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CADTutor delivers the best free tutorials and articles for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and associated applications along with a friendly AutoCAD forum and an AutoCAD FAQ. If you need to learn AutoCAD, you're in the right place. Visit the AutoCAD tutorials page for more information or see our tip of the day to start learning right now!

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The Tutorials section provides over 80 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications such as Photoshop and Bryce. Michael’s Corner is a monthly article that brings you the best up-to-date AutoCAD tips and tricks. The CADTutor Forum is a lively bulletin board where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Download area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free digital images.

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Michael’s Corner - May 2008

Memorable May

May is here and with it, another generous helping of AutoCAD tips and tricks from our favourite "CAD Guru", Michael Beall. This month, Michael gets to grips with the Layer Translator, an excellent tool that helps you maintain layer-naming standards (yes, we know, but it has to be done!).

Elsewhere in this month's Corner, Michael adds yet another button to the tool palette to improve dimensioning efficiency. He also solves a couple of curious annoyances you may have noticed and finishes with an explanation of Rememberfolders.

Just about as good as it gets… until next month.

Image of the Week - 12th May 2008

Image of the Week is a new feature that showcases some of the best work from our forum members. Each week, a new image will be displayed here on the homepage. If you'd like to see your work displayed here, why not join the forum and submit your best images.

New FAQ Section - 1st February 2008

I am very pleased to announce the launch of the CADTutor AutoCAD FAQ. The idea is to provide model answers to the most frequently asked questions about AutoCAD. It's a fantastic new resource that will continue to grow in the future. I hope you find it useful. The FAQ has been developed with the help of some of our most gifted forum members and I am very grateful to them. Do let us know what you think of our latest endeavour.

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Tip of the Day

Layer States and Viewports

Did you know that Layer States can be saved and used to control visibility of layers per viewport? If you create and save a couple of layer states within an active viewport, you can then toggle them back and forth without affecting any other viewports, or model space. The changes only occur within the active viewport.

Try this:

Create a bunch of random objects in model space on different layers. Now switch to paper space and create two viewports so that you can see all the model space objects in both viewports. Now activate one of the viewports and open the Express Tools LMAN layer states manager. Create and save a new layer state. Now close LMAN and freeze some of the objects within the viewport. Open LMAN back up and create another new layer state. All of this must be done within the active viewport. You can now toggle back and forth between the two layer states within the active viewport without affecting model space or any other viewports. You can also switch to another viewport and use the same layer states on it, or create new ones.

Today's tip is by Cad64

Missed a Tip?

Did you miss yesterday's tip? Maybe you forgot to drop by or maybe you don't visit over the weekend. If so, you can now see all the tips published during the past week. Also, if you have a tip you'd like to share with us, you can post it on our forum and if we like it, we'll publish it here.