AutoCAD ® WILEY PUBLISHING, INC. Professional Tips and Techniques Lynn Allen Scott Onstott 84545ffirs.indd i84545ffirs.indd i 10/13/06 2:39:42 PM10/13/06 2:39:42 PM 84545ffirs.indd vi84545ffirs.indd vi 10/13/06 2:39:43 PM10/13/06 2:39:43 PM AutoCAD ® WILEY PUBLISHING, INC. Professional Tips and Techniques Lynn Allen Scott Onstott 84545ffirs.indd i84545ffirs.indd i 10/13/06 2:39:42 PM10/13/06 2:39:42 PM Acquisitions Editor: Willem Knibbe Development Editor : Heather O’Connor Technical Editor: Jon McFarland Production Editor: Martine Dardignac Copy Editor: Tiffany Taylor Production Manager: Tim Tate Vice President and Executive Group Publisher: Richard Swadley Vice President and Executive Publisher: Joseph B. Wikert Vice President and Publisher: Dan Brodnitz Book Designer and Compositor: Chris Gillespie, Happenstance Type-O-Rama Proofreader: Nancy Riddiough Indexer: Ted Lau x Anniversary Logo Design: Richard Pacifico Cover Designer: Ryan Sneed Cover Image: © Ashley Cooper/Corbis Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada ISBN-13: 978-0-470-08454-0 ISBN-10: 0-470-08454-5 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or t ransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permis- sion of the Publisher, or authorization throug h pay ment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. 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TRADEM ARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 84545ffirs.indd ii84545ffirs.indd ii 10/13/06 2:39:42 PM10/13/06 2:39:42 PM Dear Reader Thank you for choosing AutoCAD: Professional Tips and Techniques. This book is part of a family of premium-quality Sybex books, all written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching. Sybex was founded in 1976. Thirty years later, we’re still committed to producing consistently excep- tional books. With each of our titles we’re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on, to the writers and professionals we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available. I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I’d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we’re doing. To let us know what you think about this or any other Sybex book, please send me an email at: sybex_publisher@wiley.com . Please also visit us at www.sybex.com to learn more about the rest of our growing AutoCAD line. Best regards, Neil Edde Vice President and Publisher Sybex, an Imprint of Wiley 84545ffirs.indd iii84545ffirs.indd iii 10/13/06 2:39:42 PM10/13/06 2:39:42 PM To my fabulous husband, Craig —Lynn Allen To Jenn and Merlin —Scott Onstott 84545ffirs.indd iv84545ffirs.indd iv 10/13/06 2:39:43 PM10/13/06 2:39:43 PM I’d like to send out a great big thank you to all of you AutoCAD users out there who make my job worthwhile each and every day and have taught me more than I could ever learn on my own. Thanks to Autodesk for giving me the time and space to work on this book where needed (especially you, Kelly). Thanks to the ever-patient Willem Knibbe, who worked overtime convincing me to write another book and turned my No’s into a Yes. Above all, thanks to the amazingly talented Scott Onstott, who was the real reason we were able to pull these great tips together into one action packed book. And to Tiffany, my Maltese puppy, who sat next to me for the many hours I worked on this book . I see many dog biscuits in your future. —Lynn Allen I’d like to thank Lynn Allen for co-writing this book with a person she’s met only “virtually.” Willem Knibbe deserves extra credit for getting this book off the ground while coordinating the efforts of two authors. Thanks to Heather O’Connor for her work in developing the book. Jon McFarland has my appreciation for his fine technical editorial work and his excellent suggestions. Thanks also to Tiffany Taylor for her work as copy editor and Martine Dardignac for keeping everyone on schedule. —Scott Onstott Acknowledgments 84545ffirs.indd v84545ffirs.indd v 10/13/06 2:39:43 PM10/13/06 2:39:43 PM 84545ffirs.indd vi84545ffirs.indd vi 10/13/06 2:39:43 PM10/13/06 2:39:43 PM Contents at a Glance Introduction xvii Chapter 1 Arranging the AutoCAD User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chapter 2 Drawing and Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Chapter 3 Annotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Chapter 4 Layouts and Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Chapter 5 Dynamic Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Chapter 6 3D Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Chapter 7 Visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Chapter 8 Sharing Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 Chapter 9 Plotting and Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Chapter 10 Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Index 305 84545ffirs.indd vii84545ffirs.indd vii 10/13/06 2:39:43 PM10/13/06 2:39:43 PM [...]... book, you need a sound understanding of AutoCAD, and you need to have mastered the basics AutoCAD: Professional Tips and Techniques is intended to take you to the next level—to help you reach AutoCAD productivity heights you never imagined were possible! Anyone using an AutoCAD- based product such as AutoCAD LT, Architectural Desktop, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD Electrical, or AutoCAD Map 3D can benefit... reins from AutoCAD and take control of your design life! This chapter delves deep into the mystic CUI command, helps you customize your palettes for maximum productivity, and discusses deployment strategies This is a great way to top off all your other newfound AutoCAD knowledge About the Authors You’ll find that AutoCAD: Professional Tips and Techniques comes with a bit of attitude Scott and I (this... information in one sitting—do yourself a huge favor, and read a little each day, whenever you find some time to add another cool technique to your AutoCAD repertoire AutoCAD: Professional Tips 84545flas.indd xvii 10/13/06 2:40:35 PM x v i i i Introduction and Techniques digs deeper than most AutoCAD books on the market Rather than covering all things AutoCAD (which would require a book so long you’d never... of AutoCAD users utilize, at most, 40 percent of what AutoCAD has to offer What about that other 60 percent? Where can you find out about the other 60 percent? We’ve gathered the tricks of the trade from around the world and put them all in one convenient location No more trolling through blogs and websites, scrounging for tips; you’ll find a treasure chest of proven tips and techniques right here And. .. higher AutoCAD satisfaction Here you’ll learn tips that will help you live in harmony with Windows as well as the AutoCAD UI If speed is an issue (and you don’t get paid by the hour!), you’ll find several techniques that will speed up your computer and AutoCAD Why sit around staring, waiting for your computer to catch up, when you could be designing? This chapter will also help you personalize your AutoCAD. .. understanding of them, you can eliminate 95 percent of the pain Here you’ll discover system variables that make for easy work with Xrefs and DWF files If you’re working on Architectural Desktop, and you’ve been frustrated by the inability to edit the AEC objects in AutoCAD, you’ll learn a workaround that may do the trick You’ll also find some powerful tips for going between AutoCAD and PhotoShop and Office... than my design? a What are the top-secret tips and techniques that the AutoCAD pros of the world are using to get their jobs done faster? If any of this rings true to you, then you’re in the right place, with the right book Who Can Benefit from This Book If you’re new to AutoCAD and still trying to figure out the basics, then put down this book and find a nice AutoCAD primer You won’t be happy here To... This section offers you tips and tricks for tweaking the ubiquitous Windows These aren’t exactly AutoCAD tips proper, but knowing a few things about maintaining the health of your operating system can make you a much happier CAD user and human being In addition, it’s a little-known fact that a few parts of AutoCAD s UI aren’t controlled by AutoCAD at all Shhh…in these cases, AutoCAD must defer control... improving your AutoCAD skills; you need to get right to the good stuff You want to spend your valuable time reading about techniques that give you the largest productivity jolt possible And because finding time to improve your skills is difficult at best, we suggest you put aside 15 minutes a day, crack open the book, and read one or two tips Follow your reading with some hands-on practice, and you’ll... environment, and you want AutoCAD to feel more like your favorite easy chair, than definitely begin with this chapter Chapter 2—Drawing and Editing This is one of our favorite chapters because it deals with commands you use all day, every day If you can shave one step off a command you use constantly, that’s a big deal, right? We also review some valuable commands that few users take advantage of or understand . book, you need a sound understanding of AutoCAD, and you need to have mastered the basics. AutoCAD: Professional Tips and Techniques is intended to take. for choosing AutoCAD: Professional Tips and Techniques. This book is part of a family of premium-quality Sybex books, all written by outstanding authors