See also: ■ Overview of Geometric Constraints on page 808 Quick Reference DCDISPLAY Displays or hides the dynamic constraints associated with a selection set of objects. DELCONSTRAINT Removes all geometric and dimensional constraints from a selection set of objects.
PARAMETERSCLOSE Closes the Parameters Manager palette. TEXTEDIT Edits a dimensional constraint, dimension, or text object. CCONSTRAINTFORM Controls whether annotational or dynamic constraints are applied to objects. CONSTRAINTNAMEFORMAT Controls the text format for dimensional constraints. CONSTRAINTRELAX Indicates whether constraints are enforced or relaxed when editing an object. CONSTRAINTSOLVEMODE Controls constraint behavior when applying or editing constraints.
When you apply a dimensional constraint to an object, a constraint variable is automatically created for maintaining the constraint value. By default, these are assigned names such as d1 or dia1, but you can rename them in the Parameters Manager. Dimensional constraints can be created in one of the following forms: ■ Dynamic constraints ■ Annotational constraints The forms have different purposes. In addition, any dynamic or annotational constraint can be converted to a reference parameter.
Annotational Constraints Annotational constraints are useful when you want dimensional constraints to have the following characteristics: ■ Change their size when zooming in or out ■ Display individually with layers ■ Display using the current dimension style ■ Provide grip capabilities that are similar to those on dimensions ■ Display when the drawing is plotted NOTE To display the text used in annotational constraints in the same format as used in dimensions, set the CONSTRAINTNAMEFORMAT system
You can set the Reference property in the Properties palette to convert a dynamic or annotational constraint to a reference parameter. NOTE You cannot change a reference parameter back to a dimensional constraint if doing so would overconstrain the geometry. To convert associative dimensions to dimensional constraints 1 Click Parametric tab ➤ Dimensional panel ➤ Convert. 2 Select the associative dimensions you want to convert. 3 Press Enter.
DCFORM Specifies whether the dimensional constraint being created is dynamic or annotational. DCHORIZONTAL Constrains the X distance between points on an object, or between two points on different objects. DCLINEAR Creates a horizontal, vertical, or rotated constraint based on the locations of the extension line origins and the dimension line. DCRADIUS Constrains the radius of a circle or an arc. DCVERTICAL Constrains the Y distance between points on an object, or between two points on different objects.
CONSTRAINTNAMEFORMAT Controls the text format for dimensional constraints. CONSTRAINTRELAX Indicates whether constraints are enforced or relaxed when editing an object. CONSTRAINTSOLVEMODE Controls constraint behavior when applying or editing constraints. DIMCONSTRAINTICON Displays the lock icon next to the text for dimensional constraints. DYNCONSTRAINTMODE Displays hidden dimensional constraints when constrained objects are selected.
Display or Hide Annotational Constraints You control the display of annotational constraints as you would with dimension objects—you assign them to a layer and turn the layer on or off as needed. You can also specify object properties for annotational constraints such as dimension style, color, and lineweight. To display or hide dynamic dimensional constraints 1 Click Parametric tab ➤ Dimensional panel ➤ Show/Hide. 2 Select the constrained objects. 3 Press Enter. 4 Select one of following: ■ Show.
PARAMETERSCLOSE Closes the Parameters Manager palette. TEXTEDIT Edits a dimensional constraint, dimension, or text object. CONSTRAINTNAMEFORMAT Controls the text format for dimensional constraints. CONSTRAINTRELAX Indicates whether constraints are enforced or relaxed when editing an object. CONSTRAINTSOLVEMODE Controls constraint behavior when applying or editing constraints. DIMCONSTRAINTICON Displays the lock icon next to the text for dimensional constraints.
Edit Dimensional Constraint Names, Values, and Expressions You can edit the names, values, and expressions that are associated with dimensional constraints using in-place editing: ■ Double-click the dimensional constraint, select the dimensional constraint and use the shortcut menu, or the TEXTEDIT command.
Dynamic dimensional constraints are more limited than annotational dimensional constraints in where the text can be located. NOTE Triangular grips are not available for dimensional constraints that reference other constraint variables in expressions. For information about temporarily relaxing constraints, see Overview of Constraints on page 803. To grip-edit a dimensional constraint 1 Select a constrained object. 2 Click the grips and drag to edit the geometry.
2 Move your cursor over a grip. The grip color turns red. 3 Click the grip. 4 Press and release the Ctrl key. 5 Move the object to the desired location. The constraint is relaxed for the object, and you should be able to move it. To edit the dimensions using the Parameters Manager palette 1 Click Parametric tab ➤ Manage panel ➤ Parameters Manager. 2 Double-click the variable you want to edit. 3 Press Tab to navigate across the columns. 4 Change the values in the appropriate column.
PARAMETERS Controls the associative parameters used in the drawing. -PARAMETERS Controls the associative parameters used in the drawing. PARAMETERSCLOSE Closes the Parameters Manager palette. TEXTEDIT Edits a dimensional constraint, dimension, or text object. CONSTRAINTNAMEFORMAT Controls the text format for dimensional constraints. CONSTRAINTRELAX Indicates whether constraints are enforced or relaxed when editing an object.
Overview of Formulas and Equations Formulas and equations can be represented either as expressions within dimensional constraint parameters or by defining user variables. For example, the following illustration represents a design that constrains a circle to the center of the rectangle with an area equal to that of the rectangle. The Length and Width dimensional constraint parameters are set to constants. The d1 and d2 constraints are simple expressions that reference the Length and Width.
Protect Expressions in Dynamic Constraints When a dynamic dimensional constraint references one or more parameters, the prefix fx: is added to the name of the constraint. This prefix is displayed only in the drawing. Its purpose is to help you avoid accidentally overwriting parameters and formulas when the dimension name format is set to Value or Name, which suppresses the display of the parameters and formulas.
Use Operators in Expressions Dimensional constraint parameters and user variables support the following operators within expressions: Operator Description + Addition - Subtraction or unary negation % Floating point modulo * Multiplication / Division ^ Exponentiation () Parenthesis, expression delimiter . Decimal separator NOTE With imperial units, the Parameters Manager interprets a minus or a dash (-) as a unit separator rather than a subtraction operation.
Functions Supported in Expressions The following functions are available for use in expressions: Function Syntax Cosine cos(expression) Sine sin(expression) Tangent tan(expression) Arc cosine acos(expression) Arc sine asin(expression) Arc tangent atan(expression) Hyperbolic cosine cosh(expression) Hyperbolic sine sinh(expression) Hyperbolic tangent tanh(expression) Arc hyperbolic cosine acosh(expression) Arc hyperbolic sine asinh(expression) Arc hyperbolic tangent atanh(expression)
Function Syntax Absolute value abs(expression) Largest element in array max(expression1;expression2) Smallest element in array min(expression1;expression2) Degrees to radians d2r(expression) Radians to degrees r2d(expression) Logarithm, base e ln(expression) Logarithm, base 10 log(expression) Exponent, base e exp(expression) Exponent, base 10 exp10(expression) Power function pow(expression1;expression2) Random decimal, 0-1 Random In addition to these functions, the constants Pi and e
To include a function in an expression 1 Click Parametric tab ➤ Manage panel ➤ Parameters Manager. 2 Double-click the Expression column of the variable to which you want to add the function. 3 Right-click the Expression column, and click Expressions. 4 Select the function to insert it in the Expression column. To modify a user parameter 1 Click Parametric tab ➤ Manage panel ➤ Parameters Manager. 2 Double-click the columns of the variable you want to edit. 3 Change the values of the appropriate columns.
-PARAMETERS Controls the associative parameters used in the drawing. Organize Parameters into Groups Organize dimensional and user-defined parameters into groups, and control whether they are displayed in the Parameters Manager list. When many dimensional and user-defined parameters are defined in a drawing, it can be useful to use the Parameters Manager to create several parameter groups, and then assign the parameters to one or more of the groups with a simple drag and drop operation.
■ Delete a parameter group. Right-click the parameter group and choose Delete. To add or remove parameters to or from parameter groups 1 Click Parametric tab ➤ Manage panel ➤ Parameters Manager. 2 In the Parameters Manager, you can do the following: ■ Add parameters to any user-defined parameter group. Select the parameters that you want to add to a parameter group. Drag and drop the selected parameters into a parameter group in the filter tree. A parameter can belong to multiple groups.
Part 7: Define and Reference Blocks 849
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Work with Blocks 21 A block is one or more objects combined to create a single object. Blocks help you reuse objects in the same drawing or in other drawings. Overview of Blocks How Blocks Are Stored and Referenced Every drawing file has a block definition table that stores all block definitions, which consist of all information associated with the block. It is these block definitions that are referenced when you insert blocks in your drawing.
When you insert a block you are inserting a block reference. The information is not copied from the block definition to the drawing area. Instead, a link is established between the block reference and the block definition. Therefore, if the block definition is changed, all references are updated automatically. Use PURGE to remove unused block definitions from a drawing. Blocks and Layers A block can be composed of objects drawn on several layers with various colors, linetypes, and lineweight properties.
Insert Blocks When you insert a block, you create a block reference and specify its location, scale, and rotation. Scale Block References You can specify the scale of a block reference using different X, Y, and Z values. A block that uses different drawing units than the units specified for the drawing is automatically scaled by a factor equivalent to the ratio between the two units.
Xrefs contained in a drawing you insert may not be displayed properly unless the xref was previously inserted or attached to the destination drawing. Insert Blocks from Tool Palettes You can insert blocks from tool palettes by dragging the block tool into the drawing or by clicking the block tool and then specifying an insertion point. You can choose to be prompted for a rotation angle (starting from 0) when you click and place the block.
from block library drawings. A block library drawing contains block definitions of symbols with similar functions. These block definitions are stored together in a single drawing file for easy accessibility and management. Insert Blocks with DesignCenter Use DesignCenter to insert blocks from the current drawing or from another drawing. Drag and drop the block names for quick placement. Double-click the block names to specify the precise location, rotation, and scale of the blocks.
4 If you want the objects in the block to be inserted as individual objects instead of as a single block, select Explode. 5 Click OK. To insert a drawing file as a block by dragging 1 From Windows Explorer or any folder, drag the drawing file icon into the drawing area. When you release the button, you are prompted for an insertion point. 2 Specify the insertion point and scale and rotation values.
4 Select Specify On-Screen to use the pointing device to specify one or more of the following: ■ Insertion Point ■ Scale ■ Rotation 5 Click OK. 6 In the Properties palette, change the properties of the block (or dynamic block). Quick Reference ADCENTER Manages and inserts content such as blocks, xrefs, and hatch patterns. DIVIDE Creates evenly spaced point objects or blocks along the length or perimeter of an object. INSERT Inserts a block or drawing into the current drawing.
INSUNITSDEFTARGET Sets target drawing units value when INSUNITS is set to 0. Work with Dynamic Blocks in Drawings A dynamic block reference can be changed in a drawing while you work. Overview of Dynamic Blocks Dynamic block references contain grips or custom properties that change the way the reference is displayed in the drawing after it is inserted. For example, a dynamic block reference of a door can change size after you insert the block reference into your drawing.
Some dynamic blocks are defined so that geometry within the block can only be edited to certain sizes specified in the block definition. When you use a grip to edit the block reference, tick marks are displayed at the locations of valid values for the block reference. If you change a block property value to a value other than one specified in the definition, the parameter will adjust to the closest valid value.
The following table shows the different types of custom grips that can be included in a dynamic block.
Work With Lookup Grips A block reference that contains a lookup grip allows you to specify a preset value that changes the way the block reference is displayed. The new size is displayed in the Properties palette under Custom. Control Visibility of Block References A block definition can contain a visibility state grip, which determines several graphical representations of the same block reference.
Reset a Block to Display Default Geometry When you reset a block reference, the block changes back to the default specified in the block definition. For example, you can make a block dynamic again if you non-uniformly scale or explode a dynamic block reference. Quick Reference RESETBLOCK Resets one or more dynamic block references to the default values of the block definition. GRIPDYNCOLOR Controls the color of custom grips for dynamic blocks.
Quick Reference PARAMETERS Controls the associative parameters used in the drawing. Remove Block Definitions To reduce the size of a drawing, you can remove unused block definitions. You can remove a block reference from your drawing by erasing it; however, the block definition remains in the drawing's block definition table. To remove unused block definitions and decrease the drawing size, use PURGE at any time in your drawing session.
To confirm the purging of each item, respond to the prompt by choosing Yes or No, or Yes to All if more than one item is selected. 5 Select more items to purge, or click Close. Quick Reference PURGE Removes unused items, such as block definitions and layers, from the drawing.
Create and Modify Blocks 22 A block definition is a set of objects that are grouped together as one named object with a base point and unique properties. Define Blocks You create blocks by associating objects and giving them a name. Create Blocks Within a Drawing After you define a block in a drawing, you can insert a block reference in the drawing as many times as necessary. Use this method to create blocks quickly.
The illustration shows a typical sequence for creating a block definition within a drawing. You can also use the Block Editor to create blocks that are saved within a drawing. See also: ■ Overview of the Block Editor on page 904 To define a block for the current drawing 1 Create the objects you want to use in the block definition. 2 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Create. 3 In the Block Definition dialog box, enter a block name in the Name box. 4 Under Objects, select Convert to Block.
5 Click Select Objects. 6 Use your pointing device to select the objects to be included in the block definition. Press Enter to complete object selection. 7 In the Block Definition dialog box under Base Point, specify the block insertion point using one of these methods. ■ Click Pick Point to specify a point using the pointing device. ■ Enter the X,Y,Z coordinate values of the point. 8 In the Description box, enter a description for the block definition.
Create a New Drawing File You have two methods for creating drawing files: ■ Create and save a complete drawing file using SAVE or SAVEAS. ■ Create and save only selected objects from your current drawing to a new drawing using EXPORT or WBLOCK. With either method, you create an ordinary drawing file that can be inserted as a block into any other drawing file.
If you want the original objects used to create the new drawing to remain in your drawing, make sure the Delete From Drawing option is not selected. If this option is selected, the original objects are erased from the drawing. If necessary, you can use OOPS to restore them. 4 Click Select Objects. 5 Use your pointing device to select the objects to be included in the new drawing. Press Enter to complete object selection.
BLOCK Creates a block definition from selected objects. EXPORT Saves the objects in a drawing to a different file format. INSERT Inserts a block or drawing into the current drawing. OOPS Restores erased objects. WBLOCK Writes objects or a block to a new drawing file.
■ Objects inherit color, linetype, and lineweight properties from the current color, linetype, and lineweight that you have set explicitly, that is, that you have set to override the color, linetype, or lineweight assigned to the current layer. If you have not explicitly set them, then these properties are inherited from the color, linetype, and lineweight assigned to the current layer.
LINETYPE Loads, sets, and modifies linetypes. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Nest Blocks The only restriction on nested blocks is that you cannot insert blocks that reference themselves. You can apply geometric constraints and constraint parameters to nested objects in blocks. AutoCAD detects the nested entity or valid constraint point for the nested entity regardless of the nesting level of the object.
See also: ■ Add Constraints to Dynamic Blocks on page 912 Quick Reference BLOCK Creates a block definition from selected objects. Create Block Libraries A block library is a collection of block definitions stored in a single drawing file. You can use block libraries supplied by Autodesk or other vendors or create your own. You can organize a set of related block definitions by creating the blocks in the same drawing file. Drawing files used this way are called block, or symbol, libraries.
To create a block library drawing 1 Begin a new drawing. 2 Define a block. 3 Repeat step 2 for as many related block definitions as you want to make. 4 Save the drawing using a name appropriate for a library drawing. These blocks can be inserted into any drawing using DesignCenter (ADCENTER). Quick Reference BLOCK Creates a block definition from selected objects. Use Tool Palettes to Organize Blocks You can use tool palettes to organize blocks that are stored in one drawing file or separate drawing files.
be displayed when the block is inserted into your drawing. In the example on the right, the line of symmetry has been converted to a dashed line that will not display when the block is inserted into a drawing. You can add construction geometry (BCONSTRUCTION command) to the selection sets of legacy actions. The construction geometry is not affected by the visibility states. It is filtered from the selection set in the BVSTATE command when you add or remove geometry from a visibility state.
Overview of Block Attributes An attribute is a label or tag that attaches data to a block. Examples of data that might be contained in an attribute are part numbers, prices, comments, and owners' names. The tag is equivalent to a column name in a database table. The following illustration shows a block with four attributes: type, manufacturer, model, and cost. The attributes in the illustration are single-line attributes.
■ Modify the Data in Block Attributes on page 892 ■ Scale Annotations on page 1224 Quick Reference ATTDEF Creates an attribute definition for storing data in a block. ATTDISP Controls the visibility overrides for all block attributes in a drawing. ATTEDIT Changes attribute information in a block. ATTIPEDIT Changes the textual content of an attribute within a block. DDEDIT Edits single-line text, dimension text, attribute definitions, and feature control frames.
ATTREQ Controls whether INSERT uses default attribute settings during insertion of blocks. Define Block Attributes The characteristics include the tag, which is a name that identifies the attribute, the prompt displayed when you insert the block, value information, text formatting, location within the block, and any optional modes (Invisible, Constant, Verify, Preset, Lock Position, and Multiple Lines).
■ When a drawing is saved to AutoCAD 2007 or earlier, a multiple-line attribute is converted to several single-line attributes, one for every line of text in the original multiple-line attribute. If the drawing file is opened in the current release, these single line attributes are automatically merged back into a multiple-line attribute.
When you open a block definition in the Block Editor, you can use the Attribute Order dialog box to change the order in which you are prompted for attribute information when you insert the block reference. Use Attributes Without Attaching Them to Blocks Stand-alone attributes can also be created. Once attributes have been defined, and the drawing is saved, this drawing file can be inserted into another drawing. When the drawing is inserted, you are prompted for the attribute values.
To change the prompt order of attribute definitions 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Block Editor. 2 In the Block Editor, select a block attribute. 3 Right-click in the Block Editor drawing area. 4 Click Attribute Order. 5 In the Attribute Order dialog box, select an attribute definition. 6 Click Move Up or Move Down to change the prompt order of the attribute definitions. 7 Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the attribute definition list is in the desired order. 8 Click OK.
ATTMULTI Controls whether multiline attributes can be created. Extract Data from Block Attributes Extracting attribute information is an easy way to produce a schedule or bill of materials directly from your drawing data. For example, a facilities drawing might contain blocks representing office equipment. If each block has attributes identifying the model and manufacturer of the equipment, you can generate a report that estimates the cost of the equipment.
Quick Reference DATAEXTRACTION Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file. DXEVAL Controls when update notification displays for data extraction tables. Extract Block Attribute Data (Advanced) You can extract attribute information from a drawing and create a separate text file for use with database software. This feature is useful for creating parts lists with information already entered in the drawing database.
to the attribute extraction file, including the name of the field, its character width, and its numerical precision. Each record in the attribute extraction file includes all the specified fields in the order given by the template file. The following template file includes the 15 possible fields.
Field (C)haracter or (N)umeric data Maximum field length Decimal places Block name C 040 000 Manufacturer C 006 000 Model C 015 000 Cost N 006 002 You can create any number of template files, depending on how you'll use the data. Each line of a template file specifies one field to be written in the attribute extraction file. Follow these additional guidelines: ■ Be sure to place a space between the attribute tag and the character or numeric data.
NOTE The format code for a numeric field includes the decimal point in the total field width. For example, the minimum field width to accommodate the number 249.95 would be 6 and would be represented as N006002. Character fields do not use the last three digits of the format code.
By default, character fields are enclosed with single quotes (apostrophes). The default field delimiter is a comma. The following two template records can be used to override these defaults: C:QUOTE c (Character string delimiter) C:DELIM c (Field delimiter) The first nonblank character following the C:QUOTE or C:DELIM field name becomes the respective delimiter character.
reference that is part of (nested within) another block has a nesting level of 2, and so on. For a nested block reference, the X,Y, Z coordinate values, scale factors, extrusion direction, and rotation angle reflect the actual location, size, orientation, and rotation of the nested block in the world coordinate system. In some complex cases, nested block references cannot be correctly represented with only two scale factors and a rotation angle, for example, if a nested block reference is rotated in 3D.
3 Specify the objects to extract attributes from by choosing Select Objects. You can select a single block or multiple blocks in the drawing. 4 Specify the attribute template file to use by entering the file name or by choosing Template File and browsing. 5 Specify the output attribute information file by entering the file name or by choosing Output File and browsing. 6 Click OK. Quick Reference ATTEXT Extracts attribute data, informational text associated with a block, into a file.
Modify a Block Definition in the Current Drawing To modify a block definition, follow the procedure to create a new block definition, but enter the name of the existing block definition. This replaces the existing block definition, and all the references to that block in the drawing are immediately updated to reflect the new definition. To save time, you can insert and explode an instance of the original block and then use the resulting objects in creating the new block definition.
■ Variable attributes remain unchanged, even if the new block definition has no attributes. ■ New attributes do not appear in the existing block references. See also: ■ Attach Data to Blocks (Block Attributes) on page 875 ■ Modify Dynamic Block Definitions on page 910 To modify an existing block definition 1 Select the block to modify. 2 Right-click the block and click Properties on the shortcut menu.
5 In the Block - Redefine Block dialog box, click Redefine Block. Quick Reference BLOCK Creates a block definition from selected objects. EXPLODE Breaks a compound object into its component objects. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects.
2 Select the block to edit. 3 In the Edit Attributes dialog box, retype the attribute information as necessary and click OK. Quick Reference ATTEDIT Changes attribute information in a block. ATTIPEDIT Changes the textual content of an attribute within a block. ATTSYNC Updates block references with new and changed attributes from a specified block definition. BATTMAN Manages the attributes for a selected block definition. EATTEDIT Edits attributes in a block reference.
By default, attribute changes you make are applied to all existing block references in the current drawing. Changing the attribute properties of existing block references does not affect the values assigned to those blocks. For example, in a block containing an attribute whose tag is Cost and value is 19.99, the 19.99 value is unaffected if you change the tag from Cost to Unit Cost. Updating attributes with duplicate tag names can lead to unpredictable results.
Edit Attributes in a Block Reference You can select an attribute in a block reference and use the Properties palette to change its properties, or you can use the Enhanced Attribute Editor to modify all the attributes in a selected block reference. See also: ■ Define Block Attributes on page 878 ■ Modify a Block Definition on page 889 To edit attributes assigned to a block definition 1 Click Home tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Manage Attributes.
To highlight duplicate attribute tags in a block 1 Click Home tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Manage Attributes. 2 In the Block Attribute Manager, click Settings. 3 In the Settings dialog box, select Emphasize Duplicate Tags. 4 Click OK. To change the prompt order for attribute values 1 Click Home tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Manage Attributes. 2 In the Block Attribute Manager, select a block from the Block list, or click Select Block and select a block in the drawing area.
To update existing block references with attributes you have modified 1 Click Home tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Manage Attributes. 2 In the Block Attribute Manager, select a block from the Block list, or click Select Block and select a block in the drawing area. 3 Click Sync to update attributes you have changed in all block references for the selected block. To update the attributes in block references for a selected block definition 1 Click Home tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Synchronize Attributes.
■ Click OK to save your changes and close the Enhanced Attribute Editor. ■ Click Select Block to edit the attributes of a different block. If you made changes to the current block, but have not saved them, you are prompted to do so before selecting a new block. Quick Reference ATTIPEDIT Changes the textual content of an attribute within a block. ATTSYNC Updates block references with new and changed attributes from a specified block definition.
When you explode a block reference, the block reference is disassembled into its component objects; however, the block definition still exists in the drawing for insertion later. You can automatically explode block references as you insert them by selecting the Explode option in the Insert dialog box. To control properties while you explode an object 1 Enter xplode. 2 Select the objects to be exploded.
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Add Behaviors to Blocks (Dynamic Blocks) 23 Instead of being a fixed part of a drawing, a dynamic block reference can be changed or manipulated as you work in a drawing. Overview of Dynamic Blocks Dynamic block definitions allow you to edit a block reference outside of the Block Editor. They contain rules, or parameters, for how to change the appearance of the block reference when it is inserted in the drawing. A dynamic block reference inserts one block that can be edited in several different ways.
Add Actions and Parameters to Block Definitions In a block definition, actions and parameters provide rules for the behavior or a block once it is inserted into the drawing. Depending on the specified block geometry, or parameter, you can associate an action to that parameter. The parameter is represented as a grip in the drawing. When you edit the grip, the associated action determines what will change in the block reference.
Add actions. If you are working with action parameters on page 925, if necessary, add actions to define what ----will happen to the geometry when it is manipulated. Define custom properties. Add properties that determine how the block is ----- displayed in the drawing area. Custom properties affect grips, labels, and preset values for block geometry. Test the block. On the ribbon, in the Block Editor contextual tab, ----- Open/Save panel, click Test Block to test the block before you save it.
Overview of the Block Editor In the Block Editor, you can ■ Define a block ■ Add a geometric or dimensional constraint ■ Add an action parameter ■ Define attributes ■ Manage visibility states ■ Test and save the block definition UCS in the Block Editor Within the Block Editor, the origin of the UCS icon defines the base point for the block. You can change the base point for the block by moving the geometry relative to the origin of the UCS icon, or by adding a base point parameter.
■ Select if the drawing is the block definition you want to open. 3 Click OK. To create a new block definition in the Block Editor 1 Click Home tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Create. 2 In the Edit Block Definition dialog box, enter a name for the new block definition. Click OK. 3 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Open/Save panel ➤ Save Block. NOTE This saves the block definition even if you have not added any objects in the Block Editor drawing area. 4 Click Close Block Editor.
To view properties of a block definition in the Block Editor 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Edit. 2 In the Edit Block Definition dialog box, do one of the following: ■ Select a block definition from the list. ■ Select if the drawing is the block definition you want to open. 3 Click OK. 4 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Properties. 5 In the Properties Palette window, under Block, view the properties of the block definition. Quick Reference BCLOSE Closes the Block Editor.
Similar to tool palettes, you can also use these palettes to add parameters and actions to your dynamic block definition. Change Properties of Tools In the Tool Properties dialog box, you can change the following properties of custom tools: ■ Tool description ■ Parameter type ■ Associated action(s) ■ Key point on the parameter to which the action is tied (if applicable) ■ Tool palette image NOTE You cannot drag parameters and actions from the Block Editor onto a regular tool palette.
To make a copy of a parameter set 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Block Editor. 2 In the Edit Block Definition dialog box, Under Block To Create or Edit, select a name from the list and then, click OK. 3 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Manage panel ➤ Authoring Palettes. 4 In the Block Authoring Palettes window, Parameters Sets tab, right-click a parameter set. Click Copy. 5 Right-click anywhere on the palette to which you want to add the parameter set (except on a parameter set). Click Paste.
Quick Reference BAUTHORPALETTE Opens the Block Authoring Palettes window in the Block Editor. BAUTHORPALETTECLOSE Closes the Block Authoring Palettes window in the Block Editor. BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor. TOOLPALETTES Opens the Tool Palettes window. BLOCKEDITOR Indicates whether or not the Block Editor is open. Test Blocks Within the Block Editor Test your block definition before you save or exit the Block Editor.
Modify Dynamic Block Definitions Correct Errors in Action Parameters A yellow alert icon is displayed when ■ A parameter is not associated with an action ■ An action is not associated with a parameter or selection set To correct these errors, hover over the yellow alert icon until the tooltip displays a description of the problem. Then double-click the constraint and follow the prompts.
To save the current block definition as a new drawing file 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Block Editor. 2 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Open/Save panel ➤ Save Block As. 3 In the Save Block As dialog box, enter a name for the new block definition. 4 Select the Save Block Definition to Drawing File check box. Click OK. 5 In the Browse For Drawing File dialog box, click Save. Quick Reference BACTION Adds an action to a dynamic block definition. BACTIONTOOL Adds an action to a dynamic block definition.
BLOOKUPTABLE Displays or creates a lookup table for a dynamic block definition. BSAVE Saves the current block definition. BSAVEAS Saves a copy of the current block definition under a new name. BVSTATE Creates, sets, or deletes a visibility state in a dynamic block. Add Constraints to Dynamic Blocks You can add geometric and dimensional constraints to a dynamic block.
The above block definition contains both a linear constraint and a horizontal constraint parameter. The horizontal constraint parameter includes a grip, while the linear constraint does not. The horizontal constraint parameter is also dynamic, while the linear constraint is not.
BCONSTATUSMODE Turns the constraint display status on and off and controls the shading of objects based on their constraint level. Define User Parameters in Dynamic Blocks You can control the geometry of constraint parameters with mathematical expressions. While you can insert both user variables and user parameters in the Block Editor, only user parameters are displayed as editable custom properties for a block reference. There are several types of user parameters.
Quick Reference BCPARAMETER Applies constraint parameters to selected objects, or converts dimensional constraints to parameter constraints. BTABLE Displays a dialog box to define variations of a block. DIMCONSTRAINT Applies dimensional constraints to selected objects or points on objects, or converts associative dimensions to dimensional constraints. BCONSTATUSMODE Turns the constraint display status on and off and controls the shading of objects based on their constraint level.
■ Show or Hide Information ■ Display Order ■ Description For more information on the Parameters Manager in the Block Editor, see Parameters Manager - Block Editor. To display or hide additional columns in the Parameters Manager ■ In the Parameters Manager, right-click a column header and select or de-select a column name. Quick Reference PARAMETERS Controls the associative parameters used in the drawing. PARAMETERSCLOSE Closes the Parameters Manager palette.
A table can include any of the following parameters and properties: ■ Action parameters ■ User parameters ■ Constraint parameters ■ Attributes NOTE Only one table is allowed in the block definition. You can restrict the property set for block references to only values defined by one of the rows of the table. You can also change individual properties of the reference so that the property set no longer matches one of the defined rows.
4 In the Add Parameter Properties dialog box, under the Parameter Properties list, select the parameter properties you want to add to the block table. Hold Ctrl to select more than one property. 5 Click OK. To check for errors in a block properties table 1 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Dimensional panel ➤ Block Table. 2 In the Block Properties Table dialog box, click Audit.
Work with Fully Constrained Block Definitions You can identify fully constrained objects with the constrained status mode in the Block Editor. The BCONSTATUSMODE system variable allows you to switch between the constrained status modes. You can also use the ribbon to switch between modes while in the Block Editor. The constrained geometry is represented with different colors. For more information see the Block Editor Settings dialog box.
4 Click OK. Quick Reference BESETTINGS Displays the Block Editor Settings dialog box. BCONSTATUSMODE Turns the constraint display status on and off and controls the shading of objects based on their constraint level. Add Action Parameters to Dynamic Blocks You can add actions and parameters to dynamic blocks to determine how a block should behave when it is inserted into a drawing.
Hover the cursor over an action icon to display ■ The associated parameter ■ The associated selection set ■ Additional objects that belong to the action NOTE In order to use the BASSOCIATE command, you must first set BACTIONBARMODE to 0. Custom Tools You can create custom block authoring tools, which you access from the block authoring palettes. In order to preserve the default tools on the block authoring palettes, you should create a new palette for custom block authoring tools.
Dependencies When you select a parameter, grip, or action in the Block Editor, its associated objects are highlighted. This is called dependency highlighting. You can turn dependency highlighting on or off. The following example shows how dependency highlighting creates a halo effect for the associated parameter (labeled Distance) and action (labeled Stretch) when you select the custom grip in the Block Editor.
3 At the Command prompt, enter bactioncolor. 4 Enter one of the following values: ■ BYLAYER ■ BYBLOCK ■ An integer from 1 to 255. ■ A true color specified by three integers each ranging from 1 to 255 in the following format: RGB:000,000,000. 5 Press Enter. 6 At the Command prompt, enter regen to regenerate the drawing. Quick Reference BACTIONBAR Displays or hides action bars for a selection set of parameter objects. BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor.
BGRIPOBJCOLOR Sets the color of grips in the Block Editor. BGRIPOBJSIZE Sets the display size of custom grips in the Block Editor relative to the screen display. BPARAMETERCOLOR Sets the color of parameters in the Block Editor. BPARAMETERFONT Sets the font used for parameters and actions in the Block Editor. BPARAMETERSIZE Sets the size of parameter text and features in the Block Editor relative to the screen display.
See also: ■ Specify Value Sets for Dynamic Blocks on page 944 ■ Specify Properties for Dynamic Blocks on page 939 ■ Extract Data from Block Attributes on page 882 ■ Extract Block Attribute Data (Advanced) on page 883 Quick Reference BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor. BPARAMETER Adds a parameter with grips to a dynamic block definition. BSAVE Saves the current block definition.
When you move the grip in the example above, only the geometry in the selection set is stretched. Quick Reference BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor. BACTION Adds an action to a dynamic block definition. BACTIONSET Specifies the selection set of objects associated with an action in a dynamic block definition. BASSOCIATE Associates an action with a parameter in a dynamic block definition. BLOOKUPTABLE Displays or creates a lookup table for a dynamic block definition.
Apply a Move Action to a Linear Parameter A move action associated with a linear parameter moves all objects in a selection set only in the direction of the linear parameter. The parameter key point is the location of the grip in the block reference. Apply a Move Action to a Polar Parameter A move action associated with a polar parameter moves all objects in a selection set in any direction.
Apply a Scale Action to a Linear Parameter A scale action applied to a linear parameter scales the selected objects in the direction of the parameter. Apply a Scale Action to a Polar Parameter A scale action applied to a polar parameter scales the selected objects by the specified distance and angle. While the resulting geometry behaves in the same way as a scale action applied to a linear parameter, the way the grips are manipulated is different in the Properties palette.
Stretch Actions Move and stretch objects a specified distance in a specified direction relative to the base point specified by the action. Apply a Stretch Action to a Point Parameter A stretch action applied to a point parameter moves and stretches selected objects a specified distance in any direction. Apply a Stretch Action to a Linear or Polar Parameter A stretch action applied to a linear parameter moves and stretches selected objects a specified distance in the direction of the parameter.
Polar Stretch Actions Rotate, move, and stretch objects a specified angle and distance. Apply a Polar Stretch Action to a Polar Parameter A polar stretch action can only be applied to a polar parameter. Like the stretch action, selected objects stretch when this action is applied. However, a polar stretch action also allows you to stretch the objects at any angle. Quick Reference BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor. BACTION Adds an action to a dynamic block definition.
Quick Reference BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor. BACTION Adds an action to a dynamic block definition. BACTIONSET Specifies the selection set of objects associated with an action in a dynamic block definition. BASSOCIATE Associates an action with a parameter in a dynamic block definition. BLOOKUPTABLE Displays or creates a lookup table for a dynamic block definition. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects.
BASSOCIATE Associates an action with a parameter in a dynamic block definition. BLOOKUPTABLE Displays or creates a lookup table for a dynamic block definition. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Array Actions Copy and array objects in a rectangular pattern. Apply an Array Action to a Linear Parameter An array action applied to a linear parameter copies and arrays selected objects in a rectangular pattern along the parameter only.
BASSOCIATE Associates an action with a parameter in a dynamic block definition. BLOOKUPTABLE Displays or creates a lookup table for a dynamic block definition. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Lookup Actions Lookup tables associate parameter values for the dynamic block reference with other specified data (for example, a model or part number). You can extract data from block references just as you would extract block attribute data.
To add values to the cells in each column, click a cell and enter a value. If you defined a value set for an input property (parameter) in the table, a drop-down list of available values will display. Make sure to follow the guidelines in Specify Values for Lookup Tables on page 934. Custom Values In a lookup table that does not use value sets, parameter values that do not match a row of input property values from the lookup table are assigned the lookup property value that corresponds to .
■ To specify a range, use brackets [ ] to specify that the range includes the values separated by a comma, or use parentheses ( ) to specify that the range does not include the values separated by a comma. ■ For a continuous range, use a pair of values separated by a comma, enclosed in brackets or parentheses. For example: [3,10] specifies any value between 3 and 10, including 3 and 10 (3,10) specifies any value between 3 and 10, not including 3 and 10.
7 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Open/Save panel ➤ Save Block. 8 If you are finished using the Block Editor, click Close Block Editor. To edit a lookup table while the action bars are displayed in the Block Editor 1 Hover the cursor over the lookup action icon. 2 Right-click and select Display Lookup Table. To display and add properties to a lookup table 1 In the Block Editor, double-click a lookup action in a dynamic block definition. 2 In the Property Lookup Table dialog box, click Add Properties.
3 In the Property Lookup Table dialog box, at the bottom of a Lookup Property column, do one of the following: ■ Click Read Only, and then select Allow Reverse Lookup from the list. ■ Click Allow Reverse Lookup, and then select Read Only from the list. NOTE You can only select Allow Reverse Lookup if you have entered data in the column. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference BACTION Adds an action to a dynamic block definition. BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor.
If the Chain Actions property for the point parameter is set to Yes, a change in the linear parameter will trigger the move action associated with the point parameter, just as if you edited the point parameter in the block reference through a grip or custom property. If the Chain Actions property is set to No, the point parameter's associated move action is not triggered by the changes to the linear parameter. Thus, the circle doesn't move.
2 In the Block Editor, click Tools menu ➤ Properties. The Properties palette is displayed. 3 In the Block Editor, select a point, linear, polar, XY, or rotation parameter. 4 In the Properties palette, under Misc, click Chain Actions. 5 On the drop-down list, select Yes or No. 6 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Open/Save panel ➤ Save Block. 7 (Optional) If you are finished using the Block Editor, click Close Block Editor. Quick Reference BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor.
Assign Labels to Parameters When you select the dynamic block reference in a drawing, parameter labels are assigned to custom properties in the Properties palette. You can specify whether or not these custom properties are displayed for the block reference when it is selected in a drawing. These properties can also be extracted using the Attribute Extraction wizard. It is good practice to specify unique parameter labels within the block.
Property name ■ Angle Description ■ Distance Description ■ Flip Description ■ Description Associated parameter Defines a description that will further explain the purpose of the parameter. The text string will display in the tooltip when the mouse pointer hovers over the position name.
Property name Description Associated parameter ■ XY ■ Rotate ■ Flip ■ Visibility ■ Lookup See also: ■ Define User Parameters in Dynamic Blocks on page 914 ■ Specify Value Sets for Dynamic Blocks on page 944 ■ Use Chained Actions on page 937 ■ Specify Grips for Dynamic Blocks on page 947 ■ Extract Data from Block Attributes on page 882 To specify the display of custom properties in a dynamic block reference 1 Ensure that the Properties palette is displayed.
7 (Optional) If you are finished using the Block Editor, click Close Block Editor. To specify that dynamic block reference can be exploded 1 Open a block definition in the Block Editor 2 In the Block Editor, make sure nothing is selected. 3 In the Properties palette, under Block, click Allow Exploding. 4 On the drop-down list, select Yes or No. 5 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Open/Save panel ➤ Save Block. 6 (Optional) If you are finished using the Block Editor, click Close Block Editor.
PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Specify Value Sets for Dynamic Blocks A value set is a range or list of values specified for a parameter. These values can be displayed for the block reference as a drop-down list next to the parameter label under Custom in the Properties palette. When you define a value set for a parameter, the parameter is limited to these values when the block reference is manipulated in a drawing.
■ Dist Type ■ Hor Type ■ Ver Type 5 On the drop-down list, select List. 6 In the Properties palette, under Value Set, click one of the following: ■ Ang Value List ■ Dist Value List ■ Hor Value List ■ Ver Value List 7 Click the [...] button. 8 In the Add Distance Value/Angle dialog box, enter one value or two or more values separated by commas, or to delete a value, select it from the list. 9 Click Add or Delete. 10 Click OK. 11 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Open/Save panel ➤ Save Block.
5 On the drop-down list, select Increment. 6 In the Properties palette, under Value Set, click Dist Increment, Ang Increment, Hor Increment, or Ver Increment, and then enter an incremental value for the parameter. 7 Click Dist Minimum, Ang Minimum, Hor Minimum, or Ver Minimum, and then enter a minimum value for the parameter. 8 Click Dist Maximum, Ang Maximum, Hor Maximum, or Ver Maximum, and then enter a maximum value for the parameter. 9 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Open/Save panel ➤ Save Block.
Quick Reference BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor. BPARAMETER Adds a parameter with grips to a dynamic block definition. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Specify Distance and Angle Values Action overrides are properties of actions that have no effect on the block reference until it is manipulated in a drawing.
Parameter Type Grip Type Actions You Can Associate with a Parameter Linear Linear Move, Scale, Stretch, Array Polar Standard Move, Scale, Stretch, Polar Stretch, Array, XY Standard Move, Scale, Stretch, Array Rotation Rotation Rotate Flip Flip Flip Alignment Alignment None (The action is implied and contained within the parameter.) Visibility Lookup None (The action is implied and controlled by visibility states.
NOTE Parameters that are not associated with an action do not display grips. If you specify that a parameter has 0 grips, you can still edit the dynamic block reference through the Properties palette (if the block is defined that way). If a dynamic block definition contains visibility states on page 953 or a lookup table on page 933, you can define the block so that the only grip that is displayed is a lookup grip. When you click this grip on the block reference, a drop-down list is displayed.
Grip Type How the Grip Can Be Manipulated in a Drawing Associated Parameters Alignment Within a plane in any direction; when moved over an object, triggers the block reference to align with the object Alignment Lookup Click to display a list of items Visibility, Lookup Specify Tooltips on Grips Each of the dynamic block parameters has one or more description fields with the exception of the basepoint and alignment parameters.
block reference. When you insert the dynamic block reference in a drawing, you can use the Ctrl key to cycle through the available grips to select which grip will be the insertion point for the block. To specify the number of custom grips displayed for a parameter in a dynamic block 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Block Editor. 2 In the Block Editor, select a parameter.
To reset grips in a dynamic block definition to their default locations 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Block Editor. 2 In the Block Editor, at the Command prompt, enter bgripset. 3 Select the grip for which you want to reset the grip position(s). 4 At the Command prompt, enter reposition. 5 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Open/Save panel ➤ Save Block. 6 (Optional) If you are finished using the Block Editor, click Close Block Editor.
3 In the Insertion Cycling Order dialog box, select a grip from the list, and click Move Up or Move Down. (A check mark in the Cycling column indicates that cycling is turned on for the grip.) 4 Repeat step 2 until you are finished modifying the grip cycling order. 5 Click OK. 6 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Open/Save panel ➤ Save Block. 7 (Optional) If you are finished using the Block Editor, click Close Block Editor. Quick Reference BEDIT Opens the block definition in the Block Editor.
After you combine the geometry in the Block Editor, you add a visibility parameter. You can then create and name a different visibility state for each weld symbol (for example, WLD1, WLD2, WLD3, and WLD4). In the following example, the WLD1 visibility state is displayed in the Block Editor. The geometry that displays in a dimmed state is invisible for the WLD1 visibility state. The Block Editor contextual tab displays the name of the current visibility state.
2 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Visibility panel ➤ Visibility States. 3 In the Visibility States dialog box, click New. 4 In the New Visibility State dialog box, enter a name for the new visibility state. 5 Do one of the following: ■ Click Hide All Existing Objects in New State ■ Click Show All Existing Objects in New State ■ Click Leave Visibility of Existing Objects Unchanged in New State 6 Click OK. To make a visibility state current 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Block Editor.
To make objects visible or invisible in the current visibility state 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Block Editor. 2 Do one of the following: ■ Click Block Editor tab ➤ Visibility panel ➤ Make Visible. ■ Click Block Editor tab ➤ Visibility panel ➤ Make Invisible. 3 In the drawing area, select the objects. Press Enter. 4 At the Command prompt, enter current. Press Enter. To make objects visible or invisible in all visibility states 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Block Editor.
To change the order of the visibility states list for a dynamic block reference 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Block Editor. 2 Click Block Editor tab ➤ Visibility panel ➤ Visibility States. 3 In the Visibility States dialog box, select a visibility state in the list. 4 Click Move Up or Move Down to change the order. 5 Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the list of visibility states is in the desired order. 6 Click OK.
BVSHOW Makes objects visible in the current visibility state or all visibility states in a dynamic block definition. BVSTATE Creates, sets, or deletes a visibility state in a dynamic block. BVMODE Controls how objects that are made invisible for the current visibility state are displayed in the Block Editor.
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Create 3D Models 24 Use three-dimensional models to help you visualize and test your designs in 3D space. Overview of 3D Modeling AutoCAD 3D modeling allows you to create drawings using solid, surface, and mesh objects. Solid, surface, and mesh objects offer different functionality, that, when used together, offer a powerful suite of 3D modeling tools. For example, you can convert a primitive solid to a mesh to take advantage of mesh creasing and smoothing.
extrusion and use various sweeping operations to create solids from 2D curves and lines. Surface Modeling A surface model is a thin shell that does not have mass or volume. AutoCAD offers two types of surfaces: procedural and NURBS. Use prodecural surfaces to take advantage of associative modling, and use NURBS surfaces to take advantage of sculpting with control vertices.
Mesh Modeling A mesh model consists of vertices, edges, and faces that use polygonal representation (including triangles and quads) to define a 3D shape. Unlike solid models, mesh has no mass properties. However, as with 3D solids, you can create primitive mesh forms such as boxes, cones, and pyramids, starting in AutoCAD 2010. You can then modify mesh models in ways that are not available for 3D solids or surfaces. For example you can apply creases, splits, and increasing levels of smoothness.
■ Use the model to create an animation ■ Extract manufacturing data See also: ■ Enter 3D Coordinates on page 556 ■ Specify Workplanes in 3D (UCS) on page 566 ■ Use the Dynamic UCS with Solid Models on page 572 Quick Reference Commands BOX Creates a 3D solid box. CONE Creates a 3D solid cone. CONVTOMESH Converts 3D objects such as polygon meshes, surfaces, and solids to mesh objects. CONVTONURBS Converts 3D solids and surfaces into NURBS surfaces.
LOFT Creates a 3D solid or surface in the space between several cross sections. MESH Creates a 3D mesh primitive object such as a box, cone, cylinder, pyramid, sphere, wedge, or torus. POLYSOLID Creates a 3D wall-like polysolid. PLANESURF Creates a planar surface. PYRAMID Creates a 3D solid pyramid. REVOLVE Creates a 3D solid or surface by sweeping an object around an axis. SPHERE Creates a 3D solid sphere. SURFBLEND Creates a continuous blend surface between two existing surfaces.
UCS Manages user coordinate systems. WEDGE Creates a 3D solid wedge. System Variables DELOBJ Controls whether geometry used to create 3D objects is retained or deleted. PSOLWIDTH Controls the default width for a swept solid object created with the POLYSOLID command. PSOLHEIGHT Controls the default height for a swept solid object created with the POLYSOLID command. SUBOBJSELECTIONMODE Filters whether faces, edges, vertices or solid history subobjects are highlighted when you roll over them.
See also: ■ Create a Solid or Surface by Extruding on page 968 ■ Create a Solid or Surface by Sweeping on page 972 ■ Create a Solid or Surface by Lofting on page 976 ■ Create a Solid or Surface by Revolving on page 980 Surfaces Vs. Solids When you extrude, sweep, loft, and revolve curves, you can create both solids and surfaces. Open curves always create surfaces, but closed curves can create either solids or surfaces depending on the situation.
To create a surface when the Solid tab is active or a solid when the Surface tab is active, select the Mode option and select surface while you are creating the object.
The EXTRUDE command creates a solid or surface that extends the shape of a curve. Open curves create surfaces and closed curves create solids or surfaces. See Overview of Creating Solids and Surfaces on page 966. Options for Extrusion When you extrude objects, you can specify any of the following options: ■ Mode. Sets whether the extrude creates a surface or a solid. ■ Specify a path for extrusion.
■ Taper angle. Tapering the extrusion is useful for defining part that require a specific taper angle, such as a mold used to create metal products in a foundry. ■ Direction. With the Direction option, you can specify two points to set the length and direction of the extrusion. ■ Expression. Enter a mathematical expression to constrain the height of the extrusion. See Create Geometric Relationships between Associative Surfaces on page 1039.
2 Select the objects or edge subobjects to extrude. 3 At the Command prompt, enter p (Path). 4 Select the object or edge subobject to use as the path. After the extrusion, the original objects are deleted or retained, depending on the setting of the DELOBJ system variable. Quick Reference Commands 3DOSNAP Sets the object snap modes for 3D objects. BREP Removes the history from 3D solids and composite solids, and associativity from surfaces.
SOLIDHIST Controls the default history property setting for solid objects. SUBOBJSELECTIONMODE Filters whether faces, edges, vertices or solid history subobjects are highlighted when you roll over them. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITY Controls whether surfaces maintain a relationship with the objects from which they were created. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITYDRAG Sets the dragging preview behavior of associative surfaces to increase performance.
■ Base Point. Specify a base point on the profile to sweep along the profile. ■ Scale. Specify a value that will change the size of the object from the beginning of the sweep to the end. Enter a mathematical expression to constrain the object scaling. See Create Geometric Relationships between Associative Surfaces on page 1039. ■ Twist. By entering a twist angle, the object rotates along the length of the profile. Enter a mathematical expression to constrain the object ‘s twist angle.
See also: ■ Create Associative Surfaces on page 1036 ■ Create Geometric Relationships between Associative Surfaces on page 1039 ■ Draw Splines on page 679 ■ Modify Splines on page 794 To create a solid by sweeping an object along a path 1 Click Solid tab ➤ Create panel ➤ Sweep. 2 Select objects to sweep. 3 Press Enter. 4 Select an object or edge subobject as a sweep path. After the sweep, the original objects are deleted or retained, depending on the setting of the DELOBJ system variable.
After the sweep, the original objects are deleted or retained, depending on the setting of the DELOBJ system variable. Quick Reference Commands 3DOSNAP Sets the object snap modes for 3D objects. BREP Removes the history from 3D solids and composite solids, and associativity from surfaces. JOIN Joins similar objects to form a single, unbroken object. LIST Displays property data for selected objects. MEASUREGEOM Measures the distance, radius, angle, area, and volume of selected objects or sequence of points.
SUBOBJSELECTIONMODE Filters whether faces, edges, vertices or solid history subobjects are highlighted when you roll over them. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITY Controls whether surfaces maintain a relationship with the objects from which they were created. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITYDRAG Sets the dragging preview behavior of associative surfaces to increase performance. SURFACEMODELINGMODE Controls whether surfaces are created as procedural surfaces or NURBS surfaces.
■ Cross-section profiles. Select a series of cross-section profiles to define the shape of the new 3D object. lofted objects with different cross-section settings As you create a lofted object, you can adjust its shape by specifying how the profile passes through the cross sections (for example, a sharp or smooth curve). You can also modify the settings later in the Properties dialog box. For more information, see Modify Properties of 3D Solid, Surface, and Mesh on page 1144. ■ Paths.
Each guide curve must meet the following criteria: ■ Intersects each cross section ■ Starts on the first cross section ■ Ends on the last cross section See also: ■ Create Associative Surfaces on page 1036 ■ Create Geometric Relationships between Associative Surfaces on page 1039 ■ Draw Splines on page 679 ■ Modify Splines on page 794 To create a NURBS surface by lofting 1 Click Surface tab ➤ Create panel ➤ NURBS Creation. 2 Click Surface tab ➤ Create panel ➤ Loft.
3 Do one of the following: ■ Use cross-section profiles only. Press Enter again or enter c (Cross sections only). In the Loft Settings dialog box, modify the options to control the shape of the new object. Click the Preview Changes box to preview the changes as you make them. Click OK when finished. ■ Follow guide curves. Enter g (Guide curves). Select the guide curves and press Enter. ■ Follow a path. Enter p (Path). Select a path and press Enter.
System Variables 3DOSMODE Controls the settings for the 3D object snaps. DELOBJ Controls whether geometry used to create 3D objects is retained or deleted. SOLIDHIST Controls the default history property setting for solid objects. SUBOBJSELECTIONMODE Filters whether faces, edges, vertices or solid history subobjects are highlighted when you roll over them. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITY Controls whether surfaces maintain a relationship with the objects from which they were created.
■ Expression. Enter a formula or equation to specify the revolve angle. This option is only available if you are creating associative surfaces. See Create Geometric Relationships between Associative Surfaces on page 1039. See also: ■ Create Associative Surfaces on page 1036 ■ Draw Splines on page 679 ■ Modify Splines on page 794 To revolve objects about an axis to create a NURBS surface 1 Click Surface tab ➤ Create panel ➤ Revolve. 2 Select the objects or edge subobjects to revolve.
■ An object. Select a line, a linear edge of a polyline segment, or the linear edge of a surface or solid. 4 Press Enter. To create a solid the angle must be 360 degrees. If you enter a smaller angle of revolution, a surface is created instead of a solid. Quick Reference Commands 3DOSNAP Sets the object snap modes for 3D objects. BREP Removes the history from 3D solids and composite solids, and associativity from surfaces. JOIN Joins similar objects to form a single, unbroken object.
SOLIDHIST Controls the default history property setting for solid objects. SUBOBJSELECTIONMODE Filters whether faces, edges, vertices or solid history subobjects are highlighted when you roll over them. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITY Controls whether surfaces maintain a relationship with the objects from which they were created. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITYDRAG Sets the dragging preview behavior of associative surfaces to increase performance.
By combining primitive shapes, you can create more complex solids. For example, you can join two solids, subtract one from the other, or create a shape based on the intersection of their volumes. About Solids Based on Other Objects You can also create 3D solids from 2D geometry or other 3D objects. The following methods are available: ■ Sweep. Extends a 2D object along a path. ■ Extrusion. Extends the shape of a 2D object in a perpendicular direction into 3D space. ■ Revolve.
■ Slice. Divides a solid object into two separate 3D objects. ■ Sculpting Surfaces. Converts and trims a group of surfaces that enclose a watertight area into a solid. ■ Conversion. Converts mesh objects and planar objects with thickness into solids and surfaces. Quick Reference Commands BOX Creates a 3D solid box. CONE Creates a 3D solid cone. CONVTOSOLID Converts 3D meshes and polylines and circles with thickness to 3D solids. CONVTOSURFACE Converts objects to 3D surfaces.
REVOLVE Creates a 3D solid or surface by sweeping an object around an axis. SLICE Creates new 3D solids and surfaces by slicing, or dividing, existing objects. SUBTRACT Combines selected 3D solids or 2D regions by subtraction. SURFSCULPT Trims and combines surfaces that bound a watertight area to create a solid. SWEEP Creates a 3D solid or surface by sweeping a 2D or 3D object or subobject along a path. TORUS Creates a donut-shaped 3D solid.
Create 3D Solid Primitives Start with standard shapes known as solid primitives to create boxes, cones, cylinders, spheres, tori (donuts), wedges, and pyramids. Create a Solid Box Create a rectangular or cubical solid box. The base of the box is always drawn parallel to the XY plane of the current UCS (workplane). Box Creation Options Use the following options to control the size and rotation of the boxes you create: ■ Create a cube.
4 Specify the height. To create a solid cube 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Box. 2 Specify the first corner, or enter c (Center) to specify the center point of the base. 3 At the Command prompt, enter c (Cube). Specify the length of the cube and a rotation angle. The length value sets both the width and height of the cube. Quick Reference Commands BOX Creates a 3D solid box.
The base of the wedge is drawn parallel to the XY plane of the current UCS with the sloped face opposite the first corner. The height of the wedge is parallel to the Z axis. Wedge Creation Options Use the following options to control the size and rotation of the wedges you create: ■ Create a wedge with sides of equal length. Use the Cube option of the WEDGE command. ■ Specify rotation. Use the Cube or Length option if you want to set the rotation of the wedge in the XY plane.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the base. 4 Specify the height of the wedge. To create a solid wedge with equal length, width, and height 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Wedge. 2 Specify the first corner or enter c (Center) to set the center point of the base. 3 At the Command prompt, enter c (Cube). Specify the length of the wedge and a rotation angle. The length value sets both the width and height of the wedge. Quick Reference Commands WEDGE Creates a 3D solid wedge.
Cone Creation Options Use the following options to control the size and rotation of the cones you create: ■ Set the height and orientation. Use the Axis Endpoint option of the CONE command. Use the Top Radius option to specify the axis endpoint as the point of the cone or the center of the top face. The axis endpoint can be located anywhere in 3D space. ■ Create a frustum of a cone. Use the Top Radius option of the CONE command to create a frustum, which tapers to an elliptical or planar face.
4 Specify the height of the cone. To create a solid cone with an elliptical base 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Cone. 2 At the Command prompt, enter e (Elliptical). 3 Specify the start point of first axis. 4 Specify the endpoint of the first axis. 5 Specify the endpoint (length and rotation) of the second axis. 6 Specify the height of the cone. To create a frustum of a solid cone 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Cone. 2 Specify the center point of the base.
System Variables DRAGVS Sets the visual style that is displayed while creating 3D solid and mesh primitives and extruded solids, surfaces, and meshes. Create a Solid Cylinder Create a solid cylinder with a circular or elliptical base. By default, the base of the cylinder lies on the XY plane of the current UCS. The height of the cylinder is parallel to the Z axis. Cylinder Creation Options Use the following options to control the size and rotation of the cylinders you create: ■ Set rotation.
To create a solid cylinder with a circular base 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Cylinder. 2 Specify the center point of the base. 3 Specify the radius or diameter of the base. 4 Specify the height of the cylinder. To create a solid cylinder with an elliptical base 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Cylinder. 2 At the Command prompt, enter e (Elliptical). 3 Specify the start point of the first axis. 4 Specify the endpoint of the first axis.
System Variables DRAGVS Sets the visual style that is displayed while creating 3D solid and mesh primitives and extruded solids, surfaces, and meshes. Create a Solid Sphere Create a solid sphere using one of several methods. When you start with the center point, the central axis of the sphere parallels the Z axis of the current user coordinate system (UCS).
2 Specify the center of the sphere. 3 Specify the radius or diameter of the sphere. To create a solid sphere defined by three points 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Sphere. 2 At the Command prompt, enter 3p (Three Points). Specify the first point. 3 Specify the second point. 4 Specify the third point. Quick Reference Commands SPHERE Creates a 3D solid sphere.
You can create a pyramid that tapers to a point, or create a frustum of a pyramid, which tapers to a planar face. Pyramid Creation Options Use the following options to control the size, shape, and rotation of the pyramids you create: ■ Set the number of sides. Use the Sides option of the PYRAMID command to set the number of sides for the pyramid. ■ Set the length of the edges. Use the Edges option to specify the dimension of the sides at the base. ■ Create a frustum of a pyramid.
4 Specify the radius or diameter of the base. 5 Specify the height of the pyramid. To create a frustum of a solid pyramid 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Pyramid. 2 At the Command prompt, enter s (Sides). Enter the number of sides to use. 3 Specify the center point of the base. 4 Specify the radius or diameter of the base. 5 Enter t (Top radius). Specify the radius of the planar face at the top of the pyramid. 6 Specify the height of the pyramid.
A torus has two radius values. One value defines the tube. The other value defines the distance from the center of the torus to the center of the tube. By default, a torus is drawn parallel to and is bisected by the XY plane of the current UCS. A torus can be self-intersecting. A self-intersecting torus has no center hole because the radius of the tube is greater than the radius of the torus. Torus Creation Options Use the following options to control the size and rotation of the tori you create.
Quick Reference Commands TORUS Creates a donut-shaped 3D solid. System Variables DRAGVS Sets the visual style that is displayed while creating 3D solid and mesh primitives and extruded solids, surfaces, and meshes. Create a Polysolid Use the same techniques you use to create polylines to create a polysolid object. The POLYSOLID command provides a quick way to draw 3D walls. A polysolid is like an extruded, wide polyline.
Polysolid Creation Options Use the following options to control the size and shape of the polysolids you create: ■ Create arced segments. Use the Arc option to add curved segments to the polysolid. The profile of a polysolid with curved segments remains perpendicular to the path. ■ Create a polysolid from a 2D object. Use the Object option to convert an object such as a polyline, circle, line, or arc to a polysolid.
5 Press Enter. To create a polysolid from an existing object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Polysolid. 2 At the Command prompt, enter o (Object). 3 Select a 2D object such as a line, polyline, arc, or circle. A 3D polysolid is created using the current height and width settings. The original 2D object is deleted or retained, depending on the setting of the DELOBJ system variable. Quick Reference Commands POLYSOLID Creates a 3D wall-like polysolid.
■ Convert mesh to 3D solids ■ Thicken surfaces to convert them to 3D solids mesh and polyline with thickness converted to optimized 3D solids The DELOBJ system variable controls whether the objects you select are automatically deleted when the 3D object is created. Convert Surfaces and Objects with Thickness to 3D Solids You can convert different types of objects into extruded 3D solids with the CONVTOSOLID command.
For example, if you convert a mesh box to a solid object, you have the following options (available on the Mesh Modeling ribbon): ■ Smoothed and optimized. Coplanar faces are merged into a single face. The overall shape of some faces can change. Edges of faces that are not coplanar are rounded. ■ Smoothed and not optimized. Each original mesh face is retained in the converted object. Edges of faces that are not coplanar are rounded. ■ Faceted and optimized.
You cannot convert the following types of mesh objects to a 3D solid: ■ Mesh with gaps between faces. Gizmo editing can sometimes result in gaps, or holes between the faces. In some cases, you can close the gaps by smoothing the mesh object. ■ Mesh that has self-intersecting boundaries. If you have modified a mesh object so that one or more faces intersect faces in the same object, you cannot convert it to a 3D solid.
To convert objects with thickness to extruded solids 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Convert to Solid. 2 Select one or more of the following types of objects and press Enter: ■ Uniform-width polylines with thickness ■ Closed, 0-width polylines with thickness ■ Circles with thickness To convert one or more surfaces to solids 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Thicken. 2 Select the surfaces you want to thicken. Press Enter. 3 Specify a thickness for the solid. Press Enter.
■ Faceted, optimized. The resulting model is angular, with merged, planar faces (SMOOTHMESHCONVERT = 2). ■ Faceted, not optimized. The resulting model is angular, with the same number of faces as the original mesh object (SMOOTHMESHCONVERT = 3). 3 Click Mesh Modeling tab ➤ Convert Mesh panel ➤ Convert to Solid. 4 Select a mesh object that has no gaps or intersecting faces. Quick Reference Commands CONVTOSOLID Converts 3D meshes and polylines and circles with thickness to 3D solids.
Create Composite Objects Create composite 3D objects by combining, subtracting, or finding the intersecting mass of two or more 3D solids, surfaces, or regions. Composite solids are created from two or more solids, surfaces, or regions through any of the following commands: UNION, SUBTRACT, and INTERSECT. 3D solids record a history of how they were created. This history allows you to see the original forms that make up composite solids.
that do not overlap and creates a composite solid from the common volume. Create Composites from Mixed Object Types In addition to creating composite objects from the same object types, you can also create composites from mixed surfaces and solids. ■ Mixed intersections. Combining a solid and a surface through intersection results in a surface. ■ Mixed subtractions. Subtracting a 3D solid from a surface results in a surface. However, you cannot subtract a surface from a 3D solid object.
To create a compound object from the intersection with other objects 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Intersect. 2 Select the 3D solid, surface, or region to intersect. Press Enter. Quick Reference Commands INTERSECT Creates a 3D solid, surface, or 2D region from overlapping solids, surfaces, or regions. SUBTRACT Combines selected 3D solids or 2D regions by subtraction. UNION Combines selected 3D solids, surfaces, or 2D regions by addition.
Sliced 3D solids do not retain a history of the original forms that created them. However, they do retain the layer and color properties of the original objects. For a complete list of objects that can be used for a slice operation, see SLICE. See also: ■ Create Sections and 2D Drawings from 3D Models on page 1197 To slice solids 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Slice. 2 Select the 3D solid or surface objects to slice. Press Enter. 3 Specify two points to define the cutting plane.
2 Select the 3D solid or surface objects to slice. Press Enter. 3 At the Command prompt, enter s (Surface). 4 Press Enter. 5 Select a surface to use as the cutting plane. 6 Specify which side to retain, or enter b (both) to retain both sides. Quick Reference Commands SLICE Creates new 3D solids and surfaces by slicing, or dividing, existing objects. Check 3D Models for Interferences Find areas where 3D solids or surfaces intersect or overlap.
Methods for Checking Interference You can check interference using the following methods: ■ Define one selection set. Check the interference of all the 3D solids and surfaces in a single selection set. ■ Define two selection sets. Check the interference of the objects in the first set of objects against the objects in the second selection set. ■ Individually specify solids that are nested within blocks or xrefs.
Quick Reference Commands INTERFERE Creates a temporary 3D solid from the interferences between two sets of selected 3D solids. System Variables INTERFERECOLOR Sets the color for interference objects. INTERFEREOBJVS Sets the visual style for interference objects. INTERFEREVPVS Specifies the visual style for the viewport during interference checking. Create Surfaces Create procedural surfaces and NURBS surfaces from curves or by combining or extending existing surfaces.
Choose a Surface Creation Method Create procedural and NURBS surfaces using the following methods: ■ Create surfaces from profiles on page 966. Create surfaces from profile shapes composed of lines and curves with EXTRUDE, LOFT, PLANESURF, REVOLVE, SURFNETWORK, and SWEEP. ■ Create surfaces from other surfaces on page 1020. Blend, patch, extend, fillet, and offset surfaces to create new surfaces (SURFBLEND, SURFPATCH, SURFEXTEND, SURFFILLET and SURFOFFSET).
Understand Surface Continuity and Bulge Magnitude Surface continuity and bulge magnitude are properties that are frequently used when creating surfaces. When you create a new surface, you can specify the continuity and bulge magnitude with special grips. Continuity is a measure of how smoothly two curves or surfaces flow into each other. The type of continuity can be important if you need to export your surfaces to other applications.
Continuity types include the following: ■ G0 (Position). Measures location only. If the edge of each surface is collinear, the surfaces are positionally continuous (G0) at the edge curves. Note that two surfaces can meet at any angle and still have positional continuity. ■ G1 (Tangency). Includes both positional and tangential continuity (G0 + G1). With tangentially continuous surfaces, the end tangents match at the common edges.
BREP Removes the history from 3D solids and composite solids, and associativity from surfaces. CONVTONURBS Converts 3D solids and surfaces into NURBS surfaces. CONVTOSURFACE Converts objects to 3D surfaces. EXTRUDE Creates a 3D solid or surface by extending the dimensions of an object. JOIN Joins similar objects to form a single, unbroken object. LOFT Creates a 3D solid or surface in the space between several cross sections. PLANESURF Creates a planar surface.
VISUALSTYLES Creates and modifies visual styles and applies a visual style to a viewport. System Variables 3DOSMODE Controls the settings for the 3D object snaps. DELOBJ Controls whether geometry used to create 3D objects is retained or deleted. FACETRES Adjusts the smoothness of shaded and rendered objects and objects with hidden lines removed. ISOLINES Specifies the number of contour lines per surface on objects.
Create Surfaces from Other Surfaces There are many ways to create procedural surfaces from existing surfaces. These include blending, patching, and offsetting or creating network and planar surfaces. When you create procedural surfaces, use SURFACEASSOCIATIVITY to work with the surfaces as a group. Just as you can modify the face of a solid and have the entire solid update, when you modify a group of surfaces that are associative, all of the surfaces update accordingly.
MEASUREGEOM Measures the distance, radius, angle, area, and volume of selected objects or sequence of points. PLANESURF Creates a planar surface. UCS Manages user coordinate systems. VISUALSTYLES Creates and modifies visual styles and applies a visual style to a viewport. System Variables 3DOSMODE Controls the settings for the 3D object snaps. DELOBJ Controls whether geometry used to create 3D objects is retained or deleted. LIST Displays property data for selected objects.
Create non-planar, network surfaces with the SURFNETWORK command. Network surfaces are similar to lofted surfaces in that they are created in the space between several curves in the U and V directions. The curves can be surface or solid edge subobjects. When you create the surface you can specify the tangency and bulge magnitude of the surface edges. See also: ■ Overview of Creating Surfaces on page 1014 To create a network surface 1 Click Surface tab ➤ Create panel ➤ Network.
System Variables 3DOSMODE Controls the settings for the 3D object snaps. DELOBJ Controls whether geometry used to create 3D objects is retained or deleted. LIST Displays property data for selected objects. MEASUREGEOM Measures the distance, radius, angle, area, and volume of selected objects or sequence of points. SUBOBJSELECTIONMODE Filters whether faces, edges, vertices or solid history subobjects are highlighted when you roll over them.
3 In the drawing area, select a surface edge subobject and a solid edge subobject. 4 Specify the continuity and bulge magnitude for each edge and press Enter. Quick Reference Commands 3DOSNAP Sets the object snap modes for 3D objects. LIST Displays property data for selected objects. MEASUREGEOM Measures the distance, radius, angle, area, and volume of selected objects or sequence of points. SURFBLEND Creates a continuous blend surface between two existing surfaces. UCS Manages user coordinate systems.
DELOBJ Controls whether geometry used to create 3D objects is retained or deleted. SUBOBJSELECTIONMODE Filters whether faces, edges, vertices or solid history subobjects are highlighted when you roll over them. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITY Controls whether surfaces maintain a relationship with the objects from which they were created. Patch a Surface Create a surface by patching a closed surface or curve.
Quick Reference Commands 3DOSNAP Sets the object snap modes for 3D objects. LIST Displays property data for selected objects. MEASUREGEOM Measures the distance, radius, angle, area, and volume of selected objects or sequence of points. SURFPATCH Creates a new surface by fitting a cap over a surface edge that forms a closed loop. UCS Manages user coordinate systems. VISUALSTYLES Creates and modifies visual styles and applies a visual style to a viewport.
SUBOBJSELECTIONMODE Filters whether faces, edges, vertices or solid history subobjects are highlighted when you roll over them. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITY Controls whether surfaces maintain a relationship with the objects from which they were created. Offset a Surface Create a parallel surface a specified distance from the original surface. With SURFOFFSET specify the offset distance and whether or not the offset surface maintains associativity with the original surface.
■ Create a solid between the offset surfaces ■ If you are offsetting more than one surface, you can specify whether the offset surfaces remain connected. ■ Enter an expression that will constrain the distance of the offset surface to the original surface. This option only appears if associativity is on. See Constrain a Design with Formulas and Equations on page 840.
4 Enter an offset distance and press Enter. The surface creates a parallel surface and connects the two to form a 3D solid object. Quick Reference Commands 3DOSNAP Sets the object snap modes for 3D objects. LIST Displays property data for selected objects. MEASUREGEOM Measures the distance, radius, angle, area, and volume of selected objects or sequence of points. SURFOFFSET Creates a parallel surface a specified distance from the original surface. UCS Manages user coordinate systems.
DELOBJ Controls whether geometry used to create 3D objects is retained or deleted. SUBOBJSELECTIONMODE Filters whether faces, edges, vertices or solid history subobjects are highlighted when you roll over them. SURFACEASSOCIATIVITY Controls whether surfaces maintain a relationship with the objects from which they were created. Convert Objects to Procedural Surfaces Convert 3D solids, meshes, and 2D geometry to procedural surfaces.
Quick Reference Commands CONVTOSURFACE Converts objects to 3D surfaces. Create NURBS Surfaces Create NURBS surfaces by enabling NURBS creation and using many of the same commands used to create procedural surfaces. You can also convert existing procedural surfaces into NURBS surfaces.
Two Methods for Creating NURBS Surfaces There are two ways to create NURBS surfaces: ■ SURFACEMODELINGMODE system variable - Use any of the surface creation commands while this system variable is set to 1. ■ CONVTONURBS command - Convert any existing surfaces with this command. It is important to plan ahead with NURBS modeling, since NURBS surfaces cannot be converted back into procedural surfaces.
NOTE To display the control vertices, click Surface tab ➤ Control Vertices panel ➤ Show CV. To convert a mesh object into a NURBS surface 1 Click Mesh tab ➤ Convert Mesh ➤ Convert to Surface. 2 Select a mesh object and press Enter. The object is converted to a procedural surface. 3 Click Surface tab ➤ Create panel ➤ NURBS Creation. The object is converted to a NURBS surface. NOTE To display the control vertices, click Surface tab ➤ Control Vertices panel ➤ Show CV.
REVOLVE Creates a 3D solid or surface by sweeping an object around an axis. SPLINE Creates a smooth curve that passes through fit points or near control vertices. SPLINEDIT Edits a spline or spline-fit polyline. SURFBLEND Creates a continuous blend surface between two existing surfaces. SURFEXTEND Lengthens a surface by a specified distance. SURFFILLET Creates a filleted surface between two other surfaces.
See also: ■ Draw Splines on page 679 ■ Modify Splines on page 794 NURBS surfaces can be created from a number of 2D objects, including edge subobjects, polylines, and arcs. But the spline tool is the only object that has options that are compatible with creating NURBS surface. Not only do splines consists of Bezier arcs, but they also can be defined with both control vertices and fit points.
SPLINEDIT Edits a spline or spline-fit polyline. System Variables SURFACEMODELINGMODE Controls whether surfaces are created as procedural surfaces or NURBS surfaces. Create Associative Surfaces Associative surfaces automatically adjust to changes made to other, related objects. When surface associativity is on, surfaces are created with a relationship to the surface or profiles that created them. Associativity allows you to: ■ Reshape the generating profiles to automatically reshape the surface.
When associativity is on, the DELOBJ system variable is ignored. If Surface Associativity and NURBS Creation are both on, surface are created as NURBS surfaces, not associative surfaces. Save time by planning your model ahead; you cannot go back and add associativity after the model has been created. Also, be careful not to accidentally break associativity by dragging objects away from the group. To create an associative surface ■ Click Surface tab ➤ Create panel ➤ Surface Associativity.
The surface becomes a generic surface. You can no longer change any or its properties in the properties palette and it loses its relationship with other objects. Quick Reference Commands BREP Removes the history from 3D solids and composite solids, and associativity from surfaces. EXTRUDE Creates a 3D solid or surface by extending the dimensions of an object. JOIN Joins similar objects to form a single, unbroken object. LIST Displays property data for selected objects.
SURFNETWORK Creates a surface in the space between several curves in the U and V directions (including surface and solid edge subobjects). SURFOFFSET Creates a parallel surface a specified distance from the original surface. SURFPATCH Creates a new surface by fitting a cap over a surface edge that forms a closed loop. SWEEP Creates a 3D solid or surface by sweeping a 2D or 3D object or subobject along a path. VISUALSTYLES Creates and modifies visual styles and applies a visual style to a viewport.
Constraints are applied to the 2D profile object used to create the surface, not the surface itself. Use selection cycling to be sure that you are selecting the profile curve and not the surface or the edge subobject. See Apply or Remove Geometric Constraints on page 810. Use Mathematical Expressions to Derive Surface Properties Dimensional constraints are user-defined expressions that are applied in the properties palette for that surface.
Type of Surface Surface properties that can be constrained. Fillet Surface Fillet Radius Loft Surface Bulge Magnitude Network Surface Bulge Magnitude Offset Surface Offset Distance Patch Surface Bulge Magnitude Revolve Surface Revolve Angle To create a parallel relationship between two surfaces 1 Enter dsettings and select the Selection Cycling tab. 2 Click Allow Selection Cycling to turn selection cycling on. 3 Enter geomconstraint. Enter pa to select the parallel option.
Quick Reference Commands AUTOCONSTRAIN Applies geometric constraints to a selection set of objects based on orientation of the objects relative to one another. CONSTRAINTBAR Displays or hides the geometric constraints on an object. CONSTRAINTSETTINGS Controls the display of geometric constraints on constraint bars. DCDISPLAY Displays or hides the dynamic constraints associated with a selection set of objects. DELCONSTRAINT Removes all geometric and dimensional constraints from a selection set of objects.
PARAMETERSCLOSE Closes the Parameters Manager palette. TEXTEDIT Edits a dimensional constraint, dimension, or text object. System Variables CCONSTRAINTFORM Controls whether annotational or dynamic constraints are applied to objects. CONSTRAINTBARDISPLAY Controls the display of constraint bars after you apply constraints and when you select geometrically constrained drawings. CONSTRAINTBARMODE Controls the display of geometrical constraints on constraint bars.
SURFACEASSOCIATIVITY Controls whether surfaces maintain a relationship with the objects from which they were created. Create Meshes Create meshes from primitive forms or by filling between points on other objects. Overview of Creating Meshes Mesh tessellation provides enhanced capabilities for modeling object shapes in a more detailed way. Starting with AutoCAD 2010, the default mesh object type can be smoothed, creased, split, and refined.
You can also convert the legacy style of mesh to the new mesh object type. ■ Create custom meshes (legacy). Use 3DMESH to create polygon meshes, usually scripted with AutoLISP routines, to create open-ended mesh. Use PFACE to create mesh with multiple vertices defined by coordinates that you specify. Although you can continue to create legacy polygonal and polyface meshes, it is recommended that you convert to the enhanced mesh object type to obtain enhanced editing capabilities.
detailed modification. Refinement also helps you mold smaller sections with less effect on the overall shape of the model. While highly refined mesh gives you the ability to make detailed modifications, it also comes at a cost: it can decrease program performance. By maintaining maximum smoothness, face, and grid levels, you can help ensure that you do not create meshes that are too dense to modify effectively. (Use SMOOTHMESHMAXLEV, SMOOTHMESHMAXFACE, and SMOOTHMESHGRID.
of the MESH command. The modified smoothness value is maintained only during the current drawing session. See also: ■ Modify Mesh Objects on page 1167 To set the maximum smoothness level for mesh objects 1 At the Command prompt, enter smoothmeshmaxlev. 2 Enter a value from 1 to 255. (Use lower numbers to prevent extremely dense meshes that might affect program performance.) To set the maximum number of faces for mesh objects 1 At the Command prompt, enter smoothmeshmaxface.
Quick Reference Commands 3DFACE Creates a three-sided or four-sided surface in 3D space. 3DMESH Creates a free-form polygon mesh. EDGESURF Creates a mesh between four contiguous edges or curves. MESH Creates a 3D mesh primitive object such as a box, cone, cylinder, pyramid, sphere, wedge, or torus. MESHOPTIONS Displays the Mesh Tessellation Options dialog box, which controls default settings for converting existing objects to mesh objects.
System Variables SMOOTHMESHMAXLEV Sets the maximum smoothness level for mesh objects. SMOOTHMESHMAXFACE Sets the maximum number of faces permitted for mesh objects. SMOOTHMESHGRID Sets the maximum level of smoothness at which the underlying mesh facet grid is displayed on 3D mesh objects. VSEDGES Controls the types of edges that are displayed in the viewport. Create 3D Mesh Primitives Create mesh boxes, cones, cylinders, pyramids, spheres, wedges, and tori.
Mesh Box Creation Options The Box option of the MESH command provides several methods for determining the size and rotation of the mesh boxes you create. ■ Create a cube. Use the Cube option to create a mesh box with sides of equal length. ■ Specify rotation. Use the Cube or Length option if you want to set the rotation of the box in the XY plane. ■ Start from the center point. Use the Center option to create a box using a specified center point.
3 To set the location of the corner of the base, use one of the following methods: ■ To set the length and width simultaneously: Specify the location of one corner of the base. ■ To set the length and width separately: At the Command prompt, enter l (Length) and specify the length. Then specify the width. ■ Specify the height. To create a mesh cube 1 Click Mesh Modeling tab ➤ Primitives panel ➤ Mesh Box. 2 Specify the first corner or enter c (Center) and specify the center point of the base.
DIVMESHBOXWIDTH Sets the number of subdivisions for the width of a mesh box along the Y axis. DRAGVS Sets the visual style that is displayed while creating 3D solid and mesh primitives and extruded solids, surfaces, and meshes. Create a Mesh Cone Create a pointed or frustum mesh cone with a circular or elliptical base. By default, the base of the mesh cone lies on the XY plane of the current UCS and the height of the cone is parallel to the Z axis.
■ Set the location to be tangent to two objects. Use the Ttr (Tangent, Tangent, Radius) option to define points on two objects. Depending on the radius distance, the new cone is located as near as possible to the tangent points you specify. You can set up tangency with circles, arcs, lines, and some 3D objects. The tangency points are projected onto the current UCS. The appearance of tangency is affected by the current level of smoothness.
To create a mesh cone with the height and orientation specified by the axis endpoint 1 Click Mesh Modeling tab ➤ Primitives panel ➤ Mesh Cone. 2 Specify the center point of the base. 3 Specify the radius or diameter of the base. 4 At the Command prompt, enter a (Axis endpoint). Specify the endpoint and rotation of the cone. This endpoint can be located anywhere in 3D space. Quick Reference Commands MESH Creates a 3D mesh primitive object such as a box, cone, cylinder, pyramid, sphere, wedge, or torus.
Create a Mesh Cylinder Create a mesh cylinder with a circular or elliptical base. By default, the base of the mesh cylinder lies on the XY plane of the current UCS. The height of the cylinder is parallel to the Z axis. You can set the number of divisions for each dimension of new mesh cylinders in the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box. You can also modify these settings and the level of smoothness as you create the mesh object.
To create a mesh cylinder with a circular base 1 Click Mesh Modeling tab ➤ Primitives panel ➤ Mesh Cylinder. 2 Specify the center point of the base. 3 Specify the radius or diameter of the base. 4 Specify the height of the cylinder. To create a mesh cylinder with an elliptical base 1 Click Mesh Modeling tab ➤ Primitives panel ➤ Mesh Cylinder. 2 At the Command prompt, enter e (Elliptical). 3 Specify the start point of the first axis. 4 Specify the endpoint of the first axis.
Quick Reference Commands MESH Creates a 3D mesh primitive object such as a box, cone, cylinder, pyramid, sphere, wedge, or torus. MESHPRIMITIVEOPTIONS Displays the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box, which sets the tessellation defaults for primitive mesh objects. System Variables DIVMESHCYLAXIS Sets the number of subdivisions around the perimeter of the mesh cylinder base. DIVMESHCYLBASE Sets the number of radial subdivisions from the center of the mesh cylinder base to its perimeter.
Create a pyramid that tapers to a point, or create a frustum of a pyramid, which tapers to a planar face. You can set the number of divisions for each dimension of new mesh pyramids in the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box. You can also modify these settings and the level of smoothness as you create the mesh object. Mesh Pyramid Creation Options The Pyramid option of the MESH command provides several methods for determining the size and rotation of the mesh pyramids you create. ■ Set the number of sides.
To create a mesh pyramid 1 Click Mesh Modeling tab ➤ Primitives panel ➤ Mesh Pyramid. 2 At the Command prompt, enter s (Sides). Enter the number of sides to use. 3 Specify the center point of the base. 4 Specify the radius or diameter of the base. 5 Specify the height of the pyramid. To create a frustum of a mesh pyramid 1 Click Mesh Modeling tab ➤ Primitives panel ➤ Mesh Pyramid. 2 At the Command prompt, enter s (Sides). Enter the number of sides to use. 3 Specify the center point of the base.
Quick Reference Commands MESH Creates a 3D mesh primitive object such as a box, cone, cylinder, pyramid, sphere, wedge, or torus. MESHPRIMITIVEOPTIONS Displays the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box, which sets the tessellation defaults for primitive mesh objects. System Variables DIVMESHPYRBASE Sets the number of radial subdivisions between the center of the mesh pyramid base and its perimeter. DIVMESHPYRHEIGHT Sets the number of subdivisions between the base and the top of the mesh pyramid.
When you start with the center point, the central axis of the mesh sphere parallels the Z axis of the current user coordinate system (UCS). You can set the number of divisions for each dimension of new mesh spheres in the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box. You can also modify these settings and the level of smoothness as you create the mesh object.
Quick Reference Commands MESH Creates a 3D mesh primitive object such as a box, cone, cylinder, pyramid, sphere, wedge, or torus. MESHPRIMITIVEOPTIONS Displays the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box, which sets the tessellation defaults for primitive mesh objects. System Variables DIVMESHSPHEREAXIS Sets the number of radial subdivisions around the axis endpoint of the mesh sphere. DIVMESHSPHEREHEIGHT Sets the number of subdivisions between the two axis endpoints of the mesh sphere.
You can set the number of divisions for each dimension of new mesh wedges in the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box. You can also modify these settings and the level of smoothness as you create the mesh object. Mesh Wedge Creation Options The Wedge option of the MESH command provides several methods for determining the size and rotation of the mesh wedges you create. ■ Create a wedge with sides of equal length. Use the Cube option. ■ Specify rotation.
2 At the Command prompt, enter c (Center). Specify the center point of the base. 3 To set the location of a corner of the base, use one of the following methods: ■ To set the length and width simultaneously: Specify the location of one corner of the base. ■ To set the length and width separately: At the Command prompt, enter l (Length) and specify the length. Then specify the width. 4 Specify the height of the wedge.
DIVMESHWEDGEHEIGHT Sets the number of subdivisions for the height of the mesh wedge along the Z axis. DIVMESHWEDGELENGTH Sets the number of subdivisions for the length of a mesh wedge along the X axis. DIVMESHWEDGESLOPE Sets the number of subdivisions in the slope that extends from the apex of the wedge to the edge of the base. DIVMESHWEDGEWIDTH Sets the number of subdivisions for the width of the mesh wedge along the Y axis.
Torus Creation Options The Torus option of the MESH command provides several methods for determining the size and rotation of the mesh tori you create. ■ Set the size and plane of the circumference or radius. Use the 3P (Three Points) option to define the size of the mesh torus anywhere in 3D space. The three points also define the plane of the circumference. Use this option to rotate the mesh torus as you create it. ■ Set the circumference or radius.
MESHPRIMITIVEOPTIONS Displays the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box, which sets the tessellation defaults for primitive mesh objects. System Variables DIVMESHTORUSPATH Sets the number of subdivisions in the path that is swept by the profile of a mesh torus. DIVMESHTORUSSECTION Sets the number of subdivisions in the profile that sweeps the path of a mesh torus. DRAGVS Sets the visual style that is displayed while creating 3D solid and mesh primitives and extruded solids, surfaces, and meshes.
■ Tabulated mesh. TABSURF creates a mesh that represents a general tabulated surface. The surface is defined by the extrusion of a line or curve (called a path curve) in a specified direction and distance (called a direction vector or path). ■ Revolved mesh. REVSURF creates a mesh that approximates a surface of revolution by rotating a profile about a specified axis.
is a bicubic surface that is interpolated between four adjoining edges (which can be general space curves). Create a Ruled Mesh There are several methods for creating meshes. With RULESURF, you create a mesh between two lines or curves. Use two different objects to define the edges of the ruled mesh: lines, points, arcs, circles, ellipses, elliptical arcs, 2D polylines, 3D polylines, or splines. Both objects that are used as the “rails” of a ruled mesh must be either open or closed.
Create a Tabulated Mesh With the TABSURF command, you can create a mesh that represents a general tabulated surface defined by a path curve and a direction vector. The path curve can be a line, arc, circle, ellipse, elliptical arc, 2D polyline, 3D polyline, or spline. The direction vector can be a line or an open 2D or 3D polyline. TABSURF creates the mesh as a series of parallel polygons running along a specified path.
Create an Edge-Defined Mesh With the EDGESURF command, you can create a Coons surface patch mesh, as shown in the following illustration, from four objects called edges. Edges can be arcs, lines, polylines, splines, or elliptical arcs that form a closed loop and share endpoints. A Coons patch is a bicubic surface (one curve in the M direction and another in the N direction) interpolated between the four edges. To create a ruled mesh 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Ruled Surface.
To create a revolved mesh 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modeling panel ➤ Revolved Surface. 2 Specify an object to define the path curve. The path curve, which defines the N direction of the mesh, can be a line, arc, circle, ellipse, elliptical arc, 2D polyline, 3D polyline, or spline. If you select a circle, closed ellipse, or closed polyline, the mesh is closed in the N direction. 3 Specify an object to define the axis of revolution. The direction vector can be a line or an open 2D or 3D polyline.
Quick Reference Commands EDGESURF Creates a mesh between four contiguous edges or curves. PEDIT Edits polylines and 3D polygon meshes. PFACE Creates a 3D polyface mesh vertex by vertex. REVSURF Creates a mesh by revolving a profile about an axis. RULESURF Creates a mesh that represents the surface between two lines or curves. TABSURF Creates a mesh from a line or curve that is swept along a straight path. VISUALSTYLES Creates and modifies visual styles and applies a visual style to a viewport.
SURFTAB1 Sets the number of tabulations to be generated for the RULESURF and TABSURF commands. SURFTAB2 Sets the mesh density in the N direction for the REVSURF and EDGESURF commands. SURFTYPE Controls the type of surface-fitting to be performed by the Smooth option of the PEDIT command. SURFU Sets the surface density for PEDIT Smooth in the M direction and the U isolines density on surface objects.
Object Types That Can Be Converted You obtain the most predictable results when you convert primitive solid objects to mesh. That is, the resulting mesh adheres closely to the shape of the original solid model. You can also convert other types of objects, although the conversion results may differ from what you expect. These objects include swept surfaces and solids, legacy polygon and polyface mesh objects, regions, closed polylines, and objects created with 3DFACE.
If you are converting primitive solid objects, this dialog box also offers the option of using the same default settings used to create primitive mesh objects. When you select conversion candidates directly from this dialog box, you can preview the results before you accept them. See also: ■ Objects That Can Be Converted to Mesh To convert objects to mesh using defaults 1 Click Home tab ➤ Mesh panel ➤ Smooth Object. 2 Select an object such as a 3D solid or surface.
2 In the Mesh Tessellation Options dialog box, update the settings that you want to change and click OK. Quick Reference Commands MESHOPTIONS Displays the Mesh Tessellation Options dialog box, which controls default settings for converting existing objects to mesh objects. MESHPRIMITIVEOPTIONS Displays the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box, which sets the tessellation defaults for primitive mesh objects. MESHSMOOTH Converts 3D objects such as polygon meshes, surfaces, and solids to mesh objects.
FACETERMESHTYPE Sets the type of mesh to be created. FACETERMINUGRID Sets the minimum number of U grid lines for solids and surfaces that are converted to mesh. FACETERMINVGRID Sets the minimum number of V grid lines for solids and surfaces that are converted to mesh. FACETERPRIMITIVEMODE Specifies whether smoothness settings for objects that are converted to mesh are derived from the Mesh Tessellation Options or the Mesh Primitive Options dialog box.
Create a Rectangular Mesh With the 3DMESH command, you can create polygon meshes that are open in both the M and N directions (like the X and Y axes of an XY plane). In most cases, you can use 3DMESH in conjunction with scripts or AutoLISP routines when you know the mesh points. As you create the mesh, you specify the size of the mesh in the M and N directions. The total number of vertices you specify for the mesh is equal to the M value times the N value.
You can close the meshes with PEDIT. You can use 3DMESH to construct irregular meshes. Example: In the following example of text at the Command prompt, you enter the coordinate values for each vertex to create the mesh in the illustration.
the polyface mesh, you can set specific edges to be invisible, assign them to layers, or give them colors. To make the edge invisible, enter the vertex number as a negative value. For instance, to make the edge between vertices 5 and 7 invisible in the following illustration, you enter the following: Face 3, vertex 3: -7 In the illustration, face 1 is defined by vertices 1, 5, 6, and 2. Face 2 is defined by vertices 1, 4, 3, and 2.
To view the objects you are creating with the 3D command more clearly, set a viewing direction with 3DORBIT, DVIEW, or VPOINT. To create a rectangular mesh 1 At the Command prompt, enter 3dmesh. 2 Specify the M size, using an integer from 2 through 256. 3 Specify the N size, using an integer from 2 through 256. 4 Specify the vertex points as prompted. The number of vertices equals the M value times the N value. Specifying the last vertex point completes the mesh.
Quick Reference Commands 3DFACE Creates a three-sided or four-sided surface in 3D space. 3DMESH Creates a free-form polygon mesh. PEDIT Edits polylines and 3D polygon meshes. PFACE Creates a 3D polyface mesh vertex by vertex. System Variables PFACEVMAX Sets the maximum number of vertices per face. Create Wireframe Models A wireframe model is an edge or skeletal representation of a real-world 3D object using lines and curves.
Wireframe models consist only of points, lines, and curves that describe the edges of the object. Because each object that makes up a wireframe model must be independently drawn and positioned, this type of modeling can be the most time-consuming.
selected objects or subobjects. The extracted edges form a duplicate wireframe composed of 2D objects such as lines, circles, and 3D polylines. ■ Enter 3D coordinates that define the X, Y, and Z location of the object. ■ Set the default workplane (the XY plane of the UCS) on which to draw the object. ■ Move or copy the object to its proper 3D location after you create it. Wireframe modeling is a skill that requires practice and experience.
3 Enter .xy and then enter @ at the Of prompt. This operation extracts the X and Y coordinate values from the first point. 4 Enter 0 to specify the Z value. The X and Y values extracted from the first point are combined with a new Z value (0) to finish the definition of the second point. 5 Press Enter to end the command. To create wireframe geometry by extracting edges 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Extract Edges.
System Variables ELEVATION Stores the current elevation of new objects relative to the current UCS. FACETRES Adjusts the smoothness of shaded and rendered objects and objects with hidden lines removed. ISOLINES Specifies the number of contour lines per surface on objects. Add 3D Thickness to Objects Use the thickness property to give objects a 3D appearance. The 3D thickness of an object is the distance that object is extended, or thickened, above or below its location in space.
■ Polylines (including spline-fit polylines, rectangles, polygons, boundaries, and donuts) ■ Text (only if created as a single-line text object using an SHX font) ■ Traces ■ Points Modifying the thickness property of other types of objects does not affect their appearance. You can set the default thickness property for new objects you create by setting the THICKNESS system variable. For existing objects, change the thickness property on the Properties palette.
Quick Reference Commands ELEV Sets elevation and extrusion thickness of new objects. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. THICKEN Converts a surface into a 3D solid with a specified thickness. System Variables BACKZ Stores the back clipping plane offset from the target plane for the current viewport, in drawing units. FRONTZ Stores the front clipping plane offset from the target plane for the current viewport, in drawing units. THICKNESS Sets the current 3D thickness.
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Modify 3D Models 25 Change the appearance of a 3D model by manipulating both the object and its components. Overview of Modifying 3D Objects 3D modeling tools range from entering precise measurements in the Properties palette, to more free-form methods such as grip and gizmo editing. Some methods are specific to 3D solids, surfaces or meshes. Other methods are shared.
Similarly, you can convert mesh to 3D solids and surfaces to accomplish some composite object modeling tasks that are available only for those objects. Conversion is often offered as a choice when you start activities that are available only for solids and surfaces. View Your Model from All Angles When you work with any 3D object, you can easily make changes that are not accurately reflected in the current view.
conform to your expectations, make sure you understand and use the following: ■ Manipulate the 3D workplane (UCS). To understand how your model is projected in 3D space, learn how to use the X, Y, and Z axes. See Specify Workplanes in 3D (UCS) on page 566. ■ Rotate the view to display the model from different viewpoints. Several navigation tools, including 3D Orbit and the ViewCube, are available to help you rotate around your workspace. See Use Viewing Tools on page 285. ■ Display multiple viewports.
By default, gizmos are displayed automatically when you select an object or subobject in a view that has a 3D visual style. Because they constrain modifications along specific planes or axes, gizmos help ensure more predictable results. You can specify which gizmos are displayed when an object is selected, or you can suppress their display. Quick Reference Commands 3DMOVE In a 3D view, displays the 3D Move gizmo to aid in moving 3D objects a specified distance in a specified direction.
GTLOCATION Controls the initial location of the 3D Move, 3D Rotate, or 3D Scale gizmo when you select objects before you start a command in a viewport with a 3D visual style. Use the Gizmos Gizmos help move, rotate, and scale 3D objects and subobjects. Display the Gizmos Gizmos are available only in 3D views that are set to use a 3D visual style such as 3D Hidden. You can set the gizmo to be displayed automatically when you select a 3D object or subobject.
After the gizmo is active, you can also switch to a different type of gizmo. The switching behavior differs, depending on when you select the objects: ■ Select objects first. If a gizmo operation is in progress, you can press the Spacebar repeatedly to cycle through the other gizmo types. When you switch gizmos this way, the gizmo activity is constrained to the originally selected axis or plane. During a gizmo operation, you can also select a different gizmo type on the shortcut menu.
To specify which 3D gizmo is displayed by default when an object is selected ■ Click Home tab ➤ Subobject panel ➤ Move Gizmo, Rotate Gizmo, or Scale Gizmo. To suppress the display of the 3D gizmo when an object is selected ■ Click Home tab ➤ Subobject panel ➤ No Gizmo. To set the default location for gizmos 1 At the Command prompt, enter gtlocation. 2 Do one of the following: ■ Enter 1 to set the location at the geometric center of the selection set.
NOTE You cannot use the Spacebar to change the type of gizmo when the 3DMOVE, 3DROTATE, or 3DSCALE command is active. Quick Reference Commands 3DMOVE In a 3D view, displays the 3D Move gizmo to aid in moving 3D objects a specified distance in a specified direction. 3DROTATE In a 3D view, displays the 3D Rotate gizmo to aid in revolving 3D objects around a base point. 3DSCALE In a 3D view, displays the 3D Scale gizmo to aid in resizing 3D objects.
Move 3D Objects Move a selection set of objects and subobjects freely or constrain the movement to an axis or plane. To move 3D objects and subobjects, click and drag the gizmo anywhere in 3D space. This location (indicated by the center box [or base grip] of the gizmo) sets the base point for the movement and temporarily changes the position of the UCS while you move the selected objects.
Constrain the Movement to a Plane You can use the Move gizmo to constrain the movement to a plane. Each plane is identified by a rectangle that extends from the respective axis handles. You can specify the plane of movement by moving the cursor over the rectangle. When the rectangle turns yellow, click it. As you drag the cursor, the selected objects and subobjects move only along the highlighted plane. Click or enter a value to specify the distance of the move from the base point.
To move objects in 3D space along a specified axis 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify panel ➤ Move Gizmo. 2 Select the objects and subobjects you want to move using the following methods: ■ Press and hold Ctrl to select subobjects (faces, edges, and vertices). ■ Release Ctrl to select entire objects. NOTE If a subobject filter is active, you do not need to press Ctrl to select a subobject. To select the entire object, turn off the filter. 3 When you have selected all objects, press Enter.
5 Click a different location or enter a value to specify the distance of the move. Quick Reference Commands 3DMOVE In a 3D view, displays the 3D Move gizmo to aid in moving 3D objects a specified distance in a specified direction. System Variables DEFAULTGIZMO Sets the 3D Move, 3D Rotate, or 3D Scale gizmo as the default during subobject selection. Rotate 3D Objects Constrain the rotation of 3D objects and subobjects to an axis.
Constrain the Rotation to an Axis You can constrain the rotation to a specified axis. As you move the cursor over the rotation paths on the 3D rotate gizmo, a vector line representing the axis of rotation is displayed. Specify an axis of rotation by clicking the rotation path when it turns yellow. When you drag the cursor, the selected objects and subobjects rotate about the base point along the specified axis.
5 Hover the cursor over an axis path on the gizmo until it turns yellow and the vector that represents the axis of rotation is displayed. Click the path. 6 Click or enter a value to specify the angle of the rotation. Quick Reference Commands 3DROTATE In a 3D view, displays the 3D Rotate gizmo to aid in revolving 3D objects around a base point. System Variables DEFAULTGIZMO Sets the 3D Move, 3D Rotate, or 3D Scale gizmo as the default during subobject selection.
When you drag the cursor, the selected objects and subobjects are resized along the specified axis. Click or enter a value to specify the scale from the selected base point. Scale a 3D Object Along a Plane Constrain the mesh object scaling to a specified plane. Each plane is identified by a bar that extends from the outer ends of the respective axis handles. Specify the plane of scale by moving the cursor over one of the bars. When the bar turns yellow, click it.
As you drag the cursor, the selected objects and subobjects are scaled only along the highlighted plane. Click or enter a value to specify the scale from the selected base point. Scale a 3D Object Uniformly Scale solid, surface, and mesh objects uniformly along all axes. As you move the cursor toward the center point of the gizmo, a highlighted triangular area indicates that you can click to scale the selected objects and subobjects along all three axes.
As you drag the cursor, the selected objects and subobjects are scaled uniformly. Click or enter a value to specify the scale from the selected base point. To scale a 3D object along a specified axis 1 Click Home tab ➤ Modify ➤ Scale Gizmo. 2 Select the objects and subobjects you want to scale using the following methods: ■ Press and hold Ctrl to select subobjects (faces, edges, and vertices). ■ Release Ctrl to select entire objects. 3 When you have selected all objects, press Enter.
2 Select the objects and subobjects you want to scale using the following methods: ■ Press and hold Ctrl to select subobjects (faces, edges, and vertices). ■ Release Ctrl to select entire objects. 3 When you have selected all objects, press Enter. The Scale gizmo is displayed at the center of the selected object or objects. 4 Specify a base point for the scale. 5 Hover the cursor over one of the bars found between each of the axes of the gizmo until it turns yellow. Click the yellow bar.
System Variables DEFAULTGIZMO Sets the 3D Move, 3D Rotate, or 3D Scale gizmo as the default during subobject selection. Use Grips to Modify Solids and Surfaces Use grips to change the shape and size of solids and surfaces. Use 3D Subobject Grips Select faces, edges, and vertices on 3D objects. A subobject is a face, edge or vertex of a solid, surface, or mesh object. Select Subobjects To select a face, edge, or vertex of a 3D object, press Ctrl as you select the object.
You can remove an item from the selection set by pressing the Shift key and selecting it again. Select Subobjects on Composite 3D Solids Press and hold Ctrl to select faces, edges, and vertices on composite solids. If the History property of the composite solid is set to Record, the first “pick” might select the history subobject. (The history subobject is the portion of the original object that was removed during the union, subtract, or intersect operation.
NOTE If a subobject selection filter is active, you do not need to press Ctrl before clicking a face, edge, or vertex. To select a face, edge, or vertex on the history form of a composite solid 1 Click Home tab ➤ Subobject panel ➤ Edge, Vertex, or Face. 2 On the history form, click a face, edge, or vertex. NOTE If the Show History property for the history subobject is not turned on, you can display the history by pressing Ctrl as you move the cursor over the object.
System Variables GRIPHOVER Controls the fill color of an unselected grip when the cursor pauses over it. GRIPOBJLIMIT Suppresses the display of grips when the selection set includes more than the specified number of objects. GRIPS Controls the display of grips on selected objects. GRIPSIZE Sets the size of the grip box in pixels. GRIPSUBOBJMODE Controls whether grips are automatically made hot when subobjects are selected.
For best results, make sure that Selection Cycling is turned on in the Selection Cycling Tab (Draft Settings Dialog Box). Or cycle through hidden subobjects by pressing Ctrl+Spacebar as you click until the subobject is selected. Turn on the Subobject Selection Filter Selecting a specific type of subobject can be difficult on complex objects, such as meshes. You can limit the selection to a face, edge, vertex, or history subobject by setting a subobject selection filter.
Subobject filtering is off Shift + F1 To cycle through and select subobjects that are overlapping 1 Press and hold Ctrl as you press the Spacebar to cycle through the subobjects that are both visible and hidden. 2 If the subobject that you want to select is not highlighted during the cycle, move the cursor and repeat. 3 When the subobject is highlighted, release the Spacebar and click. The subobject is selected.
SOLIDEDIT Edits faces and edges of 3D solid objects. System Variables GRIPHOVER Controls the fill color of an unselected grip when the cursor pauses over it. GRIPOBJLIMIT Suppresses the display of grips when the selection set includes more than the specified number of objects. GRIPS Controls the display of grips on selected objects. GRIPSIZE Sets the size of the grip box in pixels. GRIPSUBOBJMODE Controls whether grips are automatically made hot when subobjects are selected.
without losing the overall cone shape. Drag the top radius grips to transform the cone to a flat-topped, frustum cone. Extruded Solids and Surfaces You can convert 2D objects to solids and surfaces with the EXTRUDE command. When selected, extruded solids and surfaces display grips on their profiles. A profile is the original outline that defines the shape of the extruded solid or surface. Drag profile grips to modify the overall shape of the object.
Lofted Solids and Surfaces Depending on how a lofted solid or surface was created, the solid or surface displays grips on the following, defining lines or curves: ■ Cross section ■ Path Drag grips on any of the defining lines or curves to modify the shape. If the lofted object contains a path, you can only edit the portion of the path that is between the first and last cross sections. You cannot use grips to modify lofted solids or surfaces that are created with guide curves.
See also: ■ Create Solids on page 983 ■ Create a Solid Cone on page 990 To relocate the axis of revolution for a revolved solid or surface 1 In a drawing, select a revolved solid or surface. 2 Select the grip on the axis of revolution. 3 Click in another location to relocate the axis of revolution. Quick Reference Commands EXTRUDE Creates a 3D solid or surface by extending the dimensions of an object. SELECT Places selected objects in the Previous selection set.
Modify 3D Subobjects Modify the shape of a 3D solid or surface by editing its subobjects (faces, edges, and vertices). Move, Rotate, and Scale 3D Subobjects Move, rotate, and scale individual subobjects on 3D solids and surfaces.
Move, Rotate, and Scale Subobjects on Composite Solids When you modify composite solids, the effect of the edits depends on the current setting of the History property. ■ To modify subobjects of each history component separately, the History property must be set to Record. ■ To modify subobjects of the combined composite solid as a whole, the History property must be set to None.
the modification is not possible because it changes the topology of the solid too severely. ■ If the modification causes spline surfaces to be extended, the operation is often unsuccessful. ■ You cannot move, rotate, or scale non-manifold edges (edges that are shared by more than two faces) or non-manifold vertices. Also, if some non-manifold edges or vertices are present near faces, edges, and vertices that you modify, the operation might not be possible.
Modify Faces on 3D Objects Modify individual faces on 3D objects using a variety of methods. Move, Rotate, and Scale Faces on 3D Solids and Surfaces Modify the location, rotation, and size of faces on a 3D solids and surfaces. cube with top face moved, rotated, and scaled Use the MOVE, ROTATE, and SCALE commands to modify faces just as you would with any other object. Press Ctrl+click to select a face on a solid.
■ Maintain shape of face, modify adjacent faces. When you move or rotate a face without pressing Ctrl, the shape and size of the face is maintained. However, the planes of adjacent faces might change. ■ Modify shape of face, retain edges. When you move or rotate a face and press and release Ctrl once while dragging, the size of the face is modified within the boundary, or footprint, of the adjacent faces. ■ Modify face, triangulate adjacent faces.
Copy a Face You can duplicate the face of a 3D solid object using the copy option of the SOLIDEDIT command. The selected faces are copied as regions or bodies. Delete a Face If you specify two points, the first point is used as a base point and a single copy is placed relative to the base point. If you specify a single point and press Enter, the original selection point is used as a base point. The next point is the point of displacement.
See also: ■ Modify Mesh Faces on page 1181 To copy a face on a solid object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Face Editing drop-down ➤ Copy Faces. 2 Select the face to copy. 3 Select additional faces or press Enter to copy. 4 Specify the base point for the copy. 5 Specify the second point of displacement and press Enter. NOTE Use EXTRUDE to extrude a copied face. To delete a face on a solid object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Face Editing drop-down ➤ Delete Faces.
Quick Reference Commands PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. SOLIDEDIT Edits faces and edges of 3D solid objects. Modify Edges on 3D Objects You can select and modify edges on a 3D solid or surface. Move, Rotate, and Scale Edges Move, rotate, and scale the edges on 3D solids and surfaces using grips, gizmos, and commands. cubes with edges moved, rotated, and scaled You can use MOVE, ROTATE, and SCALE to modify edges on 3D solids and surfaces just as you can for any other object.
Edge Modification Options As you drag an edge, press Ctrl to cycle through modification options. ■ Maintain length of edge. When you move, rotate, or scale an edge without pressing Ctrl, the shared length of the edge and its vertices is maintained. However, the planes of the adjacent faces adjacent might be changed. ■ Change the length of the edge. When you move, rotate, or scale an edge and press and release Ctrl once while dragging, the edge is modified without its vertices.
Fillet and Chamfer 3D Solids Add rounds and bevels to 3D solids using FILLETEDGE and CHAMFEREDGE. Use the fillet and chamfer grips to modify the fillet radius of the chamfer distance. The default radius is set by the FILLETRAD system variable. Color Edges You can modify the color of an edge on a 3D object by selecting the edge and changing the Color property in the Properties palette. Copy Edges You can copy individual edges on a 3D solid object.
■ Modify Objects on page 727 ■ Move or Rotate Objects on page 742 ■ Resize or Reshape Objects on page 769 ■ Overview of Modifying Meshes on page 1168 To fillet a solid object 1 Click Solid tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ fill Edge. 2 Select the edge of the solid to fillet. 3 Specify the fillet radius. 4 Select additional edges or press Enter to fillet. To chamfer a 3D solid object 1 Click Solid tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Chamfer Edge. 2 Select the edge of the base surface to chamfer.
To modify a fillet or chamfer on a 3D solid 1 Press and hold Ctrl as you select a fillet or chamfer on a 3D solid. 2 If the Properties palette is not displayed, select any object. Right-click the object to display the shortcut menu. Click Properties. 3 In the Properties palette, modify the properties of the fillet or chamfer. To change the color of an edge on a solid object 1 Press and hold Ctrl as you click an edge on a 3D solid. 2 If the Properties palette is not displayed, select any object.
FILLET Rounds and fillets the edges of objects. MOVE Moves objects a specified distance in a specified direction. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. ROTATE Rotates objects around a base point. SCALE Enlarges or reduces selected objects, keeping the proportions of the object the same after scaling. SOLIDEDIT Edits faces and edges of 3D solid objects. System Variables FILLETRAD3D Stores the current fillet radius for 3D objects.
You can modify the form of a 3D solid or surface by modifying one or more vertices. Use grips and gizmos, or run the MOVE, ROTATE, or SCALE command. When you scale or rotate vertices, you must select two or more vertices to see a change in the object. Clicking and dragging a vertex “stretches” the 3D object. If you move, rotate, or scale one or more vertices on a 3D solid primitive, the solid primitive history is removed.
■ Use Gizmos to Modify Objects on page 1093 ■ Modify Objects on page 727 ■ Overview of Modifying Meshes on page 1168 To move a vertex on a 3D object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Subobject panel ➤ Vertex. 2 Click a vertex on a 3D object. 3 Drag the vertex to the required location. To delete a vertex on a 3D object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Subobject panel ➤ Vertex. 2 Click a vertex that connects collinear edges are parallel and do not lie on any other edges. 3 Press Delete.
Work with Complex 3D Solids and Surfaces Modify composite solids that are created by a union, subtract, intersect, fillet, or chamfer process. Display Original Forms of Composite Solids By default, 3D composite objects retain a history that displays an editable image of their original component forms. Retain the History of the Composite Components After you create a composite object, you can modify the shape of the new object by modifying a highlighted wireframe image of its original components.
Removing a composite history is useful when you work with complex composite solids. After you create the initial complex form, set History to None to remove the history. Then reset the value to Record. With this process, you can create a complex composite object, and then reset it to serve as a base form for additional composite operations. To display the original components of a composite solid 1 If the Properties palette is not displayed, select any object.
Quick Reference Commands BREP Removes the history from 3D solids and composite solids, and associativity from surfaces. System Variables SHOWHIST Controls the Show History property for solids in a drawing. SOLIDHIST Controls the default history property setting for solid objects. Modify Composite Solids and Surfaces Modify the entire form of a composite 3D object or the original forms that make up the composite. You can move, scale, or rotate a selected composite object using grips or gizmos.
Modify Complex Composites A composite object might be made up of other composite objects. You can select the history images of composite objects by holding down the Ctrl key as you click the forms. (For best results, set the subobject selection filter to Solid History.) You can also change the size and shape of composite objects by clicking and dragging grips on individual faces, edges, and vertices. For more information, see Modify 3D Subobjects on page 1119.
NOTE This operation only applies to non-intersecting objects that have been combined by union. 3 Press Enter to complete the command. Quick Reference Commands SOLIDEDIT Edits faces and edges of 3D solid objects. System Variables LEGACYCTRLPICK Specifies the keys for selection cycling and the behavior for Ctrl+click. Shell and Remove Redundancies in 3D Objects Convert 3D solids to shells and remove redundant lines and edges. Shell 3D Solids Convert a 3D solid to a hollow wall, or shell.
2 Select the 3D solid object. 3 Select one or more faces to be excluded from shelling. 4 Press Enter. 5 Specify the shell offset value. A positive offset value creates a shell wall in a positive direction from the face. A negative value creates a shell wall in a negative direction from the face. 6 Press Enter to complete the command. Quick Reference Commands SOLIDEDIT Edits faces and edges of 3D solid objects.
To remove redundant lines from a 3D solid object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Solid Editing flyout ➤ Clean. 2 Select the 3D solid object. 3 Press Enter to complete the command. To validate a 3D solid object 1 Click Home tab ➤ Solid Editing panel ➤ Solid Editing flyout ➤ Check. 2 Select the 3D solid object. 3 Press Enter to complete the command. If the object is a valid 3D object, a message is displayed at the Command prompt. If it is not valid, you continue to be prompted to select a 3D solid.
Press in or pull out bounded, or closed, areas to create 3D holes and positive extrusions. object formed using press and pull operations on an imprinted pyramid In combination with imprinted faces, you can form complex shapes using press or pull operations to create extrusions and notches. Methods for Press and Pull Modifications With the PRESSPULL command, you specify the area to be extruded, and then move the cursor or enter a value to specify the length of the extrusion.
You cannot taper the pressed or pulled shape as you create it. However, you can achieve the same effect later by modifying the edges of the bounded area. To press or pull a bounded area 1 Press and hold Ctrl+Shift+E. 2 Click any area bounded by coplanar lines or edges. 3 Drag the mouse to press or pull the bounded area. 4 Click two points or enter a value to specify the height or depth of the extrusion.
You can delete or retain the original object as you imprint it. Objects that can be imprinted on 3D solids include arcs, circles, lines, 2D and 3D polylines, ellipses, splines, regions, bodies, and other 3D solids. Edit Imprinted Objects You can edit imprinted objects and subobjects in many of the same ways that you can edit other faces. For example, you can Ctrl+click to select a new edge and then drag to change its location.
6 Press Enter to complete the command. Quick Reference Commands IMPRINT Imprints 2D geometry on a 3D solid or surface, creating additional edges on planar faces. Modify Properties of 3D Solid, Surface, and Mesh Modify 3D objects by changing their settings in the Properties palette. 3D objects, solids, surfaces, and mesh, and their subobjects can be modified in the properties palette.
Modify Surface Objects by Changing Properties Surface objects have additional properties that are not found in 3D solid or mesh objects. The properties differ depending on the type of surface (NURBS, blend, patch, network, offset, fillet, chamfer, extend, loft, extrude, sweep, planar, or revolve).
Modify Mesh Objects by Changing Properties Mesh objects have additional properties that control the level of smoothness and creases. Crease properties of face, edge, and vertex subobjects are also reflected in the Properties palette. ■ Level of Smoothness. Smooths or sharpens the edges of a mesh object. ■ Crease Type. Specifies the presence of a crease (or sharpened edge) and the effect of smoothing. Smoothing does not affect a crease with a value of Always.
Modify 3D Subobject Properties In addition to solids, surfaces, and meshes, you can also use the properties palette to modify the properties of individual subobjects, such as faces, edges, and vertices. Different properties are available for different types of subobjects. In some cases, the application of properties can differ depending on the object type. For example, you can modify the properties of mesh faces, including their color.
2 Click the mesh object to select it. 3 In the Properties palette, modify the properties you want to change. To modify a mesh face, edge, or vertex in the Properties palette 1 If the Properties palette is not displayed, select any object. Right-click the object to display the shortcut menu. Click Properties. 2 Press Ctrl+click the mesh face, edge, or vertex that you want to modify.
LOFTMAG2 Sets the magnitude of the draft angle through the last cross section in a loft operation. Modify Surfaces Reshape surfaces, and then analyze and rebuild the model if necessary to ensure quality and smoothness. Overview of Modifying Surfaces Fillet, extend, and trim surfaces or modify NURBS surfaces with control vertices. Procedural and NURBS surfaces can be edited with basic editing tools such as trimming, extending and filleting.
■ Fillet Surfaces ■ Edit NURBS Surfaces 1150 | Chapter 25 Modify 3D Models
Trim and Untrim Surfaces Trim and untrim surfaces to meet the edges of other objects. An important step in the surface modeling workflow is trimming surfaces. You can trim a surface where it meets an intersecting object or you can project geometry onto a surface as a trimming edge. When a surface is trimmed, the removed surface areas can be replaced with SURFUNTRIM. NOTE SURFUNTRIM does not restore areas removed by the SURFAUTOTRIM system variable and PROJECTGEOMETRY.
Options for Projecting Geometry Project geometry from 3 different angles: the Z axis of the current UCS, the current view, or a path between two points. ■ Project to UCS - Projects the geometry along the positive or negative Z axis of the current UCS. ■ Project to View - Projects the geometry based on the current view. ■ Project to Two Points - Projects the geometry along a path between two points. To trim a surface 1 Click Surface tab ➤ Create panel ➤ Trim. 2 Select the surface and press Enter.
Quick Reference Commands 3DOSNAP Sets the object snap modes for 3D objects. PROJECTGEOMETRY Projects points, lines, or curves onto a 3D solid or surface from different directions. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. SURFTRIM Trims portions of a surface where it meets another surface or type of geometry. SURFUNTRIM Replaces surface areas removed by the SURFTRIM command. VISUALSTYLES Creates and modifies visual styles and applies a visual style to a viewport.
There are two types of extend surfaces: merge and append. The merge surface is a continuation of the surface with no seam. The append surface extends the surface by adding a second surface with a seam. Because it creates a seam, append surfaces have continuity and bulge magnitude on page 1016 properties. For both surface types, use the Properties palette to change the length or to derive the length from a mathematical expression. To create a new surface by extending a surface 1 Select a surface.
The fillet surface is created and the originating are surfaces automatically trimmed if necessary. Quick Reference Commands SURFFILLET Creates a filleted surface between two other surfaces. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. System Variables FILLETRAD3D Stores the current fillet radius for 3D objects. Edit NURBS Surfaces Change the shape of NURBS surfaces and curves by using the 3D Edit Bar or by editing control vertices.
Use CVSHOW to display the control vertices for both NURBS surfaces and curves. Drag the control vertices to reshape the curve or surface; you can also add or delete control vertices in both the U and V directions. The typical surface modeling workflow is to: ■ Create a model that combines 3D solids, surfaces, and mesh objects. ■ Convert the model to procedural surfaces to take advantage of associative modeling.
CONVTONURBS Converts 3D solids and surfaces into NURBS surfaces. CVSHOW Displays the control vertices for specified NURBS surfaces or curves. CVADD Adds control vertices to NURBS surfaces and splines. CVHIDE Turns off the display of control vertices for all NURBS surfaces and curves. CVREBUILD Rebuilds the shape of NURBS surfaces and curves. CVREMOVE Removes control vertices from NURBS surfaces and curves.
Quick Reference Commands CONVTONURBS CVSHOW Displays the control vertices for specified NURBS surfaces or curves. CVADD Adds control vertices to NURBS surfaces and splines. CVHIDE Turns off the display of control vertices for all NURBS surfaces and curves. CVREBUILD Rebuilds the shape of NURBS surfaces and curves. CVREMOVE Removes control vertices from NURBS surfaces and curves. Analyze Surfaces Surface analysis tools check the continuity, curvature and draft angles of surfaces.
■ Curvature Analysis on page 1165 - Evaluates areas of high and low surface curvature by displaying a color gradient. ■ Draft Analysis on page 1166 - Evaluates whether a model has adequate draft between a part and its mold.
NOTE Analysis tools only work in the 3D visual styles; they will not work in 2D. Quick Reference Commands ANALYSISCURVATURE Displays a color gradient onto a surface to evaluate different aspects of its curvature. ANALYSISDRAFT Displays a color gradient onto a 3D model to evaluate whether there is adequate space between a part and its mold. ANALYSISOPTIONS Sets the display options for zebra, curvature, and draft analysis. ANALYSISZEBRA Projects stripes onto a 3D model to analyze surface continuity.
System Variables VSACURVATUREHIGH Sets the value at which a surface displays as green during curvature analysis (ANALYSISCURVATURE). VSACURVATURELOW Sets the value at which a surface displays as blue during curvature analysis (ANALYSISCURVATURE). VSACURVATURETYPE Controls which type of curvature analysis is used with the (ANALYSISCURVATURE). VSADRAFTANGLEHIGH Sets the value at which a model displays as green during draft analysis (ANALYSISDRAFT).
Analyze Surface Continuity with Zebra Analysis The zebra analysis tool projects stripes onto a surface so that you can inspect the continuity between surfaces. Surface continuity is a measure of how smoothly two surfaces flow into each other. A car hood, for example, can be composed of multiple small surfaces that appear to be one because of the smoothness of the surface continuity. NOTE Analysis tools only work in the 3D visual styles; they will not work in 2D.
■ G2 Curvature. The position, tangency, and curvature of the surface edges is the same. This indicates G2 (G0 + G1 + G2 or position + tangency + curvature). The stripes line up, but they do not veer away from each other at sharp curves (because they share the same curvature). This distinction is subtle and a little harder to discern from G1 continuity. To analyze surface continuity 1 Click Surface tab ➤ Analysis panel ➤ Zebra. 2 Select a surface and press Enter. The zebra stripes display.
2 Click the Clear Zebra Analysis button. The zebra stripes disappear. To change the zebra analysis options 1 Click Surface tab ➤ Analysis panel ➤ Analysis Options. 2 In the Zebra tab of the Analysis Options dialog box, select the desired options and click OK. Quick Reference Commands ANALYSISOPTIONS Sets the display options for zebra, curvature, and draft analysis. ANALYSISZEBRA Projects stripes onto a 3D model to analyze surface continuity.
Analyze the Curvature of a NURBS Surface Displays a color gradient onto surfaces to evaluate areas of high, low and Gaussian curvature. The color gradient allows you to visualize Gaussian, minimum, maximum, and mean U and V surface curvature. Maximum curvature and a positive Gaussian value display as red, and minimum curvature and a negative Gaussian value display as blue. Positive Gaussian curvature means the surface is shaped like a bowl.
Quick Reference Commands ANALYSISCURVATURE Displays a color gradient onto a surface to evaluate different aspects of its curvature. ANALYSISOPTIONS Sets the display options for zebra, curvature, and draft analysis. System Variables VSACURVATUREHIGH Sets the value at which a surface displays as green during curvature analysis (ANALYSISCURVATURE). VSACURVATURELOW Sets the value at which a surface displays as blue during curvature analysis (ANALYSISCURVATURE).
To turn off the draft color display 1 Click Surface tab ➤ Analysis panel ➤ Analysis Options. 2 Click the Clear Draft Analysis button. The draft analysis colors disappears. To change the draft analysis options 1 Click Surface tab ➤ Analysis panel ➤ Analysis Options. 2 In the Draft Angle tab of the Analysis Options dialog box, select the desired options and click OK.
Overview of Modifying Meshes Modeling mesh objects differs from modeling 3D solids and surfaces in some important ways. Mesh objects do not have the mass and volume properties of 3D solids. However, they do offer unique capabilities that enable you to design less angular, more rounded models. Mesh objects are easier to mold and reshape than their solid and surface counterparts. NOTE The capabilities described in this section apply only to mesh objects created in AutoCAD 2010 and later.
Faces are non-overlapping units that—along with their edges and vertices—form the basic editable units of a mesh object. When you move, rotate, and scale individual mesh faces, surrounding faces are stretched and deformed in order to avoid introducing gaps. When gaps occur, you can often close them by smoothing the object or refining individual faces. About Mesh Facets Mesh faces have underlying structures, known as facets. The density of the facet grid corresponds to the smoothness of the mesh.
also resets the lowest level of smoothness that can be applied to the object (MESHREFINE). ■ Refine a face. Restrict the refinement to a specific mesh face. This method avoids resetting the smoothness baseline. ■ Crease an edge. Remove the smoothness from specified edges. You can also remove an existing crease (MESHCREASE). ■ Split or merge faces. Divide an existing face into separate components along a specified path. Merge two or more faces to create a single face (MESHSPLIT, MESHMERGE).
Because dense meshes can be difficult to work with, you can change settings to improve the display and behavior of grips. ■ Set the subobject selection filter to select only faces, edges, or vertices: Set the DEFAULTGIZMO system variable or use the shortcut menu. ■ Set whether a grip on a face, edge, or vertex is active immediately when you select the subobject: Set the GRIPSUBOBJMODE system variable. Quick Reference Commands MESHCAP Creates a mesh face that connects open edges.
MESHUNCREASE Removes the crease from selected mesh faces, edges, or vertices. System Variables DEFAULTGIZMO Sets the 3D Move, 3D Rotate, or 3D Scale gizmo as the default during subobject selection. GRIPSUBOBJMODE Controls whether grips are automatically made hot when subobjects are selected. VSLIGHTINGQUALITY Sets the lighting quality in the current viewport. Change Mesh Smoothness Levels Increase the roundness of mesh objects by increasing the smoothness levels.
Increase or Decrease Smoothness As you work, you can increase and decrease the level of smoothness. The differences are apparent both in the wireframe and conceptual visual styles and in the rendered output. The lowest level of smoothness, or baseline, is 0. By default, Level 0 has no smoothness. You can increase the smoothness of any mesh object up to the current limits. However, you cannot decrease the smoothness of a mesh object whose level of smoothness is zero.
specify. As an object is smoothed, the density of the mesh facet grid also increases. For best results, model mesh objects at lower smoothness levels and increase the smoothness only after modeling is complete. Dense meshes can result in subobjects that are difficult to select and edit. They can also affect performance. Therefore you might want to set limits that prevent the mesh from becoming too dense. ■ Maximum level of smoothness at which a grid is displayed (SMOOTHMESHGRID).
3 In the Properties palette, Geometry area, Smoothness box, select a new smoothness level. To control the display of the mesh facet grid 1 At the Command prompt, enter smoothmeshgrid. 2 Enter one of the following values: ■ 0 suppresses the display of the underlying mesh facet grid. ■ 1 displays the mesh facet grid only when the object has a level of smoothness of 0 or 1. ■ 2 and higher sets the highest level of smoothness at which the facet grid is displayed.
System Variables SMOOTHMESHGRID Sets the maximum level of smoothness at which the underlying mesh facet grid is displayed on 3D mesh objects. SMOOTHMESHMAXFACE Sets the maximum number of faces permitted for mesh objects. SMOOTHMESHMAXLEV Sets the maximum smoothness level for mesh objects. Refine Mesh Objects or Subobjects Refine a mesh object or subobject to convert underlying facets to editable faces. You can refine any mesh that has a level of smoothness of 1 or higher.
Refine a Mesh Face You can refine an entire mesh object as shown in the previous illustration, or select a specific face to refine. A refined face is subdivided into four faces and the surrounding faces are deformed slightly to accommodate the change. Refining a mesh face does not affect the overall smoothing level of the mesh object. Unlike a refined mesh object, refined faces can be refined again immediately. With mesh face refinement, you can target smaller areas for detailed modeling.
If a crease is applied before an object is smoothed or refined, the effect is not apparent until after the object is smoothed or refined. To refine a mesh object 1 Click Mesh tab ➤ Mesh panel ➤ Refine Mesh. 2 Select the mesh object that you want to refine. (The object must have a smoothness level of 1 or higher.) The underlying mesh facets are converted to faces and the level of smoothness for the object is set to 0. Higher levels of smoothness result in a higher number of faces.
Add Creases to Different Subobjects The result of creasing differs, depending on what type of subobject you select. ■ Edge. The selected edge is sharpened. The adjacent faces are deformed to accommodate the new crease angle. ■ Face. The selected face is flattened and all edges that bound that face are sharpened. Adjacent faces are deformed to accommodate the new shape of the face. ■ Vertex. The point of the vertex and all intersecting edges are sharpened.
To add creases to a mesh object 1 (Optional) Specify the type of subobject to crease: right-click in the drawing area and click Subobject Selection Filter ➤ Face, Vertex, or Edge. 2 Click Mesh tab ➤ Mesh panel ➤ Add Crease. 3 Select the mesh edges, faces, or vertices to crease. (If you have set a subobject selection filter, only one type of subobject can be selected.) To remove a subobject from the selection set, Shift+click the subobject.
To remove an existing mesh crease 1 (Optional) Specify the type of subobject to modify: right-click in the drawing area and click Subobject Selection Filter ➤ Face, Vertex, or Edge. 2 Click Mesh tab ➤ Mesh panel ➤ Remove Crease. 3 Press Ctrl+click the mesh subobjects to be modified and press Enter. You can also use window selection to specify multiple subobjects. Quick Reference Commands MESHCREASE Sharpens the edges of selected mesh subobjects.
Because you specify the start point and end point of the split, this method also gives you control over the shape of the two new faces. Use the Vertex option to snap automatically to the vertices of the face. If you plan to split a face to create—and then spin the edge of—two triangular faces (MESHSPIN), use the Vertex option to ensure precision. Extrude Mesh Faces You can add definition to a 3D object by extruding a mesh face. Extruding other types of objects creates a separate 3D solid object.
You cannot create joined extrusions for mesh faces in which only the vertices are shared. For more information about extrusion, see Create a Solid or Surface by Extruding on page 968. Reconfigure Adjacent Mesh Faces You can extend your editing options by reconfiguring adjacent faces. Several options are available: ■ Merge adjacent faces. Combine adjacent faces to form a single face. Merging works best with faces that are on the same plane.
■ Spin edges of triangular faces. Rotate an edge that is shared by two triangular faces. The shared edge spins to extend from the opposite vertices. This activity works best when the adjoined triangles form a rectangular, not a triangular, shape. See also: ■ Tips for Working with Mesh on page 1189 To split a mesh face 1 Click Mesh tab ➤ Mesh Edit panel ➤ Split Face. 2 Click the mesh face that you want to split. 3 To snap to a vertex of the face, enter v (Vertex).
4 Specify the amount of extrusion using one of the following methods: ■ (Single face extrusion only) Press Enter to set the extrusion dynamically. ■ Enter a value to indicate the height or depth of the extrusion and press Enter. The selected face is extruded. To merge mesh faces 1 Click Mesh tab ➤ Mesh Edit panel ➤ Merge Face. 2 On a mesh object, select two or more mesh faces and press Enter. The selected faces are combined to form a single face.
Quick Reference Commands MESHCOLLAPSE Merges the vertices of selected mesh faces or edges. MESHEXTRUDE Extends a mesh face into 3D space. MESHMERGE Merges adjacent faces into a single face. MESHSMOOTHLESS Decreases the level of smoothness for mesh objects by one level. MESHSMOOTHMORE Increases the level of smoothness for mesh objects by one level. MESHSPIN Spins the adjoining edge of two triangular mesh faces. MESHSPLIT Splits a mesh face into two faces.
■ Deleting an edge removes each adjacent face. ■ Deleting a vertex removes all faces that are shared by the vertex. If removal of a mesh face creates a gap, the mesh object is not “watertight.” It can be converted to a surface object, but not to a 3D solid object. Close Gaps in Mesh Objects If a mesh object is not watertight due to gaps, or holes, in the mesh, you can make it watertight by closing the holes. The cap, or new face, spans the boundary formed by the mesh edges that you specify (MESHCAP).
This process works best when all edges are on the same plane. The edges you select as boundaries cannot be shared by two faces. For example, you cannot close the center hole in a mesh torus. NOTE You can sometimes close gaps in mesh by smoothing the object, by using MESHCOLLAPSE, or by splitting adjacent faces (MESHSPLIT).
Quick Reference Commands ERASE Removes objects from a drawing. MESHCAP Creates a mesh face that connects open edges. Tips for Working with Mesh Learn some best practices for working with mesh models. Mesh, with its enhanced modeling capabilities, offers a way to create more fluid, free-form designs. Keep these tips in mind as you work. Model mesh before you smooth it. Mesh modeling is a powerful way to design, but higher levels of smoothness increase complexity and can affect performance.
Refine or split a face instead of refining the entire object. Refinement is a powerful way to subdivide faces. However, by increasing the number of faces, you add to the overall complexity of the model. In addition, refining an entire mesh object resets the base level of smoothness to 0. This change can result in a dense grid that can no longer be simplified. For best results, avoid refining the object, and refine or split only the individual faces that require more detailed modeling.
Creasing set to Always retains its sharpness after smoothing. If you set a crease value, the creased edge becomes smoother at the equivalent level of smoothness. Use gizmos to model faces, edges, and vertices. 3D Move, 3D Rotate, and 3D Scale gizmos can be used to modify entire mesh objects, or specific subobjects. For example, you can rotate and scale an individual face using the 3D Move, Rotate, and Scale gizmos.
mesh faces selected when the face subobject selection filter is on A filter is especially valuable for selecting mesh vertices, which are not highlighted as you move the mouse over them. In order to select the entire mesh object, you need to turn off the subselection filters. Model by extruding faces. A key difference between gizmo editing and extrusion occurs in the way each face is modified.
mesh faces extruded, then smoothed If you are working on an object that has not been smoothed, try smoothing it periodically to see how the extrusion is affected by smoothing. Convert between mesh and 3D solids or surfaces. Mesh modeling is powerful, but it cannot do everything that solid modeling can do. If you need to edit mesh objects through intersection, subtraction, or union, you can convert mesh to 3D solid or surface objects.
You might have trouble converting some non-primitive mesh to solid objects due to the following problems: ■ Gaps in the mesh. If you notice gaps, you can sometimes close them by smoothing the object or by refining the faces that are adjacent to the gap. mesh torus that has been twisted using 3D Rotate at various smoothing levels You can also close holes by using MESHCAP. In some cases, you can also obtain better results by using hardware acceleration to improve your graphics system.
mesh wedge with front faces dragged past the back faces Mesh objects that cannot be converted to solids can often be converted to surfaces instead. Avoid merging faces that wrap a corner When you merge faces, you can create a mesh configuration in which the merged face wraps a corner. If a resulting face has a vertex that has two edges and two faces, you cannot convert the mesh to a smooth 3D solid object.
One way to resolve this problem is to convert the mesh to a faceted solid instead of a smooth solid. You might also be able to repair the problem by splitting the adjacent faces, starting at the shared vertex (MESHSPLIT).
Create Sections and 2D Drawings from 3D Models 26 Create cross sections, cutting planes, and flattened views of 3D objects. Work with Sections Create cross sections of 3D models. Overview of Section Objects Create a section plane that can be modified and moved to achieve the cross section view that you need. With the SECTIONPLANE command, you can create one or more section objects and place them throughout a 3D model (3D solids, surfaces, or mesh).
Store Properties in Section Lines The section plane contains a section line that stores section object properties. You can create multiple section objects to store different properties. For example, one section object can display a hatch pattern at the section plane intersection. Another section object can display a specific linetype for the boundary of the intersected area.
Save and Share Section Images After you create a sectional view, you can generate an accurate 2D or 3D block from the 3D model. These blocks can be analyzed or checked for clearances and interference conditions. They can also be dimensioned, or used as wireframe or rendered illustrations in documentation and presentation drawings. You can also save each section object as a tool on the tool palette. That way, you can avoid resetting properties each time you create a section object.
Section object aligned to face Create a Straight Cutting Plane Pick two points to create a straight cutting plane. Add a Jogged Segment The section plane can be a straight line or it can have multiple or jogged sections. For example, a section containing a jog is one that cuts away a pie slice-shaped wedge from a cylinder. Create a section line that has jogged segments by using the Draw Section option to pick multiple points throughout the 3D model.
Section object with jogged segment Create Orthographic Sections You can align section objects to a specified orthographic orientation of the current UCS, such as front, back, bottom, top, left, or right. Orthographic section planes are placed so that they pass through the center of the 3D extents of all 3D objects in the drawing. Create a Region to Represent the Cross Section With the SECTION command, you can create a 2D region object that represents a planar cross section through a 3D solid object.
Define the plane of the cross section using one of the following methods: ■ Specify three points. ■ Specify a 2D object such as a circle, ellipse, arc, spline, or polyline. ■ Specify a view. ■ Specify the Z axis. ■ Specify the XY, YZ, or ZX plane. The new region that represents the cross-sectional plane is placed on the current layer. NOTE Before you apply hatching to the cross-sectional cutting plane, align the UCS with the cutting plane.
To create a section object by specifying two points 1 Click Home tab ➤ Section panel ➤ Section Plane. 2 Specify the first point of the section object. 3 Specify the endpoint. The section object is created between the two points. Live sectioning is turned off. To create a section object with jogged segments 1 Click Home tab ➤ Section panel ➤ Section Plane. 2 At the Command prompt, enter d (Draw Section). 3 Specify the start point of the section object.
3 Specify three points to define the cross-sectional plane. Quick Reference Commands SECTIONPLANE Creates a section object that acts as a cutting plane through 3D objects. SECTION Uses the intersection of a plane and solids, surfaces, or mesh to create a region. Modify a Section View After you create a section, adjust its display or modify its shape and location to change the represented section view. Add Jogs to a Section Add jogs, or angular segments, to existing section lines.
After adding jogs, you can reposition and resize the jogged sections by dragging the section object grips. To add jogs to a section 1 Click Home tab ➤ Section panel ➤ Jog. 2 On a section object, select the section line. 3 Move the cursor over the section line. 4 Select a point on the section line where you want to place a jog that is perpendicular to the selected segment. To create additional jogs, repeat the steps. NOTE You cannot create jogs that cause the line to intersect itself or close.
You can use live sectioning to analyze a model by moving the section object through the object. For example, sliding the section object through an engine assembly helps you visualize its internal components. You can use this method to create a cross section view that you can save or reuse. Turn on and Use Live Sectioning Live sectioning works with 3D objects and regions in model space.
A drawing can contain multiple section objects. However, live sectioning can only be active for one section object at a time. Suppose that your model has two sections objects: Section A and Section B. If Section A has live sectioning turned on and you activate live sectioning for Section B, live sectioning for Section A is automatically turned off. Turning off a section object layer does not turn off live sectioning. However, freezing the layer turns off live sectioning.
Grips allow you to adjust the location, length, width, and height of the cutting area. ■ Base grip. Acts as the basepoint for moving, scaling, and rotating the section object. It is always adjacent to the Menu grip. ■ Second grip. Rotates the section object around the base grip. ■ Menu grip. Displays a menu of section object states, which control the display of visual information about the cutting plane. ■ Direction grip. Controls the viewing direction of the 2D section.
Depending on the current section plane state, different grips are displayed. 2 Hover over the grip with the cursor until it turns red. Then drag the grip to a new location. 3 To adjust the height, width, or depth of a section plane, click the Menu grip and select Section Volume or Section Boundary. Quick Reference Commands SECTIONPLANE Creates a section object that acts as a cutting plane through 3D objects. System Variables GRIPSIZE Sets the size of the grip box in pixels.
■ Section Volume. A 3D box shows the extents of the cutting plane in all directions. You can switch between object states by clicking the Menu grip that is displayed when you select the section object. Set Section Object Properties Section objects have properties like other AutoCAD objects. Properties are stored in the section line and can be accessed in the Properties palette. For each section object, you can change the name, layer, and linetype.
3 In the Plane Color box, select a color. The section plane indicator is updated in the viewport. To change the height of the section plane indicator 1 Right-click the section object. Click Properties. 2 In the Properties palette, under Geometry, in the Top Plane box, change the value. This value changes the distance from the section line to the upper edge of the section plane. 3 In the Bottom Plane box, enter a value.
Associate Section Objects with Views and Cameras Associate section objects with named views and cameras in the View Manager. When you activate a named view or camera that has an associated section object, live sectioning is turned on for that section object. For a 3D model with multiple section objects, you might want to associate a particular section object to a view or camera. Later, you can restore a saved sectional view or camera and activate live sectioning for the associated section object.
Save and Publish Section Objects Save a section object as a block or tool, or publish it. Save Sections as Blocks, Drawings, or Tools Save the representation of the cross-sectional area where a section object intersects a 3D model as a block. Save Sections as Blocks or Drawings You can save the section objects you create as blocks. Working from the Generate Section / Elevation Dialog Box, you can choose the type of block that is created.
The display properties of 2D section/elevation blocks and 3D section blocks are controlled in the Section Settings dialog box. When you create section blocks, you have the following choices for how they are handled: ■ Insert the section blocks. At the time of creation, you can insert a 2D or 3D section block into the drawing or save it to an external file. A 2D section block is inserted on the XY plane of the current UCS, including section blocks that extend into 3D space.
To save and insert a 2D or 3D section as a block 1 Click Home tab ➤ Section panel ➤ Create Block. 2 Select the section object. 3 In the Generate Section/Elevation dialog box, click 2D Section/Elevation or 3D Section. 4 In the expanded dialog box, select Include All Objects. 5 Under Destination, click Insert as New Block. 6 Click Create. 7 In the drawing area, specify an insertion point for the new block. An unnamed block is inserted consisting of 2D or 3D geometry.
■ Under Text Added to the Existing Layer Name, enter descriptive text to be added to the layer name. Click OK. 8 In the Section Settings dialog box, click OK. 9 In the Generate Section / Elevation dialog box, click Create. To save a section object tool as a tool palette tool 1 On a section object, select the section line. 2 Drag the section object to the position on the tool palette where you want to place the tool. The black line indicates the new location of the tool. 3 Release the mouse button.
Publish Section Objects Control the visibility of section objects when you render, plot, or view them in the DWF file viewer. Render Section Objects With live sectioning turned on, all lines on a section object are rendered as 2D lines. The section plane indicator is rendered as a transparent material. Its degree of transparency is controlled in the Properties palette. If you want to render a 3D cutaway, save the cutaway section as a 3D block and render the block reference.
PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. PUBLISH Publishes drawings to electronic sheet sets (DWF, DWFx, or PDF files) or plotters. RENDER Creates a photorealistic or realistically shaded image of a 3D solid or surface model. SECTIONPLANE Creates a section object that acts as a cutting plane through 3D objects. SECTIONPLANESETTINGS Sets display options for the selected section plane. SECTIONPLANETOBLOCK Saves selected section planes as 2D or 3D blocks.
The flatshot process works only in model space. Start by setting up the view you want, including orthographic or parallel views. All 3D objects in the model space viewport are captured. Therefore, be sure to place the objects you do not want captured on layers that are turned off or frozen. As you create the block, you can control how hidden lines are displayed by adjusting the Foreground and Obscured Lines settings in the Flatshot dialog box.
To create a flattened 2D view of a 3D model 1 Set up the view of the 3D model. 2 Click Home tab ➤ Section panel ➤ Flatshot. 3 In the Flatshot dialog box, under Destination, click one of the options. 4 Change the color and linetype settings for Foreground and Obscured lines. 5 Click Create. 6 Specify an insertion point on the screen to place the block. Adjust the basepoint, scale, and rotation if necessary. A block is created consisting of 2D geometry that is projected onto the XY plane of the current UCS.
Part 9: Annotate Drawings 1221
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Work with Annotations 27 When you annotate your drawings, you can use certain tools and properties to make working with annotations easier. Overview of Annotations Annotations are notes or other types of explanatory symbols or objects that are commonly used to add information to your drawing.
■ Blocks ■ Attributes Quick Reference Commands ATTDEF Creates an attribute definition for storing data in a block. BLOCK Creates a block definition from selected objects. DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. HATCH Fills an enclosed area or selected objects with a hatch pattern, solid fill, or gradient fill. MLEADERSTYLE Creates and modifies multileader styles. MTEXT Creates a multiline text object. OBJECTSCALE Adds or deletes supported scales for annotative objects.
Overview of Scaling Annotations Objects that are commonly used to annotate drawings have a property called Annotative. This property allows you to automate the process of scaling annotations so that they plot or display at the correct size on the paper. Instead of creating multiple annotations at different sizes and on separate layers, you can turn on the annotative property by object or by style, and set the annotation scale for layout or model viewports.
Workflow for Annotating Drawings The following steps represent a typical workflow for annotating a drawing so that your annotations will scale automatically. 1 Create annotative styles on page 1234. 2 In model space, set the annotation scale to the scale at which the annotations will be plotted or displayed on page 1227. 3 Create annotative objects using annotative styles on page 1234. If one or more annotative objects needs to be displayed at an additional scale, follow these steps.
System Variables ANNOAUTOSCALE Updates annotative objects to support the annotation scale when the annotation scale is changed. CANNOSCALE Sets the name of the current annotation scale for the current space. CANNOSCALEVALUE Returns the value of the current annotation scale. MSLTSCALE Scales linetypes displayed on the model tab by the annotation scale. Set Annotation Scale is a setting that is saved with model space, layout viewports, and model views.
Use the CANNOSCALE system variable to set a default annotation scale setting. You can reset the list of annotative scales in a drawing to the default list of either metric or imperial scales defined in the registry with the Default Scale dialog box.
CANNOSCALE Sets the name of the current annotation scale for the current space. CANNOSCALEVALUE Returns the value of the current annotation scale. MSLTSCALE Scales linetypes displayed on the model tab by the annotation scale. Create Annotative Objects Objects that are commonly used to annotate drawings have a property called Annotative.
Many of the dialog boxes used to create these objects contain an Annotative check box where you can make the object annotative. You can also change existing objects to be annotative by changing the annotative property in the Properties palette. When you hover the cursor over an annotative object that supports one annotation scale, the cursor displays a more than one annotation scale, it displays a 1230 | Chapter 27 Work with Annotations icon. When the object supports icon.
Text, dimension, and multileader styles can also be annotative. Annotative styles create annotative objects. Visual Fidelity for Annotative Objects When working with objects, this option allows you to maintain visual fidelity for these objects when they are viewed in AutoCAD 2007 and earlier releases. Visual fidelity is controlled by the SAVEFIDELITY system variable. If you work primarily in model space, it is recommended that you turn off visual fidelity (set SAVEFIDELITY to 0).
When this option is not selected, a single model space representation is displayed on the Model tab. More annotation objects may be displayed on the Model tab depending on the ANNOALLVISIBLE setting. Also, more objects may be displayed in paper space viewports at different sizes than in AutoCAD 2008 and later releases. For a procedure to set this option for annotative objects, see To save drawings with visual fidelity for annotative objects.
Work with Annotative Styles You can minimize the steps to annotate a drawing by using annotative styles. Annotative text, dimension, and multileader styles create objects. The dialog boxes used to define these objects contain an Annotative check box where you can make the styles annotative. Annotative styles display a special palette. icon before their names in dialog boxes and the Properties You should specify the Paper Height value for any annotative text styles you create.
value is 0), the paper height of the object is calculated based on the object’s current height and the annotation scale.
Quick Reference Commands ANNOUPDATE Updates existing annotative objects to match the current properties of their styles. DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. MLEADERSTYLE Creates and modifies multileader styles. STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. Create Annotative Text Use text for notes and labels in your drawing. You create annotative text by using an annotative text style, which sets the height of the text on the paper.
To create a new annotative text style 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Text panel ➤ Text Style. 2 In the Text Style dialog box, click New. 3 In the New Text Style dialog box, enter a new style name. 4 Click OK. 5 In the Text Style dialog box, under Size, select Annotative. 6 In the Paper Text Height box, enter the height of the text as it will display on paper. 7 Click Apply. 8 (Optional) Click Set Current to set this style as the current text style. 9 Click Close.
To create annotative single-line text 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Text panel ➤ Text Style. 2 In the Text Style dialog box, Styles list, select an annotative text style. NOTE A annotative. icon next to a text style name indicates that the style is 3 Click Set Current to set this style as the current text style. 4 Click Close. 5 Click Annotate tab ➤ Text panel ➤ Single Line Text. 6 Specify the insertion point for the first character. 7 Specify a text rotation angle. 8 Enter the text.
To change existing multiline text to annotative or nonannotative 1 Double-click a multiline text object. The In-Place Text Editor is displayed. button on the toolbar to change existing 2 Click the Annotative multiline text to annotative or nonannotative. When the Annotative button is depressed, the text is annotative. When the button is not depressed, the text is nonannotative. 3 Click OK to save the changes.
7 Click Close. 8 In the drawing, select all the text objects (text and mtext) that you want to update. 9 At the command prompt, enter annoupdate. To change the height of annotative text as it will display on the paper 1 In the drawing, select a text object. 2 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Properties. 3 In the Properties palette, under Paper Text Height, enter a new value. Quick Reference Commands MTEXT Creates a multiline text object. STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles.
If you associate a dimension to an annotative object, the associativity of the dimension is lost. You can also change an existing nonannotative dimension to annotative by changing the dimension’s Annotative property to Yes. NOTE When the current dimension style is annotative, the value of DIMSCALE is automatically set to zero, and does not affect the dimension scale. You can also create annotative tolerances.
6 In the New Dimension Style dialog box, select the appropriate tab and make changes to define the dimension style. 7 Click OK. 8 (Optional) Click Set Current to set this style as the current dimension style. 9 Click Close. To change an existing dimension style to annotative 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager dialog box, Styles list, select a style. NOTE A icon next to a dimension style name indicates that the style is already annotative.
one first. For information on creating an annotative dimension style see, To create a new annotative dimension style. 3 Click Set Current. 4 Click Close. 5 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Dimension drop-down list ➤ select a dimension type, or at the Command prompt, enter a dimension command. If the Select Annotation Scale dialog box is displayed, select the default scale you want to use for the new dimension object and click OK. 6 Place the dimension in the drawing area.
NOTE A icon next to a dimension style name indicates that the style is already annotative. 3 Click Modify. 4 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Fit tab, under Scale for Dimension Features, select Annotative. 5 Click OK. 6 (Optional) Click Set Current to set this style as the current dimension style. 7 Click Close. 8 In the drawing, select all the dimensions that you want to update. 9 At the command prompt, enter annoupdate.
System Variables DIMANNO Creates a single-line text object. Create Annotative Leaders and Multileaders Leaders and multileader on page 2171 are used to add call outs to your drawings. You can create leaders through an annotative dimension style and multileaders through an annotative multileader style. When you create a leader, you create two separate objects: the leader and the text, block, or tolerance associated with the leader. When you create a multileader, you create a single object.
5 In the Modify Multileader Style dialog box, select the appropriate tab and make changes to define the multileader style. 6 Click OK. 7 (Optional) Click Set Current to set this style as the multileader style. 8 Click Close. To change an existing multileader style to annotative 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Multileaders panel ➤ Multileader Style. 2 In the Multileader Style Manager dialog box, Styles list, select a style.
3 Click Set Current. 4 Click Close. 5 Click Annotate tab ➤ Multileaders panel ➤ Multileader. 6 Choose a point for the leader head. 7 Choose the last point for the leader. 8 Specify the text width. 9 Enter text. 10 On the Text Formatting toolbar, click OK. To change an existing leader or multileader to annotative or nonannotative 1 Select a leader or multileader in a drawing. 2 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Properties. 3 In the Properties palette, under Misc, click Annotative.
block definitions create annotative block references. Annotative block references and attributes initially support the current annotation scale at the time they are inserted. You should insert annotative block references with a unit factor of 1. You cannot change the Annotative property of individual block references. To set an annotative block’s paper size, you should define the block in paper space or on the Model tab with the set to 1:1.
You can set the orientation of annotative blocks to match the orientation of the paper. For more information about setting the orientation of annotative objects, see Set Orientation for Annotations on page 1256. You can use the ANNOTATIVEDWG system variable to specify whether or not the entire drawing will behave as an annotative block when inserted into another drawing. The ANNOTATIVEDWG system variable becomes read-only if the drawing contains annotative objects.
3 Under Behavior, select Annotative. 4 Click OK. The existing block references in the drawing are now annotative. To create an annotative attribute definition 1 Click Blocks & References tab ➤ Attributes panel ➤ Define Attributes. 2 In the Attribute Definition dialog box, set the Attribute Modes and enter Tag information, Insertion Point and Text Settings. 3 Under Text Settings, select Annotative. 4 Click OK. 5 Specify the start point. 6 Press ENTER.
An hatch is defined at a paper size. You can create individual annotative hatch objects as well as annotative hatch patterns. The hatch pattern definitions stored in the acad.pat file contain information that indicates whether the pattern is annotative or non-annotative. When the selected hatch pattern is annotative, the Annotative checkbox in the Hatch and Gradient dialog box should be selected. You can use the HPANNOTATIVE system variable to specify whether or notnew hatches are annotative.
5 Under Options, select Annotative. 6 Click OK. To change an existing hatch object to annotative 1 In model space, at the command prompt, enter cannoscale. 2 Enter the scale set for the viewport in which the hatch is displayed. 3 In the drawing, select the hatch. 4 In the Properties palette, under Pattern, click Annotative. 5 On the drop-down list, select Yes. Quick Reference Commands HATCH Fills an enclosed area or selected objects with a hatch pattern, solid fill, or gradient fill.
In general, you should turn off annotation visibility, except when inspecting a drawing created by another person or when adding scales to existing annotative objects. Annotation visibility is also controlled by the ANNOALLVISIBLE system variable. In order for an annotative object to be visible, the layer the object is on must be turned on. If an object supports more than one annotation scale, the object will display at the current scale.
SELECTIONANNODISPLAY Controls whether alternate scale representations are temporarily displayed in a dimmed state when an annotative object is selected. Add and Modify Scale Representations When you create an object in your drawing, it supports one : the annotation scale that was current when you created the object. You can update annotative objects to support additional annotation scales. When you update an annotative object to support additional scales, you add additional to the object.
To add the current annotation scale to an annotative object 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Annotation Scaling panel ➤ Add/Delete Scales. 2 In a drawing, select one or more annotative objects. 3 Press ENTER. To delete the current annotation scale from an annotative object 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Annotation Scaling panel ➤ Add/Delete Scales. 2 In a drawing, select one or more annotative objects. 3 Press ENTER.
6 Click OK. 7 In the Annotative Object Scale dialog box, click OK. To delete an annotation scale from an annotative object 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Annotation Scaling panel ➤ Add/Delete Scales. 2 In the drawing area, select one or more annotative objects. 3 Press ENTER. 4 In the Annotative Object Scale dialog box, select one or more scales to delete from the objects. (Press and hold the SHIFT key to select more than one scale.). NOTE You cannot delete the 1:1 scale. 5 Click OK.
Set Orientation for Annotations blocks and text can be set so that their orientation matches the orientation of the layout. The orientation of annotative hatches always matches the orientation of the layout. Even if the view in the layout viewport is twisted or if the viewpoint is non-planar, the orientation of these objects in layout viewports will match the orientation of the layout. Annotative attributes in blocks match the paper orientation of the block.
2 In the Text Style dialog box, Styles list, select an annotative text style. NOTE A annotative. icon next to a text style name indicates that the style is 3 Under Size, select Match Text Orientation to Layout. 4 Click Apply. 5 Click Close. To match the layout’s orientation for an annotative block definition 1 Click Blocks & References tab ➤ Block panel ➤ Create. 2 In the Block Definition dialog box, under Name, select a block. 3 Under Behavior, select Annotative.
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Hatches, Fills, and Wipeouts ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 28 Overview of Hatch Patterns and Fills on page 1259 Specify Hatch and Fill Areas on page 1267 Control the Appearance of Hatches on page 1272 Modify Hatches and Fills on page 1289 Create a Blank Area to Cover Objects on page 1295 Overview of Hatch Patterns and Fills Hatches and fills do not have to be bounded. In the following illustration, the concrete hatches are bounded, while the earth hatches are unbounded.
By default, bounded hatches are associative, which means that the hatch object is associated with the hatch boundary objects, and changes to the boundary objects are automatically applied to the hatch. To maintain associativity, the boundary objects must continue to completely enclose the hatch. The alignment and orientation of a hatch pattern is determined by the current location and orientation of the user coordinate system, in addition to controls in the user interface.
NOTE This procedure describes how to use DesignCenter to drag hatch patterns into your drawing. You can also drag hatch patterns from a tool palette. 2 On the DesignCenter toolbar, click Search. 3 In the Search dialog box, do the following: ■ From the Look For drop-down list, select Hatch Pattern Files. ■ From the In drop-down list, select the drive where the program is installed. ■ Confirm that Search Subfolders is selected.
To hatch or fill areas (ribbon turned on) 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Hatch. 2 On the Properties panel, select one of the options from the Hatch Type drop-down list. 3 On the Pattern panel, click a hatch pattern or fill. 4 Specify a point inside each area to be hatched. 5 On the ribbon, make any adjustments as needed. On the Properties panel, you can change the hatch type and colors or modify the transparency level, angle, or scale for the hatch.
6 (Optional) From the Draw Order drop-down list, choose one of the options. You can change the draw order of the hatch so that the hatch is displayed either behind or in front of the hatch boundary, or behind or in front of all other objects. 7 Click OK to apply the hatch. To hatch selected objects (ribbon turned on) 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Hatch. 2 On the Boundaries panel, click Select. 3 Select the objects that you want to hatch.
HATCH Fills an enclosed area or selected objects with a hatch pattern, solid fill, or gradient fill. HATCHEDIT Modifies an existing hatch or fill. HATCHTOBACK Sets the draw order for all hatches in the drawing to be behind all other objects. MATCHPROP Applies the properties of a selected object to other objects. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. UCS Manages user coordinate systems. System Variables GFANG Specifies the angle of a gradient fill.
GFSHIFT Specifies whether the pattern in a gradient fill is centered or is shifted up and to the left. HPANG Sets the angle for new hatch patterns. HPANNOTATIVE Controls whether a new hatch pattern is annotative. HPASSOC Controls whether hatches and fills are associative. HPBACKGROUNDCOLOR Controls the background color for hatch patterns. HPBOUND Controls the object type created by HATCH and BOUNDARY. HPBOUNDRETAIN Controls whether boundary objects are created for new hatches and fills.
HPISLANDDETECTION Controls how islands within the hatch boundary are treated. HPISLANDDETECTIONMODE Controls whether internal closed boundaries, called islands, are detected. HPLAYER Specifies a default layer for new hatches and fills. HPMAXLINES Sets the maximum number of hatch lines that are generated in a hatch operation. HPNAME Sets the default hatch pattern name. HPOBJWARNING Sets the number of hatch boundary objects that can be selected before displaying a warning message.
HPTRANSPARENCY Sets the default transparency for new hatches and fills. MIRRHATCH Controls how MIRROR reflects hatch patterns. PICKSTYLE Controls the use of group selection and associative hatch selection. Specify Hatch and Fill Areas Define boundaries for hatches and fills from existing objects or from specified boundary points. Use one of several methods to specify the 2D geometric boundaries of a hatch or fill. ■ Specify a point in an area that is enclosed by objects.
Hatch associativity is turned on by default and is controlled by the HPASSOC system variable. You can also control hatch associativity using the following tools in the user interface: ■ Hatch and Gradient dialog box ■ Hatch Edit dialog box ■ Hatch panel on the ribbon ■ Properties palette Nonassociative hatches are not updated when their original boundary is changed. Hatch Enclosed Areas Within Boundaries Enclosed areas within hatch boundaries are called islands.
NOTE Text objects are treated as islands. If island detection is turned on, the result always leaves a rectangular space around the text. Include Objects in a Boundary Set When hatching a small area in a large, complex drawing, you can save time by selecting a smaller set of objects in the drawing to be used in determining the hatch boundary.
To hatch an area whose boundary is not quite closed, do one of the following: ■ Locate the gaps and modify the boundary objects so they form a closed boundary. ■ Set the HPGAPTOL system variable to a value large enough to bridge the gaps. HPGAPTOL applies only to gaps between geometric objects that would meet if extended. NOTE By default, a preview of the hatch displays as you move the cursor over bounded areas.
Selecting the objects with a crossing window is often the best method. 5 In the Hatch and Gradient dialog box, click Add: Pick Points. 6 Specify a point inside each area that you want to hatch. 7 Click OK to apply the hatch. Quick Reference Commands HATCH Fills an enclosed area or selected objects with a hatch pattern, solid fill, or gradient fill. HATCHEDIT Modifies an existing hatch or fill. System Variables HPANG Sets the angle for new hatch patterns.
HPQUICKPREVIEW Controls whether to display a preview when specifying internal points for a hatch. HPSEPARATE Controls whether a single hatch object or separate hatch objects are created when operating on several closed boundaries. Control the Appearance of Hatches Specify a hatch pattern or fill, and control its alignment and scale. Choose a Hatch Pattern or Fill Choose from three types of hatch patterns, and two types of fills. ■ Predefined hatch patterns.
Assign a Background Color to Hatch Patterns Predefined, user defined, and custom hatch patterns, can be assigned a background fill color. The background fill color shares the same level of transparency as the pattern itself. See also: ■ Modify Hatch Properties on page 1289 ■ “Overview of Hatch Pattern Definitions” in the Customization Guide To create a hatch with a predefined hatch pattern (ribbon turned on) 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Hatch.
7 Click OK to apply the hatch. To fill an area with a solid color (ribbon turned on) 1 Click Home tab ➤ Draw panel ➤ Hatch. 2 On the Properties panel, click Solid from the Hatch Type drop-down list, or click Solid on the Pattern panel. 3 (Optional) On the Properties panel, click a color override from the Hatch Color drop-down list. Specify any other options as needed. 4 Specify a point inside each area that you want to fill.
HATCH Fills an enclosed area or selected objects with a hatch pattern, solid fill, or gradient fill. HATCHEDIT Modifies an existing hatch or fill. HATCHTOBACK Sets the draw order for all hatches in the drawing to be behind all other objects. MATCHPROP Applies the properties of a selected object to other objects. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. UCS Manages user coordinate systems. System Variables GFANG Specifies the angle of a gradient fill.
GFSHIFT Specifies whether the pattern in a gradient fill is centered or is shifted up and to the left. HPANG Sets the angle for new hatch patterns. HPANNOTATIVE Controls whether a new hatch pattern is annotative. HPASSOC Controls whether hatches and fills are associative. HPBACKGROUNDCOLOR Controls the background color for hatch patterns. HPBOUND Controls the object type created by HATCH and BOUNDARY. HPBOUNDRETAIN Controls whether boundary objects are created for new hatches and fills.
HPLAYER Specifies a default layer for new hatches and fills. HPMAXLINES Sets the maximum number of hatch lines that are generated in a hatch operation. HPNAME Sets the default hatch pattern name. HPOBJWARNING Sets the number of hatch boundary objects that can be selected before displaying a warning message. HPINHERIT Controls whether to inherit the hatch origin when using the Inherit Properties option in HATCH and HATCHEDIT.
MIRRHATCH Controls how MIRROR reflects hatch patterns. Control the Hatch Origin Point Each hatch pattern is aligned with an origin point. Changing the origin point shifts the pattern. By default, hatch patterns are aligned with the origin point of the user coordinate system. However, sometimes you need to move the origin point of the hatch object. For example, if you create a brick pattern, you can start with a complete brick in the lower-left corner of the hatched area by specifying a new origin point.
7 Press Enter, or click Close on the ribbon to apply the hatch and exit the command. Alternatively, you can control the origin and rotation of a hatch pattern by changing the origin and rotation of the user coordinate system (UCS) before you create the hatch. To specify the alignment of a hatch pattern (ribbon turned off) 1 Start the Hatch command from a menu or toolbar. 2 In the Hatch and Gradient dialog box, Hatch tab, under Type and Pattern, click Predefined from the Type drop-down list.
PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. UCS Manages user coordinate systems. System Variables HPINHERIT Controls whether to inherit the hatch origin when using the Inherit Properties option in HATCH and HATCHEDIT. HPORIGIN Sets the hatch origin point for new hatch patterns relative to the current user coordinate system. HPORIGINMODE Controls how the default hatch origin point is determined. HPQUICKPREVIEW Controls whether to display a preview when specifying internal points for a hatch.
■ If you work with layout viewports in different scales, you can apply scale factors automatically by making them annotative. This method is more efficient than creating duplicate hatch pattern objects with different scale factors. For more information about using annotative scaling, see Create Annotative Hatches on page 1249. NOTE To prevent accidental creation of an enormous number of hatch lines, the maximum number of hatch lines created in a single hatch operation is limited.
4 Under Angle and Scale, enter a new scale value or click the drop-down arrow to display a list of scales. 5 Under Boundaries, click Add: Pick Points. 6 Specify a point inside each area that you want to hatch and press Enter. 7 Click OK to apply the hatch. Quick Reference Commands HATCH Fills an enclosed area or selected objects with a hatch pattern, solid fill, or gradient fill. HATCHEDIT Modifies an existing hatch or fill. MATCHPROP Applies the properties of a selected object to other objects.
HPINHERIT Controls whether to inherit the hatch origin when using the Inherit Properties option in HATCH and HATCHEDIT. HPSCALE Sets the hatch pattern scale factor. HPSPACE Sets the hatch pattern line spacing for user-defined patterns. Set Property Overrides for Hatches and Fills Control the default color, layer, and transparency of hatch objects separately from other objects. Hatch objects have an additional capability that is not available with other types of objects.
All new hatch objects will use this transparency value instead of the current transparency value used by all other objects. To set a transparency override for new hatches (ribbon turned off) 1 Start the Hatch command from a menu or toolbar. 2 In the Hatch and Gradient dialog box, under Options, select Specify Value from the Transparency drop-down list. 3 Enter transparency value or drag the slider. 4 Under Boundaries, click Add: Pick Points.
System Variables HPANNOTATIVE Controls whether a new hatch pattern is annotative. HPASSOC Controls whether hatches and fills are associative. HPBACKGROUNDCOLOR Controls the background color for hatch patterns. HPCOLOR Sets a default color for new hatches. HPDRAWORDER Controls the draw order of hatches and fills. HPINHERIT Controls whether to inherit the hatch origin when using the Inherit Properties option in HATCH and HATCHEDIT. HPLAYER Specifies a default layer for new hatches and fills.
To create hatches that have no boundary objects, do one of the following: ■ Erase the boundary objects of an existing hatch. ■ Trim an existing hatch to objects that cross the edges of the hatch. After trimming, erase the objects. ■ Define hatch boundary points with the Draw option of the -HATCH command. To hide a hatch's boundary objects, assign the boundary objects to a different layer than the hatch object, and then turn off or freeze the layer of the boundary objects.
8 Press Enter twice to create the hatch. Quick Reference Commands -HATCH conref to -Hatch blurb PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. System Variables HPANG Sets the angle for new hatch patterns. HPBOUNDRETAIN Controls whether boundary objects are created for new hatches and fills. HPCOLOR Sets a default color for new hatches. HPDLGMODE Controls the display of the Hatch and Gradient dialog box and the Hatch Edit dialog box. HPDOUBLE Specifies hatch pattern doubling for user-defined patterns.
HPINHERIT Controls whether to inherit the hatch origin when using the Inherit Properties option in HATCH and HATCHEDIT. HPORIGIN Sets the hatch origin point for new hatch patterns relative to the current user coordinate system. HPORIGINMODE Controls how the default hatch origin point is determined. HPSCALE Sets the hatch pattern scale factor. HPSPACE Sets the hatch pattern line spacing for user-defined patterns. HPTRANSPARENCY Sets the default transparency for new hatches and fills.
System Variables HPDRAWORDER Controls the draw order of hatches and fills. Modify Hatches and Fills Modify hatch properties and boundaries, or re-create the boundaries hatch objects. Modify Hatch Properties Modify the properties of hatch objects directly or copy them from another hatch object. The following tools are available for modifying hatch properties: ■ Hatch panel controls. Display on the ribbon by selecting a hatch object. ■ Hatch Edit dialog box. Access the dialog box with HATCHEDIT.
Quick Reference Commands HATCHEDIT Modifies an existing hatch or fill. HATCHTOBACK Sets the draw order for all hatches in the drawing to be behind all other objects. MATCHPROP Applies the properties of a selected object to other objects. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. System Variables HPDLGMODE Controls the display of the Hatch and Gradient dialog box and the Hatch Edit dialog box.
2 Change the desired hatch settings from the Hatch Editor tab on the ribbon, the Modify menu, Modify toolbar, or enter hatchedit at the Command prompt. 3 In the user interface, a panel in the Hatch Editor tab, or the Hatch Edit dialog box, change the hatch settings or properties as needed. Quick Reference Commands HATCHEDIT Modifies an existing hatch or fill. MATCHPROP Applies the properties of a selected object to other objects. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects.
When you select an associative hatch object, it displays a circular grip, called the control grip, at the center of the hatch extents. Hover over the control grip to display a shortcut menu with several hatch options, or right-click to display additional options. You can also change the hatch object by editing the grips of the associated boundary objects.
When you hover over a grip on a nonassociative hatch object, a grip menu displays several edit options based on the type of grip. For example, a linear segment grip has an option to convert the segment to an arc, or to add a vertex. NOTE For drastic changes, you can use TRIM to reduce the area covered by a hatch object, or EXPLODE to disassemble a hatch into its component objects. Quick Reference Commands EXPLODE Breaks a compound object into its component objects.
To re-create the boundary object of a hatch or fill (ribbon turned on) 1 Select the hatch object. 2 On the ribbon, Boundaries panel, click Recreate Boundary. 3 At the prompt, specify the type of object to create as the new boundary, and whether to associate the boundary with the hatch. 4 Press Enter, or click Close on the ribbon to apply the hatch and exit the command.
System Variables HPDLGMODE Controls the display of the Hatch and Gradient dialog box and the Hatch Edit dialog box. HPBOUND Controls the object type created by HATCH and BOUNDARY. HPBOUNDRETAIN Controls whether boundary objects are created for new hatches and fills. HPSEPARATE Controls whether a single hatch object or separate hatch objects are created when operating on several closed boundaries.
NOTE Because a wipeout object is similar to a raster image, it has the same requirements for plotting. You need a raster-capable plotter with either an ADI 4.3 raster-capable driver or the system printer driver. See also: ■ Control How Overlapping Objects Are Displayed on page 545 To cover existing objects with a blank area 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Markup panel ➤ Wipeout. 2 Specify points in a sequence that defines the perimeter of the area to be masked. 3 Press Enter to end the command.
Notes and Labels 29 You can create and modify several types of text, including text with leaders. You can control most text style settings by defining text styles. Overview of Notes and Labels You can create text in various ways. For short, simple entries, use single-line text. For longer entries with internal formatting, use multiline text (mtext).
5 Enter the text. At the end of each line, press ENTER. Enter more text as needed. NOTE Text that would otherwise be difficult to read (if it is very small, very large, or is rotated) is displayed at a legible size and is oriented horizontally so that you can easily read and edit it. If you specify another point during this command, the cursor moves to that point, and you can continue typing. Every time you press ENTER or specify a point, a new text object is created.
■ To select a paragraph, triple-click the paragraph. 8 On the ribbon, make format changes as follows: ■ To change the font of the selected text, select a font from the list. ■ To change the height of the selected text, enter a new value in the Height box. NOTE The MText height value is reset to 0 if its default height is not modified during creation.
SPELL Checks spelling in a drawing. STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. TEXT Creates a single-line text object. System Variables DIMASZ Controls the size of dimension line and leader line arrowheads. DIMLDRBLK Specifies the arrow type for leaders. Create Text You can create text using several methods, depending on your needs. Overview of Creating Text The text you add to your drawings conveys a variety of information.
There are more editing options for multiline text than there are for single-line text. For example, you can apply underlining, fonts, color, and text height changes to individual characters, words, or phrases within a paragraph. Annotative Text Use text for notes and labels in your drawing. You create annotative text by using an annotative text style, which sets the height of the text on the paper.
To create multiline text 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Multiline Text. 2 Specify opposite corners of a bounding box to define the width of the multiline text object. If the ribbon is active, the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab displays. If the ribbon is not active, the In-Place Text Editor is displayed. 3 To indent the first line of each paragraph, drag the first-line indent slider on the ruler. To indent the other lines of each paragraph, drag the paragraph slider.
■ To format text in a TrueType font with boldface or italics, or to create underlined or overlined text for any font, click the corresponding button on the ribbon. SHX fonts do not support boldface or italics. ■ To apply color to selected text, choose a color from the Color list. Click Other to display the Select Color dialog box. 9 To save your changes and exit the editor, use one of the following methods: ■ On the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab, in the Close panel, click Close Text Editor.
TEXTSIZE Sets the default height for new text objects drawn with the current text style. TEXTSTYLE Sets the name of the current text style. Create Single-Line Text You can use single-line text to create one or more lines of text, where each text line is an independent object that you can relocate, reformat, or otherwise modify. Use single-line text (TEXT) to create one or more lines of text, ending each line when you press ENTER.
See also: ■ Use Fields in Text on page 1352 To create single-line text 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Single Line Text. 2 Specify the insertion point for the first character. If you press ENTER, the program locates the new text immediately below the last text object you created, if any.
3 Specify the height of the text. This prompt is displayed only if text height is set to 0 in the current text style. A rubber-band line is attached from the text insertion point to the cursor. Click to set the height of the text to the length of the rubber-band line. 4 Specify a text rotation angle. You can enter an angle value or use your pointing device. 5 Enter the text. At the end of each line, press ENTER. Enter more text as needed.
Quick Reference Commands QTEXT Controls the display and plotting of text and attribute objects. STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. TEXT Creates a single-line text object. System Variables FONTALT Specifies the alternate font to be used when the specified font file cannot be located. FONTMAP Specifies the font mapping file to be used. MIRRTEXT Controls how MIRROR reflects text. QTEXTMODE Controls how text is displayed.
TEXTSIZE Sets the default height for new text objects drawn with the current text style. TEXTSTYLE Sets the name of the current text style. Create Multiline Text A multiline text (mtext) object includes one or more paragraphs of text that can be manipulated as a single object. Overview of Multiline Text You can create a multiline text (mtext) object by entering or importing text.
Text Style Most characteristics of the text are controlled by the text style, which sets the default font and other options, such as line spacing, justification, and color. You can use the current text style or select a new one. The STANDARD text style is the default. Within the multiline text object, you can override the current text style by applying formatting such as underlining, boldface, and different fonts to individual characters.
5 If you want to use a text style other than the default, on the ribbon, click the Annotate tab, Text panel. Select the desired text style from the drop-down list. 6 Enter text. NOTE Text that would otherwise be difficult to read (if it is very small, very large, or is rotated) is displayed at a legible size and is oriented horizontally so that you can easily read and edit it.
To insert symbols or special characters in multiline text 1 If the ribbon is active, double-click a multiline text object to open the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab. If the ribbon is not active, the In-Place Text Editor is displayed. 2 On either the ribbon contextual tab or expanded toolbar, click Symbol. 3 Click one of the options on the menu, or click Other to display the Character Map dialog box. To access the Character Map dialog box, you must have charmap.exe ® ® installed.
The value is based on the text height. A factor of 1.0 exactly fits the multiline text object. A factor of 1.5 (the default) extends the background by 0.5 times the text height. 5 Under Fill Color, do one of the following: ■ Select the Use Drawing Background Color option. ■ Select a color for the background, or click Select Color to open the Select Color dialog box. 6 Click OK to return to the editor.
QTEXT Controls the display and plotting of text and attribute objects. STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. System Variables MTEXTCOLUMN Sets the default column setting for an mtext object. MTEXTED Sets the application for editing multiline text objects. MTEXTFIXED Sets the display size and orientation of multiline text in a specified text editor. MTEXTTOOLBAR Controls the display of the Text Formatting toolbar.
Justify Multiline Text Justification of multiline text objects controls both text alignment and text flow relative to the text insertion point. Justification controls both text alignment and text flow relative to the text insertion point. Text is left-justified and right-justified with respect to the boundary rectangle that defines the text width. Text flows from the insertion point, which can be at the middle, the top, or the bottom of the resulting text object.
2 Select the multiline text object. 3 On the Properties palette, select one of the Justification options. 4 Click outside the Properties palette. Quick Reference Commands PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Format Characters Within Multiline Text You can override the text style and apply different formatting to individual words and characters within multiline text. The format changes affect only the text you select; the current text style is not changed.
■ To select a word, double-click the word. ■ To select a paragraph, triple-click the paragraph. 3 On either the ribbon contextual tab or toolbar, make format changes as follows: ■ To change the font of the selected text, select a font from the list. ■ To change the height of the selected text, enter a new value in the Height box. ■ To format text in a TrueType font with boldface or italics, or to create underlined or overlined text for any font, click the corresponding button on the ribbon.
MTEXT Creates a multiline text object. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. System Variables TEXTFILL Controls the filling of TrueType fonts while plotting. TEXTSTYLE Sets the name of the current text style. Create Lists in Multiline Text You can create bulleted lists, lettered or numbered lists, or simple outlines in multiline text. Lines of multiline text can be formatted as a list.
NOTE If you do not want list formatting applied to all text that fits the criteria, clear the Allow Bullets and Lists option. (Right-click in the In-Place Text Editor, click Bullets and Lists, and clear Allow Bullets and Lists.) When Allow Bullets and Lists is not checked, you cannot create new formatted lists in the multiline text object. To create a list, use one of the following methods: ■ Apply list formatting to new or selected text. ■ Use Auto-list (on by default) and type the elements of a list.
Character Description : Colon ) Close parenthesis > Close angle bracket ] Close square bracket } Close curly bracket Paste a List from Another Document If you copy a nested bulleted list (a list within a list) from Microsoft Word and paste the list into multiline text, the bullets that are displayed as empty circles cannot be formatted like other bullets in multiline text. This is because Word uses the letter o instead of a bullet for nested bulleted lists.
■ Uppercase Letters. Uses uppercase letters with periods for the items in a list. If the list has more items than the alphabet has letters, the sequence continues by using double letters. To use lowercase letters, right-click in the editor. Click Bullets and Lists ➤ Lettered ➤ Lowercase. 6 If you are creating new list items, enter the text. 7 To end the list, press ENTER to move to a new line. Click the button that you clicked to start the list.
To create a lettered or numbered list in multiline text as you type 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Multiline Text. 2 Specify opposite corners of a bounding box to define the width of the multiline text object. 3 To expand the Text Formatting toolbar, click Options button ➤ Show Options. 4 Click Bullets and Lists. Verify that Allow Auto-list and Allow Bullets and Lists are checked. 5 Enter a letter or a number and a period (or other punctuation).
4 Click Bullets and Lists. Verify that Allow Auto-list and Allow Bullets and Lists are selected (tick mark). 5 Start a line of text by entering \U+2022 (the Unicode string for a bullet) or by selecting a bullet character or another symbol. NOTE The following characters cannot be used as bullets: period (.), colon (:), close parenthesis ()), close angle bracket (>), close square bracket (]), and close curly bracket (}). 6 Alternatively, click Options ➤ Symbol ➤ Other. The Character Map dialog box appears.
3 Press ENTER to start the next item at the same level, or press SHIFT+TAB to move the item up a level. 4 To save your changes and exit the editor, use one of the following methods: ■ On the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab, in the Close panel, click Close Text Editor. ■ Click in the drawing outside the editor. ■ Press CTRL+ENTER. To separate an existing list 1 If the ribbon is active, double-click a multiline text object to open the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab.
To convert the lists in a multiline text object to plain text 1 If the ribbon is active, double-click a multiline text object to open the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab. If the ribbon is not active, the In-Place Text Editor is displayed. 2 Right-click in the editor. Click Bullets and Lists. Remove the check mark next to Allow Bullets and Lists. The plain text lists retain their bullets, numbers, or letters. If you add an item to the list, the number or letter sequence does not change.
paragraphs, click in a single paragraph or select multiple paragraphs and then change the settings. Sliders on the ruler show indentation relative to the left side of the bounding box. The top slider indents the first line of the paragraph, and the bottom slider indents the other lines of the paragraph. The long tick marks on the ruler show the default tab stops. If you click the ruler to set your own tabs, the ruler displays a small, L-shaped marker at each custom tab stop.
6 To save your changes and exit the editor, use one of the following methods: ■ On the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab, in the Close panel, click Close Text Editor. ■ Click in the drawing outside the editor. ■ Press CTRL+ENTER. Quick Reference Commands DDEDIT Edits single-line text, dimension text, attribute definitions, and feature control frames. MTEXT Creates a multiline text object. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects.
The default line space style, At Least, automatically increases line spacing to accommodate characters that are too large to fit the line spacing you set for the multiline text object. Use the other line space style, Exactly, to line up text in tables. To ensure that line spacing is identical in multiple multiline text objects, use Exactly and set the Line Space Factor to the same value in each multiline text object.
Quick Reference Commands PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. System Variables TSPACEFAC Controls the multiline text line-spacing distance measured as a factor of text height. TSPACETYPE Controls the type of line spacing used in multiline text. Create Stacked Characters Within Multiline Text Characters representing fractions and tolerances can be formatted to conform to several standards.
You use special characters to indicate how selected text should be stacked. ■ Slash (/) stacks text vertically, separated by a horizontal line. ■ Pound sign (#) stacks text diagonally, separated by a diagonal line. ■ Carat (^) creates a tolerance stack, which is stacked vertically and not separated by a line. To stack characters manually within the In-Place Text Editor, select the text to be formatted, including the special stacking character, and click the Stack button on the Text Formatting toolbar.
■ Carat (^) creates a tolerance stack, which is not separated by a line. If you enter numbers separated by stack characters and then enter a nonnumeric character or press SPACEBAR, the AutoStack Properties dialog box is displayed. 5 In the AutoStack Properties dialog box, you can choose to automatically stack numbers (not nonnumeric text) and to remove leading blanks. You can also specify whether the slash character creates a diagonal fraction or creates a vertical fraction.
2 In either the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab (Formatting tab drop-down) or In-Place Text Editor, select the stacked text. 3 Click Stack on the Text Formatting toolbar. 4 To save your changes and exit the editor, use one of the following methods: ■ Click OK on the toolbar. ■ Click in the drawing outside the editor. ■ Press CTRL+ENTER. Quick Reference Commands MTEXT Creates a multiline text object. System Variables TSTACKALIGN Controls the vertical alignment of stacked text.
Editing Columns in the In-Place Text Editor When you are working with columns using either the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab or In-Place Text Editor, the columns will be in a frame. If the Opaque background is turned on, the background covers each column, leaving gutter space blank. The ruler bar when applied, spans across all the columns, but the ruler is only active for the column that is selected as current.
3 Adjust the column height by moving the arrows located on the bottom left of the first column. NOTE The arrows on the ruler on the upper right side only adjust gutter width, not column width. To adjust columns using grips 1 Select an area outside the mtext object. The In-Place Text Editor toolbar will disappear. 2 Click once in the text area and grips will appear. Grips control the location of the mtext object, the gutter width, and vertical and horizontal movement of colmns.
NOTE In general, grips only update the mtext object after the mouse button is released. Quick Reference Commands MTEXT Creates a multiline text object. System Variables MTEXTCOLUMN Sets the default column setting for an mtext object. Import Text from External Files You can insert TXT or RTF text files into your drawing by either importing the text or dragging a file icon from Windows Explorer.
You can insert TXT or RTF text files created in word processors into your drawing by either importing the text or dragging a file icon from Windows Explorer. Importing TXT or RTF files from other sources gives you the most flexibility. For example, you can create a text file of standard notes that you include in drawings. The imported text becomes a multiline text object, which you can edit and reformat. Text imported from a TXT file inherits the current text style.
■ Click in the drawing outside the editor. ■ Press Ctrl+Enter. To insert a text file using the drag-and-drop method 1 Open Windows Explorer, but make sure it does not fill the screen. 2 Display the folder that contains the TXT or RTF file you want. 3 Drag the TXT or RTF file icon onto the drawing. TXT files are inserted as multiline text objects using the current text style. RTF files are inserted as OLE objects. Quick Reference Commands MTEXT Creates a multiline text object.
When associative dimensioning is turned on and object snaps are used to locate the leader arrowhead, the leader is associated with the object to which the arrowhead is attached. If the object is relocated, the arrowhead is relocated, and the landing stretches accordingly. NOTE The leader object should not be confused with the leader line that is automatically generated as part of a dimension line. To create a leader with straight lines 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Multileader.
Quick Reference Commands LEADER Creates a line that connects annotation to a feature. MLEADER Creates a multileader object. QLEADER Creates a leader and leader annotation. System Variables DIMASSOC Controls the associativity of dimension objects and whether dimensions are exploded. DIMGAP Sets the distance around the dimension text when the dimension line breaks to accommodate dimension text. DIMLDRBLK Specifies the arrow type for leaders.
A multileader object, or MLEADER, comprises a leader and a note. It can be created arrowhead first, tail first, or content first. If a multileader style has been used, then the multileader can be created from that style Multileader objects can contain multiple leader lines, each of which can have one or more segments, so that one note can point to multiple objects in your drawing. You can modify the properties of leader segment in the Properties palette.
Arrange Leaders Multileaders can be arranged to add order and consistency to your drawing. Multileader objects with blocks as content can be collected and attached to one landing line. Using the MLEADERCOLLECT command, multileaders can be collected horizontally, vertically, or within a specified area depending on your drawing needs. Multileader objects can be sorted evenly along a specified line. Using the MLEADERALIGN command, selected multileaders can be aligned and evenly spaced as specified.
To create a leader with straight lines 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Multileader. 2 At the Command prompt, enter o to select options. 3 Enter l to specify leaders. 4 Enter t to specify the leader type. 5 Enter s to specify straight leaders. 6 In the drawing, click a start point for the leader head. 7 Click an end point for the leader. 8 Enter your MTEXT content. 9 On the Text Formatting toolbar, click OK.
9 Do one of the following: ■ Create a multileader object ■ Apply the new multileader style to an existing multileader object To create a spline leader with text or a block 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Multileader. 2 At the Command prompt, enter o to select options. 3 Enter l to specify leaders. 4 Enter t to specify the leader type. 5 Enter p to specify a spline leader. 6 In the drawing, click a start point for the leader head. 7 Click the end point for the leader. 8 Enter your MTEXT content.
2 Click Annotate tab ➤ Multileaders panel ➤ Add Leader. 3 Specify the endpoint for the new leader. To remove leaders from an annotation 1 Select the multileader. 2 On the Multileader toolbar, click Remove Leader. 3 Select the leader or leaders you want to remove. Press ENTER. To align and space leaders 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Multileaders panel ➤ Align. 2 Select the multileaders to be aligned. Press ENTER. 3 Specify a starting point in the drawing to begin the alignment.
To create a landing line with multiple segments 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Multileader Style. 2 In the Multileader Style Manager, click New to create a new multileader style. 3 In the Create New Multileader Style dialog box, specify a name for the new multileader style. 4 In the Modify Multileader Style dialog box, select the Leader Structure tab. 5 In the Constraints group box, select the Maximum Leader Points check box.
MLEADERCOLLECT Organizes selected multileaders that contain blocks into rows or columns, and displays the result with a single leader. MLEADEREDIT Adds leader lines to, or removes leader lines from, a multileader object. MLEADERSTYLE Creates and modifies multileader styles. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. System Variables DIMASSOC Controls the associativity of dimension objects and whether dimensions are exploded. DIMASZ Controls the size of dimension line and leader line arrowheads.
MLEADERSCALE Sets the overall scale factor applied to multileader objects. Work with Leader Styles The appearance of a leader is controlled by its multileader style. You can use the default multileader style, STANDARD, or create your own multileader styles. The multileader style can specify formatting for landing lines, leader lines, arrowheads, and content. For example, the STANDARD multileader style uses a straight leader line with a closed filled arrowhead and multiline text content.
■ First and Second Segment Angles. Specifies the angle of the first and second points in the landing. ■ Landing - Keep Horizontal. Attaches a horizontal landing to the multileader content. ■ Set Landing Distance. Determines the fixed distance for the multileader landing line. 7 On the Content tab, specify either text or block content for the multileader. If the multileader object will contain text content, then select or clear the following options: ■ Default Text.
To apply a leader style to an existing leader 1 Select the multileader to which you want to apply a new style. 2 On the ribbon, click the Annotate tab, Multileaders panel. Select the desired multileader style from the drop-down list. 3 To create a new style, click the Multileader Style icon. Quick Reference Commands MLEADERSTYLE Creates and modifies multileader styles. System Variables CMLEADERSTYLE Sets the name of the current multileader style.
Middle of top line Bottom of top line Underline top line Middle of text Middle of bottom line Bottom of bottom line Underline bottom line Underline all text Add Content to a Leader | 1349
Leaders Containing Blocks Multileaders can contain blocks as content by applying a multileader style that references a block in your drawing. NOTE Annotative Blocks cannot be used as either content or arrowheads in multileader objects. Blocks can be connected to a multileader by attaching the landing to a selected insertion point on the block. You can also connect a multileader to a center point on the selected block. You can create annotative multileaders with blocks as content.
PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. PURGE Removes unused items, such as block definitions and layers, from the drawing. QTEXT Controls the display and plotting of text and attribute objects. SPELL Checks spelling in a drawing. STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. TEXT Creates a single-line text object. System Variables DIMGAP Sets the distance around the dimension text when the dimension line breaks to accommodate dimension text.
TEXTQLTY Sets the resolution tessellation fineness of text outlines. Use Fields in Text A field is updatable text that is set up to display data that may change during the life cycle of the drawing. When the field is updated, the latest value of the field is displayed. Insert Fields A field is text that contains instructions to display data that you expect to change during the life cycle of the drawing. When a field is updated, the latest data is displayed.
of the week and the time, and the format for named object fields includes capitalization options. Edit a Field A field is part of a text object and it can be edited from a text editor. The easiest way to edit a field is to double click the text object that contains the field and then, to display the Field dialog box, double click the field. These operations are available on the shortcut menus as well.
To insert a field in a table 1 Double-click inside a cell in a table to select it for editing. 2 Place the cursor where you want the field text to appear and right-click. Click Insert Field. 3 In the Field dialog box, select All or select a category. 4 In the Field Names list, select a field. The current value of the field is displayed in a shaded text box to the right of Field Category. 5 Select a format and any other option. 6 Click OK to insert the field.
2 In the Attribute Definition dialog box, under Mode, click Preset. Specify any text options. 3 Under Attribute, in the Tag box, enter a name for the field. 4 To the right of the Value box, click the Insert Field button. 5 In the Field dialog box, under Field Category, select SheetSet. 6 In the Field Names list, select SheetSetPlaceholder. 7 In Placeholder Type, select the type of field that you want. Temporary Value previews the placeholder field.
In the Additional Format dialog box, the current value of the field is displayed. When you select an option, the result is displayed in Preview. 4 Enter a conversion factor to apply to the current value. For example, to convert inches to millimeters, enter 0.03937. 5 Enter any text that you want to precede or follow the field value. For example, enter mm for millimeters. 6 Select a decimal separator. Select None or Comma to group thousands.
Quick Reference Commands FIELD Creates a multiline text object with a field that can be updated automatically as the field value changes. FIND Finds the text that you specify, and can optionally replace it with other text. INSERT Inserts a block or drawing into the current drawing. LIST Displays property data for selected objects. MTEXT Creates a multiline text object. SPELL Checks spelling in a drawing. TABLE Creates an empty table object. TABLEEXPORT Exports data from a table object in CSV file format.
FIELDEVAL Controls how fields are updated. Update Fields When a field is updated, it displays the latest value. You can update fields individually or update all fields in one or more selected text objects. You can also set fields to be updated automatically when the drawing is opened, saved, plotted, regenerated, or sent through ETRANSMIT. Settings on the User Preferences Tab (Options Dialog Box) control whether fields are updated automatically or on demand (FIELDEVAL system variable).
For compatibility with previous versions, contextual fields in blocks and xrefs are not updated when you insert them in a drawing; instead, the field displays the last cached value. Therefore, if you want to use a contextual field within a block, for example, a title block, you must insert the field as an attribute. For example, a title block can use the CurrentSheetNumber field as an attribute.
2 Select the field to update and right-click. Click Update Field. To update multiple fields manually 1 Click Blocks & References tab ➤ Data panel ➤ Update Fields . 2 At the Select Objects prompt, select the objects that contain the fields you want to update and press ENTER. All of the fields in the selected objects are updated. To update fields automatically 1 At the Command prompt, enter fieldeval.
System Variables FIELDDISPLAY Controls whether fields are displayed with a gray background. FIELDEVAL Controls how fields are updated. Use Hyperlinks in Fields The Hyperlink field assigns a hyperlink to any piece of text. The hyperlink works the same way as a hyperlink attached to an object. When the cursor pauses over the text, a hyperlink cursor is displayed, along with a tooltip that describes the hyperlink. Hold down the CTRL key and click to follow the link.
■ Under Browse For, click File, Web Page, or Target. Navigate to the location to which you want to link. Click Open or OK. 7 (Optional) In Text to Display, select the default text that is displayed, and enter the link text that you want to appear in the mtext object. 8 Click OK to close each dialog box. 9 To save your changes and exit the editor, use one of the following methods: ■ Click OK on the toolbar. ■ Click in the drawing outside the editor. ■ Press CTRL+ENTER.
TABLE Creates an empty table object. TABLEEXPORT Exports data from a table object in CSV file format. TABLESTYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies table styles. UPDATEFIELD Manually updates fields in selected objects in the drawing. System Variables CTABLESTYLE Sets the name of the current table style. FIELDDISPLAY Controls whether fields are displayed with a gray background. FIELDEVAL Controls how fields are updated.
Create and Modify Text Styles Except for the default STANDARD text style, you must create any text style that you want to use. Text style names can be up to 255 characters long. They can contain letters, numbers, and the special characters dollar sign ($), underscore (_), and hyphen (-). If you don't enter a text style name, the text styles are automatically named Stylen, where n is a number that starts at 1. You can modify an existing text style in the Text Style dialog box by changing the settings.
Formatting Retained? Underlining Yes Annotative Text Styles Use text for notes and labels in your drawing. You create annotative text by using an annotative text style, which sets the height of the text on the paper. For more information about creating and working with an annotative text, see Create Annotative Text on page 1235. See also: ■ Scale Annotations on page 1224 To set the current text style ■ On the ribbon, click the Annotate tab ➤ Text panel.
TEXTSTYLE Sets the name of the current text style. Assign Text Fonts You can assign a text font as part of the text style definition. Several factors depend on the type of text you are working with. Overview of Assigning Text Fonts Fonts define the shapes of the text characters that make up each character set. You can use TrueType fonts in addition to compiled SHX fonts. A single font can be used by more than one text style.
Quick Reference Commands STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. System Variables FONTALT Specifies the alternate font to be used when the specified font file cannot be located. FONTMAP Specifies the font mapping file to be used. Use TrueType Fonts Several factors affect the display of TrueType fonts in a drawing. TrueType fonts always appear filled in your drawing; however, when you plot, the TEXTFILL system variable controls whether the fonts are filled.
5 To update text of the current style in the drawing, click Apply. 6 Click Close. Quick Reference Commands QTEXT Controls the display and plotting of text and attribute objects. STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. System Variables QTEXTMODE Controls how text is displayed. TEXTFILL Controls the filling of TrueType fonts while plotting. TEXTQLTY Sets the resolution tessellation fineness of text outlines.
Asian Big Font SHX Files Asian alphabets contain thousands of non-ASCII characters. To support such text, the program provides a special type of shape definition known as a Big Font file. You can set a style to use both regular and Big Font files. Asian Language Big Fonts Included in the Product Font File Name Description @extfont2.shx Japanese vertical font (a few characters are rotated to work correctly in vertical text) bigfont.shx Japanese font, subset of characters chineset.
Specifying fonts and Big Fonts at the Command prompt Enter this ... To specify this ... ,[big font name] Only a Big Font (normal font unchanged) [font name] Only a normal font (Big Font, if any, removed) ENTER (null response) No change NOTE Long file names that contain commas as font file names are not accepted. The comma is interpreted as a separator for an SHX font-Big Font pair.
Quick Reference Commands STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. Substitute Fonts A font used in a drawing but that is not currently available on your system is automatically substituted with another font. The program accommodates a font that is not currently on your system by substituting another font. Specify an Alternate Font If your drawing specifies a font that is not currently on your system, the font designated as your alternate font is automatically substituted. By default, the simplex.
Each line in the font mapping file contains the name of a font file (with no file extension or path) followed by a semicolon (;) and the name of the substitute font file. The substitute file name includes a file extension such as .ttf. A font mapping file is an ordinary ASCII text file with a .fmp extension. The default font mapping file is acad.fmp for AutoCAD, and acadlt.fmp for AutoCAD LT. You can change the font assignments in a font mapping file using any ASCII text editor.
2 On the Files tab, in the list, double-click Text Editor, Dictionary, and Font File Names. 3 Double-click Font Mapping File. The acad.fmp file is specified by default. 4 To change the font mapping file, double-click the arrow line to open the Select a File dialog box. Select a file and click Open. Click OK. 5 At the Command prompt, enter regen to convert existing text using the new font mappings. To specify a default alternate font 1 At the Command prompt, enter fontalt.
The exception is TrueType fonts: the value usually represents the size of the uppercase letters. If you specify a fixed height as part of a text style, the Height prompt is bypassed when you create single-line text. When the height is set to 0 in the text style, you are prompted for the height each time you create single-line text. Set the value to 0 if you want to specify the height as you create text.
System Variables TEXTSIZE Sets the default height for new text objects drawn with the current text style. TEXTSTYLE Sets the name of the current text style. Set Text Obliquing Angle The obliquing angle determines the forward or backward slant of the text. The angle represents the offset from 90 degrees. Entering a value between -85 and 85 makes the text oblique. A positive obliquing angle slants text to the right. A negative obliquing angle slants text to the left.
5 Click Close. Quick Reference Commands STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. Set Horizontal or Vertical Text Orientation Text can be vertical or horizontal. Text can have a vertical orientation only if the associated font supports dual orientation. Lines of text are oriented to be vertical or horizontal. Text can have a vertical orientation only if the associated font supports dual orientation. You can create more than one line of vertical text.
■ TrueType fonts. You still select fonts starting with the @ sign, but now the text is automatically rotated 270 degrees. (In AutoCAD 2005 and earlier versions, you had to manually rotate this text.) Vertical cursor movement is now supported for vertical text. To set vertical orientation in a text style 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Text Style. 2 In the Text Style dialog box, select a text style from the Style Name list. 3 Under Effects, select Vertical.
Quick Reference Commands DDEDIT Edits single-line text, dimension text, attribute definitions, and feature control frames. FIND Finds the text that you specify, and can optionally replace it with other text. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. System Variables MIRRTEXT Controls how MIRROR reflects text. TEXTFILL Controls the filling of TrueType fonts while plotting. TEXTQLTY Sets the resolution tessellation fineness of text outlines.
The effect of a command depends on which grip you choose. To edit single-line text 1 Click Modify menu ➤ Object ➤ Text ➤ Edit. 2 Select a single-line text object. 3 In the in-place editor, enter the new text. 4 Press ENTER. 5 Select another text object to edit, or press ENTER to end the command. To modify properties of single-line text objects 1 Select a single-line text object. 2 Right-click the selected object. Click Properties.
TEXT Creates a single-line text object. System Variables TEXTED TEXTFILL Controls the filling of TrueType fonts while plotting. TEXTQLTY Sets the resolution tessellation fineness of text outlines. Change Multiline Text You can change the location and content of multiline text objects with the Properties palette, the In-Place Text Editor, and grips.
Commands such as DIMLINEAR or LEADER create multiline text automatically without requiring that a bounding box be specified; these objects have only a single grip at the justification point. When you need to align or move multiline text objects, you can use the Node and Insertion object snaps for precision. If the OSNAPNODELEGACY system variable is set to 0, the Node object snap ignores multiline text.
Quick Reference Commands DDEDIT Edits single-line text, dimension text, attribute definitions, and feature control frames. FIND Finds the text that you specify, and can optionally replace it with other text. MTEDIT Edits multiline text. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. STYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies text styles. System Variables CENTERMT Controls how grips stretch multiline text that is centered horizontally. MIRRTEXT Controls how MIRROR reflects text.
Find and Replace Text You can easily find and replace text with the FIND command To search for and replace text, use FIND. Replacement is based on text content only; character formatting and text properties are not changed. When searching for text in a 3D environment, the viewport will temporarily change to a 2D viewport so that text isn’t blocked by 3D objects in your drawing. With FIND, you can use wild-card characters in your search.
To find specified text in a drawing 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Text panel ➤ Find Text. 2 In Find What, enter the text you want to find. 3 In Find Where, specify the parts of the drawing to search, or click the Select Objects button to select one or more text objects. 4 Click the Expand Find Options button to specify search options and text types for the specified text. 5 Click Find.
8 Use one of the following methods to replace text: ■ To replace only the found instance of the text string, click Replace. ■ To replace all instances of the text in Find Text String, click Replace All. ■ If search results have been listed in a table using the List Results option, then you can select certain results in the list by pressing Click + CTRL. Alternately, you can select a range of results in the list by pressing Shift + Click. 9 Click Close.
>>Specify paper space distance <1.000>: 3/8 Resuming TEXT command Specify height <0.375>: 1.173 When the command is complete, a text object is created in model space with a height of 1.173, which appears as 3/8 when viewed from a layout. NOTE The SPACETRANS command is not available from the Model tab or in a perspective view. For more information about entering commands transparently, see Enter Commands on the Command Line on page 53.
SCALETEXT Enlarges or reduces selected text objects without changing their locations. SPACETRANS Calculates equivalent model space and paper space lengths in a layout. Check Spelling You can check the spelling of all text as it is entered in your drawing. You can also specify the specific language dictionary that is used and customize and manage multiple custom spelling dictionaries.
Misspelled words are underlined with a red dotted line Any word not found in the current dictionary is underlined as misspelled. Spelling suggestions are displayed when you right-click the underlined word. Switch Dictionaries The Check Spelling feature contains several main dictionaries, which are available in different languages. You can also create any number of custom dictionaries and switch between them as needed.
To check spelling 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Text panel ➤ Check Spelling. 2 Click an option of where you want to check. Click Start. If no misspelled words are found, a message is displayed. If a misspelling is found, the Check Spelling dialog box identifies the misspelled word. The word is highlighted and zoomed to in the drawing area. 3 Do one of the following: ■ To correct a word, select an alternate word from the Suggestions list or type a word in the Suggestions box. Click Change or Change All.
To switch dictionaries while checking spelling 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Text panel ➤ Check Spelling. 2 In the Check Spelling dialog box, click Dictionaries. 3 Do one of the following: ■ To change the main dictionary, select a dictionary from the Current Main Dictionary list. ■ To change the custom dictionary, select a dictionary under Current Custom Dictionary. 4 Click Close. To add a custom dictionary or word list 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Text panel ➤ Check Spelling.
System Variables DCTCUST Displays the path and file name of the current custom spelling dictionary. DCTMAIN Displays the three letter keyword for the current main spelling dictionary. Use an Alternate Text Editor The default text editor is either the MTEXT ribbon contextual tab (if the ribbon is active) or the In-Place Text Editor (if the ribbon is not active), but you can elect to use any alternate editor that saves files in ASCII format.
System Variables MTEXTED Sets the application for editing multiline text objects. Format Multiline Text in an Alternate Text Editor If you use an alternate text editor, you apply formatting by entering format codes. You can underline text, add a line over text, and create stacked text. You can also change color, font, and text height. You can change the spaces between text characters or increase the width of the characters themselves. To apply formatting, use the format codes shown in the following table.
Format codes for paragraphs Format code Purpose Enter this … \Hvalue; Changes to the text height specified in drawing units Autodesk \H2;AutoCAD \Hvaluex; Changes the text height to a multiple of the current text height Autodesk \H3x;AutoCAD \S...^...; Stacks the subsequent text at the /, #, or ^ symbol 1.000\S+0.010^-0.000; \Tvalue; Adjusts the space between characters. Valid values range from a minimum of .75 to 4 times the original spacing between characters. \T2;Autodesk \Qangle; Changes
You can also use control codes to add special characters, such as tolerance or dimensioning symbols. See MTEXT. Example: Formatting Text in an Alternate Text Editor This example describes how the text in the following illustration was created. Each line below was entered in an alternate text editor: {{\H1.5x; Big text} \A2; over text\A1;/\A0; under text}\P {\A0;Baseline: 1 \S1/2;}\P {\A1;Center: 1 \S1/2;}\P {\A2;Topline: 1 \S1/2;}\P {Tolerances: \A1;1.000\H.75x;\S+0.010^-0.000;}\P {Architectural: 9-{\H.
To create multiline text in an alternate text editor 1 To specify a text editor, at the Command prompt, enter mtexted. Then enter the path of the editor you want to use. 2 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Multiline Text. 3 Specify the first corner of the multiline text boundary rectangle. 4 Specify the opposite corner of the multiline text boundary rectangle. 5 In the text editor, enter the text. Enter \P to end a paragraph and start a new paragraph on the next line. (Be sure to capitalize the P.
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Tables 30 A table is a rectangular array of cells that contain annotation, primarily text but also blocks. Tables appear in many different forms on many of the sheets that make up drawing sets. In the AEC industry, tables are often referred to as “schedules” and contain information about the materials needed for the construction of the building being designed. In the manufacturing industry, they are often referred to as “BOM” (bills of materials).
When you change the height or width of the table, only the row on page 2179 or column on page 2156 adjacent to the grip you have selected will change. The table will maintain its height or width. To change the size of the table proportionally to the size of the row or column you are editing, press Ctrl while using a column grip. Break Tables into Multiple Parts A table with a large amount of data can be broken into primary and secondary table fragments.
To select more than one cell, click and drag over several cells. You can also hold down Shift and click inside another cell to select those two cells and all the cells between them. When you click inside a table cell when the ribbon is active, the Table ribbon contextual tab is displayed. If the ribbon is not active, the Table toolbar is displayed.
text color, size, and style and the line color are controlled by the settings for column heads in the current table style. See also: ■ Add Text and Blocks to Tables on page 1407 To create a tool from a table in the current drawing 1 In the current drawing, select the table. 2 Using the right mouse button, drag the table to a tool palette and, without releasing the mouse button, move the cursor to the place on the tool palette where you want the tool.
TABLE Creates an empty table object. TABLEDIT Edits text in a table cell. TABLEEXPORT Exports data from a table object in CSV file format. TABLESTYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies table styles. UPDATEFIELD Manually updates fields in selected objects in the drawing. CTABLESTYLE Sets the name of the current table style. FIELDDISPLAY Controls whether fields are displayed with a gray background. FIELDEVAL Controls how fields are updated. TABLETOOLBAR Controls the display of the Table toolbar.
■ As calculated data from formulas calculated in Excel (with data formats attached). A table that contains data links displays indicators around linked cells. If you hover your mouse cursor over the data link, information about the data link is displayed. If a linked spreadsheet has been changed, such as adding a row or column, the table in your drawing can be updated accordingly using the DATALINKUPDATEcommand.
By default, a data link is locked from editing to prevent undesired changes to the linked spreadsheet. You can lock cells from data changes, format changes, or both. To unlock a data link, click Locking on either the Table ribbon contextual tab or the Table toolbar. See also: ■ Extract Data from Drawings and Spreadsheets on page 1833 To link to a table in an external spreadsheet 1 In your table, select the table cells to link. 2 On either the Table ribbon contextual tab or Table toolbar, click Link Cell.
5 On the File menu (Microsoft Excel), choose Save. To open an external spreadsheet from a data link 1 Select any cell in the linked table or range of linked cells. 2 Right-click and click Data Links ➤ Open Data Link File. Quick Reference DATALINK Displays the Data Link dialog box. DATALINKUPDATE Updates data to or from an established external data link. DATALINKNOTIFY Controls the notification for updated or missing data links.
displayed or not displayed. The Cell Style preview image in the bottom right corner of the Table Style dialog box updates as you select border options. The appearance of text in the cells of the table is controlled by the text style that is specified in the current cell style. You can use any text style in the drawing or create a new one. You can also use DesignCenter to copy table styles from other drawings. You can define the data and formatting for any cell style within a table style.
To apply a new table style to a table 1 Click a gridline to select the table. 2 Right-click and select Table Style. 3 On the Table Style flyout, select a table style from the list. The new table style is applied to the table. NOTE If the previous table style had a title row and the new one does not, the title text is placed in the first cell of the table, and the other cells in the first row are left blank. 4 Press Esc twice to remove selection.
TABLESTYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies table styles. UPDATEFIELD Manually updates fields in selected objects in the drawing. CTABLESTYLE Sets the name of the current table style. FIELDDISPLAY Controls whether fields are displayed with a gray background. FIELDEVAL Controls how fields are updated. Add Text and Blocks to Tables Table cell data can include text and multiple blocks.
Inside the cell, the arrow keys move the cursor. Use the Table toolbar and the shortcut menu to format text, import text, or make other changes to the text in the cell. See also: ■ Use Fields in Text on page 1352 ■ Create Multiline Text on page 1308 To define or modify data formats 1 In a table, click the table cells where you want to redefine data and formatting. 2 On the Table toolbar, click Data Format. 3 Choose a data type, format, and other options for the selected table cells.
Hold down Shift and click inside another cell to select those two cells and all the cells between them. 2 Use one of the following methods: ■ To change one or more properties, in the Properties palette, click the value you want to change and enter or select a new value. ■ To restore the default properties, right-click. Click Remove Property Overrides. To copy the properties of a cell to other cells 1 Click inside the table cell whose properties you want to copy.
To insert a block in a table cell 1 Select and right-click a cell. Click Insert ➤ Block. 2 In the Insert dialog box, select a block from the list of blocks in the drawing, or click Browse to find a block in another drawing. 3 Specify the following properties for the block: ■ Cell Alignment. Specifies alignment for the block in the table cell. The block is middle-, top-, or bottom-aligned with respect to the top and bottom borders of the cell.
INSERT Inserts a block or drawing into the current drawing. LIST Displays property data for selected objects. MATCHCELL Applies the properties of a selected table cell to other table cells. MTEXT Creates a multiline text object. SPELL Checks spelling in a drawing. TABLE Creates an empty table object. TABLEDIT Edits text in a table cell. TABLEEXPORT Exports data from a table object in CSV file format. TABLESTYLE Creates, modifies, or specifies table styles.
Use Formulas in Table Cells Table cells can contain formulas that do calculations using the values in other table cells. With a table cell selected, you can insert formulas from the Table toolbar as well as the shortcut menu. You can also open the In-Place Text Editor and enter a formula in a table cell manually. Insert a Formula In formulas, cells are referred to by their column letter and row number. For example, the cell at top left in the table is A1.
Numbers will fill automatically by increments of 1 if one cell is selected and dragged. Similarly, dates will resolve by increments of one day if only one cell is selected. If two cells are manually filled with dates one week apart, the remaining cells are incremented by one week. See also: ■ Use Fields in Text on page 1352 To add a formula to table cells 1 Select the table cell where you want to place the formula by clicking inside it. The Table toolbar is displayed.
■ =(a6+d6)/e1. Adds the values in A6 and D6 and divides the total by the value in E1. Use a colon to define a range of cells and a comma for individual cells. A formula must start with an equal sign (=) and can contain any of the following signs: plus (+), minus (-), times (*), divided by (/), exponent (^), and parentheses (). 3 To save your changes and exit the editor, click in the drawing outside the editor. The cell displays the result of the calculation.
8 To save your changes and exit the editor, click in the drawing outside the editor. The cell displays the result of the calculation. To automatically fill cells with incremented data 1 Double-click inside a table cell. 2 Enter a numeric value; for example, 1 or 01/01/2000. 3 Press the down arrow and enter the next desired numeric value. 4 On the Text Formatting toolbar, click OK. To change the format of the cell data, right-click the cell. Select Data Format.
UPDATEFIELD Manually updates fields in selected objects in the drawing. CTABLESTYLE Sets the name of the current table style. FIELDDISPLAY Controls whether fields are displayed with a gray background. FIELDEVAL Controls how fields are updated. TABLEINDICATOR Controls the display of row numbers and column letters when the In-Place Text Editor is open for editing a table cell.
Dimensions and Tolerances 31 You can add measurements to your drawing with several dimensioning commands. Use dimension styles to format dimensions quickly and maintain industry or project dimensioning standards. Understand Basic Concepts of Dimensioning You can create several types of dimensions, and you can control their appearance by setting up dimension styles or by editing individual dimensions. Overview of Dimensioning Dimensioning is the process of adding measurement annotation to a drawing.
NOTE To simplify drawing organization and dimension scaling, it is recommended that you create dimensions on layouts rather than in model space. To create a dimension 1 Create a layer designated for dimensions and make it the current layer. 2 Near the bottom-left corner of the application window, click a layout tab. 3 Click Dimension menu. Click a dimension option. 4 Follow the Command prompts. Quick Reference Commands DIMANGULAR Creates an angular dimension. DIMARC Creates an arc length dimension.
DIMEDIT Edits dimension text and extension lines. DIMBREAK Adds or removes inspection information for a selected dimension. DIMJOGGED Creates jogged dimensions for circles and arcs. DIMBREAK Adds or removes a jog line on a linear or aligned dimension. DIMLINEAR Creates a linear dimension. DIMORDINATE Creates ordinate dimensions. DIMRADIUS Creates a radius dimension for a circle or an arc. DIMREASSOCIATE Associates or reassociates selected dimensions to objects or points on objects.
System Variables DIMASSOC Controls the associativity of dimension objects and whether dimensions are exploded. Parts of a Dimension Here is a list of the parts of a dimension along with their descriptions. Dimensions have several distinct elements: dimension text, dimension lines, arrowheads, and extension lines. Dimension text is a text string that usually indicates the measurement value. The text can also include prefixes, suffixes, and tolerances.
Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. Associative Dimensions Dimensions can be associative, nonassociative, or exploded. Associative dimensions adjust to changes in the geometric objects that they measure. Dimension associativity defines the relationship between geometric objects and the dimensions that give their distance and angles. There are three types of associativity between geometric objects and dimensions. ■ Associative dimensions.
You can also use the Quick Select dialog box to filter the selection of associative or nonassociative dimensions. A dimension is considered associative even if only one end of the dimension is associated with a geometric object. The DIMREASSOCIATE command displays the associative and nonassociative elements of a dimension.
To change the dimension associativity default 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, User Preferences tab, under Associative Dimensioning, select or clear Make New Dimensions Associative. 3 Do either or both of the following: ■ Click Apply to record the current Options settings in the system registry. ■ Click OK to record the current Options settings in the system registry and close the Options dialog box. All subsequently created dimensions in the drawing use the new setting.
System Variables DIMASSOC Controls the associativity of dimension objects and whether dimensions are exploded. Use Dimension Styles You can control the appearance of dimensions by changing settings. For convenience and to help maintain dimensioning standards, you can store these settings in dimension styles. Overview of Dimension Styles A dimension style is a named collection of dimension settings that controls the appearance of dimensions, such as arrowhead style, text location, and lateral tolerances.
2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style from which you want to create a substyle. Click New. 3 In the Create New Dimension Style dialog box, select the type of dimension that will apply to the substyle from the Use For list. Click Continue. 4 In the New Dimension Style dialog box, select the appropriate tab and make changes to define the dimension substyle. 5 Click OK. 6 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles.
baseplat.dwg as an xref to a new drawing, then the xref dimension style is displayed in the Styles list of the Dimension Style Manager as Xref:baseplat.dwg, and FRACTIONAL-1 appears under the drawing name. Externally referenced dimension styles can be examined, but they cannot be modified or made current. You can use an externally referenced dimension style as a template for creating a new dimension style in your current drawing.
2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style to compare from the Styles list. 3 Click Compare. The dimension style is compared to the current dimension style. Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. Control Dimension Geometry You can control the appearance of dimension lines, extension lines, arrowheads, and center marks. Control Dimension Lines You can control dimension line properties including color, lineweight, and spacing.
■ Control the distance by which the dimension line extends beyond the extension lines for architectural tick (oblique stroke) arrowheads To modify the display of dimension lines 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you want to change. Click Modify. 3 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Lines tab, change the settings under Dimension Lines as needed. 4 Click OK. 5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager.
System Variables DIMCLRD Assigns colors to dimension lines, arrowheads, and dimension leader lines. DIMDLE Sets the distance the dimension line extends beyond the extension line when oblique strokes are drawn instead of arrowheads. DIMDLI Controls the spacing of the dimension lines in baseline dimensions. DIMGAP Sets the distance around the dimension text when the dimension line breaks to accommodate dimension text. DIMLTYPE Sets the linetype of the dimension line.
You can ■ Specify color and lineweight for visual effect and plotting ■ Suppress one or both extension lines if they are unnecessary, or if there is not enough space ■ Specify how far beyond from the dimension line the extension line extends (overshoot) ■ Control the extension origin offset, the distance between the extension line origin, and the start of the extension line ■ Specify a fixed length for extension lines, as measured from the dimension line toward the extension line origin ■ Specify
Fixed-Length Extension Lines With the Dimension Style Manager, on the Lines tab, you can specify a dimension style that sets the total length of extension lines starting from the dimension line toward the dimension origin point. The extension-line offset distance from the origin will never be less than the value specified by the DIMEXO system variable.
3 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Lines tab, under Extension Lines, change the settings as needed. 4 Click OK. 5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. System Variables DIMCLRE Assigns colors to extension lines, center marks, and centerlines. DIMDLE Sets the distance the dimension line extends beyond the extension line when oblique strokes are drawn instead of arrowheads.
DIMLWE Assigns lineweight to extension lines. DIMSE1 Suppresses display of the first extension line. DIMSE2 Suppresses display of the second extension line. Control Dimension Arrowheads You can control the arrowhead symbols in dimensions and leaders including their type, size, and visibility. You can choose from many standard types of arrowheads, or you can create your own arrowheads.
3 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Symbols and Arrows tab, under Arrowheads, select the arrowhead type for the first end of the dimension line. The second arrowhead is automatically set to the same type. 4 To set the second end of the dimension line to a different arrowhead type, select an arrowhead type from the Second list. 5 In the Size box, enter a size for the arrowhead. 6 Click OK. 7 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager.
Customize Arrowheads You can create your own custom arrowheads. Arrowheads are stored as block definitions. To use your own arrowhead, provide the name of an existing block definition. For information about creating blocks, see Create Blocks Within a Drawing on page 865. NOTE Annotative blocks cannot be used as custom arrowheads for dimensions or leaders. Arrowhead sizing relies on the overall dimension scale factor. When you create a dimension, the block is inserted where the arrowheads would normally go.
7 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. Quick Reference Commands BLOCK Creates a block definition from selected objects. DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. WBLOCK Writes objects or a block to a new drawing file. System Variables DIMASZ Controls the size of dimension line and leader line arrowheads. DIMBLK Sets the arrowhead block displayed at the ends of dimension lines. DIMBLK1 Sets the arrowhead for the first end of the dimension line when DIMSAH is on.
DIMTSZ Specifies the size of oblique strokes drawn instead of arrowheads for linear, radius, and diameter dimensioning. Control Dimension Text You can control the placement of dimension text, arrowheads, and leader lines relative to the dimension and extension lines. Fit Dimension Text Within Extension Lines Dimension text and arrowheads usually appear between the extension lines when there is enough space. You can specify how these elements are placed when space is limited.
If there is no room for text between the extension lines, you can have a leader line created automatically. This is useful in cases where text outside the extension lines would interfere with other geometry, for example, in continued dimensions. Whether text is drawn to the right or the left of the leader is controlled by the horizontal justification setting on the Text tab of the Modify/New Dimension Style dialog box. Also, you can fit text and arrowheads by changing their size.
To place text within extension lines 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you want to change. Click Modify. 3 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Fit tab, under Fit Options, select an option. 4 Click OK. 5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. If there is enough room, text is fit between extension lines. To force an internal line and choose a fit option 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style.
System Variables DIMATFIT Determines how dimension text and arrows are arranged when space is not sufficient to place both within the extension lines. DIMJUST Controls the horizontal positioning of dimension text. DIMLWD Assigns lineweight to dimension lines. DIMTAD Controls the vertical position of text in relation to the dimension line. DIMTXTDIRECTION Specifies the reading direction of the dimension text.
Control the Location of Dimension Text You can locate dimension text manually and specify its alignment and orientation. The program comes with several justification settings that facilitate compliance with international standards, or you can choose your own location for the text. Many of the settings are interdependent. Example images in the Dimension Style Manager are updated dynamically to illustrate how text appears as you change the settings.
Position Dimension Text Horizontally The position of the text along the dimension line in relation to the extension lines is referred to as text placement. To place text yourself when you create a dimension, use the Place Text Manually When Dimensioning option on the Fit tab of the Modify/New Dimension Style dialog box. Use the text placement options to automatically place text at the center of the dimension line, at either extension line, or over either extension line.
Position Dimension Text Vertically The position of the text relative to the dimension line is referred to as vertical text placement. Text can be placed above or below or centered within the dimension line. In the ANSI standards, centered text usually splits the dimension line. In the ISO standards, it is usually above or outside the dimension line. For example, ISO standards permit angular dimension text to appear in any of the ways shown.
To place text at the second extension line 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you want to change. Click Modify. 3 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Text tab, under Text Placement, select Over Ext Line 2 from the Horizontal list box. The example area reflects your selection. 4 Click OK. 5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. To place dimension text manually 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style.
4 Click OK. 5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. DIMTEDIT Moves and rotates dimension text and relocates the dimension line. System Variables DIMJUST Controls the horizontal positioning of dimension text. DIMTAD Controls the vertical position of text in relation to the dimension line. DIMTXTDIRECTION Specifies the reading direction of the dimension text.
Control the Appearance of Dimension Text You can include prefixes, suffixes, and user-supplied text in dimensions. You can also control the text style and formatting used in dimension text. The program supports a mixture of user-supplied text, prefixes and suffixes supplied by the dimension style, and generated measurements. For example, you could add a diameter symbol as a prefix to a measurement or add the abbreviation for a unit, such as mm, as a suffix.
At the text prompt, while creating the dimension, you enter the following format string: <> H7/h6\XSee Note 26\P[ ] The angle brackets represent the primary units, and the square brackets represent the alternate units. The \X separates text above the dimension line from text below the dimension line. The \P is a paragraph break. The resulting text appears as follows: To control the text style in dimensions 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style.
Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. System Variables DIMCLRT Assigns colors to dimension text. DIMGAP Sets the distance around the dimension text when the dimension line breaks to accommodate dimension text. DIMTFAC Specifies a scale factor for the text height of fractions and tolerance values relative to the dimension text height, as set by DIMTXT. DIMTFILL Controls the background of dimension text. DIMTFILLCLR Sets the color for the text background in dimensions.
Control the Display of Dimension Units The numeric values of dimensions can be displayed as a single measurement or in two measurement systems. In either case, you can control details of how the numeric values are presented. The settings for primary units control the display of the dimension values, including the unit format, the numeric precision, and the decimal separator style. For example, you can enter the diameter symbol as a prefix, as shown in the illustration.
To add and format primary units 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you want to change. Click Modify. 3 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Primary Units tab, under Linear or Angular Dimensions, select a unit format and precision value for the primary units. 4 Under Linear Dimensions, enter any prefix and suffix for the displayed dimension. 5 Click OK. 6 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager.
■ Enter any prefix and suffix for the displayed dimension, including a space character if you want a gap between the dimension and the prefix or suffix. 5 Click OK. 6 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. System Variables DIMALT Controls the display of alternate units in dimensions. DIMALTD Controls the number of decimal places in alternate units. DIMALTF Controls the multiplier for alternate units.
DIMAUNIT Sets the units format for angular dimensions. DIMDEC Sets the number of decimal places displayed for the primary units of a dimension. DIMDSEP Specifies a single-character decimal separator to use when creating dimensions whose unit format is decimal. DIMLFAC Sets a scale factor for linear dimension measurements. DIMLUNIT Sets units for all dimension types except Angular. DIMPOST Specifies a text prefix or suffix (or both) to the dimension measurement.
To round off dimension values 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you want to change. Click Modify. 3 In Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Primary Units tab, under Linear Dimensions, enter the round-off value. 4 Click OK. 5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. System Variables DIMRND Rounds all dimensioning distances to the specified value.
number of inches is indicated as zero, no matter which option you select. Thus, the dimension 4'-3/4" becomes 4'-0 3/4".
To display dimension value in sub units 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you want to change. Click Modify. 3 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Primary Units tab or Alternate Units tab, under Zero Suppression, select Leading. ■ Sub-units factor: Sets the number of sub units to a unit. It is used to display the dimension distance in a sub unit, for distances less than one unit.
DIMZIN Controls the suppression of zeros in the primary unit value. Display Lateral Tolerances Lateral tolerances are values indicating the amount a measured distance can vary. You can control whether lateral tolerances are displayed and you can choose from several styles of lateral tolerances. A lateral tolerance specifies the amount by which a dimension can vary. By specifying tolerances in manufacturing, you can control the degree of accuracy needed for a feature.
Format Lateral Tolerances You can control the vertical placement of tolerance values relative to the main dimension text. Tolerances can align with the top, middle, or bottom of the dimension text. Along with vertical placement of tolerance values, you can also control the horizontal alignment of the upper and lower tolerance values.The upper and lower tolerance values can be aligned using either the operational symbols or decimal separators.
See also: ■ Add Geometric Tolerances on page 1513 To specify methods for lateral tolerances 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you want to change. Click Modify. 3 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Tolerances tab, under Tolerance Format, select a method from the Method list, and then do one of the following: ■ If you select Limits, enter upper and lower tolerance deviation in the Upper Value and Lower Value boxes.
Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. System Variables DIMALTTD Sets the number of decimal places for the tolerance values in the alternate units of a dimension. DIMALTTZ Controls suppression of zeros in tolerance values. DIMGAP Sets the distance around the dimension text when the dimension line breaks to accommodate dimension text. DIMLIM Generates dimension limits as the default text.
DIMTZIN Controls the suppression of zeros in tolerance values. Control the Display of Fractions You can control the format of the fraction displayed in dimensions. You can set the fraction format in dimensions using the DIMFRAC system variable when the DIMLUNIT system variable is set to 4 (architecture) or 5 (fractional). The following illustration shows the different fraction formats available. These settings are available on the Primary Units tab of the Dimension Style Manager.
Quick Reference Commands DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. System Variables DIMFRAC Sets the fraction format when DIMLUNIT is set to 4 (Architectural) or 5 (Fractional). DIMLUNIT Sets units for all dimension types except Angular. Set the Scale for Dimensions You can specify the size of dimensions in your drawing. How you set dimension size depends on the method you use to lay out and plot drawings.
■ Dimension in model space for plotting in paper space. This was the preferred method for complex, multiple-view drawings prior to AutoCAD 2002. Use this method when the dimensions in a drawing need to be referenced by other drawings (xrefs) or when creating isometric dimensions in 3D isometric views. To prevent the dimensions in one layout viewport from being displayed in other layout viewports, create a dimensioning layer for each layout viewport that is frozen in all other layout viewports.
5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. To set the dimension scale for model space dimensions in layouts 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you want to change. Click Modify. 3 In Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Fit tab, under Scale for Dimension Features, select Scale Dimension to Layout (Paper space). 4 Click OK. 5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager.
DIMLFAC Sets a scale factor for linear dimension measurements. DIMSCALE Sets the overall scale factor applied to dimensioning variables that specify sizes, distances, or offsets. Create Dimensions You can create all of the standard types of dimensions. Create Linear Dimensions You can create linear dimensions with horizontal, vertical, and aligned dimension lines. These linear dimensions can also be stacked, or they can be created end to end.
As you create linear dimensions, you can modify the content of the text, the angle of the text, or the angle of the dimension line. Quick Reference Commands DIMALIGNED Creates an aligned linear dimension. DIMBASELINE Creates a linear, angular, or ordinate dimension from the baseline of the previous or selected dimension. DIMCONTINUE Creates a dimension that starts from an extension line of a previously created dimension. DIMEDIT Edits dimension text and extension lines.
DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. QDIM Creates a series of dimensions quickly from selected objects. System Variables DIMDLI Controls the spacing of the dimension lines in baseline dimensions. Create Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions You can create dimensions using only the horizontal or vertical components of the locations or objects that you specify.
3 Before specifying the dimension line location, you can override the dimension direction and edit the text, the text angle, or the dimension line angle: ■ To rotate the extension lines, enter r (Rotated). Then enter the dimension line angle. ■ To edit the text, enter m (multiline text). In the In-place Text Editor, revise the text. Click OK. Editing within or overwriting the brackets (<>) changes or removes the dimension value calculated by the program.
To create an aligned dimension 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Aligned. 2 Press Enter to select the object to dimension, or specify the first and second extension line origins. 3 Before specifying the dimension line location, you can edit the text or change the text angle. Editing within or overwriting the brackets (<>) changes or removes the dimension value calculated by the program. Adding text before or after the brackets appends text before or after the dimension value.
System Variables DIMEXO Specifies how far extension lines are offset from origin points. Create Baseline and Continued Dimensions Baseline dimensions are multiple dimensions measured from the same baseline. Continued dimensions are multiple dimensions placed end to end. You must create a linear, aligned, or angular dimension before you create baseline or continued dimensions. You create baseline dimensions incrementally from the most recently created dimension in the current session.
4 Continue to select extension line origins as required. 5 Press Enter twice to end the command. To create a continued linear dimension 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Continue. The program uses the origin of the second extension line of the existing dimension as the first extension line origin. 2 Use object snaps to specify additional extension line origins. 3 Press Enter twice to end the command.
To create a rotated dimension 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Linear. 2 Press Enter to select the object to dimension or specify the first and second extension line origins. 3 To rotate the dimension line, enter r (Rotated). Then enter the dimension line angle. 4 Specify the dimension line location. Quick Reference Commands DIMALIGNED Creates an aligned linear dimension. DIMLINEAR Creates a linear dimension.
New dimensions are not affected when you make an existing dimension oblique. To make extension lines oblique 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Oblique.. 2 Select the dimension. 3 Enter a value for the angle of obliqueness, or specify two points. Quick Reference Commands DIMEDIT Edits dimension text and extension lines. Create Radial Dimensions Radial dimensions measure the radii and diameters of arcs and circles with optional centerlines or a center mark.
There are two types of radial dimensions: ■ DIMRADIUS measures the radius of an arc or circle, and displays the dimension text with the letter R in front of it. ■ DIMDIAMETER measures the diameter of an arc or circle, and displays the dimension text with the diameter symbol in front of it.
a gap between the arc and arc extension line is made. The size of the gap drawn is controlled with the DIMEXO system variable. Control Centerlines and Center Marks Depending on your dimension style settings, center marks and lines generate automatically for diameter and radius dimensions. They are created only if the dimension line is placed outside the circle or arc. You can create centerlines and center marks directly with the DIMCENTER command.
Create Jogged Radius Dimensions With the DIMJOGGED command, you can create jogged radius dimensions, also called “foreshortened radius dimensions,” when the center of an arc or circle is located off the layout and cannot be displayed in its true location. The origin point of the dimension can be specified at a more convenient location called the center location override.
■ Changing the locations of the features with the Properties palette ■ Using STRETCH NOTE Jogged radius dimensions can be viewed but not edited in versions previous to AutoCAD 2006. Also, if you make dramatic changes to the associated geometry, you may get unpredictable results for the jogged radius dimension. See also: ■ Fit Dimension Text Within Extension Lines on page 1437 To create a diameter dimension 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Diameter. 2 Select the arc or circle to dimension.
4 Specify the leader line location. To create a jogged radius dimension 1 Click Dimension menu ➤ Jogged. 2 Select an arc, circle, or polyline arc segment. 3 Specify a point for the dimension origin (the center location override). 4 Specify a point for the dimension line angle and the dimension text location. 5 Specify another point for the location of the dimension jog. To create centerlines automatically with radial dimensions 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style.
5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. 6 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Center Mark. 7 Select an arc or a circle. To change the display arc extension line for radial or diametric dimensions 1 Select the radial or diametric dimension for which you want to suppress the arc extension line. 2 Right-click in the drawing. Click Properties. 3 In the Properties palette, Lines & Arrows category, click Ext Line. 4 Click the arrow next to Ext Line, and select On or Off from the list.
QDIM Creates a series of dimensions quickly from selected objects. System Variables DIMATFIT Determines how dimension text and arrows are arranged when space is not sufficient to place both within the extension lines. DIMCEN Controls drawing of circle or arc center marks and centerlines by the DIMCENTER, DIMDIAMETER, and DIMRADIUS commands. DIMEXO Specifies how far extension lines are offset from origin points.
DIMTOH Controls the position of dimension text outside the extension lines. DIMUPT Controls options for user-positioned text. Create Angular Dimensions Angular dimensions measure the angle between two lines or three points. To measure the angle between two radii of a circle, you select the circle and specify the angle endpoints. With other objects, you select the objects and then specify the dimension location. You can also dimension an angle by specifying the angle vertex and endpoints.
The location that you specify for the dimension line arc determines the quadrant of the dimensioned angle. Dimension to a Quadrant Angular dimensions can measure a specific quadrant that is formed when dimensioning the angle between of the endpoints of a line or arc, center point of a circle, or two vertices. As an angular dimension is being created, there are four possible angles that can be measured. By specifying a quadrant it allows you to ensure that the correct angle is dimensioned.
3 Enter options as needed: ■ To edit the dimension text content, enter t (Text) or m (multiline text). Editing within or overwriting the brackets (<>) changes or removes the calculated dimension value. Adding text before or after the brackets appends text before or after the dimension value. ■ To edit the dimension text angle, enter a (Angle). ■ To confine the dimension to a quadrant, enter q (Quadrant) and specify the quadrant to measure. 4 Specify the dimension line arc location.
Create Ordinate Dimensions Ordinate dimensions measure the perpendicular distance from an origin point called the datum to a feature, such as a hole in a part. These dimensions prevent escalating errors by maintaining accurate offsets of the features from the datum. Ordinate dimensions consist of an X or Y value with a leader line. X-datum ordinate dimensions measure the distance of a feature from the datum along the X axis. Y-datum ordinate dimensions measure the distance along the Y axis.
Locate the Leader After you specify the feature location, you are prompted for the leader endpoint. By default, the leader endpoint that you specify automatically determines whether an X- or a Y-datum ordinate dimension is created. For example, you can create an X-datum ordinate dimension by specifying a location for the leader endpoint that is closer to vertical than horizontal. After creating an ordinate dimension, you can easily relocate the dimension leader and text using grip editing.
Quick Reference Commands DIMORDINATE Creates ordinate dimensions. QDIM Creates a series of dimensions quickly from selected objects. UCS Manages user coordinate systems. Create Arc Length Dimensions Arc length dimensions measure the distance along an arc or polyline arc segment. Typical uses of arc length dimensions include measuring the travel distance around a cam or indicating the length of a cable.
NOTE Orthogonal extension lines are displayed only when the included angle of the arc is less than 90 degrees. To create an arc length dimension 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Arc Length. 2 Select an arc or polyline arc segment. 3 Specify the dimension line location. Quick Reference Commands DIMARC Creates an arc length dimension. DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects.
Modify A Dimension Dimensions can be modified to include more information than just the values of the dimension. Dimensions can also be modified visually by using breaks and by adjusting the spacing between them. Overview of Modifying Demensions After you place a dimension, there are times when you need to modify the information that the dimension represents.
of the jog symbol on a linear dimension on the Properties palette under Lines & Arrows. To add a jog to a linear dimension 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Jog Line. 2 Select a linear dimension. 3 Specify a point on the dimension line to place the jog. To add a jog to a linear dimension based on the midpoint of the selected dimension line 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Jog Line. 2 Select a linear dimension. 3 Press Enter to position the jog at the midpoint of the selected dimension line.
3 Select the linear dimension to remove the jog from. To modify the height of a jog using the Properties palette 1 With no command active, select the linear dimension with the jog whose height you want to change. 2 Right-click over the drawing window. Click Properties. 3 On the Properties palette, expand Lines & Arrows. 4 Select Jog Height Factor, and enter a new height for the jog. 5 Click outside the Properties palette. Press Esc. Quick Reference Commands DIMALIGNED Creates an aligned linear dimension.
Inspection Dimension Inspection dimensions allow you to effectively communicate how frequently manufactured parts should be checked to ensure that the dimension value and tolerances of the parts are within the specified range. When working with parts that need to met a specific tolerance or dimension value before installing them into the final assembled product, you can use an inspection dimension to specify how often the part should be tested.
To create an inspection dimension 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Inspect. 2 In the Inspection Dimension dialog box, click Select Dimensions. The Inspection Dimension dialog box closes. You are prompted to select dimensions. 3 Select the dimension you want to make an inspection dimension. Press Enter to return to the dialog box. 4 Under the Shape section, specify the frame type. 5 Under the Label/Inspection rate section, specify the desired options.
2 In the Inspection Dimension dialog box, click Select Dimensions. The Inspection Dimension dialog box closes. You are prompted to select dimensions. 3 Select the dimension you want to remove the inspection dimension from. Press Enter to return to the dialog box. 4 Click Remove Inspection. 5 Click OK. To modify an inspection dimension using the Properties palette 1 With no command active, select the inspection dimension you want to modify. 2 Right-click over the drawing window. Click Properties.
You can add dimension breaks to the following dimension and leader objects: ■ Linear dimensions (aligned and rotated) ■ Angular dimensions (2- and 3-point) ■ Radial dimensions (radius, diameter, and jogged) ■ Arc length dimensions ■ Ordinate dimensions ■ Multileaders (straight only) The following dimension and leader objects do not support dimension breaks: ■ Multileaders (spline only) ■ “Legacy” leaders (straight or spline) The following table explains the conditions where dimension breaks
Dimension Break Exceptions Condition Description mask option. If the intersecting point of an object and the dimension are at the arrowhead or dimension text, the break will not be displayed until the intersecting object, or dimension or multileader are moved. No break on transspatial dimensions Automatic breaks are not supported for objects and dimensions or multileaders that are in different spaces.
Automatic Dimension Breaks To create an automatically placed dimension break, you select a dimension or multileader, and then use the Auto option of the DIMBREAK command. Automatic dimension breaks are updated any time the dimension or multileader, or intersecting objects are modified. You control the size of automatically placed dimension breaks on the Symbols and Arrows tab of the Dimension Style dialog box.
To create a single dimension break based on an intersecting object 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Break. 2 Select a dimension or multileader. 3 Select an object that intersects the dimension or multileader. Press Enter. To create a manual dimension break 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Break. 2 Select a dimension or multileader. 3 Enter m (Manual) and press Enter. 4 Specify the first point on the dimension, extension, or leader line for the dimension break.
To remove all dimension breaks from multiple dimensions or multileaders 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Break. 2 Enter m (Multiple), and press Enter. 3 Select the dimensions or multileaders from which to remove the dimension breaks, and press Enter. 4 Enter r (Remove), and press Enter. Quick Reference Commands DIMBREAK Breaks or restores dimension and extension lines where they cross other objects. DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles.
be linear or angular, of the same type (rotated or aligned), parallel or concentric to one another, and on the extension lines of each other. You can also align linear and angular dimensions by using a spacing value of 0. The following illustration shows parallel linear dimensions that are not equally spaced and then those that are equally spaced after using the DIMSPACE command. To equally space parallel linear and angular dimensions automatically 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Adjust Space.
To align parallel linear and angular dimensions 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Adjust Space. 2 Select the dimension that you want to use as the base dimension when equally spacing dimensions. 3 Select the next dimension to align. 4 Continue to select dimensions and then press Enter. 5 Enter 0 and press Enter. Quick Reference Commands DIMALIGNED Creates an aligned linear dimension. DIMANGULAR Creates an angular dimension.
System Variables DIMDLI Controls the spacing of the dimension lines in baseline dimensions. Apply a New Dimension Style to Existing Dimensions You can modify existing dimensions by applying a different dimension style. If you make changes to a dimension style, you can choose whether to update the dimensions associated with that dimension style. When you create a dimension, the current dimension style is associated with that dimension.
Alternate ■ On the Styles toolbar, click the arrow in the Dimension Styles control and select a dimension style. Quick Reference Commands DIMOVERRIDE Controls overrides of system variables used in selected dimensions. DIMSTYLE Creates and modifies dimension styles. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. System Variables DIMCLRD Assigns colors to dimension lines, arrowheads, and dimension leader lines.
if you choose Override in the Dimension Style Manager, and change the color of extension lines on the Lines tab, the current dimension style remains unchanged. However, the new value for color is stored in the DIMCLRE system variable. The next dimension you create will have extension lines in the new color. You can save the dimension style overrides as a new dimension style.
3 In the Override Current Style dialog box, make changes to the dimension style by clicking the appropriate tab. 4 Click OK to return to the Dimension Style Manager. The dimension style overrides are listed below the style they modify in the dimension style name list. 5 Click Close. To apply dimension style overrides 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, click Override. 3 In the Override Current Style dialog box, enter the style overrides. Click OK.
Modify Dimension Text Once you've created a dimension, you can change the location and orientation of the existing dimension text or replace it with new text. Once you've created a dimension, you can rotate the existing text or replace it with new text. You can move the text to a new location or back to its home position, which is the position defined by the current dimension style. In the following illustration, the home position is above and centered on the dimension line.
See also: ■ Control Dimension Text on page 1437 To rotate dimension text 1 Annotate tab ➤ Dimensions panel ➤ Text Angle. 2 Select the dimension to edit. 3 Enter the new angle for the text. To return dimension text to its home position 1 Click Dimension menu ➤ Align Text ➤ Home. 2 Select the dimension text you want to return to its home position. To replace existing dimension text with new text 1 Click Modify menu ➤ Object ➤ Text ➤ Edit. 2 Select the dimension text you want to edit.
3 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, Lines tab, under Dimension Lines, enter in the Baseline Spacing box the offset distance between dimension lines for baseline and continued dimensions. 4 Click OK. 5 Click Close to exit the Dimension Style Manager. To change the extension origin offset 1 Click Home tab ➤ Annotation panel ➤ Dimension Style. 2 In the Dimension Style Manager, select the style you want to change. Click Modify.
System Variables DIMCLRT Assigns colors to dimension text. DIMDSEP Specifies a single-character decimal separator to use when creating dimensions whose unit format is decimal. DIMJUST Controls the horizontal positioning of dimension text. DIMTAD Controls the vertical position of text in relation to the dimension line. DIMTXTDIRECTION Specifies the reading direction of the dimension text. DIMTIH Controls the position of dimension text inside the extension lines for all dimension types except Ordinate.
Modify Dimension Geometry Grip editing is the quickest and easiest way to modify the location of dimension elements. How you edit dimensions depends whether the dimension is associative. You can modify dimensions with the editing commands and with grip editing. Grip editing is the quickest and easiest way to modify dimensions. How you edit dimensions depends on whether the dimension is associative.
For example, to stretch a dimension, you must include the appropriate definition points in the selection set. You can easily include them by turning on grips and selecting the object so that the grips are highlighted. The definition points for each type of dimension are indicated in the following illustrations. The middle point of the dimension text is a definition point for all dimension types. If no angle vertex is shown, definition points are placed at the ends of the lines that form the angle.
Modify Exploded Dimensions You can edit exploded dimensions as you would any other objects because an exploded dimension is a collection of separate objects: lines, 2D solids, and text. Occasionally you may need to explode a dimension to make changes such as creating a break in a dimension line or extension line. Once a dimension is exploded, you cannot reassociate the dimension into a dimension object.
Change Dimension Associativity You may need to change the associativity of dimensions in several circumstances including adding associativity to dimensions created in previous releases. You may need to change the associativity of dimensions in several circumstances such as the following: ■ Redefine the associativity of dimensions in drawings that have been edited significantly. ■ Add associativity to dimensions that have been partially disassociated.
Change Nonassociative Dimensions to Associative You can change all the nonassociative dimensions in a drawing to associative. Use QSELECT to select all nonassociative dimensions, and then use DIMREASSOCIATE to step through the dimensions, associating each one with locations on geometric objects. Change Associative Dimensions to Nonassociative You can change all associative dimensions in a drawing to nonassociative dimensions.
Quick Reference Commands DIMDISASSOCIATE Removes associativity from selected dimensions. DIMREASSOCIATE Associates or reassociates selected dimensions to objects or points on objects. DIMREGEN Updates the locations of all associative dimensions. EXPLODE Breaks a compound object into its component objects. System Variables DIMASSOC Controls the associativity of dimension objects and whether dimensions are exploded.
and cylindricity; profiles control line and surface. In the illustration, the characteristic is position. You can use most editing commands to change feature control frames, and you can snap to them using the object snap modes. You can also edit them with grips. NOTE Unlike dimensions and leaders, geometric tolerances cannot be associated with geometric objects. You can also create tolerances.
5 To add a material condition (optional), click the second black box and click a symbol in the Material Conditions dialog box to insert it. 6 In the Geometric Tolerance dialog box, add a second tolerance value (optional) in the same way as the first tolerance value. 7 Under Datum 1, Datum 2, Datum 3, enter the datum reference letter. 8 Click the black box to insert a material condition symbol for each datum reference. 9 In the Height box, enter a height.
Material Conditions Material conditions apply to features that can vary in size. The second compartment contains the tolerance value. Depending on the control type, the tolerance value is preceded by a diameter symbol and followed by a material condition symbol. Material conditions apply to features that can vary in size: ■ At maximum material condition (symbol M, also known as MMC), a feature contains the maximum amount of material stated in the limits.
The following illustration shows a datum reference frame verifying the dimensions of the part. Quick Reference Commands LEADER Creates a line that connects annotation to a feature. TOLERANCE Creates geometric tolerances contained in a feature control frame. Projected Tolerance Zones Projected tolerances are used to make the tolerance more specific. Projected tolerances are specified in addition to positional tolerances to make the tolerance more specific.
Quick Reference Commands LEADER Creates a line that connects annotation to a feature. TOLERANCE Creates geometric tolerances contained in a feature control frame. Composite Tolerances A composite tolerance specifies two tolerances for the same geometric characteristic of a feature or for features that have different datum requirements. One tolerance relates to a pattern of features and the other tolerance to each feature within the pattern.
When you add composite tolerances to a drawing, you specify the first line of a feature control frame and then choose the same geometric characteristic symbol for the second line of the feature control frame. The geometric symbol compartment is extended over both lines. You can then create a second line of tolerance symbols. Quick Reference Commands LEADER Creates a line that connects annotation to a feature. TOLERANCE Creates geometric tolerances contained in a feature control frame.
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Part 10: Plot and Publish Drawings 1521
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Prepare Drawings for Plotting and Publishing 32 You prepare your drawing for plotting or publishing by specifying page setup settings. These settings are stored in the drawing file with the layout. Once a layout is established, you can modify the settings of its page setup or apply a different page setup. Quick Start to Saving Settings for Plotting and Publishing Preparing a drawing for plotting or publishing requires specifying many settings and options that define the output of your drawing.
Specify Page Setup Settings Page setups are associated with layouts and stored in the drawing file. The settings specified in a page setup determine the appearance and format of your final output. Overview of Page Setup Settings A page setup is a collection of plot device and other settings that affect the appearance and format of your final output. These settings can be modified and applied to other layouts.
By default, every initialized layout has a page setup associated with it. You can initialize a layout by clicking on its tab to activate the previously unused layout. A layout does not contain any plot settings before initialization. A layout must be initialized (its paper size can be defined in the page setup to any size other than 0 x 0) before it can be published. Once initialized, layouts can be drawn upon, published, and added to sheet sets as sheets (after the drawing has been saved).
5 Click Close. Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. Select a Printer or Plotter for a Layout To print a layout, select a printing or plotting device in the Page Setup dialog box. You can also view details about the name and location of the device, and change the device's configuration. The printer or plotter you select in the Page Setup dialog box determines the printable area of the layout.
To change the configuration of a printer or plotter specified in a page setup 1 Click the layout tab for which you want to specify a printer or plotter. 2 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 3 In the Page Setup Manager, Page Setups area, select the page setup that you want to modify. 4 Click Modify. 5 In the Page Setup dialog box, under Printer/Plotter, click Properties. 6 In the Plotter Configuration Editor, change the required settings. Click OK. 7 In the Page Setup dialog box, click OK.
displayed in the Page Setup dialog box when you create a new layout for that configured device. If you change the paper size in the Page Setup dialog box, the new paper size is saved with the layout and overrides the size saved in the plotter configuration (PC3) file. See also: ■ “Control PC3 File Device and Document Settings” in the Driver and Peripheral Guide To set the paper size for a layout 1 Click the layout tab for which you want to set the paper size.
3 In the Plotter Configuration Editor, Device and Document Settings tab, double-click User-Defined Paper Sizes & Calibration to display the calibration and paper size options. 4 Select Custom Paper Sizes. 5 Under Custom Paper Sizes, click Add. 6 In the Custom Paper Size wizard, Begin page, select Start from Scratch. Click Next. 7 On the Media Bounds page, in the Units list, select either Inches or Millimeters for paper size.
2 In the Plotter Manager, double-click the plotter configuration (PC3) file you want to edit. 3 In the Plotter Configuration Editor, Device and Document Settings tab, double-click User-Defined Paper Sizes & Calibration to display the calibration and paper size settings. 4 Select Custom Paper Sizes. 5 Under Custom Paper Sizes, click Add. 6 In the Custom Paper Size wizard, Begin page, select Use Existing.
2 In the Plotter Manager, double-click the plotter configuration (PC3) file you want to edit. 3 In the Plotter Configuration Editor, Device and Document Settings tab, double-click User-Defined Paper Sizes & Calibration to display the calibration and paper size settings. 4 Click Custom Paper Sizes. 5 Under Custom Paper Sizes, select a paper size from the list. 6 Click Delete. To modify a standard paper size 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plotter Manager.
Set the Plot Area of a Layout You can specify the plot area to determine what will be included in the plot. When you prepare to plot from the Model tab or a layout tab, you can specify the plot area to determine what will be included in the plot. When you create a new layout, the default Plot Area option is Layout. Layout plots all objects within the printable area of the specified paper size. The Display Plot Area option plots all the objects displayed in the drawing.
■ Window. Plots objects in the area you define. Select the Window option, and then respond to the prompts to define the area. Click the Window button to edit the defined area. 6 Click OK. 7 In the Page Setup Manager, click Close. Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout.
To adjust the plot offset of a layout 1 Click the layout tab for which you want to adjust the plot offset. 2 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 3 In the Page Setup Manager, Page Setups area, select the page setup that you want to modify. 4 Click Modify. 5 In the Page Setup dialog box, under Plot Offset, enter a value in units for X or Y or both. Click OK. 6 In the Page Setup Manager, click Close.
Set the Plot Scale for a Layout When you plot a drawing layout, you can either specify a precise scale for the layout or fit the image to the paper. Normally, you plot a layout at a 1:1 scale. To specify a different scale for the layout, set the plot scale for the layout in the Page Setup or the Plot dialog box. In those dialog boxes, you can select a scale from a list or enter a scale. NOTE You can modify the list of scales with SCALELISTEDIT.
To set the Fit to Paper option when plotting 1 Click the layout tab for which you want to set the plot scale to Fit to Paper. 2 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 3 In the Page Setup Manager, Page Setups area, select the page setup that you want to modify. 4 Click Modify. 5 In the Page Setup dialog box, Under Plot Scale, select Fit to Paper. NOTE If the Plot Area is set to Layout, you cannot select the Fit to Paper option. 6 Click OK. 7 In the Page Setup Manager, click Close.
See also: ■ Control Lineweights on page 532 To scale lineweights in a layout 1 Click the layout tab for which you want to scale lineweights. 2 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 3 In the Page Setup Manager, Page Setups area, select the page setup that you want to modify. 4 Click Modify. 5 In the Page Setup dialog box, under Plot Scale, select Scale Lineweights. The lineweights in the current layout are scaled in proportion to the designated plot scale.
If you select the Display Plot Styles option under Plot Style Table (Pen Assignments), the properties of the plot styles assigned to objects are displayed in the selected layout. See also: ■ Control How Objects Are Plotted on page 1568 To select a plot style table for a layout 1 Click the layout tab for which you want to select a plot style table. 2 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 3 In the Page Setup Manager, Page Setups area, select the page setup that you want to modify.
8 In the Page Setup Manager, click Close. To edit a plot style table for a layout 1 Click the layout tab for which you want to edit a plot style table. 2 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 3 In the Page Setup Manager, Page Setups area, select the page setup that you want to modify. 4 Click Modify. 5 In the Page Setup dialog box, under Plot Style Table, select the plot style table you want to edit from the list. 6 Click the Edit button.
Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. STYLESMANAGER Displays the Plot Style Manager, where you can revise plot style tables. Set Shaded Viewport and Plot Options for a Layout Shaded viewport and plot options settings affect how objects are plotted and are saved in the page setup. Shaded viewport and plot options affect how objects are plotted.
■ Plot with Plot Styles. Specifies that the drawing is plotted using plot styles. Selecting this option automatically plots lineweights. If you do not select this option, objects are plotted with their assigned properties and not with the plot style overrides. ■ Plot Paper Space Last. Specifies that objects in model space are plotted before those in paper space. ■ Hide Paperspace Objects. Specifies whether the Hide operation applies to objects in the paper space viewport.
3 In the Page Setup Manager, Page Setups area, select the page setup that you want to modify. 4 Click Modify. 5 In the Page Setup dialog box, under Plot Options, select the required settings. 6 Click OK. 7 In the Page Setup Manager, click Close. Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout.
2 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 3 In the Page Setup Manager, Page Setups area, select the page setup that you want to modify. 4 Click Modify. 5 In the Page Setup dialog box, under Drawing Orientation, do one of the following: ■ If your drawing is horizontal, select Landscape. ■ If your drawing is vertical, select Portrait. ■ To rotate 180 degrees, select either Portrait or Landscape, and then select Plot Upside-Down. 6 Click OK. 7 In the Page Setup Manager, click Close.
■ Viewport setup information ■ A location for the viewport configuration in the layout You can edit the information entered in the wizard later. Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manger. click Modify. In the Page Setup Manager, To create a layout using the wizard 1 Click Insert menu ➤ Layout ➤ Layout Wizard. 2 On each page of the Create Layout wizard, select the appropriate settings for the new layout. When finished, the new layout will be the current layout tab.
■ Paper Size ■ Plot Scale ■ Plot Origin ■ Plot Offset In addition, a PC2 file contains any resolution information that has been modified by a plotter calibration. Pen assignment information can also be imported and saved in a plot style table using the Add Plot Style Table wizard. To import plotting device and pen settings information, you can use the Import PCP or PC2 Plot Settings wizard to choose a PCP or PC2 file whose settings you want to import.
If you want to plot the same layout more than one way, or if you want to specify the same output options for several layouts, use named page setups. You can apply different named page setups to the same layout to achieve specific results when plotting. For example, you might create the named page setups in the following table to control scaling and paper size.
To apply a named page setup to a layout 1 Click the layout tab for which you want to apply a named page setup. 2 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 3 In the Page Setup Manager, under Page Setups, select a named page setup from the list. NOTE A page setup that is not named is shown in the Page Setup Manager with an asterisk on either side of its layout name. An unnamed page setup does not have the same functionality as a named page setup.
To import named page setups from another drawing 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 2 In the Page Setup Manager, click Import. 3 In the Select Page Setup From File dialog box, select a drawing file from which you want to import one or more named page setups. Click Import. 4 In the Import Page Setups dialog box, select one or more page setups to import. Click OK.
3 Click Close. To rename a page setup 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Page Setup Manager. 2 In the Page Setup Manager, under Page Setups, right-click the named page setup you want to rename. Click Rename. NOTE A page setup that is not named is shown in the Page Setup Manager with an asterisk on either side of its layout name. An unnamed page setup does not have the same functionality as a named page setup.
See also: ■ Create and Use Named Page Setups on page 1545 To apply a named page setup to a sheet created from scratch 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Open Sheet Set dialog box, select a sheet set. Click Open. 3 In the Sheet Set Manager, right click in the Sheets area. Click New Sheet. 4 In the New Sheet dialog box, enter a number and sheet title. Click OK. 5 In the Sheet Set Manager, under Sheets, double-click the new sheet.
Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PUBLISH Publishes drawings to DWF, DWFx, and PDF files, or to plotters. SHEETSET Opens the Sheet Set Manager.
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Plot Drawings 33 Once you have completed a drawing, you can use a number of methods to output the drawing. You can plot the drawing on paper or create a file for use with another application. In either case, you select the plot settings. Quick Start to Plotting To print a single layout or part of a drawing, use the Plot dialog box. Use a named page setup or change the settings in the Plot dialog box to define the output of your drawing. To output more than one drawing, use the Publish dialog box.
Plotter Manager The Plotter Manager is a window that lists plotter configuration (PC3) files for every non-system printer that you install. Plotter configuration files can ® also be created for Windows system printers if you want to use default properties different from those used by Windows. Plotter configuration settings specify port information, raster and vector graphics quality, paper sizes, and custom properties that depend on the plotter type.
Plot Styles A plot style controls how an object or layer is plotted by determining plotted properties such as lineweight, color, and fill style. Plot style tables collect groups of plot styles. The Plot Style Manager is a window that shows all the plot style tables available. There are two plot style types: color-dependent and named. A drawing can use only one type of plot style table. You can convert a plot style table from one type to the other.
To plot a drawing 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot. 2 In the Plot dialog box, under Printer/Plotter, select a plotter from the Name list. 3 Under Paper Size, select a paper size from the Paper Size box. 4 (Optional) Under Number of Copies, enter the number of copies to plot. 5 Under Plot Area, specify the portion of your drawing to plot. 6 Under Plot Scale, select a scale from the Scale box. 7 For more options, click the More Options button.
10 Under Drawing Orientation, select an orientation. 11 Click OK. To plot at the command prompt instead of in a dialog box, use -PLOT. To turn background plotting on or off 1 Click Application menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Plot and Publish tab, under Background Processing Options, select or clear the Enable Background Plot When Plotting option. 3 Click OK. NOTE When you plot in the background, you can return immediately to your drawing.
Quick Reference Commands OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PCINWIZARD Displays a wizard to import PCP and PC2 configuration file plot settings into the Model tab or current layout. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. PLOTSTAMP Places a plot stamp on a specified corner of each drawing and logs it to a file.
When you select a page setup in the Plot dialog box, the settings from the page setup are added to the Plot dialog box. You can choose to plot with those settings, or change any of the settings individually and then plot. Any settings you specify in the Plot dialog box can be saved as a new named page setup by clicking the Add button in the Page Setup area.
4 Click Apply to Layout. Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. PLOTTERMANAGER Displays the Plotter Manager, where you can add or edit a plotter configuration. Select a Printer or Plotter Before plotting a drawing, you must select a printer or plotter. The device you select affects the printable area of the drawing.
Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. PLOTTERMANAGER Displays the Plotter Manager, where you can add or edit a plotter configuration. Specify the Area to Plot When plotting a drawing, you must specify the area of the drawing to plot. The Plot dialog box provides the following options under Plot Area. ■ Layout or Limits.
To set the drawing area as you plot 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot. 2 In the Plot dialog box, under Plot Area, specify the portion of your drawing that you want to plot. 3 Change other settings as needed. Click OK to plot the drawing. Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. Set Paper Size In the Plot dialog box, select the paper size that you want to use.
Use a Custom Paper Size If you need to specify a paper size that is not listed in either the Plot dialog box or the Page Setup dialog box, you can add a custom paper size for a non-system plotter using the Plotter Configuration Editor. Typically, you cannot add a custom paper size to Windows system printers because the allowable page sizes and printable areas are determined by the manufacturer. However, you can modify the printable area for paper sizes associated with a Windows system printer.
2 In the Plot dialog box, under Printer/Plotter, select a plotter from the Name list. 3 Click Properties. The Plotter Configuration Editor is displayed. 4 To specify a default paper size, use one of the following methods: ■ For a non-system plotter, under Media, select Source and Size. ■ For a system printer, in the tree view, select Custom Properties. Then under Access Custom Dialog, select Custom Properties. 5 Select the appropriate paper size. 6 Click OK to close each dialog box.
NOTE Creating a custom paper size for a non-system driver attaches a plot model parameter (PMP) file to the plotter configuration (PC3) file. The PMP file contains custom plotter calibration and custom paper size information. By default, PMP files are stored in the Drv folder. Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file.
WARNING If you set your plotter to use paper-saving features such as plotting inked area or nesting, your plotter will probably not use the printable area and plot offset specifications. If your plotter reports an incorrect printable area for your paper size, you can adjust the printable area in the Modify Standard Paper Sizes area under the Modify Standard Paper Sizes (Printable Area) option on the Device and Document Settings tab in the Plotter Configuration Editor.
Offset area of the Plot dialog box displays the specified plot offset option in parentheses. You can offset the drawing on the paper by entering positive or negative values in the X and Y offset boxes. However, this may result in the plot area being clipped. If the Plot Area is not set to Layout (Extents, Display, View, or Window), you can also select the Center the Plot option. Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout.
PLOTTERMANAGER Displays the Plotter Manager, where you can add or edit a plotter configuration. System Variables PLOTROTMODE Controls the orientation of plots. Control How Objects Are Plotted You can control how objects are plotted by setting the plot scale, by using plot styles and plot style tables, and by setting an object's layer properties.
Set a Specific Scale When you plot, the paper size you select determines the unit type, inches or millimeters. For example, if the paper size is in mm, entering 1 under mm and 10 under Units produces a plotted drawing in which each plotted millimeter represents 10 actual millimeters. The illustrations show a light bulb plotted at three different scales. Scale the Drawing to Fit the Page When you review drafts, a precise scale is not always important.
To plot using a custom scale 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot. 2 In the Plot dialog box, under Plot Scale, enter a custom scale. The scale requires two values, the number of plotted units (inches or mm) per the number of drawing units. The type of unit is determined by the paper size, but you can change it in the list box. If you enter a custom scale, Custom is automatically selected in the Scale box, even if the scale you enter is the same as a standard scale in the list.
SCALELISTEDIT Controls the list of scales available for layout viewports, page layouts, and plotting. Set Shaded Viewport Options You can choose among several options for plotting shaded and rendered viewports. You can plot a viewport as it is displayed, in wireframe, with hidden lines removed, or as rendered. Overview of Shaded Viewport Plotting The options for shaded viewport plotting give you a large degree of flexibility in conveying your three-dimensional designs to others.
Quick Reference Commands 3DCONFIG Sets options that affect 3D display performance. GRAPHICSCONFIG Sets options for 3D display performance. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. SHADEMODE Starts the VSCURRENT command. Specify Shaded Plotting Settings If you are plotting a drawing that contains 3D solids that are shaded, you can control how the drawing is plotted. Specifically, you can choose from the following options: ■ As Displayed.
NOTE If you select the Rendered option, specify Render settings before plotting. If the Rendered option is used for a highly complex set of objects, the hardcopy output might contain only the viewport border. To modify the shade plot setting of a viewport 1 Make sure you are on a layout tab. 2 Double-click the border of the viewport you want to modify. 3 In the Properties palette, under Misc., select Shade Plot, and then select an option for plotting.
Specify a Resolution Level for Shaded Plotting You can set the resolution of shaded plots for either greater speed or higher fidelity. After you select an appropriate plotter, you can specify the level of quality for plotted output. The quality level determines the dots per inch (dpi). The dpi that corresponds to a quality level is based on the plotter you select. The maximum dpi available is also based on the plotter you select.
Set Options for Plotted Objects In the Plot and the Page Setup dialog boxes, you can choose from options that affect how objects are plotted. ■ Shaded Viewport Plotting. Specifies shaded plotting options: As Displayed, Wireframe, or Hidden. The effect of this setting is reflected in the plot preview, but not in the layout. ■ Plot Object Lineweights. Specifies that lineweights assigned to objects and layers are plotted. ■ Plot Transparency.
■ Save Changes to Layout. Saves changes you make in the Plot dialog box to the layout if you click OK. To set shaded plotting options from the Model tab 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot. 2 In the Plot dialog box, Shaded Viewport Options area, Shade Plot drop-down list, select an option. To set shaded plotting options from a layout tab 1 Select a layout viewport. 2 Double-click the viewport border to display the Properties palette. 3 On the Properties palette, click Shade Plot.
To remove hidden lines when plotting from a layout tab 1 Select a layout viewport. 2 Double-click the viewport border to display the Properties palette. 3 On the Properties palette, click Shade Plot. 4 In the Shade Plot drop-down list, select Hidden. 5 Click OK to plot the drawing. To plot lineweights 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot. 2 In the Plot dialog box, under Plot Options, select Plot Object Lineweights. You can change this option only if the Plot with Plot Styles option is cleared.
WARNING Enabling this option may reduce plot performance, even if your drawing does not contain transparent objects. The PLOTTRANSPARENCYOVERRIDE system variable honors the Plot Transparency setting by default, but can be set to always or never plot transparency. To turn off plot styles 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot. 2 In the Plot dialog box, under Plot Options, clear the Plot with Plot Styles option. 3 Click OK to plot the drawing.
OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. PLOTSTAMP Places a plot stamp on a specified corner of each drawing and logs it to a file. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Use Plot Styles to Control Plotted Objects You can control many aspects of how an object is plotted by using plot styles.
■ Line end style ■ Line join style ■ Fill style Using plot styles gives you great flexibility because you can set them to override other object properties or turn off the override as needed. Groups of plot styles are saved in either of two types of plot style tables: color-dependent (CTB) or named (STB). Color-dependent plot style tables set style based on the color of the object. Named plot styles can be assigned to an object independent of color.
DEFLPLSTYLE Specifies the default plot style for all layers in a drawing when opening a drawing that was created in a release prior to AutoCAD 2000, or for Layer 0 when creating a new drawing from scratch without using a drawing template. DEFPLSTYLE Specifies the default plot style for new objects in a drawing when opening a drawing that was created in a release prior to AutoCAD 2000, or when creating a new drawing from scratch without using a drawing template.
3 In the Plot Style Table Settings dialog box, select Use Color-dependent Plot Styles or Use Named Plot Styles. 4 (Optional) In the Default Style Table box, select a default plot style table. 5 (Optional) If Use Named Plot Styles is selected, select plot styles to assign to Layer 0 and to new objects. 6 Click OK. NOTE Setting plot style table types for new drawings does not affect existing drawings. Quick Reference Commands OPTIONS Customizes the program settings.
To convert a drawing to use named plot styles 1 At the command prompt, enter convertpstyles. 2 Click OK when the alert box appears. 3 In the Select File dialog box, select a named plot style table to use for the Model tab and any layouts that use plot style tables of the same name. 4 Click Open. A message is displayed to confirm that the drawing was converted.
Quick Reference Commands CONVERTCTB Converts a color-dependent plot style table (CTB) to a named plot style table (STB). CONVERTPSTYLES Converts the current drawing to either named or color-dependent plot styles. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. Assign Plot Style Tables to Layouts By assigning different plot style tables to each layout in your drawing, you can control how objects in the layout are plotted.
3 In Page Setup Manager, click Modify. 4 Under Plot Style Table (Pen Assignments), select a plot style table from the list. 5 In the Question dialog box, click Yes or No to indicate whether the selection should be applied to the current tab only or to all layouts. This option is available only for the Model tab. 6 To preview the effects of the plot style table in the layout, select Display Plot Styles. This option is available only for layouts. 7 Click OK. 8 In Page Setup Manager, click Close.
Quick Reference Commands PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. Manage Plot Style Tables You can use the Plot Style Manager to add, delete, rename, copy, and edit plot style tables. Color-dependent (CTB) and named (STB) plot style tables are stored in the Plot Styles folder by default. This folder is also known as the Plot Style Manager. You can use the Plot Style Manager to add, delete, rename, copy, and edit plot style tables.
8 Click Finish. The new plot style table is available in both the Plot and the Page Setup dialog boxes for all drawings using color-dependent plot style tables. To rename a plot style table 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot Style Manager. 2 Right-click the plot style whose name you want to change. Click Rename. 3 Enter the new file name. Be sure to add the same file extension (.ctb or .stb). When finished, press ENTER.
Quick Reference Commands STYLESMANAGER Displays the Plot Style Manager, where you can revise plot style tables. Use Color-Dependent Plot Style Tables By using color-dependent plot styles to control how objects are plotted, you ensure that all objects that share the same color are plotted the same way. When a drawing uses color-dependent plot style tables, you cannot assign a plot style to individual objects or layers.
Table Description screening 50%.ctb Uses 50% ink for all colors screening 25%.ctb Uses 25% ink for all colors NOTE You can assign a color-dependent plot style table to a layout only if the drawing has been set to use color-dependent plot style tables. See also: ■ Assign Plot Style Tables to Layouts on page 1584 Quick Reference Commands STYLESMANAGER Displays the Plot Style Manager, where you can revise plot style tables.
C. In a layout that uses Style1, any objects that use plot style C are listed as having a missing plot style. Objects that are assigned plot style C in this layout are plotted using their default settings. To change an object's plot style You can change an object's plot style only if the drawing uses named plot style tables. If the drawing uses color-dependent plot style tables, change the object's color to alter its plotted appearance. 1 Select one or more objects whose plot style you want to change.
4 To select a plot style from a different plot style table, select an active plot style table from the Active Plot Style Tables list. The list of plot styles changes to those in the selected plot style table. 5 To edit the selected plot style table, click Editor. Change settings as necessary and click Save & Close. 6 Click OK. You can change a layer's plot style only if the drawing uses named plot style tables.
Quick Reference Commands LAYER Manages layers and layer properties. PLOTSTYLE Controls the named plot styles that are attached to the current layout and can be assigned to objects. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Manage Named Plot Styles You can add, delete, rename, and copy plot styles in a named plot style table using the Plot Style Table Editor. The Plot Style Table Editor is also used to change plot style settings for both named and color-dependent plot style tables.
6 Click Save & Close. NOTE You cannot edit the NORMAL plot style. To copy a named plot style 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Plot Style. 2 Double-click the STB file you want to edit. 3 In the Plot Style Table Editor, Form View tab, right-click the plot style that you want to copy. Click Copy. 4 Right-click a plot style. Click Paste. If you want to position the new plot style in the list, right-click the plot style that should precede the new plot style.
To rename a named plot style 1 Click Home tab ➤ Properties panel ➤ Plot Style. 2 Double-click the STB file that contains the plot style you want to rename. 3 In the Plot Style Table Editor, Form View tab, right-click the plot style whose name you want to change. Click Rename. 4 Enter the new name for the plot style. 5 Click Save & Close. NOTE You cannot rename the NORMAL style. You cannot rename plot styles in a color-dependent plot style table.
STYLESMANAGER Displays the Plot Style Manager, where you can revise plot style tables. Use Predefined Named Plot Style Tables One additional named plot style table is installed for you to use beyond the default plot style table. All named plot style tables have an .stb extension. ■ acad.stb: Default plot style table ■ Monochrome.stb: All colors plot as black ■ None: No plot style table applied NOTE Named plot style tables are available only if the drawing has been set to use named plot style tables.
each color when opening pre- AutoCAD 2000 drawings. This enables you to simulate the way drawings were plotted in previous versions. While the color mapping table exists, you cannot add, delete, or rename plot styles in that plot style table. If you delete the mapping table, the plot style table becomes an ordinary plot style table and is no longer useful for applying plot styles to old drawings. It continues to be useful for new drawings.
Overview of Plot Style Settings You can open the Plot Style Table Editor by double-clicking a CTB or STB file in the Plotter Manager. The Plot Style Table Editor displays the plot styles contained in the specified plot style table. The General tab lists general information about the table. The Table View and Form View tabs provide two ways to modify plot style settings. In general, the Table View tab is convenient if you have a small number of plot styles.
Assign Plot Style Colors The default setting for plot style color is Use Object Color. With this setting, the object retains its layer or individually set color. If you assign a plot style color, the color overrides the object's color at plot time. You can specify one of 255 ACI colors, a true color, or a color book color. The plotter must be configured for True Color if you want to plot True Color plot styles.
To assign a plot style color 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot Style Manager. 2 Right-click a CTB or STB file. Click Open. 3 In the Plot Style Table Editor, Table View tab, click the Color field for the plot style you want to change. 4 On the Color drop-down list, click the color you want to use or click Select Color to display the Select Color dialog box and do one of the following: ■ On the Index tab, click a color or enter the ACI color number (1-255) or name in the Color box. Click OK.
To enable or disable dithering 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot Style Manager. 2 Double-click the plot style table that you want to modify. 3 In the Plot Style Table Editor, Form View tab, select the plot style you want to change and select Dither. 4 Select On or Off. 5 When finished, click Save & Close. You can edit properties for multiple plot styles while in the Plot Style Table Editor. To enable or disable conversion to grayscale 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot Style Manager.
Assign Pens to Plot Styles The Use Assigned Pen Number setting in the Plot Style Table Editor specifies which physical pen to use for each plot style. The physical pens in the plotter are described in the plotter's configuration (PC3) file. If you use a pen plotter, you must provide information about the color, speed, and width of each pen in the Physical Pen Configuration section of the Plotter Configuration Editor.
When you create a plot style table, it is important to remember that it can be used with many different plotters and that the plotter and mode determine what parts of the plot style table are enabled. ■ When using a pen plotter with user assigned pens, the virtual pen number and any color assignments are ignored. ■ When using a pen plotter with automatically assigned pens, pens are selected based on entity color and entity lineweight. Virtual pen numbers are ignored.
Quick Reference Commands STYLESMANAGER Displays the Plot Style Manager, where you can revise plot style tables. Control Plotted Lineweight and Linetype Both lineweight and linetype can be set as an object property or controlled when plotted by using a plot style. Lineweight or linetype settings in the plot style override the object's lineweight or linetype at plot time.
To set the plotted lineweight 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot Style Manager. 2 Double-click the plot style table that you want to modify. 3 In the Plot Style Table Editor, Form View tab, select the plot style you want to change. 4 Click the Lineweight arrow and select a lineweight from the list. To specify that the object's lineweight should be used select Use Object Lineweight. 5 Click Save & Close. You can edit properties for multiple plot styles while in the Plot Style Table Editor.
3 In the Plot Style Table Editor, General tab, select Apply Global Scale Factor to Non-ISO Linetypes. This option scales linetypes and fill patterns according to a value that you specify. 4 In the Scale Factor box, enter a scale factor to apply. 5 Click Save & Close. Quick Reference Commands STYLESMANAGER Displays the Plot Style Manager, where you can revise plot style tables.
■ Bevel ■ Round ■ Diamond The default setting for Line Join Style is Use Object Join Style, which is rounded. Assign a line join style in a plot style to override the object's default line join style at plot time. To assign a line end or line join style 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot Style Manager. 2 Right-click a CTB or STB file. Click Open. 3 In the Plot Style Table Editor, Table View tab, click the Line End Style or Line Join Style field for the plot style you want to change.
■ Horizontal Bars ■ Slant Left ■ Slant Right ■ Square ■ Dots ■ Vertical Bar The default setting for Fill Style is Use Object Fill Style. Assign a fill style in a plot style to override the object's fill style at plot time. You can apply a global scale factor to non-ISO linetypes and fill patterns in plot styles. See also: ■ Modify Hatches and Fills on page 1289 To assign a fill style 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot Style Manager. 2 Right-click a CTB or STB file. Click Open.
Preview a Plot It is good practice to generate a preview of the plotted drawing before sending the drawing to the printer or plotter. Generating a preview saves time and material. You can preview the drawing from the Plot dialog box. The preview shows exactly how the drawing will look when plotted, including lineweights, fill patterns, and other plot style options.
3 Right-click to display a shortcut menu with the following options: Plot, Pan, Zoom, Zoom Window, or Zoom Original (to zoom to the original preview magnification). 4 Press ESC to exit the preview and return to the Plot dialog box. 5 If necessary, make additional adjustments to the plot settings and preview the plotted drawing again. 6 Once the settings are correct, click OK to plot the drawing. Quick Reference Commands PAN Moves the view planar to the screen.
You can use the program to create DWF files. A DWF file is a 2D vector file that you can use to publish your drawing on the World Wide Web or an intranet network. Each DWF file can contain one or more drawing sheets. ® DWF files can be opened, viewed, and plotted by anyone using Autodesk Design Review. With the DWF file viewer, you can also view DWF files in ® Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or later.
You can use the DWFx ePlot (XPS Compatible) plot configuration file to plot to a DWFx file. Each DWFx file can contain one or more drawing sheets. DWFx files can be opened, viewed, and plotted by anyone using the following applications: ■ With Internet Explorer, you can view and print the 2D geometry of DWFx files. ■ With Autodesk Design Review, you can view the complete DWFx file; zoom and pan within the DWF file; turn layers on and off; and mark up the drawings.
Plot to DXB File Formats DXB (drawing interchange binary) file formats are supported using the DXB non-system file driver. This is commonly used to “flatten” 3D drawings to 2D. The output is compatible with the DXBIN command and with the ADI DXB driver delivered with earlier releases. The DXB driver shares these limitations of the ADI driver: ■ The driver produces 16-bit integer DXB files containing only vectors. ■ DXB output is monochrome; all vectors are color 7.
Quick Reference Commands PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. Plot to Raster File Formats The nonsystem raster driver supports several raster file formats, including Windows BMP, CALS, TIFF, PNG, TGA, PCX, and JPEG. The raster driver is most commonly used to plot to files for desktop publishing. All but one of the formats supported by this driver produce “dimensionless” raster files that have size in pixels but do not have size in inches or millimeters.
2 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot. 3 In the Plot dialog box, under Printer/Plotter, in the Name box, select a raster format configuration from the list. 4 Select plot settings for the raster file as needed. 5 Click OK. 6 In the Browse for Plot File dialog box, select a location and enter a file name for the raster file. 7 Click Save. Quick Reference Commands BMPOUT Saves selected objects to a file in device-independent bitmap format. JPGOUT Saves selected objects to a file in JPEG file format.
Plot Adobe PDF Files Using the DWG to PDF driver, you can create Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) files from drawings. The Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) is a standard for electronic information exchange. PDF files can be easily distributed for viewing and printing in the Adobe Reader available from the Adobe web site without cost. Using PDF files, you can share drawings with virtually anyone. Like DWF6 files, PDF files are generated in a vector-based format, for maintaining precision.
4 Click OK. 5 In the Browse for Plot File dialog box, select a location and enter a file name for the PDF file. 6 Click Save. To plot a PDF file in landscape orientation 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Plot. 2 In the Plot dialog box, under Printer/Plotter, in the Name box, select the DWG to PDF.pc3 configuration from the Name list. 3 Under Paper Size, select a paper size that has the longer dimension listed first. For example, ANSI A (11.00 x 8.50 Inches). 4 Click OK.
Use the custom Properties dialog box in the Plotter Configuration Editor to customize the output. To display this dialog box, on the Device and Document Settings tab, in the tree view, select Custom Properties. Then under Access Custom Dialog, click the Custom Properties button. The PostScript driver supports three types of PostScript. ■ Level 1: Use for most plotters. ■ Level 1.5: Use for plotters that support color images.
3 In the Plot dialog box, under Printer/Plotter, in the Name box, select a PostScript format configuration. 4 Select plot settings for the PostScript file as needed. 5 Click OK. 6 In the Browse for Plot File dialog box, select a location and enter a file name for the PostScript file. 7 Click Save. Quick Reference Commands PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file.
5 Click OK. 6 In the Browse for Plot File dialog box, select a location and enter a file name for the plot file. 7 Click Save. To create a batch file for plot spooling Plot files are meant to be used with spooling software or to be given to a service bureau for output. A simple batch file can be used to output PLT files. 1 Open a text editor and save a batch file to a folder where you save your PLT files. 2 Name the batch file something like MySpooler.bat.
Quick Reference Commands PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file.
Publish Drawings 34 Publishing provides a streamlined alternative to plotting multiple drawings. You can easily publish an entire sheet set from the Sheet Set Manager as a set of paper drawings or as a single, electronic, multi-sheet DWF, DWFx, or PDF file. Publishing an electronic drawing set as a DWF, DWFx, or PDF file saves time and increases productivity by providing accurate, compressed representations of drawings in a file that's easy to distribute and view.
■ A single, multi-sheet DWF or DWFx file containing both 2D and 3D content ■ A single, multi-sheet PDF file containing 2D content ■ Multiple single-sheet DWF or DWFx files containing both 2D and 3D content ■ Multiple single-sheet PDF files containing 2D content Using 3D DWF publishing, you can create and publish DWF files of your three-dimensional models and view them with Autodesk Design Review. For more on publishing 3D DWF files, refer to 3D DWF Publishing on page 1652.
over the plotter icon on the right side of the status bar. You can also view details about all completed jobs that you have plotted or published from the current session.
To turn background publishing on or off using the publish dialog box 1 Click Output tab ➤ Publish panel ➤ Publish. 2 In the Publish Controls group, select or clear Publish in background. Quick Reference PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PUBLISH Publishes drawings to DWF, DWFx, and PDF files, or to plotters. BACKGROUNDPLOT Controls whether background plotting is turned on or off for plotting and publishing.
To create a drawing set for publishing 1 Open a drawing. Click Output tab ➤ Publish panel ➤ Publish. The Publish dialog box is displayed. If the Include Layouts When Adding Sheets option is selected, either in the shortcut menu or in the Publish dialog box, all the layouts in the current drawing are listed in the sheetlist. 2 In the Publish dialog box, you can modify the list of sheets by doing any of the following as needed: ■ Add sheets.
Down button. Sheets in the drawing set are viewed or plotted in the order shown in the list. ■ Rename sheets. To rename a sheet, select it in the list and right-click. Click Rename Sheet. Enter the new sheet name. ■ Change page setups. To change the page setup for a layout, select the sheet, and in the Page Setup list select a named page setup from the list; or select one or more sheets and right-click. Click Change Page Setup.
3 Right-click the selection. Click Copy Selected Sheets. The copied drawing sheets are added and highlighted at the end of the sheet list. When a sheet is copied, its name is created by the addition of -copy(n) at the end of the original sheet name. For example, if you create one copy of a sheet called Plumbing, the copied sheet is called Plumbing-Copy(1). Each time you copy the same sheet, the n is incremented by 1.
Quick Reference PUBLISH Publishes drawings to DWF, DWFx, and PDF files, or to plotters. Create a Paper or Plot File Drawing Set You can publish a drawing set to a plotter or plot file. You can assemble drawing sheets into a customized drawing set and publish the sheets to the plotter named in the page setup specified for each sheet. If the plot device named in the page setup is a paper plotter, then your output will be a paper drawing set.
NOTE To include all layouts when you add sheets to a drawing set, ensure the Include Layouts When Adding Sheets option is selected on the shortcut menu or in the Publish dialog box. ■ Include model layouts. If an uninitialized (the paper size is not defined in the page setup or is set to 0 x 0) model layout is included, it will be marked as Uninitialized in the Status column on the sheet list. It can be plotted if a page setup override is applied.
Plumbing-Copy(1). Each time you copy the same sheet, the n is incremented by 1. By creating copies of a sheet, you can have different page setups and other settings for the same sheet. 3 When your list of drawing sheets is assembled and configured the way you want for your paper or plot file drawing set, click the Save Sheet List button. 4 In the Save List As dialog box, in the File Name box, enter a name for the drawing set list. Click Save.
PLOTTERMANAGER Displays the Plotter Manager, where you can add or edit a plotter configuration. PUBLISH Publishes drawings to DWF, DWFx, and PDF files, or to plotters. PUBLISHCOLLATE Controls whether plotting a sheet set, multi-sheet plot file, or plot spool file can be interrupted by other plot jobs. Publish an Electronic Drawing Set You can publish an electronic drawing set as a DWF, DWFx, or PDF file. You can assemble drawing sheets into a customized electronic drawing set.
■ Review and Markup Files with Design Review on page 1980 To create a DWF, DWFx, or PDF file using publish 1 Open a drawing. Click Output tab ➤ Publish panel ➤ Publish. The Publish dialog box is displayed. If the Include Layouts When Adding Sheets option is selected either in the shortcut menu or in the Publish dialog box, all the layouts in the current drawing are listed in the sheet list.
Down button. Sheets in the drawing set are viewed or plotted in the order shown in the list. ■ Rename sheets. To rename a sheet, select it in the list and right-click. Click Rename Sheet. Enter the new sheet name. ■ Change page setups. To change the page setup for a layout, select the sheet, and in the Page Setup list select a named page setup from the list; or select one or more sheets and right-click. Click Change Page Setup.
7 Click Select to provide the name and destination for the DWF or DWFx file. NOTE You can also enter a URL so that the DWF or DWFx file is uploaded to an FTP or HTTP site. 8 Click Save to start the electronic drawing set creation. If you have background publishing enabled, the animated plotter icon on the right side of the status bar indicates that the publish job is in progress. 9 To view information about the processed publish job, right-click the plotter icon on the right side of the status bar.
Layer information = Don’t include Block information = Don’t include By default, the DWF/ DWFx/PDF file will be saved to the same location as the selected drawing file/s. To create and email a DWF, DWFx, or PDF file using Windows Explorer 1 Launch Windows Explorer. 2 Select the drawings to publish to DWF / DWFx. Use Shift or Ctrl + Click to select contiguous or non-contiguous files. NOTE You can publish only 2D DWF or 2D DWFx using the shortcut menu in Windows Explorer. 3 Right-click the selection.
Quick Reference PAGESETUP Controls the page layout, plotting device, paper size, and other settings for each new layout. PUBLISH Publishes drawings to DWF, DWFx, and PDF files, or to plotters. PUBLISHCOLLATE Controls whether plotting a sheet set, multi-sheet plot file, or plot spool file can be interrupted by other plot jobs. PUBLISHHATCH Controls whether hatch patterns published to DWF or DWFx format are treated as a single object when they are opened in Autodesk Impression.
■ Set Publish Options on page 1646 To publish a sheet set to a DWF file 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, under Sheets, select a sheet set, subset, or sheet. 3 In the upper-right corner of the Sheet Set Manager, click the Publish button. NOTE Sheet sets cannot contain 3D DWF (or 3D DWFx) entries. 4 Click Publish to DWF from the flyout menu.
4 Click Publish to DWFx from the flyout menu. If you have background publishing enabled, the animated plotter icon on the right side of the status bar indicates that the publish job is in progress. Right-click this icon for options to view the DWF file or to view information about the publish job. TIP Publishing performance can be improved by disabling background publishing. Ensure that background publishing is not selected in the Plot and Publish tab (Tools ➤ Options), and in the Publish Controls group.
To publish a subset of a sheet set or an individual sheet to a DWF file 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, under Sheets, select a sheet set, subset, or sheet. 3 In the upper-right corner of the Sheet Set Manager, click the Publish button. 4 Click Publish to DWF from the flyout menu. NOTE If you have background publishing enabled, the animated plotter icon on the right side of the status bar indicates that the publish job is in progress.
To publish a subset of a sheet set or an individual sheet to a PDF file 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, under Sheets, select a sheet set, subset, or sheet. 3 In the upper-right corner of the Sheet Set Manager, click the Publish button. 4 Click Publish to DWFx from the flyout menu. NOTE If you have background publishing enabled, the animated plotter icon on the right side of the status bar indicates that the publish job is in progress.
To publish sheets in a sheet set using a page setup from the page setup overrides file 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, under Sheets, select the sheet set, subset, or sheet. 3 In the upper-right corner of the Sheet Set Manager, click the Publish button. Click Publish Using Page Setup Override ➤ . (All the named page setups that are saved in the page setup override DWT file are listed.
To publish sheets in a sheet set in reverse order 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Sheet Set Manager. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, under Sheets, select the name of a sheet set or a subset. 3 In the upper-right corner of the Sheet Set Manager, click the Publish button. Click Publish In Reverse Order. A tick mark against the menu item indicates that when you click Publish, the sheets will be published in reverse order. NOTE This option is not available for DWF files.
3 In the upper-right corner of the Sheet Set Manager, click the Publish button. Click Publish Dialog Box. The Publish dialog box is displayed and lists the sheets you selected in the Sheet Set Manager. 4 In the Publish dialog box, modify the sheet list and settings as required. 5 Click Publish to publish the modified sheet set. NOTE If you have background publishing enabled, the animated plotter icon on the right side of the status bar indicates that the publish job is in progress.
After drawings have been updated, you may want to republish a drawing set for viewing or plotting. You can easily republish a sheet set (DST file) or a collection of drawing sheets that you saved as a DSD (Drawing Set Descriptions) file. You can also load and republish BP3 (Batch Plot) files. To republish a drawing set 1 Click Output tab ➤ Publish panel ➤ Publish. If you have a drawing open, all the layouts in your drawing are shown in the sheet list in the Publish dialog box.
Quick Reference PUBLISH Publishes drawings to DWF, DWFx, and PDF files, or to plotters. View Electronic Drawing Sets with Autodesk Design Review A published DWF or DWFx electronic drawing set can be viewed and plotted with Autodesk Design Review. A published drawing set is the digital equivalent of paper plots created from your original drawings. The drawing set, which can be saved as a DWF or DWFx file, can be viewed or plotted by anyone using Autodesk Design Review.
To view a 2D DWFx in Internet Explorer 7 ■ Click and drag the DWFx file to the Internet Explorer 7 window. ■ Click OK at the Internet Explorer dialog box. A new window displays the contents of the DWFx file. NOTE If you have a pop-up blocker, select “Allow Blocked Content”, and click Yes when prompted. To view the most recently published DWF file ■ In the program, right-click the plotter icon on the right side of the status bar. Click View DWF file.
You can also decide what types of information to reveal in your published DWF, DWFx, and PDF files and whether to publish drawings automatically.
4 In the Multi-sheet DWF Options, select Prompt for Name to be prompted for a file name every time you publish a DWF file. 5 Click OK. 6 In the Publish dialog box, contine with publishing tasks, and then close the dialog box. To include layer or block information in a published DWF, DWFx, or PDF file NOTE You can use block template (BLK) files created with the Publish Options dialog box or BLK files created using the Attribute Extraction wizard. 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Batch Plot.
3 In the DWF Data Options pane, under Block Information, click to display the drop-down list, and select Include. 4 Under DWF Data Options, Block Template File, click to display the drop-down list, and select Create. The Publish Block Template dialog box opens with the Block Source Drawing area displaying the current drawing. NOTE The working set of drawings for this list is completely independent of the drawings to include in the Publish operation.
NOTE If you select a block on the block list and clear the check marks of all its properties, only the name of the block is published to the resultant DWF or DWFx file; no property information is included. 8 Click Save to name and save the block template file. Click OK. The new block template file is now available under DWF Data Options in the Publish Block Template dialog box. 9 In the Publish dialog box, contine with publishing tasks, and then close the dialog box.
8 Under Block Data to Publish, Properties of Selected Blocks, Check Properties to Publish, select or clear the properties you want to include in your published DWF or DWFx files. This list displays the union of the properties of all selected blocks. NOTE If you select a block from the block list and clear the check marks of all its properties, only the name of the block is published to the resultant DWF or DWFx file; no property information is included. 9 Click Save. Click OK.
Publish 3D DWF Files You can create and publish DWF or DWFx files of your 3D models and view them with Autodesk Design Review. You can generate DWF or DWFx files of your 3D models with nearly the same visual fidelity as your original DWG files. You can create a single or multi-sheet DWF or DWFx file with 2D and 3D model space objects. To access single sheet 3D DWF publishing, use the 3DDWF, EXPORT. To access multi-sheet publishing with 2D and 3D model space objects use the PUBLISH command.
NOTE Because the DWF Viewer and the rendering engine are different, you may encounter some deviation in how the texture maps appear in the DWF Viewer. Increase the Smoothness of 3D DWF or 3D DWFx Models The smoothness of 3D DWF or 3D DWFx models is improved by changing the value of the 3DDWFPREC system variable. The setting for 3DDWFPREC ranges from 1 to 6. Higher settings greatly improve the appearance of objects in the DWF Viewer.
Unsupported Content Details Block attributes Font types (Various) See the “Supported Text Fonts” table Gradient fills (Hatches) Hidden edges Hyperlinks Images Layer information Lights and Shadows Material components Mtext (partial) Named views and cameras OLE objects Rays and X-lines Section clipping and XClipping Text thickness Visual styles 1654 | Chapter 34 Publish Drawings ■ Bump, Opacity, and Specular texture maps ■ Procedural materials (for example, wood & marble) ■ Reflection and refracti
Supported Text Fonts Many text fonts are not supported when you publish a 3D DWF or 3D DWFx file. The following table lists the fonts that are published.
To publish a single 3D DWF file 1 Click Output tab ➤ Export to DWF/PDF panel ➤ 3D DWF. 2 In the Export Data dialog box, specify a name and location of the DWF file. Click Save. By default, all model space objects are published to the 3D DWF file and, if your drawing contains xrefs, the Group By Xref Hierarchy option is active. 3 (Optional) Click Yes to open the Autodesk Design Review and view the published 3D DWF file.
3 If necessary, select 3D DWF (*.dwf) from the Files Of Type list. Click Save. By default, all model space objects are exported to the 3D DWF file and if your drawing contains xrefs, the Group By Xref Hierarchy option is active. 4 (Optional) Click Yes to open the Autodesk Design Review and view the published 3D DWF file. To export a 3D DWFx file 1 Click Output tab ➤ Export to DWF/PDF panel ➤ 3D DWF. 2 In the Export Data dialog box, specify the name and location of the DWFx file. 3 Select 3D DWFx (*.
5 Click Publish Options. In General DWF Options, set the DWF Type to Multi-sheet DWF. 6 Select the Publish Output options. NOTE The Precision Override setting does not affect models sheets that are converted to 3D DWF. 7 In 3D DWF options group, click Yes to publish materials. Click OK. 8 Click Publish. To publish multiple 3D or combined 2D and 3D DWFx files 1 Click Output tab ➤ Plot panel ➤ Batch Plot.
To publish selected objects in your model to a 3D DWF or 3D DWFx file 1 Click Output tab ➤ Export to DWF/PDF panel ➤ 3D DWF. 2 In the Export Data dialog box, specify a name and location for the DWF or DWFx file. 3 Click the Tools button at the upper right. 4 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 5 In the 3D DWF Publish dialog box, Objects To Publish, click Selected Model Space Objects and then click the Select Objects button. 6 In the model, select the objects that you want to publish.
Quick Reference 3DDWF Creates a 3D DWF or 3D DWFx file of your 3D model and displays it in the DWF Viewer. EXPORT Saves the objects in a drawing to a different file format. PUBLISH Publishes drawings to DWF, DWFx, and PDF files, or to plotters. 3DDWFPREC Controls the precision of 3D DWF or 3D DWFx publishing. PUBLISHALLSHEETS Specifies whether to load the contents of the active document or of all open documents in the Publish dialog box.
How to Create and Obtain Physical Models The following diagram illustrates, from begining to end, the basic steps of creating and obtaining a physical model: Prepare your 3D model To ensure successful printing of your 3D model, you may need to make some adjustments to your drawing. Select the 3D solids you want to print You must select the 3D solids you want to print. Only the 3D solids you select are printed, even if there are others in your drawing.
5 In the selected DWG file, select the solids or watertight meshes you wish to print. Press Enter. In the Send to 3D Print Service Dialog Box, under Output Preview, selected solids and watertight meshes display. 6 In the Send to 3D Print Service dialog box, under Output Dimensions, specify output dimensions, including scale and bounding box length, width, and height. Click OK. NOTE If you modify output dimensions, the output preview remains unchanged. 7 Save your prepared drawing as an STL file.
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Reference Other Drawing Files 35 You can attach an entire drawing to the current drawing as a referenced drawing. With xrefs, changes made in the referenced drawing are reflected in the current drawing. Attached xrefs are linked to, but not actually inserted in, another drawing. Therefore, with xrefs you can build drawings without significantly increasing the drawing file size.
NOTE Like a block reference, an xref appears in the current drawing as a single object. However, you cannot explode an xref without binding it first. See also: ■ DesignCenter on page 91 Quick Reference Commands ADCENTER Manages and inserts content such as blocks, xrefs, and hatch patterns. BASE Sets the insertion base point for the current drawing. EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. EXTERNALREFERENCESCLOSE Closes the External References palette.
XBIND Binds one or more definitions of named objects in an xref to the current drawing. XCLIP Crops the display of a selected external reference or block reference to a specified boundary. XREF Starts the EXTERNALREFERENCES command. System Variables BINDTYPE Controls how xref names are handled when binding xrefs or editing xrefs in place. ERSTATE Indicates whether the External References palette is open or closed. INDEXCTL Controls whether layer and spatial indexes are created and saved in drawing files.
XLOADCTL Turns xref demand-loading on and off, and controls whether it opens the referenced drawing or a copy. XLOADPATH Creates a path for storing temporary copies of demand-loaded xref files. XREFNOTIFY Controls the notification for updated or missing xrefs. Attach and Detach Referenced Drawings You can perform several operations on referenced drawing files (xrefs). Attach Drawing References (Xrefs) You can insert any drawing file as an external reference or xref in the current drawing.
The saved path used to locate the xref can be a full path, a relative (partially specified) path, or no path. If an xref contains any variable block attributes, they are ignored. NOTE When using the External References palette, it is recommended that you turn on the Auto-hide feature or anchor the palette. The palette will then hide automatically when you specify the insertion point of the external reference.
Control the Properties of Xref’s Layers You can control the visibility, color, linetype, and other properties of an xref's layers and make these changes temporary or permanent. If the VISRETAIN system variable is set to 0, these changes apply only to the current drawing session. They are discarded when you end the drawing session, or when you reload or detach the xref. You can also control the fade display of the DWG xref. The XDWGFADECTL system variable defines the fade percentage for all DWG xrefs.
See also: ■ Nest and Overlay Referenced Drawings on page 1680 ■ Clip External References and Blocks on page 1686 ■ Set Paths to Referenced Drawings on page 1674 ■ DesignCenter ■ Set Interface Options on page 109 To attach an xref 1 Click Blocks & References tab ➤ Reference panel ➤ DWG. 2 In the Select Reference File dialog box, select one or more files you want to attach and then click Open. 3 In the Attach External Reference dialog box, under Reference Type, select Attachment.
7 Click OK. You can also attach an xref by dragging or by clicking Attach as Xref on the shortcut menu. 8 Click OK. To view referenced files by type in the External References palette 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Reference panel ➤ Dialog box launcher. 2 In the External References palette, in the File References pane, click the List View button. 3 Click the Icon column. The attached referenced files are sorted by type in the list view.
XREF Starts the EXTERNALREFERENCES command. System Variables ERHIGHLIGHT Controls whether reference names or reference objects are highlighted when their counterparts are selected in the External References palette or in the drawing window. ERSTATE Indicates whether the External References palette is open or closed. INDEXCTL Controls whether layer and spatial indexes are created and saved in drawing files. TRAYICONS Controls whether a tray is displayed on the status bar.
Set Paths to Referenced Drawings You can view and edit the file name and path used when locating a particular drawing reference (xref). Use this option if the referenced file has been moved to a different folder or renamed since it was first attached. You can choose from three types of folder path information to save with an attached reference: a full path, a relative path, and no path. Specify a Full (Absolute) Path A full path is a fully specified hierarchy of folders that locates the file reference.
Specify No Path When no path information is saved with the attached external reference, the following search is initiated in the order shown: ■ Current folder of the host drawing ■ Project search paths defined on the Files tab in the Options dialog box and in the PROJECTNAME system variable ■ Support search paths defined on the Files tab in the Options dialog box ■ Start In folder specified in the Microsoft Windows application shortcut ® ® Specifying the No Path option is useful when moving a set
Once you have established a project name and the search paths you want associated with that project name, you can make that project name the currently active project. The program searches the paths associated with that currently active project for xrefs that were not found in the current folder of the host drawing, the full search path, the current drawing folder, or the program support paths.
2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, double-click Project Files Search Path. 3 Click each project name folder to display the search paths associated with it. 4 Click OK (or Apply). To add a project name 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, double-click Project Files Search Path. Click Add. A folder named projectx (where x indicates the next available number) is created and indented beneath the project folder. 3 Either enter a new name, or press Enter to accept projectx.
2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, select a project name. Click Add. 3 Add a new search path beneath the project name by entering a new path, or click Browse and select a new path. 4 Click OK (or Apply). The new path is indented and placed beneath the project name. To delete a search path 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, select a project name. Click Remove. 3 Click OK. To change a search path 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options.
This clears the setting for the current drawing. 4 Click OK (or Apply). You can also clear the current project at the Command prompt by entering projectname and then entering a period (.). Quick Reference Commands XREF Starts the EXTERNALREFERENCES command. System Variables PROJECTNAME Assigns a project name to the current drawing. Detach Referenced Drawings To completely remove DWG references (xrefs) from your drawing, you need to detach them rather than erase them.
Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. Update and Bind Referenced Drawings Beyond attaching and detaching referenced drawings (xrefs,), you can also update and bind drawing references. Nest and Overlay Referenced Drawings Attached DWG references (xrefs) can be nested: that is, you can attach an xref that contains another xref. Xrefs can be nested within other xrefs: that is, you can attach an xref that contains another xref.
an xref to another drawing. Overlaid xrefs are designed for data sharing in a network environment. By overlaying an xref, you can see how your drawing relates to the drawings of other groups without changing your drawing by attaching an xref. In the following illustration, several people are working on drawings referenced by master.dwg. The person working on a.dwg needs to see the work being completed by the person working on b.dwg, but does not want to xref b.
Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. System Variables XREFTYPE Controls the default reference type when attaching or overlaying an external reference. Update Referenced Drawing Attachments When you open a drawing, all DWG references (xrefs) update automatically. You can also update xrefs whenever you want to ensure that the most current versions are displayed in your drawing. When you open a drawing, all xrefs update automatically.
By default, if a referenced file has changed, a balloon message is displayed near the Xref icon in the lower-right corner of the application window (the status bar tray). Click the link in the balloon to reload all changed xrefs. If you close the balloon message without reloading, an exclamation point is added to the Xref icon. If you click the Xref icon, the External References palette is displayed. By default, the program checks for changed xrefs every five minutes.
NOTE If the drawing you selected has been changed since you opened your drawing, the xref is reloaded. Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. EXTERNALREFERENCESCLOSE Closes the External References palette. TRAYSETTINGS Controls the display of icons and notifications in the status bar tray. System Variables INDEXCTL Controls whether layer and spatial indexes are created and saved in drawing files. TRAYICONS Controls whether a tray is displayed on the status bar.
XREFNOTIFY Controls the notification for updated or missing xrefs. Archive Drawings That Contain Referenced Drawings (Bind) When you archive final drawings that contain xrefs, you can choose how you store the xrefs in the drawings.
4 In the Bind Xrefs dialog box, select one of the following options: ■ Bind converts the objects in the xref into a block reference. Named object definitions are added to the current drawing with a prefix of blockname$n$. ■ Insert also converts the objects in the xref into a block reference. Named object definitions are merged into the current drawing without adding prefixes. 5 Click OK to close each dialog box. Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette.
The clipping boundary can be a polyline, rectangle, or a polygon with vertices within the boundaries of the image. You can change the boundary of a clipped image. When you clip a boundary, the objects in the external reference or block are not altered; only their display is changed. With the XCLIP, DGNCLIP, DWFCLIP, PDFCLIP, and IMAGECLIP commands, you can control the following viewing options: Control the visibility of the clipped area of the external reference or block reference.
The grips are visible and can be used when the clipping system variable is turned on, the reference is selected, and clipped. Editing Options After an external reference or block reference has been clipped, it can be moved, copied, or rotated just like an unclipped external reference or block reference. The clipping boundary moves with the reference. If an xref contains nested clipped xrefs, they appear clipped in the drawing. If the parent xref is clipped, the nested xrefs are also clipped.
Limitations for Clipping Boundaries When clipping an referenced drawing or block the following limitations apply: ■ A clipping boundary can be specified anywhere in 3D space, but it is always applied planar to the current UCS. ■ If a polyline is selected, the clipping boundary is applied in the plane of that polyline. ■ Images in external references or blocks are always clipped within the rectangular extents of the reference.
2 Set XCLIPFRAME, DWFFRAME, DGNFRAME, IMAGEFRAME, or PDFFRAME to 1. This specifies that the clipping boundary is displayed. 3 Select the clipped boundary to see the grip at the midpoint on the first edge of the clipped boundary. 4 Click the grip to invert the display of the reference clipped inside or outside the boundary. Quick Reference Commands DGNCLIP Crops the display of a selected DGN underlay to a specified boundary.
XCLIPFRAME Determines whether xref clipping boundaries are visible or plotted in the current drawing. Edit Referenced Drawings Referenced drawings can be edited by opening them directly, or you can edit the xref in place from within the current drawing. You can edit a block definition directly from any selected block reference. Edit a Referenced Drawing in a Separate Window The simplest and most direct method for editing xrefs is to open the source file for the referenced drawing in a separate window.
2 At the command prompt, enter xopen and press Enter. 3 In the Open Reference Files dialog box, select a nested xref from the reference tree. Press Ctrl to select multiple xrefs. 4 Click Open. The source file for the selected xrefs opens in a new window, where you can edit, save, and close the drawing. Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. XOPEN Opens a selected drawing reference (xref) in a new window.
Understand the Working Set The objects that you select from the selected xref or block are temporarily extracted and made available for editing in the current drawing. The set of extracted objects is called the working set, which can be modified and then saved back to update the xref or block definition. Objects that make up the working set are visually distinct from other objects in the drawing. All objects in the current drawing, except objects in the working set, are faded.
Edit Reference ribbon contextual tab is automatically dismissed after you save back or discard changes made to the working set. Use the Refedit Toolbar When the ribbon is not active, The Refedit toolbar is displayed and activated after you select which nested objects to edit. Using the buttons on the Refedit toolbar, you can add objects to or remove objects from the working set, and you can discard or save back changes to the reference.
The objects in the working set are saved to the reference and the xref or the block is updated. Quick Reference Commands REFCLOSE Saves back or discards changes made during in-place editing of a reference, either an xref or a block definition. REFEDIT Edits an xref or a block definition directly within the current drawing. REFSET Adds or removes objects from a working set during in-place editing of a reference, either an xref or a block definition.
Use the Working Set to Edit Referenced Drawings and Blocks To edit a referenced drawing from within the current drawing, you use the working set to identify objects that belong to the xref or block definition rather than the current drawing. While editing a reference in place, you can add or remove objects from the working set. If you create a new object while editing a reference in place, it is almost always added to the working set automatically.
Use the Refedit Toolbar When the ribbon is not active, the Refedit toolbar is displayed when a reference is being edited in place. The name of the selected reference is displayed in the toolbar. The editing buttons on the toolbar (Add Objects to the Working Set, Remove Objects from the Working Set, Discard Changes to Reference, and Save Back Changes to Reference) are active only during in-place reference editing.
REFEDIT Edits an xref or a block definition directly within the current drawing. REFSET Adds or removes objects from a working set during in-place editing of a reference, either an xref or a block definition. System Variables XEDIT Controls whether the current drawing can be edited in-place when being referenced by another drawing. Save Back Edited Referenced Drawings and Blocks While editing a referenced drawing or a block definition in place, you can save back or discard changes.
WARNING While editing a reference in place, if you delete an object that is not in the working set, the object is not restored if you discard changes at the closing of the reference editing session. Objects in the current drawing that inherit properties defined by the xref retain those new properties. Properties taken from the xref drawing are bound to the current drawing. The xref layer named SITE, for example, appears in the current drawing as $#$SITE when assigned to an object not in the working set.
System Variables BINDTYPE Controls how xref names are handled when binding xrefs or editing xrefs in place. Edit Referenced Drawings and Blocks with Nesting, OLE, or Attributes If the reference you select for editing has attached xrefs or block definitions, the reference and its nested references are displayed and available for selection in the Reference Edit dialog box. Nested references are displayed only if the object chosen for selection is part of a nested reference.
■ Edit Selected Objects in Referenced Drawings and Blocks on page 1692 Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. REFEDIT Edits an xref or a block definition directly within the current drawing. REFSET Adds or removes objects from a working set during in-place editing of a reference, either an xref or a block definition. Resolve Referenced Drawing Errors If a referenced drawing cannot be loaded when you open a drawing, an error message is displayed.
the path of the missing xref. You can use the XREF Path option to update or correct the path. Along with error messages being displayed at the Command window, a task dialog box might be displayed which allows you to ignore all missing reference files or update their locations. You can use the External References paletteto update the locations of the unresolved references.
3 Under Found At, do one of the following: ■ Edit the xref path directly. ■ Click the [...] button and browse to the xref in its new path. Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. Resolve Circular External References If a referenced drawing contains a sequence of nested references that refers back to itself, an error message is displayed.
Resolve Name Conflicts in External References When you attach an xref, the names of its blocks, dimensioning styles, layers, linetypes, and text styles are differentiated from those in the current drawing. A typical xref definition includes objects, such as lines or arcs. It also includes xref-dependent definitions of blocks, dimension styles, layers, linetypes, and text styles.
To bind xref-dependent named objects to the current drawing 1 Click Modify ➤ Object ➤ External Reference ➤ Bind. 2 In the Xbind dialog box, click the plus (+) sign next to an external reference. The five types of named object definitions (Block, Dimstyle, Layer, Linetype, and Textstyle) are listed. 3 Click the plus (+) sign of one of the definition types. The names of the definition table entries are listed. 4 Select a named object definition. Click Add.
System Variables BINDTYPE Controls how xref names are handled when binding xrefs or editing xrefs in place. Track External Reference Operations (Log File) You can maintain a record of actions while attaching, detaching, and reloading xrefs and while loading a drawing containing xrefs. The program can maintain a log of its actions while attaching, detaching, and reloading xrefs and while loading a drawing containing xrefs. This log is maintained only if the XREFCTL system variable is set to 1.
Example: A Sample Log File Entry Showing Nested Xrefs In the following example, the xref ENTRY_DR contains two nested xrefs: HARDWARE and PANELS. The xrefs HARDWARE and PANELS also each contain two xrefs.
The log file lists the definition (symbol) table affected and the name of the definition added, along with a status message. ============================== Drawing: test Date/Time: 12/18/99 14:06:34 Operation: Attach Xref ============================= Attach Xref STAIR: \ACAD\DWGS\STAIR.dwg Searching in ACAD search path Update block symbol table: Appending symbol: STAIR|BOLT Appending symbol: STAIR|BOLT-HALF ... block update complete.
System Variables XREFCTL Controls whether external reference log (XLG) files are created. Increase Performance with Large Referenced Drawings There are several features that can improve performance when dealing with large referenced drawings. Overview of Demand Loading Provides a high-level description of using demand loading to improve performance when working with large referenced drawings.
XLOADPATH Creates a path for storing temporary copies of demand-loaded xref files. Unload Xrefs When a DWG reference (xref) is unloaded from the current drawing, the drawing opens much faster and uses less memory. When an xref is unloaded from the current drawing, the drawing opens much faster and uses less memory. The xref definition is unloaded from the drawing file, but the pointer to the reference drawing remains.
Work with Demand Loading With demand loading, only the data from the referenced drawing that is necessary to regenerate the current drawing is loaded into memory. To realize the maximum benefits of demand loading, you need to save the referenced drawings with layer and spatial indexes. The performance benefits of demand loading are most noticeable when you do one of the following: ■ Clip the xref with the program to display a small fraction of it.
To turn on demand loading 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Open and Save tab, under External References, select Disabled, Enabled, or Enabled with Copy. 3 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. System Variables INDEXCTL Controls whether layer and spatial indexes are created and saved in drawing files. XLOADCTL Turns xref demand-loading on and off, and controls whether it opens the referenced drawing or a copy.
determine which objects lie within the clip boundary. The program then reads only those objects into the current session. Spatial and layer indexes are best used in drawings that will be used as xrefs in other drawings where demand loading is enabled. Drawings that are not going to be used as xrefs or partially opened will not benefit from layer and spatial indexing or demand loading. To save a drawing with layer and spatial indexes 1 Click File menu ➤ Save As.
System Variables INDEXCTL Controls whether layer and spatial indexes are created and saved in drawing files. TREEDEPTH Specifies the maximum depth, that is, the number of times the tree-structured spatial index can divide into branches. TREEMAX Limits memory consumption during drawing regeneration by limiting the number of nodes in the spatial index (oct-tree). XLOADCTL Turns xref demand-loading on and off, and controls whether it opens the referenced drawing or a copy.
2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, select the Temporary External Reference File Location folder. The expanded tree view displays the path where copies of xref files are placed. If no path is specified, the temporary copies are placed in the location specified by Temporary Drawing File Location. 3 Edit the path by selecting it and entering a new path. 4 Click OK (or Apply) to set the path. Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette.
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Link and Embed Data (OLE) 36 With the Microsoft Windows OLE feature, you can copy or move information from one application to another while retaining the ability to edit the information in the original application. Object linking and embedding (OLE) is a Windows feature that combines data from different applications into one document.
Link Objects A linked object is a reference to information in another document. Link objects when you want to use the same information in more than one document. Then, if you change the original information, you need to update only the links in order to update the document containing the OLE objects. You can also set links to be updated automatically. When you link a drawing, you need to maintain access to the source application and the linked document.
You can also adjust OLE plot quality in the Plotter Configuration Editor. The Graphics option displays a Raster Graphics dialog box with a slider that controls OLE plot quality. NOTE Nested OLE objects may cause problems. For example, an Excel spreadsheet embedded in a Word document may fail to plot. Also, an OLE object that is not in the current view plane is not plotted, but the frame is plotted based on the setting of the OLEFRAME system variable.
OLELINKS Updates, changes, and cancels existing OLE links. System Variables OLEHIDE Controls the display and plotting of OLE objects. Import OLE Objects You can import information into a drawing from other applications that support OLE. Overview of Importing OLE Objects into Drawings Use one of the following methods to insert information from another application as an OLE object: ■ Copy or cut information from an existing file and paste it into the drawing.
Quick Reference Commands INSERTOBJ Inserts a linked or embedded object. OLELINKS Updates, changes, and cancels existing OLE links. OLESCALE Controls the size, scale, and other properties of a selected OLE object. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. PASTESPEC Pastes objects from the Clipboard into the current drawing and controls the format of the data. System Variables MSOLESCALE Controls the size of an OLE object with text that is pasted into model space.
Reconnect Links Because a link references the location of the linked document, you need to reconnect the link if the document changes location or is renamed. Break Links Breaking a link does not remove the inserted information from the drawing. Instead, it removes the connection to the linked document. You can break a link when you no longer need to update the information. To link objects in a drawing 1 Start the source application and open a document.
To update links manually 1 Click Edit menu ➤ OLE Links. 2 In the Links dialog box, select the links you want to update. 3 Click Update Now. 4 Click Close. NOTE If you want to select the links from the drawing area rather than from a list in the Links dialog box, select the OLE objects before step 1. To reconnect a link to an OLE object 1 In the drawing, select the OLE object whose link you want to change. 2 Click Edit menu ➤ OLE Links. 3 In the Links dialog box, click Change Source.
OLELINKS Updates, changes, and cancels existing OLE links. OLESCALE Controls the size, scale, and other properties of a selected OLE object. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. PASTESPEC Pastes objects from the Clipboard into the current drawing and controls the format of the data. System Variables OLEHIDE Controls the display and plotting of OLE objects.
To embed an OLE object in a drawing 1 Open the document in the source application. 2 Copy the information you want to embed to the Clipboard. 3 Open the drawing. 4 Click Home tab ➤ Utilities panel ➤ Paste. 5 Click OK. To create an object in another application and embed it in a drawing 1 Open the drawing. 2 Click Blocks & References tab ➤ Data panel ➤ OLE Object. 3 In the Insert Object dialog box, under Object Type, select Create New. 4 Under Object Type, select an application. Click OK.
3 Click OK to apply changes. To scale text in an OLE object according to its font 1 Select an OLE object. 2 Right-click. Click Text Size. 3 In the OLE Text Size dialog box, select a font. The OLE Text Font list contains all of the fonts that appear in the selected OLE object. 4 Select a point size. The OLE Point Size list contains all of the sizes for the selected font. 5 In Text Height, enter a value in drawing units. This value is the height for text in the selected font and point size.
PASTESPEC Pastes objects from the Clipboard into the current drawing and controls the format of the data. System Variables OLEHIDE Controls the display and plotting of OLE objects. OLEQUALITY Sets the default plot quality for OLE objects. OLESTARTUP Controls whether the source application of an embedded OLE object loads when plotting. Export OLE Objects from Drawings You can link or embed a view of a drawing in another application that supports OLE.
To embed objects in another document 1 Click Edit menu ➤ Copy. 2 In the drawing area, select the objects that you want to embed and then press ENTER. The selected objects are copied to the Clipboard. 3 Start the destination application, and open a new or existing document. 4 Paste the Clipboard contents into the document, following the destination application's instructions for embedding the Clipboard contents.
INSERTOBJ Inserts a linked or embedded object. OLELINKS Updates, changes, and cancels existing OLE links. System Variables WMFBKGND Controls the background display when objects are inserted in Windows metafile (WMF) format. WMFFOREGND Controls the assignment of the foreground color when objects are inserted in Windows metafile (WMF) format. Edit OLE Objects in Drawings You can edit a linked or embedded OLE object in a drawing by double-clicking the object to open the source application.
Edit OLE Objects When AutoCAD Is the Source Application The document that contains a linked drawing stores the drawing's file location. You can edit a linked drawing either from the destination application or in the source program. The program must be loaded or accessible on the system along with the document you are editing. An AutoCAD drawing that is embedded in a document can be edited only from within the destination application. Double-click the OLE object to start the program.
How the link is updated depends on the destination application. Some applications support automatic updating of links; others require manual updating of links. To edit embedded objects 1 Open the document that contains the embedded AutoCAD objects (for example, a Microsoft Word file). 2 Double-click the embedded objects to start the program and display the objects. 3 Modify the objects as necessary. 4 To save changes to the embedded objects, click File menu ➤ Update.
■ 2 Frame is displayed but is not plotted. The frame must be displayed in order for grips to be visible. Quick Reference Commands COPYCLIP Copies selected objects to the Clipboard. CUTCLIP Copies selected objects to the Clipboard and removes them from the drawing. ERASE Removes objects from a drawing. PASTECLIP Pastes objects from the Clipboard into the current drawing. U Reverses the most recent operation.
37 Work with Data in Other Formats You can work with many different types of files, including files created with other applications and files created in earlier releases of the program. You can also specify search paths for drawing and support files. Import Other File Formats You can import files, other than DWG files, that were created with other applications into your drawings. Import Autodesk 3ds MAX Files ® ® You can import a 3DS file created with Autodesk 3ds MAX .
If the name of any 3ds MAX object conflicts with a name already in the AutoCAD drawing, the 3ds MAX name is assigned a sequence number to resolve the conflict. The name might be truncated to resolve the conflict. To import an Autodesk 3ds MAX file 1 Click Blocks & References tab ➤ Import panel ➤ 3DS File. 2 In the 3D Studio File Import dialog box, select the file that you want to import. 3 Click Open. Quick Reference Commands 3DSIN Imports an Autodesk 3ds MAX (3DS) file.
■ The LIGHTINGUNITS system variable controls whether lights are imported as standard or photometric lights. When exporting FBX files from AutoCAD to 3ds Max, ■ 3D objects, 2D objects with thickness, lights, cameras, and materials are rotated by 90 degrees on the Z axis. ■ You can export 2D objects by increasing their thickness. Any visible and renderable object with thickness can be exported to FBX. To export a 2D object to an FBX file, increase its thickness to convert to a 3D object.
Index Point Cloud Data A point cloud is a large collection of points placed on a 3D coordinate system. The points create a 3D representation of an object or geographic feature. Create Point Cloud Files AutoCAD can create 3D point clouds from the following point cloud data file types: ■ FLS ■ FWS ■ LAS ■ XYB Index a file of one of these types to create either an ISD or PCG file in AutoCAD.
NOTE To attach a point cloud data file to an AutoCAD drawing, the data file must be indexed in AutoCAD. Quick Reference POINTCLOUD Provides options to create and attach an indexed point cloud file. POINTCLOUDINDEX Creates an indexed point cloud (PCG or ISD) file from a scan file. Attach a Point Cloud to a Drawing When you attach a point cloud file to a drawing, you can specify whether it is locked for editing.
POINTCLOUDDENSITY Controls the number of points displayed at once for all point clouds in the drawing view. POINTCLOUDLOCK Controls whether an attached point cloud can be manipulated, moved, or rotated. POINTCLOUDRTDENSITY Improves performance by degrading the number of points displayed in the drawing view zooming, panning, or orbiting in real time. Work with 3D Point Clouds You can use several common commands to edit, or add geometry to, a 3D point cloud.
■ SCALE ■ STRETCH NOTE The MIRROR3D command copies and moves a point cloud, but does not mirror it. You cannot explode a point cloud. Snap to Points on a Point Cloud The Node object snap allows you to snap to individual points on a point cloud. The Insertion object snap allows you to snap to the insertion point of the point cloud. For more information, see Object Snap Modes. Quick Reference POINTCLOUD Provides options to create and attach an indexed point cloud file.
Quick Reference Commands ACISIN Imports an ACIS (SAT) file and creates 3D solid, body, or region objects. IMPORT Imports files of different formats into the current drawing. Convert DXF and DXB Files to DWG Format DXF and DXB files are two types of drawing interchange files used to transfer data between various applications. A DXF (drawing interchange format) file is either a binary or an ASCII representation of a drawing file. It is often used to share drawing data between other CAD programs.
3 Click Open. Quick Reference Commands DXBIN Imports an AutoCAD DXB (drawing interchange binary) file. OPEN Opens an existing drawing file. Import MicroStation DGN Files You can import MicroStation® DGN drawing files into DWG files. The import process translates basic DGN data into the corresponding DWG file data. There are several translation options to determine how certain data such as text elements and external references are handled.
■ Data with built-in features or variations are visually approximated. For example, text and dimensions might have specialized formatting, and color definitions might be customized. ■ Some data cannot be translated completely. For example, product-specific features such as data fields or dynamic blocks can be represented visually but not behaviorally. See the DGNIMPORT Conversion Table for specific details about the scope of importing MicroStation objects and other data.
master units in the Import DGN Settings dialog box. This matches the meters in the DGN file to the meters in the DWG file. To import a MicroStation DGN drawing 1 Click Blocks & References tab ➤ Import panel ➤ Import. 2 In the Import File dialog box, in the Files of Type box, select MicroStation DGN (*.dgn). 3 Find and select the DGN file you want to import, or enter the name of the DGN file at File Name. 4 Click Open.
■ Remap unsupported DGN linestyles to DWG linetypes ■ Remap lineweights and adjust color mapping Therefore, you can streamline the import/export process while minimizing the need for more extensive editing. The DGN Mapping Setups dialog box is displayed when you click the Mapping Setups button in the Import DGN Settings and Export DGN Settings dialog boxes. You can also enter DGNMAPPING at the Command prompt.
To modify a DGN mapping setup 1 In the DGN Mapping Setups dialog box , select the mapping setup you want to modify. NOTE The Modify button is disabled when the Standard mapping setup is selected. 2 Click Modify. The Modify DGN Mapping Setup: dialog box is displayed. 3 Specify property mapping for DGN Import (or Export). 4 Click Ok. You can also right-click the mapping setup name from the mapping setup list, click Modify and then continue with step 3.
drop-down list so you can just select from the drop-down list for the other cells. To add properties from a DGN file 1 In the DGN Mapping Setups dialog box , click Modify. NOTE The Modify button is disabled when the Standard mapping setup is selected. 2 In the Modify DGN Mapping Setup dialog box, click Add Properties from DGN File button. 3 The Add Properties from DGN File dialog box is displayed. Select a DGN file and click Open.
Quick Reference Commands DGNMAPPING Specifies the location of the dgnsetups.ini file where DGN mapping setups are stored. System Variables DGNMAPPINGPATH Specifies the location of the dgnsetups.ini file where DGN mapping setups are stored. Insert WMF Files WMF (Windows metafile format) files are frequently used to produce clip art and other nontechnical images that you need for drawings. You can insert a WMF file into a drawing file as a block.
4 To specify the scaling, use one of the following methods: ■ To specify an imaginary box whose dimensions correspond to the scale factor, enter c (Corner) at the Command prompt. Specify the opposite corner above and to the right of the insertion point to avoid inserting a mirror image. ■ To specify 3D scale factors, enter xyz. ■ To set the X and Y scale settings, enter a scale at the Command prompt. You can set different horizontal and vertical scales. Enter 1 to retain the current scale.
WMFOPTS Sets options for WMFIN. Attach Files as Underlays You can display DWF, DWFx, PDF, and DGN files as underlays in your drawing. Overview of Underlays You can underlay and snap to 2D geometry stored in DWF, DWFx, DGN, and PDF files. Underlays are similar to attached raster images in that they provide visual content but also support object snapping and clipping. Unlike external references, underlays cannot be bound to the drawing.
file. If the file contains 3D solids, surfaces, or other 3D objects, a warning is displayed. This content is not supported in this file. Use the Ribbon Contextual Tab to Work with Underlays If you select an underlay when the ribbon is active, the DWF Underlay Ribbon Contextual Tab, PDF Underlay Ribbon Contextual tab, or the DGN Underlay Ribbon Contextual tab displays depending on the type of underlay selected. The contextual tab contains options for adjusting, clipping and displaying underlays.
page at a time (as opposed to one sheet at a time for DWF files or one model at a time for DGN files). Also, hypertext links from PDF files are converted to straight text and digital Signatures are not supported. Drag Underlay Files You can drag underlays directly into the drawing.
Password Protected Underlay Files If a file you want to attach as an underlay is password protected, you are prompted to enter the password after you have selected the file. You cannot attach the file until you have correctly entered the password. After an underlay is attached to a DWG file, you are prompted for the underlay file’s password each time you open the DWG file.
4 In the Attach PDF Underlay dialog box, select one page, or use SHIFT or CTRL to select multiple pages. 5 Use one of the following methods to specify the insertion point, scale, or rotation of the underlay file: ■ Select Specify On-Screen to use the pointing device to attach the underlay at the location, scale, or angle you want. ■ Clear Specify On-Screen and enter values for Insertion Point, Scale, and Rotation at the command prompt. 6 Click OK.
DWFATTACH Insert a DWF or DWFx file as an underlay into the current drawing. EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. IMAGEATTACH Inserts a reference to an image file. PDFATTACH Insert a PDF file as an underlay into the current drawing. XATTACH Inserts DWG files as an external reference (xref). System Variables ERHIGHLIGHT Controls whether reference names or reference objects are highlighted when their counterparts are selected in the External References palette or in the drawing window.
MicroStation to AutoCAD Terms MicroStation Term AutoCAD Term Notes ByLevel setting BYLAYER setting Setting that controls whether color, line weight, and line style are set for each level (layer). Cell libraries N/A No reference in AutoCAD terminology. Cells: shared and normal Blocks In AutoCAD, all blocks behave like shared cells. There is no reference in AutoCAD terminology to a normal cell. Design model Model space DWG workmode and AutoCAD only allow for a single model.
MicroStation to AutoCAD Terms MicroStation Term AutoCAD Term Notes Key-in Command Line Place for entering commands/variables manually. Levels Layers Organizational structure used to control the appearance of objects in a drawing. Line styles Linetypes Setting used to control the appearance of the line work in a drawing. Merge into Master Bind XREF Inserting an external reference into the current drawing. Message Center Text Window Place for viewing text messages from program feedback.
MicroStation to AutoCAD Terms MicroStation Term AutoCAD Term Notes For DGNEXPORT, the chosen seed file determines what master and sub units are used for translation to DGN as well as resolution and accuracy values. Sheet model Drawing layout (paper space) Commonly used to control the output of a drawing for plotting. Smart Line Polyline Multi-segmented lines. Tags Attributes Element used to store textual information in a cell (block).
DGNEXPORT Creates one or more DGN files from the current drawing. DGNIMPORT Imports the data from a DGN file into a new DWG file. DGNLAYERS Controls the display of layers in a DGN underlay. DGNMAPPING Allows users to create and edit user-defined DGN mapping setups. System Variables DGNFRAME Determines whether DGN underlay frames are visible or plotted in the current drawing. DGNIMPORTMAX Sets the maximum number of elements that are translated when importing a DGN file.
To detach an underlay 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Reference ➤ . 2 In the External References palette, in the File References pane, select the underlay you want to detach. 3 Right-click on the underlay and click Detach. The underlay is no longer linked to the drawing file. All instances of the underlay are removed from the drawing. NOTE Erasing an individual instance of an underlay is not the same as detaching it. An underlay must be detached to remove the link from your drawing to the file.
Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. Work with Underlays You can control the display of layers, use object snaps, and adjust display settings with attached underlays. Control the Display of Layers in an Underlay You can turn layers on and off in an underlay. By default, all visible layers of an underlay are turned on when you attach the file. It is usually convenient to turn off any unneeded layers to reduce the visual complexity of your work.
Use the DWFLAYERS, PDFLAYERS, DGNLAYERS, or ULAYERScommand or right-click a selected underlay and click Layers on the shortcut menu. NOTE If the Underlay Layers dialog box is empty, there are no layers in the underlay. You can use the Properties palette to determine whether any layers are turned off in an underlay. ■ If no layers are turned off, the Layer Display Override property is set to None. ■ If at least one layer is turned off, the Layer Display Override property is set to Applied.
2 Right-click and then do one of the following: ■ If it is a DWF or DWFx underlay, click DWF Layers. ■ If it is a PDF underlay, click PDF Layers. ■ If it is a DGN underlay, click DGN Layers. 3 In the Underlay Layers dialog box, click the light bulb icon for the layer name that you want to turn on or off. You can use CTRL or SHIFT when you click to select several layers. 4 Click Apply to save your changes, or click OK to save and close.
TIP Double-clicking an underlay opens the Properties palette for that underlay. Use Grips with Underlays While underlay behavior generally mimics raster image behavior, one exception is the way that grips work. In this case, the behavior more closely parallels block behavior. Normally, an underlay displays only a base grip. You can use a base grip to reposition an underlay in a drawing. If you create a clipping boundary, additional grips display for each corner of the boundary.
3 Drag the cursor to the new location and then click again to place the underlay. Quick Reference Commands DWFATTACH Insert a DWF or DWFx file as an underlay into the current drawing. DGNATTACH Insert a DGN file as an underlay into the current drawing. PDFATTACH Insert a PDF file as an underlay into the current drawing. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Use Object Snaps with Underlays Use object snaps to draw or edit objects relative to a precise location.
Object snapping to PDF underlays is similar to object snapping to drawing geometry. However, object snapping might not behave as expected, depending on how the PDF was created. For example, if the PDF was made from scanned architectural plans, the PDF is a raster image, not a vector-based image. Therefore, object snapping does not work. Also, geometry from PDF’s that were created outside of AutoCAD may contain nonstandard snapping points, such as circles with no center points.
Quick Reference System Variables DGNOSNAP Determines whether object snapping is active for geometry in DGN underlays that are attached to the drawing. DWFOSNAP Determines whether object snapping is active for geometry in DWF or DWFx underlays that are attached to the drawing. PDFOSNAP Determines whether object snapping is active for geometry in PDF underlays that are attached to the drawing.
underlay are inverted so the underlay is displayed. If the setting is changed to No, the original colors of the underlay are used. Depending on the background colors, the underlay might not be visible. To use the Properties palette to adjust the underlay contrast, fade, monochrome, and background color setting 1 Double-click the underlay to display the Properties palette. 2 In the Properties palette, do one of the following: ■ Adjust the contrast by entering a new value.
2 Select the PDF underlay to adjust. 3 On the Enter PDF Underlay Options menu, select one of the following: ■ Select Fade and enter a fade value. ■ Select Contrast and enter a contrast value. ■ Select Monochrome and set monochrome to Yes or No. The appearance of the PDF underlay is updated after you enter the new value and the command is completed. To use the DGNADJUST command to adjust the fade, contrast, and monochrome settings of a DGN underlay 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Reference panel ➤ Adjust.
PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Clip Underlays You can use a clipping boundary to clip an underlay. You can define part of an underlay that you want to display and plot by setting up a clipping boundary with DGNCLIP, DWFCLIP, PDFCLIP, DGNCLIP, IMAGECLIP, VPCLIP, and XCLIP. The clipping boundary can be a closed polyline, rectangle or a polygon with vertices within the overall extents of the underlay. Each instance of an underlay can only have one clipped boundary.
You can control the way clipping boundaries and grips display with the clipping frame system variables. The clipping frame system variable are FRAME, PDFFRAME, DGNFRAME, DWFFRAME, XCLIPFRAME, and IMAGEFRAME. See also: ■ Clip External References and Blocks on page 1686 ■ Clip Raster Images on page 1788 To clip an underlay 1 Click the bounding box of an underlay to select it. 2 Click Contextual tab ➤ Clipping panel ➤ Create Clipping Boundary.
To specify a new boundary on a clipped underlay 1 Select a clipped underlay. 2 Click Contextual tab ➤ Clipping panel ➤ Create Clipping Boundary. 3 Enter y (Yes) to delete the old boundary. 4 At the command prompt, Enter s (Select Polyline), p (Polygonal), r (Rectangular), or i (Invert Clip) and then, draw the specified boundary on the underlay. To draw a boundary by selecting a polyline, draw or overlay a polygonal shape created with a polyline on the underlay.
Quick Reference Commands DGNCLIP Crops the display of a selected DGN underlay to a specified boundary. DWFCLIP Crops the display of a selected DWF or DWFx underlay to a specified boundary. PDFCLIP Crops the display of a selected PDF underlay to a specified boundary. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Hide and Show Underlay Frames You can display and plot a border around the underlay or the clipping boundary.
The foreground example shows the underlay with a visible frame. To hide and show underlay frames Do the following: 1 To hide frames, click Insert tab ➤ Reference panel ➤ Frame Settings drop-down ➤ Hide Frames 2 To display and plot frames, click Insert tab ➤ Reference panel ➤ Frame Settings drop-down ➤ Display And Plot Frames. 3 To display frames without plot, click Insert tab ➤ Reference panel ➤ Frame Settings drop-down ➤ Display But Don’t Plot Frames.
FRAME Turns the display of frames on and off for all external references, images, and DWF, DWFx, PDF, and DGN underlays. PDFFRAME Determines whether the PDF underlay frame is visible. Manage and Publish Drawings Containing Underlays You can view and manipulate underlays and change paths to underlays in the External References palette. View Underlay Information You can view file-specific information about the underlays that are attached to a drawing in the External References palette.
Use the List View The list view displays all underlays attached to the current drawing, but it does not specify the number of instances. It is the default view. You can sort underlays by category by clicking the column heading. Change the width of a column by dragging its border to the right or left.
■ Found At path To display a list of the underlays attached to a drawing 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Reference ➤ . 2 In the External References palette, click the List View button. To display underlay names and their nesting levels within xrefs and blocks 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Reference ➤ . 2 In the External References palette, click the Tree View button. To display underlay layer override status 1 Select the underlay of which you want to view the layer override status.
PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. Change File Paths of Underlays You can change the file path to a referenced DWF, DWFx, PDF, or DGN file or search for an underlay when it is reported as not found. When you open a drawing with an attached DWF, DWFx, PDF, or DGN file, the path of the selected underlay is displayed in the External References palette under Found At in the Detail list. The displayed path is the actual path where the source file was found.
Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. System Variables DGNMAPPINGPATH Specifies the location of the dgnsetups.ini file where DGN mapping setups are stored. Publish, Save, and eTransmit Drawings Containing Underlays When you eTransmit a file, DWF, DWFx, PDF, and DGN underlays are tracked and managed.
AutoCAD 2009, AutoCAD 2008 will only recognize the underlay if it is a V8 MicroStation file. eTransmit Underlay attachments are tracked and managed when you use eTransmit in the same way you track and manage raster image attachments. Quick Reference Commands DGNEXPORT Creates one or more DGN files from the current drawing. EXPORT Saves the objects in a drawing to a different file format. EXPORTDWF Creates a DWF file and allows you to set individual page setup overrides on a sheet by sheet basis.
System Variables EXPORTEPLOTFORMAT Sets the default electronic file output type: PDF, DWF, or DWFx. EXPORTMODELSPACE Specifies what part of the drawing to export to a DWF, DWFx, or PDF file from Model space EXPORTPAGESETUP Specifies whether to export to a DWF, DWFx, or PDF file with the current page setup. Reference Manager and Underlays With the Reference Manager, you can view DWF, DWFx, PDF, and DGN underlays that are attached to a DWG file and edit the paths of the attachments.
To check underlays with the Reference Manager 1 Click Start menu (Windows) ➤ All Programs (Programs) ➤ Autodesk ➤ AutoCAD 2011 ➤ Reference Manager. 2 In the Reference Manager, click the Add Drawings button. 3 In the Add Drawings dialog box, select a drawing and then click Open. Attach Raster Image Files You can view and manipulate raster images and associated file paths in drawings. You can add raster images to your vector-based drawings, and then view and plot the resulting file.
document management, engineering, mapping, and geographic information systems (GIS). Images can be bitonal, 8-bit gray, 8-bit color, or 24-bit color. Images with 16-bit color depth are not supported starting with AutoCAD 2011. Several image file formats support images with transparent pixels. When image transparency is set to on, the program recognizes those transparent pixels and allows graphics in the drawing area to “show through” those pixels.
Supported image file formats Type Description and versions File extension TARGA True Vision Raster-Based Data Format .tga TIFF Tagged Image File Format .tif or .tiff Quick Reference Commands IMAGE Displays the External References palette. IMAGEATTACH Inserts a reference to an image file. Attach, Scale, and Detach Raster Images You can add or remove references to raster images within drawing files, or you can change their relative size.
NOTE AutoCAD 2000, AutoCAD LT 2000, and later releases do not support LZW-compressed TIFF files, with the exception of English language versions sold in the US and Canada. If you have TIFF files that were created using LZW compression and want to insert them into a drawing, you must resave the TIFF files with LZW compression disabled.
To attach and scale an image file from the Internet 1 Click Blocks & References tab ➤ References panel ➤ Image. 2 In the Select Image File dialog box, click the Search the Web button. 3 In the Browse the Web—Open dialog box, enter the URL for the location of the image file in Look In. 4 Enter the image file name in the File Name box. Click Open. You can also select an image by right-clicking the image. Click Properties.
up so that 1 unit represents 1 inch, then in the Image dialog box under Scale, select Specify On-Screen. To scale the image, you clear Specify On-Screen, and then enter 600 in Scale. The image is then attached at a scale that brings the geometry in the image into alignment with the geometry in the drawing. If no resolution information is defined with the attached image file, the width of the raster image is set to one unit.
You can detach images that are no longer needed in a drawing. When you detach an image, all instances of the image are removed from the drawing, the image definition is purged, and the link to the image is removed. The image file itself is not affected. NOTE Erasing an individual instance of an image is not the same as detaching an image. An image must be detached to remove the link from your drawing to the image file. To detach an image 1 Click Insert menu ➤ External References.
boundaries are hidden, clipped images are still displayed to their specified boundary limits; only the boundary is affected. Showing and hiding image boundaries affects all images attached to your drawing. NOTE When an image frame is turned off, you cannot select images using the Pick or Window options of SELECT. To show and hide image boundaries 1 Click Modify menu ➤ Object ➤ Image ➤ Frame.
You can invert the area to be hidden, inside or outside the clipping boundary. With grips located at the midpoint on the first edge of the clipping boundary, you can invert the display of the clipped reference inside or outside the boundary. With IMAGEFRAME system variable, you can control the visibility of the clipping boundary. See also: ■ Clip External References and Blocks on page 1686 ■ Clip Underlays on page 1769 To clip an image 1 Click Modify menu ➤ Clip ➤ Image.
4 Enter p (Polygonal) or r (Rectangular), and then draw the boundary on the image. If you are drawing a polygonal boundary, you are prompted to specify consecutive vertices. To finish drawing a polygon, press Enter or right-click anywhere in the drawing area. To invert the clipped image 1 Set IMAGEFRAME, to 1. This displays the clipping boundaries. 2 Select the clipped boundary. You should see the grip at the midpoint on the first edge of the clipped boundary.
2 Select the clipped image with the boundary you want to delete. 3 Enter d (Delete). The boundary of the clipped image is deleted, and the original boundary of the image is restored. Quick Reference Commands IMAGECLIP Crops the display of a selected image to a specified boundary. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. System Variables IMAGEFRAME Controls whether image frames are displayed and plotted.
3 In the Image Adjust dialog box, to adjust brightness, contrast, and fade, use the appropriate slider or enter a value. The default value for both brightness and contrast is 50. You can adjust to a maximum brightness of 100 or to a minimum of 0. The default fade value is 0. You can adjust to a maximum fade of 100. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands IMAGEADJUST Controls the image display of the brightness, contrast, and fade values of images. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects.
4 In the Color drop-down list, select a color or click Select Color to open the Select Color dialog box. In the Select Color dialog box, specify a color. Click OK. 5 To change the background of the selected image to transparent, or to change the background image from transparent to opaque, select Yes or No in the Transparency list. To change only the transparency of a bitonal image 1 Click Modify menu ➤ Object ➤ Image ➤ Transparency. 2 Select the image to modify.
Manage Raster Images You can view and manipulate raster images and change paths to image files using the External References palette. View Raster Image Information You can view file-specific information about the raster images that are attached to a drawing. You can also load and unload the images and perform other operations using the External References palette. In the External References palette, you can view image information either as a list or as a tree in the File References Pane.
If an image cannot be found, its status is listed as Not Found. A Not Found image is displayed as an image boundary in the drawing even if the IMAGEFRAME system variable is set to off. If the image is unreferenced, no instances are attached for the image. If the image is not loaded, its status is Unloaded. Images with a status of Unloaded or Not Found are not displayed in the drawing. Use the Tree View The top level of the tree view lists referenced files in the order that they were attached.
2 In the External References palette, click the List View button. To display image names and their nesting levels within DWG file references and blocks 1 Click Insert menu ➤ External References. 2 In the External References palette, click the Tree View button. To preview an image and view file details 1 Click Insert menu ➤ External References. 2 In the External References palette, select an image file. 3 If the View Pane is not open, click the Preview button. The file preview is displayed.
Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. IMAGEATTACH Inserts a reference to an image file. Assign Descriptive Names to Raster Images When the name of a raster image file is not sufficient to identify an image, you can add a descriptive name using the External Reference palette. Image names are not necessarily the same as image file names. When you attach an image to a drawing, the program uses the file name without the file extension as the image name.
Change File Paths of Raster Images With the External References palette, you can change the file path to a referenced raster image file or search for a referenced image when it is reported as not found. When you open a drawing with an attached image, the path of the selected image is displayed in the External References palette in the Details Pane under Found At. The path displayed is the actual path where the image file was found.
Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. System Variables PROJECTNAME Assigns a project name to the current drawing. Tune Raster Image Performance You can reduce the demands on system performance when manipulating large or many small raster images. Load and Unload Raster Images You can improve performance by unloading images when you do not need them in the current drawing session.
To display specific image instances 1 Select the images you don't want to display. 2 Right-click in the drawing area. Click Properties. 3 In the Properties palette, select Yes or No in the Show Image list. Quick Reference Commands EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects.
time. TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is the only tiled format that the program supports. The TIFF reader supports all image types: ■ Bitonal (1 bit per pixel) ■ Gray scale and indexed color (8 bits per pixel) ■ True Color (24 or 32 bits per pixel) You can save tiled TIFF images with most image scanning tools. The image tiles should be no smaller than 64 x 64 pixels and no larger than 512 x 512 pixels.
Quick Reference Commands IMAGEQUALITY Controls the display quality of images. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. PROPERTIES Controls properties of existing objects. System Variables IMAGEHLT Controls whether the entire raster image or only the raster image frame is highlighted. Export Drawings to Other File Formats If you need to use the information from a drawing file in another application, you can convert it to a specific format by exporting it. You can also use the Clipboard.
To export a drawing to a DWF file 1 Click Output tab ➤ Export to DWF/PDF panel ➤ Export ➤ DWF. 2 In the Save as DWF dialog box, select the desired options, enter a file name, and click Save. To export a drawing to a DWFx file 1 Click Output tab ➤ Export to DWF/PDF panel ➤ Export ➤ DWFx. 2 In the Save as DWFx dialog box, select the desired options, enter a file name, and click Save. To export multiple layouts to a DWF or DWFx file 1 Hold the Shift key down and click to select the layout tabs.
EXPORTSETTINGS Adjusts the page setup and drawing selection when exporting to a DWF, DWFx, or PDF file. PUBLISH Publishes drawings to DWF, DWFx, and PDF files, or to plotters. PLOT Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file. System Variables DWFFORMAT Sets the default format to DFW or DWFx for the PUBLISH, 3DDWF, EXPORT, EXPORTDWF, AND EXPORTDWFX commands. EXPORTEPLOTFORMAT Sets the default electronic file output type: PDF, DWF, or DWFx.
■ Review and Markup Files with Design Review on page 1980 To export a drawing to a PDF file 1 Click Output tab ➤ Export to DWF/PDF panel ➤ Export ➤ PDF. 2 In the Save as PDF Dialog BoxSave as PDF dialog box, select the desired options, enter a file name, and click Save. To export multiple layouts 1 Hold the Shift key down and click to select the layout tabs. 2 Right click and select Publish Selected Layouts. 3 In the Publish dialog box, select PDF from the Publish To: drop-down list and click Publish.
EXPORTPAGESETUP Specifies whether to export to a DWF, DWFx, or PDF file with the current page setup. Export DXF Files You can export a drawing as a DXF file, which contains drawing information that can be read by other CAD systems. You can export a drawing as a DXF (drawing interchange format) file. DXF files are text or binary files that contain drawing information that can be read by other CAD programs.
Quick Reference Commands EXPORT Saves the objects in a drawing to a different file format. SAVEAS Saves a copy of the current drawing under a new file name. Export FBX Files FBX files allow you to import and export 3D objects, 2D objects with thickness, lights, cameras, and materials from one Autodesk program to another. The FBX file format is an open framework for 3D data transfer that creates a high level of interoperability among Autodesk programs.
To export a drawing as an FBX file 1 In your drawing, select the objects, lights, cameras, and materials to export to FBX. 2 Click Application menu ➤ Export ➤ FBX. 3 In the FBX Export dialog box, specify a name and location for the file and click Save. The FBX Export Options dialog box displays. 4 Specify the items to export, the texture options, and click OK. Quick Reference FBXEXPORT Creates an Autodesk® FBX file containing selected objects in the current drawing.
Understand the Limitations The DGN import and export capabilities are designed to provide a fundamental exchange of information between MicroStation DGN files and AutoCAD DWG files. However, translating data from one format to a completely different format inevitably requires compromises and substitutions. ■ Simple geometric objects such as lines, arcs, and circles, and properties such as layer assignments correlate directly between the DWG and DGN data formats.
■ Use simple dimension styles if possible ■ Use TrueType text fonts rather than SHX text fonts ■ Work primarily in one format, DWG or DGN, rather than switching back and forth When exporting DWG data to DGN files, you need to specify the conversion units of the DGN seed file (master units or sub-units) correctly based on the drawing units of the DWG file.
Export WMF Files A WMF (Windows metafile format) file can be either a vector graphic or a raster graphic format. AutoCAD exports WMF files as vector graphics only; this allows for faster panning and zooming. To create a Windows metafile (WMF) 1 Click Output tab ➤ Send panel ➤ Export. 2 In the Export Data dialog box, in the Files of Type box, select Metafile (*.wmf). 3 Select a folder and enter a file name. Click Save. The .wmf extension is appended to the file name.
Objects are displayed in the raster image as they appear on the screen, including objects in shaded and rendered viewports. File formats such as JPEG are compressed as they are created. Compressed files take up less disk space, but they might not be readable by certain applications. To create a bitmap file (BMP) 1 At the Command prompt, enter bmpout. 2 In the Create Raster File dialog box, select a folder and enter a file name. Click Save. The .bmp extension is appended to the file name.
Quick Reference Commands BMPOUT Saves selected objects to a file in device-independent bitmap format. EXPORT Saves the objects in a drawing to a different file format. JPGOUT Saves selected objects to a file in JPEG file format. PNGOUT Saves selected objects to a file in a Portable Network Graphics format. TIFOUT Saves selected objects to a file in TIFF file format. Export PostScript Files You can convert a drawing file to a PostScript file, a format that is used by many desktop publishing applications.
remapped to represent the ISO character set. The resulting text is output in PostScript in a form compatible with the font. ■ Circles, arcs, ellipses, elliptical arcs. Except when they have thickness, arcs and circles are translated into the equivalent PostScript path objects. ■ Filled solids. A solid fill is plotted as a PostScript filled path. ■ Two-dimensional polylines. A 2D (planar) polyline with uniform width is output as a PostScript stroked path.
You can export trimmed NURBS surfaces, regions, and 3D solids to an ACIS file in ASCII (SAT) format. Other objects, such as lines and arcs, are ignored. Use the ACISOUTVER system variable to specify the ACIS version for the output of the ACISOUT command. To create an ACIS file 1 Click Output tab ➤ Send panel ➤ Export. 2 In the Export Data dialog box, enter a file name. 3 Under Files of Type, select ACIS (*.sat). Click Save. 4 Select the objects you want to save as an ACIS file. The file extension .
The 3D solid data is translated to a faceted mesh representation consisting of a set of triangles and saved to an STL file. Use the FACETRES system variable to adjust the facet density to an appropriate detail level. NOTE Setting the resolution too high slows down the fabrication process without improving the output quality of the stereolithography device. The STL data is used to create an object by depositing a succession of thin layers of plastics, metals, or composite materials.
System Variables FACETRES Adjusts the smoothness of shaded and rendered objects and objects with hidden lines removed. Use Drawings from Different Versions and Applications You can share drawing files from AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, drawing files from previous versions, and drawing files that contain custom objects. In some cases there are limitations.
displayed on the Model tab, and more objects may be displayed in paper space viewports at different sizes than in AutoCAD 2008 and later releases. For a procedure to set visual fidelity for annotative objects, see To save drawings with visual fidelity for annotative objects.
■ Jogged linear dimensions ■ Inspection dimensions ■ Angular dimensions that are dimensioned using the quadrant option ■ Arc extension lines for radial and diameter dimensions Multileader Objects in Previous Releases Multileaders display as proxy objects in releases prior to AutoCAD 2008. The PROXYSHOW system variable controls the display of proxy objects in a drawing.
Mtext with new formatting that is edited and saved in previous releases loses the new formatting when re-opened in AutoCAD 2008. Tables in Previous Releases Editing AutoCAD 2008 tables in previous releases removes AutoCAD 2008 table formatting. Also, AutoCAD 2008 table cells with long block and text strings may extend outside of cell borders when opened in previous releases.
photometric properties available in AutoCAD 2008 are available as soon as the photometric lighting workflow is enabled in the drawing. There is a conversion process required for drawings with lighting prior to AutoCAD 2007. You can use a system variable, 3DVCONVERSTIONMODE, to automatically convert drawings with lighting from previous versions to the AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD 2008 lighting format. 3DCONVERSIONMODE has three settings. If set to 0, no conversion takes place.
characters, which are part of every code page, are supported.) Multiple-language support for non-Asian languages is supported for text styles that use SHX fonts with Big Fonts disabled. (The SHX font must define the required characters.) Multiple-language support does not exist in some earlier versions of AutoCAD. For example, when you save a file to AutoCAD 2000 format, the contents of multiple-language multiline text may be corrupted.
NOTE To use files with AutoCAD Release 12 or AutoCAD LT Release 2, save the drawing using the AutoCAD R12/LT2 DXF option. If you need to keep a drawing created in a previous release in its original format, either mark the file as read-only, or open it in the current release and use the File Type options in the Save As dialog box to save it in its original format.
Saving a drawing in Release 14/LT 98/LT 97 format is subject to the following limitations: ■ Hyperlinks are converted to Release 14/LT 98/LT 97 attached URLs. ■ Database links and freestanding labels are converted to Release 14/LT 98/LT 97 links and displayable attributes. ■ Database attached labels are converted to multiline text and leader objects, and their link information is not available. Attached labels are restored if you open the drawing in AutoCAD 2000 or later.
2 In the Save Drawing As dialog box, in the File Name box, enter a new drawing name. 3 Under Files of Type, select the AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT file format you want. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands CONVERT Optimizes 2D polylines and associative hatches created in AutoCAD Release 13 or earlier. OPTIONS Customizes the program settings. SAVE Saves the drawing under the current file name or a specified name. SAVEAS Saves a copy of the current drawing under a new file name.
or SheetSet Manager fields can be opened without errors in AutoCAD LT and the cached value is displayed. Work with Multiple User Coordinate Systems In AutoCAD, you can choose to use a different user coordinate system (UCS) in each viewport in a single drawing file. In AutoCAD LT, you can use only one UCS in each drawing file. The AutoCAD LT behavior is the same as it was in previous releases. When you open an AutoCAD drawing file in AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD LT uses only the UCS from the current viewport.
constraints, you can enforce requirements while experimenting with different designs. A constrained object will move in a predictable manner when edited or moved. A single variable change can cause all related objects to change automatically, enabling you to run through design iterations simply and effectively. There are two general types of constraints supported: Geometric and Dimensional.
block definition containing geometric or dimensional constraints or a block properties table but cannot add new parameters to the block definition. When you work with constrained dynamic blocks in the Block Editor in AutoCAD LT, you can modify the constraint values and delete constraints but cannot add constraints in the Block Editor. You can manage the constraints while in the Block Editor from the Parametric tab.
Work with Custom and Proxy Objects Custom objects provide additional capabilities to the program and related products. When the application that created the custom object is not available, a proxy object is substituted in its place. ® A custom object is a type of object created by an ObjectARX (AutoCAD Run-Time Extension) application, which typically has more specialized capabilities than standard AutoCAD objects.
If the ObjectARX application is not installed on your system, you can check for available Object Enablers on the Web. For example, if you receive a drawing that contains objects that were created in AutoCAD Architecture, but you don't have that application installed on your system, the AEC Object Enabler is downloaded so you can view those drawings as they were intended. To control whether the program checks for Object Enablers, use the Live Enabler settings on the System tab of the Options dialog box.
PROXYWEBSEARCH Specifies how the program checks for object enablers.
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Extract Data from Drawings and Spreadsheets 38 You can extract property data from objects in drawings and export the output to a table or to an external file. Overview of Data Extraction You can extract information from objects, such as block attributes and drawing properties, to create a schedule, a parts list, or a bill of materials. For example, let’s say you have a residential construction project and you need to create a door installation schedule to place in the drawing.
for supplier and cost in the spreadsheet and combine them with the other data in the data extraction. The columns in the Excel spreadsheet will be added to the columns on the Refine Data page in the Data Extraction wizard. All the columns except for Cost were added to the extracted data columns. Excel columns are designated with a symbol in the column label.
The table inserted in the drawing contains columns from both the extracted data and from the Excel spreadsheet. When a drawing from which property data was extracted has changed, you can be notified that the data extraction table is no longer current. For example, if some doors in the drawing were resized or removed, you can choose to be notified that the data extraction table needs to be updated.
The first time you extract data, you are prompted to save the data extraction settings in a data extraction (DXE) file. Later, if you need to edit the data extraction, you select the DXE file, which contains all the settings (data source, selected objects and their properties, output format and table style) that you used to create the extraction.
4 On the Define Data Source page, specify the drawings or folders from which to extract data. Click Next. 5 On the Select Objects page, select the objects from which to extract data. Click Next. 6 On the Select Properties page, select the properties from which to extract data. Click Next. 7 On the Refine Data page, organize the columns if necessary. Click Next. 8 On the Choose Output page, click Insert Data Extraction Table into Drawing to create a data extraction table. Click Next.
Quick Reference Commands DATAEXTRACTION Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file. System Variables ERHIGHLIGHT Controls whether reference names or reference objects are highlighted when their counterparts are selected in the External References palette or in the drawing window.
Select the Source for a Data Extraction You can extract data from individual objects in a drawing, and all objects in a single drawing, multiple drawings, or folders. If you select a drawing, all objects in a drawing are extracted, even those that are not visible. If you have specific objects in a drawing that you want to extract data from, you can create an object selection set.
The name of a drawing that was added to the folder after the data extraction was performed is listed in the New Drawings Found dialog box. Using wildcard characters (* and ?) as a search filter, data is extracted from only those drawings that match the search criteria. For example, if a folder contains an entire drawing set for a project, but you want only those drawings that contain piping data, use wild-card characters to find only those drawings. For example, *Pipe*.dwg.
2 In the Data Extraction wizard, on the Define Data Source page, click Add Folder. 3 In the Add Folder Options dialog box, clear Automatically Include New Drawings Added in This Folder to the Data Extraction. 4 To monitor subfolders, click Include Subfolders. 5 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands DATAEXTRACTION Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file.
The Select Properties page in the Data Extraction wizard displays a list of properties in columns from the selected objects from the Select Objects page. This is where you make a final selection of the properties from which data will be extracted and output to a columnar format. Using predefined category filters such as general, geometry, or attribute, you can narrow the property list. Property Categories for Filtering a Data Extraction Extracted properties are categorized for easier filtering.
Property Names After the property data is extracted, the default property names are used as the column labels in the data grid (example: Width, Length, Area, and so on). You can change these property names so that column labels are replaced with a name you specify. For example, if you extracted the length property of lines, but the column label needs to indicate the data refers to distance, you can change Length to Distance on the Display Name column on the Select Properties page.
Annotative Objects The property data for annotative objects is extracted using the current annotation scale setting. Quick Reference Commands DATAEXTRACTION Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file. Organize and Refine the Extracted Data Extracted data can be organized, refined, and formatted before it is output to a table or external file.
■ Group identical rows or display them individually ■ Preview the table in a separate window ■ Create a data link to an Excel spreadsheet By right-clicking on a column label in the grid view on the Refine Data page, you access options for organizing the information the way you want it to appear in a table or in the order you want it in an external file. Data can be displayed in either an expanded or collapsed format.
in each Excel column label so that you can easily distinguish the columns that are from a spreadsheet from those columns that are from the extracted data. The icon is not displayed in the data extraction table.
4 In the column label field, enter a new name. Press ENTER. To sort extracted data in a column 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Linking & Extraction panel ➤ Extract Data. 2 In the Data Extraction wizard on the Refine Data page, click Sort Columns Options. 3 In the Sort Columns dialog box, select a column name from the drop-down list. 4 In the Order column, click Ascending or Descending. Click OK. The order of the data in the column is changed. 5 (Optional) To sort additional columns, click Add.
To specify formatting for extracted data in a column 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Linking & Extraction panel ➤ Extract Data. 2 In the Data Extraction wizard on the Refine Data page, right-click the column label for the column that will have its data type changed. From the shortcut menu, click Set Column Data Format. 3 In the Set Cell Format dialog box, select the data type from the Data Type list (Angle, Currency, Data, Decimal Number, General, Percentage, Point, Text, or Whole Number.
To edit a formula in a formula column added to extracted data 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Linking & Extraction panel ➤ Extract Data. 2 In the Data Extraction wizard on the Refine Data page, right-click the column label of the formula column. Click Edit Formula Column. 3 In the Edit Formula Column dialog box, make changes to the formula. 4 Click Validate. 5 Click OK. To insert a totals footer row for a column in a data extraction table 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Linking & Extraction panel ➤ Extract Data.
Quick Reference Commands DATAEXTRACTION Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file. System Variables DXEVAL Controls when update notification displays for data extraction tables. Use Table Styles for Data Extraction Tables A table style or existing table can be used to format a data extraction table. If you chose the option to create a data extraction table on the Choose Output page, the Table Style page is displayed in the wizard.
The bold line around the cells indicate the boundary of the cells that contain the extracted data. Before completing the extraction, you can see the results of your formatting choices in a separate preview window. See also: ■ Work with Table Styles on page 1404 Quick Reference Commands DATAEXTRACTION Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file.
On the Refine Data page, you access the Link External Data dialog box; you can set up a link to an entire Excel spreadsheet, or to a range of rows and columns, to the extracted data. Before you can link a spreadsheet, Microsoft Excel needs to be installed on the same computer on which the data extraction is performed. If Microsoft Excel is not installed, or if the XLS file is not saved locally on the computer that is performing the data extraction, a data link cannot be established.
Validate Matched Data The data matching validation process fails when it cannot find a valid match between the drawing data and external data (spreadsheet). The following error messages will display: No match was found between any values in the drawing data and external data. ■ If the problem is not resolved, the external data will not be merged. Compare the spreadsheet column data to the drawing data column for any matching values.
8 In the Link External Data dialog box, in the Drawing Data Column list, specify the column you want to link. 9 In the External Data Column list, specify the Excel column you want to link. 10 Click Check Match. If an error displays, see Data Matching Validation. 11 From the Select External Data Columns to Include, select the Excel columns from the list you want to add to the extracted data. 12 Click OK.
Quick Reference Commands DATAEXTRACTION Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file. System Variables DXEVAL Controls when update notification displays for data extraction tables. Output Extracted Data You can export extracted data to a table or an external file. On the Choose Output page in the Data Extraction wizard, you can output the extracted data to a data extraction table, to an external file, or both.
■ The cells are locked and their contents cannot be modified unless they are unlocked. (Be default, formatting for cells is unlocked.) Cells in a data extraction table are locked by default to prevent editing. Individual cells or the entire table can be unlocked if you want to make data changes. See Modify a Data Extraction Table on page 1863 for more information.
columns can be exported to the comma-separated (CSV) and tab-separated (TXT) file formats. To export extracted data to an external file using the Data Extraction wizard 1 Click Annotate tab ➤ Tables panel ➤ Extract Data. 2 In the Data Extraction wizard, click Next on each page until the Choose Output page is displayed. 3 Click Output Data to External File. 4 Click the Browse button. Select a file format from the drop-down list. 5 Click Next. Proceed through the wizard until the Finish page displays.
Update Extracted Data Extracted data in a table can be updated either manually or automatically. Overview of Updating Extracted Data Extracted data can be updated so that it is current with the data source. You can manually update the extracted data, whether it is output to a data extraction table or to an external file, or rely on a notification to display when using certain trigger commands, such as SAVE or PLOT. You can then update the table from the Data Extraction - Outdated Table dialog box.
To convert an attribute extraction table to a data extraction table 1 Right-click the attribute extraction table. Click Convert to Data Extraction Table. 2 In the dialog box, enter a name for the data extraction (DXE) file and click Save. Quick Reference Commands DATAEXTRACTION Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file. System Variables DXEVAL Controls when update notification displays for data extraction tables.
Using the data extraction (DXE) file, you can also edit an existing data extraction to add or remove drawings, add or remove objects, or select different properties from which to extract data. Tables that reference the same DXE file, even if those tables are in other drawings, will display the changes when those tables are updated.
To view a data extraction (DXE) file associated with a data extraction table ■ In the drawing, right-click a cell in the data extraction table. Click Cell Data Link. The path and the DXE file name is displayed. To view a data extraction (DXE) file and linked Excel (XLS) file associated with a drawing ■ Click Insert ➤ External References. The file name and path are displayed. If a data link exists to a Microsoft Excel (XLS) file, information about the data link is displayed on the Details pane.
When information in the data source has changed that affects the extracted data in a table, you are notified the data is not current. (Notification does not occur with attribute extraction tables.) Depending on how the DXEVAL system variable is set, the Data Extraction - Outdated Table dialog box displays when certain commands are used, such as OPEN or SAVE. By default, DXEVAL is set to check if the extracted data is not current without automatically updating it when the PLOTor ETRANSMIT commands are used.
System Variables DXEVAL Controls when update notification displays for data extraction tables. Modify a Data Extraction Table You can modify a data extraction table by changing the formatting, adding columns and rows, or editing data in the cells. Once a data extraction table is inserted into the drawing, you can make formatting changes, add columns and rows, and edit cells containing extracted data. Any formatting, structural, or data changes that are made are retained after the table is updated.
additional data is extracted during an update, or conversely, there are fewer columns or rows containing extracted data. For example, if you added a row and column to a table after you inserted into the drawing, the area populated with extracted data will be expanded by an additional column after the table is updated. The column and row that you manually added are still part of the table, but a blank cell is created where a void exists in the table.
To identify which cells in a table are unlocked or locked 1 In the drawing, right-click a cell in the data extraction table. Click Properties. 2 In the Properties palette, look at the Cell Locking field. One of the following states display ■ If the cell is unlocked for data and formatting, Unlocked displays. ■ If the cell is locked for data, Data Locked displays. ■ If the cell is locked for formatting, Format Locked displays.
System Variables DXEVAL Controls when update notification displays for data extraction tables. Detach a Data Extraction Table To completely remove a data extraction table, you need to detach it. You can delete a data extraction table from the External References Palette by detaching it. Quick Reference Commands DATAEXTRACTION Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file. EXTERNALREFERENCES Opens the External References palette.
Access External Databases 39 You can associate, or link, data stored in external databases with graphical objects in a drawing. You can use the program to associate, or link, data stored in external database programs such as dBASE, Oracle, and Microsoft Access with graphical objects. You can use all of the external database features without prior knowledge of databases or query languages.
Maintenance database table Maintenance task Estimated hours Frequency Assigned to AIR FILTER 3.00 MONTHLY DAT TAN Most database systems are extremely flexible and can be easily modified. You can add new fields or remove existing ones from database tables. Likewise, you can add or delete records from database tables and edit existing records. With many databases, you can also define relationships between multiple database tables.
Quick Reference Commands DBCONNECT Provides an interface to external database tables. System Variables DBCSTATE Indicates whether the dbConnect Manager is open or closed. Access a Database from Within AutoCAD When you have configured a data source, you can view and edit its records from within the program.
variations, it is not possible to provide a generic configuration procedure that works for all databases. Individual procedures for configuring all the databases that the program supports are provided in the Configure External Databases. You should also refer to the documentation for your particular database system and the Microsoft Help files for ODBC and OLE DB for additional information.
The tree view of the dbConnect Manager contains the following nodes: ■ Drawing Nodes. Display each open drawing. Each drawing's node shows all database objects that are associated with the drawing. ■ Data Sources Node. Displays all configured data sources on your system. All of the various nodes and database objects in the dbConnect Manager have shortcut menu options associated with them. For example, you can use shortcut menu options to configure a data source or edit a stored query.
7 If the connection fails, verify that you selected the appropriate file. 8 Click OK to close each dialog box. Quick Reference Commands DBCONNECT Provides an interface to external database tables. System Variables DBCSTATE Indicates whether the dbConnect Manager is open or closed. View Data in a Database Table When you have configured a data source, you can use the Data View window to view database records from within the program.
The grid in the Data View window contains the following elements: ■ Column header. Selects all records in a column when you click it. ■ Record header. Selects an individual record when you click it. ■ Grid cells. Selects one field of a given record when you click it. ■ Grid header. Selects the entire database table. The Data View window provides a great deal of flexibility in how records are displayed.
it into an external program such as Microsoft Excel. You can then use the external program to apply and save the desired formatting. For details about creating a template, refer to the documentation of the external program that you are using to format the data. Database Views and External Queries Some database management systems support views. Views provide additional ways to display data from a database table. For example, you can use a view to display a subset of the overall database table.
To open a database table directly from the Data Sources node of the dbConnect Manager ■ Double-click a database table in the dbConnect Manager. By default, double-clicked database tables are opened in Edit mode. You can change the default double-click behavior to Read-only mode, if desired. To change the double-click open setting for database tables 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 On the System tab, select Open Tables in Read-only Mode. 3 Click OK.
Ascending order sorts the column starting with the smallest value and ending with the largest value. Descending order sorts the column starting with the largest value and ending with the smallest value. 3 If desired, select an additional column to sort in the Then By list. Select the Ascending or Descending option to specify a sort order.
To select a font size and style for the Data View 1 In the Data View window, right-click the empty, top-left square of the database table. Click Format. 2 Select the font settings you want to use. Click OK. To export data from the Data View window 1 Open a database table by double-clicking it in the dbConnect Manager. 2 Select the records that you want to export from the Data View window. 3 Right-click in any cell. Click Copy. 4 Open the external application to which you want to export the data.
database table currently loaded in the Data View window with any changes that you make during an editing session and closes the Data View window. The Restore option undoes any changes you made in the Data View window during an editing session and closes the Data View window. NOTE If you quit the program, open a new database table, or close the Data View window before committing changes you've made to a database table, the program automatically commits all changes you've made during an editing session.
3 Select a direction to search the Data View window: ■ Up. Searches the column records from the selected cell through the first record. ■ Down. Searches the column records from the selected cell through the last record. 4 Click Find Next. 5 Repeat step 4 to find additional occurrences of the specified value. NOTE The Find option limits its search to records contained in the same column as the currently selected cell.
To restore original values to the Data View window ■ In the Data View window, right-click the empty, top-left square of the database table. Click Restore. NOTE If you quit the program, or open a new database table, or close the Data View window before committing changes you've made to a database table, the program automatically commits all changes you've made during an editing session. Quick Reference Commands DBCONNECT Provides an interface to external database tables.
To establish links between database table records and graphical objects, you must first create a link template. Link templates identify what fields from a database table are associated with the links that share that template. For example, you can create a link template that uses the field Room Number from a room database table. You can then use this link template to create links that point to different records in the database table.
Edit Links After you have created links, you may periodically need to update their key field values. For example, you might change the numbering scheme for a group of offices, or reallocate some rooms from the accounting department to the sales department. You can use the Link Manager to enter new key values for a selected link. The key values must reference a record that already exists in the source database table. To create a link template in the current drawing 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect.
4 Select one or more key fields by clicking in their check boxes. You should keep the number of key fields to a minimum. Large numbers of key fields can have a negative impact on the performance of Link Select and other connectivity operations. 5 Click OK to create the link template. To create a link between an object and a record in an external database 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect. 2 In the dbConnect Manager, open a database table that has at least one link template defined.
3 In the Select a Database Object dialog box, select a link template. Click Continue. 4 In the Link Template Properties dialog box, update the data source information as appropriate. Click OK. To delete all links based on a link template from the current drawing 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect. 2 Click DbConnect menu ➤ Links ➤ Delete Links. 3 In the Select a Database Object dialog box, select the link template whose links you want to delete. Click OK.
Quick Reference Commands DBCONNECT Provides an interface to external database tables. Identify and Select Existing Links You can select linked records in the data source to automatically select the linked objects in the drawing, and you can select objects to select the linked records in the data source After you have created links to program graphical objects, you may want to view the data that is associated with them.
The Automatically Pan Drawing option automatically pans the drawing to display objects that are associated with the current selection set of records in the Data View window. If you have multiple records selected in the Data View window, AutoPan may not be able to fit all of them in the drawing window with your drawing's current zoom factor. To control for this, you can set a zoom factor for the AutoPan mode that ensures that all linked objects associated with the current record set are displayed.
To view graphical objects that are linked to a set of database records 1 In the dbConnect Manager, double-click a database table to open it. 2 In the Data View window, select a link template from the Link Template list. 3 In the Data View window, select one or more records. 4 Right-click the selected record. Click View Linked Objects Any objects that are linked to the selected records are selected in the drawing area.
6 Repeat step 3 to turn off the AutoView Linked Objects mode. To automatically view database table records that are linked to a selection set of objects 1 In the dbConnect Manager, double-click a database table to open it. 2 In the Data View window, select a link template from the Link Template list. 3 In the Data View window, click the AutoView Linked Records in Data View button. 4 In the drawing area, select one or more graphical objects.
It is recommended that you periodically check the links in your drawings to update or delete broken links. The program provides a Synchronize option to analyze the links in a drawing that are based on a particular link template. After you run the Synchronize option, a list of detected errors is provided in the Synchronize dialog box. Certain errors (such as a resized column in the source database table) can be fixed directly from the Synchronize dialog box.
database that your drawing is linked to does not contain this information. All the database provides is a list of the various light fixtures that make up its record set. The database table has no knowledge of the number of instances of individual light fixtures in your drawing. If you want to prepare a summary report containing this information, you have to export the links in your drawing. To export links from a drawing 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect.
Use Labels to Display Database Information in the Drawing Labels are multiline text objects that display data in a drawing from selected fields stored in an external database table. Create and Edit Labels and Label Templates Labels may be freestanding or attached to an object. The label template defines what fields from the database table are displayed in the label. Links provide a powerful mechanism for associating external data with program graphical objects.
Edit Label Templates After defining a label template, you might have cause to edit it. For example, you may decide that you want additional database table fields to be displayed in your drawings, or that you want to change the font or size of the label object. You can also specify a number of offset settings that affect the insertion point of labels and, in the case of attached labels, their associated leader objects.
Label Offset tab options Option Freestanding labels Attached labels Y Tip Offset settings of -1 cause the label to be inserted offset 1 negative unit in the X and Y planes from the insertion point you specify in the drawing. setting of Top Left for a label attached to a rectangle graphical object. You also specify X and Y Tip Offset values of 1. The tip of the leader is inserted offset 1 positive unit in the X and Y planes from the upper left corner of the rectangle.
7 Click OK. To create a link with a freestanding label 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect. 2 In the dbConnect Manager, open a database table that has at least one link template and one label template defined. 3 In the Data View window, select a link template from the Link Template list. 4 In the Data View window, select a label template from the Label Template list. 5 In the Data View window, select the record that you want to link.
6 Click Data View menu ➤ Link And Label Settings ➤ Create Attached Labels. 7 Click Data View menu ➤ Link. 8 Select an object or objects in the drawing that you want the label associated with. 9 Press Enter. To edit a label template 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect. 2 In the dbConnect Manager, in the tree view, right-click a label template to edit. Click Edit. 3 In the Label Template dialog box, make the changes you want as described in To create a label template. 4 Click OK.
Quick Reference Commands DBCONNECT Provides an interface to external database tables. Update Labels with New Values from the Database When database records change, you update labels to reflect the new values. After you have added labels to your drawings, you may make occasional changes to the database tables that affect the label values. If you make frequent changes to your database tables, you must regularly update the labels in your drawings to ensure data integrity.
Use Queries to Filter Database Information A query to the database is a search criterion that you construct to return the records you want. Overview of Queries Part of the fundamental power of database systems is their ability to present a subset of records based on a search criterion or query that you specify. For example, you might have a database table containing records of all the rooms that exist at your company's headquarters facilities.
For example, you can find all records from the current database table where the value of the "room type" field equals "office." ■ Range Query. Provides an environment where you can develop a query that returns all records that fall within a given range of values. For example, you can find all records from the current database table where the value of the "room area" field is greater than or equal to 90 square feet and less than or equal to 120 square feet. ■ Query Builder.
Construct Simple Queries The simplest query uses one operator to search one field for a certain value. The range query searches one field to return records that fall within a range you specify. The Quick Query Tab The Quick Query tab is designed to familiarize you with query syntax as quickly as possible. Constructing a quick query involves selecting a field from the current database table, applying a conditional operator to it, and specifying a value for the field.
Query Operators Operator Description spelled Smith or Smythe, you could issue the in operator and provide both spelling values to return all records spelled either Smith or Smythe. The two values must be separated by a comma. Is null Returns all records that do not have values specified for the field that you're querying. This operator is useful for locating records in your database table that are missing data.
2 On the Quick Query tab, select a field from the Field list. 3 Select an operator from the Operator list. 4 Enter a value in the Value field, or click Look Up Values. Look Up Values returns a list of all values for the specified field from the database table, so you can select the value that you want. After selecting a value, click OK. 5 Select one or both of the following: ■ Indicate Records in Data View. Highlights records that match your query in the Data View window. ■ Indicate Objects in Drawing.
2 On the Range Query tab, select a field from the Field list. 3 Enter a value in From, or click Look Up Values (From). Look Up Values displays a list of all values for the specified field from the database table, so you can select the value that you want. After selecting a value, click OK. The query searches for all values greater than or equal to the value that you specify. 4 Enter a value in Through, or click Look Up Values (Through).
Use the Query Builder Boolean operators and parenthetical grouping are used to create queries with two or more search criteria. The Query Builder tab is the primary query environment. Unlike the Quick Query and Range Query tabs, the Query Builder can be used to create queries based on multiple criteria. You can also parenthetically group criteria and specify what fields are displayed and how they are sorted when the query is returned in the Data View window.
To construct a query with a single parameter on the Query Builder tab 1 Open the Query Editor as described in To open the Query Editor. 2 On the Query Builder tab, select a field from the drop-down list in the Field cell. 3 Select an operator from the Operator cell drop-down list. 4 Enter a value in the Value cell, or click the [...] button. The [...] button returns a list of all values for the specified field from the database table, allowing you to select the value you want.
4 Repeat step 2 for each additional parameter except the final query parameter. 5 Apply any parenthetical grouping, if appropriate. Click the cell to the left of the Field cell that begins the phrase that you want to group. A single left parenthesis is inserted. Click the cell to the right of the Value cell that ends the phrase that you want to group. A single right parenthesis is inserted. 6 If you want to save the query in the current drawing for future use, click Store.
Quick Reference Commands DBCONNECT Provides an interface to external database tables. Use SQL Queries If your database is fully compliant with the SQL 92 standard, you can use SQL statements to query more than one database table at a time. The SQL Query tab provides you with both a query editor box where you can enter a free-form SQL query and a set of tools to assist you in constructing a query.
The following additional interface elements are introduced on the SQL Query tab: ■ Table List. Lists all database tables available in the current data source. You can add tables to the SQL query editor by double-clicking them, by selecting them and choosing Add, or by typing their names directly in the SQL query editor. ■ Check. Checks your SQL query for proper syntax without actually executing it. This function helps you isolate syntax errors before you issue your query.
issue a query to further refine your selection set. This second selection set is referred to as set B. You must establish a relationship between set A and set B to further refine the selection set. The following relationships or set operations are available: ■ Select. Creates an initial query or selection set. This selection set can be refined through subsequent Link Select operations. ■ Union. Adds the results of the new query or selection set to the running selection set.
3 Select the Select option from the Do list. 4 Select a link template from Using. 5 Select one of the following options: ■ Use Query. Constructs a query using one of the tabs in the Query Editor. ■ Select in Drawing. Closes the dialog box temporarily so that you can select graphical objects in the drawing. When you select the Select in Drawing option, the Execute button changes to Select. 6 Click either Execute or Select to add your query or graphical object selection set to the Link Select operation.
■ Indicate Objects in Drawing. Creates a selection set of linked graphical objects in the drawing area when you click Finish. You can perform further Link Select iterations by pressing Enter at the command prompt. NOTE It is recommended that you turn off the Indicate Records in Data View option if you are performing a Link Select operation on links from more than one database table. Link Select only displays records from the table that the current link template references.
3 Use the Query Editor dialog box to make the necessary changes. Click Store to save the edited query with the current drawing. To rename a stored query 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect. 2 In the dbConnect Manager, right-click the query you want to rename. Click Rename. 3 Enter a new name for the query. Press Enter. To delete a stored query 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect. 2 In the dbConnect Manager, in the tree view, right-click a stored query. Click Delete.
Quick Reference Commands DBCONNECT Provides an interface to external database tables. Share Link and Label Templates and Queries with Other Users You can export and import links and link templates, labels and label templates, and queries. Occasionally you may want to make templates or queries that you have developed available to other users, or use templates or queries that others have developed.
4 Under File Name, specify a name for the template set. Click Save. To import a set of queries into the current drawing 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect. 2 In the dbConnect Manager, in the tree view, right-click a drawing file. Click Import Query Set. 3 In the Import Query Set dialog box, select the query set. 4 Click Open to import the query set into the current drawing.
replaces key column in Release 14; link template replaces link path name; and label replaces displayable attribute. You also need to create a configuration file that points to the data source referenced by the legacy links. When you open a drawing that contains legacy links, the program attempts to perform an automatic conversion of the legacy information. If, for example, you open a Release 14 drawing that contains links that point to a data source with the structure db3.ase.db3sample.
■ In Environment, enter the name of the Release 13 or Release 14 environment for the link that you want to convert. ■ In Catalog, enter the name of the Release 13 or Release 14 catalog for the link that you want to convert. ■ In Schema, enter the name of the Release 13 or Release 14 schema for the link that you want to convert. ■ In Table, enter the name of the Release 13 or Release 14 database table for the link that you want to convert .
NOTE You must specify an environment, database table, and link path name for all links that you convert. Catalog and schema are optional parameters that are not required by all database management systems. To convert Release 12 links 1 Click Toolsmenu ➤ Palettes ➤ DbConnect. 2 Click DbConnect menu ➤ Link Conversion. 3 In Old Link Format, do all of the following: ■ Select R12 Link Format. ■ In DBMS, enter the name of the Release 12 database management system for the link that you want to convert.
■ Select the appropriate catalog from the Catalog list. ■ Select the appropriate schema from the Schema list. ■ Select the appropriate table from the Table list. ■ Select the appropriate link template from the Link Template list. 5 Click OK. 6 Open the drawing whose links you want to convert, and then save it.
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Part 12: Collaborate with Others 1919
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Protect and Sign Drawings 40 You can collaborate on design projects using passwords and digital signatures. When a drawing has a password, it cannot be viewed until the password is entered. When a drawing is signed, the signature identifies an individual or an organization through a digital ID (certificate). You can provide a safe environment for sending and receiving data, and maintain the authenticity of drawings.
For example, if a company creates a valuable, confidential design for an engine factory, the company can help protect the drawings with a password (or phrase) before sending the drawings out for review by the builders. Password protection could be one of the many measures the company could take, in addition to measures such as a secure intranet and rules about information disclosure, that would help keep the factory design confidential.
WARNING If you lose a password, your drawing file is lost. Before you add a password to a drawing, you should create a backup that is not protected with a password. If you encrypt drawing properties, such as the title, author, subject, and keywords, then a password is required to view the properties and thumbnail preview of the drawing. If you decide to specify an encryption type and key length, you can select them from the ones available on your computer.
WARNING If you lose a password, it is not recoverable. Before you add a password to a drawing, you should create a backup that is not protected with a password. To remove a password from a drawing 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options. 2 In the Options dialog box, Open and Save tab, click Security Options. 3 In the Security Options dialog box, Password tab, clear the Password or Phrase to Open This Drawing option. 4 Click OK.
2 In the Options dialog box, Open and Save tab, click Security Options. 3 In the Security Options dialog box, Password tab, enter a password or phrase to open the drawing. Click Advanced Options. 4 In the Advanced Options dialog box, choose an encryption provider, key length, or both. Click OK. 5 In the Security Options dialog box, click OK. Quick Reference Commands SECURITYOPTIONS Specifies password or digital signature options for a drawing file.
If data in a password-protected drawing is read for any reason by the program, the password must be entered at least once per session of program use. To view a password-protected drawing 1 Click File menu ➤ Open. 2 In the Select File dialog box, select a file. Click Open. 3 In the Password dialog box, enter a password. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands SECURITYOPTIONS Specifies password or digital signature options for a drawing file.
Quick Reference Commands SECURITYOPTIONS Specifies password or digital signature options for a drawing file. View Properties of an Encrypted Drawing You can view drawing properties, such as the title, author, subject, and keywords, unless they were encrypted when a password was attached to the drawing. If drawing properties were not encrypted when a password was attached, you can view the properties in your operating system's Properties dialog box.
Specifically, digital signatures provide the following benefits: ■ Recipients of digitally signed files can be sure that the organizations or individuals who sent the files are who they claim to be. ■ A digital signature guarantees that a file has not changed since the file was signed. ■ A signed file cannot be rejected as invalid. The signer of a file cannot disown the file later by claiming the signature was forged. A digital signature is not the same as a digitized signature.
System Variables SIGWARN Controls whether a warning is presented when a file with an attached digital signature is opened. Utilities Attach Digital Signatures Attaches a digital signature to files. Personally Sign Drawings When you attach a digital signature to a file, anyone who views the file is notified if modifications were made after you signed it. Modifications invalidate a digital signature.
NOTE To prevent changes to the drawing, applying a digital signature to a drawing automatically sets the FIELDEVAL system variable to 0 (manual update). To obtain a digital ID on the Internet 1 Open a search engine in your Internet browser and search for the term “digital certificate.” 2 Click a search result to find out more about a digital ID vendor and how to obtain a digital ID. Quick Reference Commands SECURITYOPTIONS Specifies password or digital signature options for a drawing file.
a signed drawing, or otherwise changing a signed drawing, invalidates the signature. NOTE Unless you use the Attach Digital Signatures utility, you must individually sign each drawing. To set an option for a signature to be attached after you save a file 1 Do one of the following: ■ Click Tools menu ➤ Options. In the Options dialog box, Open and Save tab, click Security Options. ■ Click File menu ➤ Save As. In the Save Drawing As dialog box, click Tools ➤ Security Options.
Utilities Attach Digital Signatures Attaches a digital signature to files. Attach Digital Signatures to Multiple Files When you attach a digital signature to a set of files, you are helping to ensure that anyone viewing the files knows about any changes that are made to the files after you signed them.
6 In the Comment box, add any information that is relevant to the files you are signing. 7 Click Sign Files. 8 If the file you want to sign is read-only, the Read-only File dialog box is displayed. Do one of the following: ■ To sign a read-only file, click Yes. ■ To sign all read-only files, select Use the Same Answer for All Read-only Files in This Batch. Click Yes. ■ To cancel the application of the digital signature to a single read-only file, click No.
System Variables SIGWARN Controls whether a warning is presented when a file with an attached digital signature is opened. Utilities Attach Digital Signatures Attaches a digital signature to files. Add a Comment and Time Stamp You can add a comment and time stamp to a digital signature. Servers are used to obtain the current time when adding a time stamp to a digital signature.
To use a file different from the timesrvr.txt file that contains the available time servers to use when creating a time stamp for a digital signature, change the setting of the ADSKSIGTIMESRVR environment variable. For example, change the variable to c:\temp\mytimelist.txt To choose a time server and add a comment 1 Do one of the following: ■ Click Tools menu ➤ Options. In the Options dialog box, Open and Save tab, click Security Options. ■ Click File menu ➤ Save As.
Quick Reference Commands SECURITYOPTIONS Specifies password or digital signature options for a drawing file. SIGVALIDATE Displays information about the digital signature attached to a drawing file. System Variables SIGWARN Controls whether a warning is presented when a file with an attached digital signature is opened. Utilities Attach Digital Signatures Attaches a digital signature to files. Digitally Sign an Encrypted Drawing You can attach a password and a digital signature to a drawing file.
System Variables SIGWARN Controls whether a warning is presented when a file with an attached digital signature is opened. Utilities Attach Digital Signatures Attaches a digital signature to files. View Drawings with Digital Signatures Digital signatures provide an electronic means of verifying the authenticity of signatures that are attached to drawing files.
NOTE If you want to retain valid digital signature status, do not add a password or otherwise modify or save a file that already has a digital signature attached. Make modifications, such as adding passwords, before signing the file. Signature information does not remain intact if you modify, save, or export drawing data. View Digital Signature Details When you receive a file that contains a digital signature, you can check whether the file was modified since it was signed, and other information.
2 In the Options dialog box, Open and Save tab, select Display Digital Signature Information. 3 Click OK. 4 Open a signed file. In the Digital Signature Contents dialog box, in the Other Fields list, select details of the digital signature, such as the issuer, beginning and expiration dates of the digital ID, and the serial number. 5 Click Close. To validate a signature using the Validate Digital Signatures icon 1 Open a signed file. 2 On the status bar, click the Validate Digital Signatures icon.
A Valid Signature icon is displayed if a digital signature is valid, and an Invalid Signature icon is displayed if the digital signature is not valid. 4 In the Other Fields list, select an option from the list to view details of the digital signature, such as the issuer, description, and expiration date of the digital ID. You can also view the time stamp and time service. 5 When you have finished viewing the digital signature information, click OK.
Quick Reference Commands SECURITYOPTIONS Specifies password or digital signature options for a drawing file. SIGVALIDATE Displays information about the digital signature attached to a drawing file. System Variables SIGWARN Controls whether a warning is presented when a file with an attached digital signature is opened. Utilities Attach Digital Signatures Attaches a digital signature to files.
2 When you receive the root certificate, click Start menu (Windows) ➤ Settings ➤ Control Panel ➤ Internet Options. 3 In the Internet Properties dialog box, Content tab, click Certificates. 4 In the Certificate Manager, click Import to run the Certificate Manager Import Wizard. 5 Follow the on-screen instructions to obtain a root certificate for the current file. Quick Reference Commands SECURITYOPTIONS Specifies password or digital signature options for a drawing file.
Use the Internet for Collaboration 41 You can access and store drawings and related files on the Internet. Get Started with Internet Access To use the Internet features with this program, you must have Internet or intranet access and Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.1 Service Pack 1 (or a later version). In this text, the term Internet is used to refer to both the Internet and an intranet.
HYPERLINK Attaches a hyperlink to an object or modifies an existing hyperlink. System Variables HYPERLINKBASE Specifies the path used for all relative hyperlinks in the drawing. INETLOCATION Stores the Internet location used by the BROWSER command and the Browse the Web dialog box. Add Hyperlinks to a Drawing You can add hyperlinks that provide jumps in your drawings to specific files or websites.
Quick Reference Commands ATTACHURL Attaches hyperlinks to objects or areas in a drawing. DETACHURL Removes hyperlinks in a drawing. GOTOURL Opens the file or web page associated with the hyperlink attached to an object. HYPERLINK Attaches a hyperlink to an object or modifies an existing hyperlink. System Variables HYPERLINKBASE Specifies the path used for all relative hyperlinks in the drawing.
By default, the hyperlink cursor and tooltip are displayed when the crosshairs are positioned over an object that has an attached hyperlink. You can then hold down the CTRL key and click (CTRL+click) to follow the link. NOTE The PICKFIRST system variable must be set to 1 to open files associated with hyperlinks. You can turn off the hyperlink cursor, tooltips, and shortcut menu in the Options dialog box on the User Preferences tab.
4 (Optional) If you are creating a hyperlink to a drawing, select Target to specify a named location in the drawing to jump to and do the following: ■ Select a named location to jump to. ■ Click OK. 5 (Optional) Enter a description for the hyperlink in Text to Display. 6 Click OK. To create a hyperlink to a named location 1 Create a hyperlink (see To create a full hyperlink to another file on page 1946). 2 Click Blocks & References tab ➤ Data panel ➤ Hyperlink.
3 In the drawing area, select one or more graphical objects that use the same hyperlink. 4 Click Remove Hyperlink. Click OK. To open a file associated with a hyperlink 1 In the drawing area, select a graphical object with an attached hyperlink. 2 Use one of the following methods to follow the link: ■ Hold down the CTRL key and click. ■ Right-click. Click Hyperlink. Select the name of the hyperlink you want. Each hyperlink has either a description or the full URL to the referenced file.
2 In the drawing area, select one or more graphical objects to attach the hyperlink to. 3 Enter the name of the file to attach in Type the File or Web Page Name. Do not enter any path information with the file name, or you will create a full hyperlink. 4 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands ATTACHURL Attaches hyperlinks to objects or areas in a drawing. DETACHURL Removes hyperlinks in a drawing. DWGPROPS Sets and displays the file properties of the current drawing.
PICKFIRST Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you issue a command. Use a Hyperlink to Create an Email Message Typically you use hyperlinks in a drawing to associate graphical objects with related documents. In some cases, however, it might be useful to insert a hyperlink that creates an email message when the hyperlink is activated. For example, consider a design project with several drafters responsible for updating different components of a drawing.
System Variables PICKFIRST Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you issue a command. Use Hyperlinks in Blocks Hyperlinks can be associated with blocks, including nested objects contained within blocks. If the blocks contain any relative hyperlinks, the relative hyperlinks adopt the relative base path of the current drawing when you insert them.
Quick Reference Commands ATTACHURL Attaches hyperlinks to objects or areas in a drawing. DETACHURL Removes hyperlinks in a drawing. GOTOURL Opens the file or web page associated with the hyperlink attached to an object. HYPERLINK Attaches a hyperlink to an object or modifies an existing hyperlink. Use a Hyperlink to Start a New Drawing When you activate a hyperlink that points to a drawing template (DWT) file, a new drawing file is created based on the template rather than opening the actual template file.
NOTE If you have turned off display of the hyperlink cursor, Hyperlink options are not available on the shortcut menu. You can turn on the hyperlink cursor, tooltips, and shortcut menu in the Options dialog box on the User Preferences tab. Quick Reference Commands GOTOURL Opens the file or web page associated with the hyperlink attached to an object. HYPERLINK Attaches a hyperlink to an object or modifies an existing hyperlink.
If you know the URL to the file you want to open, you can enter it directly in the Select File dialog box. You can also browse defined FTP sites or web folders in the Select File dialog box, use the Browse the Web dialog box to navigate to the Internet location where the file is stored, or access project collaboration ® ® sites hosted by Autodesk Buzzsaw using the Buzzsaw icon in the Select File or Save Drawing As dialog box.
7 In the Select File dialog box, select FTP from the Places list. 8 Double-click one of the FTP sites and select a file. 9 Click Open. To open an file from the Internet by browsing a web folder 1 Click File menu ➤ Open. 2 In the Select File dialog box, under Look In, select Web Folders (or My ® ® Network Places, depending on your version of Microsoft Windows ). 3 Double-click one of the web folders and select a file. You can create new web folders in Windows Explorer.
To save an file to the Internet by browsing a web folder 1 Click File menu ➤ Save As. 2 In the Select File dialog box, under Look In, select Web Folders (or My Network Places, depending on your version of Windows). 3 Double-click one of the web folders. You can create new web folders in Windows Explorer. Consult your system administrator or Windows Explorer Help for more information about web folders. 4 Specify a file name and select a file format from the Files of Type list. 5 Click Save.
■ Enter a full or partial URL in Look In, and then press ENTER. 4 Repeat step 3 until you locate the file that you want to open. 5 Click Open. To save an file to an Internet location with the Browse the Web dialog box 1 Click File menu ➤ Save As. 2 Click the Search the Web button. Many Internet connections require you to enter a valid user name and password before accessing the Internet. AutoCAD prompts you to enter this information.
Share Drawing Files Internationally Beginning with AutoCAD 2007-based products, drawing files and most files associated with drawing files use the Unicode standard. This lets you maintain both the visual fidelity and data integrity of international characters when you save and open drawing files. NOTE AutoCAD 2006, AutoCAD LT 2006, and prior versions were not Unicode applications.
When you save text files such as linetype (LIN), hatch pattern (PAT), and script (SCR) files using an application such as Notepad, it is recommended that you specify Unicode encoding at the bottom of the Save As dialog box to ensure compatibility. Limitations Most international drawing projects can be completed within the current product environment. However, there are several file types and features that are not supported yet between countries and regions that use different Windows code pages.
Access Buzzsaw for Project Collaboration Using Autodesk® Buzzsaw® you can store, manage, and share documents that populate a Buzzsaw site. Buzzsaw is a secure, online project collaboration service in which members in different locations can post files to and access files from a centralized site. You can save files, send transmittal sets, and publish sheets to Buzzsaw. You can get a free 30-day trial subscription when you follow the procedures to access Buzzsaw, or from the Autodesk website.
You can right-click in the Location area of a dialog box that supports Buzzsaw to display a shortcut menu that provides options to add, manage, or delete Autodesk Buzzsaw locations. Changes you make to locations get stored in the registry. To access a Buzzsaw site for the first time 1 In a file navigation dialog box, such as the Select File dialog box, in the Places list, click the Buzzsaw icon.
specified by the shortcut. You can create as many Buzzsaw shortcuts as needed. To access a Buzzsaw site 1 In a file navigation dialog box that supports Buzzsaw, in the Places list, click the Buzzsaw icon. Buzzsaw Location Shortcuts is displayed in the Look In box along with any configured Buzzsaw shortcuts. 2 Double-click a Buzzsaw shortcut. If you have not logged in to the site, the Log In To Buzzsaw dialog box is displayed. After logging in, you go to the location defined by that shortcut.
The path is now displayed in the Create a Buzzsaw Location Shortcut dialog box, under Select a Buzzsaw Folder, Project, or Document Set. 8 Under Enter a Name for This Buzzsaw Location Shortcut, enter a name. Click OK. This folder name is added to the Site list in the navigation dialog box. To rename a Buzzsaw location shortcut 1 In a file navigation dialog box that supports Buzzsaw, in the Places list, click the Buzzsaw icon.
Buzzsaw Location Shortcuts is displayed in the Look In box along with any configured Buzzsaw shortcuts. 2 Right-click a Buzzsaw shortcut. Click Manage Buzzsaw Location Shortcuts. 3 In the Buzzsaw Location Shortcuts dialog box, select a shortcut. Click Delete. The selected shortcut is deleted. 4 Click Close. To save a file opened in a Buzzsaw site to a different Buzzsaw site 1 Click File menu ➤ Save. 2 In the Save Drawing As dialog box, under File Name, the entire path to the drawing file is displayed.
NOTE If you have not logged into the site, the Log In To Buzzsaw dialog box is displayed. After logging in, you go to the location defined by that shortcut. 5 Click Save. The transmittal package is created. To send a transmittal set to Buzzsaw from the Sheet Set Manager 1 In the Sheet Set Manager, Sheet List tab, right-click. Click ETransmit. The program gathers the information to create the transmittal package. 2 In the Create Transmittal dialog box, click OK.
Buzzsaw Location Shortcuts is displayed in the Look In box along with any configured Buzzsaw shortcuts. 5 Double-click an existing shortcut or create a new shortcut. NOTE If you have not logged into the site, the Log In To Buzzsaw dialog box is displayed. After logging in, you go to the location defined by that shortcut. 6 Click Select. 7 In the Publish Options dialog box, click OK 8 In the Publish dialog box, click Publish. 9 In the Specify DWF File dialog box, click Select. Publishing begins.
Quick Reference Commands OPEN Opens an existing drawing file. Work with Xrefs over the Internet You can attach externally referenced drawings stored on the Internet or an intranet to drawings stored locally on your system. For example, you might have a set of construction drawings that are modified daily by a number of contractors. These drawings are stored in a project directory on the Internet.
Quick Reference Commands HYPERLINK Attaches a hyperlink to an object or modifies an existing hyperlink. Insert Content from a Website ® ® With the Autodesk i-drop functionality, you can use a drag-and-drop method to insert web content into your drawing. Overview of i-drop i-drop is a drag-and-drop method of inserting content from the Web into your current drawing. Using i-drop, you can easily insert content such as drawings and catalog items into an open drawing.
The representative i-drop content image will usually be a visual representation of what will appear in your drawing. i-drop also offers the following functionality: ■ Set the default type of i-drop content accepted. You can set the default type of i-drop content accepted by the program. The setting you select determines the type of content that is inserted in your drawing when you drag a representative i-drop content image from the Web. For example, if you select Block, the inserted content is a block.
When you move your cursor over a representative i-drop content image on a website, the cursor changes to a dropper image. 2 On the shortcut menu, click Insert As ➤ Block. 3 In the i-drop Options Dialog box, Choose Associated File area, select the associated data files you want to download with your i-drop content. 4 In the Choose Destination Path area, the default destination path is displayed. You can enter a different path or click the [...] button to locate a different folder. 5 Click OK.
The URL hyperlink is displayed in a tooltip. Quick Reference Commands SETIDROPHANDLER Specifies the default type of i-drop content for the current Autodesk application. Package a Set of Files for Internet Transmission With eTransmit, you can package a set of files for Internet transmission. Drawing files in the transmittal package automatically include all related dependent files such as xrefs and font files.
The following table lists the common file types that are automatically added to a transmittal package. You can choose to remove any of the files automatically added and you can manually add additional files that you want included in the transmittal package. File Types Automatically Added to a Transmittal Package File Type Description *.
File Types Automatically Added to a Transmittal Package File Type Description the drawings of the transmittal set when plotting *.stb Named plot style files used to control the appearance of the objects in the drawings of the transmittal set when plotting *.pc3 Plotter configuration files used to control the device and settings for the device when plotting the layouts of the drawings in the transmittal set *.dwt Drawing template file that is associated with a sheet set *.dst Sheet set file *.
File Types Not Automatically Added to a Transmittal Package File Type Description *.pat Hatch pattern files *.lin Linetype definition files *.mln Multiline definition files *.pmp Plotter model parameter files, used to store configuration information specific to a plotter such as custom paper sizes *.unt Unit conversion file, used by QuickCalc and the CVUNIT AutoLISP function *.
of saved transmittal setups from which you can select each time you transmit a set of files. The default transmittal setup is named Standard. Choose Transmittal Options Several options are available for the transmittal package using transmittal setups. With these options, you can ■ Package the transmittal package in a ZIP file, in a self-extracting EXE file, or in a folder that is copied to a specified location.
The tabs in the Create Transmittal dialog box control which files are included in the transmittal package. ■ On the Sheet List tab, you can easily control which of the listed sheets are to be transmitted by selecting or clearing the boxes next to the sheet names. ■ On the Files Tree tab and the Files Table tab, you can add or remove drawing files and dependent files that are listed. You can also add or remove any other files.
transmittal packages. Because WinZip currently is not a Unicode-compliant application, it is recommended that you use one of the following alternatives: ■ Transmit files individually. ■ Use eTransmit to create a folder containing the files to be transmitted and copy the folder to a shared server. ■ Package the files using a commercial Unicode-compliant application. ■ Make sure all file names use hexidecimal values below 80 before using eTransmit.
11 (Optional) In the Create Transmittal dialog box, in the area for notes, specify any additional comments to include with the report file. 12 Click OK to create the transmittal package in the folder you specified. To create a transmittal package that is a self-extracting executable or ZIP file 1 Click Output tab ➤ Send panel ➤ eTransmit. 2 In the Create Transmittal dialog box, Files Tree or Files Table tab, click Add File.
11 (Optional) In the Create Transmittal dialog box, in the area for notes, specify any additional comments to include with the report file. 12 Click OK to create the transmittal package in the folder you specified. To create a transmittal package from a sheet set 1 Open the sheet set that you want to transmit. 2 In the Sheet Set Manager, Sheet List tab, right-click one of the following types of nodes from the Sheets-Tree list: ■ Sheet set (top-level node). To transmit an entire sheet set.
7 Locate the folder where you want to create the transmittal package. Click Open. 8 Click OK to close the Modify Transmittal Setup dialog box. 9 Click Close to close the Transmittal Setups dialog box. 10 (Optional) In the Create Transmittal dialog box, in the area for notes, specify any additional comments to include with the report file. 11 Click OK to create the transmittal package in the folder you specified.
Design Review enables your entire project or product team to view, print, measure, and markup DWF, DWG, DXF, PDF and raster files containing 2D and 3D content. Fully integrated with AutoCAD®, Inventor®, and Revit®, Design Review helps you easily share drawings, models, maps, and design data with team members, clients, consultants, contractors, partners, suppliers, and other reviewers who may not own or know how to use design software.
to view sheets DWFx files containing any of these unsupported features, a warning directs you to download and view the DWFx file in Design Review. NOTE All references to DWF in this documentation implicitly include DWFx, unless specified. A Digital Design Workflow Most DWF files begin as a drawing or model created in such Autodesk programs as AutoCAD, Inventor, and Revit.
The Publish to Web wizard provides a simplified interface for creating formatted web pages that include DWF, DWFx, JPEG, or PNG images of drawings. ■ DWF or DWFx format does not compress the drawing file. ■ JPEG format uses lossy compression; that is, some data is deliberately discarded to greatly reduce the size of the compressed file. ■ PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format uses lossless compression; that is, no original data is sacrificed to reduce the size of the file.
2 Follow the instructions to generate a web page. Quick Reference Commands PUBLISHTOWEB Creates HTML pages that include images of selected drawings. Use Autodesk Seek to Add and Share Drawings With Autodesk Seek, you can share, search, and reuse digital design content. With Autodesk® Seek you can find and share product design information with the online design community to enhance designs and to meet specific customer needs.
■ From the Autodesk Seek toolbar, click Autodesk Seek ■ Click Autodesk Seek Design Content from DesignCenter (ADCENTER) ■ At the Command prompt, enter SHAREWITHSEEK to share and SEEK to search With Autodesk Seek, you can upload AutoCAD drawing files and blocks under the categories Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Structural Engineering. This facilitates searching that results in significant time savings during production.
To search for blocks and drawings in Autodesk Seek 1 Click Insert tab ➤ Content panel ➤ Seek Design Content. 2 Type one or more terms in the text box and click the Search button. The Autodesk Seek website is displayed with the results for the terms you searched. Quick Reference Commands SEEK Opens a web browser and displays the Autodesk Seek home page. SHAREWITHSEEK Uploads blocks or drawings to the Autodesk Seek website.
Use Markups for Design Review 42 When you are in the final stages of a design, you can publish drawings for review, and receive corrections and comments electronically. You can then implement and respond to these comments and republish your drawings. Doing all this electronically streamlines communication, shortens review cycles, and results in a more efficient design process. Overview of Using Markups for Design Review You can use only Autodesk Design Review to mark up DWF or DWFx files for review.
Quick Reference Commands MARKUP Opens the Markup Set Manager. MARKUPCLOSE Closes the Markup Set Manager. OPENDWFMARKUP Opens a DWF or DWFx file that contains markups. Publish Drawings for Review Publish drawings for review at the end of the design cycle. You should publish drawings for review at the end of the design cycle.
Quick Reference Commands PUBLISH Publishes drawings to electronic sheet sets (DWF, DWFx, or PDF files) or plotters. Insert Markups Use Autodesk Design Review to insert markups into a DWF or DWFx file. A markup is a single comment or a redline geometry correction inserted into a DWF or DWFx file. Using Autodesk Design Review, you can add markups electronically, just as you would mark up a paper version of the drawing. You can also assign a status to the markup and add comments.
With Autodesk Design Review, you can modify DWF or DWFx files in the following ways: ■ Reorder sheets within a DWF or DWFx file ■ Add sheets to a DWF or DWFx file NOTE Markup Set Manager displays the Sheet status (in Detail view) as “File is missing”, if you add sheets using Autodesk Design Review. The reason is that the newly added sheets are not listed in the DSD file.
geometry in AutoCAD when the marked-up DWF or DWFx file is returned to you. ■ Put the drawing files you used to publish the DWF or DWFx file in the search path. This action ensure that you can load the corresponding drawing sets for a marked-up DWF or DWFx file. Set the search path using the Files tab in the Options dialog box. NOTE You can view markups in AutoCAD only if the marked-up DWF or DWFx file was originally created in AutoCAD 2005 or later.
To view details of an individual markup in the Markup Set Manager 1 Click File menu ➤ Load Markup Set. 2 In the Open Markup DWF dialog box, select a DWF or DWFx file that contains markups. Click Open. NOTE If you open a digitally signed DWFx file, click Open File in the DWFx - Digital Signature Warning dialog box. The Markup Set Manager displays the markup set in the tree view. 3 In the Markup Set Manager, click an individual markup node.
NOTE If you open a digitally signed DWFx file, click Open File in the DWFx - Digital Signature Warning dialog box. The Markup Set Manager displays the markup set in the tree view. 3 In the Markup Set Manager, double-click a drawing sheet node to open the original DWG file. 4 Click the View DWG Geometry button to hide the DWG geometry. You can click the same button again to show the DWG geometry.
NOTE If you open a digitally signed DWFx file, click Open File in the DWFx - Digital Signature Warning dialog box. The Markup Set Manager opens and displays the markup set in the tree view. 3 In the Markup Set Manager, click a markup node to view the redline geometry in the drawing area. 4 Click the View Redline Geometry button to hide the redline geometry. You can click the same button again to show the redline geometry.
In the Markup Set Manager, when you select an individual markup in the tree view, the Markup Details area displays information about the markup. You can change the status of the markup in this area, or you can right-click a markup and click an option on the Markup Status shortcut menu. The default status for new markups is . You can change a markup's status to Question, For Review, or Done.
3 In the Markup Set Manager, click a markup node. 4 In the Details pane, click the Notes text box. Add your comments. Comments are saved in the DWF or DWFx file and are included in the file when you republish it. You can also save markup changes by right-clicking the markup set node. Click Save Markup History Changes. To save changes to markups 1 Click File menu ➤ Load Markup Set. 2 In the Open Markup DWF dialog box, select a DWF or DWFx file that contains markups. Click Open.
Republish a Markup Set After you have viewed a markup set and made changes to your drawings, you can republish the markup set for another review. When you republish the markup set, the markups and any changes that have been made to them are saved in the DWF or DWFx file. When anyone reviews the republished DWF or DWFx file in Autodesk Design Review, the changes made to the drawings are visible as well as any changes made to the status and the details of the markups.
■ Republish Markup Sheets. Clicking this option republishes only those sheets in the marked-up DWF or DWFx file that have associated markups. 8 In the Specify DWF File dialog box, select a DWF or DWFx file or enter a name for the file. Click Select. By default, the previously created marked-up file name is displayed and is overwritten with a file of the same name that contains the drawing and markup changes. Quick Reference Commands MARKUP Opens the Markup Set Manager.
Part 13: Render Drawings 1999
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Draw 2D Isometric Views 43 The Isometric Snap/Grid mode helps you create 2D isometric images that represent 3D objects. The Isometric Snap/Grid mode helps you create 2D images that represent 3D objects. By setting the Isometric Snap/Grid, you can easily align objects along one of three isometric planes; however, although the isometric drawing appears to be 3D, it is actually a 2D representation.
Choosing one of the three isometric planes causes Ortho and the crosshairs to be aligned along the corresponding isometric axes. For example, when Ortho is on, the points you specify align along the simulated plane you are drawing on. Therefore, you can draw the top plane, switch to the left plane to draw another side, and switch to the right plane to complete the drawing. To turn on an isometric plane 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Drafting Settings.
Quick Reference Commands DSETTINGS Sets grid and snap, polar and object snap tracking, object snap modes, Dynamic Input, and Quick Properties. GRID Displays a grid pattern in the current viewport. ISOPLANE Specifies the current isometric plane. ORTHO Constrains cursor movement to the horizontal or vertical direction. SNAP Restricts cursor movement to specified intervals. System Variables ISOLINES Specifies the number of contour lines per surface on objects.
NOTE To represent concentric circles, draw another ellipse with the same center rather than offsetting the original ellipse. Offsetting produces an oval-shaped spline that does not represent foreshortened distances as you would expect. To draw an isometric circle 1 Click Tools menu ➤ Drafting Settings. 2 In the Drafting Settings dialog box, Snap and Grid tab, select Isometric Snap. 3 Click OK. 4 Click Draw ➤ Ellipse ➤ Axis, End. 5 Enter i (Isocircle). 6 Specify the center of the circle.
Add Lighting to Your Model 44 Lighting can be added to a scene to create a more realistic rendering. Overview of Lighting Lighting adds the finishing touch to the scene. Default Lighting When there are no lights in a scene, the scene is shaded with default lighting. Default lighting is derived from two distant sources that follow the viewpoint as you move around the model. All faces in the model are illuminated so that they are visually discernible.
a discrete position and affect the entire scene. You can turn the display of light glyphs on or off while you work. By default, light glyphs are not plotted. Photometric Lighting Workflow For more precise control over lighting, you can use photometric lights to illuminate your model. Photometric lights use photometric (light energy) values that enable you to define lights more accurately as they would be in the real world.
background feature), which adds soft, subtle lighting effects caused by the lighting interactions between the sun and the atmosphere. Click the Play arrow to start the animation. Luminaire Objects Light fixtures can be represented by embedding photometric lights in blocks that also contain geometry. A luminary assembles a set of light objects into a light fixture.
GEOGRAPHICLOCATION Specifies the geographic location information for a drawing file. LIGHT Creates a light. LIGHTLIST Turns on and off the Lights in Model palette that lists all lights in the model. FREESPOT Creates free spotlight which is similar to a spotlight without a specified target. FREEWEB Creates a free web light which is similar to a web light without a specified target. POINTLIGHT Creates a point light that radiates light in all directions from its location.
DEFAULTLIGHTINGTYPE Specifies the type of default lighting, old or new. LIGHTGLYPHDISPLAY Turns on and off the display of light glyphs. LIGHTINGUNITS Controls whether generic or photometric lights are used, and specifies the lighting units for the drawing. LIGHTSINBLOCKS Controls whether lights contained in blocks are used when rendering. LINEARBRIGHTNESS Controls the brightness level of the viewport when using default lighting or generic lights.
Standard and Photometric Lighting Workflow Types of lighting selected globally affect a drawing. Set the Type of Lighting AutoCAD offers three choices for lighting units: standard (generic), International (SI), and American. The standard (generic) lighting workflow is equivalent to the lighting workflow in AutoCAD prior to AutoCAD 2008. The default lighting workflow for drawings created in AutoCAD 2008 and later is a photometric workflow based on International (SI) lighting units.
To set the drawing for standard lighting workflow Do one of the following: ■ Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Lighting Units drop-down ➤ Generic Lighing Units. No lighting units are used and standard (generic) lighting is enabled. ■ At the command prompt, enter LIGHTINGUNITS and set the value to 0 for standard lighting. As each light is added it will have standard lighting properties.
LOGEXPBRIGHTNESS Controls the brightness level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPCONTRAST Controls the contrast level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPDAYLIGHT Controls if the exterior daylight flag is enabled when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPMIDTONES Controls the mid tones level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPPHYSICALSCALE Controls the relative brightness of self-illuminated materials in a photometric environment.
Natural Light For practical purposes at ground level, sunlight has parallel rays coming from a single direction. The direction and angle vary depending on the time of day, the latitude, and the season. In clear weather, the color of sunlight is a pale yellow: for example, RGB values of 250, 255, 175 (HSV 45, 80, 255). Cloudy weather can tint sunlight blue, shading into dark gray for stormy weather. Particles in the air can give sunlight an orange or brownish tint.
POINTLIGHT Creates a point light that radiates light in all directions from its location. RENDEREXPOSURE Provides settings to adjust the global lighting for the most recently rendered output. SPOTLIGHT Creates a spotlight that emits a directional cone of light. TARGETPOINT Creates a target point light. System Variables DEFAULTLIGHTING Turns on and off default lighting in place of other lighting. DEFAULTLIGHTINGTYPE Specifies the type of default lighting, old or new.
Use Point Lights A point light radiates light in all directions from its location. Point Lights A point light radiates light in all directions from its location. A point light does not target an object. Use point lights for general lighting effects. You can create a point light by entering the POINTLIGHT command or by selecting a point light from the Lights panel on the ribbon. You create a target point light with the TARGETPOINT command.
available for a point light. On the Properties palette, photometric properties are ■ Lamp Intensity. Specifies the inherent brightness of the light. Specifies the intensity, flux or illuminance of the lamp. ■ Resulting Intensity. Gives the final brightness of the light. (Product of lamp intensity and intensity factor. Read-only.) ■ Lamp Color. Specifies the inherent color of the light in Kelvin temperature or standard. ■ Resulting Color. Gives the final color of the light.
To create a point light in standard lighting workflow 1 Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Lighting Units drop-down ➤ Generic Lighing Units. No lighting units are used and standard (generic) lighting is enabled. NOTE Alternatively, you can enter lightingunits at the Command prompt and set the value to 0 for standard (generic) lighting. 2 Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Create Light drop-down ➤ Point. 3 Click in the drawing to specify a location for the light.
4 At the Command prompt, enter n and enter a name. This name will appear in the properties and in the Lights in Model window (LIGHTLIST). You can continue to specify properties by entering options, or you can exit and set properties interactively. When you use the interactive method, you can see the results of your changes as you work. 5 Press Enter twice to exit the command. Select the light and use grip tools to change the light. You can also right-click the light and then click Properties.
To create a target point light in standard lighting workflow 1 Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Lighting Units drop-down ➤ Generic Lighing Units. No lighting units are used and standard (generic) lighting is enabled. NOTE Alternatively, you can enter lightingunits at the Command prompt and set the value to 0 for standard (generic) lighting. 2 At the command prompt, enter targetpoint. 3 Click in the drawing to specify a location for the light. 4 Click to specify a target point.
4 At the Command prompt, enter n and enter a name. This name will appear in the properties and in the Lights in Model window (LIGHTLIST). You can continue to specify properties by entering options, or you can exit and set properties interactively. When you use the interactive method, you can see the results of your changes as you work. 5 Press Enter twice to exit the command. 6 Right-click the light and click Properties on the Lighting Properties palette. Change the Targeted property to Yes.
RENDEREXPOSURE Provides settings to adjust the global lighting for the most recently rendered output. TARGETPOINT Creates a target point light. System Variables DEFAULTLIGHTING Turns on and off default lighting in place of other lighting. DEFAULTLIGHTINGTYPE Specifies the type of default lighting, old or new. LIGHTGLYPHDISPLAY Turns on and off the display of light glyphs. LIGHTINGUNITS Controls whether generic or photometric lights are used, and specifies the lighting units for the drawing.
LOGEXPDAYLIGHT Controls if the exterior daylight flag is enabled when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPMIDTONES Controls the mid tones level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. RENDERUSERLIGHTS Controls whether to override the setting for viewport lighting during rendering. Use Spotlights A spotlight can be directed towards an object. Spotlights A spotlight distribution casts a focused beam of light like a flashlight, a follow spot in a theater, or a headlight.
Spotlights in Photometric Workflow In photometric workflow, the hotspot intensity falls to 50 percent. The hotspot for standard lighting is at 100 percent. At its falloff angle, intensity of the spotlight falls to zero. Additional properties become available for a point light when LIGHTINGUNITS is set to 1 (American units) or 2 (International SI units) for photometric lighting: ■ Lamp Intensity. Specifies the inherent brightness of the light. Specifies the intensity, flux, or illuminance of the lamp.
To create a spotlight 1 Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Lighting Units drop-down ➤ Generic Lighing Units. No lighting units are used and standard (generic) lighting is enabled. NOTE Alternatively, you can enter lightingunits at the Command prompt and set the value to 0 for standard (generic) lighting. 2 Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Create Light drop-down ➤ Spot. 3 Click in the drawing to specify a location for the light.
4 Click to specify a target for the spotlight. 5 At the Command prompt, enter n and enter a name. This name will appear in the properties and in the Lights in Model window (LIGHTLIST). You can continue to specify properties by entering options, or you can exit and set properties interactively. When you use the interactive method, you can see the results of your changes as you work. 6 Press Enter twice to exit the command. Select the light and use grip tools to change the light.
To create a free spot light in photometric lighting workflow 1 At the Command prompt, enter lightingunits and set the value to 1 (American units) or 2 (International SI units) for photometric lighting. 2 At the command prompt, enter freespot. 3 Click in the drawing to specify a location for the light. 4 At the Command prompt, enter n and enter a name. This name will appear in the properties and in the Lights in Model window (LIGHTLIST).
FREESPOT Creates free spotlight which is similar to a spotlight without a specified target. RENDEREXPOSURE Provides settings to adjust the global lighting for the most recently rendered output. SPOTLIGHT Creates a spotlight that emits a directional cone of light. System Variables DEFAULTLIGHTING Turns on and off default lighting in place of other lighting. DEFAULTLIGHTINGTYPE Specifies the type of default lighting, old or new. LIGHTGLYPHDISPLAY Turns on and off the display of light glyphs.
LOGEXPDAYLIGHT Controls if the exterior daylight flag is enabled when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPMIDTONES Controls the mid tones level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. RENDERUSERLIGHTS Controls whether to override the setting for viewport lighting during rendering. Use Weblights Weblights are photometric lights with customized, real-world light distributions. Overview of Weblights Weblights are photometric lights with customized, real-world light distributions.
can compute the luminous intensity along an arbitrary direction by interpolation. NOTE Web distribution is used only in rendered images. Weblights are approximated as point lights in the viewport. NOTE You can control the size of a web glyph from Tools menu > Options > Drafting > Light Glyph Settings. Some web glyphs may appear very small on screen and may need to be adjusted. Goniometric Diagrams Photometric data is often depicted using a goniometric diagram.
The luminous intensity in any given direction is proportional to the distance between this web and the photometric center, measured along a line leaving the center in the specified direction. Example of Isotropic distribution A sphere centered around the origin is a representation of an isotropic distribution. All the points in the diagram are equidistant from the center and therefore light is emitted equally in all directions.
Example of Ellipsoidal distribution In this example, the points in the negative Z direction are the same distance from the origin as the corresponding points in the positive Z direction, so the same amount of light shines upward and downward. No point has a very large X or Y component, either positive or negative, so less light is cast laterally from the light source.
The light has been changed to have a web distribution with the web settings from the IES file. Quick Reference Commands LIGHT Creates a light. LIGHTLIST Turns on and off the Lights in Model palette that lists all lights in the model. FREEWEB Creates a free web light which is similar to a web light without a specified target. RENDEREXPOSURE Provides settings to adjust the global lighting for the most recently rendered output. WEBLIGHT Creates a web light.
LINEARBRIGHTNESS Controls the brightness level of the viewport when using default lighting or generic lights. LINEARCONTRAST Controls the contrast level of the viewport when using default lighting or generic lights. LOGEXPBRIGHTNESS Controls the brightness level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPCONTRAST Controls the contrast level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPDAYLIGHT Controls if the exterior daylight flag is enabled when using photometric lighting.
The poles of the web lie along the vertical axis, with the nadir corresponding to a vertical angle of zero degrees. The horizontal axis corresponds to a horizontal angle of zero degrees and is oriented parallel to the length of the luminaire. This type of photometric web is generated by a Type C goniometer and is the most popular in North America; other types of goniometry are supported by the IES standard file format but are not discussed here. The photometric data is stored in an ASCII file.
14 The set of vertical angles, listed in increasing order. If the distribution lies completely in the bottom hemisphere, the first and last angles must be 0° and 90°, respectively. If the distribution lies completely in the top hemisphere, the first and last angles must be 90° and 180°, respectively. Otherwise, they must be 0° and 180°, respectively. 15 The set of horizontal angles, listed in increasing order. The first angle must be 0°.
Quick Reference Commands CONVERTOLDLIGHTS Converts lights created in previous drawing file formats to the current format. DISTANTLIGHT Creates a distant light. GEOGRAPHICLOCATION Specifies the geographic location information for a drawing file. LIGHT Creates a light. LIGHTLIST Turns on and off the Lights in Model palette that lists all lights in the model. FREESPOT Creates free spotlight which is similar to a spotlight without a specified target.
WEBLIGHT Creates a web light. System Variables 3DCONVERSIONMODE Used to convert material and light definitions to the current product release. DEFAULTLIGHTING Turns on and off default lighting in place of other lighting. DEFAULTLIGHTINGTYPE Specifies the type of default lighting, old or new. LIGHTGLYPHDISPLAY Turns on and off the display of light glyphs. LIGHTINGUNITS Controls whether generic or photometric lights are used, and specifies the lighting units for the drawing.
LOGEXPMIDTONES Controls the mid tones level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. RENDERUSERLIGHTS Controls whether to override the setting for viewport lighting during rendering. SUNSTATUS Turns on and off the lighting effects of the sun in the current viewport. Common Lamp Values for Photometric Lights Lists of commonly used lamps for defining photometric lights are available on the Lighting tool palette.
System Variables LIGHTGLYPHDISPLAY Turns on and off the display of light glyphs. LIGHTINGUNITS Controls whether generic or photometric lights are used, and specifies the lighting units for the drawing. LIGHTSINBLOCKS Controls whether lights contained in blocks are used when rendering. LINEARBRIGHTNESS Controls the brightness level of the viewport when using default lighting or generic lights. LINEARCONTRAST Controls the contrast level of the viewport when using default lighting or generic lights.
Distant Lights in Standard Lighting Workflow A distant light emits uniform parallel light rays in one direction only. You specify a FROM point and a TO point anywhere in the viewport to define the direction of the light. Spotlights and point lights are each represented by a different light glyph. Distant lights are not represented by glyphs in the drawing because they do not have a discrete position and affect the entire scene.
6 Press Enter twice to exit the command. A distant light is not displayed as a light glyph. To change the properties of a distant light. Enter lightlist at the command prompt. In the Lights in Model window, double click on the distant light name from the light list and use the Lighting Properties palette to change its color and other properties. Assigning a Shape to a Light Assigning a shape to a light modifies the illumination of a scene.
To create a point light in photometric workflow and assign a rectangular shape to the light 1 At the command prompt, enter lightingunits and set the value to 1 (American units) or 2 (International SI units) for photometric lighting. 2 Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Create Light drop-down ➤ Point. 3 Click in the drawing to specify a location for the light. 4 At the Command prompt, enter n and enter a name. This name will appear in the properties and in the Lights in Model window (LIGHTLIST).
Control the Display of Lights The display of lights can be turned on and off in the drawing. The display of lights can be controlled several ways. In the Options dialog box, on the Drafting tab, the Lights Glyph settings control the display of light glyphs in the drawing. A light glyph is a graphic representation of a light. Point lights and spotlights can be placed in a drawing with a light glyph. Distant lights, such as sunlight, are not represented with a light glyph.
To show or hide light glyphs ➤ Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Light Glyph Display. Turns on and off the display of glyphs that represents lights in the current viewport. NOTE The display setting does not control plotting of light glyphs. To plot light glyphs 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Properties. 2 Select a point light or a spotlight. 3 In the Properties palette, change the Plot Glyph property to Yes. Quick Reference Commands DISTANTLIGHT Creates a distant light. LIGHT Creates a light.
SPOTLIGHT Creates a spotlight that emits a directional cone of light. System Variables LIGHTGLYPHDISPLAY Turns on and off the display of light glyphs. LIGHTLISTSTATE Indicates whether the Lights in Model window is open or closed. Adjust Light Placement After a light has been placed in a scene the position and target can be modified. The light, which is represented by a light glyph, can be repositioned after it is placed in the drawing. The light can be moved and rotated; the target can be modified.
To select a light using the light list 1 Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Dialog box launcher. 2 In the Lights in Model window, select the light name. If the light has a light glyph, the light displays as selected. By double clicking the name of the light, the Lighting Properties palette is displayed. NOTE Distant lights do not display a glyph in the drawing. Use the Lights in Model window to select a distant light. To delete a light 1 Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Dialog box launcher.
3 Drag the light to the new location and click to place it there. NOTE A spotlight rotates as it moves to maintain its aim at the target. If you want to move both source and target, drag the light glyph itself, not the Position grip. Quick Reference Commands CONVERTOLDLIGHTS Converts lights created in previous drawing file formats to the current format. DISTANTLIGHT Creates a distant light. GEOGRAPHICLOCATION Specifies the geographic location information for a drawing file. LIGHT Creates a light.
SUNPROPERTIES Displays the Sun Properties window. TARGETPOINT Creates a target point light. WEBLIGHT Creates a web light. System Variables DEFAULTLIGHTING Turns on and off default lighting in place of other lighting. DEFAULTLIGHTINGTYPE Specifies the type of default lighting, old or new. LIGHTGLYPHDISPLAY Turns on and off the display of light glyphs. LIGHTINGUNITS Controls whether generic or photometric lights are used, and specifies the lighting units for the drawing.
LOGEXPDAYLIGHT Controls if the exterior daylight flag is enabled when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPMIDTONES Controls the mid tones level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. RENDERUSERLIGHTS Controls whether to override the setting for viewport lighting during rendering. SUNSTATUS Turns on and off the lighting effects of the sun in the current viewport. Control Light Properties Each light you add to the drawing is listed by name and type in the Lights in Model palette (LIGHTLIST).
■ Intensity factor. Sets a multiplier that controls brightness. Intensity is not related to attenuation. ■ Filter color. Sets the color of the light emitted. ■ Plot glyph. Allows the ability to plot the drawing with the light glyphs on. Spotlight Hotspot and Falloff Under General Properties When light from a spotlight falls on a surface, the area of maximum illumination is surrounded by an area of lesser intensity. ■ Hotspot cone angle. Defines the brightest part of a light beam.
■ Resulting intensity. Gives the final brightness of the light. (Product of lamp intensity and intensity factor. Read-only.) ■ Lamp color. Specifies the inherent color of the light in Kelvin temperature or standard. ■ Resulting color. Gives the final color of the light. This is determined by a combination of the lamp color and the filter color. (Product of lamp color and filter color. Read-only.
for the program to calculate light levels where the light is already practically invisible. To set attenuation in a point light or a spotlight 1 Click Render tab ➤ Lights panel ➤ Lighting Units drop-down ➤ Generic Lighing Units. No lighting units are used and standard (generic) lighting is enabled. NOTE Alternatively, you can enter lightingunits at the command prompt and set the value to 0 for standard (generic) lighting. 2 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Properties.
strong as at the point light; at a distance of 4 units, light is one quarter as strong. The default value for inverse linear is half the maximum intensity. ■ Inverse Square. Sets attenuation to be the inverse of the square of the distance from the light. For example, at a distance of 2 units, light is one quarter as strong as at the point light; at a distance of 4 units, light is one sixteenth as strong.
■ Click the Select in Drawing button and specify a From point and a To point with the pointing device. The line displayed in the drawing represents the vector. When you change From Vector and To Vector values, the Source Vector values are updated. When you change Source Vector values directly, the From Vector and To Vector values are updated. To change the color of a light 1 Click View tab ➤ Palettes panel ➤ Properties. 2 In the drawing, select the light glyph.
FREEWEB Creates a free web light which is similar to a web light without a specified target. POINTLIGHT Creates a point light that radiates light in all directions from its location. RENDEREXPOSURE Provides settings to adjust the global lighting for the most recently rendered output. SPOTLIGHT Creates a spotlight that emits a directional cone of light. SUNPROPERTIES Displays the Sun Properties window. TARGETPOINT Creates a target point light. WEBLIGHT Creates a web light.
LINEARBRIGHTNESS Controls the brightness level of the viewport when using default lighting or generic lights. LINEARCONTRAST Controls the contrast level of the viewport when using default lighting or generic lights. LOGEXPBRIGHTNESS Controls the brightness level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPCONTRAST Controls the contrast level of the viewport when using photometric lighting. LOGEXPDAYLIGHT Controls if the exterior daylight flag is enabled when using photometric lighting.
the photometric sun; the color is computed automatically based on the time, date, and location specified in the drawing. The color is determined based on the position in the sky. When the workflow is generic or standard lighting (the LIGHTINGUNITS system variable is set to 0), the additional sun and sky properties are unavailable. The properties of the sun can be modified by using the SUNPROPERTIES command. The Sun Properties window is displayed.
window. Additional sky illumination adds extra light to the scene, simulating the effect of light scattered by the atmosphere throughout the scene. This additional light is only visible in rendered output when final gather is enabled. This can be found in the Advanced Render Settings palette. NOTE The default final gather setting of Auto enables final gather in rendering when sky illumination is turned on. View The VIEW command provides a mechanism for creating and managing named views.
NOTE Alternatively, you can enter lightingunits at the command prompt and set the value to 0 for standard (generic) lighting. 2 Click Render tab ➤ Sun & Location panel ➤ ➤ Sun Properties. 3 In the General settings, click the Intensity Factor setting, and select a new value. To change the geographic location of your model 1 Click Render tab ➤ Sun & Location panel ➤ Set Location. 2 In the Location Already Exists task dialog box, click Edit Current Geographic Location.
2 Click View tab ➤ Views panel ➤ Named Views. 3 Click New. 4 In the New View dialog box, enter a name for the new view. 5 In the Background drop-down list, change the default to Sun & Sky. 6 In the Adjust Sun & Sky Background dialog box, make any adjustments to the background. 7 Click OK. Quick Reference Commands GEOGRAPHICLOCATION Specifies the geographic location information for a drawing file. SUNPROPERTIES Displays the Sun Properties window. SUNPROPERTIESCLOSE Closes the Sun Properties window.
TIMEZONE Sets the time zone for the sun in the drawing. Incorporate Luminaire Objects A luminaire object is a helper object that assembles a set of objects into a light fixture. A luminaire object groups and manages the components of a light as a whole. Light fixtures can be represented by embedding photometric lights in blocks that also contain geometry. A luminaire object assembles a set of light objects into a light fixture.
6 Drag another light from the palette to the drawing. 7 At the command prompt, enter block to create a light fixture with the lights placed in the drawing. Quick Reference Commands GEOGRAPHICLOCATION Specifies the geographic location information for a drawing file. SUNPROPERTIES Displays the Sun Properties window. SUNPROPERTIESCLOSE Closes the Sun Properties window. System Variables LATITUDE Specifies the latitude of the drawing model in decimal format.
Converting Lights Properties of lights converting from previous releases of AutoCAD and other products. Work with Lights in Drawings from Previous Versions of AutoCAD Converting lights from previous versions. With AutoCAD 2008, you can choose either standard (generic) lighting or photometric lighting. Prior to AutoCAD 2008, the only option was standard (generic) lighting. There is no explicit conversion required for lights from AutoCAD 2007 to AutoCAD 2008.
Import Drawings into 3ds Max or VIZ Drawing can be opened in 3ds Max or VIZ. Please review the 3ds Max or VIZ DWG import documentation for information regarding the import of the DWG format. Quick Reference Commands CONVERTOLDLIGHTS Converts lights created in previous drawing file formats to the current format. System Variables 3DCONVERSIONMODE Used to convert material and light definitions to the current product release.
Materials and Textures 45 Materials define the shininess, bumpiness, and transparency of object’s surfaces to give them a realistic appearance. Overview of Materials Add materials to objects in your drawings to provide a realistic effect in any rendered view. Autodesk provides a large library of predefined materials for you to use. Use the Materials Browser to browse materials and apply them to objects in your drawing. Use the Materials Editor to create and modify materials.
MATBROWSEROPEN Opens the Materials Browser. MATEDITORCLOSE Closes the Materials Editor. MATEDITOROPEN Opens the Materials Editor. MATERIALATTACH Associates materials with layers. MATERIALMAP Displays a material mapping gizmo to adjust the mapping on a face or an object. MATERIALS Opens the Materials Browser. MATERIALSCLOSE Closes the Materials Browser. System Variables 3DCONVERSIONMODE Used to convert material and light definitions to the current product release. CMATERIAL Sets the material of new objects.
Browse Material Libraries Browse, create, or open existing libraries from the Materials Browser. Materials Browser Use the Materials Browser to navigate and manage your materials. You can organize, sort, search, and select materials for use in your drawing. The Autodesk library and user-defined libraries are accessible in the Materials Browser. The browser contains the following main components: ■ Browser toolbar. Contains the Show or Hide Library Tree button and the search box.
Materials Libraries The Autodesk library, with over 700 materials and over 1000 textures, is included with the product. The library is read-only, but you can copy Autodesk materials into the drawing, edit them, and save them to your own library. There are three types of libraries: ■ Autodesk Library. Contains predefined materials provided by Autodesk for use by all applications that support materials. It contains material-related resources, such as textures, thumbnails, and so on.
NOTE When you remove a library from the Materials Browser, the library file remains on the hard disk. You must manually delete the library file to reclaim hard disk space. To access the Materials Browser ■ Click Render tab ➤ Materials panel ➤ Materials Browser. To manage a library 1 Click Render tab ➤ Materials panel ➤ Materials Browser. 2 In the Materials Browser, Manage drop-down, you can do the following: ■ Open existing library.
A material tool is added the active tool palette, where it is easily accessible when you are working in a drawing. NOTE If you change the properties of the material in the Materials Editor later, the material tool is not automatically updated. Delete the old material tool. Drag the updated swatch to create a new one. Quick Reference Commands MATBROWSERCLOSE Closes the Materials Browser. MATBROWSEROPEN Opens the Materials Browser. MATEDITORCLOSE Closes the Materials Editor.
MATBROWSERSTATE Controls the state of the Materials Browser. MATEDITORSTATE Indicates whether the Materials Editor is open or closed. Create New Materials A material is defined by a number of properties. The available properties depend on the selected material type. Create a new material in the Materials Browser or the Materials Editor. Select the type of material to create, or duplicate and modify an existing material.
Image Controls the base diffuse color map of the material. The diffuse color is the color that an object reflects when illuminated by direct daylight or artificial light. Image Fade Controls the composite between the base color and the diffuse image. The image fade property is only editable if an image is used. Glossiness The reflective quality of the material defines the degree of glossiness or dullness.
Other Properties The following properties can be used to create specific effects: ■ Reflectivity. The Direct and Oblique sliders control the level of reflections and the intensity of the specular highlight on surfaces. ■ Transparency. The Transparency check box controls the level of transparency of the material. A completely transparent object allows the passage of light through it. The transparency value is a percentage: at 1.
■ Self illumination. The object appears to be emitting its own light. For example, to simulate neon without using a light source, you could set a self illumination value greater than zero. No light is cast on other objects. The Self Illumination check box infers changing values. This control filters color, luminance, and color temperature of the material. The Filter Color creates the effect of a color filter over the illuminated surface.
■ Material Color Temperature (degrees Kelvin) Moonlight 4100 Daylight Warm 5000 Daylight Cool 6000 Xenon Arc Lamp 6420 TV Screen 9320 Custom unclamped Bump. The Bump check box turns on or off the use of the relief patterns of the material. The object appears to have a bumpy or irregular surface. When you render an object with a bump-mapped material, the lighter areas of the map appear to be raised and the darker areas appear to be low. The Amount adjusts the height of the bump.
Quick Reference Commands CONVERTOLDMATERIALS Converts materials created in previous drawing file formats to the current format. MATBROWSERCLOSE Closes the Materials Browser. MATBROWSEROPEN Opens the Materials Browser. MATEDITORCLOSE Closes the Materials Editor. MATEDITOROPEN Opens the Materials Editor. MATERIALASSIGN Uses the current material defined in the CMATERIAL system variable. MATERIALATTACH Associates materials with layers.
System Variables 3DCONVERSIONMODE Used to convert material and light definitions to the current product release. CMATERIAL Sets the material of new objects. LOGEXPPHYSICALSCALE Controls the relative brightness of self-illuminated materials in a photometric environment. MATBROWSERSTATE Controls the state of the Materials Browser. MATEDITORSTATE Indicates whether the Materials Editor is open or closed. MATERIALSPATH Specifies the path of the materials libraries.
Any in-document and unlocked material can be renamed in-place using the materials shortcut menu. You can search the materials in all open libraries based on the material’s name, description, and keyword information entered in the Materials Editor. All the materials are filtered to show only those matching the search string. Only the materials that have a match for the search string are displayed. Click the X button in the search box to clear the search and return to viewing the unfiltered library.
Library nodes containing the materials matching the entered characters are displayed. Quick Reference Commands MATBROWSERCLOSE Closes the Materials Browser. MATBROWSEROPEN Opens the Materials Browser. MATEDITORCLOSE Closes the Materials Editor. MATEDITOROPEN Opens the Materials Editor. MATERIALATTACH Associates materials with layers. MATERIALMAP Displays a material mapping gizmo to adjust the mapping on a face or an object. MATERIALS Opens the Materials Browser. MATERIALSCLOSE Closes the Materials Browser.
MATEDITORSTATE Indicates whether the Materials Editor is open or closed. Modify Materials After a material has been added to the drawing, you can modify it in the Materials Editor. The material swatches that are available in the drawing are displayed in the Materials in This Document section in the Materials Browser. When you double-click a material swatch, the properties for the material become active in the Materials Editor sections. As you modify the settings, they are saved with the material.
Quick Reference Commands MATBROWSERCLOSE Closes the Materials Browser. MATBROWSEROPEN Opens the Materials Browser. MATEDITORCLOSE Closes the Materials Editor. MATEDITOROPEN Opens the Materials Editor. MATERIALATTACH Associates materials with layers. MATERIALMAP Displays a material mapping gizmo to adjust the mapping on a face or an object. MATERIALS Opens the Materials Browser. MATERIALSCLOSE Closes the Materials Browser.
Convert Materials Upgrade legacy materials from older files to the new format. When a legacy material, any material created in AutoCAD 2010 or earlier releases, is shown in the Materials Editor, you have the option to convert the material into an editable format. After the conversion, the Materials Editor controls are enabled and editable. Legacy materials are rendered but not editable in the application. It is recommended to convert these materials to their Generic equivalent.
To apply a material to an object from the Materials Browser 1 Click Render tab ➤ Materials panel ➤ Materials Browser. 2 Right-click the material you want to apply. 3 Click Assign to Selection. 4 Select the object. The material is applied to each object as you select it. To apply a material by layer 1 At the Command prompt, enter materialattach. 2 In the Material Attachment Options dialog box, drag a material onto a layer.
MATERIALS Opens the Materials Browser. MATERIALSCLOSE Closes the Materials Browser. System Variables MATBROWSERSTATE Controls the state of the Materials Browser. MATEDITORSTATE Indicates whether the Materials Editor is open or closed. Use Maps for Added Realism Mapping is a way of increasing the visual complexity of a material. Overview of Maps The images you assign to materials are called maps. You use maps to improve the appearance and realism of materials.
to be made out of brick, you can choose a texture map with an image of bricks. This is the most common kind of mapping. You can also use a procedural map, such as tiles or wood. The procedural maps have properties you can adjust for the effect you want; for example, the tiling size and mortar spacing for a brick patterned material or the spacing of the grain in a wood material. The map you add to a material can be scaled. The pattern can be tiled or rotated. Maps are also available for other purposes.
You can select an image file to use for cutouts mapping. Transparent areas are fully transparent. When you use transparency for frosting or translucent effects, reflectivity is maintained. Use a cutout in addition to make the material take a particular shape or pattern. Cutout areas do not reflect. Self Illumination Map Self illumination maps make portions of an object appear to glow. White areas of the map render as fully self illuminating. Black areas render with no self illumination.
image is in color, the gray-scale value of each color is used. Bump mapping increases rendering time significantly but adds to the realism. Use bump maps when you want to take the smoothness off a surface, or to create an embossed look. Keep in mind, however, that the depth effect of a bump map is limited because it does not affect the profile of the object and cannot be self-shadowing. If you want extreme depth in a surface, you should use modeling techniques instead.
You can use the following file types to create texture maps: ■ BMP, RLE, or DIB ■ GIF ■ JFIF, JPG, or JPEG ■ PCX ■ PNG ■ TGA ■ TIFF Procedural Maps Procedural maps add further realism to a material. Overview of Procedural Maps Unlike bitmap images, which are produced by a fixed matrix of colored pixels, a procedural map is generated by a mathematical algorithm.
the types of controls you find for a procedural map vary depending on the capabilities of the procedure. A procedural map can be generated in either two or three dimensions. You can also nest texture or procedural maps within another procedural map to add depth and complexity to the material. Checker Applies a two-color checkerboard pattern to the material. The default checker map is a pattern of black and white squares. The component checks can be either colors or maps.
Gradient Creates gradients using colors, and blends. You can make highly customized gradients with the Gradient procedural map. Gradient uses several colors to create shades or ramps from one to another. See also: ■ Gradient Property Settings Marble Applies a stone and vein color pattern. You can use the Marble map to specify stone and vein color. You can modify the vein spacing and vein width.
Noise Creates random perturbation of a surface based on the interaction of two colors, texture maps or a combination. You can use Noise to attenuate the repetitiveness aspect of bitmap and tiles. The noise procedural map uses two colors, sub-procedural maps or a combination of both to create a random pattern. See also: ■ Noise Property Settings Speckle Generates a speckled surface pattern. The Speckle map is useful for diffuse mapping and bump mapping to create granite-like and other patterned surfaces.
Tiles Applies a brick or stacked tiling of colors or material mappings. You can apply an image and repeat the image as a pattern using Tiles. The Materials Browser provides commonly defined architectural brick patterns, which you can select and modify in the Materials Editor. See also: ■ Tiles Property Settings Waves Simulates water or wave effects. You can use the Bump map to simulate the surface of a body of water.
See also: ■ Waves Property Settings Wood Creates the color and grain pattern of wood. Use the Wood map to create the realistic color and grain properties of wood. See also: ■ Wood Property Settings Modify Map Properties Map properties can be modified to create complex patterns by changing the map settings. The map property settings displayed on the Texture Editor depend on the selected map type. The Texture Editor, which is a modeless inspector panel, allows you to modify texture properties.
Appearance The Appearance settings are only available for procedural-based textures. Transformations Linkable attributes are specific attributes of the same type that have been identified in the content design resulting from synchronization. Rotation is an example of a linkable attribute.When the Link Texture Transforms is enabled, all edits to all linkable attributes between all texture sockets are published. If it is disabled, the edits affect only the specific texture socket where the edit is made.
The Position, Scale, and Repeat are three standard transformations used in various texture sockets.
Texture Type Position Scale Repeat Wood Yes No No Speckle Yes No No Marble Yes No No ■ Position. Each map has its own material offset and rotation factors. You can control the coordinates of the material on a swatch. You can also rotate the image around the W axis of the UVW coordinate system. As these settings are changed, a preview is displayed in the Texture Editor.
scaled map ■ Repeat. You can tile or mirror a material to create a pattern, or select None for no modification to the map pattern. You can apply an image and repeat the image as a pattern using Tile. This effect is used to represent a tiled floor or fountain. repeated map Tiling wraps the selected object with the map image. In default mapping, tiling is active. Because the map is scaled to fit the object, you must offset the UV coordinates or rotate the map to see the tiling effect.
Mirrored Map Mirroring doubles the map and flips the doubled copy. As with tiling, you can mirror in the U dimension, the V dimension, or both. Adjust Mapping On Objects and Faces After you apply a texture to a material, you can adjust the orientation of the texture map on objects or faces. When materials are mapped, you can adjust the material to fit the shape of the object. Applying the appropriate type of material mapping to an object improves the fit. ■ Planar mapping.
Mapping Gizmo If you need to make further adjustments, you can use the mapping gizmo that is displayed on the object to move or rotate the map on the object. The mapping gizmos are viewport tools that let you quickly choose one or two axes when transforming a selection with the mouse. You choose an axis by placing the mouse over any axis of the icon, then drag the mouse to transform the selection along that axis.
MATBROWSEROPEN Opens the Materials Browser. MATEDITORCLOSE Closes the Materials Editor. MATEDITOROPEN Opens the Materials Editor. MATERIALMAP Displays a material mapping gizmo to adjust the mapping on a face or an object. MATERIALS Opens the Materials Browser. MATERIALSCLOSE Closes the Materials Browser. System Variables MATBROWSERSTATE Controls the state of the Materials Browser. MATEDITORSTATE Indicates whether the Materials Editor is open or closed.
Render 3D Objects for Realism 46 A realistic rendering of a model can often give a product team or prospective client a clearer vision of a conceptual design than a plotted drawing. Most drafting time is spent working on line representations of a model. On occasion, however, you might need to see a more realistic image involving color and perspective—for example, when verifying your design or when presenting a final design. Overview of Rendering Rendering creates a 2D image based on your 3D scene.
The renderer is a general-purpose renderer that generates physically correct simulations of lighting effects, including ray-traced reflections and refractions, and global illumination. A range of standard rendering presets, reusable rendering parameters, are available. Some of the presets are tailored for relatively quick preview renderings while others are for higher quality renderings.
RENDERPRESETS Specifies render presets, reusable rendering parameters, for rendering an image. RENDERWIN Displays the Render window without starting a rendering operation. RPREF Displays or hides the Advanced Render Settings palette for access to advanced rendering settings. RPREFCLOSE Closes the Render Settings palette. SAVEIMG Saves a rendered image to a file. Prepare a Model for Rendering The way a model is built plays an important role in optimizing rendering performance and image quality.
When normals are unified and point in the same outward direction, the renderer processes each face and renders the model. If any normals are flipped, facing inward, the renderer skips them and leaves triangular or quadrilateral “holes” in the rendered image. In instances where you see a hole, it usually means one of two things: Force 2-Sided is turned off in the Render Settings palette or the face is physically missing from the model. If the face is actually missing, you’ll need to manually reconstruct it.
step is called back-face culling and is controlled by the Force 2-Sided option on the Render Settings palette. After the back faces have been removed, the renderer uses a Z buffer to compare relative distances along the Z axis. If the Z buffer indicates that one face overlaps another, the renderer removes the face that would be hidden. The time saved is in proportion to the number of faces discarded out of the total number of faces.
2 In the Materials section of the Advanced Render Settings palette, make sure Force 2-Sided in set to On. 3 Render the scene. Quick Reference Commands RPREF Displays or hides the Advanced Render Settings palette for access to advanced rendering settings. Minimize Intersecting and Coplanar Faces Certain kinds of geometry create special rendering problems. The complexity of an object relates to the number of its vertices and faces. The more faces a model has, the longer it takes to render.
When edges do not appear to be as precise as you want, use Boolean operations like union, intersect, and subtract. A much cleaner and precise edge is created to better reflect the object’s appearance. Coplanar Faces Faces that overlap and lie in the same plane, coplanar faces, can produce ambiguous results, especially if the materials applied to the two faces differ. In the following example, artifacts appear when faces occupy the same location.
This situation is often encountered when trying to fix a model that has a hole in its surface. For example, when corner points are selected for the new face, the points are crossed instead of being placed around the hole in a counter-clockwise direction. Avoid this problem by choosing corner points in the proper order. Quick Reference Commands RENDER Creates a photorealistic or realistically shaded image of a 3D solid or surface model.
Control Display of Circles and Arcs The VIEWRES command controls the display accuracy of curved 2D linework like circles and arcs in the current viewport. In the following example, line segments are more apparent as VIEWRES decreases - Upper left = 1000, Middle = 100, Lower right = 10. These objects are drawn on the screen using many short straight line segments. Smoother arcs and circles display with higher VIEWRES settings, but they take longer to regenerate.
When you raise and lower the value of VIEWRES, objects controlled by both VIEWRES and FACETRES are affected. When you raise and lower the value of FACETRES, only solid objects are affected. In the following example, smoother geometry is displayed when FACETRES is set to higher values. FACETRES = 5. See also: ■ Create Meshes on page 1044 To alter the render resolution of solid geometry 1 At the Command prompt, enter facetres. 2 Do one of the following: ■ Enter a value greater than .
Quick Reference Commands VIEWRES Sets the resolution for objects in the current viewport. System Variables FACETRES Set Up the Renderer You can control many of the settings that affect how the renderer processes a rendering task, especially when rendering higher quality images. Use the Render Settings Palette The Render Setting palette contains the main controls for the renderer. You can choose from predefined render settings or make custom settings.
The palette is separated into several sections ranging from basic to advanced settings. The General sections contain settings that affect how your model gets rendered, how materials and shadows are handled, and how anti-aliasing is performed. (Anti-aliasing smooths the stairstep effect at the edge of curved lines or edges.) The Raytracing section controls how shading occurs.
To create a custom render preset from the Advanced Render Settings palette 1 At the Command prompt, enter rpref. 2 In the Advanced Render Settings palette, select an existing standard or custom preset. 3 Make changes to the settings that you’d like to use for your rendering. Notice the original render preset has an ‘*’ prefix indicating that it has been changed. 4 Render the model.
Using a standard preset as a base, you can experiment with settings and see how the rendered images look. Once you’re satisfied with the results, you can create a new, custom preset. You can review and change the render settings for any preset in your drawing in the following ways: ■ Manage and organize existing render presets. ■ Change parameters of standard or existing custom presets. ■ Create, update, or delete custom render presets. ■ Set a render preset to be used by the renderer.
In order for a render preset to be used by the renderer, it must be made current. While working in the Render Presets Manager, you select presets you want to edit, but in order for the renderer to use them, you have to click the Set Current button. Otherwise, the preset chosen on the Render panel on the ribbon or the Advanced Render Settings palette is used.
Quick Reference Commands RPREF Displays or hides the Advanced Render Settings palette for access to advanced rendering settings. RENDERPRESETS Specifies render presets, reusable rendering parameters, for rendering an image. Control the Rendering Environment You can use environmental features to set up atmospheric effects or background images. You can enhance a rendered image by means of atmospheric effects like fog and depth cueing or by adding a bitmap image as a background.
Environment dialog box. For example, the back clipping plane of a camera is active and located 30 feet from the camera location. If you want fog to start 15 feet from the camera and spread away indefinitely, you set the Near Distance to 50 and the Far Distance to 100. The density of the fog or depth cueing is controlled by the Near and Far Fog Percentages. These settings have a range of 0.0001 to 100. Higher values mean the fog or depth cueing is more opaque.
Light colors are typically used for fog while dark colors are used for depth cueing. 6 Set the Near and Far Distance values to specify where the fog starts and ends. 7 Set the fog or depth cue opacity with the Near and Far Fog Percentage values. Click OK. 8 Render the model. To set a background for a named view 1 At the Command prompt, enter view. 2 In the View Manager, select an existing named view from the Model Views list.
Quick Reference Commands RENDERENVIRONMENT Controls visual cues for the apparent distance of objects. VIEW Basics of Rendering While the final goal is to create a photorealistic, presentation-quality image that illustrates your vision, you create many renderings before you reach that goal. At a basic level, you can use the RENDER command to render your model without applying any materials, adding any lights, or setting up a scene.
When the render destination is set to Window, the renderer automatically opens the Render Window and the image is processed. Upon completion, the image is displayed and a history entry is created. As more renderings occur, they are added to the render history so you can quickly look at previous images and compare to see which have the desired results. Images that you want to keep can be saved from the Render Window.
SAVEIMG Saves a rendered image to a file. Render Views, Selected Objects, or Cropped Content You can render an entire view, a set of selected objects, or a portion of what you see in the viewport. Render a View The default rendering procedure is to render all objects in the current view in the drawing. If you haven’t opened a named view or a camera view, the current view is rendered.
Rendering a selection set of objects is very efficient when testing different materials, especially when the materials include texture mapping. By rendering a selected object, you can quickly verify how the material looks and if its texture coordinates must be altered. Render a Cropped Region Sometimes you need to render only a portion of what is displayed in the viewport but you still want to see some of the surrounding environment.
To render a view 1 Display a 3D view of your model. 2 Click Render tab ➤ Render panel ➤ ➤ Advanced Render Settings. 3 Choose a render preset to control the quality and speed of the rendered output. The Draft preset is very fast but its quality is low. Presentation generates a high quality image but takes substantially longer to render. 4 Set the Destination to Window or Viewport to specify where you want the rendered image to be displayed.
2 Specify a window in the viewport that you want to render. 3 Render the scene. Quick Reference Commands RENDER Creates a photorealistic or realistically shaded image of a 3D solid or surface model. RENDERCROP Renders a specified rectangular area, called a crop window, within a viewport. RPREF Displays or hides the Advanced Render Settings palette for access to advanced rendering settings.
the project, 1024 x 768 or greater, since this is the image that is presented to the customer or submitted for print. Aspect ratio describes the proportions of a still image or the frames in an animation, expressed as the ratio of width to height, regardless of the image's resolution. The aspect ratio of an image is controlled by the Image Aspect setting. Aspect ratio is usually expressed either as a ratio of width over height (for example, 4:3) or as a multiplier (such as, 1.333).
RPREF Displays or hides the Advanced Render Settings palette for access to advanced rendering settings. Material Adjustments Adding materials to objects greatly increases the realism of a model. In the context of rendering, materials describe how an object reflects or transmits light. Within a material, maps can simulate textures, bump effects, reflections, or refractions.
flipped or to import complex geometry in which the face normals are not properly unified. When Force 2-Sided is active, both sides of faces are raytraced as shaded. While this incurs a slight increase in rendering time, it is often faster than trying to fix multiple instances of flipped faces. Quick Reference Commands MATERIALATTACH Associates materials with layers. MATERIALMAP Displays a material mapping gizmo to adjust the mapping on a face or an object. MATERIALS Opens the Materials Browser.
Because the image on a monitor is made up of discrete pixels on a fixed grid, scenes rendered using the Draft or Low render presets produce jagged and inaccurate images. In the following example, image quality is highly degraded - Min. Samples = 1/64; Max. Samples = 1/4. The greater the resolution (and thus the smaller the pixels), the less apparent aliasing is. However, it is often best to reduce the effect further by using anti-aliasing techniques.
There are five filter methods: Box, Gauss, Triangle, Mitchell, or Lanczos. Box, the default, is the quickest. Mitchell is often the most accurate. The Box filter combines samples evenly, without weighting them. Each of the other filters uses a particular curve to weight samples before combining them. Anti-aliasing techniques involve at least two trade-offs. ■ Extra calculation.
Use Shadows in Rendering With shadows, you can create rendered images that have greater depth and realism. The renderer can generate shadows by shadow mapping or by ray tracing. Shadow mapped shadows rely on a bitmap that the renderer generates during a pre-rendering pass of the scene. Shadow mapping provide softer edges and can require less calculation time than ray-traced shadows, but are less accurate. Ray tracing traces the path of rays sampled from the light source.
Ray-traced Shadows Ray-traced shadows (like other ray-traced effects of reflection and refraction) are generated by tracing the path of light beams or rays sampled from a light source. Ray-traced shadows are more accurate than shadow-mapped shadows. The following example shows that while ray tracing takes longer to process, it produces more realistic, precise shadows. Ray-traced shadows have hard edges and accurate outlines; they also transmit color from transparent and translucent objects.
light source will cast shadows. For shadows to display in the viewport as you set up the scene, you need to turn on shadows for the visual style. If you want shadows to appear in the rendered image, you need to turn on shadows and choose the type of shadows to render on the Advanced Render Settings palette. To view shadows in the viewport 1 Click View tab ➤ 3D Palettes panel ➤ Visual Styles. 2 In the Visual Style Manager, select either Conceptual or Realistic.
4 Turn off Shadow Map. 5 Render the model. Quick Reference Commands RENDER Creates a photorealistic or realistically shaded image of a 3D solid or surface model. RPREF Displays or hides the Advanced Render Settings palette for access to advanced rendering settings. VISUALSTYLES Creates and modifies visual styles and applies a visual style to a viewport. Advanced Rendering Advanced rendering techniques allow you to render highly detailed and photorealistic images.
When ray tracing is turned off, no reflection or refraction occurs. The following example shows the same model with ray tracing turned off. Trace depth controls the number of times a light ray can be reflected or refracted. Increasing these values can increase the complexity and realism of a rendered image, at a cost of greater rendering time. The following example shows how increasing the trace depth improves the rendering. Max Depth = 4; Max Reflections and Refractions = 2.
Ray-tracing Controls The Max Depth setting limits the combination of reflection and refraction. Tracing of a ray stops when the total number of reflections and refractions reaches the maximum depth. For example, if Max Depth equals 3 and Max Reflections and Max Refractions are both set to 2, a ray can be reflected twice and refracted once, or vice versa, but the ray cannot be reflected and refracted four times. The Max Reflections setting specifies the number of times a ray can be reflected.
Benefits of Indirect Illumination Indirect illumination techniques, like global illumination and final gathering, enhance the realism of a scene by simulating radiosity, or the interreflection of light in a scene. Global illumination (GI) provides effects such as color bleeding. For example, if a red countertop is next to a white wall, the white wall gets a slightly pink tint.
Photons and Sampling Radius The intensity of global illumination is computed by the number of photons you’ve specified. Increased numbers of photons makes global illumination less noisy but also more blurry. When the number of photons are decreased, global illumination is more noisy but less blurry. The greater the number of photons, the longer the rendering time.
twice and refracted once, or vice versa, but it can’t be reflected and refracted four times. The Max Reflections setting specifies the number of times a photon can be reflected. At 0, no reflection occurs. At 1, the photon can be reflected once only. At 2, the photon can be reflected twice, and so on. The Max Refractions setting specifies the number of times a photon can be refracted. At 0, no refraction occurs. At 1, the photon can be refracted once only. At 2, the photon can be refracted twice, and so on.
There is a catch when deciding to use final gathering. Final gathering can greatly increase rendering time. It is most useful for scenes with overall diffuse lighting. TIP Leave final gathering off to preview the scene, then turn it on for the finished rendering. (Increasing the number of photons used to calculate global illumination can also improve global illumination.) You activate and adjust final gathering in the Advanced Render Settings palette.
Each history entry contains information about the images that have been recently rendered. The information stored in history entries includes ■ Date and time of the rendering task ■ Statistics for the rendering task ■ Current view or the name of a stored view ■ Active render preset name ■ Active render settings, such as output resolution ■ Size of a cropped region, if crop was used for the render task NOTE Rendered images are not stored in the history entry, only a link to the image location.
outlines the circumstances of when a history entry is created and when it is saved. Destination History entry created? Entry saved with drawing? File Yes Yes Render Window Yes Only if the Render Window view is saved Viewport No Not applicable Any history entries that are generated, but not saved with the drawing only exist for the duration of the current drawing session. Once you close the file or exit the program, unsaved history entries are lost.
RENDERWIN Displays the Render window without starting a rendering operation. RPREF Displays or hides the Advanced Render Settings palette for access to advanced rendering settings. Save and Redisplay Rendered Images You can save a rendering and then redisplay it later. Redisplaying is much faster than rendering again. Save a Rendered Image You can render directly to a file or save a temporary history entry to one of several different file formats.
formats: BMP, TGA, TIF, PCX, JPG, or PNG. You can save the file to an assortment of different grayscale or color depths that are offered by the file format you’ve selected. Save a Render Window Rendering If you’ve chosen the render destination to be the render window, you can save the image or save a copy of the image to one of the following file formats: BMP, TGA, TIF, PCX, JPG, or PNG.
2 Click File menu ➤ Save. 3 In the Render Output File dialog box, select a file format, and enter a storage location and file name. Click Save. The image is saved in the selected file format. Quick Reference Commands RENDER Creates a photorealistic or realistically shaded image of a 3D solid or surface model. RENDERWIN Displays the Render window without starting a rendering operation. RPREF Displays or hides the Advanced Render Settings palette for access to advanced rendering settings.
RENDER Creates a photorealistic or realistically shaded image of a 3D solid or surface model. Save Copies of Rendered Images You can save copies of images that are part of a drawing’s render history. With the Save Copy option, located in the Render Window, you can save a rendered image to a new location even though an output path may already be set. This is useful if you want to re-render a history entry and compare the new image with the previous.
® Autodesk products continually improve their ability to share drawings and ® ® ® models, including 3ds Max , Autodesk VIZ, AutoCAD Architecture, and ® AutoCAD Mechanical. 3ds Max or Autodesk VIZ With these products, you can make greater improvements on your models. You have the option of opening DWG or DXF files without converting or you can use the File Link Manager to create a live link with a drawing file.
Lights, Materials, and Cameras Lights, materials, and cameras have been improved but some older drawings may contain AutoShade information, such as lights, scene blocks, and camera blocks. Lights and materials used in older drawings can be converted. AutoCAD 2008 introduced the 3DCONVERSIONMODE system variable. With the system variable set to the default value of 1, lighting and materials are automatically converted for older drawings.
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Glossary Commands associated with definitions are shown in parentheses at the end of the definition. 3D mesh primitive Basic mesh forms such as boxes, cones, cylinders, pyramids, wedges, spheres, and tori. 3D view Any view where the UCS icon appears in rendered colored form; current visual style is not 2D Wireframe, and the model is being viewed from an isometric view. 3Dconnexion Set of navigation tools used to reorient the current view of a model with a 3Dconnexion device.
adaptive degradation A method of controlling performance that turns off features in a certain order when performance falls below a specified level. adaptive sampling A method to accelerate the anti-aliasing process within the bounds of the sample matrix size. See also anti-aliasing. adjacent cell selection A selection of table cells that share at least one boundary with another cell in the same selection.
ambient light Light that illuminates all surfaces of a model with equal intensity. Ambient light has no single source or direction and does not diminish in intensity over distance. angular dimension A dimension that measures angles or arc segments and consists of text, extension lines, and leaders. (DIMANGULAR) angular unit The unit of measurement for an angle. Angular units can be measured in decimal degrees, degrees/minutes/seconds, grads, and radians.
or key, arranged so a computer can examine the collection and retrieve data with the key. arrowhead A terminator, such as an arrowhead, slash, or dot, at the end of a dimension line showing where a dimension begins and ends. aspect ratio Ratio of display width to height. associative dimension A dimension that automatically adapts as the associated geometry is modified. Controlled by the DIMASSOC system variable. See also nonassociative dimension and exploded dimension.
attribute tag A text string associated with an attribute that identifies a particular attribute during extraction from the drawing database. See also attribute definition, attribute prompt, and attribute value. attribute value The alphanumeric information associated with an attribute tag. See also attribute definition, attribute prompt, and attribute tag.
bitmap The digital representation of an image having bits referenced to pixels. In color graphics, a different value represents each red, green, and blue component of a pixel. blips Temporary screen markers displayed in the drawing area when you specify a point or select objects. (BLIPMODE) block A generic term for one or more objects that are combined to create a single object. Commonly used for either block definition or block reference. See also block definition and block reference.
bounded area A closed area that consists of a single object (such as a circle) or of multiple, coplanar objects that overlap. You can insert hatch fills within bounded areas. Bounded areas are also used to create 3D objects through extrusion by using the PRESSPULL command. bulge magnitude The amount of curvature where two surfaces meet. This only applies to surfaces that have G1 or G2 continuity.
associated with that parameter, just as if you had edited the parameter in the block reference through a grip or custom property. circular external reference An externally referenced drawing (xref) that references itself directly or indirectly. The xref that creates the circular condition is ignored. clamp curve A smooth, closed curve such as a circle. Because it has a vertex that is tangent to the object, if the curve is reshaped, it may create kinks. See also periodic curve.
Rules that govern the position, slope, tangency, dimensions, and relationships among objects in a geometry. construction plane See workplane. contextual ribbon tab A ribbon tab that is displayed only when a particular type of object or when a particular command is executed. For example, selecting a hatch or table, or executing the mtext command brings up the corresponding contextual menu.
crease A sharpened ridge that defines one or more edges of a mesh face subobject. (MESHCREASE) cross sections Generally, curves or lines that define the profile (shape) of a lofted solid or surface. Cross sections can be open or closed. A lofted solid or surface is drawn in the space between the cross sections. (LOFT) crosshairs A type of cursor consisting of two lines that intersect. crossing selection A rectangular area drawn to select objects fully or partly within its borders.
CV hull A NURBS surface is modified through its control vertices (CV) hull. It consists of the control vertices and the lines that connect them in the U and V directions The hull sits outside of (not on) the surface. NURBS curves do not have a CV hull; they only have control vertices. data link A connection between a table and an external source of data. decimal degrees A notation for specifying latitude and longitude. For example, 35.1234°, 100.5678°.
dependency highlighting In a dynamic block definition, how associated objects are displayed when you select a parameter, grip, or action. dependent named objects (in xrefs) Named objects brought into a drawing by an external reference. See also named object and symbol table. dependent symbols See dependent named objects (in xrefs). DGN underlay See underlay. DIESEL For Direct Interpretively Evaluated String Expression Language.
drawing extents The smallest rectangle that contains all objects in a drawing, positioned on the screen to display the largest possible view of all objects. (ZOOM) drawing limits See grid limits. drawing set A collection of drawings assembled using the Publish dialog box. drawing state A collection of known settings that define the behavioral properties of the drawing environment and/or drawing at a known period of time, such as when an action macro was recorded or before the playback of an action macro.
DWF underlay See underlay. DWFx A version of DWF based on the XML Paper Specification (XPS) from Microsoft. DWFx enables DWF files to be viewed using the free Microsoft XPS Viewer. Generically referred to as DWF. DWG Standard file format for saving vector graphics. See also DWF and DXF. DXF For drawing interchange format. An ASCII or binary file format of a drawing file for exporting drawings to other applications or for importing drawings from other applications. See also DWF and DWG.
empty selection set A selection set that contains no objects. enterprise customization file A CUI file that is typically controlled by a CAD manager. It is often accessed by many users and is stored in a shared network location. The file is read-only to users to prevent the data in the file from being changed. A CAD manager creates an enterprise CUI file by modifying a main CUI file and then saving the file to the support location defined in the Options dialog box, Files tab.
facet The underlying structure of the face of a 3D solid, surface, or mesh. Facets can be quadrilateral or triangular. Smoothing a mesh object increases the number of facets for each face. feature control frame The tolerance that applies to specific features or patterns of features. Feature control frames always contain at least a geometric characteristic symbol to indicate the type of control and a tolerance value to indicate the amount of acceptable variation.
footcandle The American unit of illuminance (symbol: fc). Lm/ft^2. footcandle The American unit of illuminance (symbol: fc). Lm/ft^2 frame An individual, static image in an animated sequence. See also motion path. freeze A setting that suppresses the display of objects on selected layers. Objects on frozen layers are not displayed, regenerated, or plotted. Freezing layers shortens regenerating time. See also thaw. (LAYER) front faces Faces with their normals pointed outward.
global illumination An indirect illumination technique that allows for effects such as color bleeding. As light hits a colored object in the model, photons bounce to adjacent objects and tint them with the color of the original object. Gooch shading A type of shading that uses a transition from cool to warm colors rather than from dark to light. graphics area See drawing area. graphics window See AutoCAD window and drawing area. grid An area covered with regularly spaced dots or lines to aid drawing.
HDI For Heidi Device Interface. An interface for developing device drivers that are required for peripherals to work with the program and other Autodesk products. heads-up display (HUD) The process of transparently displaying user interface elements on top of or over the drawing area without obscuring the view of the objects drawn on the drawing area. helix An open 2D or 3D spiral. (HELIX) Help menu The legacy way to access online Help.
initial environment The variables and settings for new drawings as defined by the default drawing template, such as acad.dwg or acadiso.dwg. See also template drawing. input property In a dynamic block definition, a parameter property other than that of a lookup, alignment, or base point parameter that you can add as a column to a lookup table.
landing gap An optional space between a leader tail and the leader content. layer A logical grouping of data that are like transparent acetate overlays on a drawing. You can view layers individually or in combination. (LAYER) layer index A list showing the objects on each layer. A layer index is used to locate what portion of the drawing is read when you partially open a drawing. Saving a layer index with a drawing also enhances performance when you work with external references.
Longitude begins at 0 degrees at the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, England and is measured from -180 to 180. Latitude is 0 degrees at the equator and is measured from -90 to 90. lofted solid/surface A solid or surface that is drawn through a set of two or more cross-section curves. The cross sections define the profile (shape) of the resulting solid or surface. Cross sections (generally, curves or lines) can be open or closed.
merge In tables, an adjacent cell selection that has been combined into a single cell. mesh A tessellated, or subdivided object type that is defined by faces, edges, and vertices. Mesh can be smoothed to achieve a more rounded appearance and creased to introduce ridges. Before AutoCAD 2010, only the less modifiable polygon and polyface mesh was available. mini wheels The small version of SteeringWheels. No labels are displayed on any of the wedges and they are often the size of the cursor.
navigation bar Navigation tools that are common across multiple Autodesk programs. The unified navigation tools include Autodesk® ViewCube®, SteeringWheels®, ShowMotion®, and 3Dconnexion®. node An object snap specification to locate points, dimension definition points, and dimension text origins. nonassociative dimension A dimension that does not automatically change as the associated geometry is modified. Controlled by the DIMASSOC system variable. See also associative dimension and exploded dimension.
opacity map Projection of opaque and transparent areas onto objects, creating the effect of a solid surface with holes or gaps. origin The point where coordinate axes intersect. For example, the origin of a Cartesian coordinate system is where the X, Y, and Z axes meet at 0,0,0. Ortho mode A setting that limits pointing device input to horizontal or vertical (relative to the current snap angle and the user coordinate system). See also snap angle and user coordinate system (UCS).
path curve Defines the direction and length that a profile curve is lofted, swept, or extruded to create a solid or surface. (SWEEP, LOFT, EXTRUDE) PC2 file Complete plotter configuration file. PC2 files contain all plot settings and device-specific settings that were saved in previous versions. See also PCP file and PC3 file. PC3 file Partial plotter configuration file.
photon map A technique to generate the indirect illumination effects of global illumination used by the renderer. When it calculates indirect illumination, the renderer traces photons emitted from a light. The photon is traced through the model, being reflected or transmitted by objects, until it strikes a diffuse surface. When it strikes a surface, the photon is stored in the photon map. photorealistic rendering Rendering that resembles a photograph.
plot style table A set of plot styles. Plot styles are defined in plot style tables and apply to objects only when the plot style table is attached to a layout or viewport. plug-ins Plug-ins are libraries of reuseable content that extend the functionality of AutoCAD. Plug-ins are created by third party developers and can be accessed from the Featured Technologies and Content channel of the Communications Center on page 8. PMP file Plot Model Parameter.
pre-selection set A selection set of objects that is defined prior to the execution of an action macro. primary table fragment The fragment of a broken table that contains the beginning set of rows up to the first table break. primitive Basic 3D forms such as boxes, cones, cylinders, pyramids, wedges, spheres, and tori. You can create primitive meshes and primitive 3D solid objects. procedural materials Materials that generate a 3D pattern in two or more colors, and apply it to an object.
ray-traced shadows A way that the renderer can generate shadows. Ray tracing traces the path of rays sampled from the light source. Shadows appear where rays have been blocked by objects. Ray-traced shadows have sharp edges. Ray-traced shadows are active when Shadow Map is turned off on the Advanced Render Settings palette. recorded value The input captured during the recording of an action macro for a sub-prompt of a command.
relax constraints Ability to temporarily ignore constraints while editing geometry. After the geometry is edited, the constraints are either removed or retained based on whether the constraint is still valid for the edited geometry. request user input An item that is assigned to an action node that pauses the playback of an action macro so a user can provide some form of input before playback resumes. reverse lookup Adds a lookup grip to a dynamic block reference.
RSS feed Information published by a website to which you subscribe. Usually allows users to receive notifications when new content (articles) are posted. RSS stands for Rich Site Summary (or Really Simple Syndication). rubber-band line A line that stretches dynamically on the screen with the movement of the cursor. One endpoint of the line is attached to a point in your drawing, and the other is attached to the moving cursor.
transparent or translucent objects. On the other hand, shadow maps can have soft-edged shadows, which ray-traced shadows cannot. Shadow mapped shadows provide softer edges and can require less calculation time than ray-traced shadows, but are less accurate. On the Advanced Render Settings palette, shadow mapped shadows are active when Shadow Map is turned on. ShapeManager ShapeManager is the Autodesk technology that provides 3D solid modeling to AutoCAD and other products.
slide library A collection of slide files organized for convenient retrieval and display. Slide library names have the extension .slb and are created with the slidelib.exe utility. slide-out panel An area on the ribbon associated with a ribbon panel. A slide-out panel contains additional tools and controls. See also ribbon panel and ribbon. smooth shading Smoothing of the edges between polygon faces. smoothness A property of mesh objects that controls the roundness of the object.
polyline, passes through the first and last control points unless the original polyline was closed. split face A mesh face that has been subdivided along a specified vector. STB file For plot style table file. Contains plot styles and their characteristics. SteeringWheels Tool set that provides access to 2D and 3D navigation tools.
table A rectangular array of cells that contain annotation, primarily text but also blocks. In the AEC industry, tables are often referred to as “schedules” and contain information about the materials needed for the construction of the building being designed. In the manufacturing industry, they are often referred to as “BOM” (bills of materials). (TABLE) table break The point at the bottom of a table row where the table will be split into a supplementary table fragment.
A small instructional message that appears over the drawing window and is specific to the active navigation tool from the SteeringWheels. toolbar Part of the interface containing icons that represent commands. tooltip A small box of text that identifies or explains an object or interface element when the cursor hovers near or over it. tracking A way to locate a point relative to other points on the drawing. tracking menu A cluster of buttons that follows the cursor as you move it over the window.
notification. Underlays cannot be bound to a drawing. See also external reference (xref). up direction A vector defining what direction is Up. By default this is the positive Z – axis (0,0,+1). The up direction and the north direction are always constrained such that they are perpendicular to each other. user coordinate system (UCS) A user-defined coordinate system that defines the orientation of the X, Y, and Z axes in 3D space. The UCS determines the default placement of geometry in a drawing.
ViewCube User interface element that displays the current orientation of a model, and allows you to interactively rotate the current view or restore a preset view. viewpoint The location in 3D model space from which you are viewing a model. See also view and viewport. (3DORBIT, DVIEW, VPOINT) viewport A bounded area that displays some portion of the model space of a drawing. The TILEMODE system variable determines the type of viewport created. 1.
window selection A rectangular area specified in the drawing area to select multiple objects at the same time. See also crossing selection, polygon window selection. wipeout object A polygonal area that masks underlying objects with the current background color. This area is bounded by the wipeout frame, which you can turn on for editing and turn off for plotting. wireframe model The representation of an object using lines and curves to represent its boundaries.
Index 2D Cartesian coordinates 549 coordinate filters 606 entering 552 2D coordinates Cartesian 549 entering 552 polar 549 2D Drafting & Annotation workspace 148 2D isometric views 2001 2D Navigation wheel 316 2D objects flattened views of 3D objects 1218 sectioning 1213 simplified display 540 simulating 3D 2001 2D polar coordinates 549, 554 2D UCS icon 576 2D wireframe visual style 257 3D arrays 754 3D Cartesian coordinates coordinate filters 606 defining 3D views 254 entering 556 3D coordinates Cartesian
motion path animations 359 navigating views 287 outputting physical models 1660 parallel views 247 performance issues and 277, 279, 282 perspective views 118, 247 preview animations 356 properties 1144 rendering 2101 shadows 267 subobjects 1119 sun and sky 2057 thickness 1087 types of 961 viewing 1092 visual styles 257 weblights 2028 wireframes 1083 3D mouse devices 369 3D Move gizmo 1093, 1099 3D objects aligning 749 arrays 754 AutoCAD LT functionality 1826 Block Editor and 904 coordinates 556 edge display
gizmos 1109 grips 1109, 1115 history 1134, 1144 imprinting objects on 1142 interferences 1012 lofting 976, 1117 mass properties 625 meshes 1067, 1081 modifying 1091 polysolids 1000 pressing or pulling areas 1141 primitives 1144 properties 1144 revolving 980, 1117 separating into original shapes 1137 shells 1138 slicing 1010 smoothness 2109 solid primitives 983, 987 subobjects 1119 surfaces 1014 sweeping 972, 1116 types 987 types of 967 validating 1139 vertices 1119 wireframes 1083 3D space 3D models 961 coo
ACIS files 1739, 1815 Acrobat PDF files layers and 1760 plotting 1615 underlays 1749–1750 action macros playback 157 action parameters 859 actions dependencies 922 actions (dynamic blocks) about 925 array actions 932 Block Authoring palettes 907 Block Editor display 920 Chain Actions property 937 flip actions 931 grips and 948 lookup tables and 933 move actions 926 overriding 947 parameter sets and 907 polar stretch actions 930 properties 940 rotate actions 930 scale actions 927 selection sets 925 stretch a
spotlights 2050 sunlight 2057 unit types 550 angular constraints 826 angular dimensions breaks in 1492 creating 1480 definition points 1509 spacing between 1497 angular units 170 animations motion path animation 359 preview animations 356 ShowMotion 340 anisotropic light distributions 2028 annotation objects annotative styles 1233 blocks as 1247 creating 1229 data extraction and 1844 defined 1225 dimensions as 1239, 1461 hatches as 1250 leaders as 1244 model space and 385 multileaders as 1244 orientation 12
ASE links 1913 Asian fonts 1369, 1376 aspect ratio OLE objects 1729 rendering 2125 association points of dimensions 1511 associative dimensions about 1421 annotation objects and 1240 association points 1511 changing associativity 1512 leader objects and 1340 limitations 1422 modifying 1508, 1511 previous release formats and 1823 updating 1422 associative hatches creating 1267 defined 1260 exploding 786 extents 1291 associative surfaces about 1014 creating 968, 1036 associative text 1337 atmospheric renderin
axes coloring 109 constraining movement to 1099 constraining rotation to 1103 constraining scale to 1104 positive direction of 566 reflection lines 931 right-hand rule 566 WCS 562 B B-splines 1031 back faces of 3D solids 2103 back-face culling 2104 back, moving objects to 545 background colors drawings 109 hatches 1273 text 1309 background publishing 1622 backgrounds rendering effects 2116 underlays 1766 visual styles and 267 backup files restoring drawings from 211 saving 197 sheet set data 437 base point
block libraries 873 colors 870 copying 873 creating 865 cross sections as 1213 database links in 1881 dependencies 922 descriptions 890 drawing files as 853, 867 dynamic block definitions 901 fields in 1352, 1358 hyperlinks in 1951 in-place editing 1692 inserting blocks 853 linetypes 870 lineweights 870 model space settings 386 modifying 889, 1691–1692 object properties 870 OLE objects in 1700 publishing 3D files and 1653 removing 863 saving 910 tool palettes 874 updating 98, 890 Block Editor about 904 Bloc
layout viewports 407 polylines 650, 672 recreating 1293 regions 688 zooming to 236 boundary sets defined 650 hatches 1269 polylines 672 bounded areas 1141 bounded hatches 1260 boxes 3D solids 987 mesh boxes 1049 modifying 1144 BP3 files 1644 breaking objects 783 OLE links 1722 breaks in dimensions 1492 brightness 1791 bringing objects to front 545 building queries 1897, 1903 bulge magnitude 1016 bulleted lists 1317 bullets 1317 bump maps 2086 bumpy surfaces 2075 Buzzsaw location shortcuts 1960 Buzzsaw proje
cell ranges 1412 formulas in 1412 merging 1399 modifying 1398 text in 1407 center location overrides 1475 center marks in dimensions 1420, 1474 Center tool 323 centerlines in dimensions 1420, 1474 centers of gravity 625 certificate authorities 1929, 1941 certification of hardware and software 280 Chain Actions property 937 chamfering 3D solids 1128 hatch boundaries 779 objects 778 characters formatting 1315, 1364 height 1374 international 1368 password characters 1922 PostScript rendering 1813 query operato
applying 513 backgrounds 1766 blocks 870–871 changing 516 color books 519 color intensity 1598 color palettes 513 converting to grayscale 1598 current color 513–514 defaults 474 DIC color guide 514 dimension elements 1427 display speed and 1800 dithering 1598 edges 1128 filtering selection sets by 703 gradients 2090 grid elements 594 grips 859 layer property overrides 488 layers and 471, 474, 483 lighting 2013, 2015, 2023, 2049– 2050 masking objects with 1295 materials 2071 names 514 NURBS surfaces 1165 Pan
SQL queries 1906 text window 58 transparent commands 55 comments digital signatures and 1934 markups and 1995 committing edits 1877 Communication Center about 9 receiving announcements 10 settings 11 compass (ViewCube) 296 composite regions 688 composite solids 3D solids 1008, 1134 history 1134 modifying 1136 modifying original components 1136 selecting subobjects 1110 separating into original shapes 1137 composite surfaces 1136 composite tolerances 1518 compound objects 786 compression JPEG files 1812 text
construction lines drawing 684 modifying 695 context menus 65 contextual fields 1358 continued dimensions 1469 continuity (surfaces) 1016, 1158, 1162 Continuous Orbit tool 287 contrast in raster images 1766, 1791 control points on splines 680, 794, 1035 control vertices 1155, 1157 conversion units 1810 converting 3D models to objects 1091 colors to grayscale 1598 database links in older files 1913 DGN files to DWG 1741 dimension units 1449 dimensions to annotations 1240 drawing units 167 drawings to other f
creases limiting distortion 1190 mesh objects 1177–1178 Create Layout wizard 398, 1543 Create Sheet Set wizard 436 cropped regions 2122 cross sectioning 2D and 3D sections 1213 live sectioning 1206 lofting objects and 976, 1117 section objects 1197 crosshairs coloring 109 crossing selections 699 CSV files (comma-separated) 1401 exporting extracted data to 1856 CTB files 1555, 1581, 1588 current viewports 376 cursor coordinate display 550 Dynamic Input and 579 locking movement 605 moving in tables 1407 polar
non-uniform scaling and 1843 notifications 1862 overview 1833 saving settings 1836 selecting objects for 1841 updating data 1858 validation 1853 data extraction tables about 1833 block attributes 882 converting older files and 1820 exporting 1855 formatting 1863 inserting in drawings 1855 modifying 1863, 1866 notifications 1862 organizing data in 1844 table styles 1850 updating 1858 Data Extraction wizard data extraction process 1835 extracting block attributes 882 data links database links 1880 defined 140
data extraction tables 1866 dimension breaks 1494 edges 1127 faces 1124 fillets 776 geometric constraints 810 group definitions 717 hidden surfaces 2103 hyperlinks 1951 layer property overrides 490 layers 480, 483 linetypes 523 multiline vertices 799 objects 721, 724 objects from groups 717 passwords 1925 points in splines 794 sheets 443 table elements 1399 text styles 1364 tools and palettes 84 unused named objects 721 vertices 1132 demand loading (xrefs) about 1709 saving xrefs with indexes 1711– 1712 tem
digital IDs about 1929 certificate authorities 1929, 1941 obtaining 1929 root certificates 1941 digital signatures about 1927 attaching to files 1930, 1932, 1936 comments in 1934 digital IDs 1929 encryption and 1936 file types supported 1932 invalidation of 1929–1930, 1936– 1937 keys 1928 root certificates 1941 signed file information 1938 time stamps 1934 validating 1937–1938 digitized signatures 1928 digitizing coordinates 557 digitizing tablets Tablet mode 661 dimension lines angular dimensions 1480 defi
types 1417, 1464 units of measurement 1446, 1449 values 1448 direct distance entry 550, 613 direction axes 566 disassociated dimensions 1508 discontinuities 1157 display drivers 279 display performance 540, 1800 displaying 3D files 1652 3D solid history 1134 alignment paths 610 annotative objects 1251 constrained objects 919 constraints 816 database links 1885 database tables 1872 dimensional constraints 834 draw order 545 drawing properties 175 drawing units 385 gizmos 1093, 1095 grip tools (gizmos) 1093 g
curved objects 663 cylinders 993 direct distance entry 613 donuts 675 ellipses 677 helixes and spirals 682 isometric circles 677, 2003 layout viewports and 401 lines 647 multilines 657 object properties 465 objects 647 Ortho mode 600 parametric drawing 803 polygons 654, 671 polyline arcs 670 polylines 649 polysolids 1000 precision 549 pyramids 997 rays 684 rectangles 654 reference points 683 revision clouds 691 spheres 995 splines 680 squares 654 tangent arcs and lines 666 tori 999 triangles 654 viewports a
converting to AutoCAD LT 1825 copying between 196 counting objects in 22 creating tools from 98 cross sectioning 1197 DesignCenter drawings 98 digital signatures 1927 encryption 1921 exporting 1802 extents 236 extracting data from 1833 file formats 198 file locations 184, 204 finding 174, 203 fitting on paper 1565, 1569 fully constrained drawings 804 geographic location 176 i-drop content in 1969 importing files into 1733 incremental saves 199 information about 21 inserting as blocks 867 international files
DWF Viewer 1981 DWFx files 3D DWFx files 1652 about 1981 exporting 1802 layers 1760 markups 1987 metadata 1647 plotting to 1611 publishing 1621, 1631 security options 1647 sheet set properties in 454 sheet sets and 1636 underlays 1749–1750 viewers 1611, 1645 viewing 1645 web page images 1983 DWG files saving underlays as 1778 DWG to PDF driver 1615 DWS files 220 DWT files saving layouts as 426 sheet creation templates 455 starting drawings 172 DXB files converting to DWG 1740 plotting 1612 DXE files 882, 18
modifying 1126 redundant edges 1139 rendering 2108 surfaces 1142 trimming to 1151 editing 3D models 1091 3D solids 1091, 1122, 1132 block attribute definitions 879 block attributes 892–893 block definitions 889, 1691 block references 889, 1692 cameras 353 columns of text 1331 complex objects 785 composite solids 1136 constrained objects 820, 837 constraints 814, 837 custom objects 1829 data extraction settings 1860 data extraction tables 1863 database records 1877 dictionaries 1388 dimension styles 1427 dim
embedded libraries 2068 embedded objects (OLE) 725, 1717, 1724 encryption about 1921 advanced levels 1924 digital signatures and 1936 drawing properties and 1922, 1927 keys 1924, 1928 environments in databases 1869 EPS files exporting 1813 plotting to 1616 equations parametric constraints 840 erasing objects 721 errors block attribute extraction files 888 correcting 719 dynamic block definitions 910 reporting 213 synchronizing database links 1889 xref error messages 1701 eTransmit feature Buzzsaw sites and
archiving drawings with 1685 attaching 1668, 1680 Autodesk Educational Products 1670 binding 1685, 1699 blocks and 854, 868 circular references 1703 clipping 1686, 1711 constraints 805 copying 1711 database links in 1881 defined 1665 demand loading 1683, 1711–1712, 1714 DesignCenter and 1668 detaching 1679 editing 1691–1692 error messages 1701 exploding 786 External References palette 1669 fields in 1358 freezing layers of 1711 icons 1669 Internet-based xrefs 1967 layer properties 1670 layer states and 507
fade settings raster images 1791 underlays 1766 xref objects 1693 falloff angle of spotlights 2050 Favorites links (DesignCenter) 95 Favorites links (InfoCenter) 10 FBX files about 1734, 1807 feature classifications 1830 field angle of spotlights 2050 fields (databases) about 1867 attribute extraction and 883 labels 1891 links 1880 fields (text) about 1352 AutoCAD LT functionality 1825 hyperlinks in 1361 previous releases of AutoCAD and 1359 file formats animations 361 attribute extraction files 886 data ex
filtering data extraction properties 1842 dimension types 1422 files for data extraction 1840 layers 479, 494 object selection 22, 703 objects for data extraction 1841 paramenters 847 subobject selection filters 1113, 1191 texture filtering 2126 unreconciled new layers 501, 504 viewport overrides and 487 final gathering 2138 finding commands 27 database records 1877 DesignCenter Online content 102, 105 drawing files 174, 203 files for data extraction updates 1840 InfoCenter information 4–5, 11 materials 207
inserting in table cells 1412 parametric constraints 840 Forward tool 325 FoxPro databases 1870 fractions 1309, 1328, 1460 frame rates in animations 361 frames underlay frames 1772 Free Orbit tool 287 free weblights 2028 freezing layers 473 layers in layout viewports 413 xref layers 1711 front views 254 front, moving objects to 545 FTP sites opening Internet drawings 1954 saving drawings to 1954 full hyperlinks 1944, 1946 Full Navigation wheels 321 full xref paths 1674 fully constrained drawings 804 fully c
Gooch face style 261 Google Earth 176 gradient fills creating 1272 materials maps 2090 simplified display 540 graphics cards 279 grayscale 1598 grid displaying 593 snapping to 593 grid limits calculating 387 overriding 594 zooming to 236 grip modes 729 grip tools (gizmos) 1093 grips 3D meshes 1170 3D solids 1109, 1115 Block Editor display 924 blocks 741 camera grips 352 coincident 789 constrained objects 820, 837 copying objects with 737 dependencies 922 dimension text 1504 dimensional input 580 dimensions
exploding 786 file locations 204 filleting boundaries 774 gradient fills 1272 islands within 1267–1268 ISO patterns 1272 large or complex drawings and 1269 model space settings 386 modifying 1289 nonassociative 1268 orientation 1256 origin point 1278 pattern libraries 1272 pre-defined 1272 properties 1283, 1289 rotating 1290 scaling patterns 1280, 1290 simplified display 540 solid fills 1260 styles 1267–1268 transparency 1283 unbounded hatches 1259, 1286 hats 1485 height table rows 1397 text 1315, 1385 heli
functionality 1969 handles 1983 resources 1968 types of 1969 icons tool palette icons 76 tools 79 IES photometric data files 2028, 2033 IG4 files 1781 ignoring standards violations 223 image maps 2088 imperial units converting to metric 167 linetype definition file for 523 QuickCalc display 633 importing 3D point cloud files 1736 FBX files 1734, 1807 files into drawings 1733 label templates 1912 layer states 511 layouts as sheets 442 link templates 1912 named page setups 1545 OLE objects 1720 plotter config
International (SI) lighting units 2010 international character sets 199, 1368, 1958 Internet attaching xrefs from 1967 Buzzsaw sites 1960 DesignCenter Online 101 FTP sites 1954 navigating to specific locations 1954 network access 1943 opening drawings from 1953 raster images from 1784 saving drawings to 1953 sharing drawings on 1943 transmittal packages 1971 Internet-based drawings 1953 interrupting commands 55 intersecting objects composite solids and 1008 dimension breaks 1495 edges 272 interferences 1012
label blocks annotations 1223, 1235 sheet sets 443 label templates creating 1891 exporting 1912 importing 1912 labels (data labels) attaching 1868 creating 1891 updating 1896 labels (parameters) 940 labels (text) 1300 lamp color 2015, 2023, 2050 lamp intensity 2015, 2023, 2050 landings dimension text 1473 multileader leader lines 1336, 1340 landscape orientation 1542, 1567 languages dictionaries 1388 previous release file formats 1821 Unicode text 1958 working internationally 1958 large objects 183, 200, 19
preventing selection 701 previous release formats and 1818 properties 482–483 reconciled 501, 504 referenced 480 restoring layer states 506 saving 505 selecting 480 settings 482 sorting 494 thawing 473 transparency 474, 543 turning on or off 473 underlays and 1751, 1760 undoing changes 483 unlocking 473 unreconciled 501, 504 unused 480 visibility 401, 473 xrefs and 507, 1670, 1711 layout templates 426 layout viewports about 391 accessing model space from 401 aligning views in 420 annotations and 1225, 1227
lens length of cameras 349 lettered lists 1317 LID (luminous intensity distribution) 2033 light glyphs displaying 2005 plotting 2049 settings 2043 lighting about 2005 assigning shapes to 2041 colors 2013, 2015, 2023, 2049–2050 converting older versions of 1820, 2063 default 2005 display options 2043 distant lights 2040, 2051 distribution 2031, 2051 face styles and 262 final gathering 2138 fixtures 2006 guidelines 2012 highlights 263 illuminating scenes 2012 importing 2064 indirect illumination 2136 lamp val
applying 526 blocks 870–871 converted DGN files 1742 current 526 defaults 474 deleting 523 displaying on short segments 531 file locations 204 filtering selection sets by 703 freehand sketches 661 hardware linetypes 522 layers and 471, 483, 527 layout viewports and 419 loading 523 model space settings 386 plot style linetypes 1603 polylines 531 reapplying 527 scaling 419, 529, 1603 lineweights about 532 applying 532 block properties 870 current 537 defaults 474 dimension elements 1427 displaying 535, 537 fi
lofting objects 3D objects 976, 1117 surfaces 1117 log files i-drop content 1969 xrefs 1706 logo startup screen 155 longitude 176 Look tool 326 lookup actions 907, 933 lookup grips 859, 933, 948 lookup parameters 907 lookup properties 933 lookup tables about 933 properties 933 reverse lookup 934 values 934 lumens 2034 luminaire objects 2007, 2033, 2061 luminous intensity distribution (LID) 2033 LZW compression 1784 M M symbol (maximum material condition) 1516 magnet snapping 589 magnifying views 235 major
maximum material condition values 1516 MDB files (Access) 1856, 1870 measurement units about 167 converting 636 coordinates 550 data extraction and 1843 dimension text 1446 dimensions 1449 model space 385 plot scale 1569 QuickCalc display 632 measurements dimensions 1417 equal intervals 615–616, 618 tolerances 1513 memory (RAM) allocating 277 memory tuning 282 menus classic menu bar 47 shortcut menus 65 workspace arrangements 148 merge extend surfaces 1154 merging cells in tables 1399 extracted data 1852 me
MicroStation DGN files 1760 attaching 1749–1750 exporting 1808 importing 1741 terms 1754 migrating Initial Setup 160 minor grid lines 594 mirroring grip methods for 730 lights 2045 objects 729, 761 text 761, 1377 textures 2097 misspellings 1387 MMC symbol (maximum material condition) 1516 model space accessing from layout viewports 401 annotations and 385, 1225, 1227 cameras in 348 defined 391 DGN file conversions and 1742 dimensioning in 1461 display options 123 drawing process in 383, 396 exporting layout
point clouds 1738 polylines 787 printable areas 1566 queries 1910 revision clouds 692 separating objects into shapes 1137 sheet and sheet set properties 451 sheets 442 splines 794 surfaces 1091, 1119, 1122, 1136, 1149 tables 1397, 1407 text 1377, 1391 text styles 1364 tools 71, 84 vertices 1132 visual styles 258 xrefs 1691–1692 molds 1166 moments of inertia 625 monitoring data source changes 1862 drawings for updates 1839 monochrome settings underlays 1766 moonlight 2013 motion path animation about 359 link
previous release file formats and 1819 properties 1309 replacing 1383 stacked 1328 styles 1315, 1363 tabs 1324 text editors 1391 text wrap 1309 Multiline Text Editor 1391 multilines drawing 657 editing commands 800 intersections 799 modifying 799 styles 657, 800 vertices 799 multiple drawings opening 188 switching between 196 multiple hot grip selection 731 multiple-view drawing layouts 391 My Documents folder 184, 204 N named layer states saving 506 named objects CAD standards 217 partially open drawings
nonsystem plotter drivers DXB driver 1612 PDF output 1615 plotting to 1609 PostScript driver 1616 raster driver 1613 nonuniform rational B-spline curves 680 nonuniform scaling 1843 normals of 3D faces about 2103 flipped normals 2126 Not Found raster images 1795 notes annotations 1223, 1235 creating text 1300 markups 1995 notification attached xrefs 1669 changed xrefs 1682 data extraction updates 1835, 1862 new layers added 500 relocated xrefs 1675 standards violations 224 Number of Grips property 948 number
cross sectioning 1197 custom objects 1829 cutting 724 deleting 724 deselecting 696, 699 draw order 545 drawing 647 editing 695, 727 equal intervals on 615 erasing 721 extracting data from 1833 feature classifications 1830 filleting 774 filtering 703 fully-constrained 919 geometric data 620 grouping 713 highlighting 709 isolating 547 joining 784 large objects 183, 200, 1976 layers 471 layout viewports and 401 linetypes 521 lineweights 532 linking to databases 1868, 1880 magnifying 236 masking 1295 mass prope
visual styles 263 open curves 1035 Open Database Connectivity 1869 Open Documents list 32 open meshes 1078 opening attribute extraction files 887 dbConnect Manager 1870 DesignCenter drawings 98 drawings 181, 1953 files 29 files in other formats 1733 files with hyperlinks 1952 files with large objects 183, 200 layouts 188 multiple drawings 188 older files 1817 sheets and sheet sets 442 source applications for OLE objects 1729 templates 1952 operators Boolean operators 1903 calculations 632 database queries 1
Aerial View window 240 dynamic 235 layout viewports 401 Pantone color books 514 paper drawing sets 1628 paper size fitting drawings on 1569 layout settings 1527 modifying 1566 plot scale and 1568 scaling drawings to fit 1535 settings 1562 paper space 391 about 391 blocks and 868 dimensioning in 1462 drawing in 391 exporting objects from 403 hiding objects 1575 layer states and 507 layout work process 397 lineweight display in 535–536 moving objects to model space 397 navigation tools 365 object visibility 4
passwords case sensitivity 1925 characters in 1922 DWF files 1752 encryption passwords 1921, 1923, 1936 entering 1925 password-protected xrefs 1925–1926 published files 1647 removing 1925 viewing passworded drawings 1925 pasting converting data while pasting 725 lists 1319 objects 724 objects from other drawings 196 text 1335 patching surfaces 1025 paths default file locations 184 extruding 1116 linking to cameras 359 lofting 1117 motion path animations 359 raster image files 1798 support files 204 sweeping
luminous intensity distribution (LID) 2033 overview 2010 point lights 2015 properties 2015, 2050 sky settings 2057 spotlights 2023 sun properties and 2056 weblights 2028, 2051 workflow 2006 photon maps 2136, 2138 photorealistic rendering 2101 physical models 1660 pickbox cursor 695 PICT files 1781 pinned files 30 pivot points 328 pixels raster images 1781 removing strays on display 721 placeholder fields 1352 plan views changing viewpoints 255 defined 254 planar closed spline curves 623 planar surfaces 1020
fit options 1535 hardware linetypes 522 layout process and 393 light glyphs 2049 lineweights 533, 536, 1575 model space settings 386 new layer notification and 501 offsets 1533 OLE objects 1718 orientation 1542, 1567 page setups 1523, 1559 paper size 1562 paper space objects 1575 plot scale 1568 plot style tables 1537 plot styles 1575, 1579 positioning image on paper 1565 previewing 1608 publishing 1621 quick start 1553 resolution 1574 scaling drawings for 1535 screened objects 416 section objects 1217 sele
closed 671 drawing 649 editing 785 exploding 786 filleting 776 grips 735, 787 joining 789 linetypes 531 modifying 695, 787 offsetting 759 polyline arcs 670 PostScript rendering 1814 revision clouds 691 simplifying display 540 subobjects 788 wide polylines 650, 671 polysolids drawing 1000 portrait orientation 1542, 1567 PostScript driver plotting with 1617 PostScript files exporting 1813 plotting to 1616 PostScript fonts 1371 precedence in calculations 632 precision calculators 627 coordinate systems 549 cur
lofting 976 profiles (user) about 152 default profiles 152 Initial Setup 152 workspaces and 150 project lines 1430 project sites accessing Buzzsaw sites 1960 creating 1960 projected geometry 1151 projected tolerances 1517 projects currently active 1676 naming 1675 xrefs and 1675 prompts command line 61 dynamic prompts 580 properties 3D solids 1144 blocks 870, 916 cameras 350–351 colors 513 copying 470 dimension lines 1427 dynamic blocks 916 extracting data 1833 fills 1283 floating properties 870 hatches 128
mesh pyramids 1058 modifying 1144 Q quadrant grips 731 quadrants in dimensioning 1481 Query Builder 1898, 1903 Query Editor 1897 query operators 1899, 1903, 1907 querying block attribute data 882 databases 1874, 1897 Quick Access toolbar 48 Quick Properties palette 467 quick queries 1897, 1899 Quick Text mode 540 Quick View tools 188–189, 193 QuickCalc calculator 627 displaying coordinate values 627 R radial dimensions 1473, 1492 radius (fillet) 774 radius dimensions 1473, 1509 RAL color sets 514 RAM allo
recovering after system failures 212 damaged drawings 207 sheet set data 437 recovery audits 208 rectangles drawing 654 modifying 695 rectangular arrays 753 rectangular meshes 1079 redline markups 1987 redoing actions 35, 719 redrawing screen display 721 redundant edges 1139 redundant faces 1139 redundant vertices 1139 Refedit toolbar 1694 Reference Manager about 1676 underlays and 1780 reference parameters 831 reference points drawing 683 offsetting from 614 referenced layers 480 references (xrefs) 1665 re
unreferenced linetypes 523 unused named objects 721 vertices 1132 renaming layers 483 sheets and sheet sets 443 Render (renderer) 2111 render destinations 2119 render history 2139 render presets about 2112 customizing 2114 Render Settings palette 2111 rendering about 2101 advanced techniques 2133 atmospheric effects 2116 background effects 2116 basic techniques 2119 configuring Renderer 2111 displaying images 2144 exporting images 2146 flipped normals 2126 image quality 2128 legacy drawings and 2147 plottin
revision clouds 691 revision clouds 691 revolved meshes 1070 revolving solids 1117 surfaces 1117 revolving objects 980 Rewind tool 332 RFS symbol (regardless of feature size) 1516 ribbon about 37 contextual tabs 1750, 1782 customizing 44 displaying and organizing 38 right-click menus 65 right-hand rule 566 RLC files 1781 root certificates for digital IDs 1941 rotate actions 930 rotated dimensions 1470 rotating 3D objects 747 3D Rotate gizmo 1093, 1102 3D subobjects 1119 3D views 254 block insertion prompts
partial saves 198 preview images 203 profiles 152 publish options 1647 queries 1910 rendered images 2142, 2145 selection filters 703 sheet selections 455 sheet sets 460 spatial indexes 1711 standards files 220 tool palettes 84, 89 UCSs 569 unreconciled layers and 502 viewports 378 views 243 visual fidelity and 198, 1231, 1817 workspaces 150 xref editing changes 1698 scale annotations 1225, 1227, 1253 data extraction and 1843 dimensions 1449, 1461 drawing units 168 drawings 385 layout viewports 410 linetypes
searching database querying 1897 files for data extraction updates 1840 finding commands 27 finding database records 1877 finding DesignCenter Online content 102, 105 finding drawing files 174, 203 finding materials 2078 finding paramenters 847 finding raster images 1798 InfoCenter 4–5, 11 text search and replace 1383 underlay files 1777 section lines 1198 section objects about 1197 cameras and 1212 creating 1199 grips 1208 jogged segments 1204 live sectioning 1206 object states 1209 plotting 1217 propertie
edge display 272 rendering 2109 visual styles 257 shaded UCS icon 576 shaded viewports plotting options 1540, 1571–1572, 1575 resolution settings 1574 Shaded visual style 257 Shaded with Edges visual style 258 shades (colors) 1272 Shades of Gray visual style 258 shadows hardware acceleration and 267 lighting and 2013, 2049 raytraced shadows 2131 rendering 2130 shadow mapping 2130 shadow mode settings 2131 visual styles 267 sheet creation templates 436, 454 sheet list tables 444 Sheet Set Manager about 431 B
SI lighting units 2010 signatures, digital 1927 silhouette edges 272 single-line text creating 1304 editing 1378 height 1374 obliquing angle 1375 orientation 1376 styles 1363 sketching freehand lines 661 Sketchy visual style 258 sky background settings 2057 display options 118 illumination 2057 lighting overview 2006 natural lighting and 2010 slanted text 1375 slicing solids 1010 smooth lighting 262 smooth rendering 1653, 2108 smoothing mesh objects 1172, 1176, 1189 tessellation 1045 snapping (object snaps)
spinning mesh edges 1170 spirals drawing 682 modifying 797 spline-fit polylines extending 766 trimming 766 splines B-splines 1031 calculating geometric data for 623 control points 794 drawing 680 editing 794 fit points 794 grips 735, 794 modifying 695 NURBS splines 1035 offsetting 759 splitting faces 1190 mesh faces 1181 spotlights artifical lighting 2013 attenuation rates 2051 beam angle 2050 falloff angle 2050 field angle 2050 hotspot angle 2050 location 2045 overview 2022 rapid decay area 2050 spreadshee
text 1363 visual 257 subobjects 788, 1119 Subscription Center 7 subsets of sheet sets 439 substitute fonts 1367, 1371 subtracing composite solids 1008 subtracting areas 624 objects 1008 regions 688 sunlight about 2006, 2056 geographic locations 176 natural lighting 2010, 2013 support files search paths 204 surface models 962 surfaces 3D surfaces 1014 about 1014 associative 968, 1036 blending 1023 bulge magnitude 1016 chamfering 1128 composite solids 1134 composite surfaces 1136 constraints 1039 continuity 1
tolerances 1456 wildcard characters 5 xref symbols 1704 symmetrical tolerances 1456 synchronizing database links 1889 syntax command line switches 156 QuickCalc 632 SQL 1897 system variables bitcodes and 57 command line changes and 56 command line entry 56 dialog box display and 61 T tab-delimited text files 1856 table styles 1404 Table toolbar 1399 tables (data extraction) about 1833 block attributes in 882 detaching 1866 exporting 1855 inserting in drawings 1855 modifying 1863 notifications 1862 organizi
temporary files 204 tessellation about 1045 curved solids 2109 mesh objects 1172 refinement 1045 smoothing 1045 test plots 540 testing dynamic blocks 909–910 part dimensions 1490 text alignment 1304, 1348 annotations 1223, 1235 checking spelling 1387 columns in 1331 creating 1300 database labels 1891 dimension text 1437, 1504 editing 1377, 1391 fields 1352 finding and replacing 1383 fonts 1366 height 1374 hyperlinks 1361, 1944 importing 1335 justification 1386 leader objects 1336 mirroring 761, 1377 model s
thickness of objects 1005, 1087 thumbnail previews 34 thumbnails 189 tick marks for dynamic blocks 859 TIFF files attaching 1781 exporting 1811 plotting to 1613 tiling 1800 tiling images 1800 simulating 2092 time angle of sun and 2057 time services 1934 time stamps digital signatures 1934 tints 1272 title sheets 444 titles tables 1405 title blocks 1543 tolerances alignment 1457 annotations 1223, 1239 composite tolerances 1518 datum reference frames 1516 deviation tolerances 1456 geometric tolerances 1513 in
specifying points 612 tracking points 609 training 16 transformations (textures) 2094 translating data from DGN files 1741 translation mapping setup 1743 transmittal packages Buzzsaw sites and 1960 creating 1971 sheet sets 454 underlays and 1779 transmittal setups (saved transmittal settings) 1974 transparency back faces and 2105 hatches 1283 layers 474, 543 materials 2073 objects 543 palettes 76 plot options 544, 1540, 1575 raster images 1782, 1792 section planes 1210 visual styles 263 windows 134 transpar
External References palette 1774 fade settings 1766 finding files 1777 grips 1763–1764 layers and 1760 listing 1775 monochrome settings 1766 object snaps 1764 PDF files 1749–1750 previous release formats and 1818 Reference Manager and 1780 ribbon contextual tabs 1750 unloading 1759 undoing actions correcting mistakes 719 layer changes 483 Quick Access toolbar 35 Unicode fonts 1368 Unicode text 1309, 1821, 1958 unions 3D solids 1008 regions 688 separating into original shapes 1137 units of measurement about
dimension values 1448 dynamic block parameters 944 key values 1882 lookup tables 934 QuickCalc display 632 suppressing zeros 1453 text fields 1353 variable block attributes 876 variables 638 Vault 1917 VBA macros tools for 74 vector expressions 642 verifying constraints 816 versions of AutoCAD 160, 1822 vertex editing 1132 vertical dimension text 1443 vertical dimensions 1466 vertical ribbon 38 vertical text 1376 vertices 3D solid vertices 1119 creases 1178 deleting 1132 modifying 1132 multilines 799 redund
sheet set views 443 startup routines and 154 sun and sky lighting in 2058 viewports 373 zooming 235 virtual memory 282 virtual pens 1601 visibility annotations 1251 dynamic blocks 953 layers 401, 473 layout viewports and 413 transparency 543 xref layers 1670 visibility parameters 953 visual fidelity annotative objects and 1231 exporting layout objects and 405 previous release file formats and 1817 saving files and 198 Visual FoxPro databases 1870 visual styles animations 361 AutoCAD LT functionality 1826 ba
windows anchored 134 docking 134 interface options 109 resizing 134 selection windows 698 transparency 134 zooming to 236 Windows Clipboard 724 wipeout objects 1295 Wireframe visual style 257 wireframes about 1083 plot options 1540 plotting 1572 witness lines 1430 WMF files exporting 1811 importing 1747 pasting 725 wood patterns 2093 workflows digital design 1982 surface modeling 1156 working sets of reference objects 1693, 1696 workplanes 549, 566 workspaces about 148 profiles and 150 samples 149 startup r
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