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3 Application Software

AutoCAD Tips & Tricks

Usage
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Application Interaction

Is there a limit on rows/columns from my OLE spreadsheet?

There is a limit, and that limitation is not necessarily AutoCAD's fault. To see a graphical example of this, select a large range in the spreadsheet, then look at the clipboard viewer. You will find the clipboard viewer in the accessories or system tools section of the Windows start menu. If you don't have this program you will need to use the Add/Remove Programs applet of the Windows Control Panel to add it. It will be in the System Tools section of the Windows Setup tab.

When you look at the clipboard viewer, you should see that the Windows clipboard has limited the data when presented in certain 'flavors'. When you use the ole link, you lose rows and/or columns.

If the link is not required, you may be able to get more of the data into AutoCAD by using the Paste Special option from the menu and choosing an option like 'AutoCAD Objects'.

Shaking the OLE from Excel Graphs

When you paste pie/bar graphs from Excel into AutoCAD, they can exhibit all the problems of a typical OLE insert, including plot rotation, etc. Use this procedure to 'shake off' the OLE.

1. In Excel, copy your graph to the clipboard.
2. In AutoCAD, issue the PASTESPEC command, choose Excel Chart, your only choice at this point.
3. In AutoCAD, right click on the chart and choose CUT.
4. In AutoCAD, issue the PASTESPEC command again, choose AutoCAD entities.
5. Erase the outer border and background solid to reveal a good looking collection of native geometry

Block/Attribute

How do I control the prompt order for attributes?

When building the block definition, the selection order is the key. If you simply window off the geometry there is a good possibility the prompt order will not be as desired. When selecting objects for a block definition, first individually pick the attribute definitions individually in the order you want to be prompted, then select the rest of the geometry.

Importing Block Definitions

If you want to bring in only the definition of a block (such as a symbol on disk), you can use this little known trick. After issuing the insert command and selecting the file, press the ESC key at the first (insertion point) prompt. You will have the definition in the current drawing for latter use.

Construct/Draw

Inserting Drawings, Consider the BASE

When inserting blocks (or entire drawings) from a seperate DWG file, it may not come in 'attached' to the cursor, or in the right place. When preparing a drawing and its geometry to become 'insertable' into another drawing, you must consider its coordinates and then optionally the BASE variable. The preferred method for blocks is to move the geometry from the desired 'anchor' to coordinates of 0,0,0. If you don't want to do that, you should issue the BASE command and pick a point at the anchor.

Another problem scenario to watch out for is when the geometry has been moved to 0,0 and the current drawing had a base other than 0,0. In this case simply issue the BASE command and type in 0,0,0.

Some offset distances are greater than specified?

This can expecially occur when offsetting polylines. As the interior angle decreases, the distance between offset endpoints increases. However in parallel sections the perpendicular distance 'should' always be 100. For example with a 100 unit offset.

• 135° interior angle = 108.35
• 45° interior angle = 261.60

In general a more accurate representation of the offset would be achieved if you filleted the resulting polyline to 100, making most points along the path truly 100 units away, even in the 'bends'.

AutoCAD 2000 addresses this issue, see the OFFSETGAPTYPE system variable.

Why won't AutoCAD create my large array?

AutoCAD sets a default limit of 100,000 segments. If the quantity of rows * columns would exceed that, AutoCAD refuses to create the offset. However you can change the default value to any number from 100 to 10,000,000. To increase the value, enter the following at the command prompt. The example shows increasing the value to 50,000. Note that the name MaxArray is case sensitive and must be entered as shown.

Command: (setenv "MaxArray" "50000")

Relative Coordinates

Frequently in designating points in AutoCAD, you need to specify the relative position of the next point. There are several ways to do this:

Relative Cartesian: You simply specify the X/Y difference as positive or negative values. The following example indicates the next point is 12 units to the right (positive X) and 6 units down (negative Y). (Example)To Point: @12,-6

Relative Polar: You specify the distance and angle to the next point. The following example indicates the next point 15 units away at a 45 degree angle. (Example)To Point: @15<45

Relative Cylindrical: Much like relative polar except you have the ability to designate the amount of rise or drop at the new point. The following example indicates the next point 15 units away at a 45 degree angle, but also is 6 units lower. (Example)To Point: @15<45,-6

Relative Spherical:Much like relative cylindrical except the rise or drop is determined by an angle. The following example indicates the next point 15 horizontal units away at a 45 degree angle in plan view, but also lifts 12 degrees in the XY plane. (Example)To Point: @15<45<12

AutoCAD's Geometry Calculator

People often don't know about AutoCAD's built in geometry calculator. While it lacks in interface appeal it more than makes up for it in capability. Take the ability to snap to a point between to endpoints. Consider this example where a circle is placed halfway between the endpoints of two lines.

Command: CIRCLE
Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]: 'CAL
>> Expression: MEE
>> Select one endpoint for MEE:
>> Select another endpoint for MEE:

The key is when prompted for any point, enter 'CAL and type in the expression. In the case of MEE it knows you want endpoints and you don't have to use an object snap when picking. Also bear in mind that MEE is only one of dozens of expressions available at the prompt. Read your AutoCAD documentation on the Geometry Calculator for more.

How do I enter boundaries in bearing & distance?

First you need to set the appropriate units in the DDUNITS command. Set the angular units to 'Surveyor', then choose the direction button and make sure that 'Angle Direction' = east, 'Rotation' = counter clockwise. Even though you have set to Surveyors Units it won't work right unless set this way.

Then using the LINE or PLINE command you enter the calls as relative polar coordinates.

Command: LINE
Start Point: (Pick One)
Next Point: @123.45

Notice the syntax for the relative polar coordinate. You put the @ sign first, which means relative to the last point. Next comes the distance. Last is the bearing. Its enclosed in the quadrant NE, NW, SE, SW, note the use of letter D to indicate the degrees.

The underutilized AutoCAD MULTIPLE command

When you need to repeat a command several times, consider the MULTIPLE command. At the command prompt type MULTIPLE followed by the command. Take the POINT command for example. Without the multiple prefix you would need to reissue the command before each pick location, now you can repeatedly pick the points until done.

Press ESC to cancel the repeating command.

Display

Why does AutoCAD regen every time I zoom or pan?

You may occasionally receive a drawing from an outside source that causes this problem. Simply type VIEWRES at the command prompt, say YES to fast zooms, and set your circle zoom percent to around 200.

Why won’t my linetypes display?

Sometimes it seems that no matter how you try, you can’t get line types with breaks to show the breaks. First thing to remember is that 3D polylines in AutoCAD cannot display a line type, nor can they have width or contain arcs for that matter. However, most other objects should if things are set right.

First check the value of LTSCALE, this master control variable determines the scaling of the gaps in linetypes. You may find this variable set to 1.0, which would not show breaks on a map. Enter LTSCALE at the command prompt and put in a value that is 50% to 66% of the scale at which you would plot the map. For example, if you would plot the drawing at 1”=50’, you should put in a value between 25-35 for LTSCALE.

If LTSCALE doesn’t set things straight, there is a possibility that your geometry has a CONTINUOUS linetype set to each object, in which case it won’t take on the linetype of the layer on which it is assigned. Simply issue the CHPROP command, select the geometry, type LT for linetype, and enter BYLAYER for the value.

If this still doesn’t display the linetype’s properly, you probably have polylines with vertices that are close together. To correct this use DDMODIFY, select the polyline, and turn on the LTGEN toggle in the dialog.

Why does the Object Properties Toolbar Stop Working?

When you pick objects at the command prompt, they highlight and grips appear. On the object properties toolbar the layer and/or color of the object usually appear so that you can change them. But on some systems this stops working. This is because the noun/verb selection has been turned off. Simply type DDSELECT at the command prompt and turn on the 'Noun/Verb Selection' toggle. The Object properties toolbar will start working again.

Number of Command Lines

When you press F2 and look back at the command history, you may notice that at some point it stops. The default number of lines is set to 400. On R14 you could change it in the preferences dialog. Unfortunately 2000 and higher has regressed. You have to use a to lisp expression setting like MaxHatch.

To check the current number of lines set:

Command: (getenv "CmdHistLines")

To set a new maximum number of lines:

Command: (setenv "CmdHistLines" "1000")

The number you use must be in a range from 25 to 2048!

Restoring a Lost Command Line

Sometimes users get in a hurry or just aren't careful, and can accidentally drag and drop the command line area, losing it in the process. Carefully follow this Registry Edit procedure to get it back.

1. Shut down AutoCAD if it's running.
2. Click on Start, then choose Run.
3. Type REGEDIT and choose OK.
4. On the left pane, double click on "HKEY_CURRENT_USER".
5. Double click on "Software".
6. Double click on "Autodesk".
7. Double click on "AutoCAD".
8. Double click on "R15.0"
9. Double click on "ACAD-###:###".
10. Double click on "Fixed Profile".
11. Double click on "Command Line Windows".
12. On the right pane, double click on "Dock Window Position".
13. Several numbers should be highlighted, simply press "0".
14. Choose OK, then close the Registry Editor.
15. Restart AutoCAD, the command prompt should be back.

Hatches

Why won't AutoCAD create my dense hatch?

AutoCAD sets a default limit of 10000 segments. If the hatch that would be created would exceed that, AutoCAD refuses to create the hatch. However you can change the default value to any number from 100 to 10,000,000. To increase the value, enter the following at the command prompt. The example shows increasing the value to 100,000. Note that the name MaxHatch is case sensitive and must be entered as shown.

Command: (setenv "MaxHatch" "100000")

Images

How can I make working with IMAGES easier?

If you frequently insert images, having to position, scale and rotate them each time, try this simple trick. Begin a new 'empty' drawing. Insert the image, position, scale and rotate it into place. Make any other changes such as contrast, then save the drawing. From now on, simply insert the newly created drawing, not the image. The attached drawing will contain all the settings.

Interface

How can I balance right click behavior?

Starting with AutoCAD 2004, you can find a compromise between the old rightclick=enter, and the new rightclick=menu. A new 'time sensitive right click' gives you the best of both worlds.

When this is turned on, a quick click of the right mouse button is the same as pressing enter. Holding down the right mouse button longer than the specified time yields a context sensitive menu (when appropriate).

1. Command: OPTIONS
2. Choose the 'User Preferences' tab.
3. Turn on 'Shortcut menus in drawing area'.
4. Choose the 'Right-click Customization' button.
5. Turn on 'Time Sensitive Right Click'.
6. Change interval if desired.

Layers

Why isn’t my layer table sorted?

If you begin working with a large number of layers (around 200), you may notice that the layers are not sorted in the layer dialog. Instead they are shown in the order they were created. AutoCAD uses a system variable MAXSORT to control how many layers to sort on layer control as well as how many files to sort on file open. Simply type in MAXSORT at the command prompt and put in a numeric value larger than the default value of 200. This value is stored in the configuration files and won’t need to be reentered in your next drawing.

Don’t Plot That Layer!

A trick in AutoCAD that has been around for the longest time is a layer name that won’t plot regardless of its status. Create a layer in your drawing called DEFPOINTS. Use it to place notes to yourself, construction lines, etc. It also an excellent layer to put paper space viewports into, since the frames don’t plot.

No Xref Layer Filter

If you want your layer dialog to show only layers in the current drawing and exclude all xrefs, create a filter with a name like NOXREF, then put this in for the layer name "~*|*" (without the quotation marks).

Layouts

Is there a limit to the number of layouts in a drawing?

Yes, it is limited to a total of 255. Autodesk notes this as a limitation of the tab control used to display the collection.

Why don't my layouts plot in the correct order?

This is a bug in AutoCAD that still remains. Click here for a (confusing at best) explanation by Autodesk.

Objects

Object Cycling

Object Cycling has been around since R13, but isn't a widely known ability, perhaps because it's not a command. Whenever you are at the 'Select Objects' prompt and have overlapping objects, simply hold down the Ctrl key as you pick a location. AutoCAD will cycle through the objects at that location, highlighting each one until you accept one and move on.

Polylines

Why won't my 3D polylines display a linetype?

3DPOLY's cannot contain arcs, display linetypes or show width or thickness. However, you can assign a linetype style to a 3D polyline and it will retain the information. Simply save the drawing, explode the 3D polylines before you plot (the LINES will display the linetype), then undo to restore the 3D polylines.

Why don't my splined polyline vertices go through the original vertices?

As you probably know, using the Spline option ofthe PEDIT command creates a splined polyline but the path of the spline does not run through the original control points. In contrast the spline created with the SPLINE command does run through thecontrol points and is the end result you want. Back on the negativeside the SPLINE command has an option to convert an existing polyline, but only one that has been splined. The converted spline is still not what you want.

So the best way with stock AutoCAD is to turn on the endpoint osnap,issue the SPLINE command and get starting picking points. ToolPac users will find Convert Polylines to Splines that will process a selection set of un-splined polylines and give you the results you want.

How can I draw a tangent line off an ARC within a polyline?

You may have noticed that when you go to the ARC mode within the PLINE command, the first and consectutive arcs are tangent to the previous segment. To create a tangent line off the last segment, first press L for Line mode, then press a second L for Length. Pick or enter a distance and the segement drawn will be tangent off the last arc. Its the 2nd L that does the trick.

How can I convert R14 LightWeight Polylines back?

At the command prompt type CONVERTPOLY. This undocumented command built into AutoCAD R14 allows you to convert lightweight polylines to the old 'heavy' polylines, preserves arcs and polyline width. Some 'not so current' applications may require standard polylines.

Security

How do I disable 2004 Drawing Passwords?

The password on 2004 (and higher) is a potential nightmare. One scenario is a disgruntled employee who decides to password protect important drawings on their way out the door.

When installing, consider choosing the Custom Install, and turn off the Drawing Encryption option in Special Features. After installation use this procedure.

1. Choose Start > Settings > Control Panel.
2. Choose Add/Remove Programs.
3. Find AutoCAD on the list.
4. Choose the [Change] button.
5. Choose 'Add or Remove Features'
6. Choose 'Drawing Encryption'
7. Choose 'Entire Feature will be unavailable'
8. Choose [Next] until complete.

Splines

How can I convert a SPLINE to a POLYLINE?

The new SPLINE objects introduced in R13 are nice, but there arelimits on what you can do with them. So conversion to a polyline is necessary. Carefully erase all the geometry except for the splines, then save the drawing in R12 DWG (A2K users use R12 DXF) format. Then open the original drawing, erase the splines and insert the R12 file.The spline will now have become polylines. If the splines haddiffering elevations on the vertices, the resulting polyline will be a 3D polyline.

For ToolPac users, use Convert > Splines > To Polylines. For others SPL2PL.VLX in the Free Stuff section will convert, but does not contain the arc option like the one in ToolPac.

System Variables

What happened to my PLOT/FILE dialogs?

You may occasionally find yourself in a situation where the NEW, OPEN, and SAVE commands do not provide a dialog. Simply enter FILEDIA at the command prompt and enter a value of 1. If you attempt to PLOT and fail to get a dialog, simply enter ` at the command prompt and enter a value of 1.

Using File Dialog at prompts

Sometimes settings (such as FILEDIA) can cause certain routines to ask for a file name at the command prompt. In these cases you can enter the tilde ~ character followed by enter to bring up the file selection dialog.

Ignoring Object Snap Elevations

A frequent problem in objects snaps is the inheritance of the Z value when snapping to a point. AutoCAD 2006 addresses this with the new OSNAPZ system variable. If set to 0, osnap uses the z-value of the snapped point. If set to 1, it uses the x+y of the snapped point and the current value of the ELEVATION system variable.

Also note that when creating lightweight polylines, the elevation of the first snap will determine the elevation. After that, any snap to other elevations will be ignored.

What is the OFFSETGAPTYPE variable in AutoCAD 2000?

This system variable can have a drastic effect on the appearance of offsets. Its stored in the registry so it affects all drawings. The initial value is 0.

• 0 Extends the segments to fill the gap (the old way)
• 1 Fills the gaps with a filleted arc segment (the radius of the arc segment is equal to the offset distance)
• 2 Fills the gaps with a chamfered line segment

What is TREEDEPTH?

Users with HUGE drawings may want to consider changing the value of the TREEDEPTH variable. It controls the AutoCAD Oct-Tree Spatial Index, which specifies the number of times the tree-structured spatial index may divide into branches. Setting the value to -3020 flattens the Z index giving you more granular nodes in the XY which yields faster object selection. It has no effect on the elevations of your objects.

PELLIPSE System Variable

If you want the ellipse command to create polylines instead of the true mathematical ellipses, set the PELLIPSE variable to 1.

SKPOLY System Variable

By default, the SKETCH command creates a collection of line objects. To create polylines instead, set the SKPOLY variable to 1.

Text/Mtext

How can I do subscript/superscript text?

There is no way to do it in standard TEXT. However you can do it in MTEXT using the stack mechanism. As an example bring up the MTEXT editor dialog and paste in something like:

Raise to the 3rd^ Power!

Basically the formula is to use the ^ carat symbol along with the same number of spaces as you have characters to shift up/down. In my example above I would enter this into the MTEXT editor dialog box, there are three spaces after the ^, two to balance the shift of the 'rd' and a third for the natural space between the words. In the MTEXT editor I would highlight the 5 characters "rd^ ", then press the A/B stacking button in the dialog. The 'rd' then becomes superscript. To achieve subscript simply reverse the order putting the spaces and carat first, for example " ^rd".

If you wanted to underline the superscript or overline the subscript, simply use a "/" (forwardslash) instead of the carat symbol.

How can I select all TEXT that contains a word fragment?

When you need a selection set of text objects that contains a word or word fragment, you can call upon the FILTER command to help. When at the select objects prompt, type 'FILTER and press enter. Pull down the Selected Filter and choose Text Value from the list. In the X field enter the text fragment you are looking for with appropriate *'s included. For example *LINE* will find all text string with the wordLINE anywhere in the string.

Dtext Placement (2006)

Changes in the default behavior make it difficult for those who still place single line text in various locations. To restore the previous behavior, enter DTEXTED at the command prompt and enter a value of 1.

Mtext Editing (2006)

The new method of editing small mtext (especially when rotated) can be difficult with the in-place editor. To bring back the old method, enter MTEXTED at the command prompt and enter OLDEDITOR. If you need to change it back, enter the command again and put in the previous value of INTERNAL.

Viewports

How do I switch between overlapping viewports?

When you have two or more paper space viewports that overlap or are contained within another, it can be difficult to impossible to switch with the mouse pointer. Therefore the keyboard command for this can be indispensable.

The keyboard command USED TO BE Ctrl+V, but since Windows knows this as paste, Autodesk changed the command. The new command sequence is Ctrl+R.

Other Information

Importing SHP Files in MapR4.5

If you have problems importing SHP files using the new MAPIMPORT found in the new Map, be aware that the old method still remains. At the command prompt if you type MAPIMPORT4 or MAPEXPORT4, you will be accessing the old command.

AutoCAD Map Speedup

Many have complained about the speed in Map2006 and its derivatives such as LDT/C3D. Here are a couple of things you can do. First is the general tips Autodesk gives. Next is the Map Skin, changing it back to Windows Classic style has been reported to help.

Other InformationTiny URLs

This is not CAD specific but is still worth mentioning. Sometimes when you try to refer to a long link URL in an email or news post, the link can become broken because the mail/news tool wraps the link into two (or more) lines. Unknowing users are frustrated because the link doesn't appear to work when they click it, and even experienced users have to paste it into a notepad and remove the line breaks.

In this situation, head to http://www.tinyurl.com and paste in your long link. A tinyurl 'mapped' link will be returned that's usually 20-30 characters and will never break.

How do I change the default drawing open directory?

Right click on your launch icon and choose Properties, choose ShortCut, then change the path shown in the 'Start In' field. Note that if your new path contains spaces like "C:\My Drawings" it should be enclosed in parenthesis, otherwise they are not necessary.

The default behavior beginning in 2000i is for the application to remember the last folder accessed, even between sessions. This can controlled by the REMEMBERFOLDERS variable which defaults to 1. This is an integer (0/1) and is stored in the registry, meaning you only need to set it once. When set to 0 it causes AutoCAD to behave as previous versions, honoring the settings described above.

AutoCAD 2000 Properties Dialog doesn't do Previous

A favorite procedure for some in older versions of AutoCAD was to build a selection set, then issue the DDCHPROP command and specify P for the previous set. With the new AutoCAD 2000 Properties command, which totally replaces the DDCHPROP command, you can't specify the previous set. A little bit of LISP to the rescue. Place this code snipped in your ACAD.LSP file so that its automatically loaded, and simply type issue CHGPREV command to wake up the properties dialog with the previous selection set.

(defun C:CHGPREV ()
(setq sset (ssget "P"))
(if sset
(progn
(sssetfirst sset sset)
(command "_.PROPERTIES")
)
)
)

How do you DXFIN into an existing drawing?

In the old days of R12/R13, you could be in a drawing full of objects, and do a DXFIN to merge additional objects from a DXF file. But that changed in R14, requiring you to begin a new drawing, DXFIN, saveas a DWG, reopen the original drawing, and insert the newly converted file. Now using AutoCAD 2000, you can once again bring DXF based geometry directly into the existing drawing.

1. Issue the INSERT command.
2. Choose the BROWSE button.
3. Pull down 'Files of Type' and choose *.DXF.
4. Select your DXF file and choose Open.
5. Turn on the 'Explode' toggle.
6. Turn off the rest of the toggles.
7. Choose OK to complete the operation.

Starting AutoCAD 2000 with no starting drawing!

If you would like to start AutoCAD 2000, but don't want a blank empty drawing, and you are not using the 'Startup Dialog' you can put this in your ACAD.LSP and it'll create this effect.

(defun-q mystartup ()
(while (eq 1 (logand 1 (getvar "CMDACTIVE"))))
(command "_CLOSE")
)

(setq S::STARTUP (append S::STARTUP mystartup))

In LISP code, don't (regapp) until you have to!

It may be tempting to place the (regapp) code at the top of your LISP code so that you won't have any problems adding EED during your application. But doing so changes the status of the DBMOD, and disables the already fragile ability to DXFIN. Place the (regapp) in the specific function that creates/modifies the object, right before the code that actually creates it.

On the subject, its not a bad idea to check to see if its already registered like:

(if (null (tblsearch "APPID" "MYAPPID"))
(regapp "MYAPPID")
)

How can I change a solid or surface into 3DFACE's?

Using R14 or higher you can issue the 3DSOUT command to create a file, then use 3DSIN to read it back in to create the 3DFACE's.

What are proxyobjects and can I delete them from a drawing?

They are custom objects that require the presence of the application that generated them to be 'fully' functional. Sometimes when the application is absent they will still appear/plot the same but you can't edit them or acquire information about them. Sometimes you might even get a box with an X through it as in the case of the RTEXT object.

The AEC group of Autodesk deserves credit for releasing the recent versions of the Object Enabler. It is free and allows recipients of drawings with their proxies to see and do more with the otherwise impossible representation.

Depending on your situation, saving the drawing in an R12 format (different file name of course) is a brute force approach to purging the drawing of proxies. However depending on whats contained it can have ill effects.

AutoCAD Temp & Backup Files

In AutoCAD, other than the DWG file, there are other files you are working with, whether you know it or not.

1. BAK files: Unless you turn it off in OPTIONS, when you save a drawing that already exists on file, the .DWG is renamed to .BAK, then the new data is written to .DWG. Don't rely on this for true safety of your files, because .BAK files have been known to become corrupt.
2. AC$ Files: These are temporary files created by AutoCAD during the process of creating the drawing. They are only of value to AutoCAD during editing and are usually cleaned up when AutoCAD closes. These files are useless if AutoCAD crashes.
3. SV$ Files: These are autosave files, controlled by the setting inthe OPTIONS dialog. These files are the equivalent of a DWG, you would only need to rename them if AutoCAD crashes. It's important to note that if AutoCAD closes normally, these files are deleted!

Converting DGN to/from DWG

We see this question a lot. MicroStation users benefit from the built in support for both formats. For some reason Autodesk only implemented DGN in their Map (and derivative) products. Of course not all DGNs are maps! A long time source for conversion is Decision Graphics, now known as DGI Office Tech Systems. They offer conversion software for those with a full time need, as well as a very affordable service for those with occasional needs.

More info at http://www.dgnlink.com

Launch without the Logo

Save yourself a second and eliminate some visual noise every time you start AutoCAD by turning off the logo. Right click on your launch icon and choose Properties. On the Shortcut tab, in the Target field, carefully append a space and the /nologo switch.

How do I restore from a BAK file?

By default AutoCAD makes a backup file with the extension .BAK as you work with drawings. Some users aren't aware of how to use this file when the DWG becomes corrupt. The problem is mostly to the fault of Microsoft and their explorer defaults.

1. Launch Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder that contains the file(s).
2. Choose Tools > Folder Options.
3. Click on the View Tab.
4. In the 'Files & Folders' section, turn off the toggle on 'Hide extensions for known file types'.
5. Choose OK (extensions should now show).
6. Left click on the BAK file to highlight it.
7. Right click and choose Rename (or press F2).
8. Change the name to something like RECOVER.DWG.
9. Open the file as normal in AutoCAD.

Note that AutoCAD has been known to sometimes corrupt the BAK file as well.

Educational Plot Stamp

Be careful when inserting blocks or drawings from outside sources, especially those you have never worked with before. If the party providing the file was using an educational version of AutoCAD, you can find your plots from a full license of AutoCAD saying "PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT".

If you find yourself in this situation, you can usually save the file in a DXF format, then reopen it to strip the message. If you're concerned about files of this nature lying in wait to be batch plotted, you can scan for these files with a tool from ManuSoft.

EDU-Scan athttp://www.manusoft.com/Software/EDU-Scan/Index.stm

Little Known Reference Manager

Because it's not shown on the AutoCAD menus, it's often overlooked. For recent versions of AutoCAD, click the Windows Start Menu, choose Programs > Autodesk > AutoCAD. In the same group as the AutoCAD launch you will find the Reference Manager, which can be used to repath xrefs, images, etc.

How do I migrate the AutoCAD Express Tools from 2000?

Use this link to the Autodesk website procedure.

http://support.autodesk.com/knowledgebase/html/303824.htm

Prevent Unnecessary Problems with Autodesk Service Packs

Many AutoCAD users don't realize that after installation their system still needs service packs applied. Failure to do this can mean that they suffer through problems that have already been fixed. Autodesk does a good job of making service packs available for all the versions you are likely to run. We found patches going all the way back to R12 for DOS!

1. Click on this link http://www.autodesk.com/support
2. Pull down the list and choose the Autodesk product you use.
3. In the lower left corner of the menu at left, click on "Data & Downloads"
4. Under that section, click on "Updates & Services Packs"
5. Find the version you are running and the patches available.

Third Generation of OS Commandline Copy

First there was the DOS copy command, then people discovered XCOPY which was faster and more capable. Now there is a third generation called ROBOCOPY, which stands for 'Robust Copy'. Take for instance the need to create an exact backup of an entire drive to a folder on another drive, including the ability to remove files from the copy if they have been deleted from the source. Essentially a mirror backup!

RoboCopy is one of many handy tools in the 'Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools', but you don't need to be running server to use them. You can download it directly from Microsoft using this link.

Microsoft Office Access Tips and Tricks

Back Up Your Database
Don't risk losing key data or regret changes to critical Access objects. With Microsoft Office Access 2003, it's easy to back up the active (open) database and all of its objects:

1. File > Back Up Database
2. Choose or create a location such as a backup folder.
3. Access automatically suggests a backup name that includes the current date.
4. Change name if desired and pick Save.
5. Continue working with the database.

Navigation Shortcuts
Try these keyboard shortcuts to easily navigate in an Access form or table:

• Current field in the first record: [Ctrl] + [Up]
• Current field in the last record: [Ctrl] + [Down]
  
• First field in the first record: [Ctrl] + [Home]
• Last field of the last record: [Ctrl] + [End]
  
• First field of a record: [Home]
• Last field of a record: [End]

Zoom In for Easy Edits
Here's a way to add or edit an Access query expression, report or form control, table field, and many other Access database objects and data elements:

• Click or move into the control or field
• Press [Shift] + [F2] to open the Zoom dialog box
• Type or edit your entry; choose Font to increase or change the size and style of the font for easier display
• OK when done

Quick Data Entry
Save time with these quick and easy ways to enter data in an Access table or form:

• Add a new record: [Ctrl] + [+] (plus sign)
• Delete the current record: [Ctrl] + [-] (minus sign)
  
• Enter current date: [Ctrl] + ;
  
• Repeat data from same field in the previous record: [Ctrl] + ' (apostrophe/single quote)
  
• Toggle between the navigation mode (highlighted) and editing mode (vertical insertion point displayed): [F2]

Easy Date Entry
When typing a date into an Access table or form, just enter the month, slash, day such as 7/15 and then press [Enter] or move to the next field. Save keystrokes−no need to type the year−Access assumes that it is the current year. The display of the date depends on the formatting of the field.

Dreamweaver Tips and Tricks

Before you start

Dreamweaver is a great tool for creating and managing html web sites.

Before you start using Dreamweaver however you would have completed the following steps:

1. Understood your client's requirements.
2. Created a layout (and got it approved) using a graphics software like Fireworks or Photoshop.
3. Sliced the necessary gifs/jpgs.
4. Have any Flash animation ready

Site Manager

The Site Manager is where you'll get an overview of the entire site.

1. Create the folder in which you will store all your project files. Create an 'images' folder within and transfer all the sliced images to this folder.
2. Open Dreamweaver
3. Open the Site Manager [Window>Site Map]
4. Define a new site [Site > Define Sites>New]
5. Fill in your Project Name in the box provided for 'Site Name'.
6. Use the yellow folder icon next to the 'Local Root Folder' box to browse for the project folder you had created.
7. You should be able to see the 'images' folder in your site manager.
8. Next you will create the pages you need for the site.

Creating HTML pages

1. Create the HTML homepage [File > New File]
2. A new HTML file named untitled.htm will appear in the site manager.
3. Rename it to index or default. Keep the .htm file extension.
4. Double click the file to open it.
5. Change the HTML page title to something more appropriate like Homepage [ Modify > Page Properties >Title]
6. Similarly create all the other HTML pages you need.
7. Next you will need to create your page layout.

Page Layout

1. The key thing to understand about designing your pages in HTML is that your layout is structured within tables and cells. Analyze your layout on paper. Superimpose tables over it using the number of rows and columns that you will need.
2. Now start creating your tables. You can use pixels or percentages to define the width and height. If you have more that 1 column make sure the widths of all the columns add up to the width of the table. [Insert > Table]
3. The Properties Inspector is extremely useful for editing the properties of any element in your page. To edit the properties of a table simply select the table and open the Properties Inspector. [Window > Properties]
4. Try and create separate tables as much as possible. This is because a table will load only once all the elements within it have loaded.
5. Explore creating the layout you designed using tables. You can give background colors, create tables within tables, specify the alignment of the content within the cell etc. So go ahead and try it out.

Inserting Text and Pictures

Once you've created the basic structure of the page using tables, rows and columns, the page is ready for content.

You can type in text just as you would in any text editing software. Many times content is provided in Word documents. If you would like to retain the formatting, you can save the Word.doc as an Html/ web Page. This will create and HTML page. You can then open this html page in Dreamweaver, clean up Word HTML [Commands > Clean up Word HTML], copy the content and paste it [Edit>Paste HTML] into your HTML page.

You can Insert images [Insert>Image]. You can also position them :

1. Click on the image.
2. Open the Properties Inspector. Select the required alignment from the 'align' drop down menu. You could also set the alignment of the cell in which the image will be placed.

Using Templates and Libraries

If all or many of the page in your web site will have the same look and feel (which is usually the case), it is advisable to use templates & libraries for easy updating.

1. Open the page that you created & save it as a template [File>Save as Template]
2. This will create a .dwt file in a Templates folder in your root directory.
3. Decide on the areas of the template that will change from page to page. e.g.. Content. If there is any existing content in this area you can delete it and make that area an editable region and give it a name e.g. 'content'. [Modify > Templates > New editable region]. If you would like an editable region to have an item e.g.. Banner ad by default but you would like to change it in certain pages as well. You can select that item and make it an editable region.
4. Libraries are bits of html pages that can be reused in many pages. This is especially useful for reusable items like submenus. [Window > Library . Click on the small arrow on the top and select 'New Library Item, form the drop down menu. Once created, click the 'insert button to reuse it other pages.

Using Server Side Includes (SSI)

Includes are like library items. The advantage is that when you make a change to an include you don't have to update all the pages that access it. The changes will automatically get reflected in them. Therefore you do not have to upload all the pages that use the include every time you make a change, only the include itself.

To create an include:

1. Copy the part of the page that you would like to make into an include.
2. Create a new html page [File > New]
3. Go into the HTML code and delete all the default code that Dreamweaver puts in.
4. Paste the code that you had copied previously make sure all links are relative to site root. Finally save this file in an 'Includes' folder.

To insert an include into a page:

1. Rename the file extension to .shtml
2. Click where you would like to insert the include and Insert > Server Side Include.

Using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

Style Sheets are another extremely useful feature that will speed up you work and help you to easily update your site.

The best way to use it is by creating an external .css file and linking it to your Template.dwt. This way you can make changes to your .css file and the changes will be reflected in all the pages using it. On a live site you just need to upload the .css file and nothing else.

1. Open the template.dwt. Click Window > CSS Styles. Click on the 'New Style' icon.
2. Give your style a name e.g. .title, Define in: New Style Sheet File
3. Give your preferences and save the .css file. I usually save it in the root directory.
4. Redefining HTML tags are also extremely useful.
5. To apply the style, select the text, select the style in the CSS panel and 'Apply'

Testing

After applying the template to all the pages, inserting the content into editable regions, inserting images and applying CSS styles. You would have probably linked all the pages together in the template itself (navigation) using an include.

Once the site is complete you are ready to upload it to your server and go live. Before that however, you should test the site to in various browsers, at least Netscape and Internet Explore to make sure it is working all right. If you use Site Relative paths (as you must in includes) the Preview in browser feature will not work. You will need to test on a web server.

Other tools that Dreamweaver provides :

1. In Site Manager: Site > Check Links Sitewide
2. In Document Window: Text > Check Spelling

Uploading and Going Live

After you have developed and tested your site it is ready to go live. You will need a hosting service. They will provide you with your server details:

1. IP address or www.yoursitename.com
2. username
3. password

To Upload your files into the remote hosting Server:

1. Fill in these details in Site Manger: Site > Define Sites > Edit > Remote Info >
2. Access = FTP (from drop down menu)
3. To connect to your remote server, click the 'connects to remote host' icon in the Site Manger.
4. Once you connect you should see the remote folder and files on the left window.
5. To upload your files click the 'Put Files' Arrow icon in the site manager.
6. After uploading all the files test the site online using www.yoursitename.com.