Before we begin this week, I'd love to hear from you, the reader, if you'd like to see these articles based more on r14 or the new AutoCAD 2000. Please take a moment and fill out the poll! This poll will only last for the next month, then we have another poll waiting in the wings to further define what you'd like to see.
Today's' article we're going to talk about a few tips and tricks.
Tip #1 - Did you know that you can right click on an icon and then right click it a second time and you can now edit the toolbars by dragging and dropping the icons in the toolbars. If you have icons on your toolbars why not get rid of the ones you don't use and clear up some space?
Tip #2 - Type FIND at the command line and you can search and replace text in your drawing. This is really nice when you have a manager decide to rearrange the page numbers and you need to edit all the detail call-outs in the drawing.
Tip #3 - Without typing in a command, simply click on any object. Now, look at the toolbars and you will notice that where it normally tells you the current layer, current color and linetype it will now tell you what the objects' linetype, color, and layer is. As a side note, please do not use this as a way to change the color or linetype of the object. All objects should be bylayer for both the color and linetype. If they don't say bylayer, you should change it to the correct layer, color and linetype. A good way to test this is to type DDCHPROP, press return, when it asks for the objects type ALL and press return. This will select all objects in the drawing and you can now reset the entire drawing to BYLAYER for both the color and the linetype, as well as check to see that Line Type Scale is set to 1". As a side note to this tip, Jon DePaul reminded me that you must have the system variable PICKFIRST set equal to 1. I normally have this set in my ACAD.LSP or ACAD2000DOC.LSP file. Just add (Command "pickfirst" "1") to your LISP file and you don't have to worry about it again. Remeber - in A2k it's best not to put your LISP code into the ACAD.LSP file - place it instead in the ACAD200DOC.LSP file.
Tip #1 - Did you know that you can right click on an icon and then right click it a second time and you can now edit the toolbars by dragging and dropping the icons in the toolbars. If you have icons on your toolbars why not get rid of the ones you don't use and clear up some space?
Tip #2 - Type FIND at the command line and you can search and replace text in your drawing. This is really nice when you have a manager decide to rearrange the page numbers and you need to edit all the detail call-outs in the drawing.
Tip #3 - Without typing in a command, simply click on any object. Now, look at the toolbars and you will notice that where it normally tells you the current layer, current color and linetype it will now tell you what the objects' linetype, color, and layer is. As a side note, please do not use this as a way to change the color or linetype of the object. All objects should be bylayer for both the color and linetype. If they don't say bylayer, you should change it to the correct layer, color and linetype. A good way to test this is to type DDCHPROP, press return, when it asks for the objects type ALL and press return. This will select all objects in the drawing and you can now reset the entire drawing to BYLAYER for both the color and the linetype, as well as check to see that Line Type Scale is set to 1". As a side note to this tip, Jon DePaul reminded me that you must have the system variable PICKFIRST set equal to 1. I normally have this set in my ACAD.LSP or ACAD2000DOC.LSP file. Just add (Command "pickfirst" "1") to your LISP file and you don't have to worry about it again. Remeber - in A2k it's best not to put your LISP code into the ACAD.LSP file - place it instead in the ACAD200DOC.LSP file.
The copyright of the article AutoCAD Tips, Tricks and LISPs! in AutoCAD Design is owned by . Permission to republish AutoCAD Tips, Tricks and LISPs! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
