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The Tutorials section provides over 100 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 Forums are 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 - August/September 2016

Two…

You may have seen some of the coverage surrounding the 25th anniversary of the Web this week. On 6th August 1991 Tim Berners-Lee opened a Web server to the world and started a revolution in the way information is communicated. I'm really proud that for 20 of those 25 years, CADTutor has been providing free content to anyone with an internet connection and I'm humbled that for the last 14 years, Michael Beall has graciously provided regular content in the form of Michael's Corner. Well, this is Michael's penultimate Corner at CADTutor but he's not retiring just yet. As Michael explains in this month's column, he's having way too much fun training.

In this Corner, Michael revisits and updates some old favourites, including; visual styles, named views, a macro for flipping back to model space, layer colour override in viewports and dual display of dimension units. All tips which many of you will find useful in your everyday use of AutoCAD.

We'll be back in October for Michael's final Corner but until then, enjoy watching the Rio Olympics and if you miss that gold medal performance you were waiting to see, don't forget, you can now see it on the World Wide Web. Who'd have thought 25 years ago that we'd be watching telly on the Web!

Video Tutorials

We've added a new Video Tutorials section to CADTutor! Some of our users have asked for video tutorials in addition to the text-based tutorials already on the site. Check them out and let us know what you think. Also, for those of you who prefer to watch your online video at YouTube, why not visit the CADTutor YouTube channel?

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Tip of the Day

Absolute and Relative Coordinates

It used to be very simple. Enter a coordinate and AutoCAD interpreted it as an absolute coordinate. Enter a coordinate preceded by "@" (the at sign) and AutoCAD interpreted it as a relative coordinate. This simple rule changed when dynamic input was introduced and now the interpretation of coordinates is contextual. For example, when you draw a rectangle using RECTANG, the coordinate for the second point is interpreted as absolute with dynamic input turned off and as relative with dynamic input turned on. Really, try it and see.

Fortunately, there's a new coordinate prefix that forces an absolute coordinate, even when AutoCAD decides you want a relative one. Precede any coordinate with "#" (the hash sign) to force an absolute coordinate.

Today's tip is by dbroada

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