AutoCAD Tips - updating

1. Using keyboard as much as you can.
If you only use mouse, you just use one hand, if you use keyboard, you can use two hands. So check the ACAD.PGP and get familiar to those alias of command. Also you can edit it to your favorite letters. A simple way to find the file "acad.pgp" is to search in windows explore.

2. Using up-arrow and down-arrow
In addition to being able to repeat a command by simply pressing return or the space bar, you can scroll through your previous commands by using the up-arrow and down-arrow keys, thus eliminating the need to re-type long commands and system variables.


3. Using Fillet to join lines to polyline
When you fillet a polyline to a line, the result is a polyline.

4. Align hatch patterns
With AutoCAD 2006, it's easier than ever before to align the hatch pattern of multiple hatches to use one common hatch origin:
- When creating the first hatch entity, choose "Specify origin" in the BHATCH dialog, and click to select the new origin. Activate the "Store as default origin" checkbox before committing the BHATCH command with OK.
- When creating succeeding hatch entities, specify "use current origin". This way, the succeeding hatch entities will share the same hatch origin with the first hatch entity.

5. using mouse to zoom in and zoom out.
If you have a wheel mouse, you can use the mid wheel to zoom in and zoom out. The location of your cursor determines what part of your drawing remains stationary.

6. Using Find and replace to change text.
If you want to change lots of same text. Try find and replace.

7. Using filter to select quickly.
Try using filter when you need to select objects with same character such as dimension, arc, red line, etc. Type filter and to see what you will get. You will love it.

8. Finding the area of hatch entities
AutoCAD 2006 helps you to calculate the area of hatch entities; the Property Palette has a new field "Area". You can even select multiple hatch entities and see their cumulative area
displayed in the Property Palette. Of course, hatch islands and overlapping and intersecting areas are considered when calculating the area. This especially holds true for the cumulative area of multiple selected hatch entities; for example, a hatch entity that's fully contained within another hatch entity will not increase the "cumulative area" property when adding it to a selection that already contains the "outer" hatch.