Autocad Tips

AutoCAD 2010 Contextual Tab States 101

2009-05-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

Please Click the Pic ,you can see Quality Photos

In a previous post, I described contextual ribbon tabs and I listed the default editing modes for which context-sensitive ribbon tabs are displayed including blocks, text, meshes, in-place references, section planes, and tables. The context-sensitive behavior is controlled by contextual tab states, which you can view and modify in the Customize User Interface (CUI) dialog box.

Use the CUI command to access the Customize User Interface dialog box
Expand the Ribbon node
Expand the Contextual Tab States node

A long list of contextual tab states is displayed. Most of them relate to object selection (Arc selected, Attribute selected, Block selected). Others relate to editing modes (Block Editor Mode, Reference Editing Mode). The contextual tab states that are already defined can be expanded to show which tabs will display in those modes.

For example, the Block Editor Contextual Tab and the Block Editor – Close Contextual Merged Tab automatically displays when you enter the Block Editor.

The DGN Underlay Contextual Tab automatically displays when you select a DGN underlay.

While the contextual tab states indicate which tabs to display under what conditions, they do not define the tabs themselves. The tabs are defined, just as they’ve always been, under the Ribbon>Tabs node in the CUI editor.

See More Articles

3D Printing (1)
3D Visualization (4)
Advanced solid modeling: Loft (1)
Animate your 3D models (1)
Animate your 3D models with AutoCAD (1)
Asian Concept (1)
Auto CAD 2008 Lessons (10)
Autocad 2008 (2)
AutoCAD 2009 (17)
AutoCAD 2009 Rollover Tooltips (1)
AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at Quick Properties (1)
AutoCAD 2010 (5)
AutoCAD Design Challenge (1)

Exploring the autolisp SSGET function - part 2

2009-03-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, getting back to the last (ssget) call in part 1...

(ssget "_W"

(list 5.0 5.0)(list 8.0 8.0)

'((0 . "CIRCLE")(-4 . "<")(40 . 1.0))

)

The "_W" is the window selection method. Then we are passing it two points (5,5 and 8,8). Then we are telling it to only accept circle entities. The last two pieces tell it to only accept circles whose radius (DXF code 40) is less than 1.0.

So in summary, this bit of code will search the entire database and return only circles whose radius is less than 1.0 who also lie inside a polygon defined by the corners of 5,5 and 8,8.

The -4 group code is a special code that lets you perform relational testing. There are codes for equal, not equal, less than, less than or equal, greater than, greater than or equal, and two bitwise operators.

This type of filtering works great for locating entities on a certain layer, or that have a certain color or linetype.

(ssget "_X"

 '((0 . "LINE")(8 . "TEMP"))

)

The code above will select all LINE entities on the TEMP layer.

(ssget "_X"

 '((8 . "TEMP")(62 . 3))

)

The code above will select all entity types on the TEMP layer whose color is green (3). Be careful when filtering for color, linetype and lineweight. These filters only apply if the particular property is explicitly set. In the example above, if the color of all entities on the TEMP layer is set to BYLAYER, the selection set will be empty, even if the color of layer TEMP is green (3).

You can use wildcard matching in selection set filtering also.

(ssget "_X"

 '((0 . "DIMENSION")(3 . "DIM##"))

)

The code above will select all dimensions whose dimstyle is DIM## (where the # represents a single numeral). For example, a dimension whose dimstyle is DIM55 or DIM39 will be selected. Dimensions with a dimstyle of DIM4T, DIM777, DIMKK, or DIM are not selected. Other wildcard syntax can be found under the (wcmatch) function in the Autolisp Reference Guide.

You may have figured it out by now, but "AND" is implied when when combining multiple filters such as above. In other words, in the above example, it's going to find entities that have the type dimension AND whose dimension style is DIM##. There may be cases were you want to specify "AND", especially if you are using an "OR" also.

(ssget "X"

'(

   (-4 . "     (-4 . "       (0 . "CIRCLE")

       (40 . 1.0)

     (-4 . "AND<")

     (-4 . "       (0 . "LINE")

       (8 . "ABC")

     (-4 . "AND<")

   (-4 . "OR<")

 )

)

The code above is straight out of the Autolisp Developer's Guide. It creates a selection set out of CIRCLE entities that have a radius of exactly 1.0 and LINE entities on the ABC layer. If you did not use the "OR" condition, then the (ssget) function would be trying to find entities that are a CIRCLE and a LINE, which is obviously impossible. Let's look at one more example.

(ssget '((0 . "POLYLINE,LWPOLYLINE")(-4 . "&")(70 . 1)))

Last, but not least... The code above uses a "bitwise AND" to filter on a bit coded DXF code. In this case, DXF code 70 on a POLYLINE and/or LWPOLYLINE. The goal here is to create a selection set of closed polylines. If DXF code 70 has the "1" bit set, this indicates a closed polyline. However, we cannot simply filter for DXF code 70 = 1, because this is a bit coded field. If LTGEN is turned on and it's a closed polyline, then DXF code 70 will equal 129, not 1. This is why you must use the "&" (Bitwise AND) special filter.

There is much more information in the Autolisp Developer's Guide on advanced selection set handling. Good luck and post some of your examples in the comments section if you want.

Exploring the autolisp SSGET function - part 1

2009-03-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

If you have written routines with Autolisp, then you have probably used the (ssget) function to select entities on the screen, either automatically or by prompting the user.

(ssget) is a powerful function that can do more than you probably realize. Let's look at a simple example.

(ssget '((0 . "TEXT")))

This prompts the user for a general selection set, but only TEXT entities are added to the resulting selection set.

(ssget '((0 . "*TEXT")))

Notice the wild card that was added. This is the same as above, except now any entity type that ends in TEXT is added to the selection set. At first, this looks like a good way to select TEXT and MTEXT, and it is. However, you have to be careful because this will also select RTEXT entities, and if your code is not equipped to deal with RTEXT, it may fail.

(ssget '((0 . "MTEXT,TEXT")))

This is a better way to select MTEXT and TEXT entities. But what if you don't want to bother the user to select entities, you just want to select ALL the MTEXT and TEXT entities in the drawing?

(ssget "_X" '((0 . "MTEXT,TEXT")))

Notice the "_X" that was added. This tells the (ssget) function to evaluate every entity in the drawing and then the filtering mechanism will filter out everything except MTEXT and TEXT. Entities on frozen layers are included when using the "_X" selection method.

Let's look at some other selection methods.

(ssget "_W" (list 5.0 5.0)(list 8.0 8.0))

Above is an example that will select objects inside a window from 5,5 to 8,8.

(ssget "_CP" (list (list 5.0 5.0)(list 8.0 8.0)(list 8.0 3.0)))

The line above will select all entities inside or touching a triangle defined by the points 5,5; 8,8; and 8,3. The CP is for crossing polygon.

The power of (ssget) comes from the incredibly fast filtering that it performs. Can you imagine having to evaluate an entire database of entities and manually filter out all the circles whose radius is less than 1.0 that fall inside a particular polygon? (ssget) can do this very fast. Example below.

(ssget "_W"
(list 5.0 5.0)(list 8.0 8.0)
'((0 . "CIRCLE")(-4 . "<")(40 . 1.0))
)

More details on this code and other examples in part 2.

AutoCAD Design Challenge… See the results

2009-03-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

Wow! There are a lot of ways to get to the same result in AutoCAD!

Thanks to all of you that responded to the Autocad design chalnge Feel free to continue responding (in the comments section of the original post) with your solutions! In the mean time I decided to start posting some of the existing solutions with graphics and demos to help you visualize. There’s something to be learned from each solution… even if a particular step isn't the quickest option for this particular drawing, it might be for a different drawing!

This solution combines several of your solutions into one. It assumes default (install) values, options, and settings and it primarily uses the command line interface (CLI). I counted every click and keystroke (that was the REAL challenge) and included them in parenthesis at the end of each step. If you tend to use buttons and menus instead of the CLI, don’t let this scare you. The buttons and menus are a more intuitive and graphical way to access commands but when it comes to clicks and picks, the CLI is usually more efficient.

You can view a video of this solution or follow the steps below.

X pick (Explode the polyline - 4)
O E 4 pick pick pick pick (Offset the two top lines 4 units up, automatically erasing the two original lines - 12)

F M pick pick pick pick pick pick (Fillet the new lines and the two sets of parallel lines. The multiple options saves a few clicks. Also, notice fillet of two parallel lines automatically creates a 180deg arc between them - 11)

pick pick pick (Grip edit to move the center of the circle to the center of the arc - 3)
pick pick pick (Gotta love grips! - 3)

pick pick erase (In this case it saves you a click to select the Erase tool from the toolbar/ribbon rather than “3 ”... assuming it’s currently displayed, which it is by default - 3)

So, if I counted correctly, the grand total for this solution is 36 picks, clicks, and keystrokes. Not bad!

AutoCAD Design Challenge… You game?

2009-03-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

I’ve been working with AutoCAD 2010 so much that I’ve practically forgotten the *old* way of doing things. Maybe you can help me out! I’ve posted two drawings BEFOREGC.DWG and AFTERGC.DWG. Each drawing includes a closed polyline and two circles.

The only difference between the two drawings is the width of the part as indicated by the red dimensions.

The challenge is to edit the “BEFORE” drawing so that it matches the “AFTER” drawing using default AutoCAD functionality in AutoCAD 2009 or older with the fewest number of clicks. Don’t include dimensions; I only included them in the image for clarification. If you’re up for the challenge, please submit your solution as a comment in this post. Include the number of clicks and the steps to reproduce your solution.

So, what do you think? You game?

AutoCAD 2010... a closer look at the New Features Workshop

2009-03-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

If you’re like me, when you install a new version of AutoCAD you want to jump right in and try it out! I quickly dismiss all the windows that pop up (Initial Setup, New Features Workshop) so that I can start using the new tools.

Suddenly I find myself staring at a blank AutoCAD drawing with no idea what to do. Oh, if I had only taken the time to view the New Features Workshop (NFW), I would know what’s new and where to start! Well, lucky for me (and you), the NFW is available anytime… even if you hastily dismissed it initially!
Instead of staring helplessly at the blank AutoCAD drawing, select New Features Workshop from the Help menu in the upper right corner of the display.

The NFW is an interactive Flash-based tool that introduces you to what’s new in AutoCAD. And, it isn’t only what’s new in AutoCAD 2010. If you’re upgrading from AutoCAD 2007, AutoCAD 2008, or AutoCAD 2009, you can use the NFW to get a quick overview of what’s new to YOU!

For example, if you just upgraded from AutoCAD 2008, select the AutoCAD 2009 option in the NFW to view a list of functionality that was added in AutoCAD 2009, such as the Action Recorder. You can read a brief description and view a demonstration video. Although the demo videos were created in that particular release and it may vary slightly from the AutoCAD 2010 interface, the general idea is the same and will help guide you in the right direction.

And, of course, you’ll want to check out the new AutoCAD 2010 functionality. Did I mention this is my FAVORITE release EVER? Use the NFW to learn about free-form modeling, parametrics, PDF support, and more!

Only a few more weeks until you can get your hands on this awesome release of AutoCAD!

AutoCAD 2010... A closer look at the Quick Access Toolbar

2009-03-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

The Quick Access toolbar, which was introduced in AutoCAD 2009, has been enhanced in AutoCAD 2010. The changes from 2009 (left) to 2010 (right) are subtle but significant.

The Quick Access Toolbar in AutoCAD 2010 offers increased flexibility as well as consistency with other Windows® applications. The Undo and Redo tools include history support and the right-click menu includes new options that enable you to easily remove tools from the toolbar, add separators between tools, and display the Quick Access toolbar above or below the ribbon.

In addition to the right-click menu, the Quick Access toolbar includes a new flyout menu, which displays a list of common tools that you can select to include in the Quick Access toolbar. The flyout menu provides easy access to additional tools using the Command List pane in the CUI Editor. Other options enable you to show the menu bar or display the Quick Access toolbar below the ribbon.

You can further customize the Quick Access toolbar using the new Quick Access toolbars node in the CUI Editor. Create multiple versions of the Quick Access toolbar and then add them to the appropriate workspaces.

AutoCAD 2010…. A closer look at the Ribbon

2009-03-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

The AutoCAD ribbon, introduced in AutoCAD 2009, was a dramatic change from the traditional user interface. It was a new concept to many people, especially those that weren’t yet using Office 2007. Well, a year later, the shock seems to be wearing off and many AutoCAD users are embracing the ribbon! In fact, a recent survey of AutoCAD 2010 beta participants indicates that the ribbon is one their FAVORITE tools. Granted, the ribbon in AutoCAD 2010 offers some significant improvements over the original AutoCAD 2009 version. In AutoCAD 2010, the ribbon provides greater flexibility, easier access to tools, and consistency across Autodesk applications.

You can drag a ribbon panel off the ribbon to display it as a sticky panel. Sticky panels display until you choose the option to Return Panels to Ribbon. They remain visible even if you select a different tab!

The vertical ribbon, which can be displayed by undocking the ribbon from its horizontal position, has been updated to show the tab names along the side. The panel titles are displayed by default and those with additional tools include slide-out panels. When resizing the vertical ribbon, buttons automatically flow to the next or previous row and other elements, such as slider bars, automatically shorten or lengthen.

In addition to these enhancements, the AutoCAD 2010 ribbon provides more customization options. Using the CUI (Customize User Interface) editor, you can import a customized dashboard and define contextual ribbon tab states.

AutoCAD 2010… a closer look at the Application Menu

2009-03-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

AutoCAD 2010 includes a new Application Menu, which is accessible from the big “A” in the upper left corner of the AutoCAD display. At first glance, you might think the Application Menu is just a minor variation of the Menu Browser, which was introduced in AutoCAD 2009. There are many similarities, but there are plenty of differences as well. Let’s take a look at them side-by-side.

The most noticeable difference is the menu list on the left side. In AutoCAD 2009, all of the former drop-down menus (File, Edit, Draw, etc) are listed vertically. None of those menus are listed in the AutoCAD 2010 Application Menu. Instead, the AutoCAD 2010 Application Menu includes tools that are common across software applications.

For example, compare the application menus from Microsoft Office Word 2007 (left) and AutoCAD 2010 (right). A notable difference between these two menus is the Recent/Open documents toggle at the top of the AutoCAD 2010 Application Menu.

Using the Recent/Open Documents toggle you can display a list of recently accessed documents (left) or open documents (right).

AutoCAD 2010… a closer look at Initial Setup

2009-03-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

The first time you launch AutoCAD 2010, you’re presented with the Initial Setup window. The Initial Setup enables you to tailor the AutoCAD environment to meet your needs. You can specify an industry as well as workspace and drawing template preferences.

If you’re not ready to specify the setup options or if you just can’t wait to see the new AutoCAD, you can skip the initial setup and then access it later from the User Preferences tab of the Options dialog box.

When you specify Initial Setup options, AutoCAD automatically creates a new workspace based on your choices and sets it active.

Good Question: Sun Properties

2009-03-16T15:14:00.002-07:00

Today's good question comes from Ivana, who asked why she could no longer edit the Sun Properties Color in AutoCAD 2008. The color is displayed in the Properties window but it is greyed out.

A new variable, LIGHTINGUNITS, was added in AutoCAD 2008 to support photometric lighting. When that variable is enabled, the Sun color can not be edited. If you change the value of LIGHTINGUNITS to 0, photometric lighting is disabled and you can specify the Sun color as you did in the past.

Here is more information from the AutoCAD 2008 Help system:

LIGHTINGUNITS

Controls whether generic or photometric lights are used, and indicates the current lighting units
When this system variable is set to 1 or 2, photometric lighting is enabled; otherwise standard (generic) lighting is used.

0 No lighting units are used and standard (generic) lighting is enabled
1 International lighting units are used and photometric lighting is enabled
2 American lighting units are used and photometric lighting is enabled

Thanks to Ivana for the good question and Lance (from the AutoCAD team) for helping find the answer.

Good Question: Animation Paths

2009-03-16T15:14:00.001-07:00

Today’s good question comes from Binoy. He asked how you can create an animation of an AutoCAD model using a path.

You can use the ANIPATH command, which was introduced in AutoCAD 2007. It is only accessible from the View menu (View>Motion Path Animations) or by typing the command name. Using ANIPATH, you can specify a point or a path for both the camera and the target (where the camera is looking). For example, the camera could be located on a fountain in the middle of a park and the target path could be a circle that goes around the park. The resulting animation would show the park as the camera swivels around a stationary point on the fountain. If, on the other hand, you used the circle as the camera path and the point as the target, the resulting animation would show the fountain as the camera traveled around it.

If you plan on using a path for either the camera or the target (or both), you’ll need to create the path geometry before launching the ANIPATH command. You can use just about logical object for a path (circle, line, polyline, ellipse, spline, etc). You don’t have to define a “point” object in order to specify a point as the camera or target. You can simply snap to an existing object or enter coordinate values.

Kitchen Remodel: Realistic versus Reality

2009-03-16T15:13:00.001-07:00

If you've attended any of my AutoCAD 2007 presentations, you've probably heard me talk about our recent kitchen remodel. This is what the kitchen looked like when we bought our house last summer.

Construction began late last fall and the design decisions were sometimes overwhelming. Fortunately, we were able to use the new conceptual design and visualization tools in AutoCAD 2007 (pre-release) to help us make decisions that would satisfy our wants and needs.

Soon after construction began and (fortunately) before the cabinets were ordered, we decided to modify the kitchen layout based on our appliance choices. Imagine that... clients changing their minds! That never happens! Right? Using the modeling tools in AutoCAD 2007 my husband and I were able to rearrange the design based on our new appliance sizes and feel confident that the space and flow of the kitchen would still meet our needs. In addition, we used the visualization tools to help us choose the tile design, cabinet and granite colors, floor covering, and, let's not forget, the wall color. I wanted to paint some accent walls burgundy but I wasn't about to take the heat from my husband if it was "too pink", "too red", "too dark" or "too much"! So, I painted the walls using AutoCAD first!

For realistic images of the space, I used the Render tool, which takes into consideration lighting and special material properties such as reflectivity.

However, I did most of my visualization work using the Realistic visual style (or a slightly customized version of it). It was easy for us to switch between visual styles. We could assign different visual styles to the many different named views. And, it gave us a good sense of how the space would look using various materials.

And now for reality! So, what do you think?

Yes... we still have our 15-year-old dinette set (above). Do you recognize it from the AutoCAD Release 12 Reference Manual? One of these days we'll have time to shop for a new dinette set.

But wait, there are more burgundy walls to consider. While remodeling the kitchen, we also remodeled the family room and updated the entry way. But those images will have to wait for another time! :-)

Enhancing your views!

2009-03-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

In AutoCAD 2007 you can quickly add realism to your model by associating background images with your named views.

Which view do you think looks more realistic?

It’s easy to associate background images with your named views!

First find (or take) a digital photo of the scene you want to use as the background. I took this photo out the back door of my house.

Use the navigation tools to set an appropriate viewpoint for your model. The Walk tool as well as the Camera and Target Positions are very useful for setting the viewpoint. You can access these tools from the 3D Navigate control panel of the Dashboard.

Some other things to consider when creating your named views include layer visibility, materials, and visual styles. However, you can always change these properties later.

After setting the appropriate view point (and other properties), use the View Manager to create or edit a named view. You can access the View Manager using the VIEW command or by selecting Manage Views from the view drop-down list in the Dashboard.

In the View Manager, choose New to access the New View dialog box. In the New View dialog box, enter the view name. You can set the background image in the New View dialog box when you create the new view or you can set it in the View Manager after you’ve created the view. Choose OK in the New View dialog box to finish creating the named view. I’ll show you how to add an image to an existing named view.

In the View Manager, select the named view to which you want to add a background image. By default, the Background Override is set to . From the drop-down list, select Image. If an image was not previously assigned, the Background dialog box will automatically display, if an image has already been assigned to the view, you can select Edit to access the Background dialog box.

In the Background dialog box, choose Browse and navigate to the digital photo that you want to use. You can choose Adjust Image to change the scale and position (offset) of the image in relation to the view. For example, I used the same photo for both of these views out the back of the house. By adjusting the scale and offset, I was able to position the image for the most interesting effect in each view.

Switching workspaces in AutoCAD 2009

2009-01-03T14:38:00.000-08:00

Workspace switching has been made easier in AutoCAD 2009 by a new tool in the status bar that mimics the functionality in the current Workspaces toolbar.

See the animation below.

This tool is visible by default no matter what workspace is current, unlike the Workspaces toolbar in earlier versions.

http://cadpanacea.com/node/105

AutoCAD 2009 - Bonus Pack 2 - PDF enhancements

2009-01-03T14:36:00.000-08:00

If you have not already heard by now, Autodesk has released "Bonus Pack 2" for AutoCAD 2009. This update includes two PDF enhancements. The first gives you the ability to attach PDF files as underlays. The second includes enhancements to PDF output.

The download is only available for AutoCAD 2009, AutoCAD Revit Architecture Suite 2009, and AutoCAD Revit Structure Suite 2009. Of course it is also only available to subscription customers.

To get this "Bonus Pack", log in to the subscription center and a link should be listed on the front page.

PDF Attach

The new command for attaching a PDF is named PDFATTACH. You can also use the right-click menu in the External References palette. If you attach a vector PDF, you can use object snaps to snap to geometry in the PDF file. This is controlled by the PDFOSNAP system variable. If the PDF contains layer information, use the PDFLAYERS command for on/off control.

You can use the PDFCLIP command to perform clipping operations on the PDF. The frame outline on an attached PDF is controlled by the PDFFRAME system variable. You can adjust the visible properties of the PDF including fade and contrast by using the PDFADJUST command.

PDF Output

A new PC3 file named DWG to PDF Bonus Pack.PC3 is created that includes the enhancements. These enhancements include increased resolution. The readme file recommends a setting of at least 600dpi. TrueType fonts are now embedded instead of converted to graphics. This should reduce file sizes of the PDF files.

Merge control settings are also available in this new driver. This is the "Lines Merge" vs. "Lines Overwrite" setting. You can include layer information in the output PDF now, and automatically display the finished PDF in your PDF viewer when the plot command is finished.

Summary

These are two welcome additions. A quick run through of each feature produced positive results.

It's a shame that this "Bonus Pack" is only for subscription customers. The enhancements to the PDF plot driver should have been included in the initial release in AutoCAD 2007 since these are basic requirements. The PDF attachment feature has been at or near the top of the AUGI wish list for a long time now. Unfortunately, non-subscription users will have to keep wishing for now.

Selection highlighting in AutoCAD

2009-01-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

Starting in AutoCAD 2006, you can specify a highlight color and opacity to your selection areas as illustrated by the green area shown in the example below.

Below is a description of these options and how to change them.

If you want to go through the OPTIONS dialog, open it up and switch to the Selection tab. Click on the Visual Effect Settings button. Everything you need to control is there on the right half of this dialog, shown above.

If you want to change these options with code or a macro, here are the system variable names to do that.

SELECTIONAREA - turns this feature off (0) or on (1).
WINDOWAREACOLOR - sets the color used during a window selection (1-255)
CROSSINGAREACOLOR - sets the color used during a crossing window selection (1-255)
SELECTIONAREAOPACITY - determines the amount of transparency used by the selection area colors (0-100)

Here is an example of setting these variables using lisp

(setvar "selectionarea" 1)
(setvar "windowareacolor" 30)
(setvar "crossingareacolor" 51)
(setvar "selectionareaopacity" 30

More ..
http://cadpanacea.com

AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack 3 – 3D Printing!!

2008-12-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

The newly released AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack #3 provides new and improved 3D printing tools.

STL Output
STL output had been improved with updates to the existing STLOUT and EXPORT commands. Both of these methods for producing STL (stereolithography) files now enable you to select more than one solid and the model is no longer required to lie in the positive XYZ octant of the WCS.

3D Printing
The new 3DPRINT command, available on the Subscription tab of the ribbon, takes advantage of the improvements to STL output as well as providing you with easy access to 3D Printing support and services.

If you select the option to learn more about preparing a 3D model for printing, the Help window is displayed with valuable guidelines to help you avoid printing errors or broken parts when sending your model to a 3D printing service.

When you’re ready to send the 3D model to a printing service, choose the Continue option. The Send to 3D Print Service dialog box is displayed with a preview image and output dimensions, which you can modify. You can then specify the STL file name and location. After creating the STL file, AutoCAD automatically launches a browser window where you can request a quote from one of the featured 3D Printing Service Providers.

The result is a 3D prototype of your AutoCAD model!

Subscription Bonus Pack 2: A closer look at PDF underlays

2008-12-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

After installing the AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack 2, you’ll find PDF listed as one of the available file types in the External Reference Manager. You can attach a PDF file as an underlay to a drawing in the same way that you attach other externally referenced files including DWG, DWF, DGN, and images. You can also use the new PDFATTACH command, available on the Subscription tab in the ribbon, or the command line version, -PDFATTACH. In either case, you’re prompted to select the PDF file and specify typical attachment information including path type, insertion point, scale, and rotation.

After you’ve attached a PDF file to the drawing, you can control the display of the PDF frame, control the display of layers, snap to key points, adjust display properties, and clip the PDF attachment.

PDF Frame
A new system variable, PDFFRAME, enables you to turn the PDF frames on or off. They must be turned on for the PDF attachment to be selectable.

PDF Layers
The new PDFLAYERS command enables you to control layer visibility for the select PDF attachment if the layer information was included in the PDF during the plot process.

Object Snaps
Snap to key point on PDF geometry using familiar object snaps. You can control this behavior, which is enabled by default, with the new PDFOSNAP system variable.

PDF Adjust
You can modify the appearance of a PDF attachment using the new PDFADJUST command, available on the Subscription tab of the ribbon. A command line version, -PDFADJUST, is also available. The controls include Fade, Contrast, and Monochrome and the changes you make affect the plotted output. Adjusting these settings does not alter the original file and does not affect other instances of the PDF underlay in the drawing. All of these settings, as well as an additional control to automatically adjust the underlay colors so they are visible against the drawing background color, are also available in the Properties palette for a selected PDF attachment.

PDF Clip
The new PDFCLIP command (available on the Subscription tab of the ribbon) enables you to clip the PDF attachment by specifying a rectangular or polygonal clipping boundary. You can turn clipping on and off, as well as delete it, using right-click menu options and you can edit the boundary with grips.

Subscription Bonus Pack 2: A closer look at PDF Output

2008-12-07T11:33:00.000-08:00

After installing the AutoCAD 2009 Bonus Pack 2, you’ll find a new AutoCAD PDF option in the Printer/Plotter device list: "DWG to PDF Bonus Pack". The new DWG to PDF driver offers merge control for plot colors, the ability to include layer information and a preview of the plotted PDF. It also offers increased vector resolution and embedded text to provide better output at a reduced file size. To view or modify the default settings, select the DWG to PDF Bonus Pack.pc3 option from the Printer/Plotter list of the Plot dialog box and then choose Properties.

To specify the Merge Control, expand the Graphics node, on the Device and Document Settings tab, and select the Merge Control option. You can choose to make lines overwrite or merge with each other.

The other new PDF settings are available when you select the Custom Properties node and then the Custom Properties button to display the DWG to PDF Properties dialog box.

In the DWG to PDF Properties dialog box, you’ll find the following changes:

Vector resolution
The default vector resolution for PDF output has been increased from 400 dpi to 600 dpi. The new setting delivers both precise lineweights and a reasonable file size.

Font handling
In a PDF file, TrueType fonts are exported as text rather than as graphics. This improves the visual quality of text and also enables highlighting, searching, and copying text within the PDF viewer. When you create a PDF, you can capture some fonts, all fonts, or none. Keep in mind that the more fonts you embed in a PDF file, the larger it becomes. The default behavior of the DWG to PDF driver is to capture fonts you specify (Capture Some), rather than none or all fonts (Capture None or Capture All).

Include Layer Information
Layer information is included in the plotted PDF file so the person viewing the PDF can control layer visibility. To disable this functionality, turn off the option to Include Layer Information.

Open in PDF Viewer
A PDF file automatically displays in the PDF viewer after it is plotted. To disable this functionality, turn off the option to Open in PDF Viewer When Done check box.

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at Quick Properties

2008-12-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

The new Quick Properties functionality in AutoCAD 2009 enables you to view and modify object properties for selected objects. Now, if you’re like me, you’re thinking “How is this any different (or better) than the Properties window that we’ve had since AutoCAD 2000”? Well, it *is* similar, but you can customize Quick Properties so it only displays only the properties that you really care about. The simplified list makes it easier for you to locate the property you want to edit.

Also, the Quick Properties window is displayed right at the cursor when you select an object as opposed to the Properties window, which you might keep on all the time for easy access. With Quick Properties you save screen space *and* barely have to move your mouse to access it!

You can enable/disable Quick Properties functionality using the status bar toggle.

A right-click menu provides options for controlling and customizing the behavior of Quick Properties.

The Settings option displays the new Quick Properties tab in the Drafting Settings dialog box. On the Quick Properties tab, you can specify when and where the Quick Properties window is displayed. And, you can specify the default number of rows to be visible when Auto-collapse is enabled.

When you select an object with Auto-Collapse enabled, only the specified number of rows is displayed until you pass your cursor over the Quick Properties window. Then, the window automatically expands to list all the quick properties.

You can specify which properties are displayed for each type of object using the Customize User Interface (CUI) dialog box, which is easily accessible from the right-click menu or from the Customize button in the upper right-corner of the Quick Properties window. In the CUI dialog box, you can view and edit the list of objects with defined quick properties and add or remove object types to or from the list. For each object type, you can specify which properties will be displayed.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009 Rollover Tooltips

2008-12-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

Auto CAD 2009 Rollover Tool tips

If you’re using AutoCAD 2009, you’ve probably noticed the tool tips that appear when you pass the cursor over an object. These are called rollover tool tips and they’re completely customizable!

You can control their display (on or off) with an option on the Display tab of the Options dialog box.

You can further customize the rollover tooltips by specifying which information you want to display, based on object type. This is the same process you would use to customize the Quick Properties .

In the CUI dialog box, you’ll notice a Rollover Tooltips node right below the Quick Properties node. If you select Rollover Tooltips, the right side of the CUI dialog box will display two panels. The first panel displays a list of common object types for which you might want to customize the rollover tooltips. The second panel displays the general properties that are available for all object types. You can add or remove general properties to quickly change the default tooltip properties that are displayed for every object, regardless of object type.

If you want to customize the rollover tooltips for specific object types, you can select the object in the first panel. If the object is not listed there, select the Edit Object Type List button at the top of the Panel.

Selecting that button displays a list of all available object types. The objects you select in this list determines which ones are displayed in the first panel of the CUI dialog box and, therefore, available for you to customize.

When you select one of these object types in the first panel of the CUI dialog box, all the available properties for that particular object type are displayed in the second panel. You can then select which properties you want to display in the rollover tooltip.

How to 3 Easy Steps to the Beach House Style

2008-09-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

Whether your ultimate seaside retreat is a shingle-style bungalow on the Maine coast or a modern glass house in Malibu, there are certain key factors that give a home ”beach appeal.” Let’s get started

Step1

Beach House Style Effortless - I know it seems like an oxymoron, but it takes time to plan an effortless look. The reward is an easy and welcoming home. Some prefer light shades of blue and green; others prefer bold nautical looks, still others a totally white palette. No matter which way you go, don’t get bogged down with lots of pattern or too many accessories. Choose one item to be the standout in the room.

Step2

Beach House Style Consistent - It’s tempting to feature a bold new paint color in each room, but it can cause a choppy and indecisive look. It’s best to put together a palette of pleasing colors and stick with it; or select one color you love and use it throughout your home.

Step3

Beach House Style Fun - Being at the beach spurs pleasant memories of fun and relaxation. Family photos, collections of shells and beach glass, and marine-life motifs keep it light-hearted. Add lots of character to each room with bedding, accessories and artwork.

The 3D Move Gizmo

2008-09-24T18:49:00.001-07:00

If you work in 3D or if you don’t work in 3D but are thinking about it, you’ll definitely want to learn about the Auto CAD 3D “Gizmos”. The gizmos, also known as grip tools, were introduced in AutoCAD 2007 and provide an efficient and intuitive way for you to edit objects in 3D space.
The Move gizmo enables you to restrict the movement of selected objects or sub-objects to a specified axis or plane. You can activate the Move gizmo using any of the following methods:

Enter the 3DMOVE command at the Command Line and then select the object(s) or sub-object(s) you want to move.
Set the 3D Modeling workspace and choose the 3D Move button from the Modify panel of the Home ribbon tab and then select the object(s) or sub-object(s) you want to move.
Set the current visual style to any 3D visual style and then select an object or sub-object.

When the Move gizmo is activated, it displays the X,Y, and Z axes as thick red, green, and blue vectors. Between each set of axes, is a square representing the plane defined by those axes.

If you pass the cursor over one of the vectors, the vector turns yellow and a continuous line is displayed in the original color indicating the axis of constraint. To constrain movement along the axis, click on the yellow vector.

With the selected object(s) constrained to an axis, you can drag the cursor and enter a displacement value or snap to key points on existing objects.

Only the coordinate value (X, Y, or Z) corresponding to the constrained axis will change.

Good Question: Xref attachment in sheet sets

2008-09-18T07:37:00.006-07:00

Today’s good question comes from Matias, who asked about importing detail drawings into a sheet using the sheet set’s model views tab. As he pointed out, everything looks fine when you drag the view onto a sheet, but when you select the model tab, all the xrefs are on top of each other.

This is, believe it or not, the proper behavior for the sheet set manager. When you drag a view from the Model Views tab, AutoCAD automatically attaches the associated drawing as an xref using the insertion point of 0,0. It looks fine in the layout viewports because AutoCAD controls the layer visibility on a per-viewport basis. However, if you select Model tab, the default layers for all the xref files are turned on and it might look like a big mess. It can seem a little crazy given our traditional way of working in Model space. However, the process of using sheet sets is meant for us to edit only the sheet geometry in the sheet drawings, and edit the model information in the xref files. If you can get in the habit of selecting and opening the xref file through the layout viewport, the overlapping geometry in model space shouldn't bother you… if you don’t select the Model tab, you’ll never see it!

Thanks to Matias for the good question… and PLEASE, don’t let the answer deter you from using sheet sets. Those of us that have made the leap, can’t live with out them!

Publish Collate in the Sheet Set Manager

2008-09-18T07:37:00.005-07:00

When you plot a set of sheets using the Page Setup Override option in the Sheet Set Manager, AutoCAD automatically sends all the sheets to the plot device as a single job (assuming the plot or PDF driver supports multi-sheet plotting). This behavior can be desirable because it enables you to plot an entire sheet set without interruption. However, it can be undesirable because your colleagues must wait for your entire sheet set to finish plotting before they can sneak in quick plots of their own. Fortunately, the PUBLISHCOLLATE system variable in AutoCAD 2008 enables you to control this behavior. If you change PUBLISHCOLLATE from its default value of “1” to a value of “0”. AutoCAD will process each sheet one at a time so that other plots can automatically interject in the plot spool.

Publishing Sheet Sets in Reverse Order

2008-09-18T07:37:00.004-07:00

If you are using sheet set functionality in AutoCAD 2008, you can take advantage of a new option in the right-click menu of the Sheet List tab, which enables you to publish your sheet set in reverse order. When this option is enabled, the sheets that you plot using Publish to Plotter or Publish using Page Setup Override will plot in reverse of how they are listed in the sheet set manager.

Adding layouts to a sheet set in AutoCAD 2008

2008-09-18T07:37:00.003-07:00

If you have attended any of my AutoCAD classes or presentations, you probably know I’m a big fan of sheet set functionality. Sheet sets were introduced in AutoCAD 2005 and subtly enhanced in subsequent releases.

In AutoCAD 2008 you can easily add a layout from the current drawing to the active sheet set. Simply right click over the layout tab and select Import Layout as Sheet from the right click menu. Or, just drag and drop the layout tab onto the sheet list.

Using either of these methods will display the Import Layouts as Sheets dialog box listing all the layouts in the drawing with the specified layout already selected. You can select additional layouts to import. If you’ve created new layouts, you’ll have to save the drawing before they are displayed in the Import Layouts as Sheets dialog box.

Sheets Happen....ed!

2008-09-18T07:37:00.002-07:00

Well, that’s it!!! If you have followed me through the entire Sheets Happen! series to successfully implement your own sheet sets, you now know everything I do about sheet sets! Congrats!

If you’re just getting started, you have the information, now you just need a few minutes, here and there, to begin implementing it.

I posted a final version of the Sheets Happen! document based on the following outline. Note that I added the March 24, 2006 posting, “Automating textual data using fields” for the Creating Fields section and renumbered the Steps from that point (step 14) on. That posting serves as an introduction to sheet set fields even though most of the content from that post can be used without sheet sets.

Good luck and remember these Dos and Don’ts:

Do verify that the block you are editing is the same version as the one being used by the sheet set manager.
Do create a new sheet each time you test updates to your attribute definitions to ensure that you are using the new block definition.
Do erase and reinsert existing block insertions if you have updated the block definition with fields.
Don’t insert fields in attribute values (block instances).
Don’t edit field data (grey text) in a drawing.

Sheets Happen! Step 17: Automating Titleblock Data

2008-09-18T07:37:00.001-07:00

AutoCAD offers considerable flexibility in the way you create and edit your title blocks. For example, you might attach your title block as an external reference but store the title block data as text within each drawing. Alternatively, you might insert your title block in a template file and then edit title block attributes each time you create a new drawing from the template. Regardless of how you create and use your drawing title blocks, you can significantly automate the process of updating title block data by using fields. The field functionality in AutoCAD enables you to include sheet set data in your drawing title blocks so that, as sheet and sheet set information changes, the title block data is always current. To automate your titleblock data, you must replace the existing data with field codes. You can insert field codes using the Field dialog box that is accessible in most text and attribute editing tools. The Field dialog box includes field codes for common data such as current date, sheet number, and drawing name. In addition to using the predefined field codes, you can insert custom sheet set fields that you create yourself.

While there are many ways to create a title block, the most common is to use a block definition with attributes for the various title block data and include that block on the layout of a template file. This is the method I will use as I describe how to automate your title block data but keep in mind that you can apply much of this information to other methods as well.

If your title block is inserted in a template file and I tell you that you need to update your title block to include fields, your first instinct might be to open the template file and edit the title block from there. Although this method will work, it does not offer you instant feedback as you select various sheet set fields because the template file itself is not a sheet in the sheet set. If you make a mistake somewhere along the way, you will spend far more time trying to troubleshoot than you spent on the initial setup. Trust me, I know! The easiest way to add fields to your title block, with the assurance that you are selecting the proper fields, is to work with it as part of the sheet set.

Way back in Sheets Happen! Step 11: Create new sheets , you (hopefully) updated your sheet set properties so that your sheet set uses your existing drawing template to automatically create new sheets in the sheet set. That sheet creation template is, presumably, the same file that you want to update with fields. So, if you create a new sheet in the sheet set and it uses that template, how does the new sheet compare to the template file? It is exactly the same, right? It is just like using the traditional methods of selecting File>New and choosing your template. The new drawing is exactly the same as the template file. The only difference when creating a new sheet as part of a sheet set is that the new drawing is actually a sheet in the sheet set. Because it is a sheet in the sheet set, when you insert sheet set fields, you will immediately know if you have the right field because it will display the current sheet set data. If you add fields directly to the default template file, which is being used by the sheet set but isn’t actually a sheet in the sheet set, your sheet set fields will display as pound “#” signs because AutoCAD has no relevant values to insert.

To ensure that you insert the proper sheet set fields the first time (and minimize the amount of trouble-shooting), I strongly suggest that you create a new sheet in the sheet set, add the fields to the title block, remove the new sheet from the sheet set, and then save the new drawing (with the updated titleblock) over your old template file. I know this sounds complicated but it really isn’t. It is just like making a copy of your template file, updating it and then replacing the old one.

In the Sheet Set Manager, on the Sheet List tab, right-click and choose New Sheet.
In the New Sheet dialog box, enter values for the sheet number and title. Since you will eventually remove this sheet from the sheet set, the values you enter don’t necessarily matter. However, I strongly suggest that you enter meaningful values so that when you insert the sheet number and sheet title fields in your title block, you will get useful feedback to help ensure you have selected the correct sheet set fields. I like to use “SheetNum” and "SheetTitle" for the sheet number and title.
In the Sheet Set Manager, double-click on the new sheet to open it in the drawing editor. This opens the new sheet (drawing file) which is exactly like your template.

Now I’m going to slow down for a few minutes and talk about what NOT to do!
When I teach these classes live, I always ask the audience “If I tell you that I want to update the title block attributes to include fields, what do you think I should do next”. These are the responses (in order) that I typically receive:

Double-click on the titleblock and add fields for each of the attributes. This response is completely understandable because we have been trained to double-click. If you want to change something about an object in the drawing, double-click! Yes, that is the natural response, but you should never double-click on a block reference to add fields to attributes. Why? Because when you double-click on a block reference with attributes, AutoCAD displays the Enhanced Attribute Editor, which is how you edit the “Value” of an attribute instance. It does not enable you to edit the attribute definition itself. Although you could right-click in the Value box and choose Insert Field and everything might appear to work, somewhere down the line (tomorrow, next week, next year) someone is going to erase and reinsert the title block and if you updated the “Value” of the instance rather than the “Default” of the attribute definition, your title block automations will be gone. NEVER add fields to an attribute “value”. Insert them as a “default” in the attribute definition.
BATTMAN. Everyone loves BATTMAN! BATTMAN (Block ATTribute MANager) is a tool that you can use to edit your block attribute definitions without exploding and redefining the block. Yes, this is a natural response and yes, it seems like it should work…. And it does. HOWEVER, attribute functionality was specifically designed (way back) so that if you updated the default value of an attribute in a block definition, those default values would not apply to existing attributes in block insertions. This was intentional behavior because if you had many attributes in many block instances for which you had entered individual attribute values, you might not want all of those values to be instantly replaced by the default value. What about ATTSYNC? ATTSYNC will update existing block insertions to include new/updated attribute definitions but it does NOT update attribute values for existing block insertions. REFEDIT and BEDIT have the same issues as BATTMAN. You can use any of these methods to update the attribute definitions but you must erase and reinsert the title block to ensure that the attributes in the block insertion are using the new attribute definitions. Alternatively, you can simply explode, update, and then redefine the title block. However, keep in mind that if you explode your title block, any dynamic block functionality within the title block definition will be lost.

Access the attribute definitions for each title block attributes for which you want to insert a field using whatever method you choose. (BATTMAN, REFEDIT, BEDIT, EXPLODE). Regardless of the method you choose, you will know you are adding the fields to the attribute definition rather than the attribute value if the label says “Default” instead of “Value”.

Right-click in Default and select Insert Field.

In the Field dialog box, select the appropriate Field category and Field name. The field category and name that you choose depends on the attribute you are currently editing. For example, if you want the attribute to display the current date, you would select the Date & Time field category and the Date field name. Most of the fields that you will use for titleblock data are in the SheetSet field category and the field names begin with “CurrentSheet”. Using the CurrentSheet fields in your title block enables AutoCAD to read the values that apply to any sheet in which the title block is inserted. For example, you will probably want attributes that display the CurrentSheetNumber and CurrentSheetTitle.

If you created custom sheet set properties, you can access them using the CurrentSheetSetCustom and CurrentSheetCustom field names. Of these two custom options, the one you select depends if the custom property you created is owned by the sheet set or by the sheet. A drop-down list enables you to see all of the available custom properties. For example, if you created a custom sheet set property called Project Name, which is owned by the sheet set, you would select the CurrentSheetSetCustom field name and then select Project Name from the Current Property Name list.

As you apply fields to your attribute definitions, you receive instant feedback by seeing the appropriate value displayed. If you do not see a value, the sheet set property has not been assigned a default value. You might find it helpful to include generic default values for all of your sheet set properties. For example, in the Description property for a sheet, enter the words “Sheet Description”. The instant feedback that you receive during the field insertion process is the reason I suggest updating the title block drawing as part of a sheet set rather than editing the template file directly. If you opened the template file without it being part of the sheet set, you would receive no feedback regarding sheet set properties and because it would have no current sheet set to read from, the list of custom property names would be blank requiring you to type the exact name of the custom property rather than selecting it from a list.

You will repeat the process to add fields for each attribute. Below are some examples of typical title block data and the associated fields include one example with multiple fields combined in a single attribute definition. If you want to display the sheet number as 1 OF 20, 2 OF 20, etc. You can insert the Sheet number "OF" and then insert a custom field for the total number of sheets. AutoCAD won't count the sheets for you, but at least you only have to enter the total number of sheets in one location (the sheet set properties) and it can be read throughout the entire sheet set!

After you update all of the titleblock data, you must remove the title block drawing from the sheet set and use it to replace the old sheet creation template.

In the SSM, right-click on the sheet you have been working on and choose Remove Sheet. The drawing is still open but it no longer belongs to the sheet set.
If you used BATTMAN, REFEDIT, or BEDIT to update the attribute definitions, you must erase the existing title block and reinsert it to ensure the attribute values use the newly added fields.

If you used EXPLODE to update the attribute definitions, you must redefine the block (BMAKE).

From the File menu, choose Saveas.
In the Save Drawing As dialog box, select the appropriate file type (DWT, DWG, or DWS), and select the sheet creation template file to overwrite. Prior to saving the file, it is a good idea to verify the file name and path of the sheet creation template in the Sheet Set Properties to ensure that the one you overwrite is the same one that is being used by the sheet set.

After you replace your previous title block template with your new version, you should verify that all the title block fields function properly. You can do this by creating a new sheet using your new template and then reviewing and editing the associated title block data. Once you have verified that your title block data updates appropriately you are good to go! New sheets that you create using your title block will automatically display the current sheet information and, with little effort, you can replace the title blocks in the existing drawing layouts that you imported. Simply erase and purge the old titleblock definition from existing drawings and insert the new titleblock. You don’t have to reenter the attribute data because it is stored in the sheet set and automatically read by the title block fields.

Sheets Happen! Step 16: Create Custom Properties

2008-09-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

The Sheet Set Manager enables you to define custom properties to use as fields in your drawings. You can define custom properties that apply to the entire sheet set or vary per sheet. For example, you might create custom properties for the project name and project number. When you enter values for those properties, you want them to apply to every sheet in the sheet set. Additionally, you might create custom properties indicating who created or reviewed a particular sheet. For those properties, you want the values to vary by sheet.

In the Sheet Set Manager, on the Sheet List tab, right-click on the sheet set title and choose Properties.
In the Sheet Set Properties window, choose Edit Custom Properties.

In the Custom Properties dialog box, choose Add.
In the Add Custom Property dialog box, enter the name, default value and owner for your custom property and repeat the process for each property you want to create. The following image shows examples of some typical custom properties that you may wish to create. Notice that the information which applies to the entire sheet set (i.e. project name, total sheets, etc) is owned by the sheet set and the information that might vary from sheet to sheet is owned by the Sheet. You can enter a default value for any of the custom properties. For example, if most of your projects are for a particular client, you might enter that client name and address in the default values. If the values for those properties always change, you can leave the “value” value as a default or, better yet, enter meaningful data so that when you insert these properties as fields, the field value will help assure you that you’ve selected the proper field. For example, I use TS, DB, and RB for the default values of my Total Sheets, Drawn By, and Reviewed By custom properties.

After you create your custom sheet set properties, you can insert them as fields in your drawings. You can use them anywhere that you can insert a field but the most obvious use for these custom properties is in your titleblock. I’ll cover that in a future post!

Sheets Happen! Step 15: Automating Callout Data

2008-09-08T12:33:00.000-07:00

Most sheet sets contain information that is interrelated. For example, a view on one sheet might refer to a view on a different sheet. Using traditional methods, you can manually maintain the text references between sheets but that process can be tedious and error-prone. You can dramatically improve your productivity and minimize errors by updating your existing blocks to include fields. In addition to automatically updating textual data as changes occur, hyperlinks enable you to quickly open the sheet that is referenced by the callout and zoom to the appropriate view.

The process for automating callout data is very similar to automating block label data . However, unlike view label blocks, you can assign multiple callout blocks to your sheet set. You will need to update the default value of the attributes to include fields. If you have multiple callout block definitions, you will need to repeat this process for each one. If you combined your callout blocks into a single dynamic block as I described in the Dynamic Detour post, you will only have to add fields to that one dynamic block definition.

Open the drawing that contains the callout block from your source library. The callout block might be its own little DWG file or it might be a block definition within another drawing, such as a template.
You will need to edit the Default for each of the attribute definitions. A typical callout block would include attribute definitions for the view number and sheet number. Your block might include additional information as well, but I’ll focus on these two since they are the most common. The method you use to update the attribute definition depends somewhat on whether the block is stored as its own drawing or as a block definition within a drawing. Since I’m already assuming that you know how to create a block definition with attributes, I’m also going to assume that you know how to edit those attribute definitions. This way I don’t have to describe all of the different methods for accessing the attribute definitions. I will describe the most graphical method with which everyone is probably familiar. Realize that you can use any method (Battman, etc) that you want. However, you want to ensure that you are editing the attribute definition NOT just the attribute value in the block instance. How do you know the difference? The attribute definition says “Default”, whereas the attribute value says “Value”. A good rule of thumb is to NEVER insert a field in an attribute “Value”. It may appear to work properly, but if the instance was updated to include a field and the definition was not, the next time someone erases the block instance and reinserts it, the field data will no longer be there.

If your callout block is stored as its own drawing, go to the next step. If your callout block is stored as a block definition within your drawing, insert and explode the callout block (Alternate methods include Battman or the Block Editor. If you are editing a dynamic block, you should use an alternate method because exploding will lose the dynamic block parameters and actions). When you explode a block with attributes, the attribute values (left) are replaced with the attribute definitions (right).

Double-click on the attribute definition which represents the view number.
In the Edit Attribute Definition dialog box, right-click in Default and select Insert Field.

In the Field dialog box, select the SheetSet Field category, the SheetSetPlaceholder Field name, the ViewNumber Placeholder type, specify an appropriate format, select Associate hyperlink, and then choose OK. Using the SheetSetPlaceholder field in your callout block enables you to define block attributes for fields that are not associated with any particular sheet or sheet set. Associating a hyperlink will enable you to click on the inserted callout block to open the associated sheet and zoom into that particular view number.

Select the attribute definition that you just edited, right-click and choose Properties.
In the Properties window, set the Preset property to Yes. Since AutoCAD will enter the attribute value for you (via field data), you do not want to prompt the user to enter the information as you would have done using traditional attribute definitions. Setting the Preset property to yes will prevent AutoCAD from asking for a value when the block is inserted.

Repeat steps 3-7 to add a field to the attribute definition for the sheet number using the SheetNumber placeholder type.
Redefine the callout block using the Block command (not necessary if you use Battman or the Block Editor) and save the drawing.

That is all it takes to make your old callout block(s) smarter! Now you need to assign your callout block(s) to the Callout blocks property in your sheet set.

In the Sheet Set Manager, right-click on the sheet set title and choose Properties.
In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, select Callout Block and choose the button to access the Select Block dialog box.

In the Select Block dialog box, navigate to file that contains your updated callout blocks. As I mentioned previously, your callout blocks might be defined in their own drawing (DWG) or template (DWT) files or they might exist as a block definitions within a larger drawing or template file.
If your callout blocks are individual drawings, select the option: Select the drawing file as a block.
Or
If your callout blocks are definitions within a drawing or template, select the option: Choose blocks in the drawing file and then select the appropriate block definitions.
You can assign any number of callout blocks to a sheet set.

Choose OK to close each of the dialog boxes and accept the changes.

Now you’re ready to test it out!

In the Sheet Set Manager, select the Sheet List tab.
Open a sheet to which you want to add a callout.
Select the View List (Sheet Views) tab. The View List (Sheet Views) tab displays all of the sheet/layout views created by the Sheet Set Manager (see Sheets Happen! Step 14).
Right-click on the view that you want to reference in your callout and choose Place Callout Block. The first time you do this, the Place Callout Block cascading menu option may display the option to Select Blocks. You can choose the Select Blocks option and then select all the callout blocks that you want to be available from the Sheet Set Manager. Subsequent access to the Place Callout Block cascading menu will display all the blocks that you selected.

Select the callout block you want to insert and place it on the sheet. The view and sheet numbers should automatically display in the callout.
Hover the cursor over the callout block and press Ctrl as you select the view or sheet number. If you select the sheet number, AutoCAD will open the appropriate drawing sheet. If you select the view number, AutoCAD will open the drawing as well as zoom into the appropriate view.

Now that your drawing is using field data, it is CRUCIAL that you do not edit those attribute values using traditional methods. For example, if you want to change the view number or sheet number on the callout, it might be very tempting to double-click on the callout block and enter the number for the Value of that block instance. If you do that, the intelligence you gained from fields is gone. Unfortunately there is not currently a way to prevent users from making this mistake so it can only be avoided through education! If you see a field in a drawing (text with a grey background), never edit it! That data is being read from somewhere else and you need to edit the source, not the attribute value! In most cases that I will describe in the Sheets Happen series, that source data should be edited in the Sheet Set Manager. Since a callout is reading the view and sheet numbers from an existing view/sheet, you need to change the view or sheet number on the View List (Sheet Views) or Sheet List tab. Don’t forget to REGEN your drawing to ensure it displays the most current field data.

By the way, if you are familiar with view categories (refer to the Help system for more information), you may wish to use different callout blocks for different types of views. For example, you might have a view category called Elevations that points to one set of callout blocks and a view category called Sections that points to a different set of callout blocks. You can use the View List (Sheet Views) tab to assign callout blocks to different view categories.

Good luck and remember the Dos and Don’ts:

Do verify that the block you are editing is the same version as the one being used by the sheet set manager.
Do create a new sheet each time you test updates to your attribute definitions to ensure that you are using the new block definition.
Don’t insert fields in attribute values (block instances).
Don’t edit field data (grey text) in a drawing.

Sheets Happen! Step 14: Automating View Label Data

2008-09-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

As you learned in my previous Sheets Happen! post, you can assign the Label Block for Views property in your sheet set so that it automatically inserts a label block when you create a view from the Resource Drawings (in AutoCAD 2007 the Resource Drawings tab is called Model Views). While you can manually edit the values for the block data, such as viewport scale, view title, and view number, wouldn’t it be great if that process was automated? It can be! Assuming you already assigned the Label Block for Views property in the Sheet Set Properties according to Sheets Happen! Step 13, you can simply replace the default attribute values with the appropriate Fields! If your label block does not contain attribute definitions, you can define block attributes using traditional methods and then follow this procedure.

Open the drawing containing the source block definition. This is the drawing which is being used by the Label Block for Views in the Sheet Set Properties. It is very important that you make sure you are editing the block definition which is being used by the sheet set. If you are like me, you might have several versions of a block and if you are editing one version, but testing a different version, you will make yourself crazy trying to troubleshoot! Trust me! The time you take verifying that the exact path and file name being used by the sheet set matches the one you are editing, will be worth it!
You will need to edit the Default value for each of the attribute definitions. A typical view label block would include attribute definitions for the view number, name and scale. Your block might include additional information as well, but I’ll focus on these three since they are the most common. The method you use to update the attribute definition depends somewhat on whether the block is stored as its own drawing or as a block definition within a drawing. Since I’m already assuming that you know how to create a block definition with attributes, I’m also going to assume that you know how to edit those attribute definitions. This way I don’t have to describe all of the different methods for accessing the attribute definitions. Instead, I will describe the most graphical method with which everyone is probably familiar. Realize that you can use any method (Battman, etc) that you want.

You want to ensure that you are editing the attribute definition NOT the attribute value in the block instance. How do you know the difference? The attribute definition says “Default”, whereas the attribute value says “Value”. If you insert a field in an attribute “Value”, it may appear to work properly, but if the instance was updated to include a field and the definition was not, the next time someone erases the block instance and reinserts it, the field data will no longer be there.

If your label block is stored as its own drawing, go to the next step. If your label block is stored as a block definition within your drawing, insert and explode the label block (alternate methods include Battman or the Block Editor). When you explode a block with attributes, the attribute values (left) are replaced with the attribute definitions (right).

Double-click on the attribute definition for the view number.
In the Edit Attribute Definition dialog box, right-click in Default and select Insert Field.

In the Field dialog box, select the SheetSet Field category, the SheetSetPlaceholder Field name, the ViewNumber Placeholder type and an appropriate format and then choose OK.

Select the attribute definition that you just edited, right-click and choose Properties.
In the Properties window, set the Preset property to Yes. Since the Field will be entering the attribute value for you, you do not want to prompt the user to enter the information as you would have done using traditional attribute definitions. Setting the Preset property to yes will prevent AutoCAD from asking for a value when the block is inserted.

Repeat steps 3-7 to add fields to each of the attribute definitions by selecting the appropriate Field name. For example, use ViewTitle to display the name of the view and use ViewportScale to display its scale.
Redefine the view label block using the Block command (not necessary if you use Battman or the Block Editor) and save the drawing. Keep in mind that the insertion point you specify will determine how the block is inserted relative to the viewport (see Sheets Happen! Step 13 for more information).

That is all it takes to make your old view label block smarter! Now you can try it out by creating a new sheet and then dragging a view from the Resource Drawings (Model Views) onto the sheet. The view label should automatically display the viewport scale and view title. By default, the view title uses the name of the named model space view or the drawing depending which one you inserted from the Resource Drawings (Model View) list. There is no default number associated with the view but you can easily change the view number and the view title in the Sheet Set Manager using the View List tab (in AutoCAD 2007 the View List tab is called Sheet Views).

In the Sheet Set Manager, select the Sheet List tab.
Right-click and choose New Sheet. When creating and testing sheet set fields, always create a new sheet to ensure that you are using the appropriate (new) definitions. If you add a new view to an existing sheet which already contains your old view label block definition, it will use that definition rather than the one you updated in the source file and you'll spend all your time trying to "fix" a problem that doesn't exist.
Open the new sheet.
Select the Resource Drawings (Model Views) tab and drag a view or drawing onto your sheet. When you add a new view to your sheet, that new view will automatically display on the View List (Sheet Views) tab.
Select the View List (Sheet Views) tab. The View List (Sheet Views) tab displays all of the sheet/layout views created by the Sheet Set Manager. You can display the view list by sheet or by view category (AutoCAD 2005 only displays by view category). I may discuss view categories in a future post, but if you want to learn more about them now, you can refer to the Help system.

Right-click on the newly-created view and choose Rename & Renumber.
In the Rename & Renumber dialog box, you can enter a view number and/or change the view title and then choose OK. The field value in the view label block will update the next time the drawing regenerates (ie during an Open, Save, Plot, etc) or you can use the Regen command to force a regeneration.

Now that your drawing is using field data, it is CRUCIAL that you do not edit those attribute values using traditional methods. For example, if you want to change the view title, it might be tempting to double-click on the inserted view label block and enter the new title. If you do that, you've replaced the dynamic field data with static old text and the intelligence you gained from fields is gone. Unfortunately there is not currently a way to prevent users from making this mistake so it can only be avoided through education! If you see a field in a drawing (text with a grey background), never edit it! That data is being read from somewhere else and you need to edit the source, not the attribute value! In most cases that I will describe, that source data must be edited in the Sheet Set Manager.

Good luck and remember the Dos and Don’ts:

Do verify that the block you are editing is the same version as the one being used by the Sheet Set Manager.
Do create a new sheet each time you test updates to your attribute definitions to ensure that you are using the new block definition.
Don’t insert fields in attribute values (block instances).
Don’t edit field data (grey text) in a drawing.

Sheets Happen! Step 13: Adding View Labels

2008-09-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

When you create sheet views like I described in the previous Sheets Happen post, you probably want those sheet views to be labeled. Using traditional methods, you probably insert a block that uses attributes to display the view number, title and scale. You can continue inserting your view label block just like you’ve always done, or you can save some steps by assigning your view label block as a property in the sheet set.

In the Sheet Set Manager, right-click on the sheet set title and choose Properties.
In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, select Label Block for Views and choose the button to access the Select Block dialog box.

In the Select Block dialog box, navigate to file that defines your standard view label block. Your view label block might be defined in its own drawing (DWG) or template (DWT) file or it might exist as a block definition within a larger drawing or template file.
If your view label is its own file, select the option: Select the drawing file as a block.
Or
If your view label is a block definition within a drawing or template, select the option: Choose blocks in the drawing file and then select the appropriate block definition.
You can only assign one view label block to a sheet set.

Choose OK to close both dialog boxes and accept the changes.

Now when you create new sheet views using the Resource Drawings tab as described in my previous post, AutoCAD will automatically insert the view label block for you. It places the view label block with its insertion point at the lower left corner of the viewport. You can then use traditional methods to enter the view number, name, and scale. But, wouldn’t it be great if AutoCAD entered all of that information for you??? Ahhh Haaaa!! That is why we need Fields! Stay tuned!

Sheets Happen! Step 12: Creating Sheet Views

2008-09-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

Did you think I was done with sheet sets? Not a chance! I’ve just been a little distracted by other activities. I’m sorry about the delay… I know you’re anxious to move on to the really *exciting* topics relating to Fields! Before we get into fields, I’ve decided to squeeze in two more topics (Creating Sheet Views and Adding View Labels) because these are ways you can further increase your efficiency with minimal effort.

In Sheets Happen! Step 11 , you learned how to use your existing template file to create a new sheet. Now I’ll describe how you can quickly add content to that new sheet.

If you were creating “sheets” using traditional tools, you might create a drawing using your template and then attach external references of your model, create viewports on the layouts, set the viewport scale, and insert a view label to describe that particular view or detail. The same concepts apply using sheet set functionality, except the process is automated!

Assuming your xref drawings are in a particular folder on your hard drive (or on a network drive), you can add that folder (or folders) as a sheet set property. This will enable you to have easy access to your xref drawings from within the Sheet Set Manager.

In the Sheet Set Manager, right-click on the sheet set title and choose Properties.
In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, select Resource Drawing Locations and choose the button to access the Resource Drawings Location dialog box.

In the Resource Drawing Locations dialog box, choose Add and navigate to the folders that contain the xrefs (model geometry) that you want easily accessible for this sheet set. You can add as many locations as you want.
Choose OK to close all of the dialog boxes and accept the changes.

So far all of our work in the Sheet Set Manager has been on the Sheet List tab. However, as you have probably noticed, there are two other tabs: Resource Drawings and View List. The Resource Drawings tab displays a tree view of the resource drawing locations you added in step 3 above and you can add locations directly from the Resource Drawings tab. If you expand the file location node, you can see all the folders and drawings in that location. If you expand a drawing node, you will see the named modelspace views within that drawing. If the drawing does not contain named modelspace views, it will only expand as far as the drawing file itself.

Using the Resource Drawings tab, you can easily add content to your sheets. Rather than going through the manual process of attaching an xref and creating and scaling a modelspace viewport, you simply drag a resource drawing onto your sheet.

In the Sheet Set Manager, select the Sheet List tab.
On the Sheet List tab, open a sheet to which you want to add content.
Select the Resource Drawings tab.
On the Resource Drawings tab, navigate to the drawing file you want to attach as an xref in your sheet.

Select a drawing or named modelspace view within the drawing and drag it onto the sheet. You can simply pick a point on the layout and AutoCAD will automatically determine an appropriate scale based on the size of the drawing/view and layout. However, since you probably want the new layout viewport to be at a particular scale, you can specify the scale before you place the viewport on the layout.
Before you specify the insertion point for the new viewport, right-click and select an appropriate scale from the list.

Specify the insertion point to place the viewport in the drawing.

So what exactly happened during this process? Nothing magic! AutoCAD did exactly what you do using traditional methods, but it did it in a lot fewer steps! AutoCAD attached the resource drawing file to the sheet drawing as an external reference with an insertion point at 0,0. It created a layout viewport and set the viewport scale. Regardless of whether you select a drawing or named modelspace view from the Resource Drawings tab, AutoCAD attaches the entire drawing. Your selection (the dwg or a particular modelspace view) determines how much of that xref will be displayed in the new layout viewport. If you select a drawing, the new layout viewport displays everything that was visible in modelspace of the xref file. If you select a named modelspace view, the new layout viewport displays everything that was visible in that named view; taking into account the layer visibility as well as the view boundaries. If you are not familiar with named views, I encourage you to learn more about them. Named views were enhanced in AutoCAD 2005 to support sheet set functionality but they are very useful even if you don’t use sheet sets. And, as we look into the future of AutoCAD, named views will become even more valuable!

Sheets Happen! Process Overview

2008-09-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

I’m often asked about the difference between a “sheet” and a “drawing”. Technically they are the same thing. The drawing file created by the SSM is just like any drawing you create using traditional methods. You can draw geometry in model space, create additional layout tabs, etc. The only technical limitation is that sheets in the SSM sheet list can only point to a layout in a drawing file. If you want more than one layout in your drawing, you would have to import those additional layouts into your sheet list. There is no technical reason why you shouldn’t have multiple layouts in your drawing, however the new sheet set paradigm or “best practice” is to have one sheet drawing (DWG file) for each sheet in your set. The main benefit for this is to enable multiple users to work on different sheets at the same time. If you have two sheets that point to different layouts within the same drawing, the drawing file will be locked as soon as one person opens one of those sheets… which is how AutoCAD has always worked.

I wanted to provide a quick overview about how sheet sets are intended to work before we move on to more complex topics.

Create your model geometry in its own drawing file (DWG). Continue to create model geometry in modelspace… Continue to create xrefs, nested xrefs, etc. In that particular DWG file, focus on nothing but the model… try to forget that the layout tab even exists. From now on, let the “sheet” deal with the layout.
Create a new sheet. As you know by now, creating a new sheet will create a new drawing file (DWG) with an active layout tab. The sheet name in the sheet list is simply a shortcut to that layout in the DWG file.
Open the sheet, which is really opening the “sheet” drawing file with the layout active.
Add resource drawing views to the sheet layout. I’ll talk more about this in an upcoming post. For now, suffice it to say that this is where you create layout viewports and attach the model drawings as xrefs. Using the sheet set paradigm as it was intended, you collect design information from other sources (external references attached in model space) and assemble them into a sheet layout (titleblock, viewports, notes, etc in paper space). The only objects that should exist in model space are attachments to external files.
Add sheet information to the sheet layout. You might add sheet notes or other sheet (paper space) information that is specific to the sheet. Although you can (technically) draw in model space, create more layouts, etc. The intention is for this particular DWG file to be a single sheet with external references to model drawings.

Does it sound like I’m repeating myself? I guess I am... but I want to be sure you get the point :-). Aside from separating your Model and Layout into two different drawings, the general concepts (xrefs, model space, viewports, layouts) should be familiar to you. Although the process I described isn’t strictly enforced with sheet sets, you should consider how you can transition to this process so that you can take full advantage of Sheet Set functionality.

Sheets Happen! Step 11: Create new sheets

2008-09-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

When you create a new drawing using traditional methods (ie the NEW command), you must use an existing drawing file as a template. The existing drawing could be a DWG (drawing), DWT (template), or DWS (standards) file. It might be one of the default AutoCAD drawing files or, more likely, it is your own customized drawing that contains layers, title block, and other information specific to your project or company. Up until now (assuming you are following along with this Sheets Happen series) you have been creating new drawings using traditional methods and then importing the layouts into the Sheet Set Manager (SSM). To create new drawings (sheets) more efficiently, you can set the sheet creation properties in the sheet set to use your template file and then create your new sheets directly from the SSM.

In the Sheet Set Manager, right-click on the sheet set title and choose Properties.
In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, select the Sheet Creation Template and choose the button to access the Select Template dialog box. By default, the sheet creation template uses a template (DWT) file that is installed with AutoCAD. You want to change this property so that it uses your own template file.

In the Select Template dialog box, navigate to your template file and choose Open. The Select Layout as Sheet Template dialog box will display. It list all of the layouts that are included in the template file.
Select a layout and choose OK. If you have multiple layouts, select the one that you use most frequently.

In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, set the Prompt for Template property to Yes or No as appropriate. By default, this property is set to No. This means that every time you create a new sheet in the sheet set, AutoCAD will automatically use the template file which is assigned to the Sheet Creation Template property. If you always (or almost always) use the same template file, you should select No. If you frequently need different template files, you can set this property to Yes so that AutoCAD will prompt you to select a template file and layout each time you create a new sheet in the sheet set. You can also assign different sheet creation templates based on the subset in which you are creating the new sheet.
In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, select the Sheet Storage Location and choose the button to access the Browse for Folder dialog box.
In the Browse for Folder dialog box, navigate to the folder where you want drawing files (DWG) for the new sheets to be created. The location you specify depends on the folder structure of your project. If you store all of your project drawings (sheets) in one folder, select that folder. If you organize your drawings in subfolders, you may want different sheet storage locations based on the subsets in your sheet set. As you move forward with sheet sets you might want to consider creating separate folders for “sheet” drawings versus “model” drawings. I’ll talk more about that in a future post.
In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, choose OK. The Confirm Changes dialog box appears and asks if you want to apply your changes to all of the nested subsets. This relates back to my previous comments about the ability to specify different sheet creation templates and locations based on subsets.
In the Confirm Changes dialog box, specify if you want to apply the changes to all nested subsets. If you choose Yes, the sheet creation properties will be consistent for the entire sheet set regardless of where you create the new sheet within the sheet list. If you choose No, you may get different sheet creation behavior depending in which, if any, subset you create the new sheet. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, select Yes :-)

In the Sheet Set Manager, right-click on the sheet set title and choose New Sheet.
In the New Sheet dialog box:
- Review the Folder Path and Sheet Template. They should match the location and template file that you specified in the sheet set properties.
- Enter a sheet number and title. As you enter the number and title, AutoCAD automatically enters them for the file name. You can name the file anything you want. I always remove the number from the file name to avoid future confusion because if you renumber the sheets in the sheet set, the sheet number and the file name will be different. Your current practice might be to include the sheet number in the file name to help you identify the drawing in your project folder. However, with sheet sets, that "old" practice is unnecessary because the SSM enables you to manage sheet numbers and access the correct drawing files.
- Choose OK. AutoCAD automatically creates a new drawing and adds the sheet to the sheet list. Remember that the sheet in the sheet list is simply a link (shortcut) to a layout in the DWG file.
Double-click on the new sheet to verify that it used the correct template.

If you want to apply different sheet creation properties based on the subset, you can right-click on a subset and choose Properties to modify the new sheet location, template, and prompt option for that particular subset. Then, when you right-click on that subset and choose New Sheet, AutoCAD will create the new sheet within that subset using those particular sheet creation properties.

Sheets Happen! Step 10: Plot using any page setup

2008-09-08T12:22:00.000-07:00

Imagine that a design partner sent you a set of drawing files with 100 sheets. You want to plot all of the sheets to fit on a letter-size paper using your LaserJet. Unfortunately, each of those 100 layouts has been saved to plot to E-size paper on a DesignJet. Has this ever happened to you? What do you do? Using traditional methods, you probably open a drawing, select the layout, choose Plot, set the device, set the paper size, set the plot area, set the scale, and send it to the plotter. And then, repeat the same process 99 more times! If you are a full-time plotter, you might think of it as job security! Otherwise, you probably consider it an incredible waste of your valuable time!

In AutoCAD 2005 and 2006, the sheet set manager enables you to use named page setups to quickly plot an entire sheet set (or any selected sheets within it) to any page setup configuration. If you are not familiar with named page setups, now is the time to learn! In this post, I’ll show you how to create a named page setup from your sheet set. However, for more general information about named page setups, I suggest you first read my previous post (Resolve to save your page setups).

When you create a new sheet set, AutoCAD uses a default template file for the named page setups. Since it is unlikely that those default named page setups will meet your needs, I suggest you start by creating your own template file. If you already have a template file for creating new drawings, you can use that same template file to store your named page setups or you can use a completely different file. I prefer to store the page setups in the same template file that I use for creating new drawings so that I have fewer files to manage… but it really doesn’t matter to AutoCAD.

First, you need a custom template file (DWT). If you already have a custom template file, you can skip this procedure. However, you might want to read the information regarding template file location in step 3.

In AutoCAD, begin a new drawing using whatever AutoCAD template you typically use.
From the file menu, select Saveas.
In the Save Drawing As dialog box:
- Change the Files of Type to AutoCAD Drawing Template.
- Navigate to the folder where you want to store your template file. By default, AutoCAD will save it in the local user’s Template folder. This location will work fine for your sheet set; however, I suggest you place it somewhere more obvious and accessible. You will probably want to reuse this template file for other sheet sets so place it in a location that make sense for all of your projects. For example, if you have a Projects folder (locally or on a network), you might create a Templates folder within or next to the Projects folder.
- Enter a name for your template file.
- Choose Save.

Next, you need to assign your sheet set to use your template file for page setups. It doesn’t matter if your template file doesn’t yet contain named page setups.

In the Sheet Set Manager, right-click on the sheet set title and choose Properties.
Click on the Page Setup Overrides File. The browse button will display within the field.

Select the browse button and navigate to the template file you want to use for named page setups.
Select the template file and choose Open. If the template file you selected does not contain page setups a warning dialog box will display. Select OK to dismiss the warning dialog.
In the Sheet Set Properties dialog box, choose OK.

Finally, you need to create named page setups. If your template file already contains named page setups, you can create additional ones or modify the existing ones.

Right-click anywhere in the sheet list and choose Publish>Manage Page Setups. If your template file already includes some page setups, they will be displayed in the Page Setup Manager.
In the Page Setup Manager, choose New.
In the New Page Setup dialog box, enter a name for the page setup. Possible names might include: Test Plot, Final Plot, LaserJet Letter-size, DesignJet E-size, E-size Monochrome, etc.

In the Page Setup dialog box, specify the device and other page setup options and then choose OK. The named page setup is automatically written to the template file. This is one of the few sheet set functions that might write information to an existing file without you knowing it. The only other ones are the “hints” that I described at the end of my November 7th Sheets Happen post.
Continue to create new page setups, modify existing ones, or import named page setups from other files. All of the page setups in the template file will be available for you to use when plotting from the Sheet Set Manager.
Close the Page Setup Manager

Now that your template file includes named page setups, you can easily plot your sheet set to any configuration that is stored in the named page setups.

Right-click on the sheet set title or any combination of sheets that you want to plot.
Choose Publish>Publish Using Page Setup Override. Notice the page setup options that you created.

Select the named page setup that meets your need for the current plot.

Think of how much time you will save by not having to open and reconfigure every layout each time you want to plot to a different device, scale, etc. And, since these name page setups are saved in a template file, the next time you create a sheet set, the process will be even easier! Just use the same template file!

Good luck!

Sheets Happen! Step 9: Assigning sheet set properties

2008-09-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

If you have been following along with the Sheets Happen series, you’ve been able to take advantage of sheet set functionality with minimal effort. However, if you want to fully implement sheet sets for maximum productivity, you will need to assign various sheet set properties.

You will find the sheet set properties by right-clicking on the sheet set title in the Sheet List tab of the Sheet Set Manager and selecting Properties.

Note that you will also find a Properties option in the right-click menu for subsets and sheets. Depending on which item you right-click, selecting Properties will display different dialog boxes (Sheet Set Properties, Subset Properties, Sheet Properties) enabling you to view and change the relevant properties for that particular item. I'm going to focus on the Sheet Set Properties.

By default (in AutoCAD 2006), the Sheet Set Properties dialog includes three sections: Sheet Set, Project Control, and Creation. The Sheet Set section includes properties for the Name, Sheet set data file, Description, Resource drawing locations, Label block for views, Callout blocks, and Page setup overrides files. The Name property is for the name of the sheet set. It uses the name you provided when you created the sheet set with the Create Sheet Set Wizard (see Sheets Happen! Step 1: Creating a new sheet set). That name was also used for the name of the sheet set data file (DST) as you can see by viewing the Sheet set data file property. You can change the name of the sheet set using the Sheet Set Properties dialog box. However, the name of the sheet set data file will not change. If you want to change the name of the sheet set data file, you must close the sheet set in the Sheet Set Manager and then use Windows Explorer to rename the DST file. The Description property may be blank depending if you entered a description when you first created the sheet set. You can create or edit the description in the Sheet Set Properties if you wish. The Project Control section is not available in AutoCAD 2005. However you can create custom sheet set properties to accomplish the same thing. I’ll discuss custom sheet set properties and all of the remaining sheet set properties in future posts as they become relevant.

Sheets Happen Document

2008-09-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

If you have been following the Sheets Happen series, congratulations! You've made it through the first section. By now you should be enjoying increased productivity with a minimal investment in time and effort.

At the beginning of this series, I posted a diagram showing the topics I would cover. As I posted the content, I broke some of the topics into smaller sections. The following diagram reflects those changes in the yellow section. As I begin covering the more advanced topics, the blue and pink sections may change as well.

So far, I have covered all of the topics in yellow. To make those topics easier for you to follow and implement, I posted a cumulative document with all of the Sheets Happen posts. I will continue to update the document as I post more information. Download sheets_happen.doc

Also, I've opened this post for comments. I'm interested in hearing how your sheet sets are coming along.

Sheets Happen! Step 8: Using named sheet selections

2008-09-08T12:19:00.001-07:00

As you continue to use more sheet set functionality, you might want to have different sheet selections. For example, you might want to plot the entire sheet set for a design review and create a transmittal set of just the floor plan and lighting drawings for the lighting vendor. You may find yourself wanting to access these various selections of sheets many times throughout the project. Rather than having to scroll through and select the appropriate sheets each time, you can create named sheet selections.

1. Create Named sheet selections. You will repeat this process for each named sheet selection you want to create.

Select several sheets and/or subsets using the Shift or Ctrl keys. These are the sheets that you want to include in the named sheet selection.
From the Sheet Selections drop-down list, choose Create. If you have multiple sheets selected, you can also right-click and choose Save Sheet Selection.

Enter a name for the sheet selection. You might create named sheet selections such as Client set, Design review, Architectural sheets, and Landscape sheets.
Choose OK.

2. Restore different named sheet selections.

From the Sheet Selections drop-down list, choose one of your named sheet selections. The sheets that you had selected when you created the named sheet selection are highlighted and ready for you to plot, publish to DWF, or etransmit.

3. Manage named sheet selections.

From the Sheet Selections drop-down list, select Manage.
Choose Rename or Delete.

Sheets Happen! Step 7: Create Archive/Transmittal Sets

2008-09-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Did you ever send someone a drawing file only to have them respond with an urgent request to “SEND THE XREFS!” You can avoid those urgent requests with eTransmit because it automatically packages the drawing and its associated files, such as xrefs, images, and fonts, into a single folder, zip or self-extracting executable. When you send the transmittal set rather than just the drawing, you help ensure that the recipient has all of the necessary files. You can use eTransmit without using sheet sets. However, when you use eTransmit in the current drawing, it only packages the files associated with that particular drawing. You can manually add other drawings to the transmittal set, but that process can be time-consuming for many drawings.

Using eTransmit with a sheet set enables you to package multiple drawings and all of their associated files with minimal effort.

Close or save drawings. You must close or save any open sheet set drawings that have been edited. However, if you close all of the drawings, AutoCAD will be in a zero-document state and most of the right-click options will be grayed out. If that happens, just use File>New to create a new blank drawing.
Select sheets to include in the transmittal set. In the SSM, you can use the Shift and Ctrl keys to select a range or specific sheets. You can also select subsets or the entire sheet set.
Create a transmittal set.
- Right-click and choose eTransmit.
- In the Create Transmittal dialog box, select Transmittal Setups.
- In the Transmittal Setups dialog box, create or modify a transmittal setup. By default, AutoCAD includes a Standard transmittal setup. You can modify the Standard transmittal setup or create any number of new ones. For example, you might create a transmittal setup to save all the drawings to a zip file in AutoCAD 2000 file format while another one saves all the drawings to a self-extracting executable with all of the reference paths removed. The transmittal setups you create for a sheet set are saved in the sheet set data file. However, you can import transmittal setups from another sheet set using the Import option in the Transmittal Setups dialog box. When you create transmittal setups in a drawing without using sheet set functionality, they are saved in the registry under the current user.
- In the Create Transmittal dialog box, you can use the Sheets, Files Tree, or Files Table tabs to add and remove files from the transmittal set. When you use eTransmit in a drawing without a sheet set, the Sheets tab is not displayed.
- Choose View Report if you want to see a comprehensive list of all the files and sheet set information included with the transmittal set.
- Choose OK to close the Create Transmittal dialog box and create the transmittal set.
Create an Archive set. Creating an archive set is very similar to creating a transmittal set. They use the same underlying technology but Archive has been simplified for the single purpose of archiving the sheet set. You might create an archive set only one time, at the end of a project. Or you might create them at key milestones throughout the project.
- On the Sheet List tab of the SSM, right-click on the sheet set name and choose Archive. Unlike eTransmit, Archive is only available for a sheet set. Similar to eTransmit, you must close or save any open drawings that have been edited. But remember, you can’t be in zero-doc state.
- In the Archive a Sheet Set dialog box, you can modify Archive Setup options similar to eTransmit. Like eTransmit, the Archive setup is saved with the sheet set data file. However, unlike eTransmit, you can only have one Archive Setup and you cannot import it from another sheet set.
- You can use the Sheets, Files Tree, or Files Table tabs to add and remove files from the archive set.

Whether you create a transmittal set or an archive set, the original files are not modified. AutoCAD makes a copy of the files using the criteria you specified in the transmittal or archive setup.

Sheets Happen! Step 6: Publish to DWF

2008-09-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

So… how are your sheet sets coming along? I hope you have been enjoying the easy access and quick plotting capabilities of the Sheet Set Manager. One of the attendees in my SSM class at AU told me that his department has only implemented enough sheet set functionality to plot from the SSM but that capability alone makes the SSM worth while! I’m happy to hear that but don’t stop now! There is so much more!

You can continue to take advantage of sheet set functionality by publishing your sheets to a DWF file. If you are not familiar with DWF, just try it and see what happens! DWF (Design Web Format) enables you to share your design data with other people in a secure and lightweight format. It is like plotting to PDF but better. Unlike PDF, DWF files are vector based so you get better quality with smaller file sizes. You can post the DWF to a project site or send it via email. The recipient can then view and plot it to scale using the free DWF viewer.

Prior to publishing your sheets to a DWF file, you can set various options.

1. Set DWF publishing options.

Right-click in the sheet list and choose Publish>Sheet Set Publish Options.
Set various options. You can specify the location where the PDF file will be created and you can specify either a single-sheet or multi-sheet DWF. If you select single-sheet DWF, a separate DWF file will be created for each of the sheets that you select from the sheet set and the DWF file names will correspond to the sheet names. If you select multi-sheet DWF, all of the sheets that you select will be sent to a single DWF file. By default, the DWF file name corresponds to the sheet set name. You can enter an alternate name in the sheet set publish options or you can ask AutoCAD to prompt you for a name during the publish operation. Regardless of whether you publish to a single- or multi-sheet DWF, you have the option of including a password with the DWF file. If you include a password, the recipient of the DWF file will be prompted to enter the password before viewing the DWF in the viewer.
One of the many advantages of using DWF over PDF is that you can include intelligent data with you files including layers, sheet and sheet set information, and block information. You can even specify a block template file that defines which properties and attributes to publish from selected blocks. The block template is similar to using a data extraction template to create a table with block data. The more information you include with your DWF file, the more flexibility the recipient will have when viewing it.

Choose OK.

3. Select sheets to publish. In the SSM, select the sheets you want to publish. You can use the Shift and CTRL keys to specify a range or specific sheets. You can also select subsets or the entire sheet set.

4. Publish selected sheets.

Right-click and choose Publish>Publish to DWF. You can also select the Publish to DWF button in the upper right corner of the SSM. The DWF file(s) will be created using the current sheet set publish options. By default, the DWF file is published in the background, similar to plotting. You will be notified when the publish operation is complete.

Close the Plot and Publish balloon notification.

5. View the DWF file. The DWF viewer is automatically installed with AutoCAD enabling you to view the DWF file before posting or emailing it.

Right-click on the Plot/Publish icon and select View DWF File.

In the DWF viewer, select different sheets to view and try viewing some of the data such as layers, blocks, etc.

Publishing to DWF is just that easy! The recipients of your DWF file can view and plot the sheets while you rest assured that the design data remains unchanged. If the recipients of your DWF files are using DWF Composer, a more advanced DWF viewing tool, they can measure and markup the DWF file and then return it to you. For more information about working with DWF files visit www.autodesk.com/viewers. You can also check out the Viewer and Markup videos in my October “AutoCAD Awareness” post.

Sheets Happen! Step 5: Plot using default page setups

2008-09-08T12:15:00.001-07:00

In the previous Sheets Happen posts, you learned everything you need to know in order to use the Sheet Set Manager (SSM) as your primary tool for accessing drawings. You created a new sheet set using existing drawing layouts and you learned how to import additional sheets into that sheet set. Combine that with the ability to plot your sheets using their default page setups and you can save a huge amount of time over the life of your project. Even if only take advantage of sheet set functionality for these few tasks, it will have been worth your effort.

Think about how you plot your sheets without using the SSM. Imagine that you’re working on Project B when someone sends you an urgent request asking you to plot all of the sheets for Project A. You stop what you are doing and begin opening the drawings for Project A, one at a time. Of course, that is after you navigate to the Project A folder and locate the correct subfolders and drawing files. Project A includes several versions of subfolders and drawing files and you have to be careful to find the correct ones. Each time you find an appropriate drawing; you open it, select the appropriate layout, and plot. While you are busy opening and plotting drawings, your coworkers are frustrated. They are trying to edit these Project A drawings but they can’t because you have the drawings locked.

Using the SSM for plotting can significantly reduce the amount of time you spend plotting your drawings. Even if you are unfamiliar with a project, you can quickly plot the entire sheet set without having to open and view each drawing file. Your coworkers can continue editing the drawings while you use the SSM to send the entire set of sheets to their default plot device. Keep in mind, however, that this method assumes each sheet has been saved with the proper plot information. Using this method is the same as opening the drawing, selecting the layout and choosing Plot, without making any changes to the page setup. In a later post, I’ll describe how you can override the default page setups on the fly!

1. Select sheets to plot. In the SSM, select the sheets you want to plot. You can use the Shift and CTRL keys to specify a range or specific sheets. You can also select subsets or the entire sheet set.

2. Right-click and choose Publish>Publish to Plotter.

Sheets Happen! Step 4: Importing existing layouts

2008-09-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

If you’ve been following along with this Sheets Happen series, you created your sheet set using existing drawings. This method enabled you to quickly create a new sheet set with pointers to the layouts in those drawings. But what if you have other drawings that you want to include in the sheet set? For example, maybe a consultant emailed you a new drawing or maybe you forgot to include a few drawings when you first created the sheet set. You can “import” additional drawing layouts into your sheet set using the SSM. Actually, I don’t care for the term “import” because, as you learned in my first Sheets Happen post, the sheets in the SSM sheet list are nothing more than shortcuts or pointers to layouts in drawings. So, when we say “import” what we really mean is that you can create a new pointer to an existing drawing.

1. Right-click on the sheet list and choose Import Layout as Sheet. Where you right-click determines where the new sheet will be added to the sheet list. If you right-click on the sheet set name, the new sheet will be added to the end of the sheet list. If you right-click on a subset, the new sheet will be added to the end of the subset. If you right-click on a sheet, the new sheet will be added below that sheet. Regardless of where you right-click, you can always drag and drop the new sheet to a proper location.

2. Choose Browse for Drawings and select the drawing that contains the layout you want to add. After you select a drawing, all of that drawing’s layouts are listed in the Import Layouts as Sheets dialog box. You can select the layouts that you want to import. You have the option to prefix the sheet title with the file name.

3. Choose Import Checked. The newly added sheet is just like any other sheet in the sheet list. You can rename, renumber and reorganize your sheets as necessary.

As you implement sheet set functionality one step at a time, you and other members of the project team can continue to create new drawings using traditional methods and then import them into the sheet set using this method.

Sheets Happen! Step 3: Accessing your sheets

2008-09-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for more Sheets Happen? I hope that you are enjoying the ability to easily view and open the sheets from the Sheet Set Manager (SSM).

The SSM is a great way to organize your sheets and access them from a central location. But what if you want to include this sheet list as textual information in a drawing? Using the SSM, you can easily add a sheet list table to one of the sheets in the sheet set. You can even use the sheet list table to quickly open any of the sheets in the list.

1. Open a sheet in the AutoCAD window..

Double-click on the sheet in which you want to add a sheet list table. Typically this would be a cover sheet or title sheet.

2. Insert a sheet list table.

In the SSM, right-click on the sheet set title and choose Insert Sheet List Table.
In the Insert Sheet List Table dialog box, select a table style. If you don’t have an appropriate table style, you can create one. Creating and using table styles is similar to creating and using text or dimension styles. For example, create a table style called Sheet List, which uses the appropriate font size, color, etc. Then use that table style every time you need to create a sheet list. Using table styles will save you time and ensure consistency from project to project.
Specify the Table Data Settings that you want to include in the Sheet List Table. By default, Sheet Number and Sheet title are included in the list. You can select Add or Remove to change how many columns are included in the sheet list table and you can click on the items in the Data Types list to change their content. Use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to change the order in which the data will be displayed.
Choose OK.
Place the table on the sheet. The sheet list table is an AutoCAD table object that contains fields for the sheet set data such as sheet number and sheet name. Since this is a table object, you can use typical table editing commands to change its appearance. However, any edits you make will be lost the next time you update the sheet list. For this reason, you should not make any edits directly to the sheet list table. If you want to change its appearance, you should edit its table style and/or edit the sheet list table settings.

3. Edit the Sheet List Table settings. After you insert a sheet list table, you can edit its settings.

Select the sheet list table in the drawing.
Right-click and choose Edit Sheet List Table Settings.
Change the table style, title, or column settings as necessary. Any changes that you make using this method will be retained even when you refresh the table data.

4. Change the contents of the sheet list in the SSM

Add, remove, rename, or renumber the sheets in the SSM. Notice that the data in the drawing’s sheet list table, does not change dynamically. You must force the table to update.

5. Update the sheet list table.

Select the sheet list table in the drawing.
Right-click and choose Update Sheet List Table. The sheet list table updates to reflect any changes to the sheet list in the SSM.

6. Access sheets from the sheet list table. You can easily open any of the drawing sheets from the sheet list table by pressing the CTRL key and picking on the sheet name or number.

With sheet list tables, you can begin to appreciate how the sheet names, numbers and other data in the SSM can be used to create meaningful and automated textual data in your drawings.

Sheets Happen! Step 1: Creating a new sheet set

2008-09-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

The first step in implementing sheet set functionality is to create a sheet set. You can create a sheet set using an example sheet set or by importing existing drawing layouts as sheets. Although AutoCAD includes several example sheet sets, it is unlikely that they will meet your specific needs. I suggest that you create your first sheet set by importing drawings from one of your existing projects. After you configure your first sheet set to meet your needs, you can use it as an example to create future sheet sets.

In order for you to create a new sheet set based on existing drawings, those drawings must use layouts. Don’t worry about “messing up” your drawings by creating a sheet set. A sheet set is simply an XML-based file with a DST extension, which has pointers to your drawing files.

1. Begin the Create Sheet Set wizard.

From the File menu, choose New Sheet Set.
In the Create Sheet Set wizard, select Existing drawings.

2. Specify the name and location for the sheet set file. The sheet set file is an XML-based file, with a DST extension. You can think of it as your project file.

Enter a name for the sheet set. Typically, this would be the project name.
Provide a description for the sheet set. The description is optional.
Specify the location to store the sheet set data file. Typically, this would be the main folder for this particular project.

3. Select the appropriate layouts to import.

Choose Browse and navigate to the folder where your project drawings are located. Typically, this would be the main folder that includes project drawings and/or drawing subfolders.
Expand the folders and drawings so that you can see all the layouts that you want to include as sheets in the sheet set. If your drawings include multiple layouts, they will be displayed in the list.
Select all of the layouts to be included as sheets in the sheet set. Remember to select only the drawings/layouts that you want to be represented as sheets. For example, you wouldn’t select drawings of model geometry that are used as xrefs.

4. Specify the appropriate import options.

Choose Import Options.
Specify the options that fit your situation. If you want the drawing file name to be included as part of the sheet name, choose the option to prefix sheet titles with file name. If you want to create subsets in the sheet set file that match your folders, choose the option to create subsets based on folder structure. Subsets are like visual folders that enable you to organize your sheets in the sheet list. If you don’t want to create a subset of the main folder from which you are importing your drawings, you can choose Ignore top level folder. Don’t worry too much about these options because you can always reorganize your sheet set later.

5. Finalize the sheet set.

Review the sheet set structure. You can preview your sheet set before completing the sheet set process. If the sheet set preview is missing sheets or has extra sheets that should not be included, you can use the back button so select different folders, drawings, layouts, or import options.
Choose Finish. When you are satisfied with the sheet set preview, you can complete the sheet set creation process.

After exiting the Create Sheet Set wizard, your sheet set data file will automatically open on the Sheet List tab of the Sheet Set Manager (SSM). The sheet names in the sheet list are like shortcuts or pointers to the layouts in your DWG files. The drawings have not changed and AutoCAD didn't create new drawings or folders. All it did was create a sheet set data file with a list of sheets that link to your existing drawings. Now you can use the SSM to organize and open your drawing sheets. Right-click on a sheet name and choose Rename and Renumber to enter a sheet number or change the sheet title. Drag and drop sheets to reorganize them in the sheet list. And, double-click on the sheet name to open the associated drawing in the drawing editor. Even if you only use the SSM as a tool for opening your drawings, you will save time and increase efficiency. You no longer have to navigate through complex folder structures or remember archaic file names. Just double click on the sheet name!

Are you worried about “messing up” your drawings as you experiment with the sheet set manager? Read on…
At this point, absolutely nothing in your drawings has changed. However, if the sheet set is open in the SSM and you open and save the drawings that are being pointed to by the sheet set, a small piece of data will be saved with the drawings. This data is called a “hint” and it tells the drawing (DWG) files which sheet set they belong to. Having the hint in a drawing enables AutoCAD to automatically open the appropriate sheet set even if you open the drawing using traditional methods. The “hint” is the only change that AutoCAD will make to your original drawing files. If, for some reason, you want to “undo” the sheet set, you can right-click on the sheet set name and choose Close Sheet Set and then delete the sheet set data file (DST). If you delete the DST file without first closing the sheet set, the DST file will be automatically recreated. After you successfully delete the DST file, you can open and save the associated drawings to remove the hints.

Sheets Happen! An introduction to the Sheet Set Manager

2008-09-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

Whether you design manufactured parts, maps, or buildings, sheets happen! The sheet set functionality in AutoCAD enables you to efficiently create, manage, and share your entire set of sheets from one convenient location. At first glance, the powerful functionality offered by the Sheet Set Manager may seem overwhelming but you don’t have to learn and implement all of the functionality simultaneously.

Begin taking advantage of sheet set functionality for your current projects with minimal effort by importing your current drawing layouts into a sheet set. You can easily open drawings from a central location while you continue to edit them using traditional tools. Create new sheets using traditional tools and then import those sheets into your current sheet set. Easily plot, publish, archive or create an electronic transmittal of the entire set of drawings.

When you feel comfortable using the most basic sheet set functionality, you can begin assigning sheet set properties. Using sheet set properties, you can easily plot to any named page setup, regardless of the page setup that is saved in each of the drawing layouts. You can also assign your drawing template file to the sheet set making it easy for you to create new sheets directly from the sheet set manager.

Moving on to the most powerful sheet set functionality, using Fields, enables you to automate the sheet data that is stored in your drawings. You can create your own fields in the form of custom sheet set properties and then reference those, and other fields, in your plot stamps, callouts, view labels, and titleblocks.

Over the next few months, I will post a series of articles that enable you to progress through these various levels of implementation from the simplest to the most complex. If you spend only a few minutes a week, you can create a fully functional sheet set with minimum disruption to your current workflow.

The following diagram provides an overview of the topics I will be covering. If you aren't haven't seen a demo of sheet sets, you might want to review the Sheet Set videos under the AutoCAD Awareness post. Those videos were created in AutoCAD 2005 but they apply to AutoCAD 2006 as well.

Dynamic Block Tip: Cycle Order

2008-09-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

After reading my previous blog posting about dynamic block cycling , my coworkers Jon & John (aka the Dynamic Block Duo :-), offered the following additional information:

The BCYCLEORDER command opens the Insertion Cycling Order dialog box, which enables you to control the cycle order of dynamic block grips.

Dynamic Cycling

2008-09-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

When inserting a dynamic block, you may want to choose between multiple insertion points. For example, this pipe block has a default insertion point at the middle of the right edge. If you want to insert a new pipe so that the left side of the new one fits in the right side of the existing one, you can press the Ctrl key to cycle between valid insertion points upon insertion.

So, how do you create valid insertion points for a dynamic block?

Using the Block Editor, you can view the grips for all parameters in the dynamic block. When you select a parameter grip (not the entire parameter… only the grip), you can use the Property palette to view and edit the grip properties. Every grip includes a “Cycling” property, which is enabled by default. If you don’t want a grip to be included as an insertion point upon block insertion, you must set its cycling property to “No”.

When you combine insertion point cycling with dynamic block alignment, you can quickly insert blocks with the correct location and orientation right off the bat!

Dynamic Detour

2008-09-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

I’ve decided to take a little detour from the Sheets Happen series to discuss dynamic blocks. Why? Because my current Sheet Set topics involve blocks and, although you don’t need to use dynamic block functionality to implement sheet sets and fields, you might want to!

Dynamic blocks enable you to reduce the size of your block libraries by combining block definitions and adding flexibility. For example, in AutoCAD 2005 I had ten callout block definitions to represent various architectural callouts. In AutoCAD 2006 I was able to combine all ten traditional block definitions into one dynamic block AND I added the flexibility to rotate the arrows at any 15 degree increment. My one dynamic block definition would require 55 traditional block definitions to offer the same options.

I won’t go into detail about creating dynamic blocks but I want to point you in the right direction using the callout block as an example. For the callout block, I use the Visibility Parameter with vour visibility states. The first state, which I named “Default” does not display an arrow. The second state displays the small arrow for the interior elevation. The third state displays the larger arrow for an exterior elevation. And, the fourth state displays four arrows pointing at 90 degree increments.

Visibility is one of the easiest parameters to use because it does not require a corresponding action. You simply create all the geometry that you want to use in the block, add visibility states, and then, for each state, make the appropriate geometry visible or invisible using the visibility tools in the Block Editor.

In this example, we want most of the block geometry (circle, attributes, horizontal line) to remain static while the arrow, when visible, rotates around the center of the circle. But how do you rotate the arrow? You guessed it, with the Rotation parameter! You add the rotation parameter with a basepoint at the center of the circle and then adjust the parameter properties so that the rotation angle is constrained to a specific increment. In my case I specified an angle of 15 degrees. Before the rotation parameter will work, you must add a rotate action and specify what objects you want to rotate. Since you have multiple visibility states, you must ensure that all the arrows are included in the selection set of the Rotate action and that the Rotation parameter is visible for all states that display an arrow.

By the way, you can also update your View Label block using a Linear parameter and Stretch action so that you can easily adjust the horizontal line for the length of the view name.

I hope this was enough information to motivate you to learn more about dynamic blocks. At the very least, when I refer to dynamic blocks in an upcoming Sheets Happen post, you’ll have some idea of what I’m talking about

AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack 1: A closer look at the Measure tools

2008-09-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

The new MEASUREGEOM command, available in the AutoCAD 2009 Subscription Bonus Pack 1, is a single command with five measurement options: Distance, Radius, Angle, Area, and Volume. You can access these options from the command line or from the buttons, which are available on the Subscription: Measure ribbon tab and toolbar.

The Distance option behaves similar to the old DIST command but with a more friendly display and the added ability to specify multiple points. If you specify two points, AutoCAD displays the distance, delta x, delta y, and angle in the xy plane, visually in the drawing editor.

If you select the Multiple option, you can continue picking points and, with each pick, AutoCAD displays the cumulative distance.

Using the Radius option, you can select a circle or arc to display its radius and diameter.

The Angle option behaves similar to the DIMANGULAR command, enabling you to select an arc, circle, or line or to specify a vertex. However, instead of creating a dimension, it simply displays the angle.

The Area option behaves similar to the old AREA command. You can specify points or select objects to display the included area and you can use the Add or Subtract options to determine cumulative areas.

So what’s the difference? The new Area option dynamically highlights the areas, using different colors for adding and subtracting, as you select objects or pick points. You can see what you’ve selected!

You can use the Volume option to specify boundary points with visual feedback similar to the Area option then specify a height to determine the volume. Additionally, you can determine the volume of selected solids or regions similar to the MASSPROP command.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT video

2008-09-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

If you're trying to choose which application (AutoCAD vs. AutoCAD LT) is best for you, check out the new video posted on www.autodesk.com/autocad. This 5 minute video provides a quick overview of the differences between AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT.

AutoCAD 2009 Update 1

2008-09-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

Autodesk has just released a service update for AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009. The update addresses a variety of issues, many of which were identified and fixed based on feedback from you, our customers, using the AutoCAD Error Reporting Utility. Sending your error reports is easy and it really does help Autodesk improve the software. The more information you can provide in the step-by-step description, the easier it is for our development team identify the problem. Even if you don’t have time to provide a description, still click the Send Report button. It can make a difference!

Below is a list of issues that were addressed in this service update and you can learn even more from the official Readme. To begin taking advantage of these improvements, download the AutoCAD 2009 Update 1.

The following defects have been fixed:

.NET API

When a .NET function with a LispFunction attribute has the return type as object, an exception is thrown in AutoCAD.

Annotation Scaling

A drawing that contains a large number of anonymous blocks and copies of annotative entities created in AutoCAD 2007, or an earlier release, opens slowly in AutoCAD 2009.
A scale is infinitely enumerated when you insert a drawing that contains the same scale as a block or an external reference (xref).

Attributes

When you attempt to display a tooltip of a multiline text (mtext) attribute that contains 281 characters or more, AutoCAD crashes.
When you move a block using an insertion grip, mtext attributes move incorrectly.
When the default value of an mtext attribute in a block contains a field, you cannot edit the attribute text to replace the field with other data.

Blocks

When you insert or redefine a block that contains attributes on a locked layer, AutoCAD crashes.
When you change the scale of a block through the Properties Palette, an attribute displays incorrectly.

Export a Layout to Model Space
When you export a layout to model space the following occurs:

The linetype scale changes.
Dimension arrowheads do not display.
Text does not rotate correctly.
Drawing properties are lost.

External Reference ESW

The External References palette does not display when auto-hidden and used with the XREF or IMAGE commands are used.

Hatch

When you recreate a hatch boundary, it consists of separate line segments rather than a closed polyline.

Hide/Shade

When you plot, objects in an xref are not correctly hidden.

Menu Browser

You cannot access the menu browser in a non-English version of AutoCAD using the shortcut Alt+Key.

Multileader (mleader)

When created on a rotated UCS, a multileader does not respect POLAR or ORTHO settings.

Multiline Text (mtext)

When you drag and drop a drawing while the In-Place Text Editor is active, AutoCAD crashes.
When some of the values in the In-Place Text Editor are changed, AutoCAD crashes.
Some mtext objects with double byte characters display as a single line.

Open/Save

When you attempt to save a file with a long file name, AutoCAD may crash.
When you drag and drop a file from Windows Explorer into the AutoCAD title bar while in Single Document Interface (SDI) mode, AutoCAD may crash.
When you attempt to open multiple files from Windows Explorer, only the first selected file opens.

Partial Open

When the OPENPARTIAL system variable is set to 1, if you use the PURGE command, drawings may become corrupted.

Plot

When you plot upside-down, an OLE object does not plot correctly.

Property Palette

In the Properties palette, the Dimension Style control may display an incorrect dimension style name.

Publish

In the Publish dialog box, the Publish To setting always defaults to DWF format even if you select a different setting.
Quick Properties
When you change the theme of your operating system while running AutoCAD and then click the Quick Properties window, AutoCAD crashes.

RECOVER

When you open some valid drawings, you are prompted to use the RECOVER command.

Render

When you use the RENDER command with certain drawings that contain textured object, AutoCAD crashes.

Ribbon

When acad.CUI is loaded as a partial CUI, some buttons in the multiline text (mtext) ribbon contextual tab fail.
On a ribbon panel, you may not be able to move items between rows.
A ribbon panel continues to display after it is removed from a ribbon tab.
A button image used on a ribbon panel that is loaded from a resource DLL file lacks a transparent background.
If you transfer a ribbon panel and a tab, buttons display small.
Enterprise, main, and partial CUI files display multiple ribbon tabs in workspaces.
You cannot control a ribbon tab when you use more than one non-AutoCAD CUI file.
A ribbon tab and/or menu macro may not function properly when referenced from multiple CUI files.
If you load a CUI file that references a missing BMP file, a fatal error displays.

Visual LISP

The AutoLISP Redraw function fails to hide or highlight objects.

ZOOM

When you zoom while inserting some blocks, AutoCAD crashes.

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at layer management

2008-09-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

AutoCAD 2009 includes many enhancements to help you work more efficiently with layers.

The Layer Properties Manger has been converted to a palette enabling you to keep it displayed while using other commands. Like other palettes, you can dock or anchor the Layer Properties Manager as well as enable auto-hide and transparency. The changes you make within the Layer Properties Manager are instantly applied to the drawing without the need for you to press an Apply button.

You can freeze columns so that key information, such as the layer name, remains visible while you scroll to the opposite side of the palette. Right-click menu options have been updated for clarity and to provide additional functionality. To gain real estate in the Layer Properties Manager, you can collapse the Filters pane.

The Layer Settings dialog box, which is accessible from the upper right corner of the Layer Properties Manager, includes new controls for Layer Isolation.

Many of the controls in the Layer Properties Manager are also available, at your fingertips, in the Layer panel of the new Ribbon.

A new option on the User Preferences tab of the Options dialog box provides you more control over layer property changes. You can now combine layer property changes for Undo and Redo operations similar to how you can combine them for zoom and pan operations.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009 System Requirements

2008-09-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

AutoCAD 2009 is available for both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems (except in some languages). You can download either version from the Autodesk Website 32 bit or 64 bit and use it for a 30-day trial period. AutoCAD 2009 is also available on a DVD that contains both the 32-bit and the 64-bit versions. The DVD automatically installs the appropriate version based on the OS (32-bit or 64-bit). The 32-bit version is also available on a CD in all supported languages.

Before installing AutoCAD 2009, you'll want to ensure your computer meets the system requirements. The requirements vary depending on the AutoCAD version (32-bit or 64-bit) and the operating system (Vista or XP).

32-bit AutoCAD 2009

Running under Windows XP:

Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system
Intel® Pentium® 4 processor or AMD Athlon®, 2.2 GHz or greater
or
Intel or AMD Dual Core processor, 1.6 GHz or greater
1 GB RAM
750 MB free hard disk space for installation
1024x768 VGA with true color
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 (SP1 or higher)

If you are using AutoCAD for 3D modeling, you should bump up your system as follows:

Intel Pentium 4 processor or AMD Athlon, 3.0 GHz or greater
or
Intel or AMD Dual Core processor, 2.0 GHz or greater
2 GB RAM or greater
2 GB of additional free hard disk space
1,280 x 1,024 32-bit color video display adapter (true color) 128 MB or greater, OpenGL or Direct3D capable workstation class graphics card.

Running under Windows Vista:

Microsoft Windows Vista operating system
Intel Pentium 4 processor or AMD Athlon, 3.0 GHz or greater
or
Intel or AMD Dual Core processor, 2.0 GHz or greater
2 GB RAM or greater
750 MB of free hard disk space for installation
2 GB of additional free hard disk space
1,280 x 1,024 32-bit color video display adapter (true color) 128 MB or greater, Direct3D capable workstation class graphics card.

64-bit AutoCAD 2009
(The 64-bit AutoCAD cannot be installed on a 32-bit operating system)

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition operating system
or
Windows Vista 64-bit operating system
AMD 64 processor
or
Intel EM64T processor
2 GB RAM
750 MB free hard disk space for installation

For more information visit www.autodesk.com/autocad.

AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at the Ribbon!

2008-09-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

The AutoCAD Ribbon (as well as the Menu Browser and Quick Access Toolbar) present a user interface similar to Microsoft Office 2007. The ribbon provides easy access to tools through a collection of tabs and panels. Each tab contains multiple panels and each panel contains multiple tools. Some panels can be expanded to access additional tools.

For some tools, the ribbon automatically updates to display context sensitive information. For example, when you create or edit an mtext object, the ribbon automatically displays the multiline text ribbon. When you close the mtext editor, the ribbon returns to its previous state.

By default, the ribbon is docked at the top of the AutoCAD window. However, a right-click menu enables you to control the display and behavior of the ribbon. You can reduce the amount of space the ribbon consumes by disabling the option to Show Panel Titles or by minimizing to tabs or to panel titles.

The ribbon replaces the previous dashboard functionality (if you enter the DASHBOARD command, AutoCAD automatically launches the RIBBON command). You may not notice the similarity between the ribbon and dashboard at first glance. But, if you undock the ribbon, you’ll see that it looks and behaves very much like the dashboard. When the ribbon is undocked, you can right-click on the title-bar to access familiar dashboard-type options such as anchoring and auto-hide.

Whether the ribbon is docked or undocked, you can control the display of specific tabs and panels by turning them on and off in the right-click menu.

You can drag and drop ribbon tabs, or panels within the tabs, to reorganize them. And, you can even drag panels off the ribbon to create separate, floating panels.

To further customize the ribbon, you can use the Customize User Interface dialog box, where you’ll find the new Ribbon Tabs and Ribbon Panels nodes.

You can create new panels and tabs, add tools to panels, and add panels to tabs, using the familiar process of dragging and dropping.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at tooltips!

2008-09-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

In many places throughout AutoCAD 2009, you’ll find preview images and other information displayed as tooltips. When using the traditional model and layout tabs, you can hover the cursor over a tab to preview the layout before selecting it.

Tooltips are also displayed when you hover the cursor over items in the Sheet Set Manager or the External References Manager.

Right-click menu options in both of these palettes enable you to control the content displayed in the tooltips. You can specify a tooltip style that lists only the name, a small medium or large preview image, details about the file, or a preview image and details.

Tooltips for command tools have been updated to provide you with more information as you need it. The improved tooltips not only display the name of the tools, but they provide additional information and even graphics. Pressing the F1 key in a tooltip automatically takes you to that particular topic within the Help system.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at Quick View Drawings

2008-09-05T07:23:00.000-07:00

The new Quick View Drawings functionality is a faster and more visual alternative to using the Ctrl-Tab key combination or the Window menu for switching between open drawings. You can access Quick View Drawings via a new button on the status bar.

When you enable Quick View Drawings, AutoCAD displays a row of preview images that represent the open drawings. If you pass the cursor over a drawing preview image, AutoCAD displays a second row of images representing the layouts for that particular drawing.

You can view and make active any layout within any open drawing directly from the Quick View Drawings preview. To see a larger view of the layout images, simply pass the cursor over a layout preview image. AutoCAD automatically enlarges the layout images and reduces the drawing images. Moving the cursor back over a drawing image returns the drawing images to the larger size and the layout images to the smaller size.

You can increase the size of the preview images by pressing the Ctrl key while rolling the mouse wheel up or down. If the preview images extend beyond the edge of the screen, use can use the arrow keys or the mouse to scroll.

Icons within the drawing previews enable you to save or close any open drawing; not just the current one! Additional tools are available in the Quick View Drawings control panel, which is automatically displayed below the preview images. You can pin the Quick View Drawings functionality so that it remains open while you work in the drawing editor. Additional tools in the control panel enable you to create new drawings or open existing ones.

The right-click menu provides options for closing and saving the drawings. I particularly like the option to close all the open drawings except for the one on which you right-clicked.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at Quick View Layouts

2008-09-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

The Quick View Layouts functionality in AutoCAD 2009 provides a faster and more visual alternative to using the traditional Model and Layout tabs. In fact, the previous layout flyout on the status bar has been replaced by a new Quick View Layouts button.

Auto Cad 2008 Auto Cad 2009

When you enable Quick View Layouts, AutoCAD displays a horizontal row of layout images. You can identify and select layouts, not only by name, but by appearance. Increase or decrease the size of the layout preview images by pressing the Ctrl key while rolling the mouse wheel up or down. If the layout images extend beyond the edge of the screen, you can use the arrow keys or the mouse to scroll.

Icons within the layout preview image provide easy access to plotting and publishing. Additional tools are available in the control panel, which is automatically displayed below the Quick View images. You can pin Quick View Layouts so that it remains visible while you work in the drawing editor.

Create new layouts using an option in the control panel as well as in the right-click menu. The right-click menu provides access to other familiar layout tools as well as a completely new option, which enables you to export the layout to modelspace in a new drawing.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at Quick Properties

2008-09-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

You can enable/disable Quick Properties functionality using the status bar toggle.

A right-click menu provides options for controlling and customizing the behavior of Quick Properties.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at the Status Bar

2008-09-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

The AutoCAD status bar has been updated with new tools and icons! The left side of the status bar includes button toggles for familiar functionality such as Grid, Osnap and Dynamic Input. A right-click menu enables you to easily switch the status bar display between icons and the traditional text labels.

The right-click menus for some status bar toggles include additional controls, which are relevant for that particular toggle. You save clicks by applying these controls from the right-click menu rather than having to access the Drafting Settings dialog box. You can turn on the polar or grid snap from the right-click menu of the SNAP toggle. You can set the polar tracking angle from the right-click menu of the POLAR toggle. And, you can apply object snaps from the right-click menu of the OSNAP and OTRACK toggles… (My favorite!)

The last button on the left side of the status bar is the new Quick Properties toggle. The Model and Layout buttons have moved to the right side of the status bar where several new tools have also been added. I’ll describe all of these new tools in future posts!

The Layout flyout is replaced by the Quick View Layouts button, which is followed by the Quick View Drawings button. The status bar provides easy access to navigation and viewing tools including Pan and Zoom as well as the new Steering Wheel and Show Motion functionality. The Annotation Scale, which was introduced in AutoCAD 2008, is replaced by a Viewport/Annotation toggle that links the Annotation Scale to the Viewport Scale. This ensures they stay in sync. A new Workspace Switching button replaces the Workspaces toolbar, providing the same functionality in considerably less space! From this single button, you can easily restore any of the predefined workspaces as well as any custom workspaces that you create.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at the Quick Access Toolbar

2008-09-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

The new Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) is displayed at the top of the AutoCAD window, next to the Menu Browser. By default it includes six frequently used tools: New, Open, Save, Plot, Undo, and Redo. You can easily add your own tools to the QAT by right-clicking on the toolbar and choosing Customize Quick Access Toolbar.

Select the Customize option displays the Customize User Interface (CUI) dialog box in a collapsed form so that only the Command List is shown. You can drag and drop tools from the Command List to the QAT.

The QAT is stored on a per-workspace basis. You can reorganize or remove tools by expanding the QAT node under each workspace.

In addition to the option to Customize the Quick Access Toolbar, the right-click menu enables you to turn on the menu bar, which is off by default.

The QAT is the only toolbar that is turned on in the default workspace. You can turn on additional toolbars from the right-click menu.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at the Menu Browser

2008-09-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

The new AutoCAD 2009 user interface includes a Menu Browser located in the upper left corner. The Menu Browser provides easy access to a variety of content including commands and documents.

It displays a vertical list of menus items, emulating the menus that were traditionally displayed horizontally across the top of the AutoCAD window. You can select a menu item to launch the associated command.

A search tool at the top of the Menu Browser enables you to search the CUI (Customize User Interface) file for key terms. For example, as you begin typing L-I-N-E in the search field, AutoCAD dynamically filters the search options to display all CUI entrees that include the word LINE (Linetype, Command Line, Line, Multiline, etc). You can click on a listed item to launch the associated command.

In addition to command access, the Menu Browser enables you to view and access recent or open documents. You can display the document names with icons or with small, medium, or large preview images making them easy to identify.

Hovering the cursor over the document name automatically displays a preview image and other document information. You can view the recent documents as an ordered list or you can group them by date or file type.

In addition to recent documents, the Menu Browser offers easy access to recent actions. You can view a list of the recent actions and then select one to repeat it.

Right-click menus within the Menu Browser offer additional controls including the ability to pin a recent document or action so that it remains on the list. You can also clear the Recent Documents or Recent Actions lists from the right-click menu.

View Demo

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at the Action Recorder

2008-09-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

The new action recorder in AutoCAD 2009 can help you increase productivity by automating those repetitive tasks!

For example, imagine you’re a landscape architect and each time you receive a new site plan from a client, you have to add standard layers with the appropriate layer properties. You could create a custom LiSP file, but for such a simple task, it hardly seems worth the effort… especially if you don’t have an in-house LiSP expert! You could store your standard layers in a template file but, still, you must somehow get them into the client’s drawing, which takes time.
Using the new action recorder, you simply begin recording and then perform those monotonous tasks that you’ve performed many times before. While it is recording, you can launch commands, enter values, and select objects using familiar AutoCAD functionality. The action recorder records everything that passes through the command line plus it can also record typical actions from:

Toolbars
Ribbon panels
Pull-down menus
Properties window
Layer Properties Manager
Tool Palette

When you’re finished performing a repetitive operation, you simply stop the recording and enter an appropriate name for the action macro. Each action macro that you create is saved as an individual file and stored in the location specified by the Action Recording File Location option in the Files tab of the Options dialog box. A second option for Action Recorder Settings on the Files tab enables you to include locations for reading additional action macros making it easy to share action macros among your design team. The action macros in these specified locations are automatically listed in the Action Recorder panel.

You can create more robust and interactive macros by including text messages and requests for user input. And, you can edit input values even after you’ve recorded the macro.

Action macros behave very much like commands. You can type them at the command line, assign short-cut aliases, and can call one macro from another. You can even call LiSP and ARX routines from a macro simply by running the routine while recording the macro!

View Demo

The Word is Out... AutoCAD 2009

2008-09-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

AutoCAD 2009 is on its way! Here’s a quick peek at some of the new functionality that AutoCAD 2009 has to offer

Microsoft Logo Certification – AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009 have earned certification for Windows Vista; the highest level of Microsoft Logo Certification.

Modern User Interface - The default AutoCAD user interface has a new look and feel; similar to Microsoft Office 2007.

The Menu Browser provides easy access to a variety of content, including commands and documents, from a single button in the upper left corner of the AutoCAD display.
The Quick Access Toolbar, displayed at the top of the AutoCAD window next to the Menu Browser, includes frequently used tools and is easily customizable.
The InfoCenter provides more flexibility when searching for help, including the ability to search for online solutions.
The Ribbon, displayed near the top of the AutoCAD window, provides easy access to AutoCAD tools through a collection of tabs and panels.
The Status Bar has been updated with new tools and icons!

Quick Properties – Use the new Quick Properties panel to view and modify object properties right at the cursor, when you need them, without sacrificing screen real estate.

Quick View Layouts – Easily switch between model space and layouts using this new Quick View Layouts. They provide a faster and more visual alternative to using the traditional model and layout tabs.

Quick View Drawings –Use Quick View Drawings instead of the traditional Ctrl-Tab key combination or Window menu to easily (and visually) switch between open drawings.

Tooltips – Improved tooltips throughout AutoCAD 2009 provide you with more information as you need it; including quick access to relevant topics in the AutoCAD Help system.

Action Recorder – Automate repetitive tasks by easily recording actions to replay in the future.

Layer Management – Easily manage layer properties while you work in the drawing. The new palette-style Layer Properties Manager provides easy access to layer controls while consuming minimal screen space.

Micro station DGN Support – Import and export drawings in Bentley’s MicroStation® V7 DGN as well as V8 DGN format. Also control layer visibility of attached DGN files and map properties such as color and linetype between DGN and DWG files.

DWF Support – You’ll find DWFx listed along with DWF in all DWF- related functionality including Markup, External References (DWFATTACH), Publish, and Plot. DWFx files can be easily viewed on the Windows Vista platform with no need for additional viewing software or plug-ins.

XREF support - Use grips to edit the boundary of a clipped external reference and even invert the clipping are with the simple click of a grip!

Mtext – Automatically check your spelling as you type in the Mtext editor.
Array Preview- When you preview the results of an array, you can now zoom and pan while still in preview mode.

Find and Replace - The Find and Replace functionality includes an expandable dialog box and more options. Plus, the display automatically zooms into the text as it is found.

View Shot Properties - Named views are more flexible and powerful than ever. Choose from three types of views and apply shot properties, such as transitions and motion, to the named views.

Show Motion – Use the new Show Motion functionality to find, restore and play named views.

Lighting – The new VSLIGHTINGQUALITY system variable offers more control over the lighting quality in the current view port.

Geographic Location - AutoCAD 2009 provides you with more options for defining the geographic location of a drawing, specifying the format of latitude and longitude values and controlling the visibility of the geographic marker.

View Cube – Easily restore standard viewpoints in a 3D model with a simple click on the new View Cube.

Steering Wheels – Easily navigate around- and through your 3D models using the new Steering Wheels.

e Transmit – Create transmittal sets (of the last saved version) without have to first save the current drawing. Also, automatically purge drawings when created the transmittal set.

Layout geometry – Automatically export all the geometry on a layout into modelspace of a new drawing.

Find and Replace – New options in the Find and Replace dialog box enable you to find and replace text within blocks and external references.

And More!

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 115

2008-09-02T22:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks To Auto cad Insider-Heidi

Continuing with my “Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD Drawings” series, I want to copy the current duct to multiple locations and then edit the length and diameter accordingly. Of course, I could draw a new cylinder, repeating the process from my previous post. Or, I could create the ductwork using other methods such as extruding a circle along a path. However, I think copying and editing the cylinders is the most efficient. In older versions of AutoCAD (prior to AutoCAD 2006), editing existing objects was much more difficult and I wouldn’t have even considered this method.

Select the cylinder
Right-click and choose Copy Selection.
Pick the Center of the end of the column to specify the base point.
Pick the midpoints of each of the ends of the 2D ducts.
Select a cylinder and then select the length grip.
Select the midpoint of the end of the intersecting duct to ensure the cylinder stretches to the middle of the duct.
Continue editing the existing cylinders by stretching the length or diameter as necessary.

You can easily create all the ducts that have the same orientation by repeating this process of copy/grip-edit.

View Animation

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 114

2008-09-02T22:30:00.000-07:00

In my last “Transitioning from 2D to 3D ” post, I finished creating the 3D VAV boxes in the HVAC plan. The VAV boxes are currently on the floor. I could move them to the ceiling now, but I decided to wait until I finish creating the ductwork so that I can move the ducts and VAV boxes at the same time.

The ductwork provides the opportunity to use a variety of AutoCAD tools. As usual, there are many different ways to create the same model. I’m going to focus on the methods that enable you to take advantage of the existing 2D geometry using the fewest steps and/or the least amount of thinking.

Zoom into an area with ductwork.
From the Dashboard, choose Cylinder.
Pick the midpoint and endpoint of the existing 2D duct to specify the radius of the cylinder. Don’t worry that the cylinder is oriented incorrectly.
Drag down a small distance and pick to set the height of the cylinder. You could just as easily drag up. We’ll rotate the cylinder into the proper position and then adjust its height by snapping to existing 2D geometry.
Select the cylinder and then pass your cursor over the Move grip at the cylinder base. The Move grip tool will display.
Select the axis around which you want to rotate. By default, AutoCAD will try to move the selected object along the axis but you can easily switch to Rotate functionality.
Press the spacebar twice to change from the Move grip tool to the Rotate grip tool.
Drag the cursor straight up (along the z polar axis) and pick or enter an angle of 90. If you drew the initial cylinder (step 4) up instead of down, you would do the opposite for this step.
Select the stretch grip at the end of the cylinder and stretch it to the proper height. The “proper height” depends on what your goal is for the model. If you want the model to be as close to real life as possible, you might want to create each duct segment, including the connectors, as separate objects. However, if you are only concerned with how the model looks, you can reduce steps by combining several “parts” into one. I decided to stretch the duct all the way to center of the large duct to which it will connect. It doesn’t exactly match the real-world parts, but it is quick and will “look” fine after I create the larger duct.
Pick the midpoint of the line at the end of the large duct.

I could have “eye-balled” a distance that would extend the small cylinder far enough into the larger cylinder, but if I didn’t stretch far enough, there would be a gap at the intersection of the two cylinders. If I stretched too far, the small duct might protrude to the other side of the large one. By stretching to the middle of the larger duct, I know there won’t be any gaps or excess protrusions.

View Animation

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 113

2008-09-02T22:27:00.000-07:00

Continuing work on the VAV box from my previous post , I’ll create the extrusions for the primary air inlet and the supply outlet. Since the VAV box is a block, I used REFEDIT to modify the block definition. I’ll continue with my edits from within the REFEDIT command.

Press Shift and the middle mouse button to orbit around to the opposite side of the model.
From the Dashboard, choose Cylinder to draw the protrusion representing the primary air inlet.
Pass the cursor over the side of the box to activate it as the current work plane (the DUCS toggle must be on).
Pass the cursor over the midpoint of the back line representing the 2D air inlet to acquire the point (midpoint OSNAP and OTRACK must be on).
Pass the cursor over the midpoint of the vertical edge of the VAV box.
Move the cursor towards the intersection of the two tracking vectors and pick. I could have drawn the cylinder at the midpoint of the 2D geometry and then moved it up like I did in the last post… but this alternate method saves a few steps.
Pass the cursor over the endpoint of the back line representing the 2D air inlet to acquire the point. I could enter a value for the radius of the cylinder but since I have appropriate 2D geometry, I might as well use my object snaps and tracking.
Move the cursor towards the intersection of the horizontal and vertical tracking vectors and pick.
Drag the cursor out and pick a point (ie. midpoint, endpoint) on the front line of the 2D air inlet. I could enter a value for the height of the cylinder but I wouldn’t want to think that hard! I might as well use the existing 2D geometry!
From the Dashboard, choose Box to draw the protrusion representing the supply outlet. Instead, I could use the Ctrl-Alt (Presspull) functionality similar to the previous post. This is just another option.
Pick opposite endpoints of the existing 2D rectangle.

Enter the height of the box. I entered a height of 14. The box representing the supply outlet needs to be vertically centered on the VAV box. I’ll use the MOVE command to move it into position.
Select the small box, right-click and choose Move.
Pick the midpoint of the back vertical side of the box.
Pass the cursor over the midpoint of the vertical side of the VAV box.
Move the cursor towards the intersection of the horizontal and vertical tracking vectors and pick.
Erase the 2D geometry.
On the Refedit toolbar, choose Save Reference Edits.

If you have other versions of similar block definitions, you can repeat these steps to update all of them.

View Animation

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 112

2008-09-02T22:25:00.000-07:00

In my previous posts, I updated my 2D plan to include 3D objects for the columns and beams, walls, lights and diffusers. To get a better idea of how this drawing looks, I’ll set the conceptual visual style.

The next thing I want to update is the VAV box in the HVAC plan. To make it easier to see the 2D objects that I’m working with, I’ll turn off all the layers except for the 2D walls and HVAC plan. The HVAC plan uses blocks for the 2D VAV box. I’ll edit these block definitions using the REFEDIT tool similar to how I edited the column, beam, lighting, and diffuser blocks. Although the process I’ll use is not drastically different, this block has a few more components, giving me the opportunity to explore different methods.

Zoom into a VAV block.
Select one of the block references, right-click and choose Edit Block In-place. This launches the REFEDIT command.
In the Reference Edit dialog box, choose OK.
Press the Ctrl and Alt keys and pick inside the VAV box.
Drag the cursor up and pick a point or enter a value for the height. I entered a height of 17.125.
Press the Ctrl and Alt keys and pick inside the small rectangle representing the induced air outlet.
Drag the cursor up and pick a point or enter a value for the height. I entered a height of 14. The small box representing the induced air outlet needs to be vertically centered on the large box. You can use various tools to move it, including the MOVE command.
Select the small box, right-click and choose Move.
Pick the midpoint of the back vertical side of the small box.
Drag the cursor over the back endpoint of the 2D rectangle representing the small box and the midpoint of the vertical side of the large box to acquire these points. You don’t want to pick the points, you only want to pass over them so you can use Otracking (OTRACK must be enabled on the status bar). If you are not familiar with Otrack, these few steps are probably confusing… sorry… This is easier to show than to explain. Viewing the animation will probably be very helpful for these particular steps.
Drag the cursor to the approximate location where you want to move the small box. You’ll know if AutoCAD acquired the points because the tracking vectors will display and the tool tip will indicate that it is tracking the Z values of the Endpoint and the Midpoint.

View Animation

Using these familiar tools (Osnaps. Otrack, MOVE, etc) you can easily manipulate objects in 3D space. We still need to make more changes to the VAV box. In the next posting, I’ll create the last two protrusions using slightly different methods.

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 111

2008-09-02T22:23:00.001-07:00

When I left off last week, I had 3D diffusers on the floor. Did you think about how I might move them to the ceiling?

As I mentioned in a previous post , there are many methods for selecting and moving the geometry in 3D space. I decided to use the Quick Select tool to select the objects and the standard MOVE command (rather than the 3DMOVE) to move the selected objects along the Z-axis.

In the drawing, right-click and choose Quick Select from the right-click menu.
In the Quick Select dialog box, set the Object Type to the type of object you want to move. Since I want to move blocks, I’ll set the Object Type to Block Reference.
Set the type of property for which you want to filter the selection. The property you choose depends on the drawing. In my example, I could filter on the block name. However, I have several different diffuser blocks so I would have to perform multiple sets of filters in order to select all of them. All of the diffuser blocks are on the same layer and they are the only blocks on that layer. So, in my example, the easiest method for selecting all the diffuser blocks is to filter on the layer.
Ensure the Operator is set to Equals.
Set the Value to the proper layer name. In my example, I set it to the M-HVAC-CDFF; the layer on which all my diffusers are inserted.
Choose OK. All block objects on the specified layer are selected and ready to be moved.
Right-click and choose Move.
Specify the basepoint by picking in a blank area in 3D space. This is no different than how you might move objects in a 2D drawing.
Ensure that polar tracking is enabled (POLAR toggle on the status bar). If polar tracking is enabled, you will see the Z tracking vector when you drag the cursor in the direction of the Z-axis.
Drag the cursor up along the Z-axis and enter the displacement distance. The displacement distance is 8’ in my example.

View Animation

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 111

2008-09-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

When I left off last week, I had 3D diffusers on the floor. Did you think about how I might move them to the ceiling?

In the drawing, right-click and choose Quick Select from the right-click menu.
In the Quick Select dialog box, set the Object Type to the type of object you want to move. Since I want to move blocks, I’ll set the Object Type to Block Reference.
Set the type of property for which you want to filter the selection. The property you choose depends on the drawing. In my example, I could filter on the block name. However, I have several different diffuser blocks so I would have to perform multiple sets of filters in order to select all of them. All of the diffuser blocks are on the same layer and they are the only blocks on that layer. So, in my example, the easiest method for selecting all the diffuser blocks is to filter on the layer.
Ensure the Operator is set to Equals.
Set the Value to the proper layer name. In my example, I set it to the M-HVAC-CDFF; the layer on which all my diffusers are inserted.
Choose OK. All block objects on the specified layer are selected and ready to be moved.
Right-click and choose Move.
Specify the basepoint by picking in a blank area in 3D space. This is no different than how you might move objects in a 2D drawing.
Ensure that polar tracking is enabled (POLAR toggle on the status bar). If polar tracking is enabled, you will see the Z tracking vector when you drag the cursor in the direction of the Z-axis.
Drag the cursor up along the Z-axis and enter the displacement distance. The displacement distance is 8’ in my example.

View Animation

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 110

2008-09-02T22:21:00.000-07:00

Now that we have lights… on the ceiling… let’s take a look at the diffusers. The diffusers are block insertions so I can update them quickly using the Refedit command, similar to how I updated the lighting fixture blocks.

The shape of the diffusers is a little more complex than the box-shaped lighting fixtures. That’s good! It gives me a chance to show you some other primitive tools!

The 2D block of the diffuser is flat and square. But, the real-life diffuser is a pyramid shape so I’m going to use the new Pyramid command in AutoCAD 2007. If you remember when I drew the box for the lighting fixture, it was like drawing a rectangle with height. Similarly, drawing a pyramid is like drawing a polygon with height. The first few prompts and options are just like the POLYGON command. To make the diffuser even more interesting and realistic, I’ll add a cylinder to the top face to represent the neck.

Zoom into a diffuser.
Select one of the block references, right-click and choose Edit Block In-place. This launches the REFEDIT command.
In the Reference Edit dialog box, choose OK.
From the Dashboard, select Pyramid.
Right-click and choose Sides.
Enter the number of sides for the pyramid. For this diffuser, I will enter 4.
Right-click and choose Edge. In this example, I could just as easily use the default Center option but I figured this way it is more obvious how the Pyramid options match the Polygon options.
With the endpoint object snap on, pick two endpoints on an edge of the existing 2D diffuser block. Now that I’ve defined the 2D shape (like a polygon), I am prompted for the 3D information.
Drag the cursor up and pick a point or enter a value for the height. I’ll enter a height of 1.25. The Pyramid is complete after entering the height. However, it used a default top-radius of zero, creating a point at the top. Before I entered the height, I could have right-clicked and selected the Top Radius option to make it flat on top. However, even after I create the Pyramid, I can edit its properties.
Select the Pyramid. I could enter a value for the top radius but I don't know what that value should be. Yes, I could figure it out using the DISTANCE command and snapping to the existing 2D geometry but I don’t want to work that hard! Instead, I’m going to use the Pyramid’s grips to snap to the existing geometry.
Select the grip for the top radius and stretch it out to the midpoint of the 2D geometry. In addition to grip-editing, you can use the Properties palette to modify the properties of a pyramid. You could, for example, change the number of sides, height, base radius, or top radius.
From the Dashboard, select Cylinder. Now I'm ready to create the neck of the diffuser.
Pass the cursor over the top face of the pyramid. The face should highlight indicating that it is the active workplane.
With the face highlighted, pass the cursor over the midpoints of two adjacent edges of the face. This will enable you to acquire the midpoints without actually picking. You must ensure that Osnap (with midpoint) and Otrack are toggled on. When AutoCAD acquires the points you will see yellow blips at the midpoints.
Pass the cursor toward the center of the face, until the tracking vectors is displayed indicating that it found the midpoint object snaps, and then pick. If these last few steps seem new, confusing, and overwhelming, they shouldn’t! This valuable 2D functionality has been around since AutoCAD 2000 and once you get familiar with how to use it, you’ll wonder how you worked without it.
Drag the cursor out and pick a point or enter a value for the radius of the cylinder. I want a radius of 3.
Drag the cursor up and pick a point or enter a value for the height of the cylinder. I’ll enter 1. But, again, I can change these values using grips or the Properties window.
Erase the 2D geometry to clean up the block.
On the Refedit toolbar, choose Save Reference Edits. All of the block references for that particular type of diffuser will update with the new 3D geometry just as you would expect them to do when you make 2D edits to the block definition. I can repeat this process for similar block definitions of other diffusers.

Yeah!! We have diffusers! On the floor!

Think about how you might move the diffusers to the ceiling… or wait for a future post :-)

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Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings - Dataset

2008-09-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

I had a request to post the drawing files that I've been using for this series. So, here they are!

Download transitioning_from_2d_to_3d_drawings.zip

The ZIP file contains three drawings. The plan is the main file that I've been using. Don't forget to turn on your Dashboard for easy access to the named views, visual styles, and other 3D modeling tools!

The elevation drawing contains the cross sections for the beams. The model drawing is an example of how it might look after you've converted some of the 2D objects to 3D.

Transitioning from 2d to 3d - 01Plan.dwg
Transitioning from 2d to 3d - 02Elevation.dwg
Transitioning from 2d to 3d - 03Model.dwg

Have fun!

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 109

2008-09-02T22:15:00.000-07:00

Okay… so you don’t want your light fixtures on the floor?!?

There are many methods that enable you to change the position of objects in 3D space. Most of them are the same methods you use to change the position of objects in 2D! But, if you are new to working in a 3D environment, you might need to think a little more about which option to choose. For example, how should I select the orange light fixtures that I want to move? I could pick them one at a time but that sounds like a lot of work.

I could change to a plan view and then use several window/crossing selections just as I might do in 2D.

I could change to a front or side view and then use a window selection to choose just those objects (the light fixtures) that are at the floor level.

Or, the method that I’m going to use is the Properties window. Since all the objects that I want to select are blocks and because the light fixtures are the only visible blocks, I can select all the objects on my screen and then use the Properties window to select only the object type (Block references) that I want. This capability has been around since AutoCAD 2000 (if my memory servers) and it can be very useful whether you are working in 3D or 2D.

So why did I choose to use the Properties window for selection? Because, I can also use the Properties window to “move” my light fixtures to a new height. Rather than using the MOVE or 3DMOVE commands, I can simply change the Z position of all the blocks to the proper value.

Select all the objects.
Right-click and choose Properties from the menu.
In the Properties window, select Block Reference from the drop-down list.
For the Z Position, enter the proper value. In my drawing, the bottoms of the light fixtures were originally inserted at a Z Position of 0 but I want them to be located at ceiling height which is 8’.

This method was the quickest in my situation because 1) it was easy for me to select all the right blocks and 2) I knew at what height (Z Position) the blocks should be. If I didn’t know the exact Z Position for the blocks, I would probably use a different selection method and then use the new 3DMOVE grip tool to move the blocks along the Z-axis at a relative distance (8').

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Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 108

2008-09-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

In this series, I previously converted the structural elements and the walls from 2D to 3D objects. I turned off the structural elements (columns and beams) and turned on the lighting layer so that I can convert the 2D lighting fixtures to 3D.

Fortunately, my original 2D drawing included a reflected ceiling plan that used blocks to represent the various light fixtures. I can use what I already know about block editing to update the block definitions to 3D. As I mentioned in a previous post, I can use various methods for editing the block definition; however, I suggest using the REFEDIT command. Once I’m in the reference edit mode, I can use any of my 3D tools to create the 3D model. I can use the PRESSPULL or EXTRUDE functionality that I described in previous posts or I can use primitive objects (BOX, SPHERE, CYLINDER, etc). I prefer to use primitive objects, when possible, because they have the most editing flexibility.

Zoom into a light fixture.
Select one of the block references, right-click and choose Edit Block In-place. This launches the REFEDIT command.
In the Reference Edit dialog box, choose OK.
From the Dashboard, select Box.
With the endpoint object snap on, pick opposite corners of the existing rectangle.
Drag the cursor up and pick a point or enter a value for the height. Even if you don't know the exact height, you can specify some value and then easily edit it later using grips or the properties palette. Keep in mind, however, that you must first access the block definition just as you would when editing 2D block geometry.
On the Refedit toolbar, choose Save Reference Edits. All of the block references for that particular type of light fixture will update with the new 3D geometry just as you would expect them to do when you make 2D edits to the block definition.

I can repeat this procedure for the other light fixtures. Notice, however, that the light fixtures are on the floor. In a future post, I’ll show you one (of many) methods that will enable you to move them to the proper height.

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Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 107

2008-09-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

When creating a 3D model, it can be useful to view it as a wireframe so that you can easily see and snap to points that might otherwise be obscured in a hidden or shaded view.

However, viewing your model as a wireframe can make it difficult to tell the top from the bottom or the front from the back. If you look at a wireframe model long enough you might convince yourself that it is upside-down or inside out.

For fun (because I’m sure you have tons of spare time), look at the images above and try to determine which side is up and then look at them a little longer and see if you can convince yourself of the opposite.

Now look at the exact same views with shading applied. This particular shading is using the Conceptual Visual Style.

Visual Styles are new in AutoCAD 2007. They replace the old Shade Modes that were available in previous releases but are considerably more powerful. Even if you aren’t ready to explore all the power of visual styles, I think you’ll find their most basic functionality useful to visually orient yourself within your 3D model. I use the Dashboard in AutoCAD 2007 to quickly switch between different visual styles as I’m creating my 3D model.

From the Dashboard, open the Visual Styles drop-down list. This displays image tiles that represent all the defined visual styles. AutoCAD 2007 includes 5 default visual styles: 2D Wireframe, 3D Hidden, 3D Wireframe, Conceptual, and Realistic.
Select the visual style you wish to use. I typically switch between the 3D Wireframe and the Conceptual visual styles but you might prefer to use others or to create your own. Continue to switch visual styles as often as necessary throughout the modeling process.

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Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 106

2008-09-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

Continuing with my Transitioning from 2D to 3D series, I’ll finish creating the 3D walls using the 2D floor plan.

I could use the EXTRUDE command like I did for the interior walls in “Transitioning… 105” or I could use the PRESSPULL functionality like I did for the columns in “Transitioning … 102”. Given the choice of these two methods, I usually prefer to use the PRESSPULL functionality for two reasons. One, it doesn’t matter if the boundary is made of closed objects. The PRESSPULL functionality will produce a solid in either case. And two, I don’t have to launch a command. I can simply press the Ctrl-Alt key combination and pick inside the boundary.

When using the PRESSPULL functionality, you must ensure that the entire bounded area is visible in the display. For example, the bounded area of the magenta lines (below) is completely visible on the display so if I use Ctrl-Alt and pick inside that area (the very small space between the parallel lines), AutoCAD can determine the boundary. However, if I use Ctrl-alt and pick inside the area between the parallel blue lines, that area is unbounded on my display (unless I zoom out) so AutoCAD will be unable to determine the boundary and the PRESSPULL operation will fail.

If you have a very large floor plan (or other bounded area), you might find it difficult to keep the full area within the display while still zooming in enough to pick inside the boundary. In some cases, it might be easiest to join all the segments to form a closed polyline and then use the EXTRUDE command rather than trying to use PRESSPULL.

In my case, the bounded area is just small enough to fit within the display and still enable me to pick within the walls.

Zoom, pan, and orbit so that the bounded area is completely visible AND there is enough room to pick inside of it.
Press Ctrl-Alt and pick inside the bounded area.
Drag the cursor in the direction you wish to extrude.
Enter the height of the extrusion or pick a point. You can use object grips or the Properties palette to change the height even after the solid is created.

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Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 105

2008-09-01T06:12:00.000-07:00

Now that I have created the basic structural elements in this drawing, I’ll move on to the architectural objects. I want to create 3D walls from the 2D floor plan.

To make it easier for me to see the walls, I’ll turn off the structural layers.

There are several options for creating 3D objects for the walls. One method is to use the EXTRUDE command. The EXTRUDE command has been in AutoCAD since Release 12 but it has been enhanced in AutoCAD 2007. In previous releases there were different commands for surfaces and solids. If you wanted the walls to be surface objects you could use the TABSURF command but if you wanted them to be solid objects, you would use the EXTRUDE command. In AutoCAD 2007, you don’t have a different set of commands for surfaces versus solids. You can use the same command and, based on the initial geometry, AutoCAD will know whether to create a surface or solid.

If the initial geometry is an open object, such as an open polyline or an arc, AutoCAD will create a surface (left image). If the initial geometry is a closed object, such as a closed polyline or a circle, AutoCAD will create a solid (center image). Even if the initial geometry looks closed but is made from open objects, the EXTRUDE command will create surface objects. In the example on the right, the rectangle is really four individual line segments. Extruding those line segments produces four individual surface objects.

In my floor plan example, the interior walls are closed polylines so when I use the EXTRUDE command, AutoCAD automatically creates 3D solids for the walls.

From the Dashboard, choose Extrude.
Select the 2D objects you want to extrude.
Enter a height for the extrusion.

Even after you create extruded objects, you can use object grips or the Properties palette to change their height.

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By the way, if you are familiar with other architectural-specific applications such as Architectural Desktop or Revit Building, keep in mind that AutoCAD does not create real “walls” like those applications. AutoCAD creates 3D solids (or surfaces) that happen to look like walls. These objects don’t have any properties or data that are specific to walls. However, you could open this 3D AutoCAD drawing in an architectural application, such as Revit, and convert them to real wall objects.

Command less Copy!!

2008-09-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

Did you know that, going all the way back to Auto CAD 2000, you can quickly copy objects within a drawing or between drawings without even launching a command?

Simply select the object you want to copy and then click and hold the right mouse button as you drag the new geometry into position. When you release the right mouse button, a right-click menu displays the following options: Move, Copy, Paste as a block, and Cancel. This method does not provide the accuracy of grips and object snaps but it is a quick alternative if you aren’t concerned with placing the geometry at a precise location.

You can use similar functionality to copy geometry from one drawing to another. For example, I have a drawing of a 2D framing elevation that includes blocks of the beam cross-sections. I want to use those the blocks as profiles in my 3D drawing.

First, I open both drawings in the Auto Cad window and then from the Window menu, I select Tile Horizontally.

After zooming into an appropriate location in each drawing, I select the beam cross-section blocks from the Frame Elevation drawing and then right-click and continue to hold down the right mouse button as I drag the geometry into the 3D drawing

When I release the geometry in the 3D drawing, Auto Cad displays the following menu options: Copy, Paste as a block, Paste to Orig Curds, and Cancel. In my example, I chose Copy Here because I wasn’t too concerned with the exact location of the blocks in the new drawing.

I have found the Paste to Orig Curds option useful in many situations. For example, if you have two drawings of the same floor plan and you want to copy the lighting layout from one drawing to the other. Assuming the existing geometry in the second drawing (walls, etc) was based off the same coordinates as the first drawing, when you paste to original coordinates, the lighting geometry will automatically insert into the appropriate location.

I also use Paste to Orig Curds for quickly replacing an old title block with a new one. For example, if you have a bunch of drawings with an old title block, you can open all of them and open one drawing with the new title block. Tile all the drawings. The geometry in each of the drawings may not be very legible when they are tiled but it doesn’t matter. In each of the drawings, select and erase the old title block (you may have to purge its block definition if the new one has the same name). Then you can select the title block from the new drawing and right-click drag and drop into each of the other drawings. If you select Paste to Orig Coords (again assuming that the original coordinates in the first drawing are appropriate for the other drawings), the titleblock will automatically insert at the same location.

Transitioning from 2D to 3D AutoCAD drawings 103

2008-09-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

Continuing with my “Transitioning from 2D to 3D” series, I’ll use the existing single-line beams as paths for sweeping the beam profiles. The SWEEP command enables you to create a solid or surface by sweeping an open or closed planar curve (profile) along an open or closed 2D or 3D path. If you sweep an open curve, AutoCAD will create a surface. If you sweep a closed curve, AutoCAD will create a solid. Since beam profiles are not typically included in plan drawings, I copied them from the 2D Framing Elevation. See Commandless Copy for more for information on coping objects between drawings.

The beam profile that I copied was a block. Before using the SWEEP command, I had to explode the block so I could access the closed polyline, which represents the cross-section of the beam.

From the Dashboard, choose Sweep to launch the SWEEP command.

Select the closed polyline, which represents the beam cross-section and then press enter to finish the selection set.
Select a line that represents a beam in the structural plan. AutoCAD automatically aligns the profile so that it is perpendicular to the path and it uses the centroid of the profile as the basepoint to follow the path. You can change the default behavior using the Alignment and Basepoint options from the right-click menu.
Repeat the SWEEP command using the same profile for each of the beam lines. Hint: Ensure that you have set AutoCAD to “Retain defining geometry”. See my previous post for more information.

The SWEEP command does not allow you to select multiple paths so you will have to perform this operation multiple times. However, you can use the AutoCAD API (Application Programing Interface) to automate the SWEEP command. Or, if the single line beams were inserted as blocks similar to the columns, you would only have to use the SWEEP command one time for each different block definition.

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