Normally in AutoCAD you can only draw two types of straight lines, one is vertical line, the other is horizontal line, provided you’re working on ortho on mode. However you can always draw a straight angular line by turning your cursor to ortho off mode. But inspite of this, you cannot specify the exact angle of the line you’re going to draw.

So the easiest way in drawing a straight angular line with specific angle is by using another AutoCAD command, and one command I know that can be useful to perform this certain task is the SNAPANG command. SNAPANG is an AutoCAD command that sets the snap and grid rotation angle for the current viewport relative to the current UCS at your own specifc angle.

At the command prompt, just type, SNAPANG, then enter. Then enter the new value (e.g. 45). the current UCS will turn to 45 degrees. You can always get you cursor to the original rotation by entering 0 angle to your new value of SNAPANG.

snapang @ 0 degrees

snapang @ 45 degrees

Thats all for now.

Fig.1

 Sometimes this thing happens because the value of the TEXTFILL was set in zero (0)by default the value of TEXTFILL is one (1).

So what is TEXTFILL?

TEXTFILL, is an AutoCAD command serve as to control the fillings of  TrueType fonts while plotting and rendering. You might wanna ask why the TEXTFILL value was set to zero (0) when the default should be one (1). The only scenario I can think of is, maybe the drawing that you are doing was just saved in a existing AutoCAD drawing file, and maybe the author of that existing AutoCAD file changed the default value of the TEXTFILL from (1) to (0).

Anyhow, if happens that you’re in this situation, just type-in TEXTFILL at the command prompt, then changed its value from zero (0) to one (1).

Fig.2

The next time you plot your drawing the TEXT will appear as it is in the image above.

Just a moment ago, while doing my work on my AutoCAD, I accidentally hide the Layout and Model Tabs ( Fig.1)in AutoCAD.  At first, I was confuse what was just happen with my AutoCAD for I haven’t figured out that the Model Tabs was missing.

(Fig.1) Layout and Model Tab

So after I found out what happen, This is what I did to unhide the Layout and Model tabs.

• Right click the Model Button on the status bar at the bottom center of the application window.
• Click the Display Layout and Model tabs.

(Fig.2) Model Button

How do you put a text under a dimension line? No, I’m not talking about literally putting a Text under a dimension line using the command Text or Mtext then putting it under the dimension line manually. What I’m talking about is how are you going to a put Text under a dimension line automatically, without doing any command other than DIMEDIT or Edit.

Here is how, after a dimension was made in the object in your drawing, key-in command DDEDIT or just ED. Then click the text on the dimension line and add a backward  slash and a capital X after the dimension text (\X your text here). The result will be like those on the picture below (Fig.1).

(Fig.1)

Sometimes putting a mark or putting a note in our drawing is necessary, specially if you want to specify something, then highlighting it, in order to notice it easily. In my case, whenever this  kind of scenarios arises, I always put an Underline and OverLine on my Text or Mtext, as a highlighter, making it easier to caught the readers of my drawing’s attention.

In AutoCAD, putting an underline or overline in a Text or Mtext is easy, that is, if you know the symbol or the special code to be use. So if happens that you don’t know what to be use, or you knew but forgotten it already due from not using it often. This blog post is for you.

So here is the code on how to put an Underline and Overline in a Text or Mtext. As well some other useful special codes to create an special symbols in AutoCAD.

See Fig. 1 for all the list of the codes for special symbols in AutoCAD.

(Fig.1)

When you’re modifying your Text , click the @ symbol at the Text Formatting dialog box (Fig.2), to show all the other special codes, then click the encircled text (Other) for more symbol. 

(Fig.2)

If you’re using AutoCAD for long period of time and you know how to use the AutoLISP and the importance of it. You probably know how to load the AutoLISP file in AutoCAD, and you certainly don’t need to read this tutorial. But if happens that you are relatively new on using the AutoCAD and you want to expand your knowledge in this drawing application software, then this tutorial is for you.

AutoLISP a Brief Description

AutoLISP is based on the LISP programming language, which is simple to learn and very usefull in everyway. AutoLISP Applications or routines can interact in AutoCAD in many ways. These routines can prompt the user for input, access built-in AutoCAD commands directly, and modify or create objects in the drawing database. By creating AutoLISP routines you can add discipline-specific commands to AutoCAD. Actually, some of the standard AutoCAD commands are AutoLISP applications. Knowing how to load and use these routines can enhance your productivity.

Loading the AutoLISP

There are two methods to load an AutoLISP file, one is loading it by using the Customize User Interface editor or CUI, the other is by using the command Load Application or simply APPLOAD. Customize User Interface editor can be found by clicking the CAD Manager pulldown menu, then Customize, then Interface (fig.1).

Fig.1

Alternatively at the command prompt, key-in CUI. Then in the Customize Interface editor tab, in the Customizations in all CUI files pane, right-click LISP files, then click Load LISP. Then in the Load LISP dialog box, locate and select the AutoLISP file you want to load. Remember only files with the extension LSP can be selected here. After you selected the AutoLISP file that you want, click OPEN.

Fig.2

Load Application or simply APPLOAD, using this command is the easiest method in loading an AutoLISP file. You can find this command under CAD Manager pulldown menu on the same place where the Customize User Interface can be found. Or at the command prompt key-in APPLOAD. The good thing in using this method is, not only the AutoLISP files can be loaded but also some other AutoCAD Application files as well. Such as ObjectARX files (arx), VBA files (dvb), ObjectDBX files (dvx), Visual Lisp Executables (vlx), and Fast-load AutoLISP Format (das) [Fig.3].

Fig.3

More of this method here in this post Free AutoLISP Routine.

Sometimes while doing our job in AutoCAD there is some instances that happens unexpectedly. And one of that is the accidental turning off of the command line, and with that, you are unable to see the command that you’re keying-in.

Fig.1

There is two way actually to hide the command window of AutoCAD or in these case to unhide.  One of these is on the keyboard shortcut, by pressing CTRL+9. The other is at the Tools pulldown menu, then Command Line (fig.1). Alternatively if you are using AutoCAD Architecture 2008 and beyond, you can find the command line in Window pulldown menu as well (fig.2).

Fig.2

Thats all for now.

Hatch is an integral part of our drawing, without hatch pattern our drawing is somewhat dull in presentation. And without hatch our drawing will hardly be understood by the readers. Well of course if you are a Draftsman or an Architect, you should already know the importance of hatch in a drawing. After all, it is instilled in drawing standard which we studied when we still in college, studying Architecture or Drafting I supposed.

Anyhow, I just recently discover some technique in doing a hatch so I decided that I’m going to share it here in this blog. So to start, there are many ways to add a hatch pattern in our drawings, one of that ways is the conventional approach or the most commonly use method in adding a hatch, and it is by using the command BHATCH or simply HATCH. You can find Hatch command, under the Draw Pulldown menu, then Hatch. Alternatively, at the command prompt, key-in BHATCH/HATCH or simply BH or H for shortcut. Then after that, a dialogue box will appear (fig.1). From there you can just select the hatch pattern that you want to use by clicking the box at the side of the Pattern (fig.1), then the hatch pattern pallette will appear (fig.2) then just select which hatch you wan to use.

(fig.1)

Fig.2

And finally, the other way of adding a hatch in our drawing is by dragging the hatch pattern from the DesignCenter. A method that somehow relatively new for me, and I can safely say that for most of us AutoCAD user’s as well. Anyway, here is the step by step method on how to drag the hatch pattern from the DesignCenter.

Fig.3

Fig.4

1. Click the Insert Pulldown menu, then Design Center (fig.3), or Ctrl+2 for keyboard shortcut. Alternatively, at the command prompt, key-in ADCENTER. Then the Design Center dialogue box will pop-up (fig.4).
   
2. On the Folders tab, click the search button.
   
3. In the Search dialogue box, do the following entries (fig.5):3.1. In Look For, select Hatch Pattern Files.
   3.2. In the In Box, select the drive where the program is installed.
   3.3. Select the Search subfolders option.
   3.4. On the Hatch Pattern Files tab, in Search for the Name, enter *      (asterisk) . (dot) pat. 

4. Click Search Now button. , the default hatch pattern file is acad.pat or acadiso.pat. The search results may display the same file in different locations.
   
5. In the search results, double-click the file to laod the hatch patterns into the content area of DesignCenter.
   
6. Right-click a pattern to display a shortcut menu with the following options: (Optional only)6.1.  HATCH -  Opens the hatch and gradient dialogue box.
   6.2.  Copy - Stores the hatch pattern to the clipboard.
   6.3.  Create Tool Palette - Creates a new Tool Palette with a selected pattern displayed.

7. From the content area, drag the hatch pattern you want onto a closed object on your drawing. If you the hatch pattern scale is too large or too dense you can adjust it, by double-clicking the pattern to display the hatch dialogue box or by adjusting it in Object Properties (assuming your object properties is open) (fig.6).
   

Fig. 5

Fig.6

There, thats it for today.

TEXTFIT, is an AutoCAD express tools command that stretches or shrink text objects, by selecting a new start and end points for text. This command should be best use in a situation like, fitting a room label in an enclosed border by setting a new text width.

Text Fit, can be found under the Express pulldown menu, under the Text. Or alternatively at the command prompt, type-in, TEXTFIT.

Command: TEXTFIT
Select Text to stretch or shrink: Use an object selection method
Specify end point or [Start point]: Specify a new end point, or enter S to specify a new start point
Pick new starting point: Specify a new start point
ending point: Specify a new endpoint

REFEDIT or Reference Edit, is a command that modify blocks and external references  or Xref, and redefine block definitions within the current drawing. So if there something you want to modify, some portions of the blocks or external reference from your drawing. Then REFEDIT is the command you can always trust in doing so.

By editing the Block or Xref in place, you can modify the reference within the visual context of your drawing. With REFEDIT you can modify the external reference, without going back and fourth between the reference itself and to you drawing, where the Xref was currently inserted. Therefore, making your life more easier in  doing your work, or for this case editing some portions on your drawing.

The downside in using in-place reference editing of Xref is, it can increase the size of your current drawing files significantly during the in-place editing session. Making your drawing file size more bigger than you expected to be. So even if it is useful for us AutoCAD users, the in-place editing of the external reference or Xref, it is not advisable to do it, only if you are concern about the file size of your drawing. While Xref, has this small issue regarding the file size, the block reference doesn’t have this same issue, making the block more suitable from using the in-place editing or the REFEDIT.

Fig.1

You can access, Edit Reference In-Place or REFEDIT command, by clicking the Tools pulldown menu, then Xref And Block In-Place Editing, then Edit-Reference In-Place (fig.1). Alternatively, at the command prompt, type REFEDIT. Then from within the drawing, select the block or external reference that you would like to modify. Thenafter selectiong the block or Xref a Reference Edit dialog box will appear (fig.2), in the Reference Edit dialog box, select the specific reference that you want to edit.

Fig.2

After selecting the specific reference the REFEDIT toolbox will appear (fig.3), then from there you can save it after you finish editing th object reference in your drawing. The object in the working set are saved to the reference and the Xref or the Block is updated. All Blocks that inserted in the drawing withthe same names as the block that has been modified, will also be updated.

Fig.3