Friday Cad News 09

In this weeks Cad News...

• The Oops command explained
• How to make a Record Set.
  
• AutoCAD Transformer......More than meets the eyes.

Frequently asked questions:

"What is the difference between the Oops and the Undo command?" The first thing to understand is that Oops varies from Undo/U in that it only reverses those commands that erase objects. The Erase command is obvious, and the same applies to pre-selecting objects and hitting the Delete key, but the Block and Wblock commands can also erase the objects that go to make up the block. In such cases Oops can be used to restore those objects without undoing the block creation step.

Another difference is that unlike Undo, you can only go back one step with Oops. If you erase one set of objects and later erase another set, issuing two Oops commands will not restore the first set of objects. Where Oops has the advantage is that it can unerase something that you erased 100 commands ago, without undoing the intervening 99 commands.

What happens if you use Oops when there is nothing to unerase? Nothing. Oops simply returns to the Command prompt. Also, there is no short form of the Oops command in standard AutoCAD. O invokes Offset, OO does nothing and OP invokes Options.

Finally, the U and Undo commands interfere with Oops. To see what I mean, select and right-click > Copy the following commands. In an empty drawing, right-click > Paste them into the Command prompt area:
_.Zoom _Win 0,0 10,5 _.Line 1,0 1,2
_.Line 2,0 2,2
_.Line 3,0 3,2
_.Line 4,0 4,2
_.Erase 1,1 2,1
_.Line 5,0 5,2
_.Line 6,0 6,2
_.Move 5,1 6,1 5,3 7,3

This command sequence zooms to a suitable area, draws four lines, erases the first two, draws another two and then moves them to the right. If you use Oops immediately after that, the first two lines will return. However, if instead of doing that you first undo the Move command and then use Oops, the lines will not return. Tips & Tricks

Procedures:

How to create a PDF Record Set of signed/sealed drawings. Click here for details.

Tips & Tricks:

Check out this cool video. It was done completely in AutoCAD!

Friday Cad News Issue 08

In this weeks Cad News...

• Delete even stubborn layers.
• AutoCad Do's and Don'ts
• The .BAK, .SV$, and the .DWL files explained.

Frequently asked questions:

I've had a couple of people ask me recently how to purge/delete a layer that refuses to remove itself from their lives. You know what I mean...you turn off all of the other layers, you check for any entities on this stubborn layer (can't see anything!) and yet it just won't go away! Chances are this layer is referenced in a block, or an old dimension, or some other obscure way and consequently it doesn't see itself as being totally empty. And we all know that if a layer isn't empty or is referenced some place you don't stand a chance of purging it!

Enter the fabulous LAYDEL command! This former Express Tool grew up and became a real live command a couple of releases ago. This super sonic command will be happy to delete a layer regardless of what is on it! In fact - if you the layer is referenced in a block definition it will open up that block...rip out the layer...and redefine the block right there on the fly - imagine that!

Remember though...where there is power there is danger! (so please keep that in mind).

Training:

AutoCAD Do’s and Don’ts

This is always a hot topic amongst CAD managers and most experienced users. These can’t always be followed but that is only in very rare circumstances. Feel free to print this out and frame it for your office.

AutoCAD Don’ts

• Never explode a dimension. When you think it’s necessary to explode one, don’t.
• Never explode a hatch.
• Do not place the Titleblock or border in Model Space. (Like legacy GC)
  
• Do not scale the Titleblock or border, larger or smaller, than 1:1. (Like legacy GC)
  
• Do not scale or rotate reference files. (Like legacy GC) The only exception to this is when you are dealing with a consultant who uses a different scale of units or a different origin. For example, Architectural units and Civil units are different by a factor of 12.
• Do not “plot to fit” when plotting a drawing. Force the drawing to an accurate scale. Contractors and clients will most likely take scale measurements off your drawing. If the scale is off even a small amount it could be very costly, or dangerous.
• Do not draw on layer “0”. If you do, move it to the appropriate layer after it’s complete. Excpetion are element inside a block. See the How-To Section on Block Creation.
  

• Do not draw on the “defpoints” layer. This layer is for AutoCAD to use for dimension information. Some users draw viewports on this layer...Don't. Use the VL command to change them to "G-Anno-Nplt" automatically.

AutoCAD Do’s

• Always check over and Spell check a drawing before you plot it.
• Always Save a drawing before you print. Most often a drawing crashes right around the time you finish it and go to plot it out. Most old school users do this already.
  
• Always Purge a drawing before you close it. Use the CD command which will do this for you.
• Whenever possible, use a reference when you have the same information that is shown in more than one drawing.
• Limit the number of reference files you create. Don't create several reference files when a layer will do in one reference!
• Zoom Extents before closing a drawing. Use the CD command which will do this for you.
  
• When drawing dimensions, avoid dog legs (more than three lines in a leader), crossovers, and draw the leaders at a consistent angle whenever possible.
• Make sure the leader actually touches the object it is calling out. Use your object snaps.
• Lock your Model space viewports. Use the LV command to do this quickly.

Tips & Tricks:

The .BAK, .SV$, and the .DWL files explained.

The BAK File:
The BAK file is created from the current DWG when you Save the drawing. The BAK file defaults to the folder in which the related DWG file is saved. It is the same size as the drawing file from which it was generated.

The SV$ File:
The Automatic Save file extension is SV$ (not the oft presumed AC$ which is a temporary file). You configure the time interval at which that file is saved by the savetime command. It is currently set to save every 15 minutes. It is also the same size of the drawing file from which it was generated. These files are saved to a Temp folder on your computer. This folder is located at C:\Document and Settings\Your Username\Local Settings\Temp.

The DWL File:
This is a lock file. I frequently refer to it as the little "traffic cop" file that is created when a drawing is opened so if someone else opens that same drawing while it's open, they receive the "Read Only" notice. This is only 1KB. When a drawing is closed this file will delete itself.

Both the BAK and SV$ files are there to "save the day" if you have a system crash.

Beginning with AutoCad 2006, when you launch AutoCAD after having a system crash, the Drawing Recovery manager appears with the names and related files of the drawings open at the time of the crash. As for the little DWL file, it will automatically go away when the drawing it was locking is closed. If there's a system crash (or any other "illegal exit" of a drawing), it sticks around since it never received the official notice the drawing is closed.

Friday Cad News Issue 07

In this Cad newsletter:

• Dealing with shared cover sheet data with the Engineers.
• Issues with the new plotter.
  
• I can trim a hatch? Really?
  

Frequently asked questions:

"What is the procedure for dealing with the shared data of the cover sheet?"

The title sheets of our projects contain data that all disciplines have to update.
These include but are not limited to:

• Drawing List
• Energy Code Summary
• Design Loads
• Designers of Record

Now with the engineers out of office we need to change the way we deal with this data. Please follow the procedure below to coordinate the cover sheet.

1. Architects shall update all their data on cover sheet as much as possible.
2. Cover sheet is sent to Engineers.
3. Architects should make the file "Read-only" on their end. This can be done by right-clicking on the file in explorer and clicking Properties. In the Properties Dialog Box towards the bottom check the Read-only box.
4. Engineers will update all applicable data and email this back when complete to Architects.
5. Architects shall replace the file in the project directory with the updated one from Engineers.
   

Training:

Scott and I are currently working on trying to resolve some issues AutoCAD has with talking to the TCS300 plotter (color plotter). I suggest if you need to plot several drawings that you make plot files and have Allen run them in the printing dept. We are working on the plotting issues back there as well. Evenually we will have things running correctly.

In the meantime, it is very important that before you leave each day you Log Off. It is not necessary that you shut down the computer all the way.

Just click the START button and click Log Off in the bottom right corner. When you log in the next morning updates are pushed to your computer. Files and/or Settings that Scott and I change to make things perform better will not be updated on your computer unless you Log Off each day.

Tips & Tricks

Many users forget that hatches can be trimmed just like many other AutoCAD object. The only catch is that you must select a boundary for trimming (you can’t just hit enter to select all eligible objects). If the hatch was already associated with the original boundary (i.e. you could stretch the boundary and the hatch would follow), it’ll also be associated with the new boundary.

For hatches that are already non-associative (missing or detached from their boundaries for whatever reason), this can be a much faster method of editing them than deleting & recreating.




Until next week. If there anything I can do to help you let me know.

Thanks
Mike Cipolla

Friday Cad News Issue 06

In this Cad newsletter:

• How to realign the MTEXT Grips to match the text.
• Results on Revit Training.
• Changes to Create Layers command.

Frequently asked questions:

'How do I get the mtext editor box to match the width of the text?"

To force the grips and the bo to match the EXACT width and height of the MTEXT object, simply launch the MTEXT editor (double click on the text) and then double-click on the two arrows on the far right of the ruler bar as seen below.










Presto! The width and height of the grips will automatically readjust itself to match the exact width and height of the MTEXT object.

Training:

The response to last week's poll on Revit was very positive. Scott is getting us setup with a license server and we will be able to check out seats of Revit. Some of you get to see a little of how Revit can save us in the webcast in Wednesday. In the coming weeks we will start training. We are current looking at different ways of training. If anyone has ideas please see me.
Stay tuned for more details.

Tips & Tricks:

I have revised the Create Layers command to work faster and better. Previously you would have to thaw and turn on all layers in order to run the command. This caused problems with sheet setups and layer states. Now it will keep the layer settings how you have them. It will add/correct any layers to match our standards.

Until next week....

Thanks
Mike Cipolla

Friday Cad News Issue 05

In the first newsletter of 2008:

• How to change the way AutoCAD zooms and pans
• Poll on Revit Training
• New command called XBASE

Frequently asked questions:

"How do I change the zoom behavior in AutoCAD so that it immediately displays the new zoom area instead of “flying” into it?"

The “flying” zoom was added to AutoCAD in AutoCAD 2006. It helps you visually maintain your orientation within a drawing as you zoom. However, it can sometimes slow you down because it takes time as it transitions from the original view to the new view. You can control the behavior of these flying zooms, officially called View Transitions, using the VTOPTIONS command, which displays the View Transitions dialog box. Specify the transition speed and performance or disable view transitions completely.

Play around with this and find the one that works the best for you.

Training:

This week's training section is a question. I want to know how interested you are in learning REVIT Architecture. I am currently learning the software and am very impressed so far. For a quick overview of the software and how it works click here. I and many others feel this is the future of CAD for architecture and engineering.

I have included a quick poll on the top-left of manual. Please take a second and give me your input. We will plan our training accordingly.

Tips & Tricks:

In this weeks training section I want to introduce a new command.
The new command is called XBASE.

Now with the Engineering in another location the need for separate baseplans becomes a high priority, I have written a routine the will create the separate baseplans from a single file. So starting with say XNBP and ending up with the new XA-BASE, XE-BASE, XM-BASE, etc.

It does this by selecting all objects on layers starting with “A” and saving them to a new file called XA-BASE, then selecting all objects on layers starting with “E” and saving them to new file named XE-BASE, and so on. Simple programming but, in my tests so far it seems to work well. It should get us 90% of the way. It saves the new baseplans in the same folder as the single baseplan.

Thanks
Mike Cipolla