Michael’s Corner

Michael's Corner is a monthly publication written by Michael E. Beall, Autodesk Authorized Author and peripatetic AutoCAD trainer. Michael travels all over the USA, bringing his fantastic experience and great understanding of AutoCAD to his clients. Michael's Corner brings together many of the tips, tricks and methods developed during these training sessions for the benefit of all users.

Michael's Corner provides something for every AutoCAD user. Every month, a number of articles cover a wide range of topics, suitable for users at all levels, including "The Basics" for those just starting out. Essentially, the aim of Michael's Corner is to help all AutoCAD users work smarter and faster.

This month…

From the Vault

Originally published September 2003

Do U OOPS or UNDO?

Let's get everybody on the same page with these features, easy one first:

U - This is not the command alias for the Undo command. Type U at the command line and it undoes the result of the last command successfully completed. Even grip edits are undone using U. Keep hitting the spacebar and it will continue to U.

OOPS - This is a great recovery method when you have erased something and then, n commands later, realize you actually needed it! Oops unerases the last erased selection set. As shown, if you erased several objects in one Erase command, you can use Oops immediately or several commands later, but only during that drawing session. You can't save the drawing, re-open and then use Oops.

Note: The only thing that prevents Oops from unerasing is if you have performed, ironically, a U or Undo. Oops will even un-erase if you have performed a Save or Plot in the interim.

UNDO - This one has some power. Type in the whole word at the Command line and you get these options:

[Auto/Control/BEgin/End/Mark/Back]

The first two options, Auto and Control, specify if and when the command works. The defaults are fine. BEgin and End group commands together that can be later undone. The last two options are best and work like this:

Mark - Essentially places a "bookmark" in your drawing process that you can return to using the Back option. For example, if you're editing a drawing and you're not sure if it's really going to work out, place a Mark before you begin. This establishes a flag, of sorts, for the Undo command to come Back to.

Back - After spending an hour or so editing, then realize it just isn't what you had hoped, launch the Undo command and enter B for the Back option. AutoCAD goes back (undoes everything) to the point in the drawing at which you placed the Mark. Just like in your Lightolier or Grainger catalog where you have more than one sticky note, you can have more than one Mark in a drawing session. After the first few minutes of your design process, if you want to hold onto what you have so far, use the Undo command and place another Mark. (You can Save during the process, too, without interrupting the integrity of using Back later.) After placing a few marks, when you use the Back option, it will undo your drawing process until it encounters a Mark.

This sound great, but the trick is to remember to place the Marks before you get too deep into your drawing. Which brings us to the overlooked and underused <number> feature of the Undo command:

<1> - The default option of the Undo command enables you to enter the number of commands you want to undo. As AutoCAD veterans, you have a pretty fair idea of how many commands it took to get to where you are from where you want to go back to. (I know you followed that.) So enter a number and AutoCAD undoes that many commands. Just today I had to undo a bunch of things so I started with 12, then 4, then just hit U until I got to where I needed to be.

REDO - Saved the best for last. Actually, it's best in AutoCAD 2004 where they now have multiple Redo!! And they did it right, too. There's even a dropdown list where you see what you're undoing. Ee-hah! Those of you, however, that are running pre-A2004, you get one Redo and it has to follow a U or Undo routine. Unless, of course, you have LT which has had a multiple Redo feature for years!

Top of page

Local Navigation