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This is a live project and the FAQ database is being constantly updated by our team of experts. Currently, there are over 40 additional answers to common questions in preparation.
How do I create a custom toolbar? [beta]
Open the Custom User Interface dialogue window by typing CUI on the command line, or go to Tools > Customise > Interface.
Go to the Customize tab, Customizations in All CUI Files sectio...
What is a macro? [phi]
A macro is anything more than a single command. For example, in AutoCAD, to zoom into a windowed area with the ZOOM command, the command is followed by the W option. When this is assigned to a menu...
How do I explode text to obtain text outline ? [Beta]
AutoCad does not yet have the ability to efficiently explode text to obtain an outline of the text. However, text can be created and imported into AutoCad by using MicroSoft Word.
In a Word doc...
How do I create, export, and import a profile? [Beta]
Latest Change: 8 May 2009 Alterations: Cleaned it up GE 11.05.09- Further tidying. A profile is a snapshot of the working environment (menus, palettes, toolbars) and its settings (pickbox size, back...
Imperial and Metric dimensioning and scaling
Tiger amendments on 26 June - red is addition, grey is removes - especially the Alternate Dimensions needs som TLC since I'm fiddling in the dark there.. The two most common systems of measurement a...
How do I enter coordinates in AutoCAD?
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Tiger comments/amendments/versions in blue on 23 April 2008 (and light blue...) Tiger added paragraph on 24 April in Red .......AKC 27 April 08....images resized and Tigers extra text ad...
How to change variables. [beta]
Most settings and some commands in AutoCAD are controlled via values stored in system variables. These can be viewed and changed directly on the command line by entering the name of the variable and t...
How do I load a VBA routine? [beta]
VBA stands for Visual BASIC for Applications and is a Microsoft package available for many applications such as Excel. Most MS Office packages come with VBA and they are loosely based on Visual BASIC ...
Do I dimension in Model Space or Paper Space?
This issue is one that is more about personal preference. Dimensioning should be done in whichever area is more comfortable.
Those members of this forum who recommend dimensioning in Paper Space ...
My Command Line has disappeared
If the Command Line at the bottom of the AutoCAD drawing edit window has disappeared, it can be restored by one of the following methods:
Press Ctrl+9
Type COMMANDLINE (the text will not be dis...
How do I create a new layer?
Go to the Layer Properties Manager. To do this, click the button on the Layers toolbar. Click the New Layer button in the Layer Properties Manager. A new layer will appear in the layer list.
Ti...
The dialog box isn't showing up in AutoCAD
If the dialog box does not show up for commands such as SAVEAS, IMPORT or OPEN, check the setting of the FILEDIA system variable.
The settings are:
0 - Dialog boxes WILL NOT show. 1 - Dialog ...
How do I assign commands to my keyboard letters?
This is known as "keyboard shortcuts" or "command alias", and can be created or changed in two different ways. If Express tools are installed, a Command Alias Editor can be found under the Tools se...
How do I re-assign the F1 key to the CANCEL command ?
Open the "Custom User Interface" dialogue window by typing CUI on the command line, or go to ToolsCustomiseInterface.
Select "Keyboard Shortcuts" under the "Customizations in All CUI Files" sec...
Drawing template won't open
Drawing templates (.dwt files) can only be saved as the version in which they were created. It is not possible to save them to a lower version, as can be done with .dwg files.
To create a lower ver...
Icons on my custom toolbar are not showing up
The custom toolbar looks like this: This happens because the search path for the images are no longer defined in AutoCAD. The first step is to locate the images via Windows Explorer. They are most ...
How do I automatically load variables?
Automatic loading of variables is achieved using the acaddoc.lsp file. AutoCad reads this file every time a drawing is opened.
Find this file by typing on the command line: (findfile "acaddoc.lsp")...
Adding symbols to text in AutoCAD.
There are two main ways of inserting a symbol into text
1. Type a code for the required symbol within the line of text, see the table below (for DTEXT and MTEXT).
2. Use the...
Text is not showing properly in my linetypes
Linetypes with text in them are known as complex (custom) linetypes. If the text is not showing properly in the linetype, it is generally because of one of two reasons:
The line is too short t...