August 27, 2012

Architecture Student: AutoCAD Tip Compilation


This Post is a Library in process...

Show Lineweights


Lineweights in CAD
To show lineweights in AutoCAD, just click on the icon at the bottom. This can be problematic while drafting in modelspace, though helpful in paperspace. When you can see line weights and the plot style helps you edit your drawings without going to plot preview. To set up a black and white paperspace with plot styles, see Setting up CAD Paperspace with plot styles and line weights.



Show or Hide the Menubar

Even after they created the ribbon in AutoCAD, sometimes the best way to work with CAD is to use the menubar. To show or hide the menubar is quite simple. Type in the command MENUBAR and hit enter or the spacebar. Then it will prompt you to enter a new value for the MENUBAR. Entering 0 will hide the menubar and 1 will show the menubar.

Command: MENUBAR  hit enter or spacebar
Option 0 : will hide the menubar
Option 1: will show the menubar

Setting Paperspace Background White


To set up your background color in paperspace to white (if it isn't already), right click on the background and hit Options. Then click on the Display tab and then click the button that says colors.

Options > Display > Colors

Once in the color window, select sheet / layout then uniform background and finally select white.

sheet / layout > uniform background > white

Setting CAD paperspace background to white


Color Monochrome Printing


Lineweights can be set by color or by layer. The convention is to use colors to visually differentiate lineweights while drafting. To read more about how to set up lineweights, see  Tutorial: Setting Up AutoCAD Lineweights.

General Tips and Tricks


Stuck in model view while on paperspace


Typically to get out of a view port in paper space you double click outside the window.
When stuck in a view port in paperspace and you can't click out of it. Enter

ps 

to go back to the paperspace.

Import Picture

Command: IMAGEATTACH

Toolbar: Insert > Raster Image

CAD FILE BACKUP


Always be sure to backup your plot styles and your drawing files, wherever they might be.

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2012 - English\R18.2\enu\Plotters\Plot Styles


CAD EXTRAS


Andersen Window

windowsymbols.com lets you download plan and elevations of windows through the web. They also have a downloadable stand alone program Window Studio which allows you to create windows for use in CAD and Google SketchUp on your computer.

Hatch Patterns

You need to locate your existing two standard AutoCAD (or LT) hatch files, open them in a text editor, then copy the hatch pattern code from my file (hatch_pattern_code.txt) into them.
The standard AutoCAD hatch files are acad.pat and acadiso.pat (aclt.pat and acltiso.pat for LT). acad.pat contains the hatch patterns used in imperial drawings, and acadiso.pat contains the hatch patterns used in metric drawings. The patterns in both files are the same except for the dimensions used. Hatch pattern files (.pat) are just ordinary text files consisting mainly of numbers, which is the code AutoCAD uses to draw the hatches.
Typically you will find the hatch files in this directory (folder):
c:\Documents and Settings\(your username)\Application Data\Autodesk\(AutoCAD or LT version)\enu\support


Places to find free CAD files to supplement your drawings

cadblocksfree.com
cadyou.com
cadcorner.ca
ceco.net
cben.net
Draftsperson.net
max-cad.com 
NRCS CAD Standard
strongtie.com - Metal Hanger Drawings
subwaytile.com/CAD_DL.shtml - Subway Tiles Only
windowsymbols.com Anderson Windows - lets you download plan and elevations of windows and doors through the web. They also have a downloadable stand alone program Window Studio which allows you to create windows for use in CAD and Google SketchUp on your computer.




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