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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 - May 2012

30 Years of CAD

Well I hope you're all having fun with AutoCAD 2013, synching with the cloud via Autodesk 360 and backing up your local settings to… exactly where is the cloud? Some of us will remember when AutoCAD went all "Internet". In fact, AutoCAD 2000i was the internet enabled version of AutoCAD 2000 — it was pretty sophisticated; hyperlinks could be added to drawing objects! Those were the days when a few hundred megabytes seemed lavish — these days, every AutoCAD subscriber gets 25GB of storage in the cloud — that's one BIG cloud.

So, this month, Michael takes a quick look at that cloud and investigates Autodesk 360. It is a really interesting development and I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot more about this in the future. Elsewhere (not in the cloud), Michael demonstrates how to import custom CUI elements from one AutoCAD install to another. He also considers the various option values for the PICKFIRST variable and explains what they do. Finally, this month's Basic article covers the creation of irregular-shaped viewports using Clip.

All this talk of meteorology reminded me that there is an excellent website dedicated to those white fluffy things. The Cloud Appreciation Society doesn't have much to say about online storage but they sure have some great pictures!

Video Tutorials - 14th August 2009

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

Maximize your work area

You can use Ctrl+0, or go to ToolsClean Screen, or click the faint blue square icon at the very bottom right of the AutoCAD program window to maximize your entire work area. The only thing that will show is your top Pull-down Menu, your Command Line, and/or your Layout Tabs, maximizing the drawing area as much as possible. Of course, you could also turn off the command line and just work with Dynamic Input if you wanted to be even more minimal. These command options work as a toggle, so simply repeat the action to restore the full interface.

If you are a customized keyboard command type of person, the command is CLEANSCREENON and CLEANSCREENOFF so you can easily add it into your ACAD.PGP file complete with your personal Command Alias.

Today's tip is by StykFacE

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.