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Florida Seminar
Series This year CADtech Seminars will be hosting five seminars in the state of Florida in the month of June. These seminars consist of Maximizing AutoCAD and Advanced AutoCAD Techniques. We have revised and updated the courses to reflect the changes in the new versions of AutoCAD. AutoCAD 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 and LT series. CADtech Seminars, LLC and our Florida seminars are also registered for Continuing Education for Architects, Interior Designers, Landscape Architects, Surveyors and Mappers. For more information on the seminars, visit our web site www.autocadtraining.com or view or latest brochure in PDF format. | ||||
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Help! Selecting
only one object at a time! I have an AutoCAD 06 user here, and he can’t get AutoCAD to pick multiple lines at the same time. Say if he picks on one, then tries to manually pick another one, then the first one becomes unpicked. What is happening here? The variable is called PICKADD. This can be changed from the command line but it is easier from the Change Properties Dialog Box. (Ctrl +1) There is a button located at the top of the Change Properties Dialog Box. It is most likely set to “1”. Click on it and set it to “+”. This is a toggle that gets switched by accident, then all hell breaks loose. Text to
Lines Hi Ken, Wondering if you know of a way to convert text to lines that can be assigned a tool path, say in this case, a laser cutout (much like stenciling). Yes! But only in the full versions. There is a tool in the express tools called TEXT EXPLODE. It converts text to lines. I use it when I need to create 3D lettering. I am not sure what version you are using. If you are using LT, you can do it with an add-on that mimics the AutoCAD express tools called Super Tools. See link below. There may also be other add-ons that do the job. Do a search for AutoCAD LT add-ons. | ||
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Pushing the
Boundary I need to create a polyline outline around a complex object. Is there a quick way to do this in AutoCAD? Yes, you can use the Boundary (BPOLY) command. It is located under DRAW>BOUNDARY. Normally, the boundary command is used to create an internal polyline. The trick is to draw a rectangle around the object (figure 2) then use the boundary command and pick a point inside the rectangle. Once created, you can move or copy the newly created polyline where you need it. (figure 3) See the graphic example. Extend your
AutoCAD Capabilities When extending or trimming a line, instead of picking an object as a boundary or trim edge, just hit enter or the space bar. AutoCAD will assume all objects are boundaries or trim edges. Next, select the line to extend or trim and AutoCAD will extend or trim to the next closest object. SHIFT gears with TRIM and EXTEND When you are in the TRIM or EXTEND command, you can switch from TRIM to EXTEND and vise-versa by just holding down the SHIFT key. If you are in the trim command and need a quick extend, just hold down the shift key and select and object, AutoCAD will extend the object to the nearest boundary. | ||
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Quick Draw
Extents For a quick Zoom Extents, double-click the middle mouse button on your mouse. This also works inside viewports. Keeping your
Viewports Under Control Dan Cole – Tucson, AZ You can lock the pan and zoom per viewport so you or someone else does not accidentally change the scale. You can even set layer visibility easily per viewport. 1. Once you get the scale set on your viewport, click on it to highlight the viewport. 2. Right click with your mouse to pull up the short cut menu. 3. Go down to the Display Locked option & click on Yes. 4. Now that the viewport is locked, use the Layer Freeze tool (Express Tools in the Full Versions) to set which layer(s) are frozen in that viewport. The nice thing about this is that it doesn’t freeze those layers in any other viewport or when you click on the Model tab. It also works for layers in an X-ref. it will freeze just the layer that the object in the X-ref is on & in just that viewport also. I use this tool to get my viewports set up the way they should be on that sheet. It works this way in 2002 & up. Dan Cole | ||
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Text that Matches
the Dimension Text Size Every Time!
From Peter Kastmiler - Sacramento, CA "If you ever wanted the text height to be set to the correct height automatically to the dimscale factor, in the same way that the leader command sets itself to the dimscale factor, then this macro is for you? How about while your at it have the text go to the correct layer as well. To accomplish this you'll need to make a custom toolbar button(s), or alter the macro command(s) in the toolbar button you have for "dtext" and "mtext" with the following macro(s): 1. For Single line text (dtext): ^C^C-layer;set;A-Notes^C^C_dtext \(* (getvar "dimscale")(getvar" dimtxt"));0; -NOTE: The first set of commands sets the layer previous to starting the text command. If you do not want the layer set delete "^C^C-layer;set;A-Notes", or change the layer name to the layer that you normally use for text. 2. For Multiple line text (mtext): ^C^C_textsize;(*(getvar "dimscale")(getvar "dimtxt"));^C^C-layer;set;A_Notes;^C^C_mtext \w;0; -NOTE: Again, if you do not need the layer set delete "^C^C-layer;set;A-Notes", or change the layer name to the layer you use for your profession. Also delete the "\w;0" (but leave the last semicolon) if you do not want mtext automatically set to a Width of 0. If you set a toolbar button up with these two macros, you'll be able to click on the toolbar icon to start the command, then click again on the screen for your insertion point and immediately begin typing text. Try this without the macro and see how many clicks and responses you need to input to start typing." Best, Peter Kastmiler | ||
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I hope you enjoyed this issue of our 'Killer Tips and
Tricks for AutoCAD' newsletter. Each month we will try to mix it up and
keep it fresh for new and experienced AutoCAD users.
Sincerely,
 Ken Colgan CADtech Seminars email: kcolgan@cadtechseminars.com
phone: 800-454-4054
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