AViCAD

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Rev 11.2.A.0
COPYRIGHT 2011 AViCAD
Information in these materials is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment
on the part of AViCAD. These materials, as well as the software described herein (Software), are furnished under license; there is no transfer
of title. The Software is subject to the license agreement that accompanies or is included with the Software, which specifies the permitted and
prohibited uses of the Software. Any unauthorized duplication or use of the AViCAD Software, in whole or in part, in print, or in any other
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purchasers personal use without the express written permission of AViCAD. The AViCAD assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors
or inaccuracies that may appear in these materials. Use these materials at your own risk.
The Software, as with all computer-aided design software and other technical software, is a tool intended to be used by trained professionals
only. It is not a substitute for the professional judgment of trained professionals. The Software is intended to assist with product design and is
not a substitute for independent testing of product stress, safety and utility. Due to the large variety of potential applications for the Software,
the Software has not been tested in all situations under which it may be used. The AViCAD shall not be liable in any manner whatsoever for
results obtained through the use of the Software. You agree that you are solely responsible for determining whether the Software is appropriate
in your specific situation in order to achieve your intended results. You are also responsible for establishing the adequacy of independent pro-
cedures for testing the reliability and accuracy of any items designed by using the Software.
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE AViCAD AND ITS SUPPLIERS DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL
WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IMPLIED WARRAN-
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IF THE AViCAD HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY.
Because some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation
may not apply to you.
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pletely fictitious scenario or scenarios, are designed solely to document the use of an AViCAD product, and are in no way intended to represent
any real individual, company, product or event.
This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.
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AViCAD S.R.L.
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C O N T E N T S III
Contents
Contents iii
Procedure xvii
Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
About AViCAD and other CAD software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Using AutoCAD legacy drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Using AutoCAD commands with AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Comparing AViCAD and CAD to manual drafting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Drawing to scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Using tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Organizing information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Drawing accurately . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Drawing efficiently . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Reusing CAD drawings and entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Making changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Working with other data and programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Using advanced CAD features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Using the AViCAD Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Editing multiple documents simultaneously . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Editing multiple entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Using the Customize dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Performing unlimited undo and redo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Getting more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Chapter 2 Getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Starting AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Working in AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Displaying commands on a shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Displaying and hiding toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Using the command bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Using the status bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Drawing tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Using prompt boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Selecting commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Using commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Starting commands using toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
IV C O N T E N T S
Starting commands using menus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Starting commands using the command bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Repeating a command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Nesting a command. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Modifying a command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Using the Prompt History window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Using mouse shortcuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Using scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Correcting mistakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Customizing AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Getting online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Saving your drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Exiting AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Chapter 3 Working with drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Creating a new drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Opening a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Opening an existing drawing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Opening damaged files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Setting up a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Setting the current layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Layer Properties Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Creating and naming layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Locking and unlocking layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Setting the current entity color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Setting the current linetype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Setting the linetype scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Setting the current lineweight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Setting the current print style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Setting drawing units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Understanding scale factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Setting the text height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Setting the drawing limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Working with colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Using index colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Using true colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Using color books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Using the grid, snap alignment and cursor restriction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Setting a reference grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Setting snap spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Changing the snap and grid angle and base point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Using isometric snap and grid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Using orthogonal locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Using entity snaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Setting entity snaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Nearest Snap tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
C O N T E N T S V
Endpoint Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Midpoint Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Center Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Perpendicular Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Tangent Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Quadrant Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Insertion Point Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Point Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Mid between two point Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Intersection Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Apparent Intersection Snap tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Quick Snap command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Clear Entity Snaps tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Using fly-over snapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Etrack Snap tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Polar Snap tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Saving your drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Saving a drawing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Saving a drawing with a new name or file format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Saving a drawing with a password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Chapter 4 Creating simple entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Drawing lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Drawing circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Drawing arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Drawing ellipses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Drawing elliptical arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Creating point entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Changing the size and appearance of point entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Drawing rays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Drawing infinite lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Creating freehand sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Erasing freehand sketch lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Setting the sketch method and accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Chapter 5 Creating complex entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Drawing rectangles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Drawing polygons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Drawing polygons by side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Drawing polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Drawing double line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Drawing traces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Drawing a revision clouds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Drawing splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Specifying fit tolerance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
VI C O N T E N T S
Drawing a closed spline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Drawing donuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Creating planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Drawing wipeouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Drawing wipeouts using polygons and polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Turning wipeout frames on or off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Creating boundary polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Using islands and island detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Adding hatching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Specifying a hatch pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Selecting entities for hatching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Selecting areas for hatching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Gradient hatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Chapter 6 Viewing your drawing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Redrawing and regenerating a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Moving around within a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Using scroll bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Using the Pan command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Rotating the view in real time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Changing the magnification of your drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Zooming in and out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Zooming methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Displaying the previous view of a drawing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Zooming to a specific scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Combining zooming and panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Displaying the entire drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Aereal view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Displaying multiple views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Working with multiple views of a single drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Opening a new window of the same drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Dividing the current window into multiple views. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Saving window configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Working with multiple drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Controlling visual elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Turning Fill on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Turning Quick Text on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Turning highlighting on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Turning Blips on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Controlling the display of lineweights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Chapter 7 Working with coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Using Cartesian coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Understanding how coordinate systems work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Understanding how coordinates are displayed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
C O N T E N T S VII
Finding the coordinates of a point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Using two-dimensional coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Entering absolute Cartesian coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Entering relative Cartesian coordinates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Entering polar coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Using three-dimensional coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Using the right-hand rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Entering x,y,z-coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Entering spherical coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Entering cylindrical coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Using xyz point filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Using point filters in two dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Using point filters in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Defining user coordinate systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Defining a user coordinate system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Using a preset user coordinate system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Chapter 8 Working with the AViCAD Explorer . . . . . . . . 167
Using the AViCAD Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Copying settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Deleting settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Purging elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Organizing information on layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Creating and naming layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Setting the current layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Controlling layer visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Locking and unlocking layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Controlling layer printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Setting the layer color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Setting a layers linetype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Setting a layers lineweight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Setting a layers print style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Working with linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Setting the current linetype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Loading additional linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Creating and naming linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Syntax for a complex linetype definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Editing linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Working with text fonts and styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Creating and naming text styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Modifying text styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Setting the current text style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Working with coordinate systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
Defining and naming user coordinate systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Setting the current user coordinate system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Using named views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
VIII C O N T E N T S
Saving and naming views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Restoring named views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Changing named view properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Working with blocks and external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Creating and naming blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Inserting a block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Inserting a drawing as a block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Attaching a drawing as an external reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Saving a block as a separate drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Working with dimension styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Creating and naming dimension styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Chapter 9 Getting drawing information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Specifying measurements and divisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Measuring intervals on entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Dividing entities into segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Calculating areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Calculating areas defined by points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Calculating areas of closed entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Calculating combined areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Calculating distances and angles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Displaying information about your drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Displaying information about entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Displaying the drawing status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Tracking time spent working on a drawing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Chapter 10 Modifying entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Selecting entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Displaying selected entities highlighted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Entity-selection methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Choosing the command first . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Selecting entities first . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Deselecting entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Quick Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Turning grips on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Editing with grips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Modifying the properties of entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Properties palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Deleting entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Copying entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Copying entities within a drawing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Copying between drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Making parallel copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Mirroring entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Arraying entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
C O N T E N T S IX
Rearranging entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
Moving entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Rotating entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Reordering entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Resizing entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248
Stretching entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Scaling entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Extending entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Trimming entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Editing the length of entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Breaking and joining entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256
Breaking entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Joining entities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Grouping entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258
Creating groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Modifying groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Ungrouping entities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Remove Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Editing polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262
Opening and closing polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Curving and decurving polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Joining polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Changing the polyline width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Editing polyline vertices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Exploding entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267
Chamfering and filleting entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268
Chamfering entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Filleting entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275
Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Modify. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Tools/Entity Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Quick Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Chapter 11 Working with text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Creating line text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .300
Creating paragraph text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .300
Working with text styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303
Formatting text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304
Setting the line text style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Setting the paragraph text style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Setting the line text alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Setting the paragraph text alignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Including special text characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
X C O N T E N T S
Changing text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Changing line text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Changing paragraph text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Find . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Checking the spelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Check Spelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Main Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Creating and modifying a custom dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Using an alternate text editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Selecting an alternate text editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Creating paragraph text in an alternate text editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Working with text written in different languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Using Unicode characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Specifying character sets for drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Chapter 12 Dimensioning your drawing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Understanding dimensioning concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Creating dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Quick dimensioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Creating linear dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Creating angular dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Creating diametral and radial dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Creating ordinate dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Creating leaders and annotations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Dimensioning model space entities in paper space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Editing dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Making dimensions oblique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Editing dimension text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Understanding dimension styles and variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Controlling dimension arrows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Controlling dimension format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Controlling line settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Controlling dimension text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Controlling dimension units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Adding geometric tolerances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Controlling dimension tolerance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Controlling alternate dimension units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Chapter 13 Working with blocks, attributes, and external ref-
erences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Working with blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Creating blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Inserting blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Redefining blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
C O N T E N T S XI
Exploding blocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
In-place block edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Working with attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .364
Defining attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Editing attribute definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Attaching attributes to blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Editing attributes attached to blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Extracting attribute information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Extract data from attributes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Working with external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375
Attaching external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Viewing the list of external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Opening external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Removing external references. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Reloading external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Changing the path for external references. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Binding external references to drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Clipping external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Chapter 14 Printing drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Getting started printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388
Defining layouts for printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388
Understanding layouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
Understanding paper space and model space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Viewing drawings in paper space and model space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Displaying the Model and Layout tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
Creating a new layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Reusing layouts from other files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Managing layouts in a drawing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Working with layout viewports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395
Customizing print options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .400
Setting the paper size and paper and drawing orientation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Selecting a printer or plotter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Setting the scale and view. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Choosing how lineweights print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Using print styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Reusing print settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
Printing or plotting your drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .418
Previewing a drawing before printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Printing a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420
Print a PDF or JPG file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .421
Creating a PDF or JPG File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Print a Viewport with hidden lines or shaded mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .422
Chapter 15 Drawing in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
XII C O N T E N T S
Viewing entities in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
Setting the viewing direction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
Rotating the view in real time (3D Orbit ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
Preset Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
Orthographic views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429
Isometric views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
Preset Viewpoints.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434
Dinamic view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
Creating three-dimensional entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
Applying elevation and thickness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
Creating three-dimensional faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
Creating rectangular meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
Creating polyface meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
Creating ruled surface meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
Creating extruded surface meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
Creating revolved surface meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448
Creating edge-defined Coons surface patch meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 449
Creating Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
Creating boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
Creating wedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
Creating cones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452
Creating pyramids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452
Creating cylinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Creating spheres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455
Creating dishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456
Creating domes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456
Creating tori. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Creating Solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Creating Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Creating Wedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459
Creating Cones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459
Creating Tetrahedrones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
Creating Pyramids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461
Creating Cylinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
Creating Spheres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
Creating Dishs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
Creating Domes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
Creating Tori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Creating regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Creating extruded solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465
Creating revolved solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
Creating composite solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
Editing in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
Rotating in three dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
Arraying in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
Mirroring in three dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
Aligning in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
C O N T E N T S XIII
Editing three-dimensional solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .473
Chamfering and filleting solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Sectioning and slicing solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
Modifying edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
Imprinting solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
Separating solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
Shelling solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
Flattening solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Convert a solid to a surface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Cleaning solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Checking solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484
Hiding, shading, and rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .484
Creating hidden-line images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
Creating shaded images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
Creating rendered images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Creating custom rendered images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
Printing a rendered image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
Chapter 16 Render. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .490
Render Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .492
Full Render Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .493
Materials Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .493
Material Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
Material Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
Material Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
Surface Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
Color Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Surface Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .522
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .523
Ambient Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
Point Light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526
Distant Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529
Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .531
Rendering Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
Shadows Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Floor Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535
Site Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536
Render to File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536
Chapter 17 Google Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
AViCAD Google Earth add-on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .540
Publishing 3D DWG Models to Google Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
XIV C O N T E N T S
Chapter 18 Working with other programs . . . . . . . . . . . . 545
Saving and viewing snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546
Using data from other programs in AViCAD drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547
Embedding objects into drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547
Linking objects to drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Editing an embedded or linked object from within AViCAD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Importing files created in other formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Using AViCAD data in other programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Embedding drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Editing an embedded AViCAD object in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
Linking drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
Dragging AViCAD drawings into other programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554
Exporting drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554
Etransmit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558
Sending drawings through e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562
Using AViCAD with the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562
Add hyperlinks to a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
Publishing drawings to the Internet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 564
Inserting drawings from a Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 564
Accessing the AViCAD Web site during a drawing session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565
Other programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565
Chapter 19 Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Image overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568
Image commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568
Attaching images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568
Modifying images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570
Changing the display of images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
Clipping images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573
Unloading and reloading images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576
Changing the path for images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576
Deleting images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577
Draw Order command. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577
Correlate Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578
Chapter 20 Customizing AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583
Setting and changing options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584
Changing the options on the General tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584
Changing the options on the Paths/Files tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
Changing the options on the Display tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589
Changing the options on the Crosshairs tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592
Changing the options on the Profiles tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
Changing the options on the Printing tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598
Changing the options on the Snapping tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600
C O N T E N T S XV
Customizing menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .602
Understanding menu compatibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603
Creating new menus and commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603
Setting the experience levels for menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605
Saving menu files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 606
Loading menu files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 606
Creating custom shortcut menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607
Customizing toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .608
Creating a new toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 609
Naming toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611
Creating flyouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612
Setting the experience levels for tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613
Creating custom toolbar tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613
Importing toolbars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615
Creating toolbars that you can share as files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615
Customizing the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .618
Creating a keyboard shortcut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619
Saving keyboard shortcut files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 620
Loading keyboard shortcut files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621
Creating aliases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .621
Creating, redefining, and deleting aliases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 622
Saving alias files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 623
Loading alias files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624
Customizing entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .624
Working with audio notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624
Using shape files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 627
Creating and replaying scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .628
Programming AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .630
Using LISP routines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630
Using ADS applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 632
Using DCL with AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633
Using VBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633
Using DIESEL with IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 634
Using a digitizer tablet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .634
Configuring the tablet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635
Calibrating the tablet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636
Understanding transformation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636
Customizing the tablet interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 638
Appendix 639
Using enhanced AutoCAD commands in AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .640
Using additional selection sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .641
Using additional AViCAD commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .641
Recognizing subtle command differences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .644
Identifying what does not display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .644
Supporting AutoCAD customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .645
XVI C O N T E N T S
Understanding menu compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 646
Importing and exporting customization files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647
Programming AViCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647
Understanding AutoLISP compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 648
AViCAD-AutoCAD list of terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649
Glossary 651
XVII
Contents ................................................... iii
Procedure .............................................. xvii
Introduction ...............................................1
Getting started .........................................15
To disable the right button menu ................................. 18
To choose which toolbars to display ........................... 21
To change the items that display on the status bar ...... 22
To change the setting of an item on the status bar ...... 22
To display or hide the status bar .................................. 22
To activate or deactivate drawing tabs display ............ 23
To repeat the command you just used ......................... 27
To repeat commands you used previously .................. 27
To display or close the Prompt History window ......... 28
To view entries in the Prompt History window .......... 28
To copy or paste text in the Prompt History window... 28
To change the number of command lines to track ...... 28
Working with drawings ..........................33
To create a new drawing based on a template ............. 36
To open an existing drawing ........................................ 37
To open a damaged file ............................................... 39
To check a drawing file for errors ............................... 39
To manage layers ......................................................... 41
To make a layer current ............................................... 42
To turn layers on or off................................................ 43
To freeze or thaw layers .............................................. 43
To lock or unlock layers .............................................. 44
To set the current entity color...................................... 45
To set the current linetype ........................................... 47
To set the current individual linetype scale ................. 48
To change the global linetype scale ............................. 48
To set the current lineweight ....................................... 49
To set the current print style in a drawing that uses named
print style tables ...................................................... 50
To set the linear drawing units .................................... 50
To set the angular drawing units ................................. 51
To set the text height ................................................... 54
To set the drawing limits ............................................. 56
To select an index color ............................................... 57
To select a true color ................................................... 59
To select a color book color ........................................ 60
To create a color book ................................................. 61
To modify a color book ............................................... 64
To load a color book .................................................... 64
To turn the grid on and set the grid spacing ................ 65
To turn snap settings on and set snap spacing ............. 67
To change the snap angle and base point .................... 67
To turn the Isometric Snap And Grid option on .......... 69
To enable orthogonal locking ...................................... 69
To change the size of the entity snap target box ......... 71
To set the Nearest Snap................................................ 72
To set the Endpoint Snap ............................................ 73
To set the Midpoint Snap ............................................ 73
To set the Center Snap ................................................ 73
To set the Perpendicular Snap...................................... 74
To set the Tangent Snap............................................... 74
To set the Quadrant Snap ............................................ 75
To set the Insertion Point Snap .................................... 75
To set the Point Snap ................................................... 76
To set the Mid between two point Snap ...................... 76
To set the Intersection Snap ........................................ 77
To snap to an extended intersection point ................... 78
To set the Apparent Intersection Snap ......................... 78
To snap to an extended apparent intersection point .... 79
To set the Quick Snap .................................................. 79
To set Clear Entity Snaps ............................................ 79
To set the Fly-over snapping option ............................ 81
To set On or Off Etrack tracking ................................. 81
To acquire a point ........................................................ 82
To set On or Off Polar Tracking ................................ 82
To set the polar pointing angles .................................. 83
To acquire a point with Polar ...................................... 83
To purge the items not used in the drawing ................ 84
To save a drawing with a new name or file format .... 87
To save a drawing with a password ............................ 88
Creating simple entities ...........................89
To draw a line.............................................................. 90
To draw a line as a continuation from the end of an arc ..
...................................................................................... 90
To draw a circle by specifying its center and radius ... 91
To draw a circle tangent to existing entities ................ 92
To convert an arc to a circle ........................................ 92
To draw an arc by specifying three points .................. 93
To draw an arc by specifying its start point, center point,
and endpoint ........................................................... 94
To draw an arc by specifying two points and an included
Procedure
XVIII P R O C E D U R E
angle ....................................................................... 94
To draw an arc tangent to an arc or line ...................... 95
To draw an ellipse by specifying the axis endpoints.... 96
To draw an elliptical arc by specifying the axis endpoints
...................................................................................... 97
To draw a point ............................................................ 97
To draw several points.................................................. 98
To change the size and appearance of point entities ... 98
To draw a ray.............................................................. 100
To draw an infinite line ............................................. 100
To draw an infinite line at a specified angle relative to
another entity ........................................................ 101
To create a freehand sketch ....................................... 102
To erase freehand sketch lines ................................... 102
To specify lines or polylines when sketching ............ 103
Creating complex entities .....................105
To draw a rectangle ................................................... 106
To draw a square ........................................................ 106
To draw a polygon by vertex...................................... 107
To draw a polygon by side ......................................... 108
To draw a polyline with straight segments................. 109
To draw a line segment followed by an arc polyline
segment.................................................................. 110
To draw a double line ................................................ 111
To draw a trace .......................................................... 111
To create a Revision cloud ........................................ 112
To modify arcs length of a revision cloud ................. 112
To create a revision cloud .......................................... 112
To draw a spline ......................................................... 113
To add tangents to a spline ........................................ 113
To specify the fit tolerance ........................................ 114
To draw a closed spline .............................................. 114
To draw a donut ......................................................... 115
To draw a donut tangent to existing entities .............. 116
To draw a quadrilateral plane .................................... 117
To draw a rectangular plane ...................................... 117
To draw a wipeout ..................................................... 118
To create a wipeout using an existing polygon or polyline
.................................................................................... 119
To turn wipeout frames on or off .............................. 119
To draw a boundary polyline...................................... 122
To open the Boundary Hatch dialog box ................... 124
To specify a predefined hatch pattern ........................ 124
To specify a user-defined hatch pattern...................... 125
To use a predefined library pattern ............................ 127
To select entities for hatching ................................... 128
To select an area for hatching ................................... 130
To use a gradient hatch .............................................. 133
To modify a gradient hatch ....................................... 134
Viewing your drawing ...........................135
To redraw (refresh) the current window display........ 136
To turn scroll bars on or off ....................................... 136
To pan by specifying two points ................................ 137
To pan in real time ..................................................... 138
To pan using a mouse with a wheel .......................... 138
To rotate the view in real time ................................... 139
To zoom in to an area using a window....................... 140
To zoom in real time .................................................. 141
To zoom using a mouse with a wheel ........................ 141
To zoom to a specific scale relative to the current display
.................................................................................... 142
To change the center of the current view .................. 142
To use aereal view ..................................................... 144
To create multiple views ............................................ 146
To join two views....................................................... 146
To name and save a window configuration................ 146
To restore a named window configuration................. 147
To turn Fill on or off ................................................. 149
To turn Quick Text on and off .................................. 150
To turn highlighting on and off ................................. 150
To turn Blips on and off ............................................ 151
To control the display of lineweights ........................ 152
Working with coordinates ....................153
To find the coordinate of a point in the drawing........ 156
To define a UCS by specifying a new origin and points on
the positive x- and y-axes...................................... 165
To select a preset UCS ............................................... 166
Working with the AViCAD Explorer ..167
To display the AViCAD Explorer.............................. 168
To copy layers from one open drawing to another open
drawing.................................................................. 170
To delete a layer and relocate its entities to another layer
.................................................................................... 171
To purge an element .................................................. 172
To create a new layer ................................................ 175
To change a layer name in the current drawing ......... 176
P R O C E D U R E XIX
To make a layer current ............................................. 176
To set the current layer to that of an existing entity... 177
To turn layers on or off .............................................. 177
To turn on XRef Layer Visibility .............................. 178
To freeze or thaw layers ............................................ 178
To lock or unlock layers ............................................ 179
To turn layer printing on or off .................................. 179
To change the layer color .......................................... 180
To change the linetype assigned to one or more layers....
.................................................................................... 181
To change the lineweight assigned to one or more layers
.................................................................................... 182
To change the print style assigned to one or more layers
(only in a drawing that uses named print style tables)
.................................................................................... 183
To display the AViCAD Explorer Linetypes element 184
To make the linetype current ...................................... 185
To load a new linetype from a linetype library .......... 186
To create a new simple linetype ................................. 186
To create a new complex linetype ............................. 188
To change a linetype name......................................... 191
To change a linetype definition.................................. 191
To display the AViCAD Explorer Text Styles element ...
.................................................................................... 192
To create a new text style .......................................... 193
To change a text style name in the current drawing... 193
To modify a text style................................................. 194
To make the text style current .................................... 195
To display the Coordinate Systems element .............. 196
To define new user coordinate systems in the AViCAD
Explorer ................................................................. 197
To change a user coordinate system name in the current
drawing ................................................................. 198
To set the current UCS from the AViCAD Explorer . 198
To display Views in the AViCAD Explorer............... 199
To save the current view as a named view................. 200
To save a portion of the current view as a named view...
.................................................................................... 200
To change a saved view name in the current drawing......
.................................................................................... 201
To restore a named view using the View command... 201
To restore a named view from the AViCAD Explorer.....
.................................................................................... 201
To change the view options ....................................... 202
To display blocks in the AViCAD Explorer ............. 202
To create a block ....................................................... 204
To change a block name in the current drawing........ 205
To insert a block......................................................... 205
To insert a drawing as a block.................................... 206
To attach an external reference .................................. 206
To edit the path of an external reference.................... 207
To save a block as a separate drawing file ................ 207
To display the AViCAD Explorer Dimension Styles
element ................................................................. 208
To create a dimension style 2....................................... 09
To change a dimension style name in the current drawing
.................................................................................... 209
To copy a dimension style from one drawing to another.
.................................................................................... 210
Getting drawing information ...............211
To measure intervals along an entity and mark them using
point entities ......................................................... 213
To measure intervals along an entity and mark them using
blocks ................................................................... 213
To divide an entity into segments and mark them using
point entities ......................................................... 214
To divide an entity into segments and mark them using
blocks .................................................................... 214
To calculate the area defined by points you specify .. 215
To calculate the area of a closed entity ...................... 216
To add areas to calculate a combined area................. 216
To subtract areas when calculating a combined area . 217
To calculate the distance between two points and their
angle ..................................................................... 219
To display information about an entity ..................... 220
To display the drawing status .................................... 221
To display the timer information............................... 222
Modifying entities .................................223
To turn the highlighting feature on or off ................. 224
To create a Window-Inside ....................................... 226
To create a Crossing Window ................................... 226
To select entities using Window Polygon ................. 226
To select entities using Fence .................................... 227
To select entities using their properties ..................... 227
To remove an entity from the selection set ............... 228
To remove all entities from the selection set ............. 229
To create the selection set ......................................... 229
Element Type ............................................................ 230
Properties ................................................................... 230
How to Apply ............................................................ 230
XX P R O C E D U R E
Append to Current Selection Set ............................... 230
To change grip settings .............................................. 230
To modify the properties of entities ......................... 232
To modify the properties from Properties Palette ...... 235
To delete a selection set.............................................. 236
To copy a selection set .............................................. 237
To cut entities to the Clipboard .................................. 238
To copy entities to the Clipboard ............................... 238
To make a quick copy ................................................ 238
To paste entities from the Clipboard ......................... 239
To paste as a block the copied objects....................... 239
To make a parallel copy by specifying the distance... 240
To make a parallel copy passing through a point ....... 241
To mirror entities ....................................................... 242
To create a polar array................................................ 242
To create a rectangular array...................................... 244
To move a selection set ............................................. 246
To move an entity using grips ................................... 246
To rotate a selection set ............................................. 247
To rotate a selection set in reference to a base angle . 247
To reorder entities ..................................................... 248
To stretch an entity .................................................... 249
To stretch an entity using grips ................................. 249
To scale a selection set by a scale factor ................... 250
To scale an entity using grips .................................... 250
To extend an entity..................................................... 251
To extend an entity to an implied boundary............... 252
To extend several entities using the fence selection
method................................................................... 252
To trim an entity......................................................... 254
To trim an entity to an implied boundary................... 254
To trim several entities using the fence selection method
.................................................................................... 255
To change the length of an entity by dragging........... 255
To break an entity....................................................... 256
To select an entity and then specify the two break points
.................................................................................... 257
To join two entities .................................................... 257
To create a group........................................................ 259
To modify a group and its entities.............................. 260
To change the order of entities in a group.................. 260
To exlode a group....................................................... 261
To add objects to a group ........................................... 261
To ungroup entities..................................................... 261
To remove objects from a group ................................ 262
To convert an entity into a polyline............................ 263
To close an open polyline........................................... 263
To fit a curve to a polyline ........................................ 264
To join an arc, line, or polyline to an existing polyline ..
.................................................................................... 265
To apply a uniform width to an entire polyline.......... 265
To taper a polyline uniformly along its length .......... 265
To move a polyline vertex.......................................... 266
To taper the width of an individual polyline segment......
.................................................................................... 267
To explode an entity................................................... 268
To chamfer two entities using the distance-distance
method.................................................................. 270
To chamfer two entities using the distance-angle method
.................................................................................... 270
To chamfer all vertices in a polyline.......................... 271
To chamfer selected vertices in a polyline ................ 271
To fillet two entities .................................................. 272
To fillet an entire polyline ......................................... 273
To fillet selected vertices in a polyline ...................... 273
To set an entity layer as current ................................ 275
To set the current layer for the selected entities ........ 275
To move some entities on another entity's layer ....... 276
To move some entities on new layer ......................... 276
To set all layer to OFF except the selected entity layer 276
To freeze a selected entity layer ................................. 277
To set off a selected layer .......................................... 277
To freeze all layer of the selected entities ................. 277
To lock a selected entity layer ................................... 277
To unlock a selected entity layer............................... 278
To set all layers On .................................................... 278
To set all layers Off ................................................... 278
To thaw all layers ...................................................... 278
To freeze all layers .................................................... 278
To unlock all layers ................................................... 279
To lock all layers ....................................................... 279
To copy one or more entities on another layer .......... 279
To copy one or more entities on a selected entity's layer
.................................................................................... 279
To copy nested objects in a block ............................. 280
To trim some entities using the ones of a block as trim
limit ...................................................................... 280
To extend some entities considering the block objects as
extension limit ...................................................... 280
To replace a block with another ................................ 281
To replace a block with an xref ................................. 282
To fit the text in relation to two points ...................... 283
To create a text mask ................................................. 283
To remove text mask ................................................. 284
P R O C E D U R E XXI
To explode a text ....................................................... 284
To Convert Text to MText ........................................ 285
To justify text ............................................................ 285
To rotate a text ........................................................... 285
To enclose texts with object ....................................... 285
To automatically numbering a text............................. 286
To change the text case.............................................. 287
To move, copy, rotate and scale objects with a single
command .............................................................. 287
To make an extended clip .......................................... 288
To change the elevation of the objects ...................... 290
To execute the multiple copy of objects..................... 290
To execute extended offset ........................................ 291
To delete duplicate objects ........................................ 292
To create or edit entity data ....................................... 295
To copy entity data ................................................... 295
To move the entity data .............................................. 296
To delete the entity data ............................................ 296
To reassociate the data merged with an application with
another application ............................................... 297
To obtain a rapid perspective view ............................ 297
To obtain a rapid perspective view............................ 298
Working with text .................................299
To create text ............................................................. 300
To create paragraph text ............................................ 301
To create a text style................................................... 303
To specify a line text style......................................... 304
To specify a paragraph text style ............................... 305
To specify the line text alignment ............................. 306
To edit text.................................................................. 307
To change text properties .......................................... 307
To edit paragraph text ................................................ 308
To change paragraph text properties ......................... 308
To find and replace a text .......................................... 308
To do the check spelling ............................................ 311
To select a custom dictionary................................... 315
To add the content of a custom dictionary to the current
one ........................................................................ 315
To select an alternate text editor................................. 315
To use an alternate text editor .................................... 316
To manage how code pages are assigned to drawings318
Dimensioning your drawing .................321
To create a quick dimension ...................................... 324
To create a horizontal or vertical dimension............. 325
To create an aligned dimension.................................. 326
To create a linear baseline dimension ....................... 327
To create a linear continued dimension ..................... 328
To dimension an angle encompassed by an arc ......... 329
To dimension an angle between two lines ................ 329
To create a diametral dimension ................................ 330
To create a radial dimension ..................................... 330
To create an ordinate dimension ............................... 332
To create a leader and an annotation ......................... 332
To dimension model space entities in paper space .... 333
To make oblique extension lines................................ 334
To rotate dimension text ............................................ 335
To move dimension text ............................................ 336
To restore dimension text to its home position .......... 336
To replace existing dimension text with new text...... 336
To create a dimension style ....................................... 337
To select a dimension style ....................................... 337
To rename a dimension style ..................................... 338
To delete a named dimension style ........................... 338
To display information about the current style ......... 338
To choose an arrowhead ............................................ 339
To format dimensions................................................. 340
To set the color for dimension lines ........................... 342
To align dimension text with the dimension line ....... 344
To round off dimensions ........................................... 345
To add a geometric tolerance ..................................... 348
To create a tolerance dimension ................................ 350
To create an alternate dimension............................... 352
Working with blocks, attributes, and
external references ............................355
To create a block for use within a current drawing.... 357
To save a block as a separate drawing file................. 358
To insert a block......................................................... 360
To insert an entire drawing into the current drawing. 360
To redefine a block in the current drawing ............... 361
To explode a block .................................................... 362
To modify a local block ............................................ 363
To add objects to a block ........................................... 363
To remove the object from a block ........................... 363
To delete the block local change ............................... 364
To define an attribute ................................................ 365
To edit an attribute definition..................................... 367
To edit an attribute attached to a block ...................... 368
To create a template file ............................................ 370
XXII P R O C E D U R E
To extract attribute information ................................ 370
To extract data from attributes .................................. 371
To attach an external reference................................... 377
To view a list of external references .......................... 378
To open an external reference ................................... 379
To unload an external reference ................................ 379
To detach an external reference ................................. 379
To reload an external reference ................................. 380
To change the path for a single external reference..... 380
To change the search paths for all external references in
the drawing ........................................................... 381
To bind an existing external reference to a drawing .. 381
To define a rectangular clipping boundary................. 383
To define a clipping boundary using a polyline ........ 384
To turn clipping boundaries on and off ..................... 384
To delete a clipping boundary................................... 385
Printing drawings ................................. 387
To start printing ......................................................... 388
To view a drawing in model space on the Model tab.......
.................................................................................... 392
To view a drawing in paper space on a Layout tab.... 392
To view a drawing in model space on a Layout tab... 392
To turn the Model and Layout tabs display on or off.......
.................................................................................... 392
To create a new layout using the Layout1 or Layout2 tab
.................................................................................... 393
To create a new layout using a new Layout tab ........ 393
To create a new layout from an existing file ............. 393
To make a copy of a layout ....................................... 394
To save a layout as a drawing template...................... 394
To rename a layout ................................................... 394
To delete a layout ..................................................... 394
To reorder the Layout tabs ......................................... 395
To view a list of all layouts ....................................... 395
To create layout viewports ......................................... 396
To create a poligonal viewport .................................. 397
To turn layout viewports on or off ........................... 397
To change the layout viewport scale ........................ 397
To change the scale of model space entities relative to
paper space ............................................................ 398
To modify layout viewport properties ....................... 398
To modifying view mode in a layout viewport ......... 399
To select the paper size and paper and drawing
orientation.............................................................. 400
To print a drawing upside down ................................ 400
To select a printer or plotter ....................................... 401
To automatically scale the drawing for printing ....... 402
To specify the scale factor yourself ........................... 402
To specify a portion of the drawing to print ............. 403
To specify the print area origin ................................ 405
To set lineweight options ........................................... 405
To assign print style tables ........................................ 411
To create new print style tables ................................. 412
To modify print style tables ...................................... 413
To copy, rename, or delete print style tables ............. 414
To change a drawing to use named print style tables.......
.................................................................................... 415
To change a drawing to use color-dependent print style
tables ..................................................................... 415
To convert a color-dependent print style table to a named
print style table...................................................... 416
To turn off print style tables....................................... 416
To save print settings in a PCP file ............................ 417
To assign a PCP file ................................................... 417
To preview a drawing before printing........................ 418
To print a drawing ..................................................... 420
To create a PDF or JPG File ...................................... 421
To print a viewport with hidden lines or shaded mode....
.................................................................................... 422
Drawing in three dimensions ...............425
To rotate the view in real time .................................. 426
To set the Top viewing direction ............................... 429
To set the Bottom viewing direction ......................... 429
To set the Left viewing direction .............................. 430
To set the Right viewing direction ............................ 430
To set the Front viewing direction ............................ 431
To set the Back viewing direction ............................. 431
To set the SW Isometric viewing direction ............... 432
To set the SE Isometric viewing direction ................ 432
To set the NE Isometric viewing direction ................ 433
To set the NW Isometric viewing direction .............. 433
To set a new viewing direction ................................. 434
To dynamically set a view direction .......................... 435
To display a plan view of the current drawing .......... 436
To create a dynamic 3D view .................................... 436
To set the current elevation ....................................... 441
To set the current thickness ....................................... 441
To set the current elevation and thickness using a dialog
box......................................................................... 442
To change the thickness and elevation of an existing
P R O C E D U R E XXIII
entity...................................................................... 443
To create a three-dimensional face ............................ 444
To create a rectangular mesh...................................... 445
To create a polyface mesh.......................................... 446
To create a ruled surface mesh................................... 446
To create an extruded surface mesh .......................... 447
To create a revolved surface mesh ............................. 448
To create an edge-defined Coons surface patch mesh......
.................................................................................... 449
To create a box as a three-dimensional surface ......... 450
To create a wedge as a three-dimensional surface .... 451
To create a cone as a three-dimensional surface ....... 452
To create a tetrahedron............................................... 453
To create a pyramid with a planar top ...................... 453
To create a pyramid as a three-dimensional surface 454
To create a cylinder as a three-dimensional surface... 454
To create a sphere as a three-dimensional surface .... 455
To create a dish as a three-dimensional surface ........ 456
To create a dome as a three-dimensional surface ...... 456
To create a torus as a three-dimensional surface ....... 457
To create a box .......................................................... 458
To create a wedge ...................................................... 459
To create a cone ......................................................... 459
To create a tetrahedron .............................................. 460
To create a pyramid ................................................... 461
To create a pyramid with a planar top ....................... 461
To create a cylinder ................................................... 462
To create a sphere ...................................................... 462
To create a dish .......................................................... 463
To create a dome ....................................................... 463
To create a torus ........................................................ 464
To create a region ...................................................... 465
To create an extruded solid......................................... 465
To create a revolved solid........................................... 466
To combine solids...................................................... 466
To subtract solids........................................................ 467
To intersect solids ...................................................... 467
To rotate an entity about an axis in three dimensions ......
.................................................................................... 468
To create a three-dimensional rectangular array ........ 469
To create a three-dimensional polar array.................. 470
To mirror an entity about a three-dimensional plane ......
.................................................................................... 471
To align an entity an entity with another.................... 472
To chamfer a solid ..................................................... 473
To fillet a solid ........................................................... 474
To section an entity .................................................. 474
To slice an entity ...................................................... 475
Modifying faces ......................................................... 475
To extrude a solid face ............................................... 475
To move a solid face ................................................ 476
To rotate a solid face .................................................. 477
To offset a solid face .................................................. 477
To taper a solid face ................................................... 478
To delete a solid face.................................................. 479
To copy a solid face ................................................... 479
To color a face............................................................ 480
To copy an edge ......................................................... 481
To color an edge......................................................... 481
To imprint a solid object ........................................... 482
To separate solids ...................................................... 482
To shell a solid .......................................................... 482
To create a 2D view of a 3D model ............................ 83
To convert a solid to a surface .................................. 483
To clean a solid ........................................................ 484
To check a solid ......................................................... 484
To create a hidden-line image ................................... 485
To create a shaded image .......................................... 485
To create a quickly rendered image .......................... 486
To create a fully rendered image ............................... 486
To apply materials, backgrounds, and lighting ......... 488
To save a rendered image of your drawing ............... 488
Render ....................................................489
Agate Pattern ............................................................. 505
Bozo Pattern .............................................................. 506
Brick Pattern .............................................................. 507
Checker Pattern ......................................................... 508
Image Surface Pattern ............................................... 509
Gradient Pattern ......................................................... 510
Granite Pattern ........................................................... 511
Grit Pattern ................................................................ 513
Marble Pattern ........................................................... 513
Onion Pattern ............................................................. 515
Solid Checker Pattern ................................................ 516
Tile Pattern ................................................................ 517
Wood Pattern ............................................................. 518
Google Earth ......................................... 539
To publish a 3d model in Google Earth .................... 540
To import an image in AViCAD............................... 541
To use Draw Order command ................................... 542
XXIV P R O C E D U R E
To publish 3D DWG data to Google Earth ............... 542
Working with other programs .............545
To create a snapshot ................................................. 546
To view a snapshot .................................................... 546
To embed another programs object into an AViCAD
drawing................................................................. 547
To embed an object from an existing file within AViCAD
.................................................................................... 548
To create a new embedded object from within AViCAD
.................................................................................... 548
To link a file to an AViCAD drawing ....................... 549
To create a linked object from within AViCAD........ 549
To edit an embedded or linked object ........................ 550
To import a DXF, DWF, or DWT file ....................... 550
To import an ACIS file .............................................. 551
To create an AViCAD drawing in another document 552
To embed selected AViCAD entities ......................... 552
To embed an entire AViCAD drawing...................... 552
To edit an embedded AViCAD object in place ......... 553
To link an AViCAD file to another document .......... 553
To drag and embed drawings into another document ......
.................................................................................... 554
To export a drawing to a DWG, DXF, BMP, EMF, WMF,
or SVG file ........................................................... 555
To export a drawing to a PDF file ............................. 556
To export a drawing to a 2D DWF file ...................... 557
To export a drawing to a 3D DWF file ...................... 557
To export a drawing to a file ..................................... 558
To export an ACIS file .............................................. 558
To create a group of files for transmission ................ 559
To create new Transmittal Setups ............................. 560
To include a drawing file in an e-mail message ........ 562
To view a AViCAD file sent by e-mail .................... 562
To create a hyperlink ................................................. 563
To remove a hyperlink ............................................... 564
To access a hyperlink ................................................. 564
To insert a drawing from a Web site ......................... 564
To access the AViCAD Web site .............................. 565
Image ......................................................567
To attach an image ..................................................... 569
To modify images ...................................................... 571
To change the display quality for all images............. 573
To turn image frames on or off for all images ........... 573
To clip an image in the shape of a rectangle ............. 574
To clip an image in the shape of a polygon ............... 575
To turn clipping on or off for an image ..................... 575
To remove clipping from an image........................... 576
To unload and reload an image ................................. 576
To change the path for an image ............................... 577
To delete an image .................................................... 577
To reorder entities ..................................................... 578
To Create a Correlation ............................................. 579
Customizing AViCAD.......................... 583
To change the options on the General tab ................ 585
To specify a user path ................................................ 588
To change a default system file ................................. 588
To change the options on the Display tab ................. 591
To change the options on the Crosshairs tab ............. 592
To create a profile ..................................................... 594
To load a profile ........................................................ 596
To restore default settings using an unchanged Default
profile ................................................................... 596
To restore default settings without using the Default
profile ................................................................... 596
To rename a profile ................................................... 597
To copy a profile ....................................................... 597
To delete a profile ..................................................... 597
To export a profile to a file ........................................ 598
To open a profile from a file ..................................... 598
To change the options on the Printing tab ................. 599
To change the options on the Snapping tab............... 600
To display the Customize dialog box........................ 602
To see how AViCAD reads AutoCAD menu source files
.................................................................................... 603
To create a new menu................................................. 604
To add a command to a menu ................................... 604
To rename a menu item.............................................. 605
To delete a menu item................................................ 605
To set the experience levels for a command .............. 605
To save the current menu to a file ............................. 606
To load a menu file .................................................... 606
To create a custom shortcut menu ............................. 607
To use the custom shortcut menu............................... 608
To display the Customize dialog box......................... 609
To create a new toolbar .............................................. 610
To add a tool to a toolbar .......................................... 610
To delete a tool from a toolbar .................................. 610
To add space between tools on a toolbar .................. 611
P R O C E D U R E XXV
To rename a toolbar .................................................. 611
To add a flyout to a toolbar ....................................... 612
To set the experience levels for a tool ...................... 613
To add a custom tool to a toolbar .............................. 614
To import a menu file ................................................ 615
To create a toolbar that you can share ....................... 616
To copy an existing toolbar ....................................... 617
To open the toolbar file on another computer ........... 617
To customize the keyboard ........................................ 618
To create a keyboard shortcut ................................... 619
To redefine an existing keyboard shortcut ................ 620
To delete an existing keyboard shortcut ................... 620
To save the current keyboard shortcuts to a file ........ 620
To load a keyboard shortcut file ................................ 621
To display the Customize dialog box ........................ 621
To create a new alias ................................................ 622
To redefine an existing alias ..................................... 623
To delete an existing alias ......................................... 623
To save the current aliases to a file ............................ 623
To load an alias file ................................................... 624
To record and attach an audio note to entities ........... 625
To attach an audio note to entities using a .wav file .. 625
To select audio notes ................................................. 626
To play audio notes ................................................... 626
To delete audio notes ................................................. 627
To load a shape file .................................................... 627
To use a shape file ..................................................... 627
To record a script ...................................................... 629
To stop recording ...................................................... 629
To replay a script ....................................................... 629
To append to a script ................................................ 629
To load a LISP routine ............................................... 630
To run a LISP routine................................................. 631
For more information ................................................. 633
To run a VBA macro.................................................. 633
To edit a VBA macro ................................................. 634
For more information ................................................ 634
To configure the tablet for menu input ...................... 635
To turn tablet mode on or off .................................... 636
To calibrate your tablet for digitizing points ............. 638
Understanding AutoCAD compatibility
.................................................................639
XXVI C H A P T E R
1
Introduction
Using AViCAD

is part of an integrated documentation set that includes this manual

and a comprehensive collection of help resources to give you the information you
need to create drawings in AViCAD.
This manual is organized into chapters that parallel how you work in AViCAD,
according to the tasks you might perform; also as it refer to all AViCAD's versions,
some of the features are available only in the full version.
Specific release's features are available on www.AViCAD.com.
Topics in this chapter
About AViCAD and other CAD software............................................................... 3
Using AutoCAD commands with AViCAD...................................................... 5
Comparing AViCAD and CAD to manual drafting .......................................... 5
Using advanced CAD features............................................................................ 13
Getting more information .................................................................................... 14
2 C H A P T E R 1
Introduction: Chapter 1 An overview of the key features of AViCAD plus basic con-
cepts of computer-aided design (CAD) as they apply to AViCAD.
Getting started: Chapter 2 Installing AViCAD, starting and exiting AViCAD, working
with toolbars, and selecting commands.
Working with drawings: Chapter 3 Opening an existing drawing and starting a new
drawing. Using Drawing Settings to establish paper size, scale factors, and text
height. Working with colors in your drawings. Using drawing aids such as entity
snaps and orthogonal mode to draw accurately.
Creating entities: Chapters 45 Working with simple entities such as lines, circles, and
arcs and with complex entities such as polygons, spline curves, planes, wipeouts,
boundary hatches, and more.
Viewing your drawing: Chapter 6 Moving around in the drawing, changing its magnifi-
cation, creating multiple views, and saving arrangements of windows of the drawing.
Working with coordinates: Chapter 7 Working with Cartesian coordinate systems,
specifying two-dimensional and three-dimensional coordinates, and defining your
own user coordinate systems.
Working with the AViCAD Explorer: Chapter 8 Using the AViCAD Explorer to manage
your drawings: controlling layers, linetypes, text styles, coordinate systems, views,
and blocks and copying information between drawings.
Getting drawing information: Chapter 9 Working with the additional information in
AViCAD drawings, calculating areas and distances, and displaying other drawing
information.
Modifying entities: Chapter 10 Selecting, copying, rearranging, resizing, and editing
entities.
Annotating and dimensioning your drawing: Chapters 1112 Using text to annotate
drawings; using dimensions to annotate the measurement of entities.
Working with blocks, attributes, and external references: Chapter 13 Using blocks and
external references to combine entities and data for reuse; creating attribute informa-
tion to extract for use in other programs.
Printing drawings: Chapter 14 Combining drawings into finished layouts and printing
copies.
Drawing in three dimensions: Chapter 15 Creating and editing three-dimensional enti-
ties. Also visualizing them using hidden line removal, shading, and photo-realistic
rendering.
Render: Chapter 16 Creating a photo-realistic image of your model, complete with
light sources, shadows, surface material properties, and reflections.
Google Earth: Chapter 17 You can import the current Google Earth view into
AViCAD and use this raster image as a background for a drawing or to give a geo-
graphical reference of your DWG model position on the earths surface.
I N T R O D U C T I O N 3
Working with other programs: Chapter 18 Sharing drawings and data with other users,
documents, and programs.
Image: Chapter 19 Modifying and viewing raster images.
Customizing AViCAD: Chapter 20 Customizing the appearance and operation of the
program to suit your needs.
Understanding AutoCAD compatibility: Appendix Describes similarities and differences
between AViCAD and AutoCAD.
About AViCAD and other CAD software
AViCAD is designed for anyone who wants a fast and efficient CAD program with
all the power and versatility of standard programs such as AutoCAD by Autodesk,
Inc., or MicroStation by Bentley Systems, Inc., at an affordable price. Using todays
advanced technology, AViCAD integrates the Microsoft Windows interface with a
powerful CAD engine.
AViCAD provides unparalleled compatibility with AutoCAD, using most of the
same file formats including those for drawings (.dwg files), commands, linetypes,
hatch patterns, and text styles. You can also use AutoCAD menu files and run
AutoLISP by Autodesk programs. If you have written your own ADS (AutoCAD
Development System by Autodesk) programs, simply recompile them to link with the
AViCAD libraries provided on your compact disc. Many third-party ADS programs
already support AViCAD. If you have a program that is not already supported, ask
your software vendor to provide an AViCAD-compatible version of the program.
AViCAD is more compatible with the AutoCAD program than any other CAD prod-
uct, delivers additional tools with advanced CAD features, and has a seamless
Microsoft Windows integration. This powerful program provides a superb combina-
tion of features for CAD users like architects, engineers, and designers.
AViCAD incorporates all the standard features found in other CAD programs, along
with features and capabilities you wont find anywhere else. Its multiple-document
interface (MDI) lets you open and work with several drawings at the same time. You
can easily copy drawing entities between drawings. In addition, the powerful
AViCAD Explorer lets you manage information and settings and quickly copy layers,
linetypes, and other information between drawings.
Using AutoCAD legacy drawings
AViCAD fully supports AutoCAD legacy drawings. AViCAD reads and writes
DWG files in their native format without any loss of data, from AutoCAD 11 to the
last versions of AutoCAD, including AutoCAD LT

. Because AViCAD uses DWG

as its native file format, no translation is required.
4 C H A P T E R 1
AViCAD provides you with the appropriate tools for your experience levelwhether
you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced CAD user. If you are just starting out
with CAD, you may want to use the beginner level, which provides toolbars contain-
ing the basic tools such as lines, arcs, and circles. As you become more experienced,
you can move to the intermediate level and then to the advanced level, which gives
you access to more than 300 commands through toolbars, menus, and keyboard
entries. When you install the program, the default setting is the advanced level; you
can change it from the Options dialog box on the Tools menu.
AViCAD supports three-dimensional wireframes with surfaces and solids entities.
Three-dimensional drawings can be displayed in wireframe, hidden-line view, and
surface shading and rendering. Full version of AViCAD also support creating and
editing 3D ACIS solids; all versions display 3D solids, along with limited editing fea-
tures.
Full version of AViCAD support displaying and working with raster images in your
drawings. However, AViCAD does not display images located inside of blocks and
externally referenced drawings (xrefs).
When you open a drawing containing proxy entities will be shown a dialog box with
a warning message.
Moreover you can choose:
View the proxy entities without editing them
Convert them in blocks
Convert only the proxy entities text
I N T R O D U C T I O N 5
Its easy to customize AViCAD. You can modify menus and toolbars, create custom
menus, dialog boxes, command aliases, and scripts, and add custom programs written
in any of several programming languages, including LISP (the programs Autodesk
AutoLISP-compatible language), SDS (Solutions Development System, the pro-
grams Autodesk ADS-compatible language), and Microsoft Visual Basic for Appli-
cations (VBA).
You can run existing Autodesk AutoLISP applications in AViCAD with little or no
modification. AViCAD uses the appload command so you can easily load LISP pro-
grams. AViCAD reads files that contain dialog control language (DCL) statements as
well, which makes AViCAD compatible with dialog boxes created for AutoCAD.
Using AutoCAD commands with AViCAD
Because AViCAD supports hundreds of AutoCAD commands, you use the com-
mands you already know. For example, to draw a circle, use the circle command. To
copy a circle, use the copy command.
When you press Enter or the spacebar, you activate the commandjust like in
AutoCAD. AViCAD accepts the special characters used by AutoCAD, such as point
filters (for example, .xy), relative coordinates (the @ symbol), and the apostrophe
(the prefix) for transparent commands. AViCAD function keys are also similar to
those used in AutoCAD.
Because you do not need to learn a new set of commands, you are immediately pro-
ductive with AViCAD.
Comparing AViCAD and CAD to manual drafting
AViCAD greatly reduces the time and effort it takes to create and revise drawings.
Not only can you produce accurate drawings faster, you can also reuse the informa-
tion in your drawings. These are the primary reasons for making the transition to
CAD from traditional, manual drafting on paper.
As with any tool, however, to use it effectively, you need to be familiar with some of
the special features, functions, and concepts of CAD. If you are familiar with manual
drafting, youll find some conceptual similarities in CAD as well as some differences.
6 C H A P T E R 1
Drawing to scale
In traditional, manual drafting, you usually determine the scale of the drawing before
you even start to draw, because you are working with a sheet of paper of a fixed size.
You may have to reduce or enlarge the entity you are drawing to fit within the con-
fines of the paper.
When you create a drawing in AViCAD, you draw everything full-size. You deter-
mine the type of units in which your drawing is measured. If you are drawing a build-
ing, 1 drawing unit might equal 1 inch. If you are drawing a map, 1 drawing unit
might equal 1 mile. Your drawing environment and the CAD drawing file itself are
not limited to the size of a particular sheet of paper.
As you draw, you can use commands such as Pan and Zoom to work on different por-
tions of the drawing and to magnify the display of the drawing to view small details.
These commands have no effect on the actual size of the entities in your drawing;
they affect only the way the drawing is displayed on your screen. Only when you
print or plot your drawing do you need to set the scale so that the printed drawing fits
within a specific paper size.
Using tools
In manual drafting, you use tools such as pencils, rulers, T-squares, templates, eras-
ers, and so on. When you create a drawing in AViCAD, you use a mouse instead of a
pencil, and you use the mouse to select other toolscommands you select from a
menu or a toolbar.
You use some tools to create basic entities, such as lines, circles, and arcs, and other
tools to modify existing entities (for example, to copy or move them or to change
properties such as color and linetype).
1 drawing unit equals 1 inch. 1 drawing unit equals 1 foot.
I N T R O D U C T I O N 7
Organizing information
In traditional drafting, you often separate elements such as walls, dimensions, struc-
tural steel members, and electrical plans onto separate, translucent overlays. When
you want to print the working drawings, you can create several different drawings by
combining different overlays.
When you create a drawing in AViCAD, you use layers to organize elements in a
similar manner. However, the layers feature in CAD offers numerous advantages
over physical transparencies. The number of overlays you can combine to print a
manually drafted drawing is limited by the printing process. There is no such limita-
tion in CAD. With AViCAD, you can define an unlimited number of layers, any of
which can be visible or invisible at any time. You can name each layer and assign
each its own color and linetype. You can also lock individual layers to ensure that
information on those layers isnt altered accidentally.
Use layers to organize drawing information.
8 C H A P T E R 1
Drawing accurately
When you create a manual drawing, ensuring accuracy typically requires a lot of
measuring and rechecking. By contrast, AViCAD offers a number of drawing aids
that ensure accuracy from the start. For example, you create and modify entities
based on an underlying Cartesian coordinate system. Every location in the drawing
has its own x,y,z-coordinates. You can also display a grid as a visual reference to
your coordinate system.
Settings such as snap and entity snap allow you to draw accurately without specifying
coordinates. The snap setting forces the selected points to adhere to the grid incre-
ment or to any other increment you set. Entity snaps let you snap to precise geometric
points on existing entitiesfor example, the endpoint of a line or the center of a cir-
cle. Another setting, orthogonal, constrains lines so that they are drawn parallel to the
vertical and horizontal axes.
Every location in the drawing has its own x,y,z-coordinates within the underlying Cartesian coordinate
system. Point 5,2,0 is 5 units to the right (along the x-axis), 2 units up (along the y-axis), and 0 units (along
the z-axis) from the origin (the 0,0,0 point).
-X
1
2
3
4
-1
-2
-3
-3
-2
6
5
X
Y
-Y
(5, 2, 0)
(0, 0, 0)
-Z
Z
1
2
3
4
5
-1
I N T R O D U C T I O N 9

Drawing efficiently
In paper-based, manual drafting, you often have to redraw the same entity several
times at different scales or from different vantage points. You may also need to
redraw the border and title block on each new sheet.
One of the most powerful features of AViCAD is that when you create a drawing,
you can reuse individual entities, borders, and title blocks as often as you want. You
need draw an entity only once; the final printed drawing can show the entity at sev-
eral different scales and viewpoints.
AViCAD provides two drawing environments, or workspaces: model space and
paper space. You usually begin working in model space, creating the drawing (a floor
plan, a map, or a three-dimensional part) without regard to the final layout on paper.
When you are ready to print your drawing, you have the option to switch to paper
space, where you lay out the drawing as you want it to appear on a sheet of paper. For
example, you can insert a drawing file that contains the standard border and title
block that you created. You can define and arrange multiple views of the drawing at
appropriate scales and with specific portions visible or invisibleagain, without hav-
ing to redraw the border and title block for each view.
Paper-based drawings lack the high degree of accuracy possible when using CAD. Lines often overlap or fail
to meet adjacent lines.
Snap and entity snap force the cursor to adhere to a specified increment or attach to key geometric points on
existing entities. You can also constrain lines to vertical and horizontal axes.
10 C H A P T E R 1

You create the basic drawing in model space.
When youre ready to print or plot your drawing, you can switch to paper space, where you
arrange the drawing as you want it to appear on a sheet of paper.
I N T R O D U C T I O N 11
Reusing CAD drawings and entities
When you create a paper drawing manually, you can draw repetitive symbols by trac-
ing a plastic template. After you draw a symbol in AViCAD, you can reuse that sym-
bol without having to redraw it. You simply save the symbol as a block. You can then
insert copies of that block anywhere in your drawing. You can also save the symbol
as a separate drawing for use in other drawings.
In addition, you can reuse entire drawings and insert individual drawings into other
drawings. You can also use an external reference, which acts as a pointer to another
drawing rather than a copy of the entire drawing. Using an external reference has an
added advantage: when you update the externally referenced drawing, each drawing
that references it can be automatically updated.
Making changes
To make changes to a paper drawing, you erase and then redraw. With AViCAD, you
use commands to modify entities in the drawing. You can move, rotate, stretch, or
change the scale of entities. When you want to remove an entity, you can delete it
with a single click of the mouse. If you make a mistake while creating or modifying
your drawing, you can easily reverse your actions.
You can draw a symbol one time, save it as a block, and then insert multiple copies of that symbol anywhere
in your drawing.
12 C H A P T E R 1

Working with other data and programs
Traditional paper drawings serve only as a means of communicating information
between the person who created the drawing and the person viewing the drawing. The
drawings contain no more information than what is visually imparted by the creator
and seen by the viewer.
AViCAD offers rich possibilities for analyzing drawings and attaching additional
data to them. For instance, although it may be impractical to count entities in a com-
plex paper drawing, this task is simple in CAD. AViCAD can calculate the number of
entities in a drawing and compute area and distance.
CAD drawings can also contain information in addition to visible entities. You can
attach invisible database information to visible drawing entities and extract the infor-
mation for analysis in a database or spreadsheet. (Working with information in a data-
base requires a program from a third-party vendor, or you can create your own means
of exporting the data in LISP, SDS, or VBA.)
You can easily change an entity using commands such as move, rotate, stretch, and scale
instead of redrawing the entity.
I N T R O D U C T I O N 13

AViCAD provides in-place editing of Microsoft objects, such as those created in
Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel software programs. In-place editing makes it
easy to share data with other users and programs. For example, you can include
AViCAD drawings in files created using Microsoft Word, and you can insert files
created using Microsoft Word into your AViCAD drawings.
Using advanced CAD features
In addition to being compatible with AutoCAD, AViCAD goes several steps further
by providing you with innovative features to increase your productivity.
You can extract information stored in the drawing as
visible or invisible attributes
and use that data for analysis in a database or
spreadsheet.
14 C H A P T E R 1
Using the AViCAD Explorer
The AViCAD Explorer has an interface similar to the Windows Explorer, allowing
you to view and manage the elements of multiple, open drawings, such as layers,
blocks, linetypes, views, user coordinate systems, and text styles.
Editing multiple documents simultaneously
With AViCAD, you can open and edit multiple drawings simultaneously. You can
also copy and paste elements between open drawings.
Editing multiple entities
AViCAD allows you to change most of the properties of all selected entities using a
single, tabbed dialog box.
Using the Customize dialog box
AViCAD has a single, tabbed dialog box for changing toolbars, menus, keyboard
shortcuts, and command aliases. You can also use the drag-and-drop method to cus-
tomize toolbars, including flyouts. The simple, point-and-click action lets you easily
create new menu items and keyboard shortcutsno programming or manual text
editing required.
Performing unlimited undo and redo
AViCAD increases your power with unlimited undo and redo of editing actions.
Getting more information
In addition to this users guide, much of the assistance you need as you use AViCAD
is specific to the commands you work with on the screen. To obtain immediate infor-
mation as you work, use these additional sources of information:
ToolTips To find out what a specific tool on a toolbar does, pause the cursor over it for
a moment. A ToolTip appears on the screen.
Status bar To find out more detailed information about a tool when you pause the cur-
sor over it, look on the status bar at the bottom of the screen.
Online help AViCAD online help is available on the screen when you press F1,
choose a command from the Help menu, or click the question mark in a dialog box.
The online help also presents information that does not appear in this manual, includ-
ing a programming reference that describes how to program in LISP, SDS and DIE-
SEL. The programming reference also describes programming in VBA
AViCAD web site: www.AViCAD.com.
2
Getting started
This chapter helps you get started using AViCAD

software by explaining how to

install it and providing basic information about how to use it.
NOTE This users guide assumes that you have used other Microsoft Windows-
based programs and are familiar with Windows terminology and techniques.
Topics in this chapter
System requirements.......................................................................................... 16
Starting AViCAD................................................................................................. 16
Working in AViCAD............................................................................................. 16
Selecting commands .......................................................................................... 25
Correcting mistakes............................................................................................ 29
Customizing AViCAD.......................................................................................... 30
Getting online Help............................................................................................. 30
Saving your drawing ........................................................................................... 31
Exiting AViCAD................................................................................................... 31
16 C H A P T E R 2
System requirements
You need the following software and hardware to install and run AViCAD:
Microsoft Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP Professional, Windows
XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Home Edition.
Intel Pentium (or faster) processor recommended (single or dual processor)
1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM minimum for Windows Vista or later, 512 megabytes
(MB) of RAM minimum for Windows XP.
1.5 GB of free hard disk space recommended; 300 MB is required for a full instal-
lation, including sample files, electronic documentation, and online Help
Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution, video adapter, and monitor
Keyboard and mouse, or other pointing device
CD-ROM or DVD drive for installation, if installing from a CD or DVD
ATTENTION The requirements above specified are meant to be the minimum needed.
A proper management of all kind of drawings processed its not guarantee anyway.
In relation to the type of works that are dealt with, it could be necessary to update the
system upgrading Ram and processor.
Starting AViCAD
To start AViCAD, double click on the icon created by the installation of the operative
system on the desktop or on the drawing file to be opened.
Each time you start AViCAD, a Tip of the Day appears on your screen. To display
the Tip of the Day dialog box at any time, choose Help > Tip of the Day. To prevent
the Tip of the Day dialog box from being displayed, click the check box for Show
Tips On StartUp to clear it.
Working in AViCAD
You can work with the AViCAD window and its elements in a variety of ways. For
example, you can display and rearrange the toolbars, display the command bar, and
enable the status bar. The toolbars and command bar can also be floated anywhere on
the screen or docked to the edges of the main AViCAD window.
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D 17
A You can customize the menu bar at the top of the window.
B You can customize the toolbars, changing the appearance and
arrangement of tools and adding your own commands and macros.
C Your drawings are displayed in the drawing window.
D The user coordinate system (UCS) icon indicates the orientation of the
drawing in three-dimensional space.
E Click a tab to switch between the drawing of your model and a printed
layout.
F You can type commands in the command bar. To reposition the
command bar, drag it to another location on your screen.
G The status bar displays information such as the name or purpose
of a tool, the current cursor coordinates, layer name, and mode
settings.
H You can move and dock the toolbars to any location on your
screen.
C
D
E
H
G
A
B
F
18 C H A P T E R 2
Displaying commands on a shortcut menu
Right clicking the mouse in the graphical area opens the right click context menu.
The default options settings enable the context menu on the right button click both
when entities are selected and when no entity is selected. You can disable these
options and use the right button of the mouse only as Enter.
To disable the right button menu
1 Do one of the following:
Select Tools > Options.
Type options and press Enter
2 In the tab General activate/deactivate Enable Context menu on Right click when
an entity is selected and Enable Context menu on Right click with no entities
selected.
3 Confirm with the OK button.

Right click menus are context dependent and their relative options vary when an
entity is selected or when no entity is selected and in terms of the type of object is
selected.
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D 19
In general right click menus include different options to perform operations listed
below:
Repeat last command
Cancel current command
Cut, copy and paste from Notepad
Select a different option of the command
Display a dialog box, such as Options or Customize
Cancel last command
In case no object is selected, most common operations are displayed in the right click
menu.
When objects are selected, for example some dimension, options relative to the
selected object will appear in the right click menu.
20 C H A P T E R 2

Displaying and hiding toolbars
When you start AViCAD the first time, the Standard, Draw, Modify, Draw Order,
Style and Entity Properties toolbars are displayed. AViCAD provides about a dozen
toolbars, which you can customize by adding and deleting tools. You can also move
and resize toolbars, and you can create new toolbars. You can use a shortcut menu to
display or hide toolbars.
You can also choose whether toolbars are displayed large or small and in color. You
can choose to display or hide ToolTips, which provide descriptions of tools that dis-
play when you pause the cursor over them. Go to Tools > Customize > Toolbar to
make these selections.
Toolbars are either docked or floating. A floating toolbar has a title bar and a Close
box, can be located anywhere on the screen, and can be resized. A docked toolbar
does not display a title or Close box, cannot be resized, and is attached along one of
the edges of the drawing window.
To dock a toolbar, drag it to the perimeter of your drawing; to undock it, drag it
away from the perimeter.
To position a toolbar in a docking area without docking it, press Ctrl while you
drag it.
To move a toolbar, drag it to a new location.
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D 21
To resize a toolbar, move your cursor to the edge until it changes to a resize arrow,
and then drag.
To choose which toolbars to display
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Toolbars.
Right-click anywhere on a docked toolbar to display the toolbar shortcut menu.
2 Select the toolbars you want displayed.
3 If the toolbar does not appear in the shortcut menu, choose Toolbars.
4 In the Select Toolbars dialog box, choose the toolbars you want displayed, and
then click OK.
Using the command bar
The command bar is a dockable window in which you type AViCAD commands and
view prompts and other program messages. To display the command bar, choose
View > Display > Command Bar. When initially displayed, the command bar is
docked between the toolbars and the drawing. It displays the three most recent lines
of prompts. You can move the command bar by dragging it.
When the command bar is floating, you can drag the top or bottom of the window to
change the number of lines of text it displays. You can dock the command bar at the
top or bottom of the drawing.
Select the check boxes for the toolbars you want to display.
22 C H A P T E R 2
Using the status bar
If you elect not to use the command bar, the status bar displays information about the
selected command or tool. It also displays the current cursor coordinates, the name of
the current layer, mode settings, and other information about current settings.
To change the items that display on the status bar
1 Right-click an empty area of the status bar.
2 Select an item to add or remove it.
To change the setting of an item on the status bar
1 Do one of the following:
Click the status bar item.
Right-click the status bar item you want to change, and then select the desired
setting.
To display or hide the status bar
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Display > Status Bar.
Type statbar, press Enter and then choose on or off mode.
Drawing tabs
When you have several AViCAD drawings open at a time, you can quickly pass
from one file to another clicking on the tab references placed right above the drawing
area.
A Information about the current command.
B Cursor coordinates (x,y,z).
C Layer name. Click to change layers.
D Drawing color. Click to change colors.
E Linetype. By default, the linetype is BYLAYER.
Click to change linetypes.
F Lineweight. By default, the lineweight is
BYLAYER. Click to change lineweights.
G Text style. Click to change text styles.
H Dimension style. Click to change dimension
styles.
I Print style. Click to change print styles. (Available
only for drawings that use named print style
tables.)
J Snap setting. Click to toggle on or off.
K Grid setting. Click to toggle on or off.
L Orthogonal setting. Click to toggle on or off.
M Entity snap setting. Click to select entity snaps.
N Lineweight display. Click to toggle on or off.
O Model space or paper space. Click to toggle
between model space and paper space.
P Digitizer mode. Click to toggle on or off.
Q Etrack mode. Click to toggle on or off.
R Polar mode. Click to toggle on or off.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D 23
If you right click the tabs, a context menu will appear where you can choose options
relative to the window, these options can also be found in the corresponding menu
Window.

Drawing tabs also allow you to speed up commands performance from one file to
another, for example to copy objects from Drawing 1 to Drawing 2.
Choose the Copy command in Drawing 1 and select the objects you want to copy and
indicate the base point. When you are asked for a displacement point, click on the tab
of Drawing 2 and indicate the points for the objects copies.
To activate or deactivate drawing tabs display
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Display > Drawing Tab
Right click one of the docked bars to display the context toolbar menu and
choose Drawing Tabs.
24 C H A P T E R 2

Using prompt boxes
AViCAD commands often provide several options. These options appear in the status
bar or command bar and also in a prompt box (called a context menu in Autodesk
AutoCAD) initially displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. You can move
the prompt box by dragging it; future prompt boxes will appear where you last placed
it. The options appear as menu selections. Choose the appropriate option by selecting
it in the prompt box. To close a prompt box, click the Close box.
The prompt box isnt displayed by default. To turn on the display of prompt boxes,
choose Tools > Options, click the Display tab, and then click the Display Prompt
Boxes check box.
Command options appear in a prompt box.
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D 25
Selecting commands
Select commands using any of these methods:
Choose a command from a menu.
Click a tool in a toolbar.
Type the command in the command bar.
Some commands remain active until you end them, so you can repeat an action with-
out having to select a command repeatedly. You can end a command by clicking
Done in the prompt box or by pressing Esc.
The AViCAD user interface..
26 C H A P T E R 2
Using commands
You can use most commands while another command is active. For example, while
drawing a line, you may want to use the Pan command to move the drawing across
the screen to select the endpoint of the line. You can also change the settings of draw-
ing aids such as snap or grid while other commands are active.
Starting commands using toolbars
To start a command from a toolbar, click a tool and respond to the prompts.
NOTE The available toolbars depend on the experience level that is set. To change
the current experience level, choose Tools > Options, and then click the General tab.
Some tools, such as Line or Arc, contain flyouts, which are options either for using
the basic tool with different methods or that contain other, related tools. Flyouts are
indicated by a small triangle in the lower right corner of a tool. To display a flyout,
click the tool and hold down the mouse button. To select a tool from a flyout, point to
the tool you want and then release the mouse button. The tool you select on the flyout
becomes the default tool on the toolbar.
Starting commands using menus
To start a command from a menu, choose it from the list of menu options available.
The available menu options depend on the experience level that is set. The advanced
experience level is the default. Menu selections shown in this guide are based on the
advanced experience level unless otherwise noted. To change the current experience
level, choose Tools > Options, and then click the General tab.
Starting commands using the command bar
Type a command, and then press Enter. If the command bar is displayed, the com-
mand you typed appears there. If the command bar is not displayed, the command
you typed appears in the status bar.
TIP Quickly start commands using the command bar by copying, cutting, and past-
ing text. In the command bar or Prompt History window, right-click to select various
cut,copy, and paste commands.
Repeating a command
You can repeat a command you used previously without having to reselect it.
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D 27
To repeat the command you just used
1 Do one of the following:
Press the spacebar.
Press Enter.
Click the right mouse button in the drawing and choose Repeat last command.
To repeat commands you used previously
1 Do one of the following:
In the command bar or Prompt History window, right-click, choose Recent
Commands, and then choose the desired command.
Press Ctrl + K, repeat until you get back to the desired command, and then press
Enter. Press Ctrl + L to move forward to the desired command, and then press
Enter.
Use the Up and Down arrows to display previously used commands, if Use Up/
Down Arrows for Command History Navigation is selected in Tools > Options
Display tab.
NOTE If you are using the command bar to type commands, you can type multiple
before starting some commands (Circle, Arc, and Rectangle, for example) to repeat a
command indefinitely. When you are done with a command, press Esc.
Nesting a command
If you are working in the command bar, you can use another command from within a
command, called nesting. To use a command inside an active command, type an
apostrophe before you type the command, such as zoom . You can nest commands
indefinitely in AViCAD. Many menu and toolbar macros work this way by default;
for example, select color, reference grid, zoom, and snap. When you have finished
with the nested command, the original command resumes.
Modifying a command
If you are working in the command bar, there are special ways that you can modify a
command as you work. You can modify the active command using any of the follow-
ing options:
Entity snaps Type an entity snap command, such as nearest or midpoint, to
enable a one-time entity snap for a single selection. You can also use a one-time
entity snap to override a running entity snap.
Extension snaps Type int after selecting a command, such as Line or Circle, to
enable a one-time snap to the logical location where two entities would intersect if
they were of infinite length. Type app to enable a similar one-time snap if the
extensions would not intersect in three-dimensional space but would intersect in
the current view.
28 C H A P T E R 2
Midpoint snaps Type m2p or mtp to enable a one-time snap to the midpoint of
two points that you specify.
Using the Prompt History window
The Prompt History window displays a history of the commands and prompts issued
since you started the current session of AViCAD. By default, the program tracks up
to 256 command lines. There is no limit to the number of command lines you can
track, but program performance may be degraded if you choose to track an exces-
sively high number of lines.
To display or close the Prompt History window
Press F2.
To view entries in the Prompt History window
1 Do one of the following:
Use the scroll bars.
Press Ctrl + K to browse backward; press Ctrl + L to browse forward.
Use the Up and Down arrows to display previously used commands, if Use Up/
Down Arrows for Command History Navigation is selected in Tools > Options
Display tab.
To copy or paste text in the Prompt History window
1 If copying text, do one of the following:
Highlight text using your mouse.
Press Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys to highlight text.
2 Right-click and choose whether to copy or paste.
TIP You can also copy the entire command history by choosing Copy History or
copy the last command line by choosing Copy Last Line.
To change the number of command lines to track
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options, and then click the Display tab.
Type options and then press Enter. Click the Display tab.
2 In the Command Lines To Track field, type the number of command lines you
want to display, and then click OK.
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D 29
Using mouse shortcuts
You can use your mouse, often combined with the keyboard, to start commands and
perform other actions.
Using scripts
The AViCAD Script Recorder captures and saves many of your actions so you can
play them back. After you enable the Script Recorder, all commands and options that
you type in the command bar are recorded until you type a command to stop
recording. When you run the script, the program carries out the recorded commands
in succession.
Correcting mistakes
AViCAD tracks the commands you use and the changes you make. If you change
your mind or make a mistake, you can undo, or reverse, the last action or several pre-
vious actions. You can also redo any actions that you reversed.
Mouse shortcuts
Shortcut Action
Ctrl + Shift + Hold and drag left mouse button Real-Time Zoom command
Ctrl + Shift + Hold and drag right mouse button Real-Time Pan command
Ctrl + Hold and drag left mouse button Real-Time Sphere command
Ctrl + Hold and drag right mouse button Real-Time Z command
Shift + Left-click mouse Deselect entities
Shift + Right-click mouse Entity snap shortcut menu
Hold and drag left mouse button Move selected entities
Ctrl + Hold and drag left mouse button Copy and move selected entities
Right-click mouse
Display shortcut menu for the selected entity
Rotate mouse wheel
Zoom In and Zoom Out commands
Hold mouse wheel, and then move mouse Pan command
A Click the Undo tool to reverse the last action.
B Click the Redo tool to reverse the previous undos.
A B
30 C H A P T E R 2
You can undo multiple actions by typing undo and specifying the number of actions
to undo.
Customizing AViCAD
You can tailor many aspects of AViCAD to better suit your needs. For example, you
can easily create and modify toolbars by simply dragging and dropping icons.
AViCAD stores your customized settings in the Windows registry rather than in a
separate file.
AViCAD supports the most important AutoCAD customization files, including
linetypes, hatch patterns, text fonts, the unit conversion file, menus, toolbars, and
aliases. In addition, AViCAD unifies four AutoCAD customization functions with a
single customize command: command aliases, keyboard shortcuts, menus, and
toolbars.
You can also add custom programs written in any of several programming languages,
including the following:
LISP (the programs Autodesk AutoLISP-compatible language)
SDS (the programs Autodesk ADS-compatible language)
DIESEL
VBA (Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications)
Getting online Help
AViCAD includes online Help. It contains some information that does not appear in
this book, including a programming language reference.
You can display online Help in any of these ways:
On the Standard toolbar, click Help ( ).
Press F1.
Choose a command from the Help menu.
Click the question mark in a dialog box.
Type help in the command bar.
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D 31
Saving your drawing
You can save your drawing at any time.
To save a drawing, use one of the following methods:
On the Standard toolbar, click Save ( ).
Choose File > Save.
Type save and then press Enter.
NOTE When you save a drawing the first time, the program displays the Save Draw-
ing As dialog box so that you can choose a directory and type a name for the draw-
ing. To save the drawing later using another name, choose File > Save As and type
the new name.
Exiting AViCAD
When you have finished working in AViCAD, choose File > Exit.
32 C H A P T E R 2
3
Working with drawings
CAD drawings help you organize information for greater efficiency. With
AViCAD

, you can draw entities representing different types of information on vari-

ous layers and use those layers to control color, linetype, and visibility. AViCAD also
includes drawing aids that help you draw accurately.
This section explains setting up drawings and using built-in drawing aids, including
how to:
Create new drawings, open existing drawings, and save changes to drawings.
Use aids such as the grid, snap, and orthogonal settings to draw accurately.
Topics in this chapter
Creating a new drawing...................................................................................... 34
Opening a drawing.............................................................................................. 37
Setting up a drawing........................................................................................... 40
Working with colors............................................................................................. 57
Using the grid, snap alignment and cursor restriction ........................................ 65
Using entity snaps .............................................................................................. 70
Using fly-over snapping ...................................................................................... 79
Etrack Snap tracking........................................................................................... 81
Polar Snap tracking............................................................................................. 82
Saving your drawing ........................................................................................... 84
34 C H A P T E R 3
Creating a new drawing
At the opening of AViCAD it is shown a mask in which is possible to decide the type
of operation to undertake. In relation to the button selected in the Start mask, the
access to several functions its allowed. Hereby follows the description starting from
the key on the extreme left:
Start from Scratch Choose if start by creating a new drawing with Metric set-
ting rather then English (Feet or inches). The drawing created is empty and con-
tains only the setting of the unit of measures chosen.
Use a Template Its supplied with a series of templates, pre-configured drawings
as examples to start with for the creation of a new drawing. The templates contain
cartouches, some in the template space and some other in the paper space with dif-
ferent dimensions and orientation. Its possible to replace them with others per-
sonalized in according to specific needs. To chance the path in which the
templates are created its enough to click on the button Select and choose the path
with the new templates. In case we would have to occasionally choose a prototype
it will be enough to act on Browse.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 35
Use a Wizard If the intention is to specify the different characteristics that the
starting drawing will have to have, its possible to use that tool that allows to
select the available options during the advancement among the different screens.
To scroll and configure the different options its enough to act on the button Next
and on the controls displayed during the process until the end.
Open a drawing Allows analyzing the working session choosing an existing
drawing from the list of last drawings opened or by the Thumb button.
No matter which choice has been made, to confirm is necessary to press the button
OK.
36 C H A P T E R 3
To be able to use a template as a base for a new drawing, offers many advantages:
Can be used pre-determined unit of measure, grid configurations, text heights and
other configurations suitable for the type of drawing to be executed.
Can be defined special layers.
Can be included pre-defined blocks and borders.
To create a new drawing based on a template
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > New.
Type pnew and then press Enter.
2 In the Start dialog:
If the template is one among the pre-defined ones, click on the button Use a
Template (the second button starting from the left), choose one from the
displayed list and press OK. To change the pre-defined path where the templates
are, click on the button Select then specify one of them and press OK. If the
template is not present on the list and its not needed to define the path of the
model to be used as default, use the Browse button, select the requested
prototype and press Open.
If its needed a completely empty prototype click on the button Start from
Scratch (the first button from the left) then choose the setting (metric or English)
and confirm with OK.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 37
Opening a drawing
You can open drawing (.dwg) files, Drawing Exchange Format (.dxf) files, Design
Web Format (.dwf) files, and drawing template (.dwt) files.
You can also open and check drawings that you suspect are damaged.
Opening an existing drawing
You can open any of these drawing files:
Standard drawing files with a .dwg extension.
In addition to your own drawing files, you can open and use one of the sample
drawings that are included with AViCAD.
Drawing Exchange Format files with a .dxf file extension.
Design Web Format files with a .dwf file extension.
Drawing templates with a .dwt file extension.
To open an existing drawing
1 Use one of the following methods:
Choose File > Open.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Open tool ( ).
Type open and then press Enter.
2 In Files of Type, choose the type of file you want to open.
3 Choose the folder containing the desired file.
4 Do one of the following:
Choose the drawing you want to open and then click Open.
Double-click the drawing you want to open.
If the drawing requires a password, enter the password, click OK to verify the
password, and then click Open again.
38 C H A P T E R 3
TIP You can also open drawings while browsing files on your computer using pro-
grams that came with your operating system, such as Windows File Explorer or My
Computer. Simply double click the file to open it in AViCAD. Easily find the drawing
you want by viewing thumbnail images of the drawing files as you browse them.
NOTE To quickly open a drawing file that you recently used, choose File > <file
name>. The program tracks the last four drawings.
Opening damaged files
Files can become damaged for many reasons. For example, if you are working on a
drawing during a power outage, a system crash, or a hardware failure, your drawing
file may become damaged. AViCAD allows you to open and check damaged files to
attempt file recovery.
Recovering a file attempts to open one of the following file types:
A Displays a description of the file size, creation
date, and other information about the drawing.
B Opens the drawing as read-only to prevent
making changes to the file.
C Turns the drawing preview on or off.
D Unavailable when opening drawings; available
only when saving drawings.
E If a thumbnail image exists in the selected
drawing, displays an image of the drawing before
you open it.
F Defines how drawings display in the list,
including file details and thumbnail images.
A
B
C
D
E
F
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 39
Standard drawing files with a .dwg extension.
Drawing Exchange Format files with a .dxf file extension.
Design Web Format files with a .dwf file extension.
Drawing templates with a .dwt file extension.
You can also audit any open file to check it for errors. You specify whether you want
AViCAD to fix any errors that are found automatically. AViCAD fixes as many
errors as possible and any errors that cannot be fixed are reported as Ignored in the
Prompt History window.
To open a damaged file
1 Use one of the following methods:
Choose File > Utility > Recover.
Type recover and then press Enter.
2 In Files of Type, choose the type of file you want to recover.
3 Choose the directory containing the damaged file.
4 Choose the damaged file you want to recover.
5 Click Open.
If you want to check all drawings for errors automatically when you open them,
choose Tools > Options > General tab and mark the check box for Open Drawings
using Recover.
To check a drawing file for errors
1 With the drawing open that you want to check, do one of the following:
Choose File > Utility > Audit.
Type audit and then press Enter.
2 Choose whether you want AViCAD to fix any found errors automatically, and
then press Enter.
NOTE If the AUDITCTL system variable is set to On and errors are found during a
file recovery or audit, an ASCII file is created that describes the audit. The ASCII file
is saved in the same folder as the audited drawing and has the same name as the
drawing file, but with an .adt extension.
40 C H A P T E R 3
Setting up a drawing
You can specify individual settings when you create a new drawing or when you
modify settings in a drawing created from a template.
Setting the current layer
Layers in AViCAD are like the transparent overlays you use in manual drafting.
You use layers to organize different types of drawing information. In AViCAD, each
entity in a drawing exists on a layer. When you draw an entity, it is created on the cur-
rent layer.
You can control the visibility of layers in individual viewports. When you turn a layer
off, entities drawn on that layer are no longer visible, and they do not print. Although
a layer may be invisible, you can still select it as the current layer, in which case new
entities are also invisible until you turn the layer back on. Entities on invisible layers
can also affect the display and printing of entities on other layers. For example, enti-
ties on invisible layers can hide other entities when you use the Hide command to
remove hidden lines.
You can also freeze and thaw layers. Entities drawn on frozen layers do not display,
do not print, and do not regenerate. When you freeze a layer, its entities do not affect
the display or printing of other entities. For example, entities on frozen layers do not
hide other entities when you use the Hide command to remove hidden lines. In addi-
tion, you cannot draw on a frozen layer until you thaw it, and you cannot make a fro-
zen layer current.
You cannot freeze the current layer. If you attempt to freeze the current layer, a dia-
log box appears prompting you to specify a different layer. You also cannot freeze or
thaw a viewport layer unless you are working in a Layout tab.
You can lock or unlock layers. The entities on a locked layer are still visible and will
print, but you cannot edit them. Locking a layer prevents you from accidentally mod-
ifying entities.
Each layer has its own color, linetype, and lineweight. For drawings that use named
print styles, layers can also have their own print style. Entities you draw on a particu-
lar layer are displayed in the color, linetype, and lineweight associated with that layer
unless you override these settings. You control all of the associated settings for layers
using the Layers elements in the AViCAD Explorer. For details see Chapter 8,
Working with the AViCAD Explorer.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 41
Layer Properties Manager
Layers are used to organize and classify the objects of a drawing.
You can create and name a new layer for each homogeneous group of objects (for
example walls, dimensions etc.) and then assign common properties to each layer.
The organization of objects into layers allows you to control the visibility and proper-
ties of a large number of entities separately for each layer and its useful to make
changes quickly.
Each new AViCAD drawing has a default layer named 0 that cant be deleted or
renamed.
You can create an unlimited number of layers in every drawing and an unlimited
number of objects for each layer.
To manage layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Layer.
On the Entity Properties toolbar, click the Explore Layers icon.
Type layer and then press Enter.
Type la and then press Enter.
Creating and naming layers
Layer Names
A layer name can be made of up to 255 characters: letters, numbers, spaces, and sev-
eral special characters. Layer names cannot include the following characters:
< > / \ : ; ? * | =
The Layer Properties Manager sorts layers alphabetically by name. In many cases
layer names are determined by personal or corporate standards. To organize your cus-
tomized layer naming scheme, use common prefixes for layer names that include cor-
related components of the drawing, in order you can find them quickly typing in wild-
card characters.
42 C H A P T E R 3
If you frequently use the same layering scheme, you can set up a drawing template
with layers, linetypes and colors already assigned.
NOTE: You can use AViCAD Explorer to copy layers from one drawing to another.
For example, you might have a drawing that contains all the standard layers needed
for a project. You can create a new drawing and use the AViCAD Explorer dialog
box to copy the predefined layers and paste them in the new drawing (see Chapter 8,
Working with the AViCAD Explorer. ).
Setting the current layer
When you create new entities, they are drawn on the current layer. In a drawing you
can have a great number of layers but only one at a time can be current. It is possible
to draw on layer 0, but its a good standard not to use this layer but to keep the con-
ceptual grouping of objects and draw on layers with specific names defined by the
user. To draw new entities on a different layer, you must first make that layer the cur-
rent layer. The succeeding objects you create are associated with the new current
layer and have its colour, linetype, and other properties. You cant make current a fro-
zen layer. For details see Setting the current layer on page 176.
To make a layer current
1 Do one of the following:
On the Entity Properties toolbar, from the layer drop down list, choose the layer
you want to make current.
Choose Format > Layer.
On the Entity Properties toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
Type layer and then press Enter.
On the status bar, right-click on the current layer control, and from the list, select
the layer you want to make current.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layer you want to make current.
3 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > Current.
In the Layer Name list, select the name you want to make current, and then click
the Current tool .
Double-click the layer name in the Layer Name list.
Right-click the layer name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu
select Current.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 43
Controlling layer visibility
A layer can be visible or invisible. Entities on invisible layers are not displayed and
do not print. By controlling layer visibility, you can turn off unnecessary information,
such as construction lines or notes. By changing layer visibility, you can put the same
drawing to multiple uses.
For example, if you are drawing a floor plan, you can draw the layout of light fixtures
on one layer and the location of plumbing lines on another. By selectively turning
layers on and off, you can print the electrical engineering drawings and the plumbing
drawings from the same drawing file. For even more convenience, you can control
the visibility of layers within individual viewports, so that layers that display in one
viewport are invisible in other viewports in the same drawing.
When you turn a layer off, entities drawn on that layer are no longer visible. When
you turn the layer back on, the entities on that layer are redisplayed. For details see
Controlling layer visibility on page 177.
To turn layers on or off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Layer.
On the Entity Properties toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
Type layer and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layer you want to turn on or off.
3 Turn on or off the layer selected.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
You can also freeze layers to improve the performance of operations such as zooming
and panning or producing hidden lines or shaded images. When a layer is frozen,
entities drawn on that layer are no longer visible.
To freeze or thaw layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Layer.
On the Entity Properties toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
Type layer and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layers you want to freeze or thaw.
3 Clic on the freeze icon.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
44 C H A P T E R 3
Locking and unlocking layers
Locking a layer makes it easy to refer to information contained on the layer, but pre-
vents you from accidentally modifying its entities. When a layer is locked (but visible
and thawed), its entities remain visible, but you cannot edit them. If you lock the cur-
rent layer, you can still add new entities to it. You can also change the linetype and
color associated with a locked layer. Unlocking a layer restores full editing capabili-
ties. For details see Locking and unlocking layers on page 178.
To lock or unlock layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Layer.
On the Entity Properties toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
Type layer and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layers you want to lock or unlock.
3 Clic on lock or unlock icon.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Remove Layers
You can remove unused layers from your drawing with PURGE or by deleting them
from the Layer Properties Manager. You cant delete layers 0 and DEFPOINTS, lay-
ers containing objects (including objects in block definitions), the current layer, and
xref-dependent layers.
Setting the current entity color
An entitys color determines how it is displayed and, if you are using a color printer,
how it prints. Entities are created in the current color.
When you open a new drawing, entities are created in the color BYLAYER, which
adopts the color of the current layer. Initially, layer 0 is both the only layer and the
current layer. Its default color is white, so your entities appear as white.
There are index colors, which contain two additional color properties that are often
referred to as colors, true colors, and color book colors. The two additional color
properties are BYLAYER and BYBLOCK. These color properties cause an entity to
adopt the color either of the layer or of the block in which it is a member.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 45
To set the current entity color
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 Click Select Color.
4 In the Color dialog box, click one of the following tabs and select a color:
Index Color BYBLOCK, BYLAYER, or one of the 255 index colors. You
can also type the color number in the Index box.
True Color Click a basic color, click a color in the color palette, enter the
Hue, Saturation, and Luminance (HSL) values, or enter the Red, Green, Blue
(RGB) values. There are more than 16 million true colors from which you can
choose.
Color Books Select a color book from the list, then click a color. You can
select Show Only Color Book Colors Used in Drawing to limit the selection to
only those color book colors that are used in the current drawing.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK again.
NOTE On the status bar, right-click on the current color, and select from the list the
color you want to use for new entities. You can also click Select Color to choose addi-
tional colors.
For more details about using color in the many aspects of your drawing, see Work-
ing with colors on page 57 in this chapter.
46 C H A P T E R 3


Setting the current linetype
Linetypes help convey information. You use different linetypes to differentiate the
purpose of one line from another. A linetype consists of a repeating pattern of dots,
dashes, or blank spaces. Linetypes determine the appearance of entities both on the
screen and when printed. By default, every drawing has at least three linetypes: CON-
TINUOUS, BYLAYER, and BYBLOCK. Your drawing may also contain an unlim-
ited number of additional linetypes.
When you create an entity, it is created using the current linetype. By default, the cur-
rent linetype is BYLAYER. AViCAD indicates that the entity linetype is determined
by the current layer linetype by assigning the BYLAYER property as the default line-
type setting. When you assign BYLAYER, changing the layer linetype changes the
linetype of all the entities created on that layer (if they were created using the linetype
BYLAYER).
A Click to set the color to one of the standard
colors.
B Click to set the color to one of the gray shades.
C Click to set the color to any of the available
colors.
D Indicates the current color.
E Displays the color number.
F Click to set the current color BYLAYER.
G Click to set the current color BYBLOCK.
A
B
D E
G
F
C
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 47
You can also select a specific linetype as the current linetype, which overrides the
layers linetype setting. Entities are then created using that linetype, and changing the
layer linetype has no effect on them.
As a third option, you can use the linetype BYBLOCK property, in which case new
entities are drawn using the CONTINUOUS linetype until you group them into a
block. The entities then inherit the current linetype setting when you insert the block
into a drawing. For details see Setting the current linetype on page 185.
To set the current linetype
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Entity Linetype list, choose the linetype that you want to make current.
4 Click OK.
NOTE On the status bar, right-click on the word BYLAYER for the current linetype,
click Properties, and then choose the linetype that you want to make current.
Setting the linetype scale
You can specify the linetype scale. The smaller the scale, the more repetitions of the
linetype pattern are generated per drawing unit. For example, a linetype pattern is
defined as a sequence of dashed lines and open spaces, each 0.25 units long. The line-
type scale uses the drawing scale factor to determine the length. A scale factor of 0.5
would reduce the length of each line and space to 0.125 units; a scale factor of 2
would increase the length of each to 0.5 units.
NOTE Setting the linetype scale too large or too small may result in a line pattern
looking like a solid line, depending on what the scale view is or at what scale the
drawing is plotted.
You can control a new entitys individual linetype scale factor as well as the overall
or global scale factor applied to all the entities in the drawing.
48 C H A P T E R 3
To set the current individual linetype scale
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Linetype Scale field, type or choose the linetype scale that you want to
make current.
4 Click OK.
To change the global linetype scale
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Global Linetype Scale field, type or choose the global linetype scale that
you want to change.
4 Click OK.
Setting the current lineweight
Lineweights help differentiate the purpose of one line from another. Lineweights
determine how thick or thin entities appear both on the screen and when printed.
Every drawing has these lineweights: DEFAULT, BYLAYER, BYBLOCK, and
many additional lineweights in millimeters (or you can use inches).
When you create an entity, it is created using the current lineweight. By default, the
current lineweight for a new entity is BYLAYER. This means that the entity line-
weight is determined by the current layer. When you assign BYLAYER, changing a
layers lineweight changes the lineweight of all the entities assigned that layer (if they
were created using the lineweight BYLAYER).
You can also select a specific lineweight (or DEFAULT) as the current lineweight,
which overrides the layers lineweight setting. Entities are then created using that lin-
eweight (or the DEFAULT lineweight), and changing the layer lineweight has no
effect on them.
As a third option, you can use the lineweight BYBLOCK property, in which case new
entities are drawn using the DEFAULT lineweight until you group them into a block.
The entities then inherit the blocks lineweight setting when you insert the block into
a drawing.
If you choose a lineweight that is less than .025 millimeter, it displays as one pixel
when you create your drawing. When you print your drawing, it prints at the thinnest
lineweight that is available for your printer.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 49
You cannot assign lineweights to planes, points, TrueType fonts, or raster images (if
supported in your version of AViCAD).
To set the current lineweight
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Lineweight list, choose the lineweight that you want to make current.
4 Click OK.
TIP On the status bar, right-click the word BYLAYER for the current lineweight, and
then choose the current lineweight. You can also click the word LWT to toggle the
display of lineweights on and off.
NOTE To see lineweights in your drawing, you may need to turn on lineweights. For
details, see Controlling the display of lineweights on page 151.
Setting the current print style
Print styles are used to change the appearance of an entity when it prints, without
actually changing the entity in the drawing.
If your drawing uses named print style tables, you can specify a print style for any
entity. Named print style tables contain print styles that you set up. If your drawing
uses color-dependent print style tables, the print style is BYCOLOR, which cannot be
changed. These types of print style tables determine printing requirements by the
color assigned to an entity or layer. For details about converting a drawing that uses
color-dependent print style tables to use named print style tables, see Changing a
drawings print style table type on page 415.
When you create an entity in a drawing that uses named print style tables, the entity is
created using the current print style. By default, the current print style is BYLAYER.
When you assign BYLAYER, changing a layers print style changes the print style of
all the entities assigned that layer if they were created using the print style
BYLAYER.
You can also select a specific print style as the current print style, which overrides the
layers print style setting. Entities are then created using that print style, and changing
the layer print style has no effect on them.
As a third option, you can use the print style BYBLOCK, in which case new entities
use the Normal print style until you group them into a block. The entities then inherit
the blocks print style setting when you insert the block into a drawing.
50 C H A P T E R 3
To set the current print style in a drawing that uses named print style tables
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Print Style list, choose the print style that you want to make current. If nec-
essary, choose Other and then select a print style.
4 Click OK.
TIP On the status bar, right-click the word BYLAYER for the current print style,
click Other, and then choose the print style that you want to make current. Or,
type printstyle to choose the current print style.
Setting drawing units
With AViCAD, you typically draw at full-size (1:1 scale), and then set a scale factor
when you print or plot your drawing. Before you begin drawing, however, you need
to determine the relationship between drawing units and real-world units.
For example, you can decide whether one linear drawing unit represents an inch, a
foot, a meter, or a mile. In addition, you can specify the way the program measures
angles. For both linear and angular units, you can also set the degree of display preci-
sion, such as the number of decimal places or smallest denominator used when dis-
playing fractions. The precision settings affect only the display of distances, angles,
and coordinates. AViCAD always stores distances, angles, and coordinates using
floating-point accuracy.
To set the linear drawing units
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Drawing Units tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, choose Linear Units.
4 Under Unit Types, select a unit type.
5 Under Display Precision, type the display precision according to the number of
decimal places you want, or click the arrows to select it.
The field above this setting shows an example of the linear unit type at the current
precision.
6 Click OK.

W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 51

To set the angular drawing units
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Drawing Units tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, choose Angular Units.
4 Under Unit Types, select a unit type.
5 Under Display Precision, type the display precision according to the number of
decimal places you want, or click the arrows to select it.
The field above this setting shows an example of the angular unit type at the cur-
rent precision.
6 Under Angle Direction, select the direction in which angles increase when you
specify a positive angle value.
A Select the type of linear units. B Choose the display precision for linear
units.
A
B
52 C H A P T E R 3
7 Under Angle Base, specify the compass location for the zero angle.
For example, by default, angle 0 is at the three oclock or east position.
The adjacent icon shows the current location of the angle base.
8 Click OK.
Understanding scale factors
Instead of drawing to a particular scale, you draw everything in the program full-size.
Although its a good idea to keep your scale factor in mind when setting up a draw-
ing, you dont need to set the scale until you print it. For example, when you draw a
mechanical part 40 inches in length with AViCAD, you actually draw it as 40 inches,
rather than applying a scale factor as you draw. When you print your drawing, you
can assign the scale at which the drawing is to print.
Scale, however, does affect the way a few elements such as text, arrows, or linetypes
print or plot in your drawing. For these, you can make adjustments when you first set
up your drawing so that they print or plot at the correct size. For example, when you
draw text, you need to determine the text size so that when you plot it later at a partic-
ular scale, the text height is correct.
A Determines the type of units you are controlling.
B Select the type of angular units.
C Choose the display precision for angular units.
D Select the direction in which angles increase.
E Select the angle base, the direction of the zero
angle.
A
B
C
D E
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 53
After you determine the eventual scale of your finished drawing, you can calculate
the scale factor for the drawing as a ratio of one drawing unit to the actual scale unit
represented by each drawing unit. For example, if you plan to print your drawing at
1/8 = 1-0, your scale factor ratio is 1:96 (1/8 = 12 is the same as 1 = 96). If you
want your printed scale to be 1 inch = 100 feet, your scale factor ratio is 1:1200.
The following table shows some standard architectural and engineering scale ratios
and equivalent text heights required to create text that measures 1/8-inch high when
you plot the drawing at the specified scale.
You can use these scale factors to predetermine the size of your drawing to make sure
that it fits on a specific size paper when you print it. You control the size of your
drawing by the drawing limits. To calculate the drawing limits to match the size of
your paper, multiply the dimensions of your paper size by your scale factor.
For example, if the paper you use to print measures 36 inches x 24 inches and you
plot your drawing at 1/8 = 1-0 (in other words, using a scale factor of 96), the size
of your drawing measured in drawing units is 36 x 96 (or 3,456 units) wide and 24 x
96 (or 2,304 units) high.
Standard scale ratios and equivalent text heights
Scale Scale factor Text height
1/16 = 1-0 192 24
1/8 = 1-0 96 12
3/16 = 1-0 64 8
1/4 = 1-0 48 6
3/8 = 1-0 32 4
1/2 = 1-0 24 3
3/4 = 1-0 16 2
1 = 1-0 12 1.5
1 1/2 = 1-0 8 1
3 = 1-0 4 0.5
1 = 10 120 15
1 = 20 240 30
1 = 30 360 45
1 = 40 480 60
1 = 50 600 75
1 = 60 720 90
1 = 100 1200 150
54 C H A P T E R 3
Keep in mind that you can print the finished drawing at any scale, regardless of the
scale factor you calculate. You can also print on paper of a different size and use the
AViCAD paper space feature to create different views of your drawing and to posi-
tion and scale those views differently. The scaling factor is not related to the size of
the entities you draw; it simply provides a preliminary guide to help you establish the
text height and drawing limits when you begin your drawing. You can change the text
height and drawing limits at any time.
Setting the text height
The text height setting controls the height of text, measured in drawing units. Set this
value initially so that text used for your most common annotations, when scaled to the
size at which you will print a drawing, measures 1/8-inch high on the printed draw-
ing.
For example, if you plan to print your drawing at 1/8 = 1-0 and you want your text
to be 1/8-inch high in the final drawing, create that text 1 foot high (in your real-
world drawing units) so that when you print it, it appears 1/8-inch high on the paper.
You must create text 4 feet high that you want to print 1/2-inch high.
To set the text height
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, choose Text.
4 In the Default Text Height field, select the text height or type the text height value
that you want.
5 Click OK.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 55

NOTE The default text height applies only if the current text style height is 0.0. Oth-
erwise, the text height for the current style takes precedence.
Setting the drawing limits
You can specify the drawing limits that form an invisible boundary around your
drawing. You can use the drawing limits to make sure that you do not create a draw-
ing larger than can fit on a specific sheet of paper when printed at a specific scale.
For example, if you plan to print your drawing at 1/8 = 1-0 (in other words, using a
scale factor of 96) on a sheet of paper measuring 36 inches x 24 inches, you can set
drawing limits to 3,264 units wide (that is, 34 x 96) and 2,112 units high (22 x 96),
which allows a 1-inch margin around the edges of the printed image.
A Choose Text. B Specify the text height in drawing units.
A
B
56 C H A P T E R 3
To set the drawing limits
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click either the Coordinate Input tab or the Display tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, choose Limits.
4 Specify the x-coordinate and y-coordinate of the upper right drawing limit and the
lower left drawing limit.
You can also click Select to specify the drawing limits by selecting points in the
drawing.
5 To constrain your drawing to these drawing limits, click the Disallow Input
Beyond Limits check box.
6 Click OK.
A Choose limits.
B Specify the x-coordinate and y-coordinate of the
upper right drawing limit.
C Specify the x-coordinate and y-coordinate of the
lower left drawing limit.
D When you click this check box, the program
prevents you from drawing outside the drawing
limits.
E Specify the drawing limits by selecting points in
the drawing.
A
B
C
D
E
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 57
Working with colors
An entitys color determines how it is displayed and, if you are using a color printer,
how it prints. Entities are created in the current color specified for the drawing.
Layers can also control the color of entities. When you open a new drawing, entities
are created in the color BYLAYER, which adopts the color of the current layer. Ini-
tially, layer 0 is both the only layer and the current layer. Its default color is white, so
your entities appear as white.
For entities and layers in AViCAD, there are three different types of colors:
Index colors
True colors
Color book colors
NOTE True colors and color books are unavailable in some cases, such as dimen-
sion entities and cursor display.
You can choose colors by selecting them from the Color dialog box. In the command
bar or in some dialog boxes, you specify a color either by name or by number.
Using index colors
There are 255 standard index colors and two additional color properties that are often
referred to as colors (BYLAYER and BYBLOCK). You can use seven of the 255
standard index colors by name: red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, magenta, and white.
(Numbers eight and nine are not named.) Each index color has a unique number from
1 to 255. The two additional color properties are BYLAYER and BYBLOCK. These
color properties cause an entity to adopt the color either of the layer or of the block in
which it is a member. BYLAYER is color number 256, and BYBLOCK is color num-
ber 0. In all commands for which you would use a color, you can indicate BYLAYER
and BYBLOCK as well as by numbers 256 and 0, respectively.
To select an index color
1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text. The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the Index Color tab.
3 Do one of the following:
Click BYBLOCK.
Click BYLAYER.
Click the color of your choice, or type the color number in the Current box.
4 Click OK.
58 C H A P T E R 3
Using true colors
There are more than 16 million true colors from which you can choose. True colors
are defined using 24-bit color.
Even with so many colors available, you can quickly choose a color from the display
of basic colors or by clicking the color palette. Alternatively, if you know the values
used to define the desired color, you can enter the Hue, Saturation, and Luminance
(HSL) values, or you can enter the Red, Green, Blue (RGB) values.
A Click to select one of the standard colors.
B Click to select one of the gray shades.
C Click to select any one of the available index
colors.
D Indicates the current color.
E Displays the color number, or enter the color
number.
F Click to set the color to BYLAYER.
G Click to set the color to BYBLOCK.
A
B
C
D E
F
G
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 59
To select a true color
1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text.
The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the True Color tab.
3 Do one of the following:
Click a basic true color.
Click a true color in the color palette.
Enter HSL values for the desired true color.
Enter RGB values for the desired true color.
4 Click OK.
A Click to select one of the basic true colors.
B Click to select one of the custom true colors, if
any are defined.
C Click to add the selected color to the custom
color area.
D Enter (or view) the amount of red, green, and
blue of the desired true color.
E Enter (or view) the amount of hue, saturation, and
luminance of the desired true color.
F Slide or click to adjust the color luminance.
G Click to select a true color in the color palette.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
60 C H A P T E R 3
Using color books
AViCAD uses color books to store collections of colors. For example, you can store a
unique color scheme for a client in a color book and then use colors only from that
color book for the clients drawings.
To select a color book color
1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text.
The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the Color Books tab.
3 Select a color book from the list.
4 If you want to narrow your color search, do one of the following:
In the list of colors, select a color book page, if one is available. Pages are partic-
ularly helpful in large color books they help group colors so you can find
them quickly.
Select Show Only Color Book Colors Used in Drawing. Only those color book
colors that are used in the current drawing will display in the list.
5 Select the desired color.
6 Click OK.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 61
Creating color books
You may have a color book given to you by a client, developed by a third-party, or
you can create your own. Each color book has an .acb extension and is saved auto-
matically in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format.
To create a color book
1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text.
The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the Color Books tab.
3 Click Color Book Editor.
4 In the Color Book Editor dialog box, click the New tool ( ).
5 In Color Book Name, enter the name of the color book. This name will appear in
the list of color books on the Color Books tab in the Color dialog box.
A Select a color book.
B Click to select a color book color.
C Select to list only those color book colors that
are used in the current drawing.
D Click to create and modify color books.
E Displays the selected color and its RGB values.
A
B
C
D
E
62 C H A P T E R 3
6 Do the following to define organizational pages in the color book:
In the contents of the color book, click an existing page or color where you want
to add a page.
Define a color in the palette.
Enter the name of the page, and then click Add Page.
7 Do the following to define colors in the color book:
In the contents of the color book, click an existing page or color where you want
to add a color.
Define a color in the palette.
Enter the name of the color, and then click Add Color.
8 Do any of the following to change existing pages and colors in the color book:
Modify pages and colors Select a page or color in the color book, define its
new color settings in the palette, enter any changes to its name, and then click
Modify.
Delete pages and colors Select a page or color in the color book, and then
click Delete.
Rearrange pages and colors Select a page or color in the color book, and then
click the up arrow ( ) or down arrow ( ).
9 In the Color Book Editor dialog box, click the Save tool ( ).
10 Enter a filename for the color book, and then click Save.
By default, the file is saved in the default folder where AViCAD searches for
color books.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 63
Modifying color books
You can modify your own color books and the color books that came with AViCAD.
If you modify a color book that came with AViCAD, it is recommended that you save
it with a new filename first so the original color book is not overwritten.
A Click New to create a color book; click Open to
open a color book; click Save to save the color
book; click Save As to save the color book with
a new filename.
B Select a page or color to modify, delete, or
reorder it, or to view its settings.
C Click to create a new page in the color book
using the current color settings.
D Click to create a new color in the color book
using the current color settings.
E Click to delete the selected page or color from
the color book.
F Click to redefine the selected page or color to
use the current color settings.
G Click to move the selected page or color up or
down one position in the color book.
H Enter the name of the page or color as you want it
to appear in the color book.
I Enter (or view) the amount of red, green, and blue
of the desired color.
J Enter (or view) the amount of hue, saturation, and
luminance of the desired color.
K Slide or click to adjust the color luminance.
L Click to select a color.
M Enter the name of the color book.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
M
L
64 C H A P T E R 3
To modify a color book
1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text.
The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the Color Books tab.
3 Select the color book you want to modify.
4 Click Color Book Editor.
5 In Color Book Name, enter any changes to the color book name. This name
appears in the list of color books on the Color Books tab in the Color dialog box.
6 Do any of the following to modify pages or colors in the color book:
Add pages In the contents of the color book, click an existing page or color
where you want to add a page. Define a color in the palette, enter the name of
the page, and then click Add.
Add colors In the contents of the color book, click an existing page or color
where you want to add a color. Define a color in the palette, enter the name of
the color, and then click Add.
Modify pages and colors Select a page or color in the color book, define its
new color settings in the palette, enter any changes to its name, and then click
Modify.
Delete pages and colors Select a page or color in the color book, and then
click Delete.
Rearrange pages and colors Select a page or color in the color book, and then
click the up arrow ( ) or down arrow ( ).
7 Do one of the following to save the color book:
To save the color book with the same filename, click the Save tool ( ) in the
Color Book Editor.
To save the color book with a new filename or in a new location, click the Save
As tool ( ) in the Color Book Editor.
Loading color books
If you have a color book given to you by a client or developed by a third-party, sim-
ply save it on your computer in a folder where AViCAD can find it. By default, color
books are stored in following folder: \Documents and Settings\YourName\My Docu-
ments\Color Books.
To load a color book
1 Save the color book in the folder where AViCAD searches for color books.
To verify the folder location, choose Tools > Options, click the Paths/Files tab,
and find the Color Book folder in the Paths list.
2 In a Color dialog box, click the Color Books tab.
The previously loaded color book displays in the list of color books.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 65
Using the grid, snap alignment and cursor restriction
Grid and snap settings are effective tools to use in your drawing to ensure accuracy.
Although many users find it convenient to match grid points to snap settings, they are
independent of each other and should not be confused. Grid lines are for visual
reference only; they do not affect your drawing and they do not print. Snap points are,
by themselves, not visible; however, when set, they constrain the creation of new
entities.
In addition, the cursor can be restricted to move orthogonally only or guides can
display on the screen automatically at specified polar angle increments.
Setting a reference grid
A reference grid displays as a pattern of regularly spaced lines. You can turn the dis-
play on and off, and you can specify how far apart the lines are spaced and their color.
The reference grid extends even over the limits of the drawing, helping you to visual-
ize the boundary of your drawing and to align entities and visualize distances
between entities. You can turn the grid on and off as needed. You can also change the
spacing of the grid at any time.
To turn the grid on and set the grid spacing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, choose Snap And Grid.
4 Under Reference Grid, click the Show Grid check box.
5 Under Reference Grid Spacing, in the X field, choose the horizontal grid spacing.
6 Under Reference Grid Spacing, in the Y field, choose the vertical grid spacing.
7 Click OK.
NOTE To toggle the grid display on and off at any time, click the GRID button on
the status bar or press F7.
66 C H A P T E R 3

Setting snap spacing
Another way to ensure drawing accuracy is to turn on and set snap spacing. When
snap is turned on, the program restricts the selection points to predetermined snap
intervals. Although it is often helpful to match the grid spacing to the snap spacing or
another related setting, the settings do not have to match.
A Click the check box to enable orthogonal mode.
B Click the check box to display the reference grid.
C Specify the x and y grid spacing.
D Click the check box to enable snap mode.
E Specify the x and y snap spacing.
F Click the check box to use an isometric snap and
grid and the isometric plane
G Specify where display the grid
H Click the check box to display the grid over the
limits
I Click the check box to display the grid according
to the zoom in
J Click the check box to display the grid according
to the zoom out
K Specify the grid rotation angle.
L Indicates the current grid rotation angle.
M Specify the x- and y-coordinates of the snap
origin.
N Click to match the grid spacing to the snap
spacing.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
K
L
M
N
J
I
H
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 67
To turn snap settings on and set snap spacing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, choose Snap And Grid.
4 Under Snap Settings, click the Snap check box to turn Snap on.
5 Under Snap Settings Spacing, in the X field, choose the horizontal snap spacing.
6 Under Snap Settings Spacing, in the Y field, choose the vertical snap spacing.
7 Click OK.
NOTE To toggle snap settings on and off at any time, click the SNAP button on the
status bar or press F9.
In addition to setting the snap spacing, you can change the snap and grid orientation.
You can also rotate the alignment of the grid or set it to create isometric drawings.
Changing the snap and grid angle and base point
The snap and grid are both normally based on the drawing origin, the 0,0 coordinate
in the World Coordinate System (WCS). You can relocate the snap and grid origin,
however, to help you draw entities in relation to a different location. You can also
rotate the grid to a different angle to realign the crosshairs to the new grid angle. If the
grid is on, and the grid spacing is 0,0, then the grid defaults to the snap spacing.
To change the snap angle and base point
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, select Snap And Grid.
4 Under Snap Settings, click the Snap check box to turn Snap on.
5 Under Reference Grid, click the Show Grid check box to turn Show Grid on.
6 Under Snap And Grid Settings, in the X Origin field, type the x-coordinate of the
new snap origin.
7 Under Snap And Grid Settings, in the Y Origin field, type the y-coordinate of the
new snap origin.
8 Under Snap And Grid Settings, in the Rotation field, type the grid rotation angle.
9 Click OK
68 C H A P T E R 3

Using isometric snap and grid
You can use the Isometric Snap And Grid option to create two-dimensional isometric
drawings. With the isometric option, you are simply drawing a simulated three-
dimensional view on a two-dimensional plane, much the same as you might draw on
a piece of paper. Do not confuse isometric drawings with three-dimensional draw-
ings. You create three-dimensional drawings in three-dimensional space.
The isometric option always uses three preset planes, which are denoted as left, right,
and top. You cannot alter the arrangement of these planes. If the snap angle is 0, the
three isometric axes are 30 degrees, 90 degrees, and 150 degrees.
When you check the Isometric Snap And Grid option and select an isometric plane,
the snap intervals, grid, and crosshairs align with the current plane. The grid is always
shown as isometric and uses y-coordinates to calculate the grid spacing. If you click
the Draw Orthogonal check box, the program restricts the drawing of entities to the
current isometric plane.
NOTE To toggle between isometric planes, press F5.
Default grid and snap alignment. Rotated grid and snap alignment.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 69
To turn the Isometric Snap And Grid option on
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, select Snap And Grid.
4 Click the Isometric Snap And Grid check box.
5 Under Isometric Crosshairs, click the option for the isometric plane you want
(Top, Left, or Right).
6 Click OK.

Using orthogonal locking
You can restrict cursor movement to the current horizontal and vertical axes so that
you can draw at right angles, or orthogonally. For example, with the default 0-degree
orientation (angle 0 at the three oclock or east position), when the Draw Orthog-
onal option is enabled, lines are restricted to 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, or
270 degrees. As you draw lines, the rubber-banding line follows either the horizontal
or vertical axis, depending on which axis is farthest from the cursor. When you
enable the isometric snap and grid, cursor movement is restricted to orthogonal
equivalents within the current isometric plane.
NOTE AViCAD ignores orthogonal drawing when you type coordinates in the com-
mand bar or when you use entity snaps. Additionally, orthogonal locking and polar
tracking cannot be used at the same time turning one option on turns the other
option off.
To enable orthogonal locking
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
Isometric planes left (A), right (B), top (C).
A
B
C
70 C H A P T E R 3
3 Click the Draw Orthogonal check box.
4 Click OK.
NOTE To toggle orthogonal drawing on and off at any time, click the ORTHO but-
ton on the status bar or press F8.
Using entity snaps
Entity snaps enable you to quickly select exact geometric points on existing entities
without having to know the exact coordinates of those points. With entity snaps, you
can select the endpoint of a line or arc, the center point of a circle, the intersection of
any two entities, or any other geometrically significant position. You can also use
entity snaps to draw entities that are tangent or perpendicular to an existing entity.
You can use entity snaps any time the program prompts you to specify a pointfor
example, if you are drawing a line or other entity. You can work with entity snaps in
one of two ways:
Enable a running entity snap that remains in effect until you turn it off by choosing
an entity snap when no other command is active.
Enable a one-time entity snap for a single selection by choosing an entity snap
when another command is active. You can also use a one-time entity snap to over-
ride a running entity snap.
TIP If you type the name of the entity snap, you need to type only the first three let-
ters.
When using entity snaps, the program recognizes only visible entities or visible por-
tions of entities. You cannot snap to entities on layers that have been turned off or to
the blank portions of dashed lines.
When you specify one or more entity snaps, an entity snap target box is added to the
crosshairs. In addition, an icon appears adjacent to the crosshairs indicating the active
entity snap. When you select an entity, the program snaps to the snap point closest to
the center of the target box.
TIP Type m2p or mtp to enable a one-time snap to the midpoint of two points that
you specify, such as two points selected using entity snaps.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 71
To change the size of the entity snap target box
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, choose Entity Selection.
4 Under Entity Snap Aperture, change the value in the Aperture field.
5 Click OK.

Setting entity snaps
You can set entity snaps using any of the following methods:
Choose Format > Entity Snap, and choose the entity snap you want to set.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click one of the entity snap tools or Object Snap Set-
tings tool( ).
In the command bar, type an entity snap command.
In the status bar, click ESNAP.
Press and hold down the Shift key while right-clicking anywhere within the draw-
ing window to display the entity snap shortcut menu, and then choose the entity
snap you want to set.
A Choose Entity Selection. B Type or select the entity snap aperture size.
A
B
72 C H A P T E R 3
You can also set entity snaps using the Drawing Settings dialog box. To do this,
choose Format > Entity Snap > Entity Snap Settings. The Drawing Settings dialog
box is displayed with the Coordinate Input tab active. In the Entity Snap Modes list,
click the check box for each of the entity snaps that you want to set.
TIP When you select an entity snap, a check mark appears next to the entity snap in
the menu, the associated tool in the Entity Snaps toolbar is active, and the corre-
sponding box is checked in the Coordinate tab of the Drawing Settings dialog box.

Nearest Snap tool
Use the Nearest Snap tool to snap to the nearest point of another entity. You can snap
to the nearest point on an arc, circle, ellipse, elliptical arc, line, point, polyline seg-
ment, ray, spline, infinite line or hatch pattern that is visually closest to the cursor.
To set the Nearest Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Nearest Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Set Nearest Snap tool ( ).
Type nearest and then press Enter.
Endpoint Snap tool
Use the Endpoint Snap tool to snap to the endpoint of another entity. You can snap to
the closest endpoint of an arc, line, polyline segment, ray, hatch pattern, plane, or
three-dimensional face. If an entity has thickness, the Endpoint Snap also snaps to the
endpoints of the edges of the entity.
A Sets the From Snap
B Sets the Endpoint Snap.
C Sets the Midpoint Snap.
D Sets the Intersection Snap.
E Sets the Plan View Intersection Snap.
F Sets the Center Snap.
G Sets the Quadrant Snap.
H Sets the Tangent Snap.
I Sets the Perpendicular Snap.
J Sets the Parallel Snap.
K Sets the Insertion Point Snap.
L Sets the Node Snap.
M Sets the Nearest Snap.
N Sets the Clear Entity Snaps.
O Object Snap Settings.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 73
To set the Endpoint Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Endpoint Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap to Endpoint tool ( ).
Type endpoint and then press Enter.


Midpoint Snap tool
Use the Midpoint Snap tool to snap to the midpoint of another entity. You can snap to
the midpoint of an arc, line, polyline segment, plane, infinite line, spline or hatch pat-
tern. In the case of infinite lines, the midpoint snaps to the first defined point. If an
entity has thickness, the midpoint entity snap also snaps to the midpoint of the edges
of the entity.
To set the Midpoint Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Midpoint Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap to Midpoint tool ( ).
Type midpoint and then press Enter.

Center Snap tool
Use the Center Snap tool to snap to the center point of another entity. You can snap to
the center of an arc, circle, polygon, ellipse, or elliptical arc. To snap to the center,
you must select a visible portion of the entity.
To set the Center Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Center Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap to Center tool ( ).
To snap to the endpoint, select anywhere on the entity near its endpoint (A).
To snap to the midpoint, select anywhere on the entity near its midpoint (A).
A
A
74 C H A P T E R 3
Type center and then press Enter.

Perpendicular Snap tool
Use the Perpendicular Snap tool to snap to the perpendicular point of another entity.
You can snap to an arc, circle, line, polyline, infinite line, ray, spline, hatch pattern or
edge of a plane to form a perpendicular alignment with that entity or with an imagi-
nary extension of that entity.
To set the Perpendicular Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Perpendicular Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap to Perpendicular tool ( ).
Type perpendicular and then press Enter.

Tangent Snap tool
Use the Tangent Snap tool to snap to the tangent point of another entity. You can snap
to the point on an arc or circle that, when connected to the previous point, forms a line
tangent to that entity.
To set the Tangent Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Tangent Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap to Tangent tool ( ).
Type tangent and then press Enter.
To snap to the center, select anywhere on the visible portion of the entity (A).
To form a perpendicular angle (A) to an entity (B), select anywhere on the entity.
A
A
B
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 75

Quadrant Snap tool
Use the Quadrant Snap tool to snap to the quadrant point of another entity. You can
snap to the closest quadrant of an arc, circle, ellipse, or elliptical arc.
To set the Quadrant Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Quadrant Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap Quadrant tool ( ).
Type quadrant and then press Enter.

Insertion Point Snap tool
Use the Insertion Point Snap tool to snap to the insertion point of an attribute, block,
or text entity.
To set the Insertion Point Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Insertion Point Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap to Insert tool ( ).
Type insertion and then press Enter.
To snap to a tangent, select the entity near the tangent point (A).
To snap to a quadrant, select the entity near the quadrant point (A).
A
A
76 C H A P T E R 3

Point Snap tool
Use the Point Snap tool to snap to a point entity.
To set the Point Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Point Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap to Node tool ( ).
Type node and then press Enter.

Mid between two point Snap tool
Use the Mid between two point Snap Tool to snap the mid point between two entities.
To set the Mid between two point Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap> Mid between two point Snap
Press Shift and right button of the mouse
To snap to an insertion point, select anywhere on the entity (A).
To snap to a point entity, select the entity (A).
A
A
A
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 77
Intersection Snap tool
Use the Intersection Snap tool to snap to the actual intersection in three-dimensional
space of any combination of entities. You can snap to the combination of an arc, cir-
cle, line, polyline, ray, infinite line, ellipse, elliptical arc, spline, hatch pattern, poly-
gon mesh, or polyface mesh. You can also snap to an intersection point within a
single entity, including a polyline or spline.
The Extended Intersection Snap option snaps to the logical location where two enti-
ties (lines, arcs, or elliptical segments) would intersect if they were of infinite length.
AViCAD automatically uses the extension option only when you type int in the com-
mand bar (not the full intersection command name) after selecting a command, such
as Line or Circle. Dashed extension lines are drawn to help show the extended inter-
section.
NOTE There are two types of intersection snaps. You can set the Intersection Snap or
Apparent Intersection Snap, but you cannot use both at the same time.
To set the Intersection Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Object > Entity Snap > Intersection Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap to Intersection tool ( ).
Type intersection and then press Enter.

To snap the mid point between two entitie, you should select them .
To snap to an intersection, select the intersection (A).
A
A
78 C H A P T E R 3
To snap to an extended intersection point
1 Choose a command, for example, line.
2 Type int and then press Enter.
3 Select an extended intersection point.
The Extended Intersection Snap turns off automatically after you select a point.
Apparent Intersection Snap tool
The Apparent Intersection Snap tool snaps to the intersection of two entities that do
not intersect in three-dimensional space but seem to intersect in the current view. You
can snap to any two entities in the combination of an arc, circle, line, infinite line,
polyline, ray, ellipse, elliptical arc, spline, hatch pattern, polygon mesh, or polyface
mesh. You can also snap to an intersection point within a single entity, including a
polyline or spline.
The Extended Apparent Intersection Snap option snaps to the logical location where
two entities (lines, arcs, or elliptical segments) would intersect if they were of infinite
length. AViCAD automatically uses the extension option only when you type app in
the command bar (not the full apparent command name) after selecting a command,
such as Line or Circle. Dashed extension lines are drawn to help show the extended
apparent intersection.
NOTE There are two types of intersection snaps. You can set the Apparent Intersec-
tion Snap or Intersection Snap, but you cannot use both at the same time.
To set the Apparent Intersection Snap
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Plan View Intersection Snap.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click the Snap to Apparent Intersect tool ( ).
Type apparent and then press Enter.

To snap to an intersection, select the apparent intersection (A).
A
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 79
To snap to an extended apparent intersection point
1 Choose a command, for example, line.
2 Type app and then press Enter.
3 Select an extended apparent intersection point.
The Extended Apparent Intersection Snap turns off automatically after you select a
point.
Quick Snap command
Normally, an entity snap searches all the entities crossing the target and selects the
one closest to the center of the target. Use the Quick Snap command to modify the
current entity snap so that the program stops searching for the snap point as soon as it
finds one entity with at least one point of the current entity type.
To set the Quick Snap
Type quick and then press Enter.
Clear Entity Snaps tool
Use the Clear Entity Snaps tool to turn off all entity snap settings, regardless of how
they were set: by menu, tool, command, or in the Drawing Settings dialog box.
To set Clear Entity Snaps
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Entity Snap > All Entity Snaps Off.
On the Object Snaps toolbar, click Snaps to None tool ( ).
Type none and then press Enter.
Using fly-over snapping
Fly-over snapping is a visual aid to help you see and use entity snaps more efficiently.
When the Fly-over snapping option is set, AViCAD will display a colored marker at
matching entity snap points as you move the crosshairs around the drawing.
80 C H A P T E R 3
Each entity snap has its own type of marker.
When Fly-over snapping is enabled and multiple entity snaps are on, you can press
TAB to cycle through the available entity snap points of the entities covered by the
target box. For example, when the Endpoint and Midpoint snaps are set and the aper-
ture box is on a line, pressing TAB will cycle between the line's closest endpoint and
midpoint.
Fly-over snap markers
Marker Entity snap
Endpoint Snap
Nearest Snap
Midpoint Snap
Center Snap
Perpendicular Snap
Tangent Snap
Quadrant Snap
Insertion Snap
Point Snap
Intersection Snap
Apparent Intersection Snap
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 81
To set the Fly-over snapping option
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Entity Snap Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click Fly-Over. The Options dialog box opens to the Snapping tab.
4 Mark Enable Fly-Over Snapping to turn on fly-over snapping.
5 Set the fly-over options, including the color, size, and thickness of the snap
marker.
6 Click OK.
7 Click OK again.
NOTE For details about the various fly-over snapping options, see Changing the
options on the Snapping tab on page 600.
Etrack Snap tracking
Its possible to select a point among a path based on object snap.
The pointing is used in running object snap mode. Before using the pointing from an
object snap point its necessary to set an object snap.
The acquired points are marked by a small sign (+), up to seven points each time.
After having acquired a point, when the cursor is moved, are used alignment horizon-
tal and vertical trajectories.
To set On or Off Etrack tracking
Push the button in the status bar.
NOTE The function is active when the button appears as recessed.
Etrack button (A)
A
82 C H A P T E R 3
To acquire a point
1 Make sure that the button Etrack, placed in the status bar is set as On.
Its possible to change the Etrack setting by pushing the related button on the
status bar.
2 Set at least an object snap.
3 Start a command that asks for the acquisition of a point.
4 Move the cursor on an existing object (or on more then one in relation to the type
of snap chosen) until its displayed the related symbol that indicates the acquire-
ment of the snap.
5 By keeping the cursor steady for a few moments, it will be displayed the sign +.
6 By moving the cursor among one of the direction of the + sign, some trajectories
will be hatched among which its possible to scroll the pointer until the desired
point will be acquired by clicking on the mouse left button.
NOTE To toggle etrack settings on and off at any time, click the ETRACK button on
the status bar or press F11.
Polar Snap tracking
During the creation or modification of the objects, its possible to use the polar Point-
ing to view the temporary alignment trajectories defined by the specified polar angles
and execute the snap of the distances specified among the alignment trajectory.
To set On or Off Polar Tracking
Push the button in the status bar.
Exsisting object Acquired point Path for the acquired point
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 83
NOTE The function is active when the button appears as recessed.
To set the polar pointing angles
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings, tab Coordinate Input and then in Change
settings for select Polar Snap.
On the status bar on the Polar button, click the mouse right button then choose
Setting.
2 In the list increasing Angle, select the polar pointing angle.
3 To set additional pointing angles, select Additional Angle. Click on New and digit
the angle value in the text box.
4 In the section Polar Angle Measurement, specify if the polar pointing increments
are based on UCS or are related to the last object created.
5 Choose Ok button.
To acquire a point with Polar
1 Make sure that the Polar button, placed on the status bar, is set as On.
Its possible to change the Polar setting by pushing the related button on the
status bar.
2 Lay down the setting desired for the point acquirement, see To set the polar
pointing angles on page 83 in this chapter.
3 Start a drawing or change command.
4 After having specified the first point, while the cursor its mowed to the following
point/points, note the hatched polar pointed line displayed in correspondence to
the pointing angles set. Now its possible to proceed in one of the following ways:
Click on the mouse left button to specify the desired point on the trajectory.
Digit a distance when the trajectory gets sketched and press Enter.
Polar button (A)
A
84 C H A P T E R 3
ATTENTION The specified points are conformed to the polar pointing angle while
the line is displayed as hatched.
NOTE To toggle polar settings on and off at any time, click the POLAR button on the
status bar or press F10.
Saving your drawing
When you save a drawing, your work is saved in a drawing (.dwg) file.
After you have saved your drawing for the first time, you can save it with a new
name. In addition to drawing (.dwg) files, you can also save a drawing in a Drawing
Exchange Format (.dxf) file or a drawing template (.dwt) file.
If you created your drawing using a template, saving the drawing does not alter the
original template.
If you need an added level of security for your drawing files, you can save the draw-
ing with a password so only you and those who know the password can open the
drawing.
Before proceeding to the drawing saving you can remove not used items in the draw-
ing as blocks, layers, line types, text styles and dimension style. Deleting these items
you can significantly reduce the file size.
To purge the items not used in the drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Utility > Purge.
Type purge and then press Enter.
Acquired point. Point on the path.
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 85

Using the option buttons above the Items List window, you choose if you want to dis-
play the items that you can purge (items not used) or if you want to display those that
you cannot purge.
In the Item List area you can view the items that can be purged divided into catego-
ries. The plus symbol next to group names indicates that there are objects you can
purge.
Linetypes definitions are purged only from the current drawing, the definition in the
file icad.lin remains unchanged.
If you mark the check box Confirm each item to be purged, you will be asked to con-
firm before purging the items.
Purge nested items: removes all the unused named objects from the drawing even
if they are contained within or referenced by other unused named objects. The
Confirm Purge dialog box is displayed and you can cancel or confirm the items to
be purged.
Nested Blocks: for example, you create a block from a circle and insert two
instances of this block in the drawing. Next, you create a new block that consists
of two previous circle blocks: in this way you will have a nested block in your
drawing. Marking the check box Purge nested items you can purge in one ses-
sion even nested blocks. It is recommended to leave active the position Confirm
each item to be purged in order to be able to verify the blocks to be purged.
Purge: purges the selected items.
Purge All: purges all the unused items.
86 C H A P T E R 3
NOTE: If you want to purge objects by means of the command line without using the
command dialog box, type purge and then press Enter.
Saving a drawing
To save a drawing, choose any of the following methods:
Choose File > Save.
On the Standard toolbar, click Save ( ).
Type save and then press Enter.
Type qsave and then press Enter.
TIP When you save a drawing the first time, the program displays the Save Drawing
As dialog box so that you can choose a directory and type a name for the drawing.
You can use any name when you first save the drawing.
A Displays a description of the file size, creation
date, and other information about the drawing.
B Unavailable when saving drawings; available
only when opening drawings.
C Turns the drawing preview on or off.
D Saves the drawing with a password.
E Displays an image of the drawing before you
save it.
A
B
C
E
D
W O R K I N G W I T H D R A W I N G S 87
Saving a drawing with a new name or file format
You can save a drawing with a new name and in any of the following file formats:
Standard drawing files with a .dwg extension. You can choose a .dwg file format
that is compatible with various versions of AutoCAD.
Drawing Exchange Format files with a .dxf file extension. You can choose a .dxf
file format that is compatible with various versions of AutoCAD.
Drawing templates with a .dwt file extension. Drawing templates allow you to eas-
ily create new drawings that reuse your drawing settings and entities.
To save a drawing with a new name or file format
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Save As.
Type saveas and then press Enter.
2 In the Save Drawing As dialog box, under Save As Type, choose the file format.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.
TIP You can also export drawing files to various file formats. For more details, see
Exporting drawings on page 554.
Saving a drawing with a password
Sometimes drawings may contain confidential information and you want to control
who has access to that information. If you need an added level of security, you can
save a drawing with a password so only you and those who know the password can
open the drawing.
To save a drawing with a password, you must save it in the DWG 2004, or later,draw-
ing (.dwg) file format.
NOTE If you forget a drawings password, the drawing cannot be opened or recov-
ered. You may want to store all passwords in a safe place.
88 C H A P T E R 3
To save a drawing with a password
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Save As.
Type saveas and then press Enter.
2 In the Save Drawing As dialog box, under Save As Type, choose a DWG format
that is 2004 or later.
3 Click Password Protect.
4 Choose a folder where you want to save the drawing.
5 In File Name, specify the name of the file you want to create.
6 Click Save.
7 In the Password dialog box, enter a password.
8 If desired, record and store the password in a safe place. If you forget the draw-
ings password, the drawing cannot be opened or recovered.
9 Click OK.
4
Creating simple entities
With AViCAD

, simple entities include lines (both finite and infinite), circles, arcs,
ellipses, elliptical arcs, points, and rays. In addition, AViCAD includes a freehand
sketch tool. Entities drawn freehand are also considered to be simple entities.
This chapter explains how to create simple entities using the different ways that you
can start the drawing command for each, including how to:
Use menu commands on the Draw menu.
Use the tools on the Draw toolbar.
Type commands in the command bar.
In some cases, there are a number of different ways to create an entity. For the most
part, one or two are given here. Refer to the online Help to learn how to create entities
using other methods.
When you use a tool or a drawing command, the program prompts you to enter coor-
dinate points, such as endpoints or insertion points. You can enter the points or dis-
tances either using a mouse or by typing coordinate values at the command prompt.
As you draw, AViCAD also displays a context-sensitive prompt box with appropriate
additional options for the type of entity you are drawing.
After you create entities, you can modify them using the entity modification tools.
Topics in this chapter
Drawing lines ...................................................................................................... 90
Drawing circles ................................................................................................... 91
Drawing arcs....................................................................................................... 93
Drawing ellipses.................................................................................................. 95
Drawing elliptical arcs......................................................................................... 96
Creating point entities......................................................................................... 97
Drawing rays....................................................................................................... 99
Drawing infinite lines......................................................................................... 100
Creating freehand sketches.............................................................................. 101
90 C H A P T E R 4
Drawing lines
A line consists of two points: a start point and an endpoint. You can connect a series
of lines, but each line segment is considered a separate line entity.
To draw a line
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Line.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Line tool ( ).
Type line and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the endpoint.
4 In the prompt box, choose Done to complete the command.
The prompt box provides several options as you draw. For example, when you draw
the first line segment, you can specify its length or orientation angle. After you draw
at least one line segment, you can click Undo to remove the previous line segment.
You can click Done to end the line command. After you draw two or more line seg-
ments, you can click Close to complete the line command by drawing a line segment
that connects to the start point of the first line segment you drew.
If the last entity you drew was an arc, you can also draw a line tangent to and starting
from the endpoint of the arc.
To draw a line as a continuation from the end of an arc
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Line.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Line tool ( ).
Type line and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Follow.
3 Specify the length of the line.
Start point (A) and endpoint (B).
A
B
C R E A T I N G S I M P L E E N T I T I E S 91
Drawing circles
The default method for drawing a circle is to specify a center point and radius. You
can draw circles using any of the following methods:
Center-Radius ( )
Center-Diameter ( )
Two points ( )
Three points ( )
Radius-Tangent-Tangent ( )
Convert Arc to Circle ( )
To draw a circle by specifying its center and radius
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Circle > Center, Radius.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Circle Center-Radius tool ( ).
Type circle and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center point.
3 Specify the radius of the circle.
Endpoint of previous arc (A) and length of the line (B).
A
B
Center point (A) and radius (B).
A
B
92 C H A P T E R 4
To draw a circle tangent to existing entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Circle > Tan, Tan, Radius.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Circle Radius-Tangent tool ( ).
Go to step 3.
Type circle and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Radius-Tangent-Tangent.
3 Specify the radius of the circle.
4 Select the first entity to which to draw the circle tangent.
5 Select the second entity to which to draw the circle tangent.
To convert an arc to a circle
1 Do one of the following:
On the Draw toolbar, click the Convert Arc to Circle tool. ( ).
Go to step 3.
Type circle and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Turn Arc Into Circle.
3 Select the arc you want to convert to a circle.
Radius of circle (A) and tangent lines (B) and (C).
Select an arc (A) to convert to a circle.
A
B
C
A
C R E A T I N G S I M P L E E N T I T I E S 93
Drawing arcs
An arc is a portion of a circle. The default method for drawing an arc is to specify
three pointsthe start point, a second point, and the endpoint. You can draw arcs
using any of the following methods:
Three points on an arc ( ).
Start point-center-endpoint ( ), or Start point-endpoint-center ( ), or Center-
start point-endpoint ( ).
Start point-center-included angle ( ), or Start point-included angle-center
( ), or Center-start point-included angle ( ).
Start point-center-chord length ( ), or Center-start point-chord length ( ).
Start point-endpoint-radius ( ), or Start point-radius-endpoint ( ).
Start point-endpoint-included angle ( ), or Start point-included angle-endpoint
( ).
Start point-endpoint-starting direction ( ), or Start point-starting direction-end-
point ( ).
Start point-radius-angle ( ).
As a tangent continuation of the previous arc or line ( ).
To draw an arc by specifying three points
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Arc > 3 Points.
On the Draw toolbar, click the 3-Point Arc tool ( ).
Type arc and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify a second point.
4 Specify the endpoint.
Start point (A), second point (B), and endpoint (C).
A
B
C
94 C H A P T E R 4
The prompt box provides additional options for drawing arcs. For example, after you
specify the start point of an arc, you can choose Angle, Center, Direction, Endpoint,
or Radius. You can select the options in a different order as well. For instance, you
can draw an arc by specifying its start point, endpoint, and radius, or you can specify
the start point, radius, and then endpoint.
To draw an arc by specifying its start point, center point, and endpoint
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Arc > Start, Center, End.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Arc Start-Center-End tool ( ).
Type arc and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 In the prompt box, choose Center.
4 Specify the center point.
5 Specify the endpoint.
To draw an arc by specifying two points and an included angle
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Arc > Start, End, Angle.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Arc Start-End-Angle tool ( ).
Type arc and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 In the prompt box, choose Angle or type angle and insert a value.
4 To draw an arc in a counterclockwise direction, enter a positive value for the
included angle.
To draw an arc in a clockwise direction, enter a negative value for the included
angle.
5 Specify the endpoint.
Start point (A), center point (B), and endpoint (C).
A
B
C
C R E A T I N G S I M P L E E N T I T I E S 95

If the last entity you drew was an arc or a line, you can also draw an arc tangent to and
starting from the endpoint of the arc or line.
To draw an arc tangent to an arc or line
1 Do one of the following:
On the Draw toolbar, click the Tangent Arc tool ( ). Go to step 3.
Type arc and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Follow.
3 Specify the endpoint.
NOTE To convert an arc to a circle, on the Draw toolbar, click the Convert Arc To
Circle flyout tool ( ).
Drawing ellipses
The default method for drawing an ellipse is to specify the endpoints of one axis of
the ellipse, and then specify a distance representing half the length of the second axis.
The endpoints of the first axis determine the orientation of the ellipse. The longer axis
of the ellipse is called the major axis, and the shorter one is the minor axis. The order
in which you define the axes does not matter. The program determines the major and
minor axes based on their relative lengths. You can draw ellipses using any of the fol-
lowing methods:
Start point (A), endpoint (B), and included angle (C).
A
B
C
Endpoint (A).
A
96 C H A P T E R 4
Axis-axis ( )
Axis-rotation ( )
Center-axis ( )
Center-rotation ( )
To draw an ellipse by specifying the axis endpoints
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Ellipse > Axis, End.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Ellipse Axis-Axis tool ( ).
Type ellipse and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first endpoint.
3 Specify the second endpoint.
4 Specify the half-length of the other axis.
Drawing elliptical arcs
An elliptical arc is a portion of an ellipse. The default method for drawing an ellipti-
cal arc is to specify the endpoints of one axis of the ellipse, and then specify a dis-
tance representing half the length of the second axis. Then you specify the start and
end angles for the arc, measured from the center of the ellipse in relation to its major
axis. You can draw elliptical arcs using any of the following methods:
Axis-axis ( )
Axis-rotation ( )
Center-axis ( )
Center-rotation ( )
First axis endpoint (A), second axis endpoint (B), and half-length of other axis (C).
A
C
B
C R E A T I N G S I M P L E E N T I T I E S 97
To draw an elliptical arc by specifying the axis endpoints
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Ellipse > Arc.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Elliptical Arc Axis-Axis tool ( ).
Type ellipse and then press Enter, and then type a (for Arc) and press Enter.
2 Specify the first endpoint.
3 Specify the second endpoint.
4 Specify the half-length of the other axis.
5 Specify the start angle of the arc.
6 Specify the end angle.
NOTE AViCAD draws elliptical arcs in the direction you specify. Go to Tools >
Drawing Settings > Drawing Units tab. Under Change Settings For, select Angular
Units. The default setting is counterclockwise.
Creating point entities
You can draw a point entity formatted as either a single dot or as one of 19 other pos-
sible display styles.
To draw a point
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Point > Single Point.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Point tool ( ).
Type point and then press Enter.
2 Specify the location of the point.
First axis endpoint (A), second axis endpoint (B), half-length of other axis (C), start angle of arc (D), and
end angle (E).
A
D
C
E
B
98 C H A P T E R 4
To draw several points
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Point > Single Point.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Point tool ( ).
Type point and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Multiple Points.
3 Specify the location of each point.
4 In the prompt box, choose Done to complete the command.
Changing the size and appearance of point entities
Changing the size and appearance of point entities affects all point entities already in
the drawing, as well as all points that you subsequently draw. Positive values repre-
sent the absolute size of the point entity measured in drawing units. Negative values
represent a percentage relative to the drawing screen, so that points retain their visual
size as you use the Zoom command to change the magnification of the drawing.
To change the size and appearance of point entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, click Points.
4 Under Point Display Type, select the style you want.
5 Under Point Size, select the point size, or choose one of the options.
6 Click OK.
When you regenerate the drawing, all point entities change to reflect the new size and
appearance settings.
C R E A T I N G S I M P L E E N T I T I E S 99
Drawing rays
A ray is a line in three-dimensional space that starts at a point and extends to infinity.
Because rays extend to infinity, they are not calculated as part of the drawing extents.
The default method for drawing a ray is to select the start point of the ray and then
specify its direction. You can draw a ray in any of the following ways:
Horizontal draws the ray parallel to the x-axis of the current user coordinate sys-
tem (UCS).
Vertical draws the ray parallel to the y-axis of the current UCS.
Angle draws the ray parallel to a specified angle.
Bisect draws the ray perpendicular to an existing entity.
Parallel draws the ray parallel to an existing entity.
A To increase or decrease the point size, type a
value or click one of the point size arrows.
B To use one of the preset point size options, click
the one that you want.
C Select the button for the Point Display Type that
you want.
A
B
C
100 C H A P T E R 4
To draw a ray
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Ray.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Ray tool ( ).
Type ray and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the direction.
4 To complete the command, press Enter.
Drawing infinite lines
Infinite lines are sometimes referred to as construction lines. An infinite line is a line
through a given point, oriented at a specified angle in three-dimensional space and
extending to infinity in both directions. Because infinite lines extend to infinity, they
are not calculated as part of the drawing extents.
The default method for drawing an infinite line is to select a point along the line and
then specify the direction of the line. You can draw an infinite line in any of the fol-
lowing ways:
Horizontal draws the infinite line parallel to the x-axis of the current UCS.
Vertical draws the infinite line parallel to the y-axis of the current UCS.
Angle draws the infinite line parallel to a specified angle.
Bisect draws the infinite line perpendicular to an existing entity.
Parallel draws the infinite line parallel to an existing entity.
To draw an infinite line
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Construction Line.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Infinite Line tool ( ).
Type infline and then press Enter.
2 Specify a point along the line.
3 Specify the direction.
4 To complete the command, press Enter.
Start point (A) and direction (B).
A
B
C R E A T I N G S I M P L E E N T I T I E S 101
.
You can also draw infinite lines at a specific angle or at an angle relative to an exist-
ing entity.
To draw an infinite line at a specified angle relative to another entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Construction Line.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Infinite Line tool ( ).
Type infline and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Angle.
3 In the prompt box, choose Reference.
4 Select the reference entity.
5 Specify the angle of the infinite line in relation to the selected entity.
6 Specify the location of the infinite line.
7 To complete the command, press Enter.
Creating freehand sketches
A freehand sketch consists of many straight line segments, created either as individ-
ual line entities or as a polyline. Before you begin creating a freehand sketch, you
must set the length, or increment, of each segment. The smaller the segments, the
more accurate your sketch, but segments that are too small can greatly increase the
file size.
Point along the infinite line (A) and the direction (B).
Reference entity (A) and angle in relation to entity (B).
A
B
A
B
102 C H A P T E R 4
After you specify the length of the sketch segments, the crosshairs change to a Pencil
tool. Your freehand sketch is not added to the drawing until you write the sketch
into your drawing. This means that you temporarily save the segment that youve
drawn and the segment length, and you can continue sketching.
To create a freehand sketch
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Freehand.
Type freehand and then press Enter.
2 Specify the length of the sketch segments.
3 Click the mouse button to place the Pencil tool ( ) on the drawing to begin
sketching.
4 Move the pencil image to draw a temporary freehand sketch.
5 Click the mouse button to lift the pencil up to stop sketching.
6 In the prompt box, choose Write, Then Resume to write the temporary freehand
sketch into the drawing.
7 Click the mouse button to put the pencil down again and resume sketching.
8 Click the mouse button again to lift the pencil up to stop sketching.
9 In the prompt box, choose Done to write the temporary freehand sketch into the
drawing and end the command.
Erasing freehand sketch lines
You can erase temporary freehand sketch lines that have not yet been written into the
drawing by choosing the Delete On option in the prompt box. The pencil changes to
an Eraser tool. You can erase portions of the line when you move the eraser over a
temporary freehand line without clicking the mouse button.
To erase freehand sketch lines
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Freehand.
Type freehand and then press Enter.
2 Specify the length of the sketch segments.
3 Select a point on the drawing to display the Pencil tool and begin sketching.
4 Click the mouse button to lift the pencil up to stop sketching.
A freehand sketch consists of individual line entities or a polyline.
C R E A T I N G S I M P L E E N T I T I E S 103
5 In the prompt box, choose Delete On.
6 Move the Eraser tool ( ) to the beginning or end of the freehand sketch line that
you drew, and then move it as far along the line as you want to erase.
7 Click the mouse button to put the Pencil tool down to resume sketching.
Setting the sketch method and accuracy
Using polylines for freehand sketches makes it easier to go back and edit sketches.
You control whether to create freehand sketches using line segments or polylines in
the Drawing Settings dialog box. You can also control the length of sketch segments
in this dialog box.
To specify lines or polylines when sketching
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Choose the Entity Creation tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, click Freehand Sketches.
4 Under Freehand Sketching Methods, click either Freehand Command Creates
Lines or Freehand Command Creates A Polyline.
5 Click OK.
A Select the sketch method. B Specify the default length of sketch segments.
A
B
104 C H A P T E R 4
5
Creating complex entities
With AViCAD

, complex entities include polylines (including rectangles and poly-

gons), spline curves, donuts, and planes. In addition, AViCAD includes tools for add-
ing hatching to your drawings.
This chapter explains how to create complex entities using the different ways that you
can start the drawing command for each, including how to:
Use menu commands on the Draw menu.
Use the tools on the Draw toolbar.
Type commands in the command bar.
When you type a drawing command or select a tool, the program prompts you to
enter coordinate points, such as endpoints or insertion points. As you draw, the pro-
gram displays a context-sensitive prompt box with appropriate additional options for
the type of entity you are drawing.
After you create complex entities, you can modify them using the entity-modification
tools. Several of these entity types require special editing commands.
Topics in this chapter
Drawing rectangles........................................................................................... 106
Drawing polygons ............................................................................................. 107
Drawing polylines.............................................................................................. 109
Drawing double line .......................................................................................... 111
Drawing splines ................................................................................................ 113
Drawing donuts................................................................................................. 115
Creating planes................................................................................................. 116
Drawing wipeouts ............................................................................................. 118
Creating boundary polylines............................................................................. 120
Adding hatching................................................................................................ 123
106 C H A P T E R 5
Drawing rectangles
With AViCAD, rectangles are closed polylines with four sides. You draw a rectangle
by specifying its opposite corners. The rectangle is normally aligned parallel to the
current snap and grid alignment, but you can use the Rotated option to align the rect-
angle to any angle.
To draw a rectangle
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Rectangle.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Rectangle tool ( ).
Type rectangle and then press Enter.
2 Specify one corner of the rectangle.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the rectangle.
You can edit each side of a rectangle individually using the Edit Polyline tool in the
Modify > Object menu. You can convert the sides into individual line entities using
the Explode tool ( ) on the Modify toolbar. You can control whether wide rectan-
gle lines are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill tool in the Format menu.
You can also use the Rectangle tool to draw a square. Instead of specifying the oppo-
site corners, you specify the length of one side and the alignment of the square.
To draw a square
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Rectangle.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Rectangle tool ( ).
Type rectangle and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Square.
3 Specify one corner of the square.
4 Specify the length of one side of the square by selecting its other end.
The point you specify determines both the size and alignment of the square.
Opposite corners (A and B). Resulting rectangle.
A
B
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 107

NOTE To control the width of the rectangle line, choose the Width Of Line option in
the prompt box. After you change the width of the line, the new width setting remains
in effect for subsequent rectangles until you change it again.
Drawing polygons
Polygons are closed polylines composed of a minimum of three and a maximum of
1,024 equal-length sides. The default method for drawing a polygon is to specify the
center of the polygon and the distance from the center to each vertex. You can draw a
polygon using any of the following methods:
Center - Vertex ( ) on the Draw toolbar
Center - Side ( ) on the Draw toolbar
Edge ( ) on the Draw toolbar
The vertex polygon drawing method creates an equal-sided polygon defined by its
center point and the distance to its vertices. You specify the number of sides, the cen-
ter point, and the location of one vertex, which determines both the size and orienta-
tion of the polygon.
To draw a polygon by vertex
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Polygon.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Polygon, Center-Vertex tool ( ).
Type polygon and then press Enter.
2 Type 5 to specify five sides for the polygon.
3 Specify the center of the polygon.
4 Specify the vertex of the polygon.
Endpoints of one side of the square (A and B). Resulting square.
A
B
108 C H A P T E R 5

Drawing polygons by side
The side polygon drawing method creates an equal-sided polygon defined by its cen-
ter point and the distance to the midpoint of a side. You specify the number of sides,
the center point, and the location of the midpoint of one side, which determines both
the size and orientation of the polygon.
To draw a polygon by side
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Polygon.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Polygon, Center-Side tool ( ).
Type polygon and then press Enter.
2 Type 3 to specify three sides for the polygon.
3 Specify the center of the polygon.
4 In the prompt box, choose Specify By Side, and then press Enter.
5 Specify the midpoint of the side.

You can edit each side of a polygon individually using the Edit Polyline tool in the
Modify > Object menu. You can convert the sides into individual line entities using
the Explode tool ( ) on the Modify toolbar. You can control whether wide polygon
lines are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill tool in the Format menu.
The center (A) and vertex (B). Resulting polygon.
The center (A) and midpoint of one side (B). Resulting polygon.
A
B
A
B
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 109
Drawing polylines
With AViCAD, a polyline is a connected sequence of arcs and lines that is treated as
a single entity. You can draw a polyline with any linetype and using a width that
either remains constant or tapers over the length of any segment. When editing a
polyline, you can modify the entire polyline or change individual segments.
After you specify the start point of a polyline, a prompt box provides several options
as you draw, such as Distance, Halfwidth, and Width. You can specify different start-
ing and ending widths to create a tapered polyline segment.
After you draw at least one polyline segment, you can use the Undo tool ( ) to
remove the previous segment. After you draw two or more polyline segments, you
can use the Close option to complete the command by drawing a segment that ends at
the start point of the first polyline segment you drew. Choose Done to complete the
command without closing the polyline.
To draw a polyline with straight segments
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Polyline.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Polyline tool ( ).
Type polyline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the endpoint of each segment.
4 To complete the command, choose Close or Done.
Curved polyline with tapered width. Polyline with straight
segments.
Closed polyline.
Polyline start point (A) and segment endpoints (B).
A
B
B
B
B
110 C H A P T E R 5
With the Draw Arcs option, you can continually draw arc segments until you select
the Draw Lines option to go back to drawing line segments. When you draw arc seg-
ments, the first point of the arc is the endpoint of the previous segment. By default,
you draw arc segments by specifying the endpoint of each segment. Each successive
arc segment is drawn tangent to the previous arc or line segment. If you choose Close
while in the Draw Arcs option, the closing segment is created as an arc.
You can also specify the arc using any of the following methods:
Start point, included angle, center point
Start point, included angle, radius
Start point, center point, endpoint
Start point, included angle, endpoint
Start point, center point, included angle
Start point, center point, chord length
Start point, direction, endpoint
Start point, radius, included angle
Start point, second point, endpoint
To draw a line segment followed by an arc polyline segment
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Polyline.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Polyline tool ( ).
Type polyline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the endpoint.
4 In the prompt box, choose Draw Arcs.
5 Specify the endpoint of the arc segment.
6 To complete the command, choose Done.
You can edit entire polylines and individual segments using the Edit Polyline tool in
the Modify > Object menu. You can convert polylines into arc and line entities using
the Explode tool ( ) on the Modify toolbar. You can control whether wide
polylines are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill tool in the Format menu.
Polyline start point (A), line endpoint/arc start point (B), and arc endpoint (C).
A
B
C
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 111
Drawing double line
A double line is made from two parallel lines, which consist of linear segments con-
nected together. The end of the current segment is the start of the next segment. Ends
of segments are the vertices of the multiline.
To draw a double line
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Dline.
Type dline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the width of the trace.
3 Specify the start point.
4 Specify additional vertices.
5 After specifying the last endpoint, choose Done or press Enter.
Drawing traces
With the Trace command, you can draw a two-dimensional solid line of specified
width.
To draw a trace
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Trace.
Type trace and then press Enter.
2 Specify the width of the trace.
3 Specify the start point.
4 Specify additional vertices.
5 After specifying the last endpoint, choose Done or press Enter.
Drawing a revision clouds
The revision cloud consists of a series of consecutive arcs of a polyline. It is used to
draw attention to certain parts of a drawing during its revision.
112 C H A P T E R 5
Revising your drawings it is possible to use the Revision cloud command to mark out
your revisions. REVCLOUD creates a polyline of consecutive arcs making up an
object in a cloud shape.
It is possible to set arc length values for a revision cloud. REVCLOUD stores the last
used arc length.
To create a Revision cloud
1 Do one of the following:
Select Draw > Revision cloud.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Revision cloud icon.
Type revcloud and then press Enter.
2 Drag the crosshairs along the path of a cloud.
3 When the start and end lines meet, the following prompt will appear: Cloud fin-
ished. As a result we get a polyline object.
Arc Length
The Arc length option allows to specify arcs length in a revision cloud.
To modify arcs length of a revision cloud
At the prompt: Arc length/<Pick cloud starting point>: type a and enter a new arc
length
To create a revision cloud
1 Do one of the following:
Select Draw > Revision cloud.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Revision cloud icon.
Type revcloud and then press Enter.
2 Specify a new arc length or the start point of the revision cloud. The default arc
length is automatically set according to the drawing units.
3 Drag the crosshairs to draw a cloud.
4 Left click of the mouse at any time interrupts drawing of a revision cloud. Return
to the start point to close the revision cloud.
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 113
Drawing splines
A spline is a smooth curve defined by a set of points. You can use splines to create
sculptured shapes such as the cross section of a turbine blade or an airplane wing.
To draw a spline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Spline.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Spline tool ( ).
Type spline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point of the spline.
3 Specify the second point of the spline.
4 Specify as many more points as you want.
5 When you have finished, press Enter.
You can add tangents to the spline, which are lines that give it shape.
To add tangents to a spline
1 Specify the starting tangent point.
2 Specify the ending tangent point.
Specifying fit tolerance
By default, a spline passes through all of the control points. When you draw a spline,
you can change this by specifying the fit tolerance. The fit tolerance value determines
how closely the spline fits the set of points you specify. For example, a spline fit tol-
erance value of 0 causes the spline to pass through the control points. A value of 0.01
creates a spline that passes through the start and endpoints and within 0.01 units of
the intermediate control points.
Spline. Spline with starting tangent point (A) and ending tangent
point (B).
A B
114 C H A P T E R 5
To specify the fit tolerance
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Spline.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Spline tool ( ).
Type spline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point of the spline.
3 Specify the second point of the spline.
4 In the prompt box, choose Fit Tolerance.
5 To accept the default of 0.0000, press Enter.
To specify a different fit tolerance, type the number, and then press Enter.
6 Specify the additional points you need to draw a spline or a closed spline.
Drawing a closed spline
You can draw a closed spline, which is a spline for which the start point and endpoint
are the same. Because the spline is closed, you specify only one tangent.
To draw a closed spline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Spline.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Spline tool ( ).
Type spline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point of the spline.
3 Specify the second point of the spline.
4 Specify as many more points as you want.
5 When you have finished, in the prompt box, choose Close.
6 To complete the command, specify the tangent point.
The start point and endpoint (A) of a closed spline.
A
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 115
Drawing donuts
Donuts are solid, filled circles or rings created as closed, wide polylines. You can
draw a donut using one of several methods. The default method is to specify the
inside and outside diameters of the donut, and then specify its center. You can then
create multiple copies of the same donut by specifying different center points until
you press Enter to complete the command.
To draw a donut
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Donut.
Type donut and then press Enter.
2 Specify the inside diameter of the donut.
3 Specify the outside diameter of the donut.
4 Specify the center of the donut.
5 Specify the center point to draw another donut, or choose Done to complete the
command.
The prompt box provides additional options for drawing donuts. For example, you
can specify the width of the donut and two points on the diameter of the donut, or you
can specify the width and three points on the donut. You can also draw a donut tan-
gent to existing entities.
NOTE A donut can be a completely filled circle by specifying an inside diameter of
zero.
Inside diameter (A) and outside diameter (B).
A
B
116 C H A P T E R 5
To draw a donut tangent to existing entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Donut.
Type donut and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Radius Tangent Tangent.
3 Specify the width of the donut.
4 Specify the diameter of the donut.
5 Select the first tangent entity to which to draw the donut.
6 Select the second tangent entity to which to draw the donut.
You can edit donuts using the Edit Polyline tool in the Modify > Object menu. You
can convert donuts into arc entities using the Explode tool ( ) on the Modify
toolbar. You can control whether donuts are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill
tool in the Format menu.
NOTE You can control the default outside and inside diameter of donuts by choosing
Tools > Drawing Settings, and then clicking the Entity Creation tab and choosing the
options you want.
Creating planes
With the Plane tool, you can draw rectangular, triangular, or quadrilateral areas filled
with a solid color. The default method is to specify the corners of the plane. After you
specify the first two corners, the plane is displayed as you specify the remaining cor-
ners. Specify corner points in a triangular manner. The program prompts you for the
third point and then the fourth point. If you continue specifying points, the third- and
fourth-point prompts toggle until you press Enter to complete the command.
Creating planes in AViCAD is similar to the Solid command in AutoCAD.
Width (A) and diameter (B) of the donut and tangent entities (C).
A
B
C
C
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 117
To draw a quadrilateral plane
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Plane.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the 2D Solid tool ( ).
Type plane and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point.
3 Specify the second point.
4 Specify the third point.
5 Specify the fourth point.
6 To complete the command, press Enter.
The prompt box provides additional options for drawing planes. For example, you
can draw rectangular, square, or triangular planes.
To draw a rectangular plane
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Plane.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the 2D Solid tool ( ).
Type plane and then press Enter.
2 Choose Rectangle.
3 Specify the first point.
4 Specify the opposite corner.
5 Specify the rotation angle.
6 To complete the command, specify the opposite corner to draw another rectangle,
or press Enter.
After you select the first two points (A) and (B), the sequence in which you select the third (C)
and fourth (D) points determines the shape of the resulting quadrilateral plane.
B
A
D
C
B
A D
C
118 C H A P T E R 5
You can control whether planes are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill tool in
the Format menu. You can convert planes into individual line entities corresponding
to the outline of the plane using the Explode tool ( ) on the Modify toolbar.
Drawing wipeouts
Wipeouts are unique entities that can help you hide areas of your drawing. They dis-
play with the current background color, so the details behind the wipeout do not dis-
play or print.
Wipeouts are similar to other entities you can copy, mirror, array, erase, rotate,
and scale them, and they can be used in both model space and paper space.
If you want to print the wipeout entities located in a drawing, you must print to a ras-
ter-capable printer. Note that in some cases you may have unexpected results when
printing drawings that contain wipeout entities, for example, if printing on colored
paper.
NOTE If your version of AViCAD does not include raster image capability (that is,
does not include an Image menu), wipeout entities display, but the details behind the
wipeouts also display.
Drawing wipeouts using polygons and polylines
Wipeouts are created using existing polygons, closed zero-width polylines made up
of only line segments, or new polylines that you draw while using the Wipeout com-
mand.
To draw a wipeout
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Wipeout.
Type wipeout and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the endpoint of each segment.
4 After specifying the last endpoint, choose Done or press Enter.
Opposite corners (A and B) and rotation angle (C). Resulting plane.
A B
C
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 119
To create a wipeout using an existing polygon or polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Wipeout.
Type wipeout and then press Enter.
2 Choose Polyline.
3 Select the closed polyline to use for the wipeout.
4 Choose one of the following:
Yes Creates the wipeout and deletes the polyline used to create the wipeout.
No Creates the wipeout and keeps the polyline used to create the wipeout.
Turning wipeout frames on or off
Each wipeout has a frame along its boundary. Wipeout frames can be turned on or off
for any drawing. When wipeout frames are on, you can select and modify wipeouts.
You may want to turn off wipeout frames when its time to print.
To turn wipeout frames on or off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Wipeout.
Type wipeout and then press Enter.
2 Choose Frames.
3 Choose On or Off.
Drawing without wipeout. Drawing with wipeout.
120 C H A P T E R 5
Creating boundary polylines
With the Boundary command, you can designate a specific area of a drawing for
operations such as hatching and dimensioning. You create a boundary polyline by
selecting an area inside a closed loop. The area you select can be bounded by a single
closed entity or by multiple entities that intersect.
In cases where entities intersect, AViCAD interprets the boundary as the closed loop
closest to the point specifying the area. In the following figure, for example, the area
point selected in the rectangle results in a boundary consisting of the closed loop
nearest the point selection, as opposed to the closed loop formed by the rectangle
itself.
To make boundaries more specific, you can create a boundary set. A boundary set
specifies which entities are considered in determining the boundary path. This can
make creating the boundary polyline faster if you are working with a complex draw-
ing.
In the following figure, the circle and triangle are the selected entities. If you select an
area anywhere inside the circle or the triangle, the result is a polyline that bounds the
shaded area.
Wipeout frames turned on. Wipeout frames turned off.
Selected point (A). Resulting boundary (B).
A
B
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 121
Using islands and island detection
Islands are closed loops that reside inside other closed loops. AViCAD provides
island-detection options so that you can specify which islands, if any, should be con-
sidered in the area selection for a boundary.
The following figure shows a rectangular polyline with two islands. The circle is
referred to as the outer island, and the octagon is referred to as a nested island.
You can choose from two island-detection methods.
Nested Islands The outer entity and all its islands are considered for the polyline.
Ignore Islands Only the outer entity is considered for the polyline.
Selected entities (A and B). Point specified in the selected area (C),
which results in a new boundary
around the shaded area.
Rectangular polyline (A) with outer island (B), with point (C) specifying the area selection, and nested island
(D).
A
B
C
A
B
C
D
122 C H A P T E R 5
To draw a boundary polyline
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Boundary.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Boundary Polyline tool ( ).
Type boundary and then press Enter.
2 Specify the entities that you want made available for the boundary polyline by
doing one of the following:
Current viewport Select All Visible Entities to have all entities in the drawing
considered when creating the boundary polyline.
Existing set Define only specific areas to be considered when creating the
boundary polyline, which can improve system performance if you are working
with a complex drawing. Click Select Boundary Set. In the drawing, select the
entities individually or by choosing a selection method from the prompt box,
and then press Enter. The Current Selection Set option becomes selected
automatically, which indicates that the entities you selected with the Select
Boundary Set button will be considered when creating the boundary polyline.
NOTE You can alternate between All Visible Entities and Current Selection Set
without having to select entities again using the Boundary Set button. The Cur-
rent Selection Set option uses the last set of entities you selected with the Select
Boundary Set button.
3 Choose an island-detection option.
4 Click Add: Pick points.
5 In the drawing, click inside the area whose closed perimeter forms the boundary,
not on the polyline itself. If desired, continue clicking inside additional closed
perimeters.
Nested islands (A) and with ignore islands (B).
A B
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 123
6 To complete the selection, press Enter.
7 In the Boundary dialog box, click OK.
Adding hatching
When you add hatching to a drawing, AViCAD fills entities or enclosed areas with a
pattern. You can choose a predefined hatch pattern, or you can create your own hatch
pattern.
First you specify the hatch pattern and other options, and then you choose which enti-
ties or enclosed areas that you want to hatch.
NOTE Hatch patterns are memory intensive and can take a considerable amount of
time to draw and display. To improve performance, add hatching as one of the last
steps when you create a drawing, or insert hatches on a separate layer that you can
freeze as you continue to work on your drawing.
A Opens the drawing area for selection of the
enclosed areas used to create new boundary
polylines.
B Choose to consider all visible entities when
creating the boundary polyline.
C Choose to use the entities you selected for the
boundary set. (Becomes available after you click
the Select Boundary Set button.)
D Opens the drawing area for selection of entities
to be considered when creating the boundary
polyline.
D
B
C
A
124 C H A P T E R 5
To open the Boundary Hatch dialog box
Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Hatch.
Choose Draw > Gradient
On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool ( ).
On the Draw toolbar, click the Gradient tool ( )
Type bhatch and then press Enter.
Specifying a hatch pattern
A hatch pattern consists of a repeating pattern of lines, dashes, and dots. You can
select a hatch pattern from a set of predefined patterns, or you can define a pattern of
your own. The hatch pattern you used most recently is the default pattern the next
time you add hatching.
The program supplies predefined standard hatch patterns, which are stored in the
icad.pat and icadiso.pat hatch pattern library files. You can use other external hatch
pattern libraries, such as an office standard library, customized patterns, and libraries
available from vendors or standards organizations.
NOTE The icad.pat hatch pattern library files are ANSI (American National Stan-
dards Institute)-compliant patterns; the icadiso.pat hatch pattern library files are ISO
(International Standards Organization)-compliant.
To specify a predefined hatch pattern
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Hatch.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool ( ).
Type bhatch and then press Enter.
2 In Type list, click Predefined.
With Predefined, you can apply a scale factor to make the pattern larger or smaller
than the default size.
3 For Scale, enter the scale factor as a percentage of the default.
4 For Angle, enter the angle of the pattern in degrees (1-360).
The default angle is clockwise; you can change the angle of any hatch pattern by
entering a numerical value.
5 For ISO Pen Width, enter the pen width.
If you choose a predefined, ISO standard pattern, you can scale the pattern based
on the ISO pen width.
6 For the hatch origin choose an option:
Use source hatch origin: use the current ucs origin.
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 125
Specified origin: allows you to choose a new origin. You can click on the
desired origin or choose an option from Default to boundary extens. You can
also save the new origin selecting the option Store as default origin.
7 To copy the pattern properties from an existing hatch, choose Inherit properties
and select the hatch. If necessary, choose also a Draw order option.
8 To associate the hatch pattern to its boundary entities, select the Associative check
box. An associative hatch updates automatically if you move any of its bound-
aries.
9 To continue, add a hatch by doing one of the following:
Select the entities you want to add a hatch. For details, see Selecting entities
for hatching on page 128 in this chapter. Begin with step 2.
Select an area or boundary you want to add a hatch. For details, see Selecting
areas for hatching on page 129 in this chapter. Begin with step 2.
To specify a user-defined hatch pattern
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Hatch.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool ( ).
Type bhatch and then press Enter.
2 In the Type list, click User Defined.
3 For Spacing, enter the line spacing for the pattern.
4 To crosshatch the pattern, select Double check box. Cross-hatching imposes a
copy of the specified user-defined pattern at a 90-degree angle over the first pat-
tern you defined.
5 To copy the pattern properties from an existing hatch, choose Inherit Properties,
select a hatch pattern from a hatched entity in the drawing. You can also choose if
copy the current origin or leave the source hatch origin.
6 To associate the hatch pattern to its boundary entities, select the Associative check
box. An associative hatch updates automatically if you move any of its bound-
aries.
7 To continue, add a hatch by doing one of the following:
Select the entities you want to add a hatch. For details, see Selecting entities
for hatching on page 128 in this chapter. Begin with step 2.
Select an area or boundary you want to add a hatch. For details, see Selecting
areas for hatching on page 129 in this chapter. Begin with step 2.
126 C H A P T E R 5

A Determines how the hatch will be defined.
B Determines density of hatching for Predefined
hatch patterns.
C Sets angle of hatch in relation to entity (User
Defined only).
D Imposes another copyof the specified pattern at
a 90-degree angle over the first.
E Determines density of hatching for User Defined
hatch patterns.
F Sets pen width for ISO-standard pattern.
G Sets the current ucs origin.
H allows you to choose a new origin.
I Select to update the hatch automatically if you
move any of its boundaries.
J Select to copy an existing hatch pattern
properties.
A
B
C
E
F
D
J
I
G
H
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 127
To use a predefined library pattern
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Hatch.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool ( ).
Type bhatch and then press Enter.
2 From the Pattern item click on Select Pattern icon.
3 For Hatch File, select the icad.pat or icadiso.pat hatch pattern library file.
4 To select a predefined pattern, do one of the following:
In the Patterns list, click the pattern name.
Click the graphical representation of the hatch pattern.
5 To continue, add a hatch by doing one of the following:
Select the entities you want to add hatching. For details, see Selecting entities
for hatching on page 128 in this chapter. Begin with step 2.
Select an area or boundary you want to add hatching. For details, see Selecting
areas for hatching on page 129 in this chapter. Begin with step 2
NOTE Hatch patterns are memory intensive and can take a considerable amount of
time to draw and display. To improve performance, add hatching as one of the last
steps when you create a drawing, or insert hatches on a separate layer that you can
freeze as you continue to work on your drawing.
A Hatch pattern library files.
B Hatch patterns listed by name.
C Hatch patterns shown graphically.
A
B
C
128 C H A P T E R 5
Selecting entities for hatching
You can add hatching to any entity that forms a closed boundary, for example, a cir-
cle or rectangle. You can assign hatching to a single entity or several entities at the
same time.
To select entities for hatching
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Hatch.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool ( ).
Type bhatch and then press Enter.
2 From the Boundary Hatch dialog box, click the Boundary tab.
3 Under Island Detection Options, choose one of the following:
Nested Islands The outer entity and all its islands are considered for hatching.
Outer Only Only the outer entity and its outer island are considered for hatching.
Ignore Islands Only the outer entity is considered for hatching.
4 To keep any new entities that are created for drawing the boundary hatch, select
the Retain Boundaries check box. Existing entities are always retained.
5 Click Add: Select objects.
6 In the drawing, click the entities to be hatched individually or by choosing a selec-
tion method from the prompt box, and then press Enter when done.
7 In the Boundary Hatch dialog box, click OK.
Nested islands (A), with outer island (B), and with ignore islands (C).
A B C
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 129
Selecting areas for hatching
You can add hatching to an area enclosed by selected entities to form the hatch
boundary. The hatch is formed in the enclosed area, not the entities themselves.
After AViCAD draws the hatch, the entire hatch is treated as a single entity and it is
either associative or independent of the hatch boundary entities.
A Opens the drawing area for selection of entities
to be hatched.
B Determines how hatching interacts with islands.
C Mark the check box to keep any new entities that
are created to draw the boundary hatch. Existing
entities are always retained.
D (Display only) Indicates the boundary is created
as a polyline.
E Choose to consider all visible entities when
creating the boundary hatch.
E
C
A
D
B
130 C H A P T E R 5
To select an area for hatching
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Hatch.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool ( ).
Type bhatch and then press Enter.
2 From the Boundary Hatch dialog box, see Island Detection and choose an option:
Nested Islands The outer entity and all its islands are considered for hatching.
Outer Only Only the outer entity and its outer island are considered for hatching.
Ignore Islands Only the outer entity is considered for hatching.
3 To keep any new entities that are created for drawing the boundary hatch, select
the Retain Boundaries check box. Existing entities are always retained.
4 Specify the entities that you want made available for boundary hatching by doing
one of the following:
Current viewport Select All Visible Entities to have all entities in the drawing
considered when creating the boundary hatch.
Existing Set: Define only specific areas to be considered when creating the
boundary hatch, which can improve system performance if you are working
with a complex drawing.
NOTE You can alternate between All Visible Entities and Current Selection Set
without having to select entities again using the Select Boundary Set button. The Cur-
rent Selection Set option uses the last set of entities you selected with the Select
Boundary Set button.
5 At Boundary item click Add: pick points.
6 In the drawing, click inside the closed perimeter of a boundary, not on the bound-
ary itself. If desired, continue clicking inside additional closed perimeters.
7 To complete the selection, press Enter.
8 In the Boundary Hatch dialog box, click OK.
Nested islands (A), with outer island (B), and with ignore islands (C).
A B C
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 131
A Opens the drawing area for selection of enclosed
areas to be hatched.
B Determines how hatching interacts with islands.
C Mark the check box to keep any new entities that
are created to draw the boundary hatch. Existing
entities are always retained.
D (Display only) Indicates the boundary is created
as a polyline
E Choose to consider all visible entities when
creating the boundary hatch.
B
E
C
D
A
132 C H A P T E R 5
Gradient hatch
A gradient is a solid hatch that allows to apply a gradient color to a surface
A Show the chosen color.
B Set the shade.
C Show a preview of the gradinet hatch.
D Set the color orientation.
C
A
D
B
C R E A T I N G C O M P L E X E N T I T I E S 133
To use a gradient hatch
1 Do one of the following:
Select Draw > Gradient.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Gradient tool ( ).
Type batch and then press Enter. In the Boundary hatch window select the
Gradient tab.
2 Choose one or two colors to use and select a gradient type.
3 To associate the hatch pattern to its boundary entities, select the Associative check
box. An associative hatch updates automatically if you move any of its bound-
aries. If necessary, choose also a Draw Order option
A Show the first chosen color.
B Show the second chosen color.
C Show a preview of the gradinet hatch.
D Set the color orientation.
C
A B
D
134 C H A P T E R 5
4 To copy the pattern properties from an existing hatch, choose Inherit Properties,
select the hatch pattern from the hatched entity in the drawing. You can also
choose if copy the current origin or leave the source hatch origin.
5 Specify the entities that you want to make available for boundary hatching by
doing one of the following.
Current viewport: to have all entities in the drawing considered when creating
the boundary hatch.
Existing Set: defines only specific areas to be considered when creating the
boundary hatch, which can improve system performance if you are working
with a complex drawing. Click Select Boundary Set. In the drawing, select the
entities individually or by choosing a selection method from the prompt box,
and then press Enter. The Current Selection Set option becomes selected
automatically, which indicates that the entities you selected with the Select
Boundary Set button will be considered when creating the boundary hatch.
6 In the Boundaries section click Add: Pick points.
7 In the drawing click inside the closed perimeter of a boundary, not on the bound-
ary itself. If desired, continue clicking inside additional closed perimeters.
8 To complete the selection, press Enter.
9 In the Boundary Hatch dialog box, click OK.
To modify a gradient hatch
1 Double click on the hatch to modify.
6
Viewing your drawing
AViCAD

provides many ways to display and view your drawing. You can also
change various display settings to speed up the display or printing of a drawing. This
chapter explains how to:
Navigate within a drawing by scrolling and panning.
Change the magnification of a drawing by zooming in and out.
Work with multiple windows or views of a drawing.
Control the display of elements to optimize performance when working with large
or complex drawings.
Topics in this chapter
Redrawing and regenerating a drawing............................................................ 136
Moving around within a drawing ....................................................................... 136
Changing the magnification of your drawing...............................................139
Displaying multiple views.................................................................................. 144
Controlling visual elements............................................................................... 148
136 C H A P T E R 6
Redrawing and regenerating a drawing
As you work on a drawing, visual elements may remain after the completion of a
command. You can remove these elements by refreshing, or redrawing, the display.
To redraw (refresh) the current window display
Do one of the following:
Choose View > Redraw.
Type redraw and then press Enter.
Information about drawing entities is stored in a database as floating point values,
ensuring a high level of precision. Sometimes a drawing must be recalculated, or
regenerated, from the floating-point database to convert those values to the appropri-
ate screen coordinates. This occurs automatically. You can also manually initiate a
regeneration. When the drawing is regenerated, it is also redrawn.
To regenerate the current window, type regen in the command bar. If more than one
window is displayed, type regenall to regenerate all the windows.
Moving around within a drawing
You can move the view of a drawing displayed in the current viewport by scrolling,
panning, or rotating the view. Doing this changes the portion of the drawing you are
viewing without changing the current magnification. Scrolling lets you move around
in the drawing horizontally and vertically. Panning lets you move the drawing in any
direction. Rotating lets you view your drawing from any angle.
NOTE You can also move to a different view using the Model and Layout tabs. For
more details, see Viewing drawings in paper space and model space on page 391.
Using scroll bars
To assist you in navigating within a drawing, horizontal and vertical scroll bars are
available in each drawing window. The size of the scroll box in relation to the scroll
bar indicates the current level of drawing magnification. The position of the scroll
box in relation to the scroll bar indicates the location of the center of the drawing in
relation to the extents of the drawing (the smallest rectangle containing all the entities
in the drawing).
To turn scroll bars on or off
Do one of the following:
Choose View > Display > Scroll Bars.
V I E W I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 137
Choose Tools > Options > Display tab, and select Show Scroll Bars.
Type scrollbar, press Enter, and then select On, Off, or Toggle.
Using the Pan command
You can move the drawing in any direction using the Pan Realtime tool ( ) on the
Standard toolbar. Panning shifts or slides the view of the drawing horizontally, verti-
cally, or diagonally. The magnification of the drawing remains the same, as does its
orientation in space. The only change is the portion of the drawing displayed.
To pan, you can use any of the following methods:
For precise panning, specify two points defining the magnitude and direction of
the pan. The first point, or base point, indicates the starting point of the pan. The
second point indicates the amount of pan displacement relative to the first point.
To pan in real time, press Ctrl + Shift and use the right mouse button, or use the
Real-Time Pan tool ( ) on the Standard toolbar.
If you have a mouse with a wheel, press and hold the wheel, and then move the
mouse.
To pan by specifying two points
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Pan > Point.
Type pan and then press Enter.
2 Specify the pan base point either by typing the coordinates or by specifying a
point in the drawing window.
3 Specify the pan displacement point either by typing the coordinates or by specify-
ing a point in the drawing window.

Select the pan base point (A), and then select a
second point (B) to specify the pan displacement.
Result.
A
B
138 C H A P T E R 6
To pan in real time
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Pan > Real-Time Pan.
On the Standard or 3D Orbit toolbar, click the Real-Time Pan tool ( ).
Type rtpan and then press Enter.
2 Click and hold the left mouse button.
3 Move the cursor in the direction you want to pan.
4 To stop panning, release the mouse button.
TIP Hold down the right mouse button while simultaneously pressing and holding
Ctrl + Shift to pan in real-time.
NOTE If you are working with a large drawing file, it may be helpful to set the
RTSKIPCOUNT system variable to a higher number to reduce the number of entities
that display. For example, if the value is set to 10, only the 10th entity will display
when panning and rotating in real-time.
To pan using a mouse with a wheel
Press and hold the wheel, and then move the mouse in the direction you want to
pan. (The MBUTTONPAN system variable controls this feature.)
Rotating the view in real time
AViCAD allows you to rotate your view of a drawing in real time. This allows you to
view your model from any angle while in model space. You cannot rotate the view
while in paper space.
If desired, you can continue the view rotation after you release your mouse. Choose
Tools > Options to enable continuous motion. For more information, see Changing
the options on the Display tab on page 589.
V I E W I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 139
To rotate the view in real time
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3d orbit > Real-Time Sphere.
On the 3D Orbit toolbar, click the Real-Time Sphere tool ( ).
Type rtrot and then press Enter.
Press and hold Ctrl.
2 Click and drag the left mouse button. The view rotates according to the movement
of your mouse.
3 To stop rotating, release the mouse button.
4 If the view continues to rotate, press Enter or right-click the drawing when fin-
ished.
TIP You can use the Real-Time X, Real-Time Y, and Real-Time Z commands to lock
the rotation in the corresponding axis. You can also press Ctrl and use the right
mouse button to rotate the view about the z-axis.
NOTE If you are working with a large drawing file, it may be helpful to set the
RTSKIPCOUNT system variable to a higher number to reduce the number of entities
that display. For example, if the value is set to 10, only the 10th entity will display
when panning and rotating in real-time.
Changing the magnification of your drawing
You can change the magnification of your drawing at any time by zooming. The
cursor changes to a magnifying glass ( ) when a zoom tool is active. Zoom out to
reduce the magnification so you can see more of the drawing, or zoom in to increase
the magnification so you can see a portion of the drawing in greater detail. Changing
the magnification of the drawing affects only the way the drawing is displayed; it has
no effect on the dimensions of the entities in your drawing.
NOTE If you are working in a layout viewport and cannot zoom, the layout viewport
may be locked. The scale and view do not change in model space while panning or
zooming in a locked layout viewport. For more details, see Modifying layout view-
ports on page 398.
140 C H A P T E R 6
Zooming in and out
One of the easiest ways to change the magnification of the drawing is to zoom in or
out by a preset increment. On the Zoom toolbar, the Zoom In tool ( )doubles the
current magnification of the drawing. The Zoom Out tool ( ) reduces the magnifi-
cation of the drawing by half. The portion of the drawing located at the center of the
current viewport remains centered on the screen as you zoom in and out.
Zooming methods
To zoom, you can use any of the following methods:
To define the portion of the drawing to zoom, create a window.
To zoom in real time, press Ctrl + Shift and use the left mouse button, or use the
Real-Time Zoom tool ( ) on the Standard or 3D Orbit toolbar.
If you have a mouse with a wheel, use the wheel button to zoom in and out.
To zoom in to an area using a window
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Zoom > Window.
On the Zoom or Standard toolbar, click the Zoom Window tool ( ).
Type zoom and then press Enter.
2 Select one corner of the window around the area you want to magnify.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the window around the area you want to magnify.
Zoom in. Zoom out.
V I E W I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 141
To zoom in real time
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Zoom > Real-Time Zoom.
On the Standard or 3D orbit toolbar, click the Zoom Real-Time tool ( ).
Type rtzoom and then press Enter.
Simultaneously press and hold Ctrl + Shift.
2 Click and hold the left mouse button.
3 To zoom in, move the cursor up the screen; to zoom out, move the cursor down the
screen.
4 To stop zooming, release the mouse button.
To zoom using a mouse with a wheel
Rotate the wheel away from you to zoom in or toward you to zoom out.
Each rotation of the wheel away from you zooms out .8 times; each rotation
toward you zooms in 1.25 times.
Displaying the previous view of a drawing
After you zoom in or pan to view a portion of your drawing in greater detail, you may
want to zoom back out to see the entire drawing. On the View > Zoom menu, the
Zoom Previous tool ( ) lets you restore the previous view. Selecting this tool
repeatedly steps back through up to 25 successive zoomed or panned views.
Zooming to a specific scale
You can increase or decrease the magnification of your view by a precise scale factor
measured relative to the overall size of the drawing or in relation to the current dis-
play. When you change the magnification factor, the portion of the drawing located at
the center of the current viewport remains centered on the screen.
To specify a rectangular window around the
area you want to magnify, select first one corner
(A), and then select the opposite corner (B).
Result.
A
B
142 C H A P T E R 6
To change the magnification of the view relative to the overall size of the drawing,
type a number representing the magnification scale factor. For example, if you type a
scale factor of 2, the drawing appears at twice its original size. If you type a magnifi-
cation factor of .5, the drawing appears at half its original size.
You can also change the magnification of the drawing relative to its current magnifi-
cation by adding an x after the magnification scale factor. For example, if you type a
scale factor of 2x, the drawing changes to twice its current size. If you type a magnifi-
cation factor of .5x, the drawing changes to half its current size.
To zoom to a specific scale relative to the current display
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Zoom > Zoom.
On the Zoom or Standard toolbar, click the Zoom Scale tool ( ).
Type zoom and then press Enter.
2 Type the scale factor, followed by an x (such as 2x).
3 Press Enter.
Combining zooming and panning
You can specify the point you want at the center of the view when you change the
drawing magnification. You can specify the point you want at the lower left of the view
when you change the magnification of the drawing with the Zoom Left tool in the
menu View > Zoom. With the exception of the Zoom Window tool, the other zoom
tools zoom in or out from the center of the current view.
To change the center of the current view
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Zoom > Center.
On the Zoom toolbar, click the Zoom Center tool ( ).
Type zoom, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose Center.
2 Select the point you want located at the center of the new view.
3 Specify the zoom scale factor or the height of the drawing in drawing units.
V I E W I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 143
Displaying the entire drawing
You can use the Zoom All tool ( ) on the Zoom toolbar to display an entire draw-
ing. If you have drawn any entities outside the defined limits of the drawing, the
extents of the drawing are displayed. If you drew all entities within the limits of the
drawing, the drawing is displayed all the way to the drawing limits.
The Zoom Extents tool ( ) on the Zoom toolbar displays the drawing to its extents,
making the image fill the display to the greatest possible magnification.
Aereal view
In a large drawing, you can pan and zoom quickly in a window that can display the
whole drawing.
You can use the Aerial View window to change the view in your current viewport
quickly. If you keep the Aerial View window open as you work, you can zoom and
pan without interrupting your current command. You can also specify a new view
without having to choose a menu option or enter a command.
Within the Aerial View window is a view box, a heavy rectangle that displays the
boundary of the view in your current viewport. You can change the view in the draw-
ing by changing the view box in the Aerial View window.
Current view showing the point to be centered in the new view (A), and the new view zoomed using a scale
factor of 2x.
Zooming extents. Zooming entire drawing.
A
144 C H A P T E R 6
To use aereal view
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Aereal view
Type dsviewer and then press Enter.
2 All pan and zoom operations are performed by left-clicking: to zoom in to the
drawing, make the view box smaller. To zoom out of the drawing, make the view
box larger.
3 Right-click to end a pan or zoom operation.
The command has the following options:
Auto Viewport: Displays the model space view of the current viewport automati-
cally when multiple viewports are displayed. When Auto Viewport is off, the Aerial
View window is not updated to match the current viewport.
Dynamic Update: Updates the Aerial View window while you edit the drawing.
When Dynamic Update is off, the Aerial View window is not updated until you click
in the Aerial View window.
Realtime Zoom: Updates the drawing area in real time when you zoom using the
Aerial View window.
Displaying multiple views
When you begin a new drawing, it is displayed in a single window. You can view the
drawing in a second window, or you can divide one window into multiple windows.
You can also open and display multiple drawings.
Working with multiple views of a single drawing
You can open and work with several views of the same drawing simultaneously.
There are two methods for dividing the current drawing into multiple views:
Open a new window of the open drawing.
Divide the current window into multiple views.
After you divide a single window into multiple windows, you can control each win-
dow separately. For example, you can zoom or pan in one window without affecting
the display in any of the other windows. You can control the grid, snap, and view ori-
entation separately for each window. You can restore named views in individual win-
dows, draw from one window to another, and name window configurations
individually so you can reuse them later.
As you draw, any changes you make in one window are immediately visible in the
others. You can switch from one window to another at any time, even in the middle of
a command, by clicking the windows title bar.
V I E W I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 145
Opening a new window of the same drawing
You can open additional windows to create more than one view of a drawing. To
open a new window, choose Window > New Window. After you open a new win-
dow, you can change its display without affecting any of the other windows.
When you open more than one window for a single drawing, each window is assigned
a unique number (for example, mydrawing:1, mydrawing:2, and so on). If your cur-
rent window is maximized, you can switch to another open window by selecting its
name from the bottom of the Window menu.
The names of other open drawings appear at the bottom of the Window menu. You
can also use the Cascade, Tile Horizontally, and Tile Vertically commands to arrange
all the open windows and drawings. To arrange all the windows and drawings into a
stack of identically sized windows, choose Window > Cascade. Arranging windows
and drawings in this way makes it easy to see the title bar for each window.
To arrange all the windows and drawings horizontally so they are placed in order
from top to bottom, choose Window > Tile Horizontally. Arranging windows and
drawings in this way displays each open window. The windows are resized to fit
within the available space.
To arrange all the windows and drawings vertically so they are placed side by side,
choose Window > Tile Vertically. Arranging windows and drawings in this way dis-
plays each open window. The windows are resized to fit within the available space.
AViCAD uses the commands in the following table to control its windows.
Dividing the current window into multiple views
You can divide a single drawing window into multiple tiled windows (called view-
ports) on the Model tab. You can control the number of windows created and the
arrangement of the windows. You can also save and restore named window configu-
rations and display a list of the current and saved window configurations.
AViCAD window-control commands
Command Result
vports Splits the current window into two, three, or four tiled windows.
wcascade Cascades (overlaps) all open windows.
wclose Closes the current window.
wcloseall Closes all windows; also closes all drawings.
whtile Tiles all windows horizontally.
wiarrange Arranges window icons.
wopen Opens another window of the current drawing.
wvtile Tiles all windows vertically.
146 C H A P T E R 6
To create multiple views
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Viewports > Viewports.
On the Viewports toolbar, click the Viewports tool ( ).
Type viewports and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Create 2 Viewports, Create 3 Viewports, or Create 4
Viewports.
3 In the prompt box, choose the viewport orientation.
To join two views
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Viewports > Viewports.
On the Viewports toolbar, click the Viewports tool ( ).
Type viewports and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Join.
3 Click anywhere inside the window you want to keep.
4 Click anywhere inside the adjacent window you want to join to the first window.
5 Press Enter.
Saving window configurations
If you have divided the drawing window into multiple views, you can save the current
window arrangement so that you can recall it to the screen later. The number and
placement of the windows are saved exactly as they are currently displayed. The set-
tings for each window are also saved.
To name and save a window configuration
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Viewports > Viewports.
On the Viewports toolbar, click the Viewports tool ( ).
Type viewports and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Save.
3 Type a configuration name, and then press Enter.
The name can contain letters, numbers, the dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and under-
score (_), or any combination.
V I E W I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 147
To restore a named window configuration
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Viewports > Viewports.
On the Viewports toolbar, click the Viewports tool ( ).
Type viewports and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Restore.
3 Type the name of the window configuration you want to restore.
Working with multiple drawings
With the multiple-document interface (MDI) feature, you can open more than one
drawing inside of AViCAD. Because you can open and work on several drawings at
one time, you can copy, cut, or paste an entity from one drawing to another.
Each drawing appears in a drawing window, which has the following advantages:
You can see two or more drawings side by side.
You can easily copy entities from one drawing to another.
Using the AViCAD Explorer, you can copy such elements as layers, linetypes,
and text styles from one drawing to another.
You can divide a drawing window into two windows arranged vertically (A) or horizontally (B); three windows
arranged left (C), right (D), above (E), below (F), vertically (G), or horizontally (H); or four tiled windows (I).
A B C
D E F
G H I
148 C H A P T E R 6
Like viewports on the Model tab, you can tile or overlap drawing windows; unlike
viewports on the Model tab, drawing windows maximize or reduce to an icon.
Each drawing window that you open and work on retains in the Prompt History log
all the commands that you perform, but the command line does not indicate when you
have switched windows.
If you move an entity from one window to another and then want to undo this action,
you must undo it in both drawings for it to take effect. If you copy an entity from one
window to another and then want to undo that action, you must undo it from the
drawing into which you copied the entity. If you cut and paste an entity and then want
to undo that action, you must undo it in both drawings.
Controlling visual elements
The number of entities in your drawing and the complexity of the drawing affect how
quickly AViCAD can process commands and display your drawing. You can
improve overall program performance by turning off the display of certain visual ele-
ments, such as solid fills and text, while you work on the drawing. When you are
ready to print your drawing, turn on the display of these elements so your drawing
prints the way you want.
One session of AViCAD with four drawings open.
V I E W I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 149
You can also improve performance by turning off entity-selection highlighting, turn-
ing off the display of marker blips created when you select locations in the drawing,
and by turning off the display of lineweights.
Turning Fill on and off
You can reduce the time it takes to display or print a drawing by turning off the dis-
play of solid fill. When Fill is turned off, all filled entities, such as wide polylines and
planes, display and print as outlines. When you turn Fill on or off, you must redraw
the drawing before the change is displayed.
To turn Fill on or off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Fill.
Type fill and then press Enter.
2 Choose View > Redraw.
Turning Quick Text on and off
Text entities require a considerable amount of time to display and print. You can
reduce the time it takes to display or print a drawing by enabling Quick Text. For
example, if youre doing a preliminary check plot of a drawing, you may want to turn
Quick Text on to speed up printing. When Quick Text is enabled, text entities are
replaced by rectangular boxes that indicate the outline of the area occupied by the
text. When you turn Quick Text on or off, you must regenerate the drawing before the
change is displayed.
Fill on. Fill off.
150 C H A P T E R 6
To turn Quick Text on and off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type qtext, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose On or Off.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, click Display.
4 Select or clear the Enable Quick Text check box.
5 Click OK.
6 To regenerate your drawing, do one of the following:
Choose View > Regen.
Type regen and then press Enter.
Turning highlighting on and off
You can improve overall program performance by turning highlighting off. When
you select entities to modify, the program highlights them using a dashed linetype.
This highlight disappears when you finish modifying the entities or when the entities
are cleared. Sometimes highlighting entities can take a considerable amount of time.
To turn highlighting on and off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type highlight, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose On or Off.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, click Display.
4 Select or clear the Highlight Item When Selected check box.
5 Click OK.
Quick Text off. Quick Text on.
V I E W I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 151
Turning Blips on and off
You can turn Blips off. They are the temporary markers that appear on the screen
when you select an entity or location. Blips are visible only until you redraw the
drawing. You cannot select Blips; they are used only for reference and never print.
To turn Blips on and off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type blipmode, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose On or Off.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, click Display.
4 Select or clear the Show Marker Blips check box.
5 Click OK.
Controlling the display of lineweights
You can reduce the time it takes to display a drawing by turning off the display of lin-
eweights. When you turn off lineweights, all entities display as outlines.
You can also specify a lineweight scale. Specify a smaller scale to display thinner
lines; specify a larger scale to display thicker lines. For example, a scale factor of 0.5
would display a .80 millimeter lineweight as .40 millimeter; a scale factor of 2 would
increase the same lineweight to display at 1.6 millimeters. This can help you differen-
tiate various lineweights that display in a drawing. Adjusting the lineweight display
scale affects how the lineweights appear on your screen, not how they appear when
printed.
NOTE Setting the lineweight scale too high may result in slower system performance.
You can also adjust the units for measuring lineweights, and the default lineweight.
Blips on. Blips off.
152 C H A P T E R 6
To control the display of lineweights
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
Type lweight and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Under Change Settings For, click Lineweights.
4 Select or clear Display Lineweights.
5 In Units for Listing, choose Millimeters or Inches.
6 In Default, select the lineweight assigned to layers and entities that use the Default
lineweight.
7 In Adjust Display Scale, move the slider to the scale you want. By default, the
slider begins at 1.00.
8 Click OK.
TIP On the status bar, click the word LWT to turn the display of lineweights on or
off.
You can turn lineweights on or off when you print. For details, see Choosing how
lineweights print on page 405.
7
Working with coordinates
For accuracy in a drawing, you can locate specific points by entering coordinates as
you draw or modify entities. When you create two-dimensional entities, you enter
two-dimensional coordinates; for three-dimensional entities, you specify three-
dimensional coordinates.
You can also specify coordinates in relation to other known locations or entities in a
drawing. In particular, when you work in three-dimensional drawings, it is often eas-
ier to specify coordinates in relation to a two-dimensional working plane, called a
user coordinate system (UCS).
This chapter explains how to work with coordinates, including how to:
Use two-dimensional and three-dimensional coordinate systems.
Specify absolute and relative coordinates.
Specify polar, spherical, and cylindrical coordinates.
Define and manipulate user coordinate systems.
Topics in this chapter
Using Cartesian coordinates ............................................................................ 154
Using two-dimensional coordinates.................................................................. 157
Using three-dimensional coordinates ............................................................... 160
Using xyz point filters........................................................................................ 162
Defining user coordinate systems..................................................................... 164
154 C H A P T E R 7
Using Cartesian coordinates
Many commands in AViCAD

require that you specify points as you draw or modify

entities. You can do so by selecting points with the mouse or by typing coordinate
values in the command bar. The program locates points in a drawing using a Carte-
sian coordinate system.
Understanding how coordinate systems work
The Cartesian coordinate system uses three perpendicular axesx, y, and zto spec-
ify points in three-dimensional space. Every location in a drawing can be represented
as a point relative to a 0,0,0 coordinate point, referred to as the origin. To draw a two-
dimensional entity, you specify horizontal coordinate positions along the x-axis and
vertical coordinate positions along the y-axis. Thus, every point on a plane can be
represented as a coordinate pair composed of an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate.
Positive coordinates are located above and to the right of the origin; negative coordi-
nates are located to the left and below the origin.
When you work in two dimensions, you need enter only the x- and y-coordinates; the
program assumes that the z-axis value is always the current elevation. When you
work in three dimensions, however, you must also specify the z-axis value. When you
look at a plan view of your drawing (a view from above, looking down), the z-axis
extends straight up out of the screen at a 90-degree angle to the xy plane. Positive
coordinates are located above the xy plane, and negative coordinates are below the
plane.
The three perpendicular axes of the Cartesian coordinate system.
-X
1
2
3
4
-1
-2
-3
-3
-2
6
5
X
Y
-Y
(5, 2, 0)
(0, 0, 0)
-Z
Z
1
2
3
4
5
-1
W O R K I N G W I T H C O O R D I N A T E S 155
All AViCAD drawings use a fixed coordinate system, called the World Coordinate
System (WCS), and every point in a drawing has a specific x,y,z-coordinate in the
WCS. You can also define arbitrary coordinate systems located anywhere in three-
dimensional space. These are called user coordinate systems and can be located any-
where in the WCS and oriented in any direction.
You can create as many user coordinate systems as you want, saving or redefining
them to help you construct three-dimensional entities. By defining a UCS within the
WCS, you can simplify the creation of most three-dimensional entities into combina-
tions of two-dimensional entities.
To help you keep your bearings in the current coordinate system, the program dis-
plays a coordinate system icon. When you begin a new drawing, you are automati-
cally in the WCS, indicated by the letter W in the icon. When you display a drawing
in plan view, you see the coordinate system icon from the top, with the z-axis directed
straight toward you. When you display a three-dimensional drawing in a view other
than plan view, the coordinate system icon changes to reflect your new viewpoint.
NOTE The visible portions of the axes are the positive directions.
Understanding how coordinates are displayed
The current position of the cursor is displayed as x,y,z-coordinates in the status bar
and, by default, updates dynamically as you move the cursor. You can toggle the
coordinate display to static mode by pressing F6, so that it updates only when you
select a point in the drawing.
You can also change the coordinate display to a different dynamic mode that shows
the distance and angle (rather than x,y,z-coordinates) when the program displays a
rubber-band line. To do this, choose Tools > Drawing Settings and select the Display
tab. Under Coordinate Display, select the option for Coordinates In Polar Form For
Distance And Angle Selection.
WCS icon. Plan UCS icon. 3D View WCS icon.
The coordinates display on the status bar shows the current cursor position.
156 C H A P T E R 7

Finding the coordinates of a point
To find the x,y,z-coordinates for a point on an entity, such as the endpoint of a line,
select an appropriate entity snap (such as Endpoint) before selecting the entity. If you
have no entity snaps set, the x,y-coordinates of the point you specified is displayed,
with the z-coordinate equal to the current elevation.
To find the coordinate of a point in the drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Inquiry > ID Point.
On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Locate Point tool ( ).
Type idpoint and then press Enter.
2 Select the point for which you want to find the coordinates.
If the command bar is activated, the x,y,z-coordinates for the point you selected
display in the command bar.
If the command bar is not activated, the Prompt History window displays, show-
ing the x,y,z-coordinates for the point you selected.
You can control the coordinate display from the Drawing Settings dialog box.
W O R K I N G W I T H C O O R D I N A T E S 157
Using two-dimensional coordinates
When working in two dimensions, you specify points on the xy plane. You can spec-
ify any point as an absolute coordinate (or Cartesian coordinate), using the exact x-
coordinate and y-coordinate locations in relation to the origin (the 0,0 coordinate
point at which the two axes intersect), or as a relative coordinate in relation to the pre-
vious point. You can also specify points using relative or absolute polar coordinates,
which locate a point using a distance and an angle.
Entering absolute Cartesian coordinates
To enter absolute Cartesian coordinates, type the coordinate location of the point in
the command bar. For example, to use absolute Cartesian coordinates to draw a line
from the origin (0,0) to a point 3 units to the right and 1 unit above the origin, start the
Line command and respond to the prompts as follows:

Start of line: 0,0
Angle Length <Endpoint>: 3,1
When using absolute Cartesian coordinates, you need to know the exact point loca-
tions for anything you draw. For instance, to use absolute Cartesian coordinates to
draw an 8.5-unit square with its lower left corner at 4,5, you must determine that the
upper left corner is at coordinate 4,13.5, the upper right corner at 12.5,13.5, and the
lower right corner at 12.5,5.
Drawing a line using the absolute Cartesian coordinate method.
1
3 Y
-Y
-X X
(3, 1)
(0, 0)
158 C H A P T E R 7
Entering relative Cartesian coordinates
Another, simpler method is to use relative Cartesian coordinates: you specify a
location in the drawing by determining its position relative to the last coordinate you
specified. To use relative Cartesian coordinates, type the coordinate values in the
command bar, preceded by the at symbol (@). The coordinate pair following the @
symbol represents the distance along the x-axis and the y-axis to the next point. For
example, to draw an 8.5-unit square with its lower left corner at 4,5 using relative
Cartesian coordinates, start the Line command, and then respond to the prompts as
follows:
Start of line: 4,5
Angle Length <Endpoint>: @8.5,0
Angle Length Follow Undo <Endpoint>: @0,8.5
Angle Length Follow Close Undo <Endpoint>: @-8.5,0
Angle Length Follow Close Undo <Endpoint>: C

The first relative coordinate (@8.5,0) locates the new point 8.5 units to the right
(along the x-axis) from the previous point of 4,5; the second relative coordinate
(@0,8.5) locates the next point 8.5 units above (along the y-axis) the previous point,
and so on. Entering C (for Close) draws the final line segment back to the first point
specified when you started the Line command.
Entering polar coordinates
Using relative polar coordinates makes drawing a square tilted at a 45-degree angle a
simple task. Polar coordinates base the location of a point on a distance and angle
from either the origin (absolute coordinate) or from the previous point (relative coor-
dinate).
Drawing a square using the relative Cartesian coordinates method; enter C to close.
Y
-Y
-X
5
C
@0, 8.5
@8.5,0
@-8.5, 0
(4, 5)
4 12
13
(0, 0)
X
W O R K I N G W I T H C O O R D I N A T E S 159
To specify polar coordinates, type a distance and an angle, separated by the open
angle bracket (<). For example, to use relative polar coordinates to specify a point 1
unit away from the previous point and at an angle of 45 degrees, type @1<45.
To draw the square from the example in the previous section, Entering relative Car-
tesian coordinates, this time tilted at a 45-degree angle, start the Line command, and
then respond to the prompts as follows:
Start of line: 4,5
Angle Length <Endpoint>: @8.5<45
Angle Length Follow Undo <Endpoint>: @8.5<315
Angle Length Follow Close Undo <Endpoint>: @8.5<225
Angle Length Follow Close Undo <Endpoint>: C
NOTE This example, like all examples in this guide, assumes the programs default
settings: Angles increase counterclockwise and decrease clockwise. Thus, an angle of
315 degrees is the same as -45 degrees.

Drawing a tilted square using the relative polar coordinates method; enter
C to close.
Y
-Y
-X X
5
@8.5<45
4
C
@8.5<315
@8.5<22
(4, 5)
(0, 0)
160 C H A P T E R 7
Using three-dimensional coordinates
Specifying coordinates in three-dimensional space is similar to working in two
dimensions, except that you also use the z-axis to locate coordinates. Three-dimen-
sional coordinates are represented in the format x,y,z (for example, 2,3,6).
Using the right-hand rule
To visualize how AViCAD works with three-dimensional space, use a technique
known as the right-hand rule. Hold up your right hand in a loose fist with your palm
facing you. Extend your thumb in the direction of the positive x-axis and your index
finger upward in the direction of the positive y-axis. Then extend your middle finger
straight toward you in the direction of the z-axis. These three fingers are now pointing
in the positive x, y, and z directions, respectively.
You can also use the right-hand rule to determine the positive rotation direction. Point
your thumb in the positive direction of the axis about which you want to rotate, and
then curl the rest of your fingers toward your palm. These fingers are curling in the
positive rotation direction.
Entering x,y,z-coordinates
When working in three dimensions, you can specify x,y,z-coordinates as absolute dis-
tances in relation to the origin (the 0,0,0 coordinate point at which the three axes
intersect) or as relative coordinates based on the last point selected. For example, to
specify a point 3 units along the positive x-axis, 4 units along the positive y-axis, and
2 units along the positive z-axis, specify the coordinate 3,4,2.
The right-hand rule helps you determine the positive direction of the x-, y-, and z-axes and the
positive rotation direction.
Y
Z
X
W O R K I N G W I T H C O O R D I N A T E S 161
Entering spherical coordinates
When working in three-dimensional space, you can use spherical coordinates to spec-
ify a three-dimensional point by entering its distance from either the origin (absolute
distance) or the last point (relative distance), along with its angle in the xy plane and
its angle up from the xy plane. In spherical format, you separate each angle with the
open angle bracket (<).
Thus, to draw a line from the origin to a point 10.2500 drawing units away, at an
angle of 45 degrees from the x-axis and 35 degrees from the xy plane, start the Line
command, and then respond to the prompts as follows:
Start of line: 0,0,0
Angle Length <Endpoint>: 10.2500<45<35

Entering cylindrical coordinates
When working in three-dimensional space, you can also use cylindrical coordinates
to specify a three-dimensional point. You specify a point by entering its distance from
either the origin (absolute distance) or the last point (relative distance), its angle in the
xy plane, and its z-coordinate value.
In cylindrical format, you separate the distance and angle with the open angle
bracket (<) and separate the angle and z value with a comma. For example, to draw a
line from the last point to a point 7.4750 units away, at an angle of 27 degrees from
the x-axis in the xy plane and 3 units up in the z direction, start the Line command,
and then respond to the prompts as follows:
Start of line: (select point A)
Angle Length <Endpoint>: @7.4750<27,3
When you draw a line from a start point (A) to an endpoint (B) using
spherical coordinates, you specify its length (C, in this case 10.2500
units), the angle in the xy plane (D, in this case 45 degrees), and the
angle from the xy plane (E, in this case 35 degrees).
A
Z
C
E
D
X
Y
B
162 C H A P T E R 7

Using xyz point filters
Point filters provide a method of locating a point in a drawing relative to another
point without specifying the entire coordinate. Using a point filter, you can enter par-
tial coordinates, and then the program prompts you for the remaining coordinate
information. To use xyz point filters, respond to the prompt for a coordinate with a
filter in the following form:
.coordinate
where coordinate is one or more of the letters x, y, and z. The program then prompts
you for the filtered coordinate(s). For example, if you type .xy, the program prompts
you to select a point whose xy-coordinate you want, and then prompts you for the z-
coordinate. The filters .x, .y, .z, .xy, .xz, and .yz are all valid filters.
Using point filters in two dimensions
You can use point filters when you work in two dimensions to locate points in rela-
tion to existing entities. For example, to draw a circle centered in a rectangle, start the
Circle command, and then respond to the prompts as follows:
2Point 3Point RadTanTan Arc Multiple <Center of circle>: .y
Select Y of: mid
Snap to midpoint of: (select the left side of the rectangle)
Still need XZ of: mid
Snap to midpoint of: (select top of the rectangle)
Diameter <Radius>: (specify radius of circle)
When you draw a line from a start point (A) to an endpoint (B) using cylindrical coordinates,
you specify its length (C, in this case 7.4750), the angle in the xy plane (D, in this case 27
degrees), and the distance in the z direction (E, in this case 3 units).
A
Z
C
B
E
D
Y
X
W O R K I N G W I T H C O O R D I N A T E S 163


Using point filters in three dimensions
You can use point filters when you work in three-dimensional space to locate points
in two dimensions and then specify the z-coordinate as the elevation above the xy
plane. For example, to begin drawing a line from a point with a z-coordinate 3 units
above the center of a circle, insert the circle, and then start the Line command and
respond to the prompts as follows:
ENTER to use last point Follow <Start of line>: .xy
Select XY of: cen
Snap to centerpoint of: (select a point on the circle)
Still need Z of: 3 (locates the starting point 3 units above the center of
the circle)
Length of line: (specify the length of the line)
You can use point filters to center the circle by separately
selecting the midpoints of two sides of the rectangle (A and
B) and then specifying its radius.
You can use point filters to draw a line by first selecting a point in the xy plane (A),
specifying the z-coordinate (B), and then specifying the length of the line (C).
A
B
A
B
C
164 C H A P T E R 7
Defining user coordinate systems
When working in three-dimensional space, you can define a UCS with its own 0,0,0
origin and orientation separate from the WCS. You can create as many user coordi-
nate systems as you want, and then save and recall them as you need them to simplify
construction of three-dimensional entities.
For example, you can create a separate UCS for each side of a building. Then, by
switching to the UCS for the east side of the building, you can draw the windows on
that side by specifying only their x- and y-coordinates. When you create one or more
user coordinate systems, the coordinate entry is based on the current UCS.

Defining a user coordinate system
To define a UCS, you can use any of the following methods:
Specify a new origin and points on the positive x- and y-axes.
Specify a new origin and point on the positive z-axis.
Align the UCS with an existing entity.
Rotate the current UCS around any of its axes.
Align the UCS with its z-axis parallel to the current viewing direction.
Align the UCS xy plane perpendicular to the current view.
When you define a new UCS, the UCS icon changes to indicate the origin and orien-
tation of the new UCS.
UCS aligned with the front wall of the house.
W O R K I N G W I T H C O O R D I N A T E S 165
To define a UCS by specifying a new origin and points on the positive x- and y-
axes
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Named UCS.
On the UCS toolbar, click UCS tool ( ).
Type expucs and then press Enter.
2 In the AViCAD Explorer, be sure that Coordinate Systems is selected, and click
the New Item tool ( ).
3 In the prompt box, choose 3 Point.
4 Select the new origin.
5 Select a point on the positive x-axis.
6 Select a point in the positive y direction.
7 In the AViCAD Explorer - Coordinate Systems dialog box, type the name for the
new UCS, and then close the dialog box.
Using a preset user coordinate system
AViCAD lets you select a preset UCS. The six planes defined by looking along the
x,y,z-axes align the UCS with the top, left, front, bottom, right, or back, based on
either the WCS or the current UCS in effect when you select the tool. You can also
select the previous UCS, align the UCS to the current view, or select the WCS.
When you select a UCS, the cursor orientation and UCS icon change to reflect the
new UCS. The display does not change, however, unless you select the Change View
To Plan View Of The Selected UCS check box.
After you align the UCS to a preset UCS, you can use the AViCAD Explorer to save
the UCS. To do this, in the AViCAD Explorer window, choose Edit > New > UCS,
and then select Current.
Define the new UCS by selecting the origin (A), a point on the positive x-axis
(B), and a point in the positive y direction (C).
A
B
C
166 C H A P T E R 7
To select a preset UCS
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Orthographic UCS.
On the UCS toolbar, click the Display UCS Dialog tool ( ).
Type setucs and then press Enter.
2 Under Set The Selected UCS Relative To, select either Current UCS to change to
the new UCS by reorienting relative to the current UCS or World Coordinate Sys-
tem (WCS) to base the new UCS orientation on the WCS.
3 Under Select UCS, click the button corresponding to the UCS you want as the new
current UCS.

A Specify whether to define the new UCS relative
to the current UCS or to the World Coordinate
System (WCS).
B Select to change the display to the plan view of
the new UCS.
C Click to select the previous UCS.
D Click one of these buttons to select the view you
want of a preset UCS.
E Click to select the WCS.
F Click to align the UCS with the current view.
G Click to display the AViCAD Explorer.
A
B
C
D
G
E
F
8
Working with the AViCAD Explorer
The AViCAD Explorer provides a powerful and convenient way to maintain and
manage many of the features and settings of your drawings. You can use the
AViCAD Explorer to work with layers, linetypes, text styles, coordinate systems,
named views, blocks, and dimension styles within the current drawing or to copy this
information between drawings.
This section explains how to use the AViCAD Explorer to:
Manage elements related to settings and entities in your drawings.
Organize information on layers and manage layers.
Create and use linetypes.
Load text fonts and create text styles.
Select and control coordinate systems.
Save and restore named views.
Save, insert, and manage blocks.
Copy, cut, and paste dimension styles between DWG files.
Topics in this chapter
Using the AViCAD Explorer .............................................................................. 168
Organizing information on layers................................................................173
Working with linetypes...................................................................................... 184
Working with text fonts and styles..................................................................... 191
Working with coordinate systems ..................................................................... 196
Using named views........................................................................................... 199
Working with blocks and external references..............................................202
Working with dimension styles.......................................................................... 208
168 C H A P T E R 8
Using the AViCAD Explorer
The AViCAD Explorer opens in its own, separate window, which you can move or
resize. The AViCAD Explorer window has its own menu and tools.
To display the AViCAD Explorer
Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
On the status bar, left-click on the current layer, and from the list, select the layer
you want to make current.
The AViCAD Explorer window has two panes, a left pane and a right pane. The ele-
ments are listed in the left pane, and the drawing settings are listed and described in
the right pane.
NOTE On the Format menu, you can use the Layer, Explore Blocks, Explore Views,
Explore Linetypes, Explore Text Styles, and Explore Dimension Styles commands to
display the layers, blocks, views, linetypes, text styles, and dimension styles for the
current drawing in the AViCAD Explorer window.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 169

Using the AViCAD Explorer, you can create, delete, or modify any of the settings for
the currently selected element for a given drawing. You can also copy the contents of
any element from one drawing to another. The tools and menu items on the AViCAD
Explorer provide the following functions:
A Tools on the Standard toolbar provide controls common to all
elements.
B The Elements pane shows an outline view containing the name of
every drawing currently open and lists the elements you can control
in each drawing.
C Click on a setting to change it.
D The named settings for the selected element.
E Other toolbars appear, depending on the selection in the Elements
pane.
A
B
C
D
E
AViCAD Explorer tools
Tool Function
( ) New Item Creates a new layer, linetype, style, coordinate system, view, block, or
dimension style.
( ) Current Makes the selection current.
( ) Cut Cuts the selection to the Clipboard.
( ) Copy Copies the selection to the Clipboard.
( ) Paste Pastes the selection from the Clipboard into the appropriate list of a
different drawing.
( ) Delete Deletes the selection from the list.
( ) Properties Displays the properties for the selection.
( ) World Sets the current coordinate system to the World Coordinate System
(WCS).
170 C H A P T E R 8
Copying settings
A particularly powerful feature of the AViCAD Explorer is its capability of copying
many of the settingslayers, linetypes, text styles, coordinate systems, views, blocks,
or dimension stylesfrom one drawing to another. If you have more than one draw-
ing open, the AViCAD Explorer makes it easy to reuse information. For example,
when you copy layers from one drawing to another, the layer names as well as their
linetypes, colors, and other settings are also copied, but not the entities on those lay-
ers.
To copy layers from one open drawing to another open drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the Elements pane, select the drawing from which you want to copy layers.
3 If necessary, click the plus (+) symbol to expand the Elements list for the drawing,
and then click Layers.
4 In the Layers Settings In Drawing list (right pane), select the layers you want to
copy.
5 Choose Edit > Copy, or click the Copy tool ( ).
6 In the Elements pane, select the drawing to which you want to copy the layers.
7 If necessary, click the plus (+) symbol to expand the Elements list for the drawing,
and then click Layers.
8 Choose Edit > Paste, or click the Paste tool ( ).
Deleting settings
You can use the AViCAD Explorer to delete many of the items that appear in the Ele-
ments list. You can delete a layer, linetype, text style, coordinate system, view, block,
or dimension style.
( ) Purge Eliminates unreferenced elements from your drawing file.
( ) Regen Recalculates display coordinates for the current window.
( ) On/Off Regen Turns on and off recalculating display coordinates.
AViCAD Explorer tools
Tool Function
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 171
Because you may have already created entities on a particular layer or using a partic-
ular linetype or text style, deleting one of these elements requires that you make cer-
tain choices from options the program presents. For example, if you attempt to delete
a layer, the program prompts you to specify whether you want to move any entities
from that layer to another layer. Every drawing has at least one layer, the default
layer, named 0. You cannot delete or rename this layer. Your drawing can also con-
tain an unlimited number of additional layers, each of which you assign a unique
name.
If you try to delete a linetype, the program prompts you to specify whether you want
to convert all entities drawn using that linetype to a different linetype. If you attempt
to delete a text style, the program prompts you to specify whether you want to convert
all text entities created using that style to a different style.
To delete a layer and relocate its entities to another layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 From the Layer Name list, select the layer that you want to delete.
If that layer is the current layer, layer 0 automatically becomes the current layer.
3 Choose Edit > Delete, or click the Delete tool ( ).
4 From the dialog box, click Change.
5 In the drop-down list, double-click the layer to which you want to relocate entities.
172 C H A P T E R 8

Purging elements
From within the AViCAD Explorer, you can eliminate unused blocks, layers, line-
types, text styles, or dimension styles from your drawing file. Purging unused ele-
ments can significantly reduce the drawing file size. For detail see To purge the
items not used in the drawing on page 84.
To purge an element
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 Select the element from which you want to purge unreferenced elements.
3 From the Standard toolbar, select the Purge tool ( ).
The main drawing window appears.
4 From the prompt box, select Yes to purge the element listed in the command line,
or select Yes To All to purge all unused elements.
A Click to delete the layer and all entities on
the layer.
B Click to delete the layer after first relocating all
of its entities to a selected layer.
C Click to cancel the layer deletion.
A
B
C
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 173
Organizing information on layers
Layers in AViCAD

are like the transparent overlays you use in manual drafting.

You use layers to organize different types of drawing information. In AViCAD, each
entity in a drawing exists on a layer. When you draw an entity, it is created on the cur-
rent layer.
You can control the visibility of layers in individual viewports. When you turn a layer
off, entities drawn on that layer are no longer visible, and they do not print. Although
a layer may be invisible, you can still select it as the current layer, in which case new
entities are also invisible until you turn the layer back on. Entities on invisible layers
can also affect the display and printing of entities on other layers. For example, enti-
ties on invisible layers can hide other entities when you use the Hide command to
remove hidden lines.
You can also freeze and thaw layers. Entities drawn on frozen layers do not display,
do not print, and do not regenerate. When you freeze a layer, its entities do not affect
the display or printing of other entities. For example, entities on frozen layers do not
hide other entities when you use the Hide command to remove hidden lines. In addi-
tion, you cannot draw on a frozen layer until you thaw it, and you cannot make a fro-
zen layer current.
You cannot freeze the current layer. If you attempt to freeze the current layer, a dia-
log box appears prompting you to specify a different layer. You also cannot freeze or
thaw a viewport layer unless you are working in a Layout tab.
You can lock or unlock layers. The entities on a locked layer are still visible and will
print, but you cannot edit them. Locking a layer prevents you from accidentally mod-
ifying entities.
Each layer has its own color, linetype, and lineweight. For drawings that use named
print styles, layers can also have their own print style. Entities you draw on a particu-
lar layer are displayed in the color, linetype, and lineweight associated with that layer
unless you override these settings. You control all of the associated settings for layers
using the Layers elements in the AViCAD Explorer.
To display layers in the AViCAD Explorer
Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
174 C H A P T E R 8

When Layers are displayed, three tools on the Layer toolbar provide the following
functions:
( ) Layer On/OffToggles the selected layers on and off.
( ) Freeze/ThawFreezes or thaws the selected layers.
( ) Lock/UnlockLocks or unlocks the selected layers.
You can change any of these settings by clicking either the tool or its current condi-
tion. You can edit the color and linetype of a layer by clicking the color or linetype
name and selecting the values you want in the dialog box.You can also edit a layers
properties by right-clicking it and choosing Properties.
A Select Layers to display the Layers settings.
B Lists named layers in the current drawing. A check mark
indicates the current layer.
C Displays the color assigned to each layer.
D Displays the linetype assigned to each layer.
E Indicates the visibility status of each layer.
F Indicates the locked or unlocked status of each layer.
G Indicates the frozen or thawed status of each layer for all viewports.
H Indicates the lineweight assigned to each layer.
I Indicates the print style assigned to each layer.
J Indicates the print status of each layer.
K Indicates the frozen or thawed status of the layer in the current
viewport.
L Indicates the frozen or thawed status of the layer for new viewports on
a Layout tab.
M Sorts the layers by that property when you click a column head.
A
B C D E F G H I J K L
M
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 175
Creating and naming layers
You can create an unlimited number of layers in every drawing and use those layers
for organizing information. When you create a new layer, it is initially assigned the
color white (or black, depending on your system settings) and the linetype CONTIN-
UOUS. By default, a new layer is also visible. After you create and name a layer, you
can change its color, linetype, visibility, and other properties. For detail see Creating
and naming layers on page 41.
To create a new layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 Choose Edit > New > Layer.
The program adds a new layer to the Layer Name list, with the default name
NewLayer1.
3 Type a name for the new layer over the highlighted default name, and then press Enter.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
A Select to keep the dialog box on the screen
when you switch back to the AViCAD Explorer.
B Displays the name of the layer whose properties
are being changed.
C Displays the current layer color.
D Choose the linetype assigned to the selected
layer.
E Choose the lineweight assigned to the selected
layer.
F Choose the print style assigned to the selected
layer (only for drawings that use named print
style tables).
G Click to display the Color dialog box to select a
new color.
H Select or clear check boxes to control other
properties of the selected layer.
A
B
C
D
E
H
G
F
176 C H A P T E R 8
NOTE You can also create a new layer by selecting the Layers element for a draw-
ing and clicking the New Item tool ( ).
To change a layer name in the current drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layer you want to make current.
3 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
Highlight the layer name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
Right-click the layer name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
NOTE You cannot rename the 0 layer.
Setting the current layer
When you create new entities, they are drawn on the current layer. To draw new enti-
ties on a different layer, you must first make that layer the current layer.
To make a layer current
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layer you want to make current.
3 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > Current.
In the Layer Name list, select the name you want to make current, and then click
the Current tool ( ).
Double-click the layer name in the Layer Name list.
Right-click the layer name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu
select Current.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 177
To set the current layer to that of an existing entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to set the current layer.
Controlling layer visibility
A layer can be visible or invisible. Entities on invisible layers are not displayed and
do not print. By controlling layer visibility, you can turn off unnecessary information,
such as construction lines or notes. By changing layer visibility, you can put the same
drawing to multiple uses.
For example, if you are drawing a floor plan, you can draw the layout of light fixtures
on one layer and the location of plumbing lines on another. By selectively turning
layers on and off, you can print the electrical engineering drawings and the plumbing
drawings from the same drawing file. For even more convenience, you can control
the visibility of layers within individual viewports, so that layers that display in one
viewport are invisible in other viewports in the same drawing. For detail see Con-
trolling layer visibility on page 43.
To turn layers on or off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layer you want to turn on or off.
3 Do one of the following:
Choose View > On/Off.
Right-click the layer you want to change, and from the shortcut menu, select
Properties and turn the layer on or off.
Click the setting in the On/Off column.
The On/Off column shows the new setting.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
You can also freeze layers to improve the performance of operations such as zooming
and panning or producing hidden lines or shaded images. When a layer is frozen,
entities drawn on that layer are no longer visible.
To control the visibility of external reference layers and save any changes made to
them in the current drawing, turn on the XRef Layer Visibility system variable.
178 C H A P T E R 8
To turn on XRef Layer Visibility
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 Choose View > XRef Layer Visibility.
NOTE You can also turn on this variable by typing visretain.
To freeze or thaw layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layers you want to freeze or thaw.
3 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Freeze/Thaw.
Right-click the layer you want to change, and from the shortcut menu, select
Properties and freeze or thaw the layer.
Click the setting in the All Viewports column.
The All Viewports column shows the new setting.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Locking and unlocking layers
Locking a layer makes it easy to refer to information contained on the layer, but pre-
vents you from accidentally modifying its entities. When a layer is locked (but visible
and thawed), its entities remain visible, but you cannot edit them. If you lock the cur-
rent layer, you can still add new entities to it. You can also change the linetype and
color associated with a locked layer. Unlocking a layer restores full editing capabili-
ties. For detail see Locking and unlocking layers on page 44.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 179
To lock or unlock layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layers you want to lock or unlock.
3 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Lock/Unlock.
Right-click the layer name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Properties and lock or unlock the layer.
Click the setting in the Locked column.
The Locked column shows the new setting.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Controlling layer printing
Controlling layer printing is another way you can specify which entities print in your
drawing.
By controlling layer printing, you can turn off unnecessary information during print-
ing. For example, if you are drawing a floor plan, you can draw the layout of light fix-
tures on one layer and the location of plumbing lines on another. By selectively
turning layers on and off when you print, you can print the electrical engineering
drawings and the plumbing drawings from the same drawing file. By changing layer
printing, you can put the same drawing to multiple uses.
When you turn off printing for a layer, entities drawn on that layer are still visible, but
they do not print. If you turn off a layers visibility, entities drawn on that layer do not
display or print. Controlling layer printing can be especially helpful if you want layer
visibility on, but do not want to print entities on that layer.
Layer visibility must be turned on in order to print entities drawn on that layer.
To turn layer printing on or off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the right pane, click the setting in the Print column for the layer you want to
change. Choose Yes to print entities assigned to the layer. Choose No to omit enti-
ties assigned to the layer during printing.
You can also right-click the layer you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Properties and change the print setting for a layer.
180 C H A P T E R 8
Setting the layer color
Each layer in a drawing is assigned a color. AViCAD uses the BYLAYER color as
the default color setting for entity creation so that new entities are drawn in the color
of the layer on which they are inserted (set in the Drawing Settings dialog box).
Using the AViCAD Explorer, you can set or change the color assigned to a layer.
With the direct-editing feature, you can click on the color you want to change, and
then select a new color from the dialog box that appears. Changing a layers color
automatically changes the color of all entities on that layer with the BYLAYER color.
To change the layer color
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the right pane, click the color swatch for the layer you want to change.
TIP Right-click the name of the layer you want to change, and from the shortcut
menu, select Properties and change the layer color.
3 In the Color dialog box, select a color on one of the following tabs:
Index Color Click BYBLOCK, BYLAYER, or one of the 255 index colors.
You can also type the color number in the Index box.
True Color Click a basic color, click a color in the color palette, enter the
Hue, Saturation, and Luminance (HSL) values, or enter the Red, Green, Blue
(RGB) values. There are more than 16 million true colors from which you can
choose.
Color Books Select a color book from the list, then click a color. You can
select Show Only Color Book Colors Used in Drawing to limit the selection to
only those color book colors that are used in the current drawing. If necessary,
create or edit color books by clicking Color Book Editor. For more details, see
Using color books on page 60.
4 Click OK.
NOTE You can also assign a specific color to an entity, which overrides the layers
color setting. When you create a new entity, use the Format > Colors > Select Colors
command to change the current color. For an existing entity, select the entity, right-
click for the shortcut menu, and choose Properties. You can then change the entitys
color in the Entity Properties dialog box.
For more details about using color in the many aspects of your drawing, see Work-
ing with colors on page 57.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 181
Setting a layers linetype
Each layer uses a default linetype (a repeating pattern of dashes, dots, or blank spaces).
Linetype determines the appearance of entities both on the screen and when printed.
Its a good idea to assign the BYLAYER linetype to any entities that you draw on that
layer. AViCAD uses the BYLAYER linetype as the default linetype setting for Entity
Creation (in the Drawing Settings dialog box).
Using the AViCAD Explorer, you can set or change the linetype assigned to a layer.
With the direct-editing feature, you can click on the linetype you want to change, and
then select a new linetype from the dialog box that appears. Changing the linetype
assigned to a layer changes the linetype of all entities drawn on that layer with the
BYLAYER linetype.
NOTE Only those linetypes already set in the drawing can be assigned to layers. For
more information about setting additional linetypes, see Working with linetypes on
page 184 in this chapter.
To change the linetype assigned to one or more layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the right pane, click the linetype for the layer you want to change.
3 In the Linetype dialog box, select a new linetype for the layer, or click Browse to
select your linetype file.
You can also right-click the layer you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Properties and change the linetype assigned to a layer.
NOTE You can also assign a specific linetype to an entity, which overrides the
layers linetype setting. When you create a new entity, use the Format > Explore
Linetypes command to change the current linetype through the AViCAD Explorer.
For an existing entity, select the entity, right-click for the shortcut menu, and choose
Properties. You can then modify the entitys linetype in the Entity Properties dialog
box.
Setting a layers lineweight
Each layer uses a default lineweight. Lineweights determine the thickness of entities
both on the screen and when printed.
182 C H A P T E R 8
All new layers are assigned the DEFAULT lineweight, which is .25 millimeters or
.01 inches. If you want a different lineweight assigned to a layer, you can easily
change it using AViCAD Explorer. For example, you may want different lineweights
on each layer of your drawing to show separate elements, such as walls, dimensions,
structural steel, and electrical plans. Changing the lineweight assigned to a layer
changes the lineweight of all entities drawn on that layer with the BYLAYER line-
weight.
When you create new entities, its a good idea to assign the BYLAYER lineweight to
any entities that you draw on that layer, unless you want to override the layer line-
weight. AViCAD uses the BYLAYER lineweight as the default lineweight setting
when you create entities (in the Drawing Settings dialog box).
TIP To change the DEFAULT lineweight, choose Tools > Drawing Settings, click
the Display tab, select Lineweights in Change Settings For, and then select a new
default.
To change the lineweight assigned to one or more layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the right pane, click the lineweight for the layer you want to change.
3 In the Lineweight list, click the arrow to scroll the lineweights, and then select a
new lineweight for the layer.
You can also right-click the layer you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Properties and change the lineweight assigned to a layer.
NOTE You can also assign a specific lineweight to an entity, which overrides the
layers lineweight setting. When you create a new entity, use the Tools > Drawing
Settings > Entity Creation tab to change the current lineweight. For an existing
entity, select the entity, right-click for the shortcut menu, and choose Properties. You
can then modify the entitys lineweight in the Entity Properties dialog box.
Setting a layers print style
If your drawing uses named print style tables, you can specify a print style for each
layer. Named print style tables contain print styles that you set up to control what enti-
ties look like when they print, without actually changing the entities in the drawing.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 183
If your drawing uses color-dependent print style tables, you cannot specify a print
style for a layer. These types of print style tables automatically determine printing
requirements by the color assigned to a layer or an entity. For details about converting
a drawing that uses color-dependent print style table to use named print style tables,
see Changing a drawings print style table type on page 415.
In drawings that use named print style tables, the default print style is Normal for all
new layers. If desired, you can assign a print style using AViCAD Explorer. Chang-
ing the print style assigned to a layer changes the print style of all entities drawn on
that layer with the BYLAYER print style.
When you create new entities, its a good idea to assign the BYLAYER print style to
any entities that you draw on that layer, unless you want to override the layer print
style. AViCAD uses the BYLAYER print style as the default print style setting when
you create entities (in the Drawing Settings dialog box).
To change the print style assigned to one or more layers (only in a drawing that
uses named print style tables)
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer.
Type explayers and then press Enter.
Type explorer and then press Enter.
2 In the right pane, click the print style for the layer you want to change.
3 If necessary, select a different print style table in the Active Print Style Table list.
4 In Print Styles, select a print style.
5 Click OK.
You can also right-click the layer you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Properties and change the print style assigned to a layer.
NOTE For drawings that use named print style tables, you can also assign a specific
print style to an entity, which overrides the layers print style setting. When you cre-
ate a new entity, use the Tools > Drawing Settings > Entity Creation tab to change
the current print style. For an existing entity, select the entity, right-click for the
shortcut menu, and choose Properties. You can then modify the entitys print style in
the Entity Properties dialog box.
184 C H A P T E R 8
Working with linetypes
AViCAD provides simple and complex linetypes:
A simple linetype consists of a repeating pattern of dots, dashes, or blank spaces.
A complex linetype contains embedded shape and text objects along with
dots, dashes, and spaces.
You can use different linetypes to represent specific kinds of information. For exam-
ple, if you are drawing a site plan, you can draw roads using a continuous linetype, a
fence using a linetype of dashes square posts, or a gas line using a complex linetype
showing the text GAS.
By default, every drawing has at least three linetypes: CONTINUOUS, BYLAYER,
and BYBLOCK. You cannot rename or delete these linetypes. Your drawing may
also contain an unlimited number of additional linetypes. You can load more line-
types into the program from a linetype library file or create and save linetypes you
define.
To display the AViCAD Explorer Linetypes element
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Linetypes.
Type expltypes and then press Enter.
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer, and then click the Linetypes element.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 185

Setting the current linetype
You normally draw an entity using the linetype assigned to the current layer, indi-
cated as BYLAYER. You can also assign linetypes on a per-entity basis, which over-
rides the layers linetype setting. A third option is to assign the BYBLOCK linetype,
whereby you draw new entities using the default linetype until you group them into a
block. The entities inherit the current linetype setting when you insert the block into
the drawing.
To make the linetype current
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Linetypes.
Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 In the Linetype Name list, select the linetype you want to make current.
3 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > Current.
Select it in the Linetype Name list and click the Current tool ( ).
Double-click the linetype name.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
A Select Linetypes to display the Linetypes settings.
B Lists names of linetypes loaded in the current drawing. A check mark
indicates the current linetype.
C Describes linetypes loaded in the current drawing.
D Shows how linetypes will appear in the drawing.
E Sorts the linetypes by that property when you click a column head.
B
C
D
A
E
186 C H A P T E R 8
Loading additional linetypes
Before you can select a new linetype to use in a drawing, you must either create the
linetype definition or load a predefined linetype from a linetype library file (*.lin).
AViCAD includes a linetype library file, icad.lin, which contains more than 100 pre-
defined linetypes.
To load a new linetype from a linetype library
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Linetypes.
Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 Using one of the following methods, open the New Linetype dialog box:
Choose Edit > New > Linetype.
Click the New Item tool ( ).
With the cursor in the right pane of the window, right-click to display the
shortcut menu, and then choose New > Linetype.
3 Click Choose From File.
4 Click Browse.
5 Select the linetype library file, and then click Open.
6 Select the linetype you want to load.
7 Click OK, and then close the window.
Creating and naming linetypes
In addition to loading predefined linetypes from a linetype library file, you can create
new linetypes. You can save new linetypes you create to a linetype library file for use
in other drawings.
To create a new simple linetype
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Linetypes.
Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 Using one of the following methods, open the New Linetype dialog box:
Choose Edit > New > Linetype.
Click the New Item tool ( ).
With your cursor in the right pane of the window, right-click to display the
shortcut menu, and choose New > Linetype.
3 In the Linetype Description field, type the linetype description.
You can type anything in this field that will help you remember the purpose or
appearance of this linetype. For example, it is helpful to type text or symbols such
as __..__.. that approximate the appearance of the linetype.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 187
4 In the Linetype Definition field, type the linetype definition.
The definition consists of positive and negative numbers separated by commas. A
positive number draws a solid line segment for the specified number of drawing
units; a negative number creates a gap for the specified number of units; a zero
creates a dot.
5 Click OK.
The program adds the new linetype to the linetypes list with the default name,
NewLinetype1.
6 To enter a name for the new linetype, type over the highlighted default text, and
press Enter.
Do not use spaces between words in the new linetype name.
7 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
A Click to select a predefined linetype from a
linetype library file.
B Type any description in this box that helps you
remember the purpose or appearance of the
linetype.
C Type the definition of the linetype, consisting of
positive and negative numbers separated by
commas.
A
B
C
188 C H A P T E R 8
To create a new complex linetype
A complex linetype can denote utilities, boundaries, contours, and so on. As with
simple linetypes, complex lines are dynamically drawn as the user specifies vertices.
Shapes and text objects embedded in lines are always displayed completely; they are
never trimmed.
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Linetypes.
Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 Using one of the following methods, open the New Linetype dialog box:
Choose Edit > New > Linetype.
Click the New Item tool ( ).
With your cursor in the right pane of the window, right-click to display the shortcut
menu, and choose New > Linetype.
3 In the Linetype Description field, type the linetype description.
You can type anything in this field that will help you remember the purpose or
appearance of this linetype. For complex linetypes, it is helpful to type a text
description of the linetype.
4 In the Linetype Definition field, type the linetype definition.
As for the simple linetypes, the syntax for a complex linetype is a comma delimi-
nated list of pattern descriptors.
5 Click OK.
The program adds the new linetype to the linetypes list with the default name,
NewLinetype1.
6 To enter a name for the new linetype, type over the highlighted default text, and
press Enter.
Do not use spaces between words in the new linetype name.
7 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Syntax for a complex linetype definition
Complex linetypes can include shape and text objects as pattern descriptors, as well
as the dash and dot descriptors of simple linetypes.
The shape descriptor syntax
You can add a shape object to a complex linetype using the following syntax:
[shape_name, shape_filename] or [shape_name, shape_filename, transform]
The definitions of the fields in the syntax are as follows.
shape_name The name of the shape to add to the linetype. The shape name must exist
in the specified shape file (shape_filename).
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 189
shape_filename The name of a compiled shape definition file (extension *.shx). If no
path is defined for the shape filename, the library path is searched for the file.
transform The transform argument is optional and can be any series of the following
(each preceded by a comma):
R=value Relative rotation
A=value Absolute rotation
S=value Scale
X=value X offset
Y=value Y offset
In this syntax, value represents a signed decimal number. The rotation is expressed in
degrees while the other options are in linetype scaled drawing units.
rotation R=value or A=value.
R= determines a relative or tangential rotation with respect to the lines elaboration.
A= determines an absolute rotation of the shape with respect to the origin. All shapes
have the same rotation regardless of their relative position to the line. The value can
be appended with a d for degrees (default), r for radians, or g for grads. If rotation is
omitted, 0 relative rotation is used.
scale S=value.
Determines a factor by which the shape's internal scale is multiplied. If the shape's
internal scale is 0, the scale value is used as the scale.
X offset X=value.
Determines a shift of the shape along the X axis of the linetype computed from the
end of the linetype definition vertex. If X offset is omitted or is 0, the shape is elabo-
rated with no offset. Include this field if you want a continuous line with shapes. This
value is not scaled by the scale factor defined by S.
Y offset Y=value.
Determines a shift of the shape along the Y axis of the linetype computed from the
end of the linetype definition vertex. If Y offset is omitted or 0, the shape is elabo-
rated with no offset. This value is not scaled by the scale factor defined by S.
The text descriptor syntax
You can add a text object to a complex linetype using the following syntax:
["string", style_name] or ["string", style_name, transform]
The definitions of the fields in the syntax are as follows.
string The text to be used in the complex linetype. You cannot use the ` or the " char-
acters in the text string. To use these characters, enter a control code (%%) with the
ASCII value for the character instead.
190 C H A P T E R 8
style_name The name of the text style to be elaborated. The specified text style must
be included. If it is omitted, use the currently defined style.
transform The transform argument is optional and can be any series of the following
(each preceded by a comma):
R=value Relative rotation
A=value Absolute rotation
S=value Scale
X=value X offset
Y=value Y offset
In this syntax, value represents a signed decimal number. The rotation is expressed in
degrees while the other options are in linetype scaled drawing units.
rotation R=value or A=value.
R= determines a relative or tangential rotation with respect to the lines elaboration.
A= determines an absolute rotation of the text with respect to the origin. All text has
the same rotation regardless of its relative position to the line. The value can be
appended with a d for degrees (default), r for radians, or g for grads. If rotation is
omitted, 0 relative rotation is used.
Rotation is centered between the baseline and the nominal cap heights box.
scale S=value.
Determines a factor by which the style's height is multiplied. If the style's height is 0,
the scale value is used as the scale.
Because the final height of the text is defined by both the scale value and the height
assigned to the text style, you will achieve more predictable results by setting the text
style height to 0. It is recommended that you create separate text styles for text in
complex linetypes to avoid conflicts with other text in your drawing.
X offset X=value.
Determines a shift of the text along the X axis of the linetype computed from the end
of the linetype definition vertex. If X offset is omitted or is 0, the text is elaborated by
using the lower left corner of the text as the offset. Include this field if you want a
continuous line with text. This value is not scaled by the scale factor that is defined by
S.
Y offset Y=value.
Determines a shift of the text along the Y axis of the linetype computed from the end
of the linetype definition vertex. If Y offset is omitted or is 0, the text is elaborated by
using the lower left corner of the text as the offset. This value is not scaled by the
scale factor that is defined by S.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 191
Editing linetypes
To change a linetype name
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Linetypes.
Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
Select the linetype, and then choose Edit > Rename.
Click the linetype name you want to change, and then type the new name.
Right-click the linetype name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
To change a linetype definition
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Linetypes.
Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 Right-click on the linetype name for which you want to change the definition.
3 From the shortcut menu, select Properties.
4 In the Linetype Definition field, define the linetype using positive and negative
numbers and zeros.
A positive number draws a solid line segment for the specified number of drawing
units. A negative number creates a gap for the specified number of drawing units.
A zero creates a dot.
5 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the Linetypes dialog
box and the AViCAD Explorer window.
NOTE You cannot rename the CONTINUOUS, BYBLOCK, or BYLAYER linetypes.
Working with text fonts and styles
When you add text to a drawing, it is created using the current text style. The text
style determines the font, size, angle, orientation, and other text characteristics.
192 C H A P T E R 8
Every drawing has at least one text style, named Standard, which initially uses the txt
font. You cannot delete the Standard style, but you can rename it or modify it. For
example, you can change the font or the oblique angle applied to the font. You also
can use an unlimited number of additional text styles in your drawing.
From the AViCAD Explorer, you can directly edit any setting associated with a text
style by using the single-click editing method to change the setting.
To display the AViCAD Explorer Text Styles element
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Text Styles.
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer, and then click the Styles element.
On the Style toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool ( ).
Type expstyles and then press Enter.

A Select Text Styles to display the text style settings.
B Lists names of text styles defined in the current drawing. A check mark
indicates the current style.
C Displays the height assigned to the text style.
D Displays the width factor assigned to the text style.
E Displays the oblique angle assigned to the text style.
F Displays the font on which the style is based.
G Displays the font style, such as bold or italic.
H Displays the language on which the text style is based.
I Displays whether Asian language big font files are used (for .shx file
fonts only).
J Indicates whether text will appear backward.
K Indicates whether text will appear upside down.
L Indicates whether text will appear vertically.
M Click any column head to sort the styles by that property.
A
B
C D E F G
H I J K L
M
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 193
Creating and naming text styles
Fonts are character sets that consist of letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and sym-
bols. Each font is stored in its own font file. Text styles apply additional formatting to
fonts. You can create multiple text styles based on the same font, changing the vari-
ous characteristics to alter the appearance of the font. To create a new text style, you
assign formatting characteristics to a font.
AViCAD uses *.shx font files and provides a selection of fonts. These fonts are
located in the AViCAD/Fonts directory. You can also use any font designed to work
with AutoCAD. Many fonts are available from third-party vendors.
To create a new text style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Text Styles.
On the Style toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool ( ).
Type expfonts and then press Enter.
2 Choose Edit > New > Style.
3 Select the font on which you want to base the new style, and then click Open.
The program adds a new style to the text styles list with the default name,
NewStyle1.
4 Type the name for the new style by typing over the highlighted default text, and
then press Enter.
5 To complete the command, close the window.
NOTE You can also create a new text style by selecting the Styles element and click-
ing the New Item tool ( ).
To change a text style name in the current drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Text Styles.
On the Style toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool ( ).
Type expfonts and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
Select the text style, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
Click the text style name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
Right-click the text style name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
194 C H A P T E R 8
Modifying text styles
A new text style is initially assigned default values for height, width factor, oblique
angle, and other characteristics. You can change these values for both new and exist-
ing text styles. You can also change the font assigned to the text style. If you change
the font or orientation properties of a text style assigned to text previously inserted in
the drawing, all text using that style is regenerated to reflect the changes. Oblique
angle and height, if specified, are given by the style definition when text is created,
but are not updated for existing text when the style is changed.
A fixed text height value of 0 allows you to specify the text height at the time you
insert text into the drawing. Any other value sets height of the text to that value; the
program does not prompt for the text height when you insert text into the drawing.
The width factor determines the horizontal scaling of text. A value less than 1 com-
presses the text (for example, 0.75 compresses the text 25 percent); a value greater
than 1 expands the text (for example, 1.50 expands the text 50 percent). The oblique
angle determines the forward or backward slant of text as an angle offset from 90
degrees. Negative values slant text to the left; positive values slant text to the right.
To modify a text style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Text Styles.
On the Style toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool ( ).
Type expfonts and then press Enter.
2 Select the text characteristic of a style that you want to modify.
The text characteristic either toggles its value or a dialog box appears, allowing
you to make the modifications you want.
3 To complete the command, close the AViCAD Explorer window.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 195

Setting the current text style
When you insert text in a drawing, the text is created using the current text style. You
can also select a different text style when you create text.
To make the text style current
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Text Styles.
On the Style toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool ( ).
Type expfonts and then press Enter.
2 In the Text Style Name list, click the style you want to make current.
3 Use one of the following methods to make the style the current style:
Choose Edit > Current.
Click the Current tool ( ).
With the cursor in the right pane of the window, right-click to display the
shortcut menu, and choose Current.
A Select to keep the dialog box on the screen
when you switch back to the AViCAD Explorer or
another element.
B Displays the name of the text style whose
properties are being changed.
C Type the fixed text height.
D Type the width factor.
E Type the oblique angle.
F Select to create text that displays backward.
G Select to create text that displays upside down.
H Select to create text that displays vertically.
I Displays a text preview of the text font.
J Select the Asian language big font (for .shx file
fonts only).
K Select the text style language.
L Select the font style.
M Select the font name.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
L
J
K
M
196 C H A P T E R 8
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the AViCAD
Explorer window.
NOTE You can also make a text style current by selecting it in the Text Style Name
list and clicking the Current tool ( ) or by double-clicking the text style name in the
Text Style Name list.
Working with coordinate systems
When you create entities in a drawing, they are located in relation to the drawings
underlying Cartesian coordinate system. Every drawing has a fixed coordinate system
called the World Coordinate System (WCS). You cannot delete or modify the WCS.
Your drawing may contain additional coordinate systems, however, each with its own
0,0,0 origin and orientation. You can create as many user coordinate systems as you
want, and then save and recall them as you need them. You can edit the origin of a
coordinate system from within the AViCAD Explorer by single-clicking the origin
coordinates and then typing new coordinates.
For example, you can create a separate user coordinate system (UCS) for each side of
a building. Then, by switching to the UCS for the east side of the building, you can
draw the windows on that side by specifying only their x- and y-coordinates.
You can create and then switch between various user coordinate systems by selecting
Coordinate Systems in the AViCAD Explorer.
To display the Coordinate Systems element
Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Explore Coordinate Systems.
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer, and then click the Coordinate Systems ele-
ment.
Choose Tools > Orthographic UCS, and then click Explore UCSs.
On the UCS toolbar, click the Display UCS Dialog tool ( ) and Explore UCSs.
Type expucs and then press Enter.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 197

Defining and naming user coordinate systems
A drawing can contain as many coordinate systems as you want and can be named
appropriate names so you can remember how they are used in your drawing for
recalling them later.
To define new user coordinate systems in the AViCAD Explorer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Explore Coordinate Systems.
On the UCS toolbar, click the Display UCS Dialog tool ( ) and Explore
UCSs .
Type expucs and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > New > UCS.
Click the New Item tool ( ).
With your cursor in the right pane of the window, right-click to display the
shortcut menu, and choose New > UCS.
A Select Coordinate Systems to display the Coordinate
Systems settings.
B Lists names of coordinate systems defined in the current
drawing. A check mark indicates the current coordinate
system.
C Displays the origin of the coordinate system in relation to
the WCS.
D Displays the x-axis direction of the coordinate system in
relation to the WCS.
E Displays the y-axis direction of the coordinate system in
relation to the WCS.
F Click any column head to sort the coordinate systems by
that property.
A
B C D E
F
198 C H A P T E R 8
3 Select a method from the prompt box or command bar by which to define the UCS
in the drawing window.
For example, select 3 Point and then specify three points in the drawing window
to define the x, y, and z axes for your coordinate system.
4 Type the name for the new user coordinate system by typing over the highlighted
default text, and then press Enter.
5 To complete the command, close the window.
To change a user coordinate system name in the current drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Explore Coordinate Systems.
On the UCS toolbar, click the Display UCS Dialog tool ( ) and Explore
UCSs .
Type expucs and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
Select the user coordinate system, and then choose Edit > Rename, type a new
name, and then press Enter.
Click the user coordinate system name you want to change, type a new name,
and then press Enter.
Right-click the user coordinate system name you want to change, and from the
shortcut menu, select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 Type the new user coordinate system name, and then press Enter.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Setting the current user coordinate system
When you draw new entities, they are created in relation to the current coordinate
system. You can set the current UCS from the AViCAD Explorer.
To set the current UCS from the AViCAD Explorer
Do one of the following:
Double-click the UCS name in the UCS Name list.
Select the UCS in the UCS Name list, and then choose Edit > Current.
Select the UCS in the UCS Name list, and then click the Current tool ( ).
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 199
Using named views
As you work on a drawing, you may find that you frequently switch among different
portions of it. For example, if you are drawing the floor plan of a house, you may
zoom in to particular rooms of the house and then zoom out to display the entire
house. Although you can repeat the Pan and Zoom commands to do this, it is much
easier to save various views of the drawing as named views. You can then quickly
switch among these views. You can save and later restore named views using either
the View command or the Views element in the AViCAD Explorer.
To display Views in the AViCAD Explorer
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Views.
Choose View > Named Views.
Type view and then press Enter.
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer, and then click the Views element.
A To display the Views settings, select Views.
B Lists names of views defined in the current drawing.
A check mark indicates the current view.
C Displays the height of the view in drawing units.
D Displays the width of the view in drawing units.
E Displays the direction of the view, expressed as a three-
dimensional coordinate in the WCS.
F Click any column head to sort the views by that property.
A
B
C
D E
F
200 C H A P T E R 8
Saving and naming views
You can save the view displayed in the current window as a named view. After you
save a named view, you can restore that view in the current window at any time.
To save the current view as a named view
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View> Named Views.
On the View toolbar, click the Named Views tool ( ).
Type view and then press Enter.
2 choose New item and, in the prompt box, press Save.
3 Type a name for the view, and then press Enter.
To save a portion of the current view as a named view
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Views.
Type view and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > New > View.
On the AViCAD Explorer toolbar, click the New Item tool ( ).
3 In the prompt box, choose Window.
4 Specify the first corner of the view window.
5 Specify the opposite corner of the view window.
6 Rename the new view, and then press Enter.
Do not use spaces between words in the new view name.
7 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
NOTE You can also create a new view by selecting the Views element in the
AViCAD Explorer and clicking the New Item tool ( ).
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 201
To change a saved view name in the current drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Views.
Type view and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
Select the view, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
Click the view name you want to change, type a new name, and then press Enter.
Right-click the view name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 Type the new view name, and then press Enter.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Restoring named views
After you save one or more named views, you can restore any of those views in the
current window using either the View command or the AViCAD Explorer.
To restore a named view using the View command
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Named Views.
On the View toolbar, click the Named Views tool ( ).
Type view and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Restore.
3 Type the name of the view you want to restore, and then press Enter.
To restore a named view from the AViCAD Explorer
Do one of the following:
Select the view name in the list of View settings, and then choose Edit > Current.
Select the view name in the list of View settings, and then click the Current tool
( ).
Double-click the view name in the View list.
Changing named view properties
Once you create a named view you can modify its properties, such as the target direc-
tion and twist angle. This gives you access to many of the view settings after a view
has been defined.
202 C H A P T E R 8
To change the view options
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Views.
Type view and then press Enter.
2 Select the view whose properties you want to change.
3 Choose Edit > Properties.
You can also right-click the view you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Properties.
4 Change the values of the settings on any of the tabs and close the dialog box.
5 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Working with blocks and external references
Blocks represent a special type of entity that, once saved, can be inserted and manip-
ulated in the drawing as a single entity. A block can consist of visible entities such as
lines, arcs, and circles as well as visible or invisible data called attributes. You can
use attributes to track things such as part numbers and prices and to export attribute
information to an external database. You can also track the number of parts by count-
ing the number of times a block has been inserted into the drawing. Blocks are stored
as part of the drawing file.
External references have similar uses to blocks. Using external references, you can
attach entire drawings to your current drawing. Unlike a block, however, an external
reference does not become part of the current drawing.
You can save blocks in the AViCAD Explorer. You can also use the AViCAD
Explorer to manage and insert copies of blocks. The AViCAD Explorer lists the
names of all blocks contained in the current drawing, along with other information
about each block or external reference.
You can also rename a block, modify its insertion point, and change the path of an
externally referenced drawing by single-clicking on the property and making your
edits within the AViCAD Explorer.
To display blocks in the AViCAD Explorer
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Blocks.
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer, and then click the Blocks element.
Type expblocks and then press Enter.
The Blocks element in the AViCAD Explorer defaults with images on. The Images
view shows you a small image of each block or external reference.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 203

When blocks are displayed, additional tools on the Block toolbar provide the func-
tions described in the following table:

To see more information about each block, click the Details tool ( ). In the Details
view, you can edit the path and the insertion point by clicking the setting and typing
your changes.
The Images view shows an image of each block in the selected drawing. Click an image to select it.
Additional tools on the Block toolbar
Tool Function
( ) Images Displays a small image of each block.
( ) Details Displays information about each block.
( ) Insert Inserts a block.
( ) Insert External File Blocks Inserts a drawing available from disk as a block.
( ) Save Block Saves selected block as independent.dwg file.
( ) Attach Drawing Attaches drawing as an external reference.
204 C H A P T E R 8

Creating and naming blocks
You can combine any number of entities into a single block. After you create a block,
you can insert copies of it into a drawing. Each block insertion is treated as a single
entity; for example, you can rotate or scale each block when you insert it. The program
adds the name of the new block you insert to the Block Name list in the AViCAD
Explorer.
To create a block
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Blocks.
Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > New > Block.
On the AViCAD Explorer toolbar, click the New Item tool ( ).
3 Enter a name for the new block.
4 Specify the insertion point for the block.
5 Select the entities to be combined into the block, and then press Enter.
The program adds a new block to the blocks list, with the name you entered for it.
6 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
A To display the Blocks settings, select Blocks.
B Lists names of blocks and external references defined in the
current drawing.
C Displays the number of occurrences of the block in the current
drawing.
D Displays the insertion point of the block in the current drawing.
E Displays the name and path for externally referenced drawings.
F Click any column head to sort the blocks by that property.
A
B C D E
F
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 205
To change a block name in the current drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Blocks.
Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
Select the block, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
Click the block name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
Right-click the block name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Inserting a block
You can insert into a drawing any block listed in the Block Name list in the AViCAD
Explorer. This includes blocks contained within any open drawing.
To insert a block
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Blocks.
Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 If you wish to insert a block from another open drawing, select the drawing in the
Elements pane. (If the block is contained within the same drawing, you can skip
this step.)
3 In either the Details or Images view, select the block to be inserted.
4 On the AViCAD Explorer toolbar, click the Insert tool ( ).
5 In the drawing, specify the insertion point.
6 Specify the x, y, and z scale factor and the rotation angle, or in the prompt box,
select Done.
7 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
NOTE You can also insert a block by choosing Tools > AViCAD Explorer, and then
double-clicking the name of the block you want to insert in the Block Name list.
NOTE You can also insert a block from the Insert menu. (See Chapter 13, Working
with blocks, attributes, and external references.)
206 C H A P T E R 8
Inserting a drawing as a block
You can insert as a block another drawing into the current drawing. After you do this,
the block name is added to the Block Name list in the AViCAD Explorer. Changes
made later to the inserted drawing will not be reflected in this drawing.
To insert a drawing as a block
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Blocks.
Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 On the AViCAD Explorer toolbar, click the Insert External File Blocks tool ( ).
3 In the Insert Block dialog box, select the drawing you want to insert, and then
click Open.
4 In the drawing, specify the insertion point.
5 Specify the x, y, and z scale factor and the rotation angle, or in the prompt box,
select Done.
6 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Attaching a drawing as an external reference
You can attach another drawing to the current drawing as an external reference and
insert a copy of the drawing into the current drawing. The name of the external refer-
ence drawing is added to the Block Name list. Changes made later to the referenced
drawing will appear in this drawing when you reload the external reference.
To attach an external reference
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Blocks.
Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 On the AViCAD Explorer toolbar, click the Attach Drawing tool ( ).
3 In the Select File To Attach dialog box, select the drawing you want to attach, and
then click Open.
4 In the drawing, specify the insertion point.
5 Specify the x, y, and z scale factor and the rotation angle, or in the prompt box,
select Done.
6 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 207
To edit the path of an external reference
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Blocks.
Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 Click the path you want to change.
3 From the Insert Block dialog box, select the new drawing you want as the external
reference.
4 Click Open.
5 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
Saving a block as a separate drawing
You can save a block as a separate drawing, and then you can open and modify that
drawing as you would any other drawing.
To save a block as a separate drawing file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Blocks.
Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 In either the Details or Images view, select the block you want to save.
3 On the AViCAD Explorer toolbar, click the Save Block To Disk tool ( ).
4 In the Save Block dialog box, select the folder in which you want to save the
block.
5 In the File Name field, type a name for the new drawing file (or accept the default,
in which case the new drawing name is the same as the name of the block), and
then click Save.
NOTE You can also work with external references using the Xref Manager. For
details, see Working with external references on page 375.
208 C H A P T E R 8
Working with dimension styles
From the AViCAD Explorer, you can use the Dimension Styles element to cut, copy,
and paste dimension styles from one drawing to another.
NOTE You can select the dimension style and use the Microsoft Windows shortcut
keys (Ctrl+A to select all, Ctrl+X to cut, Ctrl+C to copy, Ctrl+V to paste) to accom-
plish the same results. You can use these shortcut keys with all other AViCAD
Explorer elements as well.
A dimension style contains the settings that control the appearance of a dimension.
Although you cannot control these settings from within the AViCAD Explorer, you
can use the Dimension Settings dialog box to control settings related to the appear-
ance of arrows, lines, text, units, and other formatting characteristics.
To display the AViCAD Explorer Dimension Styles element
Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Dimension Styles.
Choose Tools > AViCAD Explorer, and then click the Dimension Styles element.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
A To display the Dimension Styles settings, select Dimension
Styles.
B Lists the names of dimension styles defined in the current
drawing.
C Click the Dimension Style Name column head to sort by
name.
A
B
C
W O R K I N G W I T H T H E A V I C A D E X P L O R E R 209
Creating and naming dimension styles
By using the Dimension Styles element in combination with the Dimension Settings
dialog box, you can create new dimension styles, modify them, and copy them into a
different drawing.
To create a dimension style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 In the Dimension Settings dialog box, click New.
3 Type the name of the new dimension style.
4 Click Create.
5 In the Dimension Settings dialog box, click one of the other tabs, and then change
the dimension settings as necessary.
Repeat this step for each tab, as needed.
6 To end the command, click OK.
To change a dimension style name in the current drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Dimension Styles.
Type expdimstyles and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
Select the dimension style, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then
press Enter.
Click the dimension style name you want to change, type a new name, and then
press Enter.
Right-click the dimension style name you want to change, and from the shortcut
menu, select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
210 C H A P T E R 8
To copy a dimension style from one drawing to another
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Dimension Styles.
Type expdimstyles and then press Enter.
2 Right-click the dimension style name you want to copy.
3 From the shortcut menu, select Copy.
4 In the left pane, select the drawing to which you want to copy the dimension style.
5 Click the Dimension Styles element for that drawing.
6 In the right pane, right-click, and then from the shortcut menu, select Paste.
NOTE Each drawing contains a dimension style named Standard. You cannot delete
this dimension style, but you can rename it from within the AViCAD Explorer or mod-
ify its properties in the Dimension Settings dialog box.
9
Getting drawing information
AViCAD

stores accurate, detailed information about all the entities in a drawing.

You can get details about an existing drawing and its entities using the tools for mea-
suring distances and calculating areas. You can also track the amount of time you
spend editing a drawing. This chapter explains how to:
Measure distances along an entity.
Measure distances and angles.
Divide an entity into a number of equal segments.
Calculate areas.
Display information about entities in a drawing.
Track the amount of time spent editing a drawing.
Many of the functions described in this chapter require that you set AViCAD to the
Advanced experience level.
Topics in this chapter
Specifying measurements and divisions........................................................... 212
Calculating areas.............................................................................................. 215
Calculating distances and angles ..................................................................... 218
Displaying information about your drawing .................................................219
212 C H A P T E R 9
Specifying measurements and divisions
You can divide a line, arc, circle, or polyline into a number of equal segments or mark
off intervals of a specific length along an entity. (Note that divide is not the same as
break.) For example, you may want to place station-point markers every 50 feet along
the centerline of a roadway or divide the plan view of a window into three equal-
width sections of glass, placing a mullion at each division point.
To specify measurements and divisions, use these commands:
For the length of the segments, use the Measure command.
For the number of equal-length segments, use the Divide command.
You can measure or divide arcs, circles, lines, and polylines. With either command,
you can identify the segments by placing either a block or point entity at the end of
each interval. If you use points, you can snap to the ends of intervals using the point
entity snap. The appearance of the point entities is determined by the current point
display type, which you control in the Drawing Settings dialog box.
To use a block as the marker, the block must already be defined in the current draw-
ing. You can further indicate whether to rotate the block to align perpendicularly to
the entity you are measuring or dividing.
AViCAD begins measuring or dividing based on the point at which you select the
entity and the type of entity with which you are working. For most entities, measuring
starts from the endpoint closest to the point you used to select the entity. If you select
the entity to be measured or divided using a method other than pointing (for example,
using a window or fence selection), the program prompts you to specify the end from
which you want to begin measuring.
Block not aligned with entity. Block aligned with entity.
G E T T I N G D R A W I N G I N F O R M A T I O N 213
Measuring intervals on entities
You can mark specified length increments along a selected entity using either a point
entity or a block.
To measure intervals along an entity and mark them using point entities
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Point > Measure.
Type measure and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 Specify the segment length, and then press Enter.
To measure intervals along an entity and mark them using blocks
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Point > Measure.
Type measure and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 In the prompt box, choose Insert Blocks.
4 Type the name of the block you want to insert as the marker.
5 In the prompt box, choose either Yes-Align Blocks to rotate each insertion of the
block so that its vertical alignment is always perpendicular to the entity or No-Do
Not Align to insert each copy of the block with a zero rotation angle.
6 Specify the segment length, and then press Enter.
When you select the entity by pointing, intervals are measured from the end closest to the point at which
you select the entity (A). Blocks or point entities (B) are placed along the entity at the specified interval.
A B
214 C H A P T E R 9
Dividing entities into segments
You can place markers along a selected entity, dividing that entity into a specified
number of equal-length segments. You can use either a point entity or a block to mark
the segments.
To divide an entity into segments and mark them using point entities
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Point > Divide.
Type divide and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 Specify the number of segments, and then press Enter.
To divide an entity into segments and mark them using blocks
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Point > Divide.
Type divide and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 In the prompt box, choose Insert Blocks.
4 Type the name of the block you want to insert as the marker.
5 In the prompt box, choose either Yes-Align Blocks to rotate each insertion of the
block so that its vertical alignment is always perpendicular to the entity or No-Do
Not Align to insert each copy of the block with a zero rotation angle.
6 Specify the number of segments, and then press Enter.
When you select the entity by pointing, divisions are marked beginning from the end closest to the
point at which you select the entity (A). Blocks or point entities (B) are placed along the entity to mark
it in equal intervals.
A
B
G E T T I N G D R A W I N G I N F O R M A T I O N 215
Calculating areas
You can calculate the area and perimeter of a polygon based on a series of points you
specify or enclose with a circle or closed polyline. You can also determine the area of
several combined entities and add or subtract the area of one or more entities from a
total combined area.
Calculating areas defined by points
You can find the area and perimeter of any closed region by specifying a series of
points. The program calculates the area and perimeter of the space that is enclosed by
an imaginary polygon consisting of straight-line segments connecting each point.
To calculate the area defined by points you specify
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Inquiry > Area.
On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Area tool ( ).
Type area and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point.
3 Specify the second point.
4 Continue specifying points in sequence to define the perimeter of the area you
want to measure.
As you select each successive point, the resulting polygon is displayed on the
screen.
5 To complete the calculation, press Enter.
The area and perimeter of the region you defined are displayed. For example, the
following type of information is displayed:
Area = 11.0583, Perimeter = 15.3092
Select the points (A, B, C) that form a polygon. The area and
perimeter of the region are then calculated.
A
C
B
216 C H A P T E R 9
Calculating areas of closed entities
You can find the area of any closed entity. In addition, the program calculates either the
circumference or the perimeter of the entity, depending on the type of entity you select.
To calculate the area of a closed entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Inquiry > Area.
On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Area tool ( ).
Type area and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Find Area Of One Entity.
3 Select the entity.
The following type of information is displayed:
Area = 62.3837, Circumference = 27.9989
Calculating combined areas
You can find the total area of several combined regions by specifying points or by
selecting entities. You can also subtract the areas of entities or polygons from a
running total.
To add areas to calculate a combined area
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Inquiry > Area.
On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Area tool ( ).
Type area and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Add Areas Together.
3 Using one of the following methods, identify the first area:
Specify points defining a polygon, and then in the prompt box, choose Done
Specifying Area.
In the prompt box, choose Add Entities To Area, select the entities you want to
add, and then press Enter to complete the calculations.
4 To complete the command, choose Done in the prompt box.
G E T T I N G D R A W I N G I N F O R M A T I O N 217
To subtract areas when calculating a combined area
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Inquiry > Area.
On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Area tool ( ).
Type area and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Add Areas Together.
3 Using one of the following methods, identify the first area:
Specify points defining a polygon, and then in the prompt box, choose Done
Specifying Area.
In the prompt box, choose Add Entities To Area, select the entities you want to
add, and then press Enter to complete the calculations.
4 In the prompt box, choose Subtract Areas.
5 Using one of the following methods, identify the area to be subtracted:
Specify points defining a polygon, and then in the prompt box, choose Done
Specifying Area.
In the prompt box, choose Subtract Entities From Area, select the entities you
want to subtract, and then press Enter to complete the calculations.
6 To complete the command, choose Done in the prompt box.
As you select entities, the program displays the calculations. If the command bar is
displayed, the information appears there. If the command bar is not displayed, the
program opens the Prompt History window and displays the calculations. The follow-
ing type of information is an example of what is displayed:
To calculate the area of the gasket using the Area command, first add
the area of the entire gasket (A), and then subtract the areas of the two
circles (B and C).
A
B
C
218 C H A P T E R 9
Entity Add Subtract <First point>: Choose Add Areas Together
Adding: Entity Subtract <First point>: Choose Add Entities to Area
Adding area: <Select entities>: Select the first entity
Area = 64.6259, Perimeter = 33.3049
Total length = 33.3049
Total area = 64.6259
Adding area: <Select entities>: press Enter
Adding: Entity Subtract <First point>: Choose Subtract Areas
Subtracting: Entity Add <First point>: Choose Subtract Entities from
Area
Subtracting area: <Select entities>: Select the first entity to subtract
Area = 3.1597, Circumference = 6.3012
Total length = 27.0036
Total area = 61.4662
Subtracting area: <Select entities>: Select the second entity to subtract
Area = 3.1597, Circumference = 6.3012
Total length = 20.7024
Total area = 58.3066
Subtracting area: <Select entities>: Press Enter
Subtracting: Entity Add <First point>: Choose Done
Calculating distances and angles
You can calculate the distance between any two points you select. The following
information is displayed:
The distance between the points, measured in drawing units.
Their angle in the xy plane.
Their angle measured from the xy plane.
The change (delta) in the x, y, and z distances between the two points.
G E T T I N G D R A W I N G I N F O R M A T I O N 219
To calculate the distance between two points and their angle
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Inquiry > Distance.
On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Distance tool ( ).
Type distance and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point.
3 Specify the second point.
The following type of information is displayed:
Distance = 13.2850, Angle in XY Plane = 31, Angle from XY Plane = 0
Delta X = 11.3878, Delta Y = 6.8418, Delta Z = 0.0000
NOTE To use specific points on selected entities, use entity snaps to select the pre-
cise points on the entities.
Displaying information about your drawing
You can display a variety of information about a drawing and the entities it contains,
including:
Information in the drawing database about selected entities.
The current drawing status.
The time spent working on the drawing.
This information is displayed in the Prompt History window and in the command bar.
Use the Distance command to calculate the distance (A) between two points (B
and C), the angle in the xy plane (D), the angle from the xy plane, and the delta
x (E), delta y (F), and delta z distances between the two points.
A
B D
E
F
C
220 C H A P T E R 9
Displaying information about entities
You can display information about the selected entities. The information varies,
depending on the type of entities you select. All of the listings display the following
information:
Entity type.
Layer.
Color.
Linetype.
The location of the entity (its xyz-coordinates relative to the current user
coordinate system [UCS]).
The current space (model space or paper space).
The size of the entity (the information varies, depending on the entity type).
To display information about an entity
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Inquiry > List.
On the Inquiry toolbar, click the List tool ( ).
Type list and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities.
3 Press Enter.
NOTE To return to the drawing window, press F2.
The following type of information is displayed:
------ Circle ---------------------------------------------------
Handle: 2C
Current space: Model
Layer: 0
Color: BYLAYER
Linetype: CONTINUOUS
Handle: 4C
Current space: Model
Center point: X= -5.8583 Y= 7.2752 Z= 0.0000
Radius: 4.4562
Circumference: 27.9989
Area: 62.3837
G E T T I N G D R A W I N G I N F O R M A T I O N 221
Displaying the drawing status
You can display information about the current status of a drawing, including:
Drawing name.
Limits.
Insertion base point.
Snap and grid settings.
Current layer, color, and linetype.
Current settings for various modes (fill, grid, orthogonal, snap, blips, and so on).
To display the drawing status
Advanced experience level
Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Inquiry > Drawing Status.
Type status and then press Enter.
The following type of information is displayed:
Current drawing name: Site Plan
Drawing limits are: X=0.0000 Y=0.0000 Z=0.0000
X=12.0000 Y=9.0000 Z=0.0000
Paper space limits are: X=0.0000 Y=0.0000 Z=0.0000
X=12.0000 Y=9.0000 Z=0.0000
Screen width (pixels): 971
Screen height (pixels): 569
Insertion base is: X=0.0000 Y=0.0000 Z=0.0000
Snap resolution is: X=0.5000 Y=0.5000 Z=0.0000
Grid spacing is: X:0.5000 Y:0.5000 Z=0.0000
Current layer: 0
Current color: BYLAYER
Current linetype: BYLAYER
Current elevation: 0.0000
Current thickness: 0.0000
Fill: on
Grid: off
Ortho: off
Snap: off
Blips: off
Drag: on
222 C H A P T E R 9
Command echo: on
Positive angle direction: Counterclockwise
Angular units: Decimal degrees
Dimension units: Decimal
Pick box height: 3
Entities in drawing: 288
Tracking time spent working on a drawing
You can display information about the amount of time you have spent working on a
drawing, including:
The date and time the drawing was created.
The date and time the drawing was most recently saved.
The total amount of time spent working on the drawing.
The time spent working on the drawing during the current editing session.
You can turn the elapsed-time timer on and off or reset it to zero.
To display the timer information
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Inquiry > Time Variables.
Type time and then press Enter.
2 Select any of the prompt box options:
Choose Timer On to turn the elapsed timer on.
Choose Timer Off to turn the elapsed timer off.
Choose Display Timer to redisplay the timer information.
Choose Reset Timer to reset the elapsed timer to zero.
3 In the prompt box, choose Cancel to exit the command.
Each time you display the timer information, the following type of information is
displayed:
The current time is Fri Dec 19 09:58:43 1997
Drawing was created on: Wed 17 Dec 1997 at 16:17:59.8090
Drawing was last updated on: Thur 18 Dec 1997 at 09:58:43.3040
Total editing time: 1 2: 35:4.2345
Elapsed timer (on): 0 1: 21:5.6324
10
Modifying entities
AViCAD provides many editing tools for modifying a drawing. You can easily
move, rotate, or stretch drawing entities, or change their scale. When you want to
remove an entity, you can delete it with a few clicks of the mouse. You can also make
multiple copies of any entity and copy entities from one drawing to another.
You can modify most entities using general-purpose editing commands. Some com-
plex entities require special commands to modify specific properties. Most of these
tools and commands are located on the Modify toolbar and the Modify menu.
In addition to the modifying standard tools, some extensions have been implemented
and gathered in the Express menu.
Topics in this chapter
Selecting entities............................................................................................... 224
Modifying the properties of entities................................................................... 231
Deleting entities ................................................................................................ 236
Copying entities ................................................................................................ 236
Rearranging entities.......................................................................................... 245
Resizing entities................................................................................................ 248
Breaking and joining entities............................................................................. 256
Grouping entities............................................................................................... 258
Editing polylines................................................................................................ 262
Exploding entities.............................................................................................. 267
Chamfering and filleting entities........................................................................ 268
Express............................................................................................................. 275
224 C H A P T E R 1 0
This chapter explains how to:
Select entities using entity-selection methods and grips.
Change the properties of entities.
Rearrange entities by moving or rotating.
Resize entities by stretching, scaling, extending, trimming, or editing their lengths.
Break and join entities.
Group entities.
Edit polylines.
Explode entities.
Create chamfers and fillets.
Selecting entities
You can create a selection set that consists of one or more entities before you modify
them. Use any of the following methods to create a selection set:
Choose a command or tool first, and then select entities.
Select entities first, and then choose a command or tool (most entities).
Select entities by pointing, and then use grips to modify them.
Displaying selected entities highlighted
You can specify whether to display selected entities highlighted, which makes the
selection set easier to see. By default, the highlighting feature is turned on.
To turn the highlighting feature on or off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 In the Change Settings For box, select Display.
4 Select or clear the Highlight Item When Selected check box.
5 Click OK.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 225
Entity-selection methods
When you choose a command that requires you to select entities (when youre delet-
ing or changing entity properties, for example), you can use any of the following
selection methods by choosing them in the prompt box or entering them in the com-
mand bar:
Select all entities (ALL) Selects all entities in the current drawing.
Add to set (+ or A) Adds one or more entities to the selection set.
Subtract from set (- or R) Removes one or more entities from the selection set.
Previous selection (P) Selects entities included in the previous selection set.
Last entity in drawing (L) Selects the entity most recently added to the drawing.
Window-Inside (W) Selects entities contained entirely within a rectangular selec-
tion window.
Crossing window (C) Selects entities contained within or crossing the boundary of
a rectangular selection window.
Outside window (O) Selects entities falling completely outside a rectangular
selection window.
Window polygon (WP) Selects entities contained entirely within a polygon selec-
tion window.
Crossing polygon (CP) Selects entities contained within or crossing the boundary
of a polygon selection window.
Outside polygon (OP) Selects entities falling completely outside a polygon selec-
tion window.
Window circle (WC) Selects entities contained entirely within a circular selection
window.
Crossing circle (CC) Selects entities contained within or crossing the boundary of
a circular selection window.
Outside circle (OC) Selects entities falling completely outside a circular selection
window.
Point (PO) Selects any closed entities that surround the selected point.
Fence Selects entities crossing a line or line segments.
Select by Properties (PRO) Selects entities that match a particular set of proper-
tiesfor example, all entities on a particular layer or drawn in a certain color.
You can also use a few selection methods automatically, without displaying the
prompt box. For example, you can simply click to select entities, or you can use a
Window-Inside or Crossing Window by defining the opposite corners of a rectangu-
lar selection window. The direction in which you define the points of the rectangle
(left-to-right or right-to-left) determines which type of window you create.
226 C H A P T E R 1 0
To create a Window-Inside
1 Click to select a point in the drawing.
2 Click to the right of the first point to select a second point in the drawing.

This method is most commonly referred to as simply a window or selection window.
To create a Crossing Window
1 Click to select a point in the drawing.
2 Click to the left of the first point to select a second point in the drawing.
In addition to a rectangular window, you can define a selection window using other
shapes such as a polygon, circle, or fence (a multisegmented line that selects entities
it crosses).
To select entities using Window Polygon
1 Activate an entity-modification command.
2 In the prompt box, choose Window Polygon.
3 Specify the vertices of the polygon.
4 To complete the selection polygon, press Enter.
Window-Inside by selecting the first (A) and second (B) points. Resulting selection.
Crossing Window by selecting the first (A) and second
(B) points.
Resulting selection.
A
B
A
B
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 227

To select entities using Fence
1 Activate an entity-modification command.
2 In the prompt box, choose Fence.
3 Specify the endpoints of the Fence segments.
4 To complete the Fence, press Enter.
To select entities using their properties
1 Activate an entity-modification command.
2 In the prompt box, choose Select by Properties.
3 Choose an option for selection: Color, Layer, Linetype, Name, Thickness, Type,
Value (of attributes, text, or multi-line text), Width (of polylines), or Location.
4 Make your selections, depending on the option you choose.
5 To complete the selection, press Enter.
Choosing the command first
When you choose an entity-modification tool or command, the program prompts you
to select entities and displays a prompt box from which you can choose a selection
method. You can select individual entities or use other techniques such as selection
windows to select multiple entities.
Window Polygon by specifying the vertices of the
polygon (A, B, and C).
Resulting selection.
A
C
B
Fence by specifying the endpoints of the fence segments
(A, B, and C).
Resulting selection.
A
B
C
228 C H A P T E R 1 0
When you select entities, you add them to the selection set. After you select at least
one entity, you can remove entities from the selection set. To finish adding entities to
the selection set, press Enter. Most entity-modification commands then act on the
entire selection set.
Selecting entities first
You can select entities first and then choose how to modify them. As you select each
entity, it is highlighted with small squares called grips, which appear at strategic
points on the entity.
The locations of the grips depend on the type of entity selected. For example, grips
appear at the endpoints and midpoint of a line, at the quadrant points and center point
of a circle, and at the endpoints, midpoint, and center of an arc.
After you select one or more entities, you can choose an entity-modification com-
mand, such as Copy or Move, from the Modify menu or toolbar. You can also click
the right mouse button to display a shortcut menu containing the entity-modification
commands appropriate for the selected entities, and then choose the command from
the menu.
When you select entities and then issue a command, the program immediately acts on
the entities youve selected. In many cases, a command-specific prompt box provides
additional options for that editing operation. If you want to modify the selection set at
that point, right-click to display the prompt box with the selection options and choose
the option you want. To redisplay the command-specific prompt box, right-click
again.
Deselecting entities
If an entity is no longer needed in a selection set, you can deselect it to remove it from
the selection set.
To remove an entity from the selection set
1 Press Shift, and then select the entity again.
Examples of grip locations.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 229
NOTE Pressing Shift while selecting entities using a crossing window removes all
entities from the specified selection set.
To remove all entities from the selection set
1 Press Escape.
Quick Select
Specifies the filtering criteria and how you want AViCAD to create the selection set
from that criteria.
Applies the filtering criteria to the entire drawing or to the current selection set (if one
exists). To select a group of objects to which you want to apply the filtering criteria.
To create the selection set
1 Do one of the following:
On the Properties Palette toolbar, click the Quick Select tool ( ).
Type qselect and then press Enter.
2 Select the type of objects to include in the filter criteria.
3 Select the object property for the filter.
4 Set an option button in How to apply section to specify whether you want the new
selection set to include or exclude objects.
230 C H A P T E R 1 0
5 Set the check box Apped to Current Selection Set whether the selection set create
is append to the current selection set.
Element Type
Specifies the type of objects to include in the filtering criteria. If the filtering criteria
are being applied to the entire drawing, the Object Type list includes all object types,
including custom.
Properties
Specifies the object property for the filter. This list includes all searchable properties
for the selected object type. AViCAD determines the sort order alphabetical for the
properties.
How to Apply
Specifies whether you want the new selection set to include or exclude objects that
match the specified filtering criteria.
Choose:
Include in New Selection Set to create a new selection set composed only of
objects that match the filtering criteria.
Exclude from New Selection Set to create a new selection set composed only of
objects that do not match the filtering criteria.
Append to Current Selection Set
Specifies whether the selection set created by QSELECT replaces or is appended to
the current selection set.
Turning grips on and off
You can turn the use of grips on and off and control the size and color of grips.
To change grip settings
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type ddgrips and then press Enter.
2 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Display tab.
3 In the Change Settings For list, click Grips.
4 Change the desired settings, and then click OK.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 231

Editing with grips
To use grips for editing, you select an entity to display the grips, and then click a grip
to make it active. The grip you select depends on the type of entity youre modifying
and the editing operation youre performing. For example, to move a line entity, drag
it by its midpoint grip. To stretch the line, drag one of the endpoint grips. You do not
need to enter a command when using grips.
Modifying the properties of entities
You can change the layer, thickness, linetype, color, and linetype scale of one or
more entities. Depending on the type of entity or entities you select, you can also
change other properties, such as the start point and endpoint of lines, the center point
and radius of circles, and the vertices of polylines.
You can modify all the properties of all entities simultaneously. For example, using
the entprop command, select all entities on a particular layer, and then move the enti-
ties to another layer by simply selecting a name from the Layer text box. Addition-
ally, using the select command and the Select by Properties option, select all blue
entities and change their color to green.
A Click to activate grips for all selected entities.
B Click to assign the color for grips.
C Specify the grip size.
D Displays the current grip size.
A
B
C
D
232 C H A P T E R 1 0
In the Entity Properties dialog box and Properties Window, changes that you make in
the Layer, Thickness, Linetype, Color, and Entity Linetype Scale fields affect all
selected entities. If you select several entities that all have different properties, the
default value initially is Varies. Changes that you make in the entity tabs, such as Cir-
cle, Line, and Arc, affect all selected entities of that type. You can select the entities
to be changed using any entity-selection method.
To modify the properties of entities
1 Type entprop and then press Enter
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Make changes to the properties you want to change, and then click OK.
TIP Use the Entity Properties toolbar or Properties palette to change the properties
of selected entities. Note that the Entity Properties toolbar settings that display when
no entities are selected determine the properties of new entities when you draw them.
The Entity Properties dialog box, shown in the following illustration, has two sec-
tions. The All Selected Entities section (the upper part of the dialog box) displays
properties common to all selected entities, such as Layer, Color, and Thickness. This
portion of the dialog box is equivalent to the dialog box displayed by the AutoCAD
ddchprop command.
The lower section of the Entity Properties dialog box contains options specific to the
selected entities. Each tab displays the properties appropriate for the entity. This fea-
ture is equivalent to repeatedly applying the AutoCAD ddmodify command to one
entity at a time.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 233

Properties palette
The Properties palette is the main tool for viewing and modifying properties of
AViCAD objects.You can enter commands and work in AViCAD while the Proper-
ties palette is open. When you select an object in the drawing area, the Properties pal-
ette displays the properties of that object. If you select multiple objects, the Properties
palette displays all the properties they have in common.
The AViCAD Entity Properties dialog box.
234 C H A P T E R 1 0
The Properties palette can be docked in the drawing area. You can Hide the palette
and give it a trasparency effects.
To modify properties using the Properties palette select the object whose properties
you want to change and use one of the following methods:
Enter a new value.
Select a value from a list.
Change the property value in a dialog box.
Use the Pick Point button to change a coordinate value.
The properties common to the selected objects are displayed in the Properties palette.
You can then modify the properties of the selected objects in the Properties palette or
you can make other changes to the selected objects by entering an editing command.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 235
To modify the properties from Properties Palette
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Properties.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Properties tool ( ).
Type properties and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Make changes to the properties you want to change, and then click OK.
236 C H A P T E R 1 0
Deleting entities
You can remove entities from a drawing. You can delete entities using any of the
entity-selection methods.
To delete a selection set
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > Delete.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Erase tool ( ).
Type delete and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
NOTE Typing the Undelete command restores the most recently deleted selection
set. If you have made additional modifications since deleting the entities, use Unde-
lete rather than Undo to restore those entities without reversing those modifications.
Copying entities
You can copy one or more entities, making one copy or multiple copies within the
current drawing. You can also copy entities between drawings.
Use any of the following methods to copy entities within the current drawing:
Create a copy at a location referenced from the original.
Create a copy aligned parallel to the original.
Create a copy as a mirror image of the original.
Create several copies in a rectangular or circular pattern.
Copying entities within a drawing
You can duplicate entities within the current drawing. The default method is to create
a selection set and then specify a starting point, or base point, and an endpoint, or dis-
placement point, for the copy. You can also make multiple copies or copy the selec-
tion set to a location you specify, using a direction vector.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 237
To copy a selection set
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Copy.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Copy Object tool ( ).
Type copy and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the base point.
4 Specify the insertion point.
5 Continue specifying insertion points to place additional copies or press Enter to
complete the command.
6 To complete the command, press Enter.
NOTE The COPYMODE system variable controls whether you are prompted for
multiple copies.
To make a single copy of an entity, select the
entity to copy (A), base point (B), and then
displacement point (C).
Result.
To make multiple copies of an entity, select the
entity to copy (A), specify the base point (B), and
then specify the displacement points (C, D, and
E).
Result.
A
B
C
A
B
C
D
E
238 C H A P T E R 1 0
Copying between drawings
You can use the Clipboard to cut or copy entities from one drawing to another.
Cutting removes the selected entities from a drawing and stores them on the
Clipboard. Copying duplicates the selected entities from a drawing and places them
on the Clipboard.
To cut entities to the Clipboard
1 Select the entities you want to cut.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > Cut.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Cut to Clipboard tool ( ).
Type cutclip and then press Enter.
To copy entities to the Clipboard
1 Select the entities you want to copy.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > Copy.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Copy tool ( ).
Type copyclip and then press Enter.
Anything that you can copy to the Clipboard can be pasted into a drawing. The format
in which the program adds the Clipboard contents to the drawing depends on the type
of information in the Clipboard. For example, if you copy AViCAD drawing entities
to the Clipboard, the program pastes them into the drawing as AViCAD entities. If
you copy objects to the Clipboard from other programs, they are pasted into the cur-
rent drawing as embedded ActiveX objects.
Copy Quick
You can use the new command Copy Quick to copy a great number of objects from
one AViCAD drawing to another. Its a AViCAD version of the standard Copy,
which is very useful when you have to copy quickly a lot of objects. You can use it
only with AViCAD drawings. Both the original file that contains the objects you
want to copy and the destination file where objects will be copied must be opened.
To make a quick copy
1 Do one of the following
Select Edit > Copy Quick
Use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+D
2 Select objects in the file of origin.
3 Click the destination drawing Tab to make it current.
4 Select Paste from the menu Edit or press CTRL+V.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 239
In the Edit menu you can find both Copy Quick and Copy Quick with base point
(CTRL+SHIFT+D). With this command option you can indicate quickly a base point
for the copy.

The Edit menu contains all the principal functions of Copy/Paste.
NOTE: To copy objects in the same drawing its better to use Copy (alias CP) from
the Modify menu or the toolbar.
To paste entities from the Clipboard
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Edit > Paste.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Paste from Clipboard tool ( ).
Type pasteclip and then press Enter.
To paste as a block the copied objects
1 Do one of the following:
Select Edit > Paste as Block.
Bring to an end all active commands, right click in the working area and choose
Paste as Block from the context menu.
Type pasteblock and then press Enter.
The objects copied in Notepad will be pasted as a block in the insertion point speci-
fied in the drawing.
240 C H A P T E R 1 0
In the Insert Block mask, set the position and dimensions of the block. If the Position
block when inserting box is checked, the insertion point coordinates, scale factor and
rotation angle can be specified directly on the screen during block insertion.
Making parallel copies
You can use the offset feature to copy selected entities and align them parallel to the
original entities at a specified distance. You can make parallel entities using arcs, cir-
cles, ellipses, elliptical arcs, lines, two-dimensional polylines, rays, and infinite lines.
Making parallel copies of curved entities creates larger or smaller curves, depending
on which side of the original entity you place the copy. For example, placing a paral-
lel copy of a circle outside the circle creates a larger concentric circle; positioning the
copy inside the circle creates a smaller concentric circle.
To make a parallel copy by specifying the distance
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Offset.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Offset tool ( ).
Type offset and then press Enter.
2 Specify the distance by selecting two points or by entering a distance.
3 Select the entity to copy.
4 Specify on which side of the entity to place the parallel copy.
5 Select another entity to copy, or press Enter to complete the command.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 241

To make a parallel copy passing through a point
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Offset.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Offset tool ( ).
Type offset and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Through Point.
3 Select the entity to copy.
4 Specify the point for the entity to pass through.
5 Repeat steps 3 and 4, or press Enter to complete the command.
Mirroring entities
You can create a mirror image of an entity. You mirror the entity about a mirror line,
which you define by specifying two points in a drawing. You can delete or retain the
original entities.
To make a parallel copy, specify the distance between
copies by entering a distance or selecting two points (A and
B), select the entity to copy (C), and specify on which side to
place the copy (D).
Result.
To make a parallel copy passing through a point, select the entity to copy (A) and then specify the through
point (B).
A
B
C
D
A
B
242 C H A P T E R 1 0
To mirror entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Mirror.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Mirror tool ( ).
Type mirror and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the first point of the mirror line.
4 Specify the second point of the mirror line.
5 In the prompt box, choose one of the following:
Yes-Delete Entities to delete the original entities.
No-Keep Entities to retain the original entities.
Arraying entities
You can copy an entity in a rectangular or polar (circular) pattern, creating an array.
For a rectangular array, you control the number of copies in the array by specifying
the number of rows and columns. You also specify the distance between each row
and column. For a polar array, you control the number of copies that compose the
array and whether to rotate the copies.
To create a polar array
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Array.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Array tool ( ).
Type array and then press Enter.
2 In the Array dialog box, choose Polar Array.
3 Next to Center Point, do one of the following:
Enter an X value and a Y value for the center point of the polar array.
To mirror an entity, select it (A), and then specify the
first point (B) and second point (C) of the mirror line.
Result.
A
B
C
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 243
Click the pick Center point button . The array dialog box closes and
AViCAD prompts for object selection. Use the pointing device to specify the
center point of the polar array.
4 Choose Select Objects .
The Array dialog box closes and AViCAD prompts for object selection.
5 Select the objects to be arrayed.
6 In the Method combo box, select one of the following methods:
Number of elements and total angle.
Number of elements and angle between elements.
Total angle and angle between elements.
7 Enter the number of elements, including the original object if available.
8 Use one of the following methods:
Enter the Total angle and Angle between elements , if available.
Total angle specifies the distance to fill around the circumference of the array.
Angle between elements specifies the distance between each item.
Click the Total angle button and Angle between elements button and use the
pointing device to specify the total angle and the angle between items.
9 Select Rotate objects, to rotate the objects as they are arrayed.
10 Choose OK to create the array.
244 C H A P T E R 1 0

To create a rectangular array
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Array.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Array tool ( ).
Type array and then press Enter.
2 In the Array dialog box, choose Rectangular Array.
3 Choose Select Objects .
The Array dialog box closes and AViCAD prompts for object selection.
4 Select the objects to be arrayed and then press Enter.
5 In the Rows and Columns boxes, enter the number of rows and columns in the
array.
6 Specify the horizontal and vertical spacing (distances) between objects by using
one of the following methods:
In the Row distance and Column distance boxes, enter the distance between
rows and between columns. Adding a plus sign (+) or a minus sign (-) deter-
mines direction.
Click the pick Both distances button to use the pointing device to specify
the diagonal corners of a cell in the array. The cell determines the vertical and
horizontal spacing of the rows and columns.
Click the pick Row distance or pick Column distance button to use
the pointing device to specify the horizontal and vertical spacing.
7 To change the rotation angle of the array, enter the new angle next to Series
Angle.
8 The default angle 0 direction setting can also be changed in UNITS.
9 Choose OK to create the array.
To create a polar array, select the entity to copy (A), specify the center point of the array (B), and then
specify the number of items to array, the angle the array is to fill, and whether to rotate the items.
A
B
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 245

Rearranging entities
You can move one or more entities, and you can also rotate entities about a specified point.
If you have entities that overlap, you can also change the display order.
Moving entities
You can move entities around within the current drawing or from one drawing to
another. The default method is to create a selection set and then specify a starting
point, or base point, and an endpoint, or displacement point, to define the relocation
of the entities. You can also relocate the entities using a direction vector.
To create a rectangular array, select the entity to copy (A), type the number of rows and columns, and then
specify the distance between each row (B) and column (C).
A
B
C
246 C H A P T E R 1 0
To move a selection set
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Move.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Move tool ( ).
Type move and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the base point.
4 Specify the displacement point.
You can also move entities using grips. To move an entity using grips, select the
entity to display its grips, and then click a grip and drag it. The grip you select
depends on the type of entity youre modifying. For example, to move a line entity,
select the midpoint grip. To move a curved entity, such as an arc, circle, or ellipse,
select the center point grip. Not all entities can be moved using grips.
To move an entity using grips
1 Select the entity.
2 Click a grip to select it.
3 Drag the entity to where you want to relocate it.
4 Click to release.
Rotating entities
You can rotate entities about a specified point at a specified rotation angle or by an
angle referenced to a base angle. The default method rotates the entities using a rela-
tive rotation angle from their current orientation.
To move an entity, select it (A), and then specify
the base point (B) and the displacement point
(C).
Result.
A
B
C
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 247
To rotate a selection set
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Rotate.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Rotate tool ( ).
Type rotate and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the rotation point.
4 Specify the rotation angle.
To rotate a selection set in reference to a base angle
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Rotate.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Rotate tool ( ).
Type rotate and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the rotation point.
4 In the prompt box, choose Base Angle.
5 Specify the base angle.
6 Specify the new angle.
To rotate an entity, select the entity to rotate (A), and then specify the rotation point (B) and the rotation
angle (C).
To rotate an entity in reference to a base angle, select the entity (A), specify the rotation point (B), select the
base angle and pick point (B) again (or type the @ symbol), specify the second point (C), and then specify
the point representing the new angle (D).
A
B
C
A
B C
D
248 C H A P T E R 1 0
Reordering entities
When multiple entities overlap, you can change the order in which they are displayed
and printed. You can move entities to the front, back, or on top or below of another
entity.
To reorder entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Draw Order.
On the Modify II toolbar, click the Draw Order tool ( ).
Type draworder and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity you want to reorder, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, specify the new drawing order, and then press Enter.
4 If you are reordering above or under, select the entity you want the first entity to
be above or below, and then press Enter.
NOTE The SORTENTS system variable automatically turns on, which may affect sys-
tem performance.
Resizing entities
You can change the size of an entity or set of entities by stretching, scaling, extend-
ing, trimming, or editing their lengths.
Stretching entities
You can change the size of entities by stretching them. When you stretch entities, you
must select the entities using either a crossing window or a crossing polygon. You
then specify a displacement distance or select a base point and a displacement point.
Entities that cross the window or polygon boundary are stretched; those completely
within the crossing window or crossing polygon are simply moved.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 249
To stretch an entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Stretch.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Stretch tool ( ).
Type stretch and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Crossing Window or Crossing Polygon.
3 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
4 Specify the base point.
5 Specify the second point of displacement.
To stretch an entity using grips, you select it to display its grips and then select a grip
to make it the active grip. This becomes the base point. Then you move the active
grip to a new location. The grip you select depends on the type of entity youre modi-
fying. For example, to stretch one corner of a rectangle, select the corner point grip.
To stretch a line, select an endpoint grip. Not all entities can be stretched using grips.
To stretch an entity using grips
1 Select the entity.
2 Click a grip to activate it.
3 Drag the grip.
4 Click to release.
To stretch entities, select them using a crossing window (A) or crossing polygon, and then specify the base
point (B) and displacement point (C).
To stretch an entity using grips, select the entity
(A), select a grip (B), and drag the grip to its new
location (C).
Result.
A
B
C
A
B
C
250 C H A P T E R 1 0
Scaling entities
You can change the size of a selected entity by scaling it in relation to a base point.
You can change the size of an entity by specifying a base point and a length, which is
used as a scale factor based on the current drawing units, or by specifying a scale fac-
tor. You can also use a scale factor referenced to a base scale factor, for example, by
specifying the current length and a new length for the entity.
To scale a selection set by a scale factor
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Scale.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Scale tool ( ).
Type scale and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the base point.
4 Specify the scale factor.
You can also scale some entities using grips. To scale an entity, you select the entity,
and then click a grip. You then change the size of the entity by moving the grip. The
grip you select depends on the type of entity youre modifying. For example, to scale
a circle, select a quadrant point grip.
To scale an entity using grips
1 Select the entity.
2 Click a grip to select it.
3 Drag the grip.
4 Click to release.
To scale an entity by a scale factor, select the entity (A),
and then specify the base point (B) and the scale factor.
Result.
A
B
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 251

Extending entities
You can extend entities so that they end at a boundary defined by other entities. You
can also extend entities to the point at which they would intersect an implied bound-
ary edge. When extending entities, you first select the boundary edges, and then spec-
ify the entities to extend, selecting them either one at a time or using the fence
selection method.
You can extend arcs, lines, two-dimensional polylines, and rays. Arcs, circles,
ellipses, lines, splines, polylines, rays, infinite lines, and viewports in paper space can
act as boundary edges.
To extend an entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Extend.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Extend tool ( ).
Type extend and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities as boundary edges, and then press Enter.
3 Select the entity to extend.
4 Select another entity to extend, or press Enter to complete the command.
To scale using grips, select the entity (A), click a grip (B), and
scale the entity by dragging the grip to its new
location (C).
Result.
To extend entities, select the boundary edge (A), and then
select the entities to extend (B).
Result.
A
B
C
A
B
B
252 C H A P T E R 1 0
To extend an entity to an implied boundary
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Extend.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Extend tool ( ).
Type extend and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more boundary edges, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose Edge Mode.
4 In the prompt box, choose Extend.
5 Select the entity to extend.
6 Select another entity to extend, or press Enter to complete the command.
To extend several entities using the fence selection method
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Extend.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Extend tool ( ).
Type extend and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more boundary edges, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose Fence.
4 Specify the first point of the fence.
5 Specify the second point of the fence.
6 Specify the next fence point, or press Enter to complete the command.
NOTE: using the shift button you can switch between the trim and extend command
Select the boundary edge (A), and then select the entities to
extend (B).
Result.
A
B
B
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 253

When you extend a wide polyline, its centerline intersects the boundary edge.
Because the end of the polyline is always cut at a 90-degree angle, part of the polyline
may extend past the boundary edge. A tapered polyline continues to taper until it
intersects the boundary edge. If this would result in a negative polyline width, the
ending width changes to 0.
Trimming entities
You can clip, or trim, entities so they end at one or more implied cutting edges
defined by other entities. You can also trim entities to the point at which they would
intersect an implied cutting edge. When trimming entities, you first select the cutting
edges and then specify the entities to trim, selecting them either one at a time or using
the fence selection method.
You can trim arcs, circles, lines, open two-dimensional and three-dimensional
polylines, and rays. Arcs, circles, lines, polylines, rays, infinite lines, and viewports
in paper space can act as cutting edges. An entity can be both a cutting edge and one
of the entities being trimmed.
NOTE: using the shift button you can switch between the trim and extend command
Select the boundary edge (A), and then specify the
first point (B) and second point (C) of the fence.
Result.
A tapered polyline (A) continues to taper until
it intersects the boundary edge (B).
Result.
A
B
C
A
A
B
254 C H A P T E R 1 0
To trim an entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Trim.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Trim tool ( ).
Type trim and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more cutting edges, and then press Enter.
3 Select the entity to trim.
4 Select another entity to trim, or press Enter to complete the command.
To trim an entity to an implied boundary
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Trim.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Trim tool ( ).
Type trim and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more cutting edges, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose Edge Mode.
4 In the prompt box, choose Extend.
5 Select the entity to trim.
6 Select another entity to trim, or press Enter to complete the command.
To trim entities, select the cutting edge (A), and then select
the entities to trim (B).
Result.
Select the implied boundary edge (A), and then select
the entities to trim (B).
Result.
A
B
A
B
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 255
To trim several entities using the fence selection method
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Trim.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Trim tool ( ).
Type trim and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more cutting edges, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose Fence.
4 Specify the first point of the fence.
5 Specify the second point of the fence.
6 Specify the next fence point, or press Enter to complete the command.
Editing the length of entities
You can change the length of entities or the included angle of arcs. Use any of the fol-
lowing methods to change the length of an entity:
Dynamically drag the endpoint or angle.
Specify an incremental length or angle measured from an endpoint.
Specify the new length as a percentage of the total length or angle.
Specify a new length or included angle.
You can change the length of arcs, lines, and open polylines.
To change the length of an entity by dragging
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Edit Length.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Length tool ( ).
Type editlen and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Dynamic.
3 Select the entity you want to change.
4 Specify the new endpoint or included angle.
Select the boundary edge (A), and then specify the
first point (B) and second point (C) of the fence.
Result.
A
B
C
256 C H A P T E R 1 0

Breaking and joining entities
You can break an entity into two parts, removing a portion of the entity in the pro-
cess. You can also join two entities into a single entity.
Breaking entities
You can break arcs, circles, ellipses, lines, polylines, rays, and infinite lines. When
breaking entities, you must specify two points for the break. By default, the point you
use to select the entity becomes the first break point; however, you can use the First
option to select a break point different from the one that selects the entity.
To break an entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Break.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Break tool ( ).
Type break and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 Specify the second break point.
Select the entity (A), and then select the new
endpoint (B).
Result.
A
B
A B
Select the entity (A), and then specify the second break
point (B).
Result.
A
B
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 257
To select an entity and then specify the two break points
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Break.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Break tool ( ).
Type break and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 In the prompt box, choose First.
4 Specify the first break point.
5 Specify the second break point.
NOTE To break an entity in two without removing a portion of the entity, specify the
same point for the first and second break points by typing the at sign (@) and press-
ing Enter instead of specifying the second break point.
Joining entities
You can join two entities into a single entity. You can join either two lines or two arcs.
The two lines must be parallel; the two arcs must share the same center point and radius.
When you join two lines, the farthest endpoints remain at their existing locations; the
program draws a new line between these points. Arcs are joined counterclockwise,
from the first arc you select to the second.
To join two entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Join.
Type join and then press Enter.
2 Select the first arc or line.
3 Select the second arc or line.
Select the entity (A), and then specify the first (B) and
second (C) break points.
Result.
A
B
C
258 C H A P T E R 1 0

Grouping entities
A group is a collection of entities saved together that you can select and edit as a unit.
Groups allow to easy combine drawing elements that you need to manage as a unit.
For example, groups are useful in associating 3D solids when you do not want to
combine them with a Boolean operation.
After you select the entities that belong to the group, you can later add more entities,
remove entities, and re-order these entities. If necessary, you can also ungroup the
objects at any time to work with them separately.
Groups represent a blocks alternative method of combining objects. The groups you
create are saved from session to session, and you can edit single objects in groups
easier than in blocks, which must be first exploded.
When you create a group selecting the command from the Modify menu or from the
command bar, you can give it a name and a description. If you select the command to
create a group from the toolbar or from the context right click menu, you create an
unnamed group. Unnamed groups are listed in the Group dialog box only if the Dis-
play Unnamed Groups option is selected. The objects in your drawing can be
included in more than one group, and groups can be nested in other groups.
NOTE Dont create groups containing hundreds or thousands of objects. A large
group reduces remarkably the performance of the program.
Groups toolbar
The Group dialog box controls the settings for all groups in a drawing.
Select the first arc or line (A), and then select
the second arc or line (B).
Result.
A
A
B
B
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 259
The Group dialog box and the toolbar Groups let you specify objects to be added to
or removed from a group at any time. From the dialog box you can also revise a
group's name or description. If removing from a group or deleting an object cause the
group to remain empty, the group is still defined but without any members.
Creating groups
When you create a group, you enter a group name and description, and then select the
entities for the group.
To create a group
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Group.
Type group and then press Enter.
Click the button Groups ( ) and follow number 5
2 Under Create New Group, enter the name and description of the group.
3 Click Selectable if you want all entities in the group to be selected when you select
one entity of the group in the drawing.
4 Click Select Entities and Create Group.
5 Select the entities for the group, and then press Enter.
6 In the Group dialog box, click OK.
260 C H A P T E R 1 0
NOTE You can enter the name of a group when selecting objects at the command
prompt.
Modifying groups
When the group selection option is turned on, you can modify groups just as you can
modify individual objects. If you need to edit single objects of a group, turn off group
selection setting the value of the variable PICKFIRST to 0 or use grips to edit indi-
vidual objects.
To modify a group and its entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Group.
Type group and then press Enter.
2 In the Group dialog box, select the group you want to modify.
3 Under Modify Selected Group, do one or more of the following:
Enter a new name, and then click Rename Group.
Enter a new description, and then click Change Group Description.
Select whether you want the group to be selectable in the drawing.
Click Add Entities to Group, select the entities to add to the group, and then
press Enter.
Click Remove Entities from Group, select the entities to remove from the group,
and then press Enter.
4 In the Group dialog box, click OK.
To change the order of entities in a group
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Group.
Type group and then press Enter.
2 In the Group dialog box under Modify Selected Group, click Re-order Entities.
3 In the Re-Order Grouped Entities dialog box, select the group you want to re-
order.
4 To see the order of entities in the group, click Highlight. Follow the prompts that
display to view the entities, one by one.
5 To reverse the order of all entities in the group, click Reverse Order.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 261
6 To change the order of specific entities or a range of entities:
In Remove from Position, enter the current position of the entity.
In Place to Position, enter the new position of the entity.
In Number of Entities, enter the number of entities or range of entities to re-
order. For example, if you are changing the order of only one entity, enter 1.
Click Re-Order.
NOTE The entities in a group are numbered 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on.
7 Click OK, and then click OK again.
Explode groups
The Explode Groups button allows to explode a group previously created
To exlode a group
1 Click the button Explode Groups ( ).
2 Select groups to explode and end the command with Enter or Esc.
Add to a group
After you create a group it is possible to add entities using the option Add to Group
To add objects to a group
1 Click the button Add to Group ( ) .
2 Select a group to add objects to and then press Enter.
3 Select objects to add to the group and then press Enter.
Ungrouping entities
When you ungroup entities, the entities remain in the drawing but the group is deleted
from the drawing.
To ungroup entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Group.
Type group and then press Enter.
2 In the Group dialog box, select the group to delete.
3 Under Modify Selected Group, click Ungroup Entities.
4 Click OK.
262 C H A P T E R 1 0
Remove Groups
You can delete a group by using the explode option in the Groups Toolbar or
Ungroup Entities in the dialog box. This operation is not the same as exploding a
block, hatch, or dimension. Objects that belonged to the exploded group arent modi-
fied in any ways, remain in the drawing and can only be selected one by one
Remove objects from a group
After you create a group it is possible to remove objects from it with the option
Remove from Group.
To remove objects from a group
1 Click the button Remove from Group ( ).
2 Select a group to remove objects from and press Enter.
3 Select objects to remove from the group and then press Enter.
Editing polylines
You can modify any type of two-dimensional or three-dimensional polyline. Entities
such as rectangles, polygons, and donuts, as well as three-dimensional entities such as
pyramids, cylinders, and spheres, are all variations of polylines that you can edit.
You can edit a polyline by opening or closing it, by changing its overall width or the
widths of individual segments, and by converting a polyline with straight line seg-
ments into a flowing curve or an approximation of a spline. In addition, you can use
the Edit Polyline tool to edit individual vertices, adding, removing, or moving verti-
ces. You can also add new segments to an existing polyline, change the linetypes of a
polyline, and reverse the direction or order of the vertices.
To modify a polyline, you first select the polyline, and then select a polyline editing
option. The available options vary depending on whether the selected polyline is a
two-dimensional or three-dimensional entity. If the selected entity is not a polyline,
the Edit Polyline tool provides the option of turning it into one. You can convert only
arcs and lines into polylines. If several arcs or lines are joined endpoint to endpoint,
they can all be selected and turned into one polyline.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 263
To convert an entity into a polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Edit Polyline.
Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 In the prompt box, choose Yes-Turn Into Polyline.
4 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.
Opening and closing polylines
When you close a polyline, the program draws a straight polyline segment from the
last vertex of the polyline to the first vertex. Opening a polyline removes the closing
segment. When you select a polyline for editing, the prompt box displays either the
Open or Close option, depending on whether the polyline you select is closed or
open.
To close an open polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Edit Polyline.
Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Close.
4 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.
Closing an open polyline adds a straight
polyline segment between the first (A) and last
(B) vertices.
Result.
A
B
264 C H A P T E R 1 0
Curving and decurving polylines
You can convert a multisegment polyline into a smooth curve using either the Fit or
Spline option. The Fit option creates a smooth curve connecting all the vertices. The
Spline option computes a smooth curve that is pulled toward the vertices but passes
through only the first and last vertices. The Decurve option removes Fit or Spline
curves and arcs, leaving straight segments between the vertices.
To fit a curve to a polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Edit Polyline.
Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Fit.
4 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.
Joining polylines
You can add an arc, line, or polyline entity to an existing open polyline, forming one
continuous polyline entity. To join an entity to a polyline, that entity must already
share an endpoint with an end vertex of the selected polyline.
When you join an entity to a polyline, the width of the new polyline segment depends
on the width of the original polyline and the type of entity you are joining to it:
A line or an arc assumes the same width as the polyline segment for the end vertex
to which it is joined.
A polyline joined to a tapered polyline retains its own width values.
A polyline joined to a uniform-width polyline assumes the width of the polyline to
which it is joined.
Original polyline. After applying Fit curve. After applying Spline.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 265
To join an arc, line, or polyline to an existing polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Edit Polyline.
Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Join.
4 Select the arc, line, or polyline to join.
5 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.
Changing the polyline width
You can change the width of an entire polyline, applying a uniform width to the entire
entity or tapering the polyline uniformly along its entire length.
To apply a uniform width to an entire polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Edit Polyline.
Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Width.
4 Specify the new polyline width.
5 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.
To taper a polyline uniformly along its length
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Edit Polyline.
Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Taper.
4 Specify the starting width.
5 Specify the ending width.
6 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.
266 C H A P T E R 1 0
Editing polyline vertices
You can use the Edit Vertices option to modify individual polyline vertices. When
you select this option, the program switches into a special vertex editing mode and
places an x on the first vertex. The x indicates the vertex you are editing. The Next
and Previous options move the x to the next or previous vertex. You can edit only one
vertex at a time.
When editing vertices, you can modify the polyline in the following ways:
Convert a polyline segment into a curve by specifying a new tangent angle.
Break a polyline into two separate polylines.
Insert a new vertex after the current vertex.
Move the current vertex.
Straighten the polyline segment between two vertices.
Change the width of the polyline segment between two vertices.
To move a polyline vertex
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Edit Polyline.
Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Edit Vertices.
4 In the prompt box, choose Next Vertex.
Repeat until the x reaches the vertex you want to move.
5 In the prompt box, choose Move.
6 Specify the new location for the vertex.
7 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Exit to stop editing vertices.
8 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.
Select the polyline (A), move the current vertex
marker to the vertex you want to move (B), and then
specify the new vertex location (C).
Result.
A
B
C
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 267
To taper the width of an individual polyline segment
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Edit Polyline.
Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Edit Vertices.
4 In the prompt box, choose Next Vertex.
Repeat until the x reaches the first vertex of the segment you want to taper.
5 In the prompt box, choose Width.
6 Specify the starting width.
7 Specify the ending width.
8 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Exit to stop editing vertices
and update the display.
9 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.
Exploding entities
You can convert a complex entity, such as a block or polyline, from a single entity
into its component parts. Exploding a polyline, rectangle, donut, polygon, dimension,
or leader reduces it to a collection of individual line and arc entities that you can then
modify individually. Blocks are converted to the individual entities, possibly includ-
ing other, nested blocks that composed the original entity.
With the following exceptions, exploding an entity usually has no visible effect on a
drawing:
If the original polyline had a width, the width information is lost when you explode
it. The resulting lines and arcs follow the centerline of the original polyline.
Select the polyline (A), move the current vertex
marker to the first vertex of the segment you want to
taper (B), and then specify the new starting and
ending widths for that segment.
Result.
A
B
268 C H A P T E R 1 0
If you explode a block containing attributes, the attributes are lost, but the original
attribute definitions remain.
Colors and linetypes assigned BYBLOCK may appear different after exploding an
entity, because they will adopt the default color and linetype until inserted into
another block.
To explode an entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Explode.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Explode tool ( ).
Type explode and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to explode.
3 Press Enter.
Chamfering and filleting entities
You can chamfer or fillet entities. A chamfer connects two nonparallel entities with a
line to create a beveled edge. A fillet connects two entities with an arc of a specified
radius to create a rounded edge. If both entities you are working with are on the same
layer, the chamfer or fillet is drawn on that layer. If they are on different layers, the
chamfer or fillet is drawn on the current layer.
The Chamfer/Fillet settings in the Drawing Settings dialog box control the chamfer
and fillet settings. The portions of the entities that extend beyond the chamfer or fillet
are normally deleted when you create the chamfer or fillet. You can retain these
original entities, however, by changing the settings in the dialog box.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 269

Chamfering entities
You can connect two nonparallel entities by extending or trimming them and then
joining them with a line to create a beveled edge. You can chamfer lines, polylines,
rays, and infinite lines. When creating a chamfer, you can specify how far to trim the
entities back from their intersection (distance-distance method), or you can specify
the length of the chamfer and the angle it forms along the first entity (distance-angle
method).
When chamfering a polyline, you can chamfer multiple segments between two
selected polyline segments, or you can chamfer the entire polyline.
A Click to remove or retain portions of entities that
extend beyond the chamfer or fillet.
B Click to create a chamfer using two chamfer
distances (distance-distance method).
C Specify the first and second chamfer distances
when using the distance-distance method.
D Specify the chamfer length and angle when
using the distance-angle method.
E Click to create a chamfer using the chamfer
length and angle (distance-angle method).
F Click to specify the fillet radius by selecting two
points in the drawing.
G Specify the fillet radius.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
270 C H A P T E R 1 0
To chamfer two entities using the distance-distance method
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Chamfer.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool ( ).
Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Chamfer Settings.
3 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Entity Modification tab.
4 Under Chamfer Distances And Angles, click Distance-Distance.
5 Under Chamfer Distances And Angles, specify the first and second chamfer
distances.
6 Click OK.
7 Select the first entity.
8 Select the second entity.
To chamfer two entities using the distance-angle method
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Chamfer.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool ( ).
Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Chamfer Settings.
3 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Entity Modification tab.
4 Under Chamfer Distances And Angles, click Distance-Angle.
5 Under Chamfer Distances And Angles, specify the chamfer distance and angle.
6 Click OK.
7 Select the first entity.
8 Select the second entity.
Select the first (A) and second (B) entities. The chamfer is drawn, based on the first (C) and second (D)
chamfer distances.
A
B
C
D
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 271

To chamfer all vertices in a polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Chamfer.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool ( ).
Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Polyline.
3 Select the polyline.
To chamfer selected vertices in a polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Chamfer.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool ( ).
Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline along the segment where you want to begin the chamfer.
3 Select the polyline along the segment where you want to end the chamfer.
Select the first (A) and second (B) entities. The chamfer is drawn, based on the distance measured along
the first entity (C) and the angle (D) formed with the first entity.
Original polyline. Result after chamfering.
A
B
C
D
272 C H A P T E R 1 0

Filleting entities
You can connect two entities with an arc of a specified radius to create a rounded
edge. You can fillet pairs of line segments, straight polyline segments, arcs, circles,
rays, and infinite lines. You can also fillet parallel lines, rays, and infinite lines. When
filleting a polyline, you can fillet multiple segments between two selected segments,
or you can fillet the entire polyline.
To fillet two entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Fillet.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Fillet tool ( ).
Type fillet and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Fillet Settings.
3 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, specify the fillet radius.
4 Click OK.
5 Select the first entity.
6 Select the second entity.
Select the polyline along the (A) and (B)
segments.
Result after chamfering.
Select the first (A) and second (B) entities. Result after filleting.
A B
A
B
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 273
To fillet an entire polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Fillet.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Fillet tool ( ).
Type fillet and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Polyline.
3 Select the polyline.
To fillet selected vertices in a polyline
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Fillet.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Fillet tool ( ).
Type fillet and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline along the segment where you want to begin the fillet.
3 Select the polyline along the segment where you want to end the fillet.
When you fillet circles and arcs, more than one fillet can exist between the entities.
The point at which you select the entities determines the fillet.
Select the polyline (A). Result after filleting.
Select the polyline along the (A) and (B)
segments.
Result after filleting.
A
A B
274 C H A P T E R 1 0

You can fillet parallel lines, rays, and infinite lines. The first entity must be a line or
ray; the second entity can be a line, ray, or infinite line. The diameter of the fillet arc
is always equal to the distance between the parallel entities. The current fillet radius is
ignored.
Select entities (A and B). Results after filleting.
Original entities. Result after filleting.
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 275
Express
The latest complete AViCAD versions implement a tools library for the efficiency
that makes AViCAD even more powerful.
Characterized by a simple use and a fast integration in the menu and in the toolbars,
they include a wide rang of functions among which are the layer management and
blocks attributions, the selection and modification of the objects.
Layer
Layer is an additional tool for quick working with entities and layers.
Set layer
Set an entity layer as current.
To set an entity layer as current
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Set layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Setlayer tool ( ).
Type SLA and then press Enter.
2 Set the current layer to that of the selected entity.
Change to current layer
Set the current layer for the selected entities.
To set the current layer for the selected entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Change to current layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Chgtocurrentlayer tool ( ).
Type CCL and then press ENTER key.
2 Select the entities to set in the current layer.
3 Press ENTER key or right mouse button.
276 C H A P T E R 1 0
Move to layer
Move some entities on another entity's layer.
To move some entities on another entity's layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Move to layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Movetolayer tool ( ).
Type MTL and then press ENTER key.
2 Select the entities to move on a new layer.
3 Press ENTER key or right mouse button.
4 Select an entity on a layer to set for the previous ones.
New layer
Move some entities on new layer.
To move some entities on new layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > New layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Newlayer tool ( ).
Type NLA and then press ENTER key.
2 Select the entities to move on a new layer.
3 Type the new layer name and press ENTER key or the right mouse button to con-
firm.
If the layer doesn't exist, you can choose if you want to create a new one. The
new layer will be set for the previous selected entities.
If the layer exist, it will be set for the previous selected entities.
Isolate layer
Set all layer to OFF except the selected entity layer.
To set all layer to OFF except the selected entity layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Isolate layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Isolatelayer tool ( ).
Type ILA and then press ENTER key.
2 Select the entity to isolate.
3 Press ENTER key or right mouse button.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 277
Freeze layer
Freeze a selected entity layer.
To freeze a selected entity layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Freeze layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Freezlayer tool ( ).
Type FLA and then press ENTER key.
2 Select the entity which layer will be frozen.
To set off a selected layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Layer Off.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Layer Off tool ( ).
Type ola and then press enter.
2 Pick entity on the layer you want turned off.
Multiple freeze layer
Freeze all layer of the selected entities.
To freeze all layer of the selected entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Multiple freeze layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Multiplefreeze tool ( ).
Type MLF and then press ENTER key.
2 Select the entities whose layers will be frozen.
3 Press ENTER key or right mouse button.
Lock layer
Lock a selected entity layer.
To lock a selected entity layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Lock layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Locklayer tool ( ).
Type LLA and then press ENTER key.
2 Select the entity whose layer will be locked.
Unlock layer
UnLock a selected entity layer.
278 C H A P T E R 1 0
To unlock a selected entity layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Unlock layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Unlocklayer tool ( ).
Type ULA and then press ENTER key.
2 Select the entity whose layer will be unlocked.
Set on all layers
To set all layers On
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Set on all layers.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click On All tool ( ).
Type ON and then press ENTER key.
Set off all layers
To set all layers Off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Set off all layers.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Off All tool ( ).
Type OFF and then press ENTER key.
Thaw all layers
To thaw all layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Thaw all layers.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Thaw All tool ( ).
Type THAW and then press ENTER key.
Freeze all layers
To freeze all layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Freeze all layers.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Freeze All tool ( ).
Type FREEZE and then press ENTER key.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 279
Unlock all layers
To unlock all layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Unlock all layers.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Unlock All tool ( ).
Type UNLOCK and then press ENTER key.
Lock all layers
To lock all layers
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Lock all layers.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Lock All tool ( ).
Type LOCK and then press ENTER key.
Clone entity
Copy one or more entities on another layer.
To copy one or more entities on another layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Clone entity.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Clone tool ( ).
Type CLONE and then press ENTER key.
2 Select one or more entities to clone.
3 Press ENTER key or right mouse button.
4 Type the layer name.
If the layer doesn't exist, you can choose if you want to create a new one. The
new layer will be created and the entities will be cloned.
If the layer exist, it will be cloned the previous selected entities.
Copy to layer
Copy one or more entities on a selected entity's layer.
To copy one or more entities on a selected entity's layer
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Layer > Copy to layer.
On the Express Tool:Layer toolbar, click Copytolayer tool ( ).
Type CTL and then press ENTER key.
280 C H A P T E R 1 0
2 Select one or more entities to be copied on a layer.
3 Press ENTER key or right mouse button.
4 Select an entity on whose layer the entities will be copied.
Blocks
Copy nested objects
Allows duplicating one or more objects belonging to a block.
To copy nested objects in a block
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Blocks > Copy Nested Objects.
On the Express Tools toolbar, click Copy Nested Objects tool ( ).
Type ncopy and press Enter key.
2 Select the block entities to copy and press Enter.
3 Specify the base point.
4 Specify the displacement point.
Trim to nested objects
Execute the trim on some entities considering the block objects as trim limit.
To trim some entities using the ones of a block as trim limit
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Blocks > Trim to Nested Objects.
On the Express Tools toolbar, click Trim to Nested Objects tool ( ).
Type btrim and press Enter key.
2 Select the block entities to be considered as trim limit and press Enter.
3 Choose one of the trim methods and proceed selecting the entities to be trimmed.
Extend to nested objects
Extends some entities considering the block objects as extension limit.
To extend some entities considering the block objects as extension limit
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Blocks > Extend to Nested Objects.
On the Express Tools toolbar, click Extend to Nested Objects tool ( ).
Type bextend and press Enter key.
2 Select the block entities to be considered as extension limit and press Enter.
3 Select one of the extension methods and proceed by selecting the entities to be
extended.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 281
Replace block with another block
Replaces in a drawing all the occurrences of a specific block with another block.
To replace a block with another
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Blocks > Replace block with another block.
Type blockreplace and press Enter key.
2 Do one of the following:
Select in the list the block to be replaced and choose OK.
Click on Pick and choose the block to be replaced in the drawing.
3 Do one of the following:
Select in the list the block that replaces the block previously selected and choose
OK.
Click on the Pick button and choose in the drawing the block that replaces the
block previously selected.
4 If, at the end of the procedure, the intention is to delete the blocks that dont refer
to the drawing anymore answer Yes, otherwise No.
Convert block with xref
BLOCKTOXREF replaces all references of a block with an xref that you specify.
282 C H A P T E R 1 0
To replace a block with an xref
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Blocks > Convert block with xref.
Type blocktoxref and then press Enter.
2 Choose one of the following:
Select a block to be replaced with an xref and press OK.
Use the Pick button to select blocks from the drawing.

3 Select an external reference file and then press Open.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 283
As the command is completed you can have the unreferenced block purged if you
choose the default answer to the request Purge unreferenced items when finished?
<Y>:.
Text
Text fit
Fit the text by extending it or tightening it up in relation to two points specified by the
user.
To fit the text in relation to two points
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Text > Text Fit.
On the Express Tools toolbar, click Text Fit tool ( ).
Type textfit and press Enter key.
2 Select the text to be fitted.
3 To specify the starting point digit s then Enter.
4 Specify the first point in which the text will be fitted.
5 Specify end point.
Text Mask
Text Mask allows to hide objects around a text with an empty area offset from the
text by a specified value, to make the text more legible.
You can create a Wipeout, a 3dface or a solid to mask objects around a text.
To create a text mask
1 Do one of the following:
Select Express > Text > Text Mask
Type textmask and then press Enter.
2 Select text objects to mask.
The options allow to choose the mask type, set the distance from the text, proceed
284 C H A P T E R 1 0
creating the mask with default settings. With the option Mask, you can choose the
masktype among Wipeout, 3dface or Solid. Wipeout is a default choice.
Wipeout: A wipeout is a polygonal area that masks objects under a text with the
current background colour. This area is surrounded by a rectangular frame that
can be displayed if you need to modify it or can be removed if you want to print.
If you dont want to display the frame around the text mask, type:
3dface: Creates a 3D Face behind the text. The 3D plane obtained by this option
has all of its edges set to invisible. If you need to select the mask, set the variable
SPLFRAME to On or 1, to make the edges visible.
NOTE: To remove the mask it is not necessary to select and delete it, but you can
quickly use the command Unmask Text of the Express Tools.
Solid: Choosing this option, the text is masked with a 2D solid in a specified
colour. Youre prompted to select the colour from the colour palette.
Offset: Specify the distance from the text. The initial default value for the offset
factor is 0.35. Type a new offset factor relative to the text height and then press
Enter.
To remove text mask
1 Do one of the following:
Select Express > Text > Unmask Text.
Type textunmask and then press Enter.
2 Select the text from which you want to remove the mask and then press Enter or
right click the mouse
Explode text
Explodes the text in some geometries to which its possible to assign some heights or
an elevation.
To explode a text
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Text > Explode Text.
On the Express Tools toolbar, click Explode Text tool ( ).
Type textexp and press Enter key.
2 Select the text to explode.
Convert text to mtext
Convert a single line text to multiline text.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 285
To Convert Text to MText
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Text > Convert Text to MText.
Type text2mtxt and press Enter key.
2 Select the text to convert and press Enter key.
Justify Text
Changes a text justification without changing its position. For example, you can have
a table with a text in it justified to the left instead of to the right. After modifying the
justification, any changes of this text will be justified to the right for any further input
or modification. It works with the text, mtext, and attribute definition objects.
To justify text
1 Do one of the following:
Select Express > Text > Justify Text
Type tjust and then press Enter.
2 Select the text which justification you want to modify
Rotate Text
Rotates a single line text or an Mtext of a specific angle.
To rotate a text
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Text > Rotate Text.
Type torient and press Enter key.
2 Select the text or the Mtext to be rotated and press Enter.
3 Specify the new absolute rotation angle and press Enter.
Enclose text with object
Encloses single line texts or the Mtexts in entities specified by the user: circles, slots,
rectangles.
To enclose texts with object
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Text > Enclose Text with Object.
Type tcircle and press Enter key.
2 Select the entities to be enclosed and press Enter.
3 Type the text distance from the entity that encloses it (offset) and press Enter.
286 C H A P T E R 1 0
4 Type one of the following options and press Enter:
Circles To enclose the texts with circles.
Slots To enclose the texts with slots.
Rectangles To enclose the texts with rectangles.
5 Type one of the following options and press Enter:
Constant The dimensions of the entities that enclose the text are not fitted to
the different dimensions of the texts to be enclosed.
Variable The dimensions of the entities that enclose the text are fitted to the
different dimensions of the texts to be enclosed.
Automatic text numbering
Adds a sequential numbering to text objects. The numbering can be inserted as a pre-
fix, suffix, or restore text.
To automatically numbering a text
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Text > Automatic Text numbering.
Type tcount and press Enter key.
2 Select the text enteritis on a single line text or Mtext to be numbered and press
Enter.
3 Type one of the following options and press Enter:
X Place some numbers at the x coordinate increment of the selected text.
Y Place some numbers when the value of the y coordinate of the selected text
decreases.
Select-order Place the number in relation to the text order of selection.
4 Type one of the following options to determine the type of ordering and press
Enter:
Increasing
Descreasing
5 Type the first number from which the numbering starts and press Enter.
6 Type the increment for the numbering and press Enter.
7 Type one of the following method of entering and press Enter:
Overwrite Restore the selected text strings with numbers.
Prefix Add the number as prefix to the text.
Suffix Add the number as suffix to the text.
Find&replace Replaces a text specified by the user with a number.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 287
Change Text Case
Changes the case of the selected text, mtext, attributes and dimension text.
To change the text case
1 Do one of the following:
Select Express > Text > Change Text Case.
Type tcase and then press Enter.
2 Choose one of the following:
Sentences case: capitalizes the first letter of a sentence.
lowercase: converts all the letters in the lower case.
UPPERCASE: capitalizes all the letters.
Title: begins every word with the capital letter.
tOGGLE cASE: inverts the case of each individual character. This option is
useful if you type with Caps Lock on without realizing it.
3 Press OK to confirm.
Modify
Move/Copy/Rotate
Move, copy, rotate and scale objects with a single command.
To move, copy, rotate and scale objects with a single command
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Modify > Move/Copy/Rotate.
Type mocoro and press Enter key.
2 Select the desired entities and press Enter.
3 Specify a base point.
288 C H A P T E R 1 0
4 Type one of the following method of entering and press Enter:
Move Move the selected entities in a new position after having specified the
displacement point.
Copy Copy the selected entities in a new position after having specified the
displacement point. Press Enter to go back to the main options menu.
Rotate Rotate the selected entities by the angular value specified by the user.
Specify another point to determine the angle in relation to the base point or digit
an angular value and press Enter.
Scale Scale the selected entities. Specify a point to determine the scale factor
or digit the scale factor and press Enter.
Base Reset the position of the base point. Specify the new position of the base
point.
Undo Delete the last change.
Exit Ends the command.
Extended Clip
Clips xrefs or images with lines and curves.
Allows curved clipping of blocks, xref drawings, images, and Wipeouts using
polylines, circles, arcs, ellipses or texts.
To make an extended clip
1 Do one of the following:
Select Express > Modify > Extended Clip.
Type clipit and then press Enter.
2 Draw arcs, circles, and/or polylines to define clipping boundaries for blocks, xrefs,
images and wipeouts.
3 Pick a polyline, circle, arc, ellipse or text object for clipping edge...
4 Pick an image, a wipeout, or an xref/block to clip...
5 Enter the maximum allowable error distance for resolution of arc segments <0.1>:
Clipit makes clipping to curved boundaries workable by traversing arc segments with
a series of short straight segments. Clipit lets you specify the maximum distance
between the midpoint of any given segment and the arc to control the precision with
which it traverses arc segments.
Entering a large error value generates fewer segments and faster AViCAD perfor-
mance, but arcs appear less smooth. On the contrary, entering a very small value
results in smooth clipping of arcs, but slows down AViCAD during the regeneration
process of a drawing.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 289
NOTE To increase performance, enter relatively large values while creating your
drawing and, when you are ready to plot, use CLIPIT again and specify a smaller
error value for arc resolution.
290 C H A P T E R 1 0
Flatten objects
Change the elevation of the selected objects.
To change the elevation of the objects
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Modify > Flatten objects.
Type flatten and press Enter key.
2 Select the entities and press Enter key.
3 Type a new elevation and press Enter key.
Multiple copy
Copies more the one object by using the options: repeat, array, divide and measure.
To execute the multiple copy of objects
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Modify > Multiple Copy.
Type copym and press Enter key.
2 Select the entities to copy and press Enter key.
3 Specify a base point.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 291
4 Digit one of the following method of entering and press Enter:
Repeat (last) Repeats the copy command by using the last offset. To be able
to use this option its needed to make a copy specifying manually the first offset
point for the copy.
Divide Divides the specified distance by the number of parts defined by the
user. Select a point to determine the interval to be divided into, digit the number
of copies and press Enter.
Measure Copies the selected entities at a distance specified by the user in a
defined interval. Select a point to determine the interval to be measured, and
then specify the distance among the copies. Pick (dynamic) Specify a point to
select the angle or digit an angular value and press Enter.
Array (dynamic) Digit one of the following method of entering and press
Enter:
Pick (dynamic) Specify a point to select the angle or type an angular
value and press Enter key. Click a point to determine the distance between
the lines and the columns. Specify with the mouse another point to
determine the area to be filled. Press Enter key to end.
Measure Specify a point to select the angle or digit an angular value and
press Enter. Click a point to determine the distance between the lines and
the columns. Specify with the mouse another point to determine the area to
be filled.
Divide Specify a point to select the angle or digit an angular value then
press Enter. Click a point to determine the distance between the lines and
the columns. Digit the number of columns and press Enter. Digit the number
of lines and press Enter.
Extended offset
This offset command improved version, offers many advantages among which are:
the layer control, the undo and multiple options.
To execute extended offset
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Modify > Extended Offset.
Type exoffset and press Enter key.
2 Click two points or digit the distance and press Enter to define the offset.
3 Digit Option and press Enter to access to the advanced options.
Digit one of the following options and press Enter:
Distance Reset the distance for the offset. Click two points or digit the
distance and press Enter to define the offset.
292 C H A P T E R 1 0
Layer Specifies the layer for the new objects. Digit one of the following
options:
Source Place the new entities on the same layer of the reference entities.
Current Places the new entities on the current layer.
Gaptype Sets and changes the offset mode controlled by the variable
OFFSETGAPTYPE. Digit one of the following options and press Enter:
Normal.
Fillet.
Chamfer.
4 Press Enter to return to the main options menu.
5 Select the entities for which realize the offset.
6 Its possible to digit one of the following options and press Enter to modify the
type of entering:
Multiple Allows making more the one entering of the same entity selected.
Option Allows returning to the configuration of the options previously
described.
Undo Deletes the last change.
7 Specify with a click of the mouse the side on which the new entities will be cre-
ated.
8 Press Enter to end the command.
Delete duplicate objects
Removes unnecessary objects which geometry is redundant by deleting duplicates
and combining line and arc segments that overlap. For example:
Duplicate copies of objects are deleted
An arc drawn directly over a portion of a circle is deleted.
Two lines drawn at the same angle so that they partially overlap are combined to
form a single line.
A duplicate line and/or arc segments within polylines are removed.
To delete duplicate objects
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Modify > Delete duplicate objects.
Type overkill and then press Enter.
2 After having selected objects in the overkill dialog box, set options for deleting
duplicate objects and then confirm with OK.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 293
Object comparison settings: the settings of this section of the dialog box control
how OVERKILL compares objects.
Ignore options: all the options under Ignore have similar behaviour. For
example, when the Ignore Layers option is selected, OVERKILL ignores object
layers when comparing objects. Thus, two overlapping objects that reside on
different layers may be considered equivalent. This option allows objects on
different layers that overlap to be deleted or modified, to resolve duplication
and/or overlap.
Numeric fuzz: the Numeric Fuzz value allows you to set the precision with
which OVERKILL makes numeric comparisons. If this value is 0, two objects
being compared must match before OVERKILL deletes or modifies one of
them. On the other hand, if the fuzz value is higher than 0, two objects being
compared do not have to match one of them to be deleted or modified.
The fuzz value works in this way for other numeric comparisons such as X, Y
and Z coordinate comparisons, as well as object comparisons involving scale,
height, width, and so on.
Lines, Arcs and Plines: the settings of this section of the dialog concern how
overkill deals with lines, arcs and plines.
PLINES - Optimize segments within plines. When the Plines option is selected,
overkill checks individual line and arc segments within selected plines and
removes any duplicate or unnecessary vertices. Also, if a pline segment dupli-
cates a line or an arc object, one of them is deleted. If this option is not selected,
overkill examines each pline as a single unit; that is, it deletes a pline only if it
is a duplicate of another pline.
294 C H A P T E R 1 0
OVERLAP - Combine co-linear objects that partially overlap. The Overlap
option controls how overkill handles objects that partially overlap one another.
When this option is selected, objects that overlap are combined to form a single
object. Otherwise, if this option is not selected, overkill does not change
partially overlapping objects.
For example, you have a horizontal line and another horizontal line drawn from
the midpoint of the first line to a point beyond the end of the first line. (See the
following illustration) The second line partially overlaps the first line. If the
Overlap option is selected, overkill combines the two lines to form a single line
that extends from the leftmost point to the rightmost point. If the Overlap option
is not selected, no change is made.
(The red X marks show the endpoints of the first line and the blue X marks show
the endpoints of the second line.)
END to END - Combine co-linear objects when aligned end to end.
Using this option, you can combine co-linear objects that have common
endpoints. The following illustration shows how overkill works with the End to
End option: the red X marks show the endpoints of the first line and arc. The
blue X marks show the endpoints of the second line and arc.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 295
Tools/Entity Data
The ability to create and modify the data of the extended entities has been originally
implemented for the application developed by third parties and it required the pres-
ence of an external application to place the extended data on certain entities.
This function is also available to the AViCAD user by an extended entities editor
with a graphic interface.
In this contest the term Application" refers to a key or an index by which can be
referred or modified the data of the extended entity.
Create or edit entity data
To create or edit entity data
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Tools > Entity Data > Create or Edit Entity Data.
Type editedata and press Enter key.
2 Select an entity to create or edit the entities database.
It will be displayed the mask Create or Edit Entity Data.
ATTENTION Before entering any data must be present the name of an applica-
tion.
3 To create the name of an application click on the button Insert, then choose from
list Application Name.
An item with the name of default Application in edit mode will be displayed on
the list, then digit the name for the application and press Enter.
4 After having created an application name or having chosen an existing one, its
possible to insert the other data. Click on the Insert button, and then choose one
the type of datum available.
5 To edit an existing data:
Select the data from the list and press Edit.
Digit a new value and press Enter.
6 To delete an existing data, select it from the list and click on Delete.
7 To confirm the modifications click on OK.
Copy entity data
To copy entity data
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Tools > Entity Data > Copy Entity Data.
Type copyedata and press Enter key.
2 Type the application name and press Enter key.
296 C H A P T E R 1 0
NOTE To display the name of the applications available digit ? and press Enter.
3 Select the entity from which copy the data.
4 Select the entity for the destination data.
NOTE If one of the entities of destination already contains the definition of the same
application, it will be asked if replacing or no replacing the existing data.
Move entity data
To move the entity data
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Tools > Entity Data > Move Entity Data.
Type moveedata and press Enter key.
2 Type the application data and press Enter key.
NOTE To display the name of the available applications digit ? and press Enter.
3 Select the entity from which move the data.
4 Select the entity for the destination data.
NOTE If one of the entities of destination already contains the definition of the same
application, it will be asked if replacing or no replacing the existing data.
Delete entity data
To delete the entity data
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Tools > Entity Data > Delete Entity Data.
Type deledata and press Enter key.
2 Type the application name and press Enter.
NOTE To display the name of the available applications digit ? and press Enter.
3 Select the entities from which delete the data and press Enter.
M O D I F Y I N G E N T I T I E S 297
Reassociate entity data
To reassociate the data merged with an application with another application
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Express > Tools > Entity Data > Reassociate Entity Data.
Type reassocapp and press Enter key.
2 Digit in the box Original Application and Reassociate Entity Data with, the origi-
nal application name and the application name by which the entity is being merg-
ing.
3 Select the box Replace original data with new data for duplicate variables in
order to restore the data in the original application with the data of the new merged
application.
4 Click OK.
5 Select the entity to reassociate the data with the new application.
6 Select the entities that will have to be reassociate with the new application and
press Enter.
Quick Perspective
Specify View
To produce a perspective view rather than the command dview it is possible to use
the rapid command for the perspective in the Express menu. The perspective gives a
realistic representation of the observers eye vision. The lines that compose the 3D
views of objects arent parallel but convergent or divergent.
To obtain a rapid perspective view
1 Do one of the following:
Select Express > Tools > Perspective > Specify View.
Type p_perspective and then press Enter.
2 Specify drawing units.
If the current visualization isnt plan view, its automatically set plan view to posi-
tion the camera and target points.
3 Specify a camera position. While using the mouse to point out the position of the
camera it is possible to perform zoom to magnify or reduce the visualization. The
camera is automatically positioned to 160 cms (or 1,6 mt or 1600 mm) elevation.
4 Specify a target position
Create Auto Perspective
The command automatically calculates the target point, camera position and focal
length. The objects nearer to the camera position appear greater and some parts, fur-
ther from the camera, appear smaller. If the command is repeated and the object is
very close, it becomes rather deformed and it could disappear from the screen.
298 C H A P T E R 1 0
To obtain a rapid perspective view
1 Do one of the following:
Select Express > Tools > Perspective > Create Auto Perspective
Type autopersp and then press Enter
After having performed the command, it is possible to modify the angle and the zoom
of the perspective using the views shortcuts:
CTRL + Left Click : Realtime Sphere
CTRL + Right Click: Realtime along axis
CTRL + SHIFT + Left Click: RealTime Zoom In&Out
Mouse up Zoom In, Mouse down Zoom Out
CTRL + SHIFT + Right Click : RealTime Pan
Move the cursor to pan
(Click the Real-Time Zoom button of the Standard Toolbar to see the Views Short-
cuts)
11
Working with text
You can insert text into your drawing and control its appearance, allowing you to pro-
vide additional information for your AViCAD drawings. This chapter explains how
to:
Create line text.
Create paragraphs.
Create text styles.
Format text.
Change text.
Change paragraph text.
Check the spelling of text
Use an alternate text editor.
Working with text written in different languages.
Topics in this chapter
Creating line text ............................................................................................... 300
Creating paragraph text .................................................................................... 300
Working with text styles..................................................................................... 303
Formatting text .................................................................................................. 304
Changing text .................................................................................................... 307
Checking the spelling........................................................................................ 311
Using an alternate text editor ............................................................................ 315
Working with text written in different languages................................................ 317
300 C H A P T E R 1 1
Creating line text
When you create text, you end each line of text by pressing Enter. Each line of text is
created as a separate entity that you can modify.
To create text
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Text > Single Line Text.
On the Text toolbar, click the Single Line Text tool ( ).
Type dtext and then press Enter.
2 Specify the insertion point for the first character.
3 Specify the height of the text.
4 Specify the text rotation angle.
5 Type the text, and then press Enter at the end of each new line.
6 To complete the command, press Enter again.
NOTE If youve already created text and want new text to appear immediately below
the previous text, choose Draw > Text > Single Line Text. When prompted for an
insertion point, press Enter. The new text will keep the same height and rotation
angle as the previous text.
Creating paragraph text
Paragraph text consists of one or more lines of text or paragraphs that fit within a
boundary width that you specify. Each paragraph text entity you create is treated as a
single entity regardless of the number of individual paragraphs or lines of text it
contains.
When you create paragraph text, you first determine the paragraphs boundary width
by specifying the opposite corners of a rectangle. The paragraph text automatically
wraps so that it fits within this rectangle. The first corner of the rectangle determines
the default attachment point of the paragraph text. You can change the location of the
attachment point in reference to the rectangle, and you can determine the direction in
which text flows within the rectangle. You can also select the text and paragraph for-
mat text style, text height, and the rotation angle of the entire paragraph text entity.
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 301
To create paragraph text
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Text > Multiline Text.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Multiline Text tool ( ).
Type mtext and then press Enter.
2 Select the first corner of the text area.
3 In the MTEXT prompt box, select the properties you want to change, or proceed
directly to step 4.
You can select these properties in steps 7 and 8.
4 Select the second corner of the text area.
5 In the Multiline Text dialog box, click the Text tab.
6 In the window, type the text you want.
To create paragraphs, press Enter and continue typing.
7 Make any selections or changes you want to the following:
Font, text height, bold, italic, underline, and color.
Indents on the ruler. Move the upper left arrow to define the first line indent,
move the lower left arrow to define the paragraph indent, and move the right
arrow to define the right indent.
Tabs on the ruler. Click the ruler to create tabs, move any tab marker to modify
its location, and drag any tab off the ruler to delete it.
Your selections affect highlighted text, or if no text is highlighted, new text when
you type it.
8 Click the Properties tab, and make selections or changes you want to the text
Style, Justification, Width, and Rotation.
9 Click OK.
NOTE You can paste text from the Clipboard into the Multiline Text dialog box.
302 C H A P T E R 1 1
A Click to view and select text attributes.
B Select the text font.
C Mark the first line indent, paragraph indent, right indent, and
tabs.
D Type and select text.
E Select or type a zoom magnification.
F Select BYBLOCK, BYLAYER, the color of your choice, or
choose Select Color to select from additional colors.
G Click to undo the previous action.
H Click to bold, italicize, and underline text.
I Select or type the text height.
A Click to view and select text style and text box properties.
B Select a text style.
C Mark the first line indent, paragraph indent, right indent, and
tabs.
D Type and select text.
E Select or type the text box angle.
F Select or type the text width.
G Select the text box justification.
A
B
C
E F G
D
H
I
A
B
C
D
E
F G
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 303
Working with text styles
When you add text to a drawing, it uses the current text style. Text style determines
the font, size, angle, orientation, and other characteristics.
Every drawing has a default text style, named Standard, which initially uses the
icad.fnt font. You cannot delete the Standard style, but you can rename it or modify
it. You can change the font, the size of the font, and the obliquing angle applied to it.
If you change the font or orientation of an existing style, all existing text entities cre-
ated using that style are automatically updated to reflect the new font or orientation.
Changing any other characteristic has no effect on existing text. You also can create
and use an unlimited number of additional text styles.
The text style determines the characteristics shown in the following table.
To create a text style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Format > Explore Text Styles.
On the Style toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool ( ).
Type expfonts and then press Enter.
2 Choose Edit > New > Style.
3 Type a new text style name, or press Enter to accept the default name.
4 Choose Edit > Properties to open the Styles dialog box.
5 Under Text Font, select the name, style, and language of the font you want to use.
6 Under Text Measurements, enter the Fixed Text Height, Width Factor, and
Oblique Angle measurement.
7 Under Text Generation, select the check boxes you want to indicate the direction
for printed text to appear.
8 Close the Styles dialog box, then close the AViCAD Explorer dialog box.
Style characteristics
Characteristic Default Description
Font file icad.fnt The font file on which the style is based.
Text height 0 The character height. A value of 0 prompts for text height upon insertion.
Width factor 1 The horizontal expansion or compression of the text. Values less than 1 compress the text;
values greater than 1 expand the text.
Obliquing angle 0 The slant of the text, in degrees. Negative values slant the text to the left; positive values slant
the text to the right.
Backward No Determines whether text appears backward.
Upside down No Determines whether text appears upside down.
Vertical No Determines whether text has a vertical orientation.
304 C H A P T E R 1 1
9 To begin using the new style, choose Insert > Text.
10 In the prompt box, select Use Defined Style.
Formatting text
When you create text, you choose the text style and set the alignment. The style deter-
mines the font characteristics for the text. For line text, the alignment determines how
the text aligns with the text insertion point. For paragraph text, the alignment deter-
mines the location of the attachment point in relation to the paragraph text boundary
and the direction in which text flows within the boundary.
Setting the line text style
You can set the text style before you specify the insertion point. You select the text
style by typing the name of a previously defined style.
To specify a line text style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Text > Single Line Text.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Single Line Text tool ( ).
Type dtext and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Use Defined Style.
3 Type the name of a previously defined text style, and then press Enter.
To display a list of available text styles, type a question mark (?), and then press
Enter.
4 Specify the text insertion point.
5 Specify the text height.
6 Specify the rotation angle.
7 Type the text line, and then press Enter.
8 To complete the command, press Enter again.
Setting the paragraph text style
You can set the paragraph text style before you specify the insertion point. You select
the text style by typing the name of a previously defined style.
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 305
To specify a paragraph text style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Text > Multiline Text.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Multiline Text tool ( ).
Type mtext and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point of the Multiline Text box.
3 In the prompt box, choose Text Style.
4 Type the name of a previously defined text style, and then press Enter.
5 Specify the text height.
6 Specify the rotation angle.
7 Specify the opposite corner of the Multiline Text box.
8 Type the text, and then press Enter.
9 To complete the command, press Enter again.
Setting the line text alignment
When you create text, you can set the text alignment before you specify the insertion
point. You set the alignment by choosing it in the prompt box. By default, text is left
justified. You can align text at the left, center, or right and at the top, middle, or base-
line of the text or at the bottom of descending letters.
You can also align text so that it fits or aligns between two points. The Align option
creates text that scales up or down while maintaining a constant height/width ratio;
the Fit option expands or compresses the text to fit between the two points.
A Top left
B Middle left
C Left
D Bottom left
E Center
F Bottom center
G Bottom right
H Baseline
I Right
J Middle right
K Top right
L Middle
M Middle center
N Top center
J
K
L
G D
A
B
C
M
H
F E
I
N
306 C H A P T E R 1 1
To specify the line text alignment
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Text > Single Line Text.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Single Line Text tool ( ).
Type dtext and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose an alignment option, or choose Justification Options to
display all the justification options.
3 Specify the text insertion point, and then continue creating the line text.
Setting the paragraph text alignment
When you create paragraph text, you can set the text alignment by specifying the
attachment point location in relation to the paragraph text boundary and the direction
in which text flows within the boundary. You can set the paragraph text alignment
either in the prompt box displayed after you specify the first corner of the paragraph
text boundary or from the Multiline Text dialog box. You can specify the attachment
point at the top left, top center, top right, middle left, middle center, middle right, bot-
tom left, bottom center, or bottom right. The paragraph text can flow left to right,
right to left, top to bottom, or bottom to top.
Including special text characters
You can use control codes to overscore or underscore text or to include special char-
acters. Both overscore and underscore can be active at the same time. To include con-
trol codes, as you type text, type two percent symbols (%%) followed by the special
control code or character. A single percent sign is treated as a normal text character.
A triple-percent control code is provided for those instances where a control-code
sequence must follow a percent sign in the text.
Text aligned between two points maintains a
constant height/width ratio.
Text fit between two points expands or compresses
to fit.
Special text characters
Control code Function
%%o Toggles overscore mode on and off.
%%u Toggles underscore mode on and off.
%%d Draws a degree symbol ().
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 307
Changing text
Changing line text
You can edit and modify the text as you would any other drawing entity. That is, you
can delete, move, rotate, and scale text.
To edit text
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Text.
On the Text toolbar, click the Edit Text tool ( ).
Type ddedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the text entity.
3 In the Text field, edit the text, and then click OK.
To change text properties
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Text.
On the Text toolbar, click the Edit Text tool ( ).
Type ddedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the text entity.
3 Under Text Settings, change the text properties you want.
4 Click OK.
%%p Draws the plus-or-minus symbol ().
%%c Draws the circle diameter symbol ().
%%% Forces a single percent sign.
%%nnn Draws special character number nnn.
Special text characters
Control code Function
Text created using special text characters: Ut wisi %%uenim%%d ad%%p%%u minim %%c %%oveniam.
308 C H A P T E R 1 1
Changing paragraph text
You can modify the text as you would any other drawing entity. That is, you can
delete, move, rotate, and scale text.
To edit paragraph text
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Text.
On the Text toolbar, click the Edit Text tool ( ).
2 Select the text entity.
3 Select Text tab in the dialog box, change the text and apply font style changes.
4 Click OK.
To change paragraph text properties
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Text.
On the Text toolbar, click the Edit Text tool ( ).
2 Select the text entity.
3 Select Property tab in the dialog box and perform changes you want
4 Click OK.
Find
This command allows you to find, replace, or select a text and it controls the results
of the search.
To find and replace a text
1 Do one of the following:
Select Edit > Find and Replace
Type find and then press Enter.
2 In the find and replace mask you can see these options:
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 309

Find Text String : Indicates the text string to find. Enter a text string including
any wild card characters, or choose one from the list of the six most recently
used strings.
Replace With: Indicates the text string you want to use to replace the found
text. Enter a string or choose one from the list of the most recently used strings.
Search In: Indicates whether to search the entire drawing or only the current
selection. If something is already selected, Selection is the default value. If
nothing is selected, the default value is Entire Drawing. You can use the Select
Objects button to close temporarily the dialog box and create or modify the
selection set. When selection is completed press Enter or right click to open the
dialog box again.
Select Objects Button: Closes temporarily the dialog box so that you can select
objects in your drawing. Press ENTER to return to the dialog box. When you
select objects, the Search In field displays Current Selection.
Options: Displays the Find and Replace Options dialog box, in which you can
define the type of words that you want to find.
310 C H A P T E R 1 1
Find: Finds the text that you have entered in the Find Text String field. This
option is not available if you have not entered any text in the Find Text String
field. The found text is displayed in the Context area. Once you have found the
first instance of the text, the Find option becomes Find Next, which you can use
to find the next instance.
Replace: Replaces the found text with the text that you entered in the Replace
With field.
Replace All: Finds all occurrences of the text that you entered in Find Text
String and replaces it with the text in Replace With. The Search In setting
controls whether to find and replace the text in the entire drawing or the text in
the current selection. The status area confirms the replacements and indicates
the number of replacements that have been made.
Select All: Finds and selects all the objects containing instances of the text that
you entered in the Find Text String field. This option is available only when you
select objects in a drawing and the Search In control is set to Selection. When
you choose Select All, the dialog box closes and a message in the command
prompt shows the number of objects founded and selected. Select All does not
replace the text.
Zoom To: Displays the area in a drawing that contains the results of a find or
replace search.
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 311
Checking the spelling
Check Spelling
Corrects the spelling in text objects of a drawing.
It is possible to do the spell checking for any text of a drawing, including:
Single line text
Multiline text
Text in block attributes
External references
For attributes, only values are checked.
To do the check spelling in another language, you can choose a different dictio-
nary. You can also customize and manage several dictionaries and switch
between them.
To do the check spelling
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Spell Check.
Type spell and then press Enter.
312 C H A P T E R 1 1

A Displays the current dictionary.
B Displays the misspelled word and its context in
the drawing.
C Displays (or you can type) a new word to replace
the misspelled word in the drawing.
D Displays a list of suggested words from the
current dictionary to replace the misspelled
one.Select a replacement word from the list or
edit, or enter a replacement word in the top
Suggestions text area.
E Displays the dialog box Change Dictionaries.
F Adds the word entered in the box to the current
custom dictionary.
G It allows to choose one of the words in the
Suggestions box, to obtain other suggestions
about that item.
H Replaces the current word in all the selected text
objects.
I Replaces the current word with the word
specified in the Suggestions box.
J Ignore the current word
K Move the slider to zoom in or out on the text.
A
B
F
E
D
C
I
K
J
H
G
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 313

A Type a word for the custom dictionary.
B Displays the words in the custom dictionary.
C Click to delete the currently selected word from
the custom dictionary.
D Click to add the current word in the edit box (A)
to the custom dictionary.
E Click to select a different custom dictionary.
F Displays the custom dictionary filename. You can
type a new path and filename or click Browse to
select a file.
A
B
F
E
D
C
314 C H A P T E R 1 1
Main Dictionary
The check spelling function allows to choose a main dictionary among many differ-
ent languages. Dictionary files have a .dic extension.
To do the check spelling in another language, you can switch to a different main dic-
tionary.
Do one of the following:
From the Main Dictionary box, select another dictionary in a language that you
need.
With the Download button you can download a new dictionary.
The download button is linked to a web page that manages a lot of free downloadable
dictionaries in many different languages. Put downloaded dictionaries in the same
folder shown in the Custom Dictionary box.
NOTE It is possible to switch between other dictionaries using the system variables
DCTMAIN or DCTCUST. To have a list of main dictionaries, type DCTMAIN from
the command bar.
A Select the desired spelling dictionary. B Click to open the default Internet browser to a
web page where you can download spelling
dictionaries in different languages.
A
B
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 315
Creating and modifying a custom dictionary
You can create an unlimited number of custom dictionaries and switch between them
when it is necessary. A custom dictionary is a list of the users spelling exceptions.
The extension of custom dictionary files is .cus.
During a spelling check, words in the drawing are matched to words in the current
main and custom dictionaries. All spelling exceptions that you add with the Add
option are stored in the current custom dictionary. For example it is possible to add
personal or place names to skip automatically those words in spell check. The current
custom dictionary is the icad .cus file stored in the AViCAD application data folder.
To select a custom dictionary
1 Click Browse...
2 Choose the necessary .cus file.
3 Click Open.
To add the content of a custom dictionary to the current one
1 Select a custom dictionary from the list displayed in the custom dictionary area.
2 Click OK
Using an alternate text editor
AViCAD includes a built-in text editor for creating paragraph text using the MTEXT
command described earlier in this chapter (See Creating paragraph text300). You
can also specify an alternate text editor for the MTEXT command.
Selecting an alternate text editor
Before you can use an alternate text editor, you must specify the editor by setting the
MTEXTED system variable.
To select an alternate text editor
1 Type mtexted and then press Enter.
2 Enter the path and name of the executable file for the text editor you want to use to
create or edit multiline text. For example, to use Microsoft Wordpad, you would
type something similar to the following (adjusting the path name as necessary):
C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\Wordpad.exe
Creating paragraph text in an alternate text editor
After you set up AViCAD to use an alternate text editor, you can start using it to
include text in your drawings.
316 C H A P T E R 1 1
To use an alternate text editor
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Text > Multiline Text.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Multiline Text tool ( ).
Type mtext and then press Enter.
2 Select the first and second corners of the text area, as described earlier in this
chapter.
3 In the Multiline Text dialog box, click the Text tab.
4 In the window, type the text you want, using the special characters from the table
shown below to achieve special formatting. Enter \P to end a paragraph and start a
new paragraph on the next line. For example, to use an alignment value of 1 and
stack two numbers to display them as a fraction:
{\A1;\S1/2;}\P
5 When your text is complete, save the changes and exit the text editor.
Special formatting characters
Format characters Function
\0...\o Toggles overscore mode on and off.
\L...\l Toggles underscore mode on and off.
\~ Inserts a nonbreaking space.
\\ Inserts a backslash.
\{...\} Inserts an opening and closing brace.
\Cvalue; Sets the color to a specified value.
\File name;
Sets the font based on a specified font file name.
\Hvalue; Sets the text height to a specified value.
\Hvaluex; Sets the text height to a multiple of the current text height.
\S...^...; Stacks the subsequent text at the /, #, or ^ symbol.
\Tvalue; Adjusts the space between characters, from 0.75 to 4 times.
\Qangle; Changes obliquing angle.
\Wvalue; Changes width factor to produce wide text.
\A Sets the alignment value.
\P
Ends paragraph.
\p[i],[l],[tX1,X2,...,X32]
Formats paragraph: i = first line indent; l = paragraph offset; t = tab
positions.
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 317
Working with text written in different languages
You can include text in your drawings that is written in different languages.
Using Unicode characters
AViCAD supports the Unicode character encoding standard, which enables you to
display and write text in different languages using different letters. Unicode fonts
contain many more characters than typically defined in a system.
For more details about using special characters, see Including special text charac-
ters on page 306 in this chapter. You can also use a different text editor; see Using
an alternate text editor on page 315 in this chapter.
Specifying character sets for drawings
The character set used to display text in drawings typically depends on the character
set specified by your operating system, for example, ANSI_1252 is Latin 1,
ANSI_1253 is Greek, and ANSI_1254 is Turkish. This is also called the code page.
AViCAD allows you to manage which code page is assigned to a drawing when you
open the drawing or after you open it. This unique feature is usually not necessary if
you distribute drawings within the same geographic region, but it can be very helpful
when sharing or distributing drawings between different geographic regions. Chang-
ing the code page is highly desirable especially in geographic regions where several
languages are used that require different character sets to display text properly.
Setting the code page doesnt change the language of your text; instead it specifies
the character set in which the text displays. Some fonts can display its characters sev-
eral different ways depending on the code page setting.
There are two system variables that relate to the code page of a drawing:
SYSCODEPAGE Character set defined for your operating system.
DWGCODEPAGE Character set defined for an individual drawing that over-
rides the operating system code page.
Special Unicode characters
Control code Function
\U+00B0 Draws a degree symbol ().
\U+00B1 Draws the plus-or-minus symbol ().
\U+2205 Draws the circle diameter symbol ().
318 C H A P T E R 1 1
To manage how code pages are assigned to drawings
1 Type codepage and then press Enter.
The Code Page Manager dialog box opens.
2 If you want to convert the drawing to use a different code page, in Drawing Code
Page, select the desired code page.
3 Select one of the following options:
No conversion when a drawing is opened Keeps the drawing code page
unchanged when you open a drawing.
Always open this dialog when a drawing is opened Opens the Code Page
Manager dialog box every time you open a drawing.
Only open this dialog when the drawing and system code pages differ
Opens the Code Page Manager dialog box only when the operating system code
page is different from the drawing code page. This setting can be helpful if you
sometimes send or receive drawings created using a code page that is different
from the one used by your operating system.
Automatically convert the code page when a drawing is opened Always
use the same code page when opening drawings (the Code Page Manager dialog
box will not open).
4 If you selected to automatically convert the code page, select one of the following:
Use alternate code page When converting drawings automatically, always
use the code page that you select.
Use system code page When converting drawings automatically, use the
code page defined for the operating system (this is the code page displayed for
the SYSCODEPAGE system variable).
TIP If you want to always use the code page assigned to a drawing, choose No Con-
version when a Drawing is Opened (this is the default setting). You can change the
drawing code page after opening a drawing, if necessary. If you want to always use
the code page specified for your operating system, choose Automatically Convert the
Code Page, and then choose Use System Code Page.
W O R K I N G W I T H T E X T 319
A Displays the code page for your operating
system.
B Select the code page for the current drawing.
C Choose to keep the drawing code page
unchanged when you open a drawing.
D Choose to open the Code Page Manager
dialog box every time you open a drawing.
E Choose to open the Code Page Manager
dialog box only when the operating system
code page is different from the drawing code
page.
F Choose to always use the same code page
when opening drawings (the Code Page
Manager dialog box will not open).
G Choose to always use the operating system code
page when opening drawings (available only if you
selected to automatically convert drawings).
H Choose to always use the selected code page when
opening drawings (available only if you selected to
automatically convert drawings).
I Click to preview the first text entity using the current
code page settings.
J Click to preview the next text entity using the current
code page settings.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
320 C H A P T E R 1 1
12
Dimensioning your drawing
The AViCAD dimensioning tools let you add measurements to a drawing. You can
quickly add dimensions by simply pointing to entities. You can also add tolerance
symbols to your drawings.
The programs many dimensioning variables let you control the appearance of the
dimensions. With dimension styles, you can save dimension variable settings so you
can reuse them without having to re-create them.
This chapter explains how to:
Create dimensions as linear, angular, diametral, radial, and ordinate.
Create leaders and annotations.
Edit dimensions.
Use dimension styles and variables.
Add geometric tolerances.
Control dimension tolerance.
Control alternate dimension units.
Topics in this chapter
Understanding dimensioning concepts............................................................. 322
Creating dimensions......................................................................................... 324
Editing dimensions............................................................................................ 334
Understanding dimension styles and variables ................................................ 337
Adding geometric tolerances ............................................................................ 347
322 C H A P T E R 1 2
Understanding dimensioning concepts
You can create five basic types of dimensions: linear, angular, radial, diametral, and
ordinate. You can create dimensions for existing entities by selecting them, or you
can create dimensions by selecting points within a drawing. For example, you can
create a linear dimension either by selecting the entity to be dimensioned or by speci-
fying the first and second extension line origins.
When you create a dimension, the program draws it on the current layer, using the
current dimension style. Each dimension has an associated dimension style, which
controls the appearance of the dimension, such as the types of arrowheads, text style,
and colors of various components. You can modify existing dimension styles by
changing one of the dimension variable settings and then updating the dimension
style to reflect the new settings.
Each dimension you create consists of several parts. A dimension line shows where a
dimension begins and ends. When you create an angular dimension, the dimension
line is a dimension line arc that subtends the measured angle.
A Radial dimension.
B Vertical linear dimension.
C Angular dimension.
D Linear continued dimensions.
E Aligned dimension.
F Diametral dimension.
G Horizontal linear dimension.
H Linear baseline dimension.
A
B
C
D
E
F
H
G
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 323
Extension lines, also called projection lines, are lines that extend away from the entity
for which you are creating a dimension, so that you can place the dimension line
away from the entity. Arrowheads form the termination at each end of the dimension
line.
Dimension text contains the measured dimension and can also include prefixes, suf-
fixes, tolerances, and other optional text. As you insert dimensions, you can control
the dimension text and specify its position and orientation.
Dimensions can also contain other optional components. A leader is a line leading
from a feature of the drawing to an annotation. Leaders begin with an arrowhead, and
you can use them to place a dimension away from the dimension line or to add notes.
When you create a radial dimension, you can add a center mark, which is a small
cross that marks the center of a circle or an arc, or you can add centerlines, which are
crossing lines that extend out from the center of a circle or an arc.
A Extension line.
B Arrowhead.
C Dimension line.
D Dimension text.
A
B
C
D
Leader. Center mark. Centerlines.
324 C H A P T E R 1 2
Creating dimensions
You can create dimensions by:
Selecting the entity to dimension and specifying the dimension line location.
Specifying the extension line origins and the dimension line location.
When you create dimensions by selecting an entity, the program automatically places
the extension line origins at the appropriate definition points based on the type of
entity you select. For example, the definition points are located at the endpoints of
arcs, lines, and polyline segments. When you create dimensions by specifying the
extension line origins, the points you specify determine the definition points. To
establish these points precisely, use entity snaps.
You can create dimensions in model space or paper space.
Quick dimensioning
To create and modify quickly a series of dimensions you can use the QDIM com-
mand. This command is particularly useful when you create a series of baseline or
continued dimensions or when you dimension a series of circles and arcs.
To create a quick dimension
1 Do one of the following:
Select Dimension > Quick Dimension.
Select Quick Dimension from the Dimension toolbar.
Type QDIM and press Enter.
2 Select objects for dimensioning, then specify position of the dimension line or
choose from the options:
Continuous: creates a series of continued dimensions.
Staggered: creates a series of staggered dimensions.
Baseline: creates a series of baseline dimensions.
Ordinate: creates a series of ordinate dimensions.
Radius: creates a series of radium dimensions.
Diameter: creates a series of diameter dimensions.
Datum Point: sets a new point of origin for ordinate and baseline dimensions.
Edit: Modifies a series of dimensions. It is suggested that you add or remove
points of existing dimensions.
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 325
Creating linear dimensions
Linear dimensions annotate linear distances or lengths and can be oriented horizon-
tally, vertically, or aligned parallel to an existing entity or to the selected extension
origin points. After you create a linear dimension, you can add a baseline dimension
or a continued dimension. A linear baseline dimension inserts an additional dimen-
sion from a common first extension line origin of a previous linear dimension. A lin-
ear continued dimension continues a linear dimension from the second extension line
of a previous linear dimension.
TIP To select precise ordinate points, use entity snaps.
To create a horizontal or vertical dimension
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Linear.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Linear Dimension tool ( ).
Type dimlinear and then press Enter.
2 Press Enter, and then select the entity to dimension.
Or, you can insert the dimension by specifying the first and second extension line
origins.
3 Specify the dimension line location.
To insert a linear dimension by selecting the entity, select the
entity (A) to dimension, and then specify the dimension line
location (B).
Result.
To insert a linear dimension by selecting the extension line
origins, select the first extension origin (A), select the second
extension origin (B), and then specify the dimension line
location (C).
Result.
A
B
A
B
C
326 C H A P T E R 1 2
To create an aligned dimension
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Aligned.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Aligned Dimension tool ( ).
Type dimaligned and then press Enter.
2 Press Enter, and then select the entity to dimension.
Or, you can insert the dimension by specifying the first and second extension line
origins.
3 Specify the dimension line location.
To insert an aligned dimension by selecting the entity, select
the entity (A) to dimension, and then select the dimension line
location (B).
Result.
To insert an aligned dimension by selecting the extension line
origins, select the first extension origin (A), select the second
extension origin (B), and then specify the dimension line
location (C).
Result.
A
B
A
C
B
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 327
To create a linear baseline dimension
NOTE Before you can use this procedure, you must first create a dimension.
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Baseline.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Baseline Dimension tool ( ).
Type dimbaseline and then press Enter.
2 To select a starting dimension, press Enter.
3 Select the next extension line origin, and then press Enter.
Or press Enter, and then select an existing dimension for the baseline. Select the
origin of the next extension line, and then press Enter.
The program automatically places the new baseline dimension above or below the
previous dimension line. The distance between the two dimension lines is determined
by the Baseline Offset value in the Dimension Settings dialog box.
To add a baseline dimension to an existing linear dimension, select the existing dimension (A), select the
next extension line origin (B), and select as many additional points as you want (C).
A
B
C
Result.
328 C H A P T E R 1 2
To create a linear continued dimension
NOTE Before you can use this procedure, you must first create a dimension.
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Continue.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Continue Dimension tool ( ).
Type dimcontinue and then press Enter.
2 To select a starting dimension, press Enter.
3 Select the next extension line origin, and then press Enter.
Or press Enter, and then select an existing dimension to continue.
4 To add continued dimensions, continue selecting extension line origins.
5 To end the command, press Enter twice.
To add a continued dimension to an existing linear dimension, select the existing dimension (A), select the
next extension line origin (B), and select another extension line origin (C).
Result.
A
B
C
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 329
Creating angular dimensions
Angular dimensions annotate the angle measured between two lines. You can also
dimension an angle by selecting an angle vertex and two endpoints. After you create
an angular dimension, you can add a baseline dimension or a continued dimension.
An angular baseline dimension inserts an additional dimension from a common first
extension line origin of a previous angular dimension. An angular continued dimen-
sion continues an angular dimension from the second extension line of a previous
angular dimension.
To dimension an angle encompassed by an arc
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Angular.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Angular Dimension tool ( ).
Type dimangular and then press Enter.
2 Select the arc.
3 Specify the dimension arc location.
To dimension an angle between two lines
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Angular.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Angular Dimension tool ( ).
Type dimangular and then press Enter.
2 Select one line.
3 Select the other line.
4 Specify the dimension line location.
To dimension the angle subtended by an arc, select
the arc (A), and then specify the dimension arc
location (B).
Result.
A
B
330 C H A P T E R 1 2

Creating diametral and radial dimensions
Diameter and radius dimensions annotate the radii and diameters of arcs and circles.
You can optionally include centerlines or center marks.
To create a diametral dimension
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Diameter.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Diameter Dimension tool ( ).
Type dimdiameter and then press Enter.
2 Select the arc or circle.
3 Specify the dimension line location.
To create a radial dimension
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Radius.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Radius Dimension tool ( ).
Type dimradius and then press Enter.
2 Select the arc or circle.
3 Specify the dimension line location.
Select one line (A), select the other line (B), and then specify the
dimension line location (C).
Result
Select the circle (A), and then specify the
dimension line location (B).
Result.
A
B
C
A
B
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 331

Creating ordinate dimensions
An ordinate dimension annotates the perpendicular distance from an origin or base
point (the origin of the current user coordinate system [UCS]). Ordinate dimensions
consist of an x- or y-coordinate and a leader. An x-ordinate dimension measures dis-
tances along the x-axis; a y-ordinate dimension measures distances along the y-axis.
As you select ordinate points, the program automatically determines whether the
point is an x- or y-ordinate based on which direction you drag the second point. You
can also specify whether the ordinate represents an x- or y-ordinate. Ordinate dimen-
sion text is always aligned with the ordinate leader lines, regardless of the text orien-
tation specified by the current dimension style.
Select the circle (A), and then specify the
dimension line location (B).
Result.
A
B
Ordinate dimensions measure the distance along the x- or y-axis from an origin to a selected ordinate point.
332 C H A P T E R 1 2
To create an ordinate dimension
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Coordinate.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Ordinate tool Dimension ( ).
Type dimordinate and then press Enter.
2 Select the point for ordinate dimension.
3 Specify the ordinate leader endpoint.
NOTE To select precise ordinate points, use entity snaps.
Creating leaders and annotations
Leaders consist of a line or series of lines that connects a feature in a drawing to an
annotation. Generally, you place an arrowhead at the first point. An annotation, cre-
ated as dimension text, is placed immediately adjacent to the last point. By default,
the text placed at the end of the leader line consists of the most recent dimension. You
can also type an annotation as a single line of text.
To create a leader and an annotation
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Leader.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Quick Leader tool ( ).
Type dimleader and then press Enter.
2 Specify the starting point of the leader.
3 Specify the endpoint of the leader line segment.
4 Specify additional leader line segment endpoints.
5 After you specify the last endpoint, press Enter.
6 Type the annotation, or press Enter to accept the most recent dimension as the
default annotation.
Select the ordinate point (A), and then specify the ordinate leader endpoint (B).
A
B
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 333

Dimensioning model space entities in paper space
To increase efficiency, you can separate your drawing model from annotations using
the Model and Layout tabs.
It takes time to display dimensions, title blocks, keynotes, and other annotations. If
you draw these on a Layout tab, display-time and visual clutter are reduced when you
work on your model (on the Model tab). AViCAD allows you to dimension model
space entities on either the Model tab or a Layout tab you can make the choice
depending on the method that works best for your needs.
To dimension model space entities in paper space
1 Click a Layout tab.
2 Create at least one layout viewport. For details, see Creating layout viewports
on page 395.
3 Lock the desired layout viewport by doing the following:
Right-click the edge of the layout viewport that you want to use for creating
dimensions.
Choose Properties.
Mark Lock Viewport, and then click OK.
Locking the viewport is not required, but it is extremely helpful when you zoom
or pan in the layout viewport; it prevents the viewport scale and view center
from changing.
TIP You may want to place the layout viewports on their own layer and after
locking the layout viewports, hide the layer that contains them. This allows you to
work within the layout viewport without it cluttering your display or selections.
Specify the starting point of the leader (A)
and the endpoint of the leader line segment
(B).
Result.
A
B
334 C H A P T E R 1 2
4 Make sure you are working in paper space by verifying that the Model/Paper
Space toggle in the status bar begins with P. If necessary, switch to paper space
by clicking the Model/Paper Space toggle in the status bar.
5 Create a dimension. You can select the model space entities directly, specify defi-
nition points, or use entities snaps to help accurately select the definition points.
The dimension is created in paper space.
For more details about using paper space and model space, see Understanding paper
space and model space on page 389.
Editing dimensions
You can use grips to edit entity dimensions. You can also edit the dimension text.
You can rotate dimension lines and dimension text at any angle, and you can reposi-
tion the dimension text anywhere along the dimension line.
Making dimensions oblique
Extension lines are normally created at a perpendicular angle to the dimension line.
You can change the angle of the extension lines, however, so that they tilt relative to
the dimension line.
To make oblique extension lines
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Make Oblique.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Edit tool ( ) and then in the
prompt box, choose Oblique Lines.
Type dimedit, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose Oblique Lines.
2 Select the linear dimension, and then press Enter.
3 Type the obliquing angle, and then press Enter.
Select the dimension to be made oblique (A), and then type
the obliquing angle.
Result.
A
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 335
NOTE To align the oblique angle if you dont know the exact measurement, use
snaps to pick two points on the entity.
Editing dimension text
You can rotate the text of an existing dimension, move the dimension text to a new
position, or replace selected dimension text with new text. You can also restore
dimension text to its original position as defined by the current dimension style.
When you rotate or replace selected text, you specify the change first, and then select
one or more dimensions to which to apply the change. All the selected dimensions are
updated simultaneously.
To rotate dimension text
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Rotate Dimension Text.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Edit tool ( ) and then in the
prompt box, choose Rotate Text.
Type dimedit, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose Rotate Text.
2 Type the new dimension text angle, and then press Enter.
3 Select the dimension to be rotated, and then press Enter.
NOTE The dimension text angle is relative to the dimension line. If the dimension
text rotation is set to zero, the text angle is defined by the dimension type and the
dimension style.
Select the dimension to be rotated (A), and then
type the rotation angle.
Result.
A
336 C H A P T E R 1 2
To move dimension text
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choosen Dimension > Reposition Dimension Text.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Edit tool ( ).
Type dimtedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the dimension to reposition text.
3 Select the new text position.
To restore dimension text to its home position
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Restore Text Position.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Edit tool ( ) and then in the
prompt box, choose Restore Text.
Type dimedit, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose Restore Text.
2 Select the dimension text to restore, and then press Enter.
To replace existing dimension text with new text
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Edit Dimension Text.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Text Edit tool ( ).
Type dimedit and then in the prompt box, choose Edit Text.
2 Type the new dimension text, and then press Enter.
3 Select the dimension to be replaced, and then press Enter.
Select the dimension to be moved (A), and then
select the new text position (B).
Result.
A
B
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 337
Understanding dimension styles and variables
Dimensions that you insert are created using the current dimension style. You can
create, save, restore, and delete named dimension styles.
To display information about the current dimension style and compare it with other
style names, you can use the dimstyle command.
Dimension styles provide a way for you to change various settings that control the
appearance of dimensions. You can then save those settings for reuse. If you dont
define a dimension style before creating dimensions, the program uses the Standard
dimension style, which stores the default dimension variable settings. Each option in
the Dimension Settings dialog box relates to a variable that you can set manually. See
the online Command Reference for more information.
To create a dimension style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 In the Dimension Settings dialog box, click New.
3 Type the name of the new dimension style.
4 Click Create.
5 In the Dimension Settings dialog box, click one of the other tabs, and then change
the dimension settings as necessary.
Repeat this step for each tab, as needed.
6 To end the command, click OK.
To select a dimension style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Style, select a dimension style from the list, and then click
OK.
On the Style toolbar, select a dimension style from the list.
Type setdim, press Enter, select a dimension style from the list, and then click
OK.
338 C H A P T E R 1 2
To rename a dimension style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 In the Dimension Settings dialog box, click Rename.
3 In the Rename list, click the dimension style to be renamed.
4 In the To box, type the new dimension style name.
5 Click Rename.
6 Click OK.
To delete a named dimension style
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 In the Dimension Settings dialog box, click Delete.
3 Select the dimension style to delete.
4 Click Delete.
5 Click OK.
To display information about the current style
1 Type dimstyle and then press Enter.
2 Type the dimension style name, and press Enter.
Controlling dimension arrows
You can control the appearance and size of arrowheads or tick marks placed at the
ends of dimension lines. Any changes you make affect the current dimension style.
The arrowheads you choose display both below the User-Defined Arrowheads check
box and in the image tile on the right side of the Dimension Settings dialog box.
You can choose from a number of arrowhead types. You can specify different arrow-
heads for each end of a dimension line. The Start arrow corresponds to the first exten-
sion line; the End arrow corresponds to the second extension line. The Arrow Size
value determines the size of the arrowhead, measured in drawing units. You can also
use tick marks instead of arrowheads.
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 339
To choose an arrowhead
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Arrows tab.
3 In the Start or End list, click to select the Start or End arrowhead, respectively.
4 In the Leader list, click to select a leader type.
5 Click OK.
NOTE You can also specify leader arrow types using the DIMLDRBLK system vari-
able.
A Type or select arrowhead size.
B Click to select a starting arrowhead, or click the
arrowhead picture to scroll the list automatically.
C Click to select an ending arrowhead, or click the
arrowhead picture to scroll the list automatically.
D Click to select a leader arrowhead, or click the
arrowhead picture to scroll the list automatically.
E Select to enable tick marks instead of arrowheads.
F Type or select tick mark size.
A
B
C
D
E
F
340 C H A P T E R 1 2
Controlling dimension format
You can control the way dimension text and arrowheads are placed in relation to the
dimension lines. Any changes you make affect the current dimension style. The
image tile on the right side of the Dimension Settings dialog box shows the appear-
ance of dimensions based on the current dimension style settings.
The program determines whether both dimension text and arrowheads will fit
between the extension lines by comparing the distance between the extension lines to
the size of the dimension text, the size of the arrowheads, and the amount of space
required around dimension text. The program applies the best fit method based on the
available space. If possible, both the dimension text and arrowheads are placed
between the extension lines. If both will not fit between the extension lines, you can
determine how text and arrowheads are placed using the Fit Method settings on the
Dimension Settings dialog box.
To format dimensions
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Format tab.
3 Click the Fit option that you want.
4 Click OK.
NOTE You can also specify how dimension text and arrows are arranged using the
DIMATFIT system variable. You can specify how dimension text is moved using the
DIMTMOVE system variable.

Text and arrowheads placed
outside extension lines.
Text placed between extension
lines and arrowheads outside
extension lines.
Text placed above
dimension line with a leader
connecting the text to the
dimension line.
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 341
Controlling line settings
You can control settings affecting dimension lines, extension lines, and center marks.
Any changes you make affect the current dimension style. The image tile on the right
side of the Dimension Settings dialog box shows the appearance of the dimensions
based on the current dimension style settings.
A Click to place both text and arrowheads inside
the extension lines when both do not
automatically fit between them.
B Click to place arrowheads only between
extension lines and text outside extension lines
when both do not fit between them.
C Click to fit either text or arrowheads between
extension lines when both do not fit between
them.
D Click to automatically determine the best fit
method.
E Click to place text beside the dimension line with a
leader when both text and arrowheads do not fit
between the extension lines.
F Click to place text above the dimension line with a
leader connecting the text to the dimension line
when both text and arrowheads do not fit between
the extension lines.
G Click to place text above the dimension line
without a leader when both text and arrowheads
do not fit between the extension lines.
H Type or select the distance around the dimension
text.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
342 C H A P T E R 1 2

To set the color for dimension lines
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Lines tab.
3 Under Dimension Lines, click Select Color.
4 In the Color dialog box, click the dimension line color, and then click OK.
5 Click OK.
Controlling dimension text
You can control the settings affecting the appearance of dimension text. Any changes
you make affect the current dimension style. The image tile on the right side of the
Dimension Settings dialog box shows the appearance of the dimensions based on the
current dimension style settings.
A Extend past dimension.
B Baseline offset.
C Offset from origin.
A
B
C
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 343

A Type or select center mark size. Positive values
create a center mark. Negative values create
centerlines.
B Type or select the baseline offset distance (the
distance to offset successive dimension lines when
creating baseline dimensions) and the offset from
origin (the distance extension lines are offset from
their origin points).
C In Dimensions, type or select the distance that
extension lines extend beyond dimension lines. In
Obliques, type or select the distance that
dimension lines extend beyond extension lines.
D Select the dimension lineweight and the dimension
line color.
E Select the extension lineweight and the extension
line color.
F Select to prevent the creation of the first and
second dimension lines.
G Select to prevent the creation of the first and
second extension lines.
H Select to prevent the creation of dimension lines
outside extension lines.
I Select to draw dimension lines between extension
lines when text and arrows are placed outside
extension lines.
A
B
C
D
F
E
G
H
I
Text between extension lines aligned
horizontally.
Text between extension lines
aligned with dimension line.
344 C H A P T E R 1 2
To align dimension text with the dimension line
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Text tab.
3 Select the Align Inside Text With Dimension Line check box.
4 Click OK.
A Click to select the text style used for dimension
text.
B Type or select the text height, measured in
drawing units.
C Type a prefix or suffix to be appended to
dimension text.
D Click to display the AViCAD Explorer, Text Styles
element.
E Click to select the dimension text color.
F Select to align text placed between the extension
lines with the dimension line.
G Select to align text placed outside the extension
lines with the dimension line.
H Select to force text between the extension lines.
I Type or select the vertical text offset distance.
J Click to select the horizontal or vertical justification
of dimension text.
K Formats integers in superscript after the specified
number of decimal places.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 345
Controlling dimension units
You can determine the appearance and format of the primary and alternate dimension
units. The image tile on the right side of the Dimension Settings dialog box shows the
appearance of the dimensions based on the current dimension style settings.

To round off dimensions
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Units tab.
3 In the Round Linear Distances To field, type or select the nearest value to which
you want to round off dimensions.
4 Click OK.
NOTE You can also specify units for linear dimensions using the DIMLUNIT system
variable. You can specify fraction formats using the DIMFRAC system variable.

Round off distance set to .0100
(original dimension before
rounding).
Round off distance set to 0.2500. Round off distance set to 1.0000.
346 C H A P T E R 1 2
A Select the linear dimension format.
B Type or select the number of decimal places you
want displayed in linear dimension text.
C Enter the marker symbol used for decimals.
D Type or select the nearest value to which you
want to round off linear distances.
E Select to prevent the inclusion of leading zeros or
the inclusion of feet in dimension text when the
dimension is less than one foot.
F Select to prevent the inclusion of trailing zeros or
the inclusion of inches in dimension text when the
number of inches is zero.
G Select the angular dimension format.
H Type or select the number of decimal places you
want displayed for angular dimension text. Select
whether to suppress leading or trailing zeros.
I Type or select the scale factor applied to all
dimensions.
J Type or select the linear scale factor applied to all
lengths measured by dimensioning commands.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 347
Adding geometric tolerances
Geometric tolerances indicate the maximum allowable variations in the geometry
defined by a drawing. AViCAD draws geometric tolerances using a feature control
frame, which is a rectangle divided into compartments.
Each feature control frame consists of at least two compartments. The first compart-
ment contains a geometric tolerance symbol that indicates the geometric characteris-
tic to which the tolerance is applied, such as location, orientation, or form. For
example, a form tolerance may indicate the flatness or roundness of a surface. The
geometric tolerance symbols and their characteristics are shown in the following
table.
The second compartment contains the tolerance value. When appropriate, the toler-
ance value is preceded by a diameter symbol and followed by a material condition
symbol. The material conditions apply to features that can vary in size. The material
condition symbols and their meanings are shown in the following table.
Geometric tolerance symbols
Symbol Characteristic Type
Position Location

Concentricity or coaxiality Location

Symmetry Location

Parallelism Orientation

Perpendicularity Orientation

Angularity Orientation

Cylindricity Form
Flatness Form

Circularity or roundness Form
Straightness Form

Profile of a surface Profile

Profile of a line Profile

Circular runout Runout

Total runout Runout
348 C H A P T E R 1 2

The tolerance value can then be followed by primary, secondary, and tertiary datum
reference letters, along with the material conditions of each datum. Datum reference
letters are generally used as reference tolerances to one of up to three perpendicular
planes from which a measurement is made, although datum reference letters can also
indicate an exact point or axis.
When two tolerances apply to the same geometry, you can also add a composite toler-
ance consisting of a primary tolerance value followed by a secondary tolerance value.
To make a tolerance even more specific, it can also contain a projected tolerance con-
sisting of a height value followed by a projected tolerance symbol. For example, you
can use a projected tolerance to indicate the perpendicularity of an embedded part.
To add a geometric tolerance
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Tolerance.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Tolerance tool ( ).
Type tolerance and then press Enter.
2 To display the geometric tolerance symbols, on the first line, click the Sym box.
3 Click to select a geometric tolerance symbol.
4 Under Tolerance 1, click the Dia box to add a diameter symbol.
5 In the field, type the first tolerance value.
Material conditions
Symbol Definition
At maximum material condition (MMC), a feature contains the maximum amount of
material stated in the limits.
At least material condition (LMC), a feature contains the minimum amount of
material stated in the limits.
Regardless of feature size (RFS) indicates that the feature can be any size within
the stated limits.
A Geometric characteristic symbol.
B Diameter symbol.
C Tolerance value.
D Material condition symbol.
E Datum reference.
A B C D E
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 349
6 To display the material condition symbols, click the M.C. box.
7 Click to select a material condition.
8 Under Tolerance 2, repeat steps 4 through 7 to add a secondary tolerance value, if
appropriate.
9 Under Datum 1, type the primary datum reference letter.
10 To display the material condition symbols, click the M.C. box.
11 Click to select a material condition.
12 Repeat steps 9 through 11 to add secondary and tertiary datum, if appropriate.
13 In the second row, repeat steps 2 through 12 to add composite tolerances, if
appropriate.
14 In the Height box, type a projected tolerance zone height value, if appropriate.
15 To insert a projected tolerance zone symbol, click the Projected Tolerance Zone
box, if appropriate.
16 Click OK.
17 In the drawing, specify the location of the feature frame.
A Use this row to include composite tolerances.
B Type a projected tolerance height value.
C Type a datum identifier.
D Click to include a projected tolerance symbol.
E Click to select the material condition symbol for tertiary
data.
F Type the tertiary datum reference letter.
G Click to select the material condition symbol for
secondary datum.
H Type the secondary datum reference letter.
I Click to select the material condition symbol for primary
datum.
J Type the primary datum reference letter.
K Click to select the material condition symbol for the
second tolerance value.
L Type the second tolerance value.
M Click to include a diameter symbol for the second
tolerance value.
N Click to select the material condition symbol for the first
tolerance value.
O Type the first tolerance value.
P Click to include a diameter symbol for the first tolerance
value.
Q Click to select a geometric tolerance symbol.
A
B
C
D
E F G
H I
J
K L M N
O
P
Q
350 C H A P T E R 1 2
Controlling dimension tolerance
You can create dimensions as either tolerance or limits dimensions. When creating a
tolerance dimension, you can control the upper and lower tolerance limits as well as
the number of decimal places of the dimension text. The image tile on the right side
of the Dimension Settings dialog box shows the appearance of tolerance and limits
dimensions based on the current dimension style settings.
To create a tolerance dimension
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Tolerance tab.
3 Select the Append Dimension Tolerances check box.
4 Type or select the lower tolerance limit.
5 Type or select the upper tolerance limit.
6 Click OK.
7 Insert the dimension.
Tolerance dimension. Limits dimension.
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 351

Controlling alternate dimension units
You can include alternate dimensions in addition to the primary dimension text. You
can also determine the appearance and format of the alternate dimensions, including
the scale factor applied to generate alternate dimensions. The image tile on the right
side of the Dimension Settings dialog box shows the appearance of the dimensions
based on the current dimension style settings.
A Select to insert dimensions as upper and lower
tolerance limits.
B Select to include plus and minus tolerance values
with the dimension text.
C Type or select the minimum tolerance or lower limit
value.
D Type or select the maximum tolerance or upper
limit value.
E Type or select the number of decimal places
displayed in limits or tolerance dimensions.
F Select to prevent the inclusion of leading zeros or
the inclusion of feet in dimension limits when the
dimension is less than one foot.
G Select to prevent the inclusion of trailing zeros or
the inclusion of inches in dimension limits when the
number of inches is zero.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
352 C H A P T E R 1 2
To create an alternate dimension
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Dimension > Dimension Style.
On the Dimension toolbar, click the Dimension Style tool ( ).
Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Alternate Units tab.
3 Select the Enable Alternate Units check box.
4 Type or select the scale factor.
5 In the Suffix field, type a suffix to be appended to the alternate dimension.
6 Click OK.
7 Insert the dimension.
Alternate dimension created using a scale factor of 25.4, with an appended suffix.
D I M E N S I O N I N G Y O U R D R A W I N G 353

A Select to include alternate dimensions.
B Select to prevent the inclusion of leading zeros or
the inclusion of feet in alternate dimensions when
the dimension is less than one foot.
C Select to prevent the inclusion of trailing zeros or
the inclusion of inches in alternate dimensions
when the number of inches is zero.
D Type or select the number of decimal places
displayed in alternate dimensions.
E Type or select the scale factor applied to
measured dimensions to generate the alternate
dimensions.
F Click to select the format for alternate
dimensions.
G Type a prefix to be appended to alternate
dimensions.
H Type a suffix to be appended to alternate
dimensions.
I Type or select the number of decimal places
displayed in limits or tolerances included as part of
alternate dimensions.
J Select to prevent the inclusion of leading zeros or
the inclusion of feet in limits or tolerances included
as part of alternate dimensions.
K Select to prevent the inclusion of trailing zeros or
the inclusion of inches in limits or tolerances
included as part of alternate dimensions.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
354 C H A P T E R 1 2
13
Working with blocks, attributes, and
external references
Blocks, attributes, and external references provide mechanisms for managing entities
in your drawings and for including additional information with the standard drawing
entities. With blocks, you can combine numerous entities into a single entity, and
then reuse it, inserting multiple copies. With attributes, you can associate text, such as
part numbers or prices, with blocks, and then extract the text-attribute information to
a separate file, such as a database, for further analysis. With external references, you
can link separate reference drawing files to a drawing to combine information without
adding the contents of the reference drawings to the current drawing. If you make
changes to the referenced file, all references are updated automatically.
This chapter explains how to:
Create, insert, and redefine blocks.
Create, edit, and insert attributes.
Extract attribute data to a separate file.
Attach and work with external references.
Topics in this chapter
Working with blocks .......................................................................................... 356
Working with attributes ..................................................................................... 364
Working with external references...................................................................... 375
356 C H A P T E R 1 3
Working with blocks
Usually, blocks are several entities combined into one that you can insert into a draw-
ing and manipulate as a single entity. A block can consist of visible entities such as
lines, arcs, and circles, as well as visible or invisible data called attributes. Blocks are
stored as part of the drawing file.
Blocks can help you better organize your work, quickly create and revise drawings,
and reduce drawing file size. Using blocks, you can create a library of frequently used
symbols. Then you can insert a symbol as a block rather than redraw the symbol from
scratch.
After you create a block from multiple entities, you save it once, which also saves
disk space. You insert only multiple references to a single block definition. You can
change the block definition to quickly revise a drawing, and then update all instances
of the block.
If you insert a block that contains entities originally drawn on layer 0 and assigned
color and linetype BYLAYER, it is placed on the current layer and assumes the color
and linetype of that layer. If you insert a block that contains entities originally drawn
on other layers or with explicitly specified colors or linetypes, the block retains the
original settings.
If you insert a block that contains entities originally assigned color and linetype
BYBLOCK, and the block itself has the color and linetype BYLAYER, those entities
adopt the color and linetype of the layer onto which they are inserted. If the block is
assigned an explicit color or linetype, such as red or dashed, those entities adopt those
qualities.
A procedure called nesting occurs when you include other blocks in a new block that
you are creating. Nesting is useful when you want to combine and include small com-
ponents, such as nuts and bolts, into a larger assembly and you need to insert multiple
instances of that assembly into an even larger drawing.
Creating blocks
The tools and commands for creating blocks appear on the Draw toolbar and the
Draw > Block menu, respectively, when you set the program to the Advanced experi-
ence level. You can also use the AViCAD Explorer to create blocks.
You can create blocks in two ways:
By saving a block for use within the current drawing only.
By saving the block as a separate drawing file that you can insert into other draw-
ings.
When you create a block, you specify its name, its insertion point, and the entities that
compose the block. The insertion point is the base point for the block and serves as
the reference point when you later insert the block into a drawing.
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 357
To create a block for use within a current drawing
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Block > Make.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Create Block tool ( ).
Type block and then press Enter.
2 In the displayed dialog specify the base point by executing one of the following
procedures:
Click on the Pick point button ( ).
Specify the coordinates in the boxes X, Y, Z.
3 Click on the Select objects button ( ).
4 Select the object that will be part of the block and press Enter.
5 Choose one of the following options:
Retain Define the block but leave unchanged in the drawing the objects that
compose it.
Convert to block Coverts the objects that define it in block.
Delete Create the block and delete the objects that have been used for its
definition.
6 In the list box Name do one of the following:
Select the block to be redefined from the list.
Digit a name for the block to be made.
7 Click OK button.
A Specify the block name.
B Pick or type the base point coordinates.
C Number of items selected for the block creation.
D Specify if retain, convert or delete the selected
entities for the block creation.
E Clic to select the entities for the block creation.
A
B
C
D
E
358 C H A P T E R 1 3
ATTENTION If its specified the name of a block that has been already assigned, its
requested if the intention is to redefine the block. If the answer is positive, the defini-
tion of the existing block gets replaced with the new one, updating all the occurrences
inserted in the drawing. Otherwise gets back to the mask to specify a new name.
You can create a block as a separate drawing file that you can insert into other drawings.
To save a block as a separate drawing file
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Block > Save Block To Disk.
Type wblock and then press Enter.
2 Select the Location File.
3 Choose one of the following:
Block This option saves one existing block entity to a separate drawing file.
Select the name of the block.
Entire Drawing This option immediately saves the entire drawing to a
separate drawing file.
Objects This option saves those entities you select to a separate drawing file.
Specify the base point for the block and select the entities for the block with pick
buttons, and then press Enter. You can choose: Retain, Convert to Block or
Delete from Drawing option to mantain, convert or delete the entities selected
in the drawing.
4 If you have select Objects option in the Name field, type the name of the drawing
file you want to create.
5 Confirm with Ok button.
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 359
Inserting blocks
You can insert blocks and other drawings into the current drawing. When you insert a
block, it is treated as a single entity. When you insert a drawing, it is added to the cur-
rent drawing as a block. You can then insert multiple instances of the block without
reloading the original drawing file. If you change the original drawing file, those
changes have no effect on the current drawing unless you redefine the block by rein-
serting the changed drawing.
You can also insert blocks from another drawing into the current drawing, using the
AViCAD Explorer. Both drawings must be open at the same time to do this. (See
Chapter 8, Working with the AViCAD Explorer)
When you insert a block or drawing, you must specify the insertion point, scale, and
rotation angle. The blocks insertion point is the reference point specified when you
created the block. When you insert a drawing as a block, the program takes the speci-
fied insertion point as the block insertion point. You can change the insertion point,
however, by first opening the original drawing and redefining the block.
A Pick button for Base Point. B Pick button to select Objects.
A
B
360 C H A P T E R 1 3
To insert a block
1 Display the Insert Block dialog box by doing one of the following:
Choose Insert > Block.
On the Draw or Insert toolbar, click the Insert Block tool ( ).
Type ddinsert and then press Enter.
2 In the Insert Block dialog box, under Insert, click Block Name.
3 In the Block Name box, select the name of the block you want to insert.
4 Click Insert.
5 Specify the insertion point for the block.
6 Specify the x, y, and z scale factors and the rotation angle, or press Enter to accept
the default values.
To insert an entire drawing into the current drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Block.
On the Draw or Insert toolbar, click the Insert Block tool ( ).
Type ddinsert and then press Enter.
2 In the Insert Block dialog box, under Insert, click From File.
3 Type the path and the drawing file name, or click Browse to specify the file from
the Insert Drawing dialog box, and click Open.
4 Click Insert.
5 Specify the insertion point for the block.
6 Specify the x, y, and z scale factors and the rotation angle, or press Enter to accept
the default values.
NOTE You can specify the insertion point, scale factors, and rotation angle in the
Insert Block dialog box before inserting the block. You can also control whether the
block is exploded back into its original component entities after insertion. Under
Positioning, clear the Position Block When Inserting check box, and specify the
appropriate coordinates. If you want to explode the block immediately, select the
Explode Upon Insertion check box.
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Redefining blocks
You can redefine all instances of a block within the current drawing. To redefine a
block that was created in the current drawing, you create a new block using the same
name. You can update all the blocks in the current drawing by redefining the block. If
the block was inserted from a separate drawing file that was subsequently updated,
reinsert that block to update all other instances in the current drawing.
To redefine a block in the current drawing
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Block > Make...
On the Draw toolbar, click the Create Block tool ( ).
Type block and then press Enter.
A Click and then enter the path and drawing file
name to insert the entire drawing file as a block.
B Click to position the block when inserting.
C Specify the insertion point, scale factors, and
rotation angle before you insert the block (available
only when Position Block When Inserting is
cleared).
D Click to explode the block on insertion.
E Specify columns, column spacing, rows, and row
spacing.
F Click to insert the block.
G Click to select the block insertion point in the
drawing before inserting the block (available only
when the Position Block When Inserting check box
is cleared).
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
362 C H A P T E R 1 3
2 Select from the list Name the block you want to redefine.
3 Specify the insertion point for the block.
4 Select the entities for the block, and then press Enter.
5 In the prompt box, choose OK to redefine the block.
The block is immediately redefined.
Exploding blocks
You can explode an inserted block to its original component entities. When you
explode a block, only that single instance of the block is affected. The original block
definition remains in the drawing, and you can still insert additional copies of the
original block. If you explode a block that contains attributes, the attributes are lost,
but the original attribute definitions remain.
Exploding dissociates component entities to their next simplest level of complexity;
blocks or polylines in a block become blocks or polylines again.
To explode a block
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Explode.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Explode tool ( ).
Type explode and then press Enter.
2 Select the block.
3 Press Enter.
In-place block edit
In the previous AViCAD versions to modify and therefore replace all the occurrences
inserted in a block drawing, it was needed to explode it, make the changes, and make
it up again with the same name to redefine it.
Now its possible to modify the block definition directly in the current drawing using
the options of local modification.
Using the option of local modification, its possible to modify it staying in the visual
contest of the current drawing.
At the modification time a toolbar is displayed: Refedit. Using the toolbar buttons,
its possible to add or remove objects of the working group and delete or save the
modifications made to the reference.
The group of the objects extracted from the block, is displayed as usual, while all the
other objects, included the ones of the current drawing, and are displayed with less
intensity.
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During the local modification of a block its possible to add or remove objects from
the working group. If a new object is created during the local modification of a refer-
ence, that object is almost always automatically added to the working group. The
objects that are not added to the working group are displayed in the drawing with a
reduced intensity.
To modify a local block
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > In-place Block Edit > Edit Reference and then select the block.
Double click on the block to modify.
Type refedit and press Enter key, then select the block.
2 Modify the working group objects then click on the icon Save changes ( ).
The objects of the working group will be saved in the block and the occurrences of
the same drawing will be updated.
To add objects to a block
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > In-place Block Edit > Edit Reference and then select the block.
Double click on the block to modify.
Type refedit and press Enter key, then select the block.
2 Do one of the following:
If the objects to be added dont exist yet its enough to create them. They will
be display with the same intensity of the ones that are part of the working group.
Instead, if the objects are present in the drawing but displayed with less intensity
compared to the ones that are part of the working group , click on the icon Add
objects ( ), select the objects to be added and press Enter.
3 Click on the icon Save changes ( ).
The block occurrences in the drawing will be updated.
To remove the object from a block
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > In-place Block Edit > Edit Reference and then select the block.
Double click on the block to modify.
Type refedit and press Enter key, then select the block.
2 Do one of the following:
If the objects must be removed from the block definition but not from the
position in which they are in the local block occurrence that gets changed, click
on the icon Remove objects ( ), select the objects to be removed and press
Enter.
364 C H A P T E R 1 3
If the objects have to be completely removed from the block definition and from
the drawing, select the objects and press Canc.
3 Click on the icon Save changes ( ).
The block occurrences in the drawing will be updated.
To delete the block local change
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > In-place Block Edit > Edit Reference and then select the block.
Double click on the block to modify.
Type refedit and press Enter key, then select the block.
2 Modifying the objects of the working group.
3 Click on the icon Discard changes ( ).
Working with attributes
An attribute is a particular entity that you can save as part of a block definition.
Attributes consist of text-based data. You can use attributes to track such things as
part numbers and prices. Attributes have either fixed or variable values. When you
insert a block containing attributes, the program adds the fixed values to the drawing
along with the block, and you are prompted to supply any variable values.
After you insert blocks containing attributes, you can extract the attribute information
to a separate file and then use that information in a spreadsheet or database to produce
a parts list or bill of materials. You can also use attribute information to track the
number of times a particular block is inserted into a drawing.
Attributes can be visible or hidden. Hidden attributes are neither displayed nor plot-
ted, but the information is still stored in the drawing and written to a file when you
extract it.
Defining attributes
You add an attribute to a drawing by first defining it and then saving it as part of a
block definition. To define an attribute, you specify the characteristics of the
attribute, including its name, prompt, and default value; the location and text format-
ting; and optional modes (hidden, fixed, validate, and predefined).
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To define an attribute
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Block > Attributes.
Choose Insert > Define Attributes.
Type ddattdef and then press Enter.
2 In the Define Attribute dialog box, type the name, prompt, and default value.
3 Under Insert Coordinates, specify the location of the attribute, or click Select to
select a point in the drawing.
4 Under Attribute Flags, select the optional attribute modes.
5 Under Text, specify the text characteristics.
6 To add the attribute to the drawing, do one of the following:
Click Define to add the attribute and keep the dialog box active so you can
define another attribute.
Click Define And Exit to add the attribute and end the command.
366 C H A P T E R 1 3

A Type the name you want to assign to the attribute.
B Enter the identifying prompt information displayed
when you insert a block containing the attribute.
C Enter the default or constant value. For variable
attributes, the default value is replaced by the
actual value when you later insert a block
containing the attribute.
D Specify the x-, y-, and z-coordinates for the
attribute insertion point.
E Select to create a hidden attribute.
F Select to create a fixed-value attribute.
G Select to create an attribute whose value must be
validated when you later insert a block containing
the attribute.
H Select to create an attribute whose value is
defined and not requested when you later insert a
block containing the attribute, but that you can edit
after the block is inserted.
I Click to add the attribute and keep the dialog
box active so you can define another attribute.
J Click to add the attribute and end the
command.
K Specify the text rotation angle, or click to
specify the rotation angle by selecting two
points in the drawing.
L Specify the text height, or click to specify the
height by selecting two points in the drawing.
M Choose the text justification.
N Choose the text style from those styles already
defined in the drawing.
O Click to specify the attribute insertion point by
selecting a point in the drawing.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 367
Editing attribute definitions
You can edit an attribute definition before you associate it with a block and before it
is saved as part of a block definition.
To edit an attribute definition
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Text.
On the Text toolbar, click the Edit Text tool ( ).
Type ddedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the attribute definition text to edit.
3 Modify the attribute name, prompt string, default value, and other attribute defini-
tion characteristics.
4 Click OK.
A Modify the name assigned to the attribute.
B Modify the prompt that displays when you insert
the attribute into the drawing.
C Modify the identifying prompt information
displayed when you insert a block containing the
attribute.
D Modify the attribute insertion point.
E Modify the attribute text style and appearance.
F Modify the attribute insertion flags to create
hidden, fixed-value, validated, or defined
attributes.
A
B
C
D
E
F
368 C H A P T E R 1 3
Attaching attributes to blocks
You can attach attributes to a block after you define it and select it as one of the enti-
ties to include. Include the attributes when the program prompts you for the entities to
include in the selection set for a block. After the attribute is incorporated into a block,
the program prompts you each time you insert the block, so you can specify different
values for the attributes each time you insert it into a new drawing.
Editing attributes attached to blocks
You can edit the attribute values of a block that has been inserted into a drawing.
To edit an attribute attached to a block
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Object > Attribute > Single.
Type ddatte and then press Enter.
2 Select the block to edit.
The Edit Block Attributes dialog box displays all the attributes attached to the
block you select.
3 Edit the attribute values as necessary.
4 Click OK.

A Identifies the name of the block.
B Displays the names of all
attributes attached to the block.
C Click to select attribute.
D Type the new value for the
selected attribute.
E Click to update the attribute
values and exit.
F Displays the value of each
attribute attached to the block.
G Displays the prompt for each
attribute attached to the block.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 369
Extracting attribute information
You can extract attribute information from a drawing and save it to a separate text file
for use with a database program. You can save the file in any of the following for-
mats:
Comma Delimited Format (CDF) Contains one line for each instance of a block,
with individual attribute fields separated by commas. Character string fields are
enclosed with single quotation marks. You must specify a template file when
extracting to a CDF file.
Space Delimited Format (SDF) Contains one line for each instance of a block.
Each attribute field has a fixed length; there are no separators or character string
delimiters. You must specify a template file when extracting to a SDF file.
Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) Creates a subset of a standard DXF file (a *.dxx
file) containing all the information about each block, including the insertion
points, rotation angles, and attribute values. No template file is required.
Before extracting attributes to a CDF or SDF file, you must create a template file. The
template file is an ASCII text file that specifies the attribute data fields to be written
in the extract file. Each line of the template file specifies one attribute field.
AViCAD recognizes 15 different fields, which contain elements such as the block
name, the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of its insertion point, the layer on which it is
inserted, and so on. You can include any of these fields. The template file must
include at least one attribute name.
Each line in the template file must start with the field name. Block name and inser-
tion-point values must begin with BL:. The next nonblank character must be either a
C (indicating a character string field) or an N (indicating a numeric field). This char-
acter is then followed by three digits indicating the width of the field (in characters).
The final three digits indicate the number of decimal places (for numeric fields). In
the case of character fields, the last three digits must be zeros (000). A typical tem-
plate file is similar to the one shown here:
370 C H A P T E R 1 3

To create a template file
1 Create a template file using any ASCII text editor (such as Microsoft Notepad or
Microsoft WordPad) or a word-processing program such as Microsoft Word.
2 Include the necessary fields in the template file.
3 Save the template file in ASCII text format.
To extract attribute information
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Extract Attributes.
Type ddattext and then press Enter.
2 Click Select, specify the entities from which to extract attributes, and then press
Enter.
3 Specify the format of the extracted file.
4 For CDF and SDF formats, specify the template file.
5 Specify the extract output file.
6 Click Extract.
A Field name.
B Block name. Block names must
begin with BL:.
C Insertion point. Insertion-point
values must begin with BL:.
D Attribute tags.
E Number of decimal places for
numeric fields or 000 for
character fields.
F Field width for character or
numeric fields.
G C for character fields; N for
numeric fields.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 371

Extract data from attributes
You can extract information from the blocks with attributes in the current drawing.
The information is used to create a data extraction table saved in an external file
To extract data from attributes
1 Do one of the following:
Select Tools > Data Extraction
Type EATTEXT and then press Enter.
A Click to select blocks in the drawing containing
attributes you want to extract.
B Click to specify the format of the extracted file.
C Specify the template file for CDF and SDF
extracts.
D Specify the extract output file.
E Click to extract attributes.
F Click to specify the output file using a file dialog
box.
G Click to specify the template file using a file
dialog box.
H Indicates the number of blocks with attributes
selected for extraction.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
372 C H A P T E R 1 3

2 The data extraction process starts with the Drawing and template selection dialog
box.
Block selection: select Current drawing if you want to extract information from
all the blocks in the current drawing or Select objects if you want to specify
blocks to extract information from.
Template selection: a template contains the block and attribute selection data
saved in a file .blk.
No Template: creates a new data extraction.
Use Template: uses the settings previously saved in an attribute extraction
template file (BLK). As you move through the command masks, each page is
already filled in with the settings coming from the template file. You can change
these settings.
3 Press Next > to pass on to the Attribute Selection mask.
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 373
4 Select blocks and attributes that contain information you want to extract.
Blocks: displays the list of blocks in the current drawing or those previously
selected.
Block name: check the box near the block name to display its attributes in the
Attributes for block list. Block Alias Name You can provide an alias for the
block name. Aliases are used to issue commands by entering one or two letters
rather than the entire command name.
Number: displays the number of instances of blocks in the current drawing.
Attributes for block: displays the list of attributes for the selected blocks.
Attribute: the box near the attribute name is checked to extract information
from a selected block. If you dont want to extract information click on the box
to remove the tick mark.
Attribute Value: displays the value for each selected attribute.
Alias: you can provide an alias for attributes.
Check all: check all the blocks or attributes to extract information from.
Uncheck all: Remove the check from all the blocks and attributes.
5 Press Next > to pass on to the Output View mask that displays a preview of the
attributes extracted. The list shows all the attributes selected for the data extrac-
tion.
374 C H A P T E R 1 3
The Block name column displays all the selected block names. The Count
column shows the number of instances of each block with the same values. The
following columns display names of attributes, rows display values.
Copy Data To Clipboard: copies into the clipboard all the information or only
selected one.
6 Press Next > to pass on to Export final mask.
Output file: In Select output file type specifies a file format for the data
extraction. The available file formats are a comma-separated file format (CSV)
and a tab-separated file format (TXT). In Enter a valid file name choose a file
name to save the information from the data extraction. Press Browse to select a
folder.
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Template file: a data extraction file can be also used as a template to perform the
same type of extraction in a different drawing. Press Save Template to store the
current settings in a template file. The data extraction file is created when you
press Finish in the Export Dialog Window
Working with external references
You can link entire drawings to the current drawing as external references. Unlike
inserting a drawing as a block, in which you add all the entities from the separate
drawing into the current drawing, external references attach a pointer to the external
file. The entities in the external reference appear in the current drawing, but the enti-
ties themselves are not added to the drawing. Thus, attaching an external reference
does not significantly increase the size of the current drawing file.
External references provide additional capabilities not available when you insert a
drawing as a block. When you insert a drawing as a block, the entities are stored in
the drawing. Any changes you make to the original drawing are not reflected in the
drawing in which you inserted it. When you attach an external reference, however,
any changes you make to the original drawing file are reflected in the drawings that
reference it. These changes appear automatically each time you open the drawing
containing the external reference. If you know that the original drawing was modi-
fied, you can reload the external reference anytime youre working on the drawing.
External references are useful for assembling master drawings from component draw-
ings. Use external references to coordinate your work with others in a group. External
references help reduce drawing file size and ensure that you are always working with
the most recent version of a drawing. However, if you send or receive drawings that
contain external references, it is important to include with the master drawing all of
the external references attached to it. When you open a drawing that contains external
references, the source external reference files must be accessible for the external ref-
erences to display in the drawing.
The Xref Manager helps you easily attach and work with external references.
376 C H A P T E R 1 3
Attaching external references
Attaching a separate drawing to the current one creates an external reference. The
external reference appears in the drawing as a block definition, but the drawing enti-
ties are linked rather than added to the current drawing. If you modify the linked
drawing, the current drawing that contains the external reference is updated automati-
cally when you open it, or you can reload the external reference manually so it
reflects the latest version of the external reference.
When you attach an external reference, its layers, linetypes, text styles, and other ele-
ments are not added to the current drawing. Rather, these elements are also linked
from the referenced file.
A Click to display a detailed list or hierarchical tree.
B Select an external reference to modify its
attachment.
C Type or click Browse to specify the external
reference location.
D Type or click Browse to specify other search
directories where external references may be
located.
E Click to open the source drawing for the external
reference.
F Click to make the external reference a
permanent part of the drawing.
G Click to remove the external reference, but
keep elements and path information for easy
reloading.
H Click to update with changes from the external
reference.
I Click to completely remove the external
reference.
J Click to link a drawing.
A
B
C
F
G
H
I
J
E
D
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 377
There are two ways you can attach an external reference:
An attachment is an inserted drawing that contains a link to the original file.
Attachments can themselves contain other, nested reference files. When you
attach an external reference, any nested references contained in the file also appear
in the current drawing.
An overlay is an inserted drawing that contains a link to the original file. Overlays
allow you to lay a drawing on top of another drawing, similar to the way you work
manually with transparencies. When a drawing that contains overlaid external ref-
erences is itself attached or overlaid as an external reference in another drawing,
the overlays do not appear as part of the external reference. Use overlaying when
you want to see reference geometry in a drawing but you do not need to include
that geometry in drawings that will be used by others (nested external references).
You can attach as many copies of an external reference file as you want. Each copy
can have a different position, scale, and rotation angle.
To attach an external reference
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Xref Manager.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference tool ( ).
Type xrm and then press Enter.
2 Click Attach.
3 Specify the drawing file to attach as an external reference, and then click Open.
4 In Reference Type, choose how you want to insert the drawing:
Attachment inserts a copy of the drawing and includes any other drawings that
are externally referenced within the referenced drawing.
Overlay lays a copy of a drawing over your original drawing; it does not
include any nested external references from the externally referenced drawing.
5 Make any additional selections.
6 Click OK.
7 If you marked Specify On-Screen for any items, follow the prompts to attach the
external reference.
378 C H A P T E R 1 3
Viewing the list of external references
You can view a list of the external references that are linked to the current drawing
two different ways using the Xref Manager:
List View displays the external references in a list, which allows you to sort the list
of references by name, status, size, type, date, or saved path.
Tree View displays a hierarchical representation of the external references and the
relationships between them. The tree view shows the level of nesting relationships
of the attached external references.
To view a list of external references
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Xref Manager.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference tool ( ).
Type xrm and then press Enter.
2 Click List View ( ) or Tree View ( ).
A Displays the external reference to attach, or
select one from the list.
B Select to save the folder location of the
referenced drawing. If not selected, the
referenced drawing must be located in the same
folder as the current drawing.
C Click Attachment to link a drawing, including any
of its own external references. Click Overlay to
link a drawing, omitting any of its own nested
external references.
D Choose to specify the insertion point in the
drawing, or enter x-, y-, and z-coordinates.
E Choose to specify the scale in the drawing, or
enter x-, y-, and z-scale factors.
F Choose to specify the rotation angle in the
drawing, or enter a rotation angle.
G Click to locate and select a different external
reference.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 379
Opening external references
From the Xref Manager you can quickly open the source drawing for any external
reference. This is especially helpful if you are working with nested external refer-
ences, which you cannot bind or detach. From the Xref Manager, open the source
drawing, make changes, and then save and close the source drawing. When the Xref
Manager displays again, simply reload the external reference.
To open an external reference
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Xref Manager.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference tool ( ).
Type xrm and then press Enter.
2 Select the external reference to open.
3 Click Open.
Removing external references
Removing external references from the current drawing is easy with the Xref Man-
ager. You can unload an external reference, which keeps some information about the
external reference in the current drawing for easy reloading later, or you can detach
the external reference entirely.
When you unload an external reference, you remove it from the current drawing.
However, its elements, such as layers and linetypes, remain in the drawing and it is
still listed in the Xref Manager. By detaching an external reference you remove it and
all of its elements from the current drawing, and it is no longer listed in the Xref Man-
ager.
To unload an external reference
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Xref Manager.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference tool ( ).
Type xrm and then press Enter.
2 Select the external reference to unload.
3 Click Unload.
To detach an external reference
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Xref Manager.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference tool ( ).
Type xrm and then press Enter.
2 Select the external reference to detach.
3 Click Detach.
380 C H A P T E R 1 3
NOTE Only the external references that are attached directly to the current drawing
can be detached; nested external references cannot be detached.
Reloading external references
When you open or print a drawing, any external references in the drawing are updated
automatically. If a drawing is already open and a referenced drawing is modified, you
can update the current drawing manually to display the latest version of the refer-
enced drawing.
You may also want to reload an external reference that has been unloaded tempo-
rarily.
To reload an external reference
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Xref Manager.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference tool ( ).
Type xrm and then press Enter.
2 Select the external reference to reload.
3 Click Reload.
Changing the path for external references
If the file associated with an external reference is moved to a different directory or
renamed, the program displays a message indicating that it cannot load the external
reference. You can re-establish the link to the file by doing any of the following:
Change the path for the external reference.
Specify additional directories for AViCAD to search. This is especially helpful if
you have several external references that have moved to a new directory.
To change the path for a single external reference
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Xref Manager.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference tool ( ).
Type xrm and then press Enter.
2 Select the external reference whose path you want to change.
3 In Xref Path, do one of the following:
Enter a new filename or location.
Click Browse to locate and select the referenced drawing.
AViCAD reloads the specified external reference automatically.
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 381
NOTE You cannot recursively reference a drawing from the same original drawing.
To change the search paths for all external references in the drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Xref Manager.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference tool ( ).
Type xrm and then press Enter.
2 In Additional Xref Search Paths, do one of the following:
Enter a new directory and its path. Separate multiple paths with a semicolon, for
example, c:\My Drawings;d:\My Drawings\Backup.
Click Browse to locate and select a directory.
AViCAD searches the specified directories; any found external references are
reloaded automatically.
Binding external references to drawings
External references are not part of the drawing. Rather, they are links to an externally
referenced file. To provide a copy of a drawing containing external references to
someone else, you must also provide all the external reference files. In addition, the
person receiving the drawings must either re-create the same paths you used when
linking the external references or change the paths for the external references.
To provide a copy of a drawing that contains external references, it is often easier to
first bind the external references to the drawing. Binding the external references
makes them a permanent part of the drawing, which is similar to inserting a separate
drawing as a block.
You can bind external references that are attached directly to the current drawing; you
cannot bind nested external references.
To bind an existing external reference to a drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Xref Manager.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference tool ( ).
Type xrm and then press Enter.
2 Select the external reference to bind.
3 Click Bind.
4 Choose one of the following:
Bind Binds the external reference and creates a unique name for each named
entity, such as a layer or block, that is located in the external reference. For
example, a layer named Electric in the external reference will be named
382 C H A P T E R 1 3
Xref$0$Electric in the current drawing. If the current drawing already has a
layer or block with the same name, the name is changed incrementally, for
example, Xref$1$Electric.
Insert Binds the external reference, but does not change the names of any named
entities in the external reference. For example, a layer named Electric in the
external reference will have the same name, Electric, in the current drawing. If
the current drawing has a layer or block with the same name, the named entity
in the external reference takes on the properties of the named entity in the
current drawing.
5 Click OK.
Clipping external references
When you attach a drawing as an external reference, all of the referenced drawing
displays in the current drawing. However, after you attach an external reference, you
can define a clipping boundary that determines which portion of the referenced draw-
ing is visible or hidden.
You can edit, move, or copy clipped external references the same way you modify
unclipped external references. The boundary moves with the reference. If an external
reference contains nested clipped external references, they also appear clipped in the
drawing.
TIP In addition to clipping external references, you can also partially hide blocks
using clipping boundaries.
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 383
Adding a clipping boundary
When you create a clipping boundary, it affects only the display of the referenced
drawing; it does not affect the original referenced drawing or any referenced geome-
try. The portion of the external reference within the clipping boundary is visible and
the remainder of the external reference becomes hidden.
To define a rectangular clipping boundary
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Clip Xref.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference Clip tool ( ).
Type xclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the external references to clip. If desired, you can also select blocks.
3 Press Enter.
4 Press Enter to create a new clipping boundary.
5 If prompted, press Enter to delete any existing boundaries.
6 Choose Rectangular.
7 Define the first corner of the clipping rectangle.
8 Define the second corner of the clipping rectangle.
The selected external references are clipped by the rectangle.
Example of an external reference clipped using a clipping boundary.
384 C H A P T E R 1 3
TIP You can first select all external references, right-click the selection, and then
select Xref Clip from the shortcut menu.
To define a clipping boundary using a polyline
1 Draw a polyline where you want to clip external references.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Clip Xref.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference Clip tool ( ).
Type xclip and then press Enter.
3 Select the external references to clip. If desired, you can also select blocks.
4 Press Enter.
5 Press Enter to create a new clipping boundary.
6 If prompted, press Enter to delete any existing boundaries.
7 Choose Select Polyline.
8 Select the polyline to use as clipping boundary.
Turning clipping boundaries on and off
You can turn xref clipping on or off. When a clipping boundary is turned off, the
boundary does not display and the entire external reference is visible, provided that
the geometry is on a layer that is on and thawed. When a clipping boundary is turned
off, it still exists and can be turned on. However, deleting a clipping boundary is per-
manent.
To turn clipping boundaries on and off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Clip Xref.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference Clip tool ( ).
Type xclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired external references.
3 Press Enter.
4 To turn off clipping boundaries, choose Off. To turn on existing clipping bound-
aries, choose On.
5 Press Enter.
If you are turning off a clipping boundary, click the clipped portion of the external
reference to view the previously hidden portion of the referenced drawing.
TIP When the XCLIPFRAME system variable is on (set to 1), you can select and
print the clipping boundary frame.
W O R K I N G W I T H B L O C K S , A T T R I B U T E S , A N D E X T E R N A L R E F E R E N C E S 385
Deleting a clipping boundary
If you no longer need a clipping boundary for an external reference, you can delete it.
To delete a clipping boundary
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Clip Xref.
On the Reference toolbar, click the External Reference Clip tool ( ).
Type xclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired external references.
3 Press Enter.
4 Choose Delete, and then press Enter.
5 Click the clipped portion of the external reference.
The previously hidden portion of the referenced drawing displays.
386 C H A P T E R 1 3
14
Printing drawings
You can print a copy of your drawing exactly as you created it, or you can add
formatting and specify print controls to change how your drawing looks when it is
printed.
Sometimes you may require multiple printed drawings, each with a different look or
layout. For example, you may need one printed drawing for a client presentation,
along with several other variations for production contractors. For each type of
printed drawing that you require, you can create a layout that defines its
characteristics, including scale, area to print, print style tables, and more.
This section explains how to:
Start printing right away.
Set up a drawing to print multiple layouts from paper space on a Layout tab.
Define how you want your drawing to look when it is printed.
Print or plot your drawing.
Print a PDF or JPG file.
Print with hidden lines.
Topics in this chapter
Getting started printing...................................................................................... 388
Defining layouts for printing............................................................................... 388
Customizing print options.................................................................................. 400
Printing or plotting your drawing........................................................................ 418
Print a PDF or JPG file...................................................................................... 421
Print a Viewport with hidden lines or shaded mode.......................................... 422
388 C H A P T E R 1 4
Getting started printing
When you create a drawing, you do most of your work on the Model tab. At any time
you can print your drawing to see how it looks on paper. Its easy to get started
printing, and then later create layouts and custom print settings to enhance your
printed output.
To start printing
1 From the Model tab, do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
2 Click Print.
There are many options that you can set before printing, such as the scale of the
drawing, print area, print style tables, and more. For details, see Customizing print
options on page 400 in this chapter.
NOTE Type qprint and then press Enter to print the current viewport. The Print dia-
log box is bypassed and the drawing is sent directly to the selected printer.
Defining layouts for printing
You can print your drawing directly from the Model tab where you created it, or you
can create custom layouts for printing on Layout tabs.
When printing from the Model tab, you can print your drawing exactly the way it
appears, or you can modify the drawing before printing by adding dimensions, a
legend, or a title block.
You typically use the Layout tabs for printing if you require multiple print layouts.
You may also want to use a Layout tab for printing even if you want your drawing
printed only one way. For example, if you want to include large amounts of text on
your printed drawing, you can add the text to a Layout tab so it does not clutter your
drawing while you work on the Model tab.
Understanding layouts
When you create a drawing, you do most of your work on the Model tab. Each
drawing that you create can contain numerous layouts that simulate the paper on
which you will print a copy of the drawing. Each of these layouts is created on a
Layout tab.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 389
You can prepare a separate layout for each way you want to print your drawing. The
layout allows you to organize different views to control which portion of your
drawing prints and at what scale.
Before you print, you can also include additional entities and layout settings that
control how your drawing prints. Additional items only appear on the Layout tab, not
on the Model tab. For example, a layout can contain dimensions, title blocks, legends,
or keynotes that print with your model, but do not clutter the screen when you work
with your model on the Model tab.
Use these general steps to prepare your drawing for printing multiple layouts:
1 On the Model tab, create your drawing.
2 Create a new layout. You can use an existing Layout1 or Layout2 tab, or you can
create a new Layout tab. For details about creating a new layout, see Creating a
new layout on page 393 in this chapter.
3 Create at least one layout viewport on the Layout tab. Use each viewport to help
control which portion of the drawing prints and at what scale. For details, see
Working with layout viewports on page 395 in this chapter.
4 Include any additional items that may be required for the specific layout, such as
dimensions, a legend, or a title block.
5 Specify additional settings for the layout, such as the scale of the drawing, print
area, print style tables, and more. For details, see Customizing print options on
page 400 in this chapter.
6 Print or plot your drawing. For more details, see Printing or plotting your draw-
ing on page 418 in this chapter.
Understanding paper space and model space
When you start a drawing session, your initial working area is called model space.
Model space is an area in which you create two-dimensional and three-dimensional
entities based on either the World Coordinate System (WCS) or a user coordinate
system (UCS). You view and work in model space while using the Model tab.
Your view of this area is a single viewport that fills the screen. You can create
additional views on the Model tab, called viewports, which can show the same or
different two-dimensional or three-dimensional views, all of which are displayed in a
tiled manner. You can work in only one of these viewports at a time on the Model tab,
and you can print only the current viewport. Selecting the layout tab you can view a
paper representation in the specified paper size. The paper preview in layouts allow to
get a better idea of the print result positioning.
390 C H A P T E R 1 4

AViCAD provides an additional work area, called paper space. The contents of paper
space represent the paper layout of your drawing. In this work area, you can create
and arrange different views of your model similar to the way you arrange detail
drawings or orthogonal views of a model on a sheet of paper. You can also add
dimensions, keynotes, annotations, borders, title blocks, and other print-related
entities in paper space, which reduces clutter when you work with your model in
model space. Besides the paper size you can see a shadow at the foot and on the right
that serves to distinguish the paper from the background. You can see a rectangular
dashed line on the page that indicates the printable area: all the objects drawn outside
of this area are cut and not printed. The printable area dimensions are determined by
the printer drivers of the selected output device.
Creating a new layout one viewport is automatically generated by default where you
can see objects drawn in the model space.
You view and work in paper space while using a Layout tab. Each view, or layout
viewport, that you create in paper space provides a window of your drawing in model
space. You can create one layout viewport or several. You can place layout viewports
anywhere on the screen; their edges can be touching or not; and you can print them all
at the same time.
NOTE: It is possible to set the colour of the paper in the Options dialog box in the
Display tab.
Model space with two viewports.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 391
You do not need to use paper space to print your drawing, but it offers several
advantages:
Print the same drawing with different print settings that you save with each layout,
for example, printer configuration files, print style tables, lineweight settings,
drawing scale, and more.
Add print-related entities that are not essential to the model itself, such as key-
notes or annotations, to reduce clutter when you work with your model in model
space on the Model tab.
For a single layout, create multiple layout viewports that print the model at differ-
ent views and scales.
Viewing drawings in paper space and model space
When you work in paper space on a Layout tab, you can still view your drawing in
model space. First you need to create a layout viewport in paper space; this allows
you to view your model space entities from paper space.
Within a layout viewport you can modify and snap to model space entities while
working in model space and even snap to model space entities from paper space.
Snapping to model space entities from paper space allows you to accurately dimen-
sion model space entities in paper space. And although it is generally more conve-
nient to modify entities on the Model tab, there are often times when it is convenient
to make modifications from a layout viewport on a Layout tab.
Zooming or panning the drawing in model space or paper space affects the entire
drawing, unless you use multiple windows or viewports. Additionally, if you are
working from paper space, you can lock the layout viewport so the viewport scale and
view center do not change while panning and zooming in the layout viewport.
Paper space with layout viewports.
392 C H A P T E R 1 4
To view a drawing in model space on the Model tab
Do one of the following:
Click the Model tab.
Right-click the Model/Paper Space toggle in the status bar, and then choose
Model.
To view a drawing in paper space on a Layout tab
Do one of the following:
Click one of the Layout tabs.
Type layout and then press Enter. In the prompt box, choose Set. Type a name for
the layout you want to make current, and then press Enter.
Click the Model/Paper Space toggle in the status bar. For example, double-click
Model or M:Tab Name in the status bar to switch to paper space.
While using a Layout tab, type pspace and then press Enter.
While using a Layout tab, double-click outside of the layout viewport.
The first time you switch to a Layout tab, your drawing seems to disappear. This is
normal. You must create at least one layout viewport to see your model. For details,
see Working with layout viewports on page 395 in this chapter.
To view a drawing in model space on a Layout tab
Do one of the following:
Click the desired Layout tab, and then create and view a layout viewport. For more
details, see Working with layout viewports on page 395 in this chapter.
Click the Model/Paper Space toggle in the status bar. For example, double-click
P:Tab Name in the status bar to switch to model space on the current Layout tab.
Type mspace and then press Enter.
While using a Layout tab, double-click inside of the layout viewport.
Displaying the Model and Layout tabs
The Model and Layout tabs can be hidden, if desired. You may want to hide the tabs
if you only work on the Model tab or if you use the command bar and status bar to
switch between tabs.
To turn the Model and Layout tabs display on or off
Choose Tools > Options > Display tab, and choose Show Tabs.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 393
Creating a new layout
In AViCAD, you can create multiple layouts for a single drawing. Each layout
represents a sheet of paper. For each layout you can specify the print area, print
styles, print scale, lineweight scale, pen mappings, and add viewports, dimensions, a
title block, and other geometry specific to the layout. The entities you add to a layout
in paper space do not appear in model space.
Each layout requires at least one layout viewport. This viewport displays the
drawings model space entities.
When you create a new drawing, the drawing automatically contains two default
layouts: Layout1 and Layout2. You can start by using one of the default layouts, you
can create your own, or your can create a new layout from another template (.dwt)
file, drawing (.dwg) file, or drawing interchange (.dxf) file.
Each drawing can contain up to 255 layouts.
To create a new layout using the Layout1 or Layout2 tab
1 Click the Layout1 or Layout2 tab.
2 Set up at least one layout viewport. For details, see Working with layout view-
ports on page 395 in this chapter.
3 If desired, rename the layout. For details, see To rename a layout on page 394 in
this chapter.
To create a new layout using a new Layout tab
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Layout > New Layout.
On the Layouts toolbar, click the New Layout tool ( ).
Type layout, press Enter, and choose New.
2 Type a unique name for your layout and then press Enter.
The name can be up to 255 characters in length and can contain letters, numbers,
the dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and underscore (_), or any combination.
3 Set up at least one layout viewport. For details, see Working with layout view-
ports on page 395 in this chapter.
To create a new layout from an existing file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > Layout > Layout from Template.
On the Layouts toolbar, click the Layout from Template tool ( ).
Type layout, press Enter, and choose Template.
2 Select the desired template, drawing, or drawing interchange file that contains the
layout you want, and then click Open.
394 C H A P T E R 1 4
3 Select the layout(s), and then click OK. You can choose multiple layouts by hold-
ing down Ctrl while selecting layout names.
Reusing layouts from other files
Save time by re-using layouts that you have already created. Within the same
drawing, you may want to make a copy of a layout that contains most of the settings
you want, and then make changes to the new copy. If you created layouts that you
want to use again when you create new drawings, you can save the layouts as a
drawing template.
To make a copy of a layout
1 Type layout and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Copy.
3 Type the name of the layout you want to copy, and then press Enter.
4 Type a name for the new layout, and then press Enter.
To save a layout as a drawing template
1 Type layout and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Save.
3 Type the name of the layout that you want to save, and then press Enter.
4 Specify the file name and location for the template, and then click Save.
After you save a layout as a template, you can use the template when you create new
drawings. You can also import the templates layouts into another drawing.
Managing layouts in a drawing
You can rename layouts, delete layouts, and view a list of all layouts available in a
drawing. You can also change the order in which the Layout tabs appear; the Model
tab is always stationary.
If you want to rename or delete a layout when the Layout tabs are hidden, you can
type layout to make your changes.
To rename a layout
1 Right-click the Layout tab to rename.
2 Type a new name for the layout.
3 Click OK.
The name can be up to 255 characters in length and can contain letters, numbers, the
dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and underscore (_), or any combination.
To delete a layout
1 Right-click the Layout tab to delete.
2 Click OK to confirm the deletion.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 395
NOTE You cannot delete the Model tab or the last remaining Layout tab. To delete
all geometry from the Model tab or a Layout tab, first select all geometry and then
use the Erase command.
To reorder the Layout tabs
1 Right-click the Layout tab you want to move.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Move Right, and then choose a new location.
Choose Move Left, and then choose a new location.
To view a list of all layouts
1 Type layout and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose ? to list all layouts.
3 Type s or press Enter to scroll through the layouts.
Working with layout viewports
When you begin working in a drawing on the Model tab, it consists of a single view
of your model. You may have created additional views by dividing the drawing space
into multiple windows; each window is a separate viewport on the Model tab.
On a Layout tab, you must create at least one layout viewport to see your model.
However, you can create multiple layout viewports that display unique views of your
model located in model space. Each layout viewport functions as a window into your
model space drawing with each window looking different from the next. You can
customize the view center, scale, layer visibility, and contents of each layout view-
port. Each layout viewport is created as a separate entity that you can move, copy, or
delete.
Click any layout viewport to make it the current viewport, and then add or modify
model space entities in that viewport, even while snapping to model space entities
from paper space. Any changes you make in one layout viewport are immediately
visible in the other viewports (if the other layout viewports are displaying that portion
of the drawing). Zooming or panning in the current viewport affects only that
viewport.
This section focusses on working with layout viewports in paper space on a Layout
tab. For additional information about viewports in model space, see Dividing the
current window into multiple views on page 145.
Creating layout viewports
The first time you switch to a Layout tab, all of your model space entities disappear.
You must create at least one layout viewport on the Layout tab to see your work.
You can create layout viewports anywhere inside the drawing area. You can control
the number of viewports created and the arrangement of the viewports.
396 C H A P T E R 1 4
To create layout viewports
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Viewports.
On the Layouts toolbar, click the Viewports tool ( ).
Type mview and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Fit To View, Create 2 Viewports, Create 3 Viewports,
or Create 4 Viewports, or specify two opposing corners to create a custom view-
port.
3 In the prompt box, choose the viewport orientation.
4 Do one of the following:
To arrange the viewports to fill the current graphic area, in the prompt box,
choose Fit To Screen.
To fit the viewports within a bounding rectangle, specify the corners of a
rectangle.
TIP When you create a layout viewport, the layout viewport border is created on the
current layer. You can make layout viewport borders invisible by creating a new
layer before you create layout viewports and then turning off that layer after you cre-
ate the layout viewports. To select a layout viewports borders, you must turn that
layer back on before you can rearrange or modify the layout viewport.
You can create a single layout viewport, or you can divide the graphic area into two viewports arranged
vertically (A) or horizontally (B); three viewports arranged left (C), right (D), above (E),
below (F), vertically (G), or horizontally (H); or four viewports (I).
A B C
D E F
G H I
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 397
Poligonal viewport
Using the Object option you can select some closed entities, such as a circle or a
closed polyline created in paper space, and trasform it in a layout viewport
To create a poligonal viewport
1 Draw a circle or a closed polyline
2 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Viewports> Object.
Type mview, press Enter and choose Object option.
On the Viewports toolbar, click Object tool ( ).
3 Select the drawn object.
Viewing and scaling layout viewports
If you have created numerous layout viewports, your system performance may be
affected. If necessary, you can turn a layout viewport on or off. Turning off a layout
viewport does not delete the viewport or its contents; it simply turns off its display.
You can also change how you view items within a layout viewport by specifying a
scale factor, which changes how large or small model space entities appear within the
layout viewport.
To turn layout viewports on or off
1 Click the desired Layout tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Viewports.
On the Layouts toolbar, click the Viewports tool ( ).
Type mview and then press Enter.
3 Choose On or Off.
4 Select the edge of the layout viewport to turn on or off, and then press Enter.
To change the layout viewport scale
1 Type entprop and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the layout viewport.
3 In Scale, enter the scale at which you want to view model space entities from
within the layout viewport.
4 Click OK.
398 C H A P T E R 1 4
To change the scale of model space entities relative to paper space
1 Click the Model tab.
2 Click a viewport to make it current.
3 Choose View > Zoom > Zoom.
On the Zoom toolbar, click the Zoom Scale tool ( ).
4 Type the zoom scale factor relative to paper space by appending the suffix xp to
the scale factor, and then press Enter.
For example, to increase the scale of the entities in the viewport on the Model tab
to twice the size of paper space units, type 2xp. To decrease the scale to half the
size of paper space units, type .5xp.
Modifying layout viewports
After you create layout viewports, you can modify them as needed. On the Layout
tab, you can snap to the viewport borders using entity snaps. You can also copy,
delete, move, scale, and stretch layout viewports as you would any other drawing
entity.
Additionally, you can lock a layout viewport so the viewport scale and view center do
not change in model space while panning or zooming in the layout viewport. If you
are working on model space entities from a Layout tab, locking the layout viewport
prevents you from constantly changing the layout viewport scale and view center.
And assigning a UCS to each viewport allows you to quickly switch between layout
viewports and immediately draw in a different UCS. This can greatly increase pro-
ductivity, especially when creating complex 3D models.
Modifying a layout viewport on a Layout tab does not affect the model space entities
within the layout viewport.
To modify layout viewport properties
1 Type entprop and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the layout viewport you want to modify.
3 Adjust the center point, width, or height of the viewport.
4 In Scale, enter the scale at which you want to view model space entities from
within the layout viewport.
5 Mark Lock Viewport to lock the viewport scale and view in model space while
panning or zooming in the layout viewport.
6 Mark UCS per Viewport if you want to use a unique UCS for each layout view-
port.
7 Click OK.
NOTE You can select only layout viewports for modification. If you click a viewport
on the Model tab, it makes that viewport active, not available for modification.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 399
Modifying view mode in a layout viewport
It's possible to set a different view mode for every Viewport in the Paper Space.
To modifying view mode in a layout viewport
1 Click the desired Layout tab.
2 Type entprop and then press Enter
3 Select the edge of the layout viewport you want to modify.
4 Select the desired View mode from the Vis. Type list (2D is set by default).
5 Press Ok to confirm.
A Enter the center point of the layout viewport.
B Enter the width of the layout viewport.
C Enter the height of the layout viewport.
D Enter the scale used for viewing model space
entities from within the layout viewport.
E Select the visualization type.
F Mark to use a unique UCS for each layout
viewport.
G Mark to lock the viewport scale and view in model
space while panning or zooming in the layout
viewport.
H Click to select the center of the layout viewport in
the drawing.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
400 C H A P T E R 1 4
Customizing print options
Before you print, you can set up many aspects of printing:
Specify paper size and paper and drawing orientation.
Select and configure a printer or plotting device.
Specify the view and scale of a printed drawing, including which portion of a
drawing to print, the print scale, and the origin of the print area.
Choose whether to print and scale lineweights.
Choose whether to implement print style tables to control colors, pen widths, line-
types, and lineweights.
Open printer configuration (PCP) files; create and save PCP files.
Setting the paper size and paper and drawing orientation
You can specify a paper size and paper and drawing orientation for all drawings.
To select the paper size and paper and drawing orientation
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Print Setup, and then click Device tab.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ), and then click Device tab.
Type print and press Enter, and then click Device tab.
2 Select the paper size and paper and drawing orientation.
3 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
You can also adjust the orientation by printing a drawing upside down on the paper.
Each layout in your drawing can specify whether to print upside down.
To print a drawing upside down
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 Select Print Upside Down.
5 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 401
Selecting a printer or plotter
You can specify a printer or plotter to be used when printing any drawing. You can
print your drawing on any printer or plotter that is compatible with Windows,
including raster printers.
To select a printer or plotter
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Print Setup, and then click Device tab.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ), and then click Device tab.
Type print and press Enter, and then click Device tab.
2 From the Printer list, select a printer or plotter.
3 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
Setting the scale and view
You can print or plot the entire drawing or a selected portion, depending on which
options you select in the Print dialog box. You can choose to print what is visible on
the screen, or you can specify to print an area of the drawing.
A Select the printer.
B Select the paper size.
C Select the paper orientation.
D Select the drawing orientation.
E Type the number of the copies.
F Select to print into file the drawing.
G Click the button to set the advanced features for
the selected printer.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
402 C H A P T E R 1 4
You can control the position of the drawing on the paper by specifying the origin of
the print area, the location of the lower left corner of the print area, in relation to the
lower left corner of the paper. The origin is normally set to 0,0, which places the
lower left corner of the print area as close to the lower left corner of the paper as the
printer or plotter will allow. You can specify a different origin.
When you create a drawing, you generally draw entities full-size. When you print the
drawing, you can specify the scale of the resulting print or let the program adjust the
size of the drawing to fit the paper. To print the drawing at a specific scale, specify
the scale as a ratio of drawing units to printed units.
If you are printing from a Layout tab, the scale and view options you specify can be
different for each layout that you create.
To automatically scale the drawing for printing
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 Click the Scale/View tab.
4 To scale the drawing to fit on one printed page, in Print Scale, select Scale to Fit.
5 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
To specify the scale factor yourself
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 Click the Scale/View tab.
4 In Print Scale, do one of the following:
Select a pre-defined scale. For example, choose 1:2 if you want 1 printed unit
(inch or millimeter) to equal 2 drawing units.
Select Custom, and then under User Defined Scale, type the ratio of printed units
of measure (inches or millimeters) to drawing units.
5 To specify the printed units of measure, click Inches or Millimeters.
6 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 403
To specify a portion of the drawing to print
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 Click the Scale/View tab.
4 Under Print Area, click one of the following:
Current View prints the view on the screen.
Saved View prints the selected saved view.
Extents prints the area that contains entities in the drawing.
Limits prints to the limits defined for the layout or drawing.
Window prints the portion of the drawing contained in the specified window,
maintaining the aspect ratio of the windowed area to the drawing.
If you clicked Window, you must specify the window. Under Windowed Print
Area, enter the diagonal x- and y-coordinates of the window, or select the area on
the screen.
To print only the area in the window without considering whether there is extra
space on the screen, select the Print Only Area Within Specified Window check
box.
5 Under Entities To Print, click one of the following:
All Entities Within Print Area prints all drawing entities contained within the
specified print area.
Selected Entities Within Print Area prints only the entities you select from
within the specified print area.
6 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
NOTE AViCAD saves your print settings each time you print. To restore the
AViCAD default print settings, click Reset in the Print dialog box.
404 C H A P T E R 1 4
A Displays either Model or the layout name to which
the print settings apply.
B Click to select the area of the drawing that you want
to print.
C Type the x- and y-coordinates of the two opposing
corners of the rectangular area to print; or, to
specify coordinates in the drawing window, click
Select Print Area.
D Select to print the area of the window while ignoring
the aspect ratio to the remainder of the drawing.
E Click to specify drawing units and paper size in
millimeters or inches.
F Specify the custom scale for the print area by typing
the ratio of drawing units to printed inches or printed
millimeters. (Available only if Custom is selected for
Print Scale.)
G Select to fit the specified print area to the current
paper size select a scale ratio, or select to specify
your own custom scale in User Defined Scale.
H Click to print only selected entities within the
specified print area.
I Click to print all entities within the specified print
area.
J Select to save the print settings for the model or
layout.
K Select to print using the current print settings or
using the settings from the last time you printed.
A
B
C
D
K
E
I
H
G
F
J
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 405
To specify the print area origin
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 Under Print Offset, do one of the following:
To center the specified print area on the printed page, select the Center on Page
check box.
To specify an origin for the print area, type the x- and y-offset.
5 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
Choosing how lineweights print
If entities are assigned lineweights, you can control whether they print with the
assigned lineweights. If you turn off lineweight printing, entities print with a default
outline. You can also control whether lineweights print in proportion to the scale you
set on the Scale/View tab.
Each layout in your drawing can specify whether to print and scale lineweights.
To set lineweight options
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and press Enter.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 Choose how you want to print lineweights:
Print Lineweights prints entities with their assigned lineweights. If not
selected, entities print with a default outline.
Scale Lineweights prints lineweights in proportion to the scale you set on the
Scale/View tab. If not selected, lineweights print at their assigned size without
adjustments for the print scale. (A Layout tab must be active to scale
lineweights.)
5 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
NOTE Print styles can also affect how lineweights print. For details, see the next
section.
406 C H A P T E R 1 4
NOTE AViCAD saves your print settings each time you print. To restore the
AViCAD default print settings, click Reset in the Print dialog box.
A Displays either Model or the layout name to
which the print settings apply.
B Select a print style table.
C Click to load print settings from a PCP file.
D Click to save the current configuration as a PCP
file.
E Select to print the drawing upside down on your
printer.
F Select to print entities with their assigned
lineweights.
G Select to print lineweights in proportion to the
scale you set on the Scale/View tab. (A Layout
tab must be active.)
H Type x- and y-coordinates to specify the origin of
the print area.
I Select to center the print area on the page.
J Click to make changes to the selected print style
table.
K Click to create a new print style table.
L Select to save the print settings for the model or
layout.
M Select to load print settings from the current
layout (or model) or the last time you printed.
A
B
C
D
H
I
L
J
K
M
E
F
G
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 407
Using print styles
AViCAD uses print styles to change the appearance of your printed drawing without
modifying the actual entities in your drawing. Assigning print styles allows you to
customize the color, pen width, linetype, and lineweight that are used to print your
drawing.
Print styles help you control what your drawing looks like when it is printed. Rather
than describe what an entity looks like on your screen, print styles describe what an
entity will look like when you print it. For example, you can map all yellow entities in
your drawing to print in blue without modifying the actual entities. You could also
map all yellow entities to print with whatever lineweight, linetype, or pen width that
you specify.
Because print styles are saved in print style tables, which are files located on your
computer, disk, or server, you can reuse them to help eliminate the need to
reconfigure your print settings each time you print a drawing. For example, you may
have multiple clients who have their own printing preferences. You can save print
styles in a named file for each of your clients. You can even share the file with co-
workers, or store the files on a network to ensure that everyone in your office uses the
same standards.
Understanding print style tables
A print style table is a collection of print styles that allows you to change the
appearance of your printed drawing without modifying the actual entities in your
drawing. Each print style table is saved in a file that can be located on your computer,
disk, or server.
A drawing can use one type of print style table at a time. There are two types of print
style tables:
Color-dependent print style tables (CTB) contain a collection of print styles based on
each of the 255 index colors available in a drawing. True colors and color books
are not applicable to color-dependent print style tables.
Named print style tables (STB) contain a collection of print styles that you define.
They can vary regardless of color.
With color-dependent print style tables, you cannot assign print styles to individual
entities or layers. To use these print styles, you assign a specific color to an entity or
layer. When you specify a color-dependent print style table at printing time, the entity
colors and layer colors map to color-based print styles in the print style table that you
specify.
With named print style tables, you can assign named print styles to individual entities
and layers. Entities and layers assigned print styles are printed according to the print
style table that you specify at printing time. If you specify a print style for a specific
entity, that print style overrides any print style assigned to the layer on which the
entity resides.
408 C H A P T E R 1 4
Sometimes a named print style assigned to an entity or layer is not located in the print
style table that is assigned to a layout or drawing. This can happen if the print style
has been deleted from the named print style table or if you assign a different named
print style table to the drawing that does not contain the named print style. In this
case, the entity is printed using its default properties, which is similar to assigning the
Normal print style to an entity or layer. If you plan on interchanging named print style
tables within the same drawing, its a good idea to coordinate the tables to use the
same print style names.
If a new drawing is based on a template, the new drawing uses the same type of print
style table as the template. If a new drawing is created without a template, the type of
print style table is specified in the New Drawing Wizard; by default, the new drawing
uses the print style table type specified in Tools > Options on the Printing tab. Every
drawing is designed to use print style tables, but you decide whether to implement
them.
Comparison of print style table types
Color-dependent print
style table (CTB) Named print style table (STB)
Description Contains pre-defined print styles
according to color; there is one print style
for each of the 255 index colors available
in the drawing. Entities with the same
color are printed the same way.
Contains unique print styles that you
create. Entities with the same color can
have different print settings.
Example All blue entities print with a .5 millimeter
lineweight.
One entity prints with a .7 millimeter
lineweight; a second blue prints with a .5
millimeter lineweight.
Number of
print styles
255 (fixed). At least one (varies).
Print style
names
Print style names range from Color_1
to Color_255. You cannot rename print
styles.
You define new print style names. You
can rename all print styles except the
Normal print style.
Add, delete,
and modify
print styles
You can modify the existing print styles,
but you cannot add or delete print styles.
You can add and delete print styles. You
can modify all print styles except the
Normal print style, which uses the
default characteristics of the entity.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 409
Implementing print style tables
Every drawing is designed to use print style tables, but you decide whether to
implement them. Even if you use one of the default print style tables available with
AViCAD, using print style tables requires planning ahead of time to ensure that your
drawing prints as planned.
For example, a single drawing of a floor plan might require the printing of the
following drawing sheets:
Main Floor Plan Walls print with thick, black lines.
Electrical Plan Walls print with normal gray lines, indicating that they are not the
focus.
HVAC Plan Walls print with normal gray lines, indicating that they are not the
focus.
Roof Plan Walls print with thin, gray lines and a hidden linetype, indicating that
they are hidden under the roof in a plan view.
In this example, you can create four named print style tables, each containing a print
style named WallPstyle. Each print style table contains its own settings for
WallPstyle to control how the walls print. Assign WallPstyle to either the wall
entities or to a wall layer. Then, assign a different named print style table each time
you print, or create four layouts and assign a different print style table to each layout.
The following table describes, in order, the steps to get you started using both color-
dependent and named print style tables.
Create
additional
tables
Yes. Yes.
Assignment Current print style: New entities always
assigned BYCOLOR.
Print styles: Assigned to colors in the
print style table.
Print style tables: Assigned to a Layout
tab or the Model tab.
Current print style: Assigned to new
entities.
Print styles: Assigned to entities and
layers.
Print style tables: Assigned to a Layout
tab or the Model tab.
Legacy file
support
You can import existing printer
configuration files (PCP) files into the
print style table. CTB files are similar to
PCP files primarily used in previous
versions of AViCAD.
Not applicable.
Comparison of print style table types
Color-dependent print
style table (CTB) Named print style table (STB)
410 C H A P T E R 1 4
The following table describes how to further customize how print styles work within
your drawings.
Getting started using print style tables
Color-
dependent Named Task Command Where to get details
X X Create a new drawing. Select a drawing
template that uses the desired print style
table type or choose it in the New Drawing
Wizard.
File > New Creating a new drawing, page 34
X X (Optional) Create a new print style table. File > Print Styles Manager Creating new print style tables,
page 412
X Assign colors to entities and layers that
correspond with print style table settings.
Modify > Properties
Tools > AViCAD Explorer
Setting the current entity color,
page 44; Modifying the properties
of entities, page 231; Setting the
layer color, page 180
X Set the current print style assigned to new
entities.
Tools > Drawing Settings >
Entity Creation tab; status
bar; printstyle
Setting the current print style,
page 49
X Assign print styles to entities. Modify > Properties; Entity
Properties toolbar; printstyle
Modifying the properties of
entities, page 231
X Use AViCAD Explorer to assign print styles
to layers.
Tools > AViCAD Explorer Setting a layers print style, page
182
X X Assign a print style table to the Model tab,
a layout, or to all layouts in the drawing.
File > Plot > Advanced tab Assigning print style tables, page
411
X X (Optional) Make changes to the assigned
print style table.
File > Print Styles Manager
File > Plot > Advanced tab
Modifying print style tables, page
412
X X Print the drawing. File > Plot
Printing or plotting your drawing,
page 418
Further customizing print style tables
Task Command Where to get details
Copy, rename, or delete print style
tables.
File > Print Styles Manager
Copy, rename, or delete
print style tables, page
414
Change a drawing to use another type
of print style table, for example, change
a drawing that uses color-dependent
print style tables to one that uses
named print style tables.
convertpstyles Changing a drawings
print style table type,
page 415
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 411
Assigning print style tables
Select a print style table before printing if you want to change how your drawing
appears when you print it. Print style tables can modify how colors, pen widths,
linetypes, and lineweights look when they are printed.
You can assign print style tables globally for all layouts (including the Model tab), or
individually for the Model tab or a Layout tab. Assigning a print style table to an
individual layout allows you to further customize the layouts you use to print a
drawing.
However, assigning different named print style tables to various layouts may result in
mismatched print style names; a named print style assigned to an entity or layer may
not be located in the assigned print style table at print time. In this case, entities are
printed using their default properties, which is similar to assigning the Normal print
style to an entity or layer.
To assign print style tables
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab, or click the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 Under Print Style Table (Pen Assignments), select a print style table that you cre-
ated or one of the following:
None Applies no print style table. Entities print according to their own
properties.
Icad Uses the default print style table and its color assignments.
Monochrome Prints all colors as black.
5 At the prompt, choose Yes to assign the print style table to all layouts in the draw-
ing, including the Model tab, or choose No to assign the print style table only to
the individual layout listed in Layout Name on the Print dialog box.
Convert a color-dependent print style
table to a named print style table.
convertctb Converting print style
tables, page 416
Change the default location where print
style tables are stored.
Tools > Options > Paths/
Files tab
Changing the options on
the Paths/Files tab, page
588
Customize how print styles work with
new drawings that you create and older
drawings that you open.
Tools > Options > Printing
tab
Changing the options on
the Printing tab, page 598
Further customizing print style tables
Task Command Where to get details
412 C H A P T E R 1 4
6 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
NOTE When your drawing was first created it was set up to use either color-depen-
dent or named print style tables. For details on converting a drawing to use a differ-
ent type of print style table, see Understanding print style tables on page 407 in
this chapter.
Creating new print style tables
AViCAD offers several print style tables to help you get started. If you want to
customize your print output further, you can create your own print style table. You
can create a new print style table entirely from scratch, based on AViCAD registry
settings, or by importing a printer configuration file (PCP file).
To create new print style tables
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Print Styles Manager.
Type stylesmanager and then press Enter.
2 Double-click Create a Print Style Table.
3 Complete the setup wizard.
On the last wizard page, you can click Print Style Table Editor to set up the print
styles for the table. For more details about the Print Style Table Editor options, see
the next section.
Modifying print style tables
When your drawing was created, it was set up to use color-dependent or named print
style tables.
Color-dependent print style tables (.ctb files) You can modify individual print styles
within the table, but you cannot add, rename, or delete print styles. Color-dependent
print style tables always have 255 print styles, each named for a specific color. Your
changes affect all entities and layers assigned that color.
Named print style tables (.stb files) You can add, modify, rename, and delete individual
print styles within the table. However, you cannot modify, rename, or delete the
Normal print style. Your changes affect all entities and layers that are assigned that
print style name.
TIP If you cant remember what type of print style table is assigned to your drawing,
use the PSTYLEMODE system variable to determine the print style table type.
Each print style within a print style table specifies a color, pen numbers, linetype, and
lineweight. AViCAD recognizes additional characteristics for compatibility with
AutoCAD only, including: dither, grayscale, screening, adaptive, line end style, line
join style, and fill style.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 413
When specifying print style characteristics, be sure to consider the limitations of your
output device.
NOTE It is recommended that you only modify print style tables that you have cre-
ated. If you modify a default print style table that came with AViCAD, you overwrite
the original information which is then lost.
To modify print style tables
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Print Styles Manager.
Type stylesmanager and then press Enter.
2 Double-click the print style table you want to modify.
3 Click the General tab, and then do any of the following:
Enter a new table description.
Select Apply Global Scale Factor to Non-ISO Linetypes to apply the scale factor
to non-ISO linetypes used for any print style in the current print style table. This
also applies to fill patterns, which are not used in AViCAD, but are recognized
for compatibility with AutoCAD.
Enter a scale factor to apply to non-ISO linetypes used for any print style in the
current print style table.
4 Click the Properties tab, and then do any of the following:
Make format changes to a print style by selecting it in the Print Styles list, then
make color, pen map, linetype, or lineweight changes for the print style. Your
changes are saved automatically for the selected print style.
Add a new print style by clicking Add Style. Enter a new name, and then click
OK. Select the options for the print style. (Available for named print styles
only.)
Rename a print style by selecting it in the Print Styles list. Single-click the print
style again, and then enter a new name. (Available for named print styles only.)
Delete a print style by selecting it in the Print Styles list. Click Delete Style.
(Available for named print styles only.)
5 Click OK.
414 C H A P T E R 1 4
Copy, rename, or delete print style tables
Copy, rename, or delete a print style table just as you would any other file on your
computer. Regardless of which print style table type your drawing uses, you can use
the Print Style Manager to manage both color-dependent and named print style tables.
To copy, rename, or delete print style tables
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Print Styles Manager.
Type stylesmanager and then press Enter.
2 Select a print style table.
Color-dependent print style tables are .ctb files and named print style tables are
.stb files.
A Select a print style to modify it.
B Enter a description for the selected print style.
C Click to create a new print style. (Named print
style tables only.)
D Click to delete the selected print style. (Named
print style tables only.)
E Click to modify the list of available lineweights for
the current print style table.
F Click to save the print style table with a new
name or in a new location.
G Choose a lineweight for the selected print style.
H Choose a linetype for the selected print style.
I Type or scroll to the width of the virtual pen for
the selected print style (for printers that dont
have physical pens, such as laser or inkjet
printers).
J Type or scroll to the width of the physical pen for
the selected print style.
K Choose a color for the selected print style.
A
B
C
D E
F
G
H
I
J
K
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 415
3 Copy, rename, or delete the print style table just as you would any other file on
your computer.
Changing a drawings print style table type
When your drawing was created, it was set up to use color-dependent print style
tables (.ctb files) or named print style tables (.stb files). A drawing can use one type
of print style table at a time. If necessary, after a drawing is created you can convert
the drawing to use the other type of print style table.
If you cant remember what type of print style table is assigned to your drawing, use
the PSTYLEMODE system variable to determine the print style table type.
To change a drawing to use named print style tables
1 If you want to reuse any of the existing print style information, convert your color-
dependent print style tables to named print style tables. For details, see To con-
vert a color-dependent print style table to a named print style table on page 416 in
this chapter.
2 Open the drawing that uses color-dependent print style tables (.ctb files).
3 Type convertpstyles, and then press Enter.
4 If you have already converted your individual color-dependent print style tables to
named tables, click OK in the prompt that displays.
If you have not converted the tables, click Cancel. First use convertctb to convert
your color-dependent print style tables to named tables. If you do not, all of the
print style information you specified in your drawing will be lost.
5 Select a named print style table (.stb file) that you want to use with the drawing.
6 Click Open.
NOTE If you have not converted a color-dependent print style table to a named print
style table, you will be warned that the table you have selected does not contain color
mapping and the drawing cannot be converted.
To change a drawing to use color-dependent print style tables
1 Open the drawing that uses named print style tables (.stb files).
2 Type convertpstyles, and then press Enter.
3 If you are sure you want to convert the drawing and lose all print style assign-
ments, click OK in the prompt that displays.
If you do not want to lose the print style assignments, click Cancel.
NOTE Converting a drawing to use color-dependent print style tables will remove
all of the named print style information from entities and layers. However, the named
print style tables are not deleted from your computer.
416 C H A P T E R 1 4
Converting print style tables
You can convert a color-dependent print style table to a named print style table. You
cannot convert a named print style table to a color-dependent print style table because
color-dependent tables contain only print styles that are named after the 255 colors to
which they map.
Converting a color-dependent print style table to a named print style table can be
helpful in the following situations:
You dont want to create a named print style table from scratch.
You want to create a named print style table that has the same settings as a color-
dependent print style table, but with some new print styles or other custom set-
tings.
You want to convert a drawing to use named print style tables and you want to
reuse most of print styles already defined in a color-dependent print style table.
To convert a color-dependent print style table to a named print style table
1 Type convertctb, and then press Enter.
2 Select the color-dependent print style table (.ctb file) that you want to convert.
3 Click Open.
4 Enter a name for the new named print style table (.stb file).
5 Click Save.
The print styles in the new table are named Style 1, Style 2, and so on. If want to use
different print style names, rename the print styles before you assign them to entities
and layers in your drawing. If you rename the print styles after assigning them, they
will not match when you print your drawing. For information about renaming print
styles, see Modifying print style tables on page 412 in this chapter.
Turning off print style tables
When you turn off print style tables, entities print according to their own properties.
However, all of the print style information is saved so you can easily turn on print
styles again. Actual print style table files are not deleted, and for drawings that use
named print style tables, entities and layers retain their assigned print styles.
To turn off print style tables
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab, or click the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 Under Print Style Table (Pen Assignments), select None.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 417
5 At the prompt, choose Yes to turn off print style tables for all layouts in the draw-
ing, including the Model tab, or choose No to turn off print style tables only for
the individual layout listed in Layout Name on the Print dialog box.
6 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
Reusing print settings
After you set up print settings for a drawing or layout, you can save them and reuse
them again using printer configuration files.
Printer configuration files store the printer information you create for specific
drawings or layouts, which eliminates the need to completely reconfigure your print
settings each time you print a drawing. Printer configuration files also allow you to
share and reuse print settings between different drawings and layouts.
AViCAD supports the printer configuration (PCP) file format used by AutoCAD.
This feature makes it possible to use existing PCP files saved in AutoCAD, as well as
to save your AViCAD print configuration settings to a PCP format.
The printer configuration files that you specify can be different for each layout that
you create.
To save print settings in a PCP file
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 Specify the desired print settings.
5 Under Printer Configuration File, click Save.
6 Name the file, and then click Save.
To assign a PCP file
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 Under Printer Configuration File, click Open.
5 Locate and select the PCP file, and then click Open.
6 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click Apply to save your changes.
418 C H A P T E R 1 4
PCP files created before AViCAD contain obsolete PenMap/Width settings that you
can convert to use with print style tables. Import the PCP file to create a new color-
dependent print style table. For details, see Creating new print style tables on page
412 in this chapter.
TIP It is easy to reuse print settings from the last time you printed. In the Print dia-
log box under Use Settings, choose Previous Print.
Printing or plotting your drawing
After you have configured your drawing and any layouts for printing, you are ready
to print. If desired, you can preview your page before printing.
Previewing a drawing before printing
Viewing a drawing before printing gives you a preview of what your drawing will
look like when it is printed. This helps you see if there are any changes you want to
make before actually printing the drawing.
If you are using print style tables, the preview shows how your drawing will print
with the assigned print styles. For example, the preview may display different colors
or lineweights than those used in the drawing because of assigned print styles.
To preview a drawing before printing
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot Preview.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot Preview tool ( ).
Type ppreview and then press Enter.
3 After checking the preview image, do one of the following:
To print the drawing, click Print Settings to display the Print dialog box.
To return to the drawing, click Cancel.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 419
A Click to zoom in.
B Click to zoom out. If you have zoomed in
several times, click multiple times to restore
the entire preview image.
C Click to display the Print Settings dialog box.
D Click to print the drawing.
E Click to close the preview and return to the
drawing.
A B C D E
420 C H A P T E R 1 4
Printing a drawing
The Print dialog box is organized by tabs into two functional areas: scaling and
viewing, and advanced printing options. The print setting options available under
each tab were described in the previous sections.
NOTE You cannot print a rendered image directly to a printer. To print a rendered
image, you must first save the drawing to a different format and then print it from
another graphics program. For more details, see Render to File on page 536.
To print a drawing
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type print and then press Enter.
3 From the Print dialog box, make any adjustments to the settings.
4 Click Print.
NOTE Instead of using the print settings you saved with your layout, you can select
Previous Print in the Use Settings list to print according to the settings used the last
time you printed. If necessary, you can click Reset to restore the AViCAD default
print settings.
WARNING If occour any printing problems go to the printer manifacturer home page
and download the latest printer's driver.
WARNING There are some known problem with the Custom paper size setting in the
Print dialog box for some particular hardware configuration and printer models. To
avoid this problem, set the paper size from "Printing preferences" from the context
menu of the selected printer (Start > Control Panel > Printers) before setting the
printer in AViCAD's Print dialog box
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 421
Print a PDF or JPG file
When installing AViCAD two new virtual printers are added to the system to create a
PDF or JPG file.
Creating a PDF or JPG File
Creating a PDF or JPG file from a drawing is very simple, like printing on paper.
To create a PDF or JPG File
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Plot.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Plot tool ( ).
Type plot and then press Enter.
3 Select Device tab.
4 From Printer list select one of the following:
AViCAD PDF Printer 2011.
AViCAD JPG Printer 2011.
5 Select the paper size from the Paper section. To set a custom paper size:
Click on the Property button near the printer name.
Select Custom from the paper size list.
Specify With and Length.
Confirm the settings clicking on the Ok button.
6 Select the paper and drawing orientation: Portrait or Landscape.
7 Set the other parameters like paper printing.
8 Press the Print button.
9 Specify the name of the PDF or JPG file in the dialog box shown.
422 C H A P T E R 1 4
Print a Viewport with hidden lines or shaded mode
It's possible to print one or some Viewports in the Paper Space with a different view
mode.
To print a viewport with hidden lines or shaded mode
1 Click the desired Layout tab.
2 Type entprop and then press Enter
3 Select the edge of the layout viewport you want to modify and press Enter.
4 Select the desired View mode from the Vis. Type list (2D is set by default).
5 Press Ok to confirm.
P R I N T I N G D R A W I N G S 423
.
Proceed with printing. For more details, see Printing or plotting your drawing on
page 418.
424 C H A P T E R 1 4
15
Drawing in three dimensions
Paper drawings typically represent two-dimensional views of three-dimensional enti-
ties. With AViCAD, you can create three-dimensional models of three-dimensional
entities.
This section explains how to:
View entities in three dimensions.
Create three-dimensional entities.
Create Surface.
Create Solids.
Edit entities in three-dimensional space.
Edit three-dimensional solids.
Display hidden-line and shaded views of three-dimensional entities.
The tools and commands for many of the functions described in this section appear
on the Surfaces, Solids, Solid Editings toolbar and the Draw, Modify menu, respec-
tively, when you set the program to the Advanced experience level.
Topics in this chapter
Viewing entities in three dimensions ................................................................. 426
Creating three-dimensional entities................................................................... 440
Creating Surfaces.............................................................................................. 450
Creating Solids.................................................................................................. 458
Editing in three dimensions............................................................................... 468
Editing three-dimensional solids ....................................................................... 473
Hiding, shading, and rendering ......................................................................... 484
426 C H A P T E R 1 5
Viewing entities in three dimensions
You can view a AViCAD drawing from any position in three-dimensional space.
From any selected viewing position, you can add new entities or modify existing
entities. You can also generate hidden-line and shaded views from any viewing
position.
Setting the viewing direction
You view three-dimensional drawings by setting the viewing direction. The viewing
direction establishes the viewing position, the Cartesian coordinate corresponding to
the viewpoint looking back at the origin point, the 0,0,0 coordinate. When you view a
drawing from the default viewpoint (0,0,1), you see a plan view of the drawing.
You can view a three-dimensional drawing using any of the following methods:
Rotating the view in real time (3D Orbit)
Preset Views
Preset Viewpoints
Dynamic View Control
Plan View
You can change the viewing direction to look at the drawing from a different vantage
point or to work on a three-dimensional model from a different orientation.
Rotating the view in real time (3D Orbit )
AViCAD allows you to rotate the visualisation in real time to view your drawing
from any angle while in model space. You cannot rotate the view while in paper
space, but also within the layout windows.
If desired, you can continue the rotation of a view after you release the mouse button.
Choose Tools > Options to enable continuous motion. For more information, see
Chapter 20, Changing the options on the Display tab
To rotate the view in real time
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3d orbit > Real-Time Sphere.
On the 3D Orbit toolbar, click the Real-Time Sphere tool ( ).
Type rtrot and then press Enter.
Press and hold Ctrl.
2 Click and drag the left mouse button. The view rotates according to the movement
of your mouse.
3 To stop rotating, release the mouse button.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 427
4 If the view continues to rotate, press Enter or right-click the drawing when fin-
ished.
To modify the viewing direction and the magnification you can use the views short-
cuts:
Realtime Sphere : CTRL + Left Click: rotate the view in any direction without
reference to the planes.
Realtime along axis : CTRL + Right Click: rotate the view along an axis orthogo-
nal to the view
428 C H A P T E R 1 5
RealTime Zoom In&Out : CTRL + SHIFT + Left Click: mouse up Zoom In,
Mouse down Zoom Out.
RealTime Pan : CTRL + SHIFT + Right Click: move the cursor to pan
NOTE While the 3DFORBIT command is active you cannot edit objects.
Preset Views
To quickly set a view, you can choose one of the predefined 3D views. You can select
predefined standard orthographic views Top, Bottom, Front, Left, Right, and Back or
SW (southwest) Isometric, SE (southeast) Isometric, NE (northeast) Isometric, and
NW (northwest) Isometric views.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 429
Orthographic views
Orthographic views show objects from points of view that are perpendicular to XY,
XZ and YZ plans, obtaining Top, Bottom, Front, Left, Right, and Back views.
Draw a cube and a cylinder as shown in the example:
To set the Top viewing direction
Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > Top.
On the View toolbar, click Top View ( ).
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type 0,0,1 and press Enter.
To set the Bottom viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > Bottom.
On the View toolbar, click Bottom View ( ).
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type 0,0,-1 and press Enter.
430 C H A P T E R 1 5

To set the Left viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > Left.
On the View toolbar, click Left View ( ).
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type -1,0,0 and press Enter.
To set the Right viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > Right.
On the View toolbar, click Right View ( ).
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type 1,0,0 and press Enter.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 431
To set the Front viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > Front.
On the View toolbar, click Front View ( ).
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type 0, -1,0 and press Enter.
To set the Back viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > Back.
On the View toolbar, click Back View ( ).
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type 0, 1,0 and press Enter.
Isometric views
To understand how the isometric views work, look down at the top of a box. If you
move toward the lower-left corner, you are viewing the box from the SW Isometric
View. If you move toward the upper-right corner of the box, you are viewing it from
NE Isometric View
432 C H A P T E R 1 5
To set the SW Isometric viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > SW Isometric.
On the View toolbar, click SW Isometric ( ) .
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type -1,-1,1 and press Enter.
To set the SE Isometric viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > SE Isometric.
On the View toolbar, click SE Isometric ( ).
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type 1,-1,1 and press Enter.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 433
To set the NE Isometric viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > NE Isometric.
On the View toolbar, click NE Isometric ( ).
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type 1,1,1 and press Enter.
To set the NW Isometric viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > NW Isometric.
On the View toolbar, click NW Isometric ( ).
Type _viewpoint and press Enter, then type -1,1,1 and press Enter.
434 C H A P T E R 1 5
Preset Viewpoints.
To select a preset viewpoint you can also use the Preset Viewpoints dialog box that
contains preset views buttons formerly explained plus isometric views from under-
neath the XY plane.
To set a new viewing direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Viewpoint Presets.
On the View toolbar, click the Preset Viewpoints tool ( ).
Type setvpoint and then press Enter.
2 Click the preset view you want to use.
A Click to select a non-axis viewpoint.
B Click to select the previous viewpoint.
C Click to select a viewpoint aligned with an axis.
A
B
C
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 435
You can dynamically rotate the viewpoint within the xy plane and relative to the xy
plane, and you can pan and zoom the drawing. As you change the viewpoint settings,
the drawing display automatically updates.
To dynamically set a view direction
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > View Control.
Type viewctl and then press Enter.
2 Click the appropriate tools to dynamically change the viewpoint.
3 To complete the command, click OK.
You can set the current viewing direction to the plan view of the current user coordi-
nate system (UCS), a previously saved UCS, or the World Coordinate System
(WCS).
A Indicates the current viewpoint.
B Click to pan the drawing.
C Click to display the Preset Viewpoints dialog box.
D Click to update the drawing display whenever
you click a tool.
E Click to zoom extents.
F Click to zoom out.
G Click to zoom in.
H Shows the current viewpoint orientation.
I Type or select the rotation angle increment.
J Click to rotate the view about a predefined axis.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
436 C H A P T E R 1 5
To display a plan view of the current drawing
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > 3D Views > Plan View.
Type plan and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose one of the following:
Current displays the plan view of the current UCS.
UCS displays the plan view of a saved UCS. The program prompts you for the
name of the UCS.
World displays the plan view of the WCS.
Dinamic view
Dynamically defines parallel or visual perspective views. Cameras and targets are
used to dynamically view your three-dimensional drawing. You can specify the view-
ing direction between the camera and the target. The center point of the selected enti-
ties is considered the target.
To create a dynamic 3D view
1 Do one of the following:
Select View> dynamic view
Type dview and then press Enter.
2 Select the objects to be used in the preview. If you select too many items the oper-
ations of draging and updating images become slow.
3 Select an option to create the view:
In the command Dynamic view you have the following options:
Camera: Specify a new location for the camera by rotating around the point of
aim. The magnitude of rotation is determined by two angles: the angle in the XY
plane and the XY plane.
The figure shows the effect of camera rotation from the initial position to the right,
leaving unchanged the angle to the XY plane.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 437

Rotation: Set the camera position using the rotation buttons. The buttons above
set positive rotations, those under, negative. The default value for rotation
increment is 6 degrees and it can be changed in the Change by spin control.
Angle in XY plane: Indicates the camera position at a certain degree in the XY
plane relative to the X axis of the current UCS. Setting the rotation value at 0
degree you can obtain a view toward the X axis in the origin point direction.
Angle from XY plane: Indicates the camera position with an angle above or
under the XY plane. Angled at 90 degrees the camera produces a downward
view, a -90 degrees angle produces an upward view. Setting the value at 0
degree, the camera is positioned in the same direction of the XY plane of the
current UCS.
Zoom: Extents: Displays the drawing to the greatest possible magnification.
Zoom In: Doubles the current magnification of the drawing. Zoom Out:
Reduces the magnification of the drawing by half.
Target: You can specify a new position for the target (the entities you are view-
ing) by rotating the target around the camera.
A B
A B
438 C H A P T E R 1 5

To twist the view: You can tilt the view of your three-dimensional drawing by
twisting the view around the line of sight between the camera and the target.
TIP The twist angle is measured counterclockwise.
To specify the camera's distance from the target: You can move the camera in
or out along the line of sight relative to the target. This option turns on perspective
viewing, that means that objects farther from the camera appear smaller than those
closer to the camera. A special perspective icon replaces the coordinate system
icon. You are prompted for the new camera-to-target distance.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 439

If the target and camera points are close to each other, or if you specify long-focal-
length lens, you might see very little of your drawing when you specify a new dis-
tance. If you see little or none of your drawing, magnify the drawing without turn-
ing the perspective viewing on with the Zoom option of DVIEW.
To specify the x,y,z coordinates of the camera and target: Locates the camera
and target points using the X,Y,Z coordinates. You can use the XYZ point filters.
A rubber-band line is drawn from the current target position to the crosshairs. You
are asked for a new target location and a rubber-band line connects the target point
to the crosshairs to help you place the camera relative to the target.
To turn perspective off: Turns off the perspective viewing. To turn on the per-
spective choose the option Distance..
To remove the visualization of hidden lines: To aid in visualization, you can
remove all the lines that are hidden behind other surfaces when seen from your
vantage point. Wire-frame models always appear transparent, because they have
no surfaces. Surface models appear filled, with surfaces applied to all visible
sides.
To specify the distance to pan: The displacement point indicates the distance you
want to move the display.
To change the magnification: You can change the magnification by increasing or
decreasing the size of entities in the current viewport. If the perspective is on, the
Zoom adjusts the camera lens length, which changes the field of view and causes
more or less of the drawing to be visible. The default lens length is 50mm, simu-
lating what you'd see with a 35mm camera and a 50mm lens. The lens length
increasing is similar to switching to a telephoto lens. The lens length decreasing
widens the field of view as with a wide-angle lens. If the perspective is off, the
Zoom option dynamically increases or decreases the apparent size of objects in the
current view.
440 C H A P T E R 1 5
Creating three-dimensional entities
AViCAD supports the following types of three-dimensional models:
Wire-frame models, which consist of lines and curves that define the edges of a
three-dimensional entity. You can create a wire-frame model by drawing lines,
arcs, polylines, and other two-dimensional entities anywhere in three-dimensional
space. Wire-frame models have no surfaces; they always appear as outlines.
Because you must individually draw and position each entity that makes up a
wire-frame model, creating one can be exacting and time-consuming.
Surface models, which consist of both edges and the surfaces between those
edges. You can create a surface model by applying elevation and thickness to two-
dimensional planar entities or by using specific three-dimensional entity-creation
commands. Surface models consist of individual planes forming a faceted, polyg-
onal mesh.
3D solids, which are three-dimensional ACIS entities that consist of faces and
edges. 3D solids appear to have volume and are easier to work with than wire-
frame and surface models. AViCAD full version allow you to create and more
completely edit 3D solids.
Applying elevation and thickness
By default, the program creates new two-dimensional entities with a zero elevation
and thickness. The easiest way to create a surface is to change the thickness property
of an existing two-dimensional entity.
The elevation of an entity is its z-coordinate position in relation to the xy plane in
which the entity is drawn. An elevation of 0 indicates that the entity is drawn on the
xy plane of the current UCS. Positive elevations are above this plane; negative eleva-
tions are below it.
The thickness of an entity is the distance it is extruded above or below its elevation. A
positive thickness extrudes the entity upward in the positive z direction of the entity;
a negative thickness extrudes it downward in the negative z direction. The thickness
is applied uniformly to the entire entity. You can extrude any two-dimensional entity
into a three-dimensional entity by changing the thickness of the entity to a nonzero
value. For example, a circle becomes a cylinder, a line becomes a three-dimensional
plane, and a rectangle becomes a box.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 441

You can create three-dimensional entities using any of the following methods:
Draw two-dimensional entities in three-dimensional space.
Convert two-dimensional planar entities into three-dimensional entities by
applying elevation and thickness.
Convert two-dimensional planar entities into three-dimensional entities by
revolving or extruding.
Create three-dimensional entities such as boxes, cylinders, cones, domes, spheres,
and wedges.
NOTE Three-dimensional solids are drawn as true solids with full versions of
AViCAD that include a license for the ACIS solids modeling system. Three-dimen-
sional solids include the following: box, cone, cylinder, dish, dome, pyramid, sphere,
torus, and wedge.
You can change the default elevation and thickness values to create new entities with
an elevation and thickness already applied.
To set the current elevation
1 Display the current elevation setting by doing one of the following:
Choose Format > Elevation.
Type elevation and then press Enter.
2 Specify the New Current Value For Elevation, and then press Enter.
To set the current thickness
1 Display the current thickness setting by doing one of the following:
Choose Format > Thickness.
Type thickness and then press Enter.
2 Specify the New Current Value For Thickness, and then press Enter.
Two-dimensional entities. Two-dimensional entities with thickness added.
442 C H A P T E R 1 5
To set the current elevation and thickness using a dialog box
1 Display the Drawing Settings dialog box by doing one of the following:
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
Type settings and then press Enter.
2 Click the 3D Settings tab.
3 In the Change Settings For list, click Surfaces.
4 To change the current thickness, in the Current 3D Thickness box, type a new
thickness value or click the arrows to select a new thickness.
5 To change the current elevation, in the Current 3D Elevation box, type a new ele-
vation value or click the arrows to select a new elevation.
6 Click OK.

A Type or select the current three-
dimensional thickness.
B Type or select the current three-
dimensional elevation.
A
B
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 443
To change the thickness and elevation of an existing entity
1 Type entprop and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity, and then press Enter.
AViCAD displays the Entity Properties dialog box. The exact appearance of the
dialog box depends on the type of entity you select.
3 To change the thickness, in the Thickness box, type a new thickness value or click
the arrows to select the new thickness.
4 To change the elevation, in the Z coordinate box, type a new elevation value or
click the arrows to select the new elevation.
5 Click OK.
NOTE When you change the thickness of an entity, you do not change the entity type.
If you wish to extrude an entity and convert it to a three-dimensional solid, use the
Extrude command.
A Type or select the new thickness. B Type or select the new elevation.
A
B
444 C H A P T E R 1 5
Creating three-dimensional faces
You can create a three-dimensional face, which consists of a section of a plane in
three-dimensional space. You define a three-dimensional face by specifying the x,y,z
coordinates of three or more corners. After you specify the fourth point, the program
continues to prompt you for additional faces by alternating prompts for the third point
and fourth point to allow you to build a complex three-dimensional entity. Each
three- or four-sided plane is created as a separate three-dimensional face entity.
To create a three-dimensional face
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Face.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the 3D Face tool ( ).
2 Specify the first point of the three-dimensional face.
3 Specify the second, third, and fourth points.
4 Specify the third and fourth points for additional faces.
5 To complete the command, press Enter.
NOTE Any or all edges of a three-dimensional face can be invisible to allow you to
more accurately model entities with holes in them. As the program prompts you for
the corner points, in the prompt box, choose Invisible Edge to make the next edge
invisible.
Creating rectangular meshes
You can create a three-dimensional rectangular mesh consisting of four-sided poly-
gons. You determine the size of the mesh by specifying the number of vertices along
the primary (M-direction) and secondary (N-direction) mesh axes and then specifying
the coordinates for each vertex.
An example of a three-dimensional model created using three-dimensional faces.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 445
To create a rectangular mesh
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Mesh.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the 3D Mesh tool ( ).
Type mesh and then press Enter.
2 Specify the number of vertices along the primary mesh axis.
3 Specify the number of vertices along the secondary mesh axis.
4 Specify the coordinates for each vertex.
Specifying the coordinates for the last vertex completes the mesh and ends the
command.
NOTE Although creating rectangular meshes manually can be exacting, they are
useful for representing complex surfaces such as three-dimensional terrain models.
The Mesh tool is most useful when combined with scripts or LISP programs that
mathematically calculate the coordinates of the vertices.
Creating polyface meshes
You can create a polygon mesh consisting of faces connecting three or more vertices.
You first determine the coordinates of each vertex and then define each face by enter-
ing the vertex numbers for all the vertices of that face. As you create each face, you
can control the visibility and color of each edge and assign each edge to specific lay-
ers.
An example of a three-dimensional terrain model created using rectangular meshes.
446 C H A P T E R 1 5
To create a polyface mesh
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > Polymesh.
Type pface and then press Enter.
2 Specify the coordinates of each vertex.
After each vertex that you specify, the next vertex number is displayed, and you
are prompted for the coordinates of the vertex. Specify the coordinates, and then
press Enter. Continue to specify the coordinates for each numbered vertex.
3 To finish specifying vertex coordinates, press Enter.
4 Specify the vertex numbers that define the first face.
You specify the face by entering the vertex numbers that were defined when you
specified coordinates in step 2. Each face can be composed of three or more num-
bered vertices.
5 To finish defining the first face, press Enter.
6 Specify the next face by entering its vertex numbers.
7 To complete the command, press Enter.
NOTE To make an edge invisible, type the vertex number as a negative value.
Creating ruled surface meshes
You can create a ruled surface, which is a three-dimensional polygon mesh that
approximates the surface between two existing entities. You select the two entities
that define the ruled surface. These entities can be arcs, circles, lines, points, or
polylines.
To create a ruled surface mesh
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > Ruled Surface.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Ruled Surface tool ( ).
Type rulesurf and then press Enter.
2 Select the first defining entity.
3 Select the second defining entity.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 447
.
NOTE To control the density of the mesh, change the values for the Number of M-
Direction Surfaces. Choose Tools > Drawing Settings, and then click the 3D Settings
tab. Under Change Settings For, select Surfaces. Under Surface Settings, change the
Number Of M-Direction Surfaces value.
Creating extruded surface meshes
You can create an extruded surface, which is a three-dimensional polygon mesh that
approximates the surface generated by extruding a path curve along a direction vec-
tor. You select the two entities that define the path curve and direction vector. The
length of the direction vector determines the distance the path curve is moved along
the direction vector. The extruded entity can be an arc, circle, line, or polyline. You
can choose a line or open polyline as the direction vector. The resulting mesh consists
of a series of parallel polygonal planes running along the specified path.
To create an extruded surface mesh
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > Tabulated Surface.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Tabulated Surface tool ( ).
Type tabsurf and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to extrude.
3 Select the extrusion path.
Select the first (A) and second (B) defining entities. The resulting ruled surface mesh.
A
B
448 C H A P T E R 1 5
NOTE To control the density of the mesh, change the values for the Number of M-
Direction Surfaces. Choose Tools > Drawing Settings, and then click the 3D Settings
tab. Under Change Settings For, select Surfaces. Under Surface Settings, change the
Number Of M-Direction Surfaces.
NOTE An extruded mesh is different from an extruded solid. If you wish to extrude
an entity and convert it to a three-dimensional solid, use the Extrude command.
Creating revolved surface meshes
You can create a surface of revolution, which is a three-dimensional polygon mesh
that approximates the surface generated by rotating a two-dimensional profile around
an axis. You select the two entities that define the profile and the axis. You also spec-
ify the starting angle and the number of degrees to revolve the profile.
Revolving the profile 360 degrees creates a closed three-dimensional mesh. The
Number Of M-Direction Surfaces value determines the mesh density (the number of
mesh segments) in the M-direction (around the axis of revolution). The N-Direction
Mesh Density value determines the mesh density (the number of mesh segments) in
the N-direction (along the axis of revolution).
To create a revolved surface mesh
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > Revolved Surface.
On the Surfaces, click the Revolved Surface tool ( ).
Type revsurf and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to revolve.
3 Select the entity to be used as the axis of revolution.
4 Specify the starting angle.
Select the entity to extrude (A) and the
extrusion path (B).
The resulting extruded
surface mesh.
A
B
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 449
5 Specify the number of degrees to revolve the entity.
NOTE To control the density of the mesh, change the values for the Number Of M-
Direction Surfaces and N-Direction Mesh Density. Choose Tools > Drawing Set-
tings, and then click the 3D Settings tab. Under Change Settings For, select Surfaces.
Under Surface Settings, change the Number Of M-Direction Surfaces and N-Direc-
tion Mesh Density values.
NOTE An revolved mesh is different from an revolved solid. If you wish to revolve
an entity and convert it to a three-dimensional solid, use the Revolve command.
Creating edge-defined Coons surface patch meshes
You can create a surface called a Coons surface patch, a mesh connecting four edges.
You select the entities that define the edges. Edge entities can be arcs, lines, or
polylines. The four edge entities must form a closed loop and share endpoints. A
patch is a bicubic surface (one curve extends in the M-direction and the other in the
N-direction) interpolated between the four adjoining edges. You can select the edges
in any order. The first edge you select determines the M-direction of the mesh.
To create an edge-defined Coons surface patch mesh
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > Edge Surface.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Edge Surface tool ( ).
Type edgesurf and then press Enter.
2 Select the first edge.
3 Select the second, third, and fourth edges.
Select the entity to be revolved (A) and the
axis of revolution (B).
The resulting revolved surface
mesh.
A
B
450 C H A P T E R 1 5
NOTE To control the density of the mesh, change the value for the Number of M-
Direction Surfaces and N-Direction Mesh Density. Choose Tools > Drawing Set-
tings, and then click the 3D Settings tab. Under Change Settings For, select Surfaces.
Under Surface Settings, change the Number Of M-Direction Surfaces and N-Direc-
tion Mesh Density values.
Creating Surfaces
Creating boxes
You can create rectangular boxes, or cubes. A box consists of six rectangular surface
planes. The base of the box is always parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS.
You position the box by specifying either a corner or the center of the box. You deter-
mine the size of the box by either specifying a second corner and the height; defining
the box to be a cube and then providing its length; or specifying the length, width, and
height.
To create a box as a three-dimensional surface
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Box.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Box tool ( ).
Type ai_box and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first corner of the base.
3 Specify the lenght of side of box.
4 Specify the width of box.
5 Specify the height.
Select the entities to be used as the four
edges (A, B, C, and D).
The resulting Coons surface patch mesh.
A
B
C
D
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 451
.
Creating wedges
You can create three-dimensional wedges consisting of five surface planes. The base
of the wedge is always parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS with the sloped
face opposite the first corner. The height is always parallel with the z-axis. You posi-
tion the wedge by specifying either a corner or the center of the wedge. You deter-
mine the size of the wedge by either specifying a second corner and the height;
defining the wedge based on a cube having a given length; or specifying the length,
width, and height.
To create a wedge as a three-dimensional surface
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Wedge.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Wedge tool ( ).
Type ai_wedge and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first corner of the base.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the base.
4 Specify the height.
First corner of the base (A), the opposite corner of the base (B), and the height (C).
First corner of the base (A), the opposite corner of the base (B), and the height (C).
A
C
B
A
C
B
452 C H A P T E R 1 5
Creating cones
You can create three-dimensional cones defined by a circular base and tapering to a
point perpendicular to the base. The base of the cone is always parallel with the xy
plane of the current UCS; the height of the cone is always parallel with the z-axis.
You position the cone by specifying the center of the base. You determine the size of
the cone by specifying either the radius or the diameter of the base and the height.
To create a cone as a three-dimensional surface
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Cone.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Cone tool ( ).
Type ai_cone and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cone.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height.
5 Specify the number of longitudinal sections.
Creating pyramids
You can create tetrahedrons (three-sided pyramids) or four-sided pyramids. The sides
of the resulting pyramid can meet at a point (the apex) or can form a three- or four-
edged top. The sides of a four-sided pyramid can also meet along a ridge defined by
two points. The base of the pyramid is always parallel with the xy plane of the current
UCS. You position the pyramid by specifying a corner of the base. You determine the
size of the pyramid by specifying the base points and either the apex, the corners of
the top surface, or the endpoints of the ridge.
Center of the base (A), the radius of the base (B), and the height (C).
A
C
B
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 453
To create a tetrahedron
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Pyramid.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Pyramid tool ( ).
Type ai_pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the second and third points.
4 In the prompt box, choose Tetrahedron.
5 Specify the apex of the tetrahedron.
To create a pyramid with a planar top
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Pyramid.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Pyramid tool ( ).
Type ai_pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the second, third, and fourth points.
4 In the prompt box, choose Top Surface.
5 Specify the first point on the top surface of the pyramid.
6 Specify the second, third, and fourth points
The first point (A), second point (B), and third point (C) of the base, and the apex (D).
A
B
C
D
454 C H A P T E R 1 5
To create a pyramid as a three-dimensional surface
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Pyramid.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Pyramid tool ( ).
Type ai_pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the points as described previously.
Creating cylinders
You can create cylinders defined by a circular base. The base of a cylinder is always
parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS; the height of a cylinder is always paral-
lel with the z-axis. You position a cylinder by specifying the center of the base. You
determine the size of a cylinder by specifying either the radius or diameter of the base
and the height
To create a cylinder as a three-dimensional surface
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Cylinder.
Type ai_cylinder and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cylinder.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height.
5 Specify the number of longitudinal sections.
The first point (A), second point (B), third point (C), and fourth point (D) of the base, and the first point (E),
second point (F), third point (G), and fourth point (H) of the top surface.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 455
Creating spheres
You can create spheres. The latitude lines of a sphere are always parallel with the xy
plane of the current UCS; the central axis is always parallel with the z-axis. You posi-
tion a sphere by specifying its center point. You determine the size of a sphere by
specifying either its radius or its diameter.
To create a sphere as a three-dimensional surface
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Sphere
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Sphere tool ( ).
Type ai_sphere and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the sphere.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the number of longitudinal sections that are perpendicular to the xy plane.
5 Specify the number of latitudinal sections that are parallel to the xy plane.
Center of the base (A), radius of the base (B), and the height (C).
Center (A) and radius (B) of the sphere. The resulting sphere.
A
B
C
A
B
456 C H A P T E R 1 5
Creating dishes
You can create a three-dimensional dish. The latitude lines of a dish are always paral-
lel with the xy plane of the current UCS; the central axis is always parallel with the z-
axis. You position a dish by specifying its center point. You determine the size of a
dish by specifying either its radius or its diameter.
To create a dish as a three-dimensional surface
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Dish.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Dish tool ( ).
Type ai_dish and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the dish.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the number of divisions around the dish.
5 Specify the number of top to bottom divisions.
Creating domes
You can create a three-dimensional dome. The latitude lines of a dome are always
parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS; the central axis is always parallel with
the z-axis. You position a dome by specifying its center point. You determine the size
of a dome by specifying either its radius or its diameter.
To create a dome as a three-dimensional surface
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Dome.
On the Surfaces toolbar, click the Dome tool ( ).
Type ai_dome and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the dome.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
Center (A) and radius (B) of the dish.
A
B
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 457
4 Specify the number of divisions around the dome.
5 Specify the number of top to bottom divisions.
Creating tori
You can create a three-dimensional donut or ring-shaped entity known as a torus. The
diameter of a ring is always parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS. A torus is
constructed by revolving a circle about a line drawn in the plane of the circle and par-
allel with the z-axis of the current UCS. You position a torus by specifying its center
point. You determine the size of a torus by specifying its overall diameter or radius
and the diameter or radius of the tube (the circle being revolved).
To create a torus as a three-dimensional surface
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > Surfaces > 3D Surface and than type Torus.
On the Surfaces, click the Torus tool ( ).
Type ai_torus and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the whole torus.
3 Specify the radius or diameter of the whole torus.
4 Specify the radius or diameter of the body of the torus.
5 Specify the number of longitudinal sections that are perpendicular to the xy plane.
6 Specify the number of latitudinal sections that are parallel to the xy plane.
Center (A) and radius (B) of the dome.
A
B
458 C H A P T E R 1 5
Creating Solids
Creating Boxes
To create a box
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Box.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Box tool ( ).
Type box and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first corner of the base.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the base.
4 Specify the height.
Center (A) and radius of the whole torus (B), and the radius of the body (C).
A
B C
First corner of the base (A), the opposite corner of the base (B), and the height (C).
A
B
C
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 459
Creating Wedges
To create a wedge
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Wedge.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Wedge tool ( ).
Type wedge and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first corner of the base.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the base.
4 Specify the height.
Creating Cones
To create a cone
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Cone.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Cone tool ( ).
Type cone and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cone.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height.
First corner of the base (A), the opposite corner of the base (B), and the height (C).
A
B
C
460 C H A P T E R 1 5

Creating Tetrahedrones
To create a tetrahedron
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Pyramid.
Type pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the second and third points.
4 In the prompt box, choose Tetrahedron.
5 Specify the apex of the tetrahedron.
Center of the base (A), the radius of the base (B), and the height (C).
The first point (A), second point (B), and third point (C) of the base, and the apex (D).
A
C
B
A
B
C
D
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 461
Creating Pyramids
To create a pyramid
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Pyramid.
Type pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the second third and fourth points.
4 Specify the apex of the pyramid.
To create a pyramid with a planar top
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Pyramid.
Type pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the second, third, and fourth points.
4 In the prompt box, choose Top Surface.
5 Specify the first point on the top surface of the pyramid.
6 Specify the second, third, and fourth points..
The first point (A), second point (B), third point (C), and fourth point (D) of the base, and the first point (E),
second point (F), third point (G), and fourth point (H) of the top surface.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
462 C H A P T E R 1 5
Creating Cylinders
To create a cylinder
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Cylinder.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Cylinder tool ( ).
Type cylinder and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cylinder.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height.
Creating Spheres
To create a sphere
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Sphere.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Sphere tool ( ).
Type sphere and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the sphere.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
Center of the base (A), radius of the base (B), and the height (C).
A
B
C
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 463
Creating Dishs
To create a dish
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Dish.
Type dish and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the dish.
3 Specify the radius or diameter..
Creating Domes
To create a dome
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Dome.
Type dome and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the dome.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
Center (A) and radius (B) of the sphere. The resulting sphere.
Center (A) and radius (B) of the dish.
A
B
A
B
464 C H A P T E R 1 5
Creating Tori
To create a torus
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Torus.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Torus tool ( ).
Type torus and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the whole torus.
3 Specify the radius or diameter of the whole torus.
4 Specify the radius or diameter of the body of the torus.
Creating regions
You can convert a closed entity into a two-dimensional region. After you create a
region, you can modify it using the various three-dimensional tools. For example, you
can create a region from a square, and then extrude the square to create a three-
dimensional cube.
Center (A) and radius (B) of the dome.
Center (A) and radius of the whole torus (B), and the radius of the body (C).
A
B
A
B C
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 465
You can create regions from closed entities, such as polylines, polygons, circles,
ellipses, closed splines, and donuts.
Creating regions typically has no visible effect on a drawing. However, if the original
entity had a width or lineweight, that information is lost when you create the region.
To create a region
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Region.
On the Draw toolbar, click the Region tool ( ).
Type region and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to create the region.
3 Press Enter.
The command bar displays a message that describes how many regions were cre-
ated.
Creating extruded solids
You can create three-dimensional solids by extruding closed objects, such as
polylines, polygons, circles, ellipses, closed splines, donuts, and regions. You can
extrude the object along a selected path, or you can specify its height and taper angle.
To create an extruded solid
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Extrude.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Extrude tool ( ).
Type extrude and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to extrude.
3 Select the extrusion path, or specify the height.
Select the entity to extrude (A) and the extrusion path
(B).
The resulting extruded
solid.
A
B
466 C H A P T E R 1 5
Creating revolved solids
You can create three-dimensional solids by revolving closed objects, such as
polylines, polygons, circles, ellipses, and regions. You can revolve the object about a
defined axis, line, polyline, or two points
To create a revolved solid
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Revolve.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Revolve tool ( ).
Type revolve and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to revolve.
3 Do one of the following to define the axis of revolution:
Specify a start point and an end point.
Type o and press Enter to select an object that determines the axis.
Type x and press Enter to select the x-axis.
Type y and press Enter to select the y-axis.
4 Specify the angle of revolution.
Creating composite solids
You can create composite three-dimensional solids by combining, subtracting, and
finding the intersection of two or more solids
To combine solids
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solid Editing > Union
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Union tool ( ).
Type union and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to combine.
Select the entity to revolve (A) and the axis (B) about
which to revolve it., followed by the angle of
revolution.
The resulting revolved
solid.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 467
To subtract solids
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solid Editing > Subtract.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Subtract tool ( ).
Type subtract and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to subtract from one another.
To intersect solids
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solid Editing > Intersect.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Intersect tool ( ).
Type intersect and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to intersect
Select the entityies to combine (A and B). The resulting combined
solid.
Select the entityies to subtract (A and B). The resulting
solid.
A
B
A
B
468 C H A P T E R 1 5
Editing in three dimensions
You can copy, move, rotate, array, mirror, and align two-dimensional and three-
dimensional entities in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional space. You can
also change and edit properties of three-dimensional entities much like you change
and edit properties for two-dimensional entities. When you modify three-dimensional
entities in two-dimensional space, you modify the entity in relation to the current
UCS.
Rotating in three dimensions
You can rotate selected entities about a specified axis in three-dimensional space.
You select the entities to rotate and then define the axis of rotation either by specify-
ing two points; selecting an existing entity; aligning the axis with the x-, y-, or z-axis
of the current UCS; or aligning the axis with the current view.
To rotate an entity about an axis in three dimensions
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > 3D Operation > Rotate 3D.
Type rotate3D and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to rotate, and then press Enter.
3 Choose from one of the following options: Entity, Last, View, Xaxis, Yaxis,
Zaxis.
4 Specify the rotation angle.
5 Specify the reference angle.
Select the entityies to combine (A and B). The resulting combined
solid.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 469
Arraying in three dimensions
You can copy selected entities and arrange them in a three-dimensional rectangular or
polar (circular) pattern. For a rectangular array, you control the number of copies in
the array by specifying the number of rows and columns and the number of levels.
You also specify the distance between each. For a polar array, you specify the axis
around which to array the entities, the number of copies of the entities to create, and
the angle subtended by the resulting array.
To create a three-dimensional rectangular array
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > 3D Operation > 3D Array.
Type 3Darray and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose Rectangular.
4 Type the number of rows in the array.
5 Type the number of columns.
6 Type the number of levels.
7 Specify the vertical distance between the rows.
8 Specify the horizontal distance between the columns.
9 Specify the depth between the levels.
Select the entities to rotate (A), specify the endpoints
of the axis of rotation (B and C), and then specify the
rotation angle (D).
Result after rotating the entities.
B
D
C
A
470 C H A P T E R 1 5
To create a three-dimensional polar array
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > 3D Operation > 3D Array.
Type 3Darray and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose Polar.
4 Type the number of copies to make, including the original selection set.
5 Specify the angle the array is to fill, from 0 to 360 degrees.
The default setting for the angle is 360 degrees. Positive values create the array in
a counterclockwise direction; negative values create the array in a clockwise
direction.
6 In the prompt box, choose one of the following:
Yes-Rotate Entities to rotate entities as they are arrayed.
No-Do Not Rotate to retain the original orientation of each copy as it is arrayed.
7 Specify the center point of the array.
8 Specify a second point along the central axis of the array.
To create a three-dimensional rectangular array, select the entity to copy (A), type the
number of rows, columns, and levels, and then specify the distance between each row (B),
column (C), and level (D).
A
B
C
D
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 471
Mirroring in three dimensions
You can create a mirror image of selected entities in three-dimensional space. You
mirror the entities about a mirror plane that you define by either specifying three
points; selecting an existing two-dimensional planar entity; aligning the plane parallel
with the xy, yz, or xz plane of the current UCS; or aligning the plane with the current
view. You can delete or retain the original entities.
To mirror an entity about a three-dimensional plane
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > 3D Operation > Mirror 3D.
Type mirror3D and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose 3 Points, or press Enter to select the default.
4 Specify the first point on the mirror plane.
5 Specify the second and third points on the plane.
6 In the prompt box, choose one of the following:
Yes-Delete Entities to delete the original entities.
No-Keep Entities to retain the original entities.
To create a three-dimensional polar array, select the entity to copy (A), type the number of copies to make,
specify the angle the array is to fill (B), and then specify the center point of the array (C) and a second point
along the central axis of the array (D).
A
B
C
D
472 C H A P T E R 1 5
Aligning in three dimensions
You can align selected entities with other entities in three-dimensional space. You
select the entities you wish to align, and specify one, two or three pairs of points to
align the selected entities.
To align an entity an entity with another
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > 3D Operation > Align.
Type align and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the first source point.
4 Specify the first destination point.
5 Specify additional source and destination points if desired (up to three pairs).
Select the entity to mirror (A), and then specify
the first point (B), second point (C), and third
point (D) defining the mirror plane.
The resulting mirrored entity.
A
D
C
B
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 473
Editing three-dimensional solids
You can edit three-dimensional solids in several unique ways, including: chamfer, fil-
let, section, and slice. You can also modify individual faces and edges of solids, as
well as imprint, separate, shell, and check solids.
You can edit three-dimensional ACIS solids, including: boxes, cones, cylinders,
dishes, domes, pyramids, spheres, tori, and wedges.
Chamfering and filleting solids
You can chamfer or fillet a three-dimensional solid much like you chamfer or fillet a
two-dimensional entity.
To chamfer a solid
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Chamfer.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool ( ).
Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the base surface to chamfer. (One of two surfaces adjacent to
the selected edge will be highlighted.)
Select the entities to align, and then specify the
first source point (A), the first destination point
(B), the second destination point (C), and the
second destination point (D). You can specify up
to three pairs of source/destination points.
The resulting mirrored entity.
C D
A
B
474 C H A P T E R 1 5
3 Do one of the following:
To select a different surface, type n and press Enter.
To use the current surface, press Enter.
4 Specify the base surface distance (measured from the selected edge to the base
surface).
5 Specify the adjacent surface distance (measured from the selected edge to the
adjacent surface).
6 Do one of the following:
Specify the edges to chamfer.
To select all edges around the base surface, type l and press Enter.
To fillet a solid
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Fillet.
On the Modify toolbar, click the Fillet tool ( ).
Type fillet and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the solid to fillet.
3 Specify the fillet radius.
4 Select additional edges to fillet, and press Enter to fillet.
Sectioning and slicing solids
You can section or slice a three-dimensional solid, region, or body (typically a sheet).
When you section a solid, you obtain an inside view by creating a cross-section
through the solid as a region or block. When you section a region or body, the result-
ing intersections are curves.
When you slice a solid, region, or body, you create a new entity by cutting the origi-
nal entity and removing a specific side.
To section an entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Section.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Section tool ( ).
Type section and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to cross-section.
3 Do one of the following:
Specify three points to define the cross-section plane. (The first point defines the
origin, while the second point defines the x-axis and the third point defines the
y-axis.)
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 475
Type o and press Enter to select an object that defines the cross-sectional plane.
Specify an axis by typing the appropriate letter and pressing Enter.
To slice an entity
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Slice.
On the Solids toolbar, click the Slice tool ( ).
Type slice and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to slice.
3 Do one of the following:
Specify three points to define the cross-section plane. (The first point defines the
origin, while the second point defines the x-axis and the third point defines the
y-axis.)
Type o and press Enter to select an object that defines the cross-sectional plane.
Specify an axis by typing the appropriate letter and pressing Enter.
4 Specify which side to retain, or type b to retain both sides.
Modifying faces
You can edit three-dimension solids by extruding, moving, rotating, offsetting, taper-
ing, deleting, or copying individual faces. You can also change the color of individual
faces.
To extrude a solid face
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Extrude Faces.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Extrude Face tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the face you wish to extrude.
3 Select the face(s) to extrude, and press Enter.
4 Do one of the following:
Specify the height of extrusion.
Type p and press Enter to select a path for extrusion.
5 If you specified a height, specify a taper angle.
476 C H A P T E R 1 5
To move a solid face
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Move Faces.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Move Faces tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the face you wish to move.
3 Select the face(s) to move, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify an end point.
Select the entitiy to extrude, and then specify
the face(s) to extrude (A), and the height of
extrusion or path.
The resulting entity with the face extruded to
position (B).
Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to
move (A), the base point (B), and the end point
(C).
The resulting entity with the face moved to the new
position.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 477
To rotate a solid face
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Rotate Faces.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Rotate Faces tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the face you wish to rotate.
3 Select the face(s) to rotate, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify another point on the rotation axis.
6 Specify the rotation angle.
To offset a solid face
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Offset Faces.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Offset Faces tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the face you wish to offset.
3 Select the face(s) to offset, and press Enter.
4 Specify an offset distance.
Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to
rotate (A), the base point (B), a second point on
the rotation axis (C),and a rotation angle.
The resulting entity with the face rotated to position
(D).
478 C H A P T E R 1 5
To taper a solid face
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Taper Faces.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Taper Faces tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the face you wish to taper.
3 Select the face(s) to taper, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify another point along the axis.
6 Specify a taper angle.
Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s)
to offset (A) and the distance to offset.
The resulting entity with the face offset to position
(B).
Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to
taper (A), a base point, a second point along the
taper axis, and a taper angle.
The resulting entity with the face tapered to position
(D).
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 479
To delete a solid face
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Delete Faces.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Delete Faces tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the face you wish to delete.
3 Select the face(s) to delete, and press Enter.
To copy a solid face
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Copy Faces.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Copy Faces tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the face you wish to copy.
3 Select the face(s) to copy, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify an end point.
Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to
delete (A).
The resulting entity with the face deleted.
480 C H A P T E R 1 5
To color a face
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Color Faces.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Color Faces tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the face you wish to color.
3 Select the face(s) to color, and press Enter.
4 Specify a color.
Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s)
to copy (A), the base point (B), and the end
point (C).
The resulting entity with the face copied.
Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to
color (A).
The resulting entity with the face colored.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 481
Modifying edges
In addition to modifying faces of solids, you can modify individual edges. You can
copy individual edges or change the color of individual edges.
To copy an edge
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Copy Edges.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Copy Edges tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the edge you wish to copy.
3 Select the edge(s) to copy, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify an end point.
To color an edge
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Color Edges.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Color Edges tool ( ).
2 Select the entity with the edge you wish to color.
3 Select the edge(s) to color, and press Enter.
4 Specify a color.
Imprinting solids
You can modify the face of a solid by imprinting another entity on it. For example,
you can imprint a line, arc, or polyline onto the face of a box.
Select the entitiy, and then specify the edge(s)
to copy (A), the base point (B), and the end
point (C).
The resulting entity with the edge copied.
482 C H A P T E R 1 5
To imprint a solid object
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Imprint.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Imprint tool ( ).
2 Select the solid entity you wish to imprint.
3 Select the entity you wish to imprint on the solid.
Separating solids
You can separate solids that have been combined. After you separate them, they are
separated into individual solids.
To separate solids
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Separate.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Separate tool ( ).
2 Select the solid you wish to separate.
Shelling solids
You can create a shell or a hollow thin wall from your 3D solid object. AViCAD off-
sets existing faces to create new faces.
To shell a solid
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Shell.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Shell tool ( ).
2 Select the entity you wish to shell.
3 Remove any faces you dont wish to include.
4 Specify an offset distance.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 483
Flattening solids
Using the SOLPROF command you create a flattened view of all 3d boundaries and
solids of the current viewport. The resulting view is a block.
To create a 2D view of a 3D model
1 Determine a 3d model view.
2 Do one of the following:
Type solprof and then press Enter.
Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Profile ( ).
3 Select the desire entities.
4 Choose if to place the hidden line on a separate layer.
5 Choose where the profile is to be projected.
6 Choose if delete tangential edges.
Convert a solid to a surface
You can convert a solid to a surface, the result will be a polyface mesh.
To convert a solid to a surface
1 Type 3dconvert and press Enter
2 Select the solids to convert
3 Press Enter.
Cleaning solids
You can remove redundant edges or vertices from solids when they are not needed.
Select the entitiy, and then select faces to
remove (A)and (B), then specify an offset
distance.
The resulting shelled entity.
484 C H A P T E R 1 5
To clean a solid
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Clean.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Clean tool ( ).
2 Select the entity you wish to clean.
Checking solids
You can check whether a selected solid object is a valid 3D ACIS solid object. If it is
a valid 3D solid, you can modify the object; in not, you cannot edit the object.
To check a solid
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Check.
On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Check tool ( ).
2 Select the entities to check.
Hiding, shading, and rendering
As you create three-dimensional entities, the program displays both wire-frame and
surface models in wire-frame view, which makes it difficult to visualize your three-
dimensional models. To better visualize the model, you can remove all the lines that
are hidden behind other entities or surfaces when seen from the current viewpoint.
Shading goes a step further by removing hidden lines and then assigning flat colors to
the visible surfaces, making them appear solid. Shaded images are useful when you
want to quickly visualize your model as a solid object, though they lack depth and
definition.
Rendering provides an even more realistic image of your model, complete with light
sources, shadows, surface material properties, and reflections, giving your model a
photo-realistic look. As shown in the following illustrations, when you render a
model, the program removes hidden lines and then shades the surfaces as though they
were illuminated from imaginary light sources.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 485

Creating hidden-line images
Creating a hidden-line view of your drawing removes all the lines that are hidden
behind other surfaces when seen from your vantage point. When you remove hidden
lines or shade a model, the program treats the entities differently, depending on how
you created them. Wire-frame models always appear transparent, because they have
no surfaces. Surface models appear filled, with surfaces applied to all visible sides.
To create a hidden-line image
Do one of the following:
Choose View > Hide.
On the Render toolbar, click the Hide tool ( ).
Type hide and then press Enter.
Creating shaded images
Creating a shaded image of your drawing removes hidden lines and then applies
shading to the visible surfaces based on their entity color. Because they are intended
to provide a quick visualization, shaded images do not have a light source and use
continuous colors across surfaces, causing them to appear flat and unrealistic.
To create a shaded image
Do one of the following:
Choose View > Shade and select shading mode do you want.
On the Shade toolbar, click the Shade Highlighting Outline tool ( ).
Wire-frame model. Hidden-line image. Shaded image. Rendered image.
Before creating a hidden-line image. After removing hidden lines.
486 C H A P T E R 1 5
Type shade and then press Enter.
To control the appearance of the shaded image, choose Tools > Drawing Settings,
and then click the 3D Settings tab and select the options you want. You can shade the
surfaces and edges of the model in four ways:
Faces shaded; edges not highlighted.
Faces shaded; edges highlighted in the background color.
Faces filled in the background color; edges drawn using the entity color (similar to
a hidden-line view).
Faces filled using the entity color; edges highlighted in the background color.
Creating rendered images
Creating a rendered image of your drawing removes hidden lines and then shades the
surface as though it were illuminated from multiple light sources.
Full rendering creates a photo-realistic image of your model, complete with light
sources, shadows, surface material properties, and reflections. You can illuminate
your image with spotlights, distant lighting to simulate sunshine, and ambient light. If
you choose not to customize the light sources, the program generates default light
sources for you.
Rays from these imaginary light sources are traced as they reflect off and refract
through the surfaces of the model, a process called ray tracing. Ray tracing deter-
mines where shadows fall and how reflections on shiny materials such as metal and
glass appear. You can modify the reflective properties of the materials that make up
your model to control how the light rays reflect off its surfaces.
Full rendering automatically creates a base on which your model is displayed, if you
dont already have one, so it does not appear suspended in space. A background is
also automatically added to the image. A background such as a cloudy sky or an
imported raster graphic such as a stone wall can also be added behind the image,
making it even more realistic.
To create a quickly rendered image
Do one of the following:
Choose View > Render > Render.
On the Render toolbar, click the Render tool ( ).
Type render and then press Enter.
To create a fully rendered image
Do one of the following:
Choose View > Render > Full Render.
On the Render toolbar, click the Full Render tool ( ).
Type fullrender and then press Enter.
D R A W I N G I N T H R E E D I M E N S I O N S 487
NOTE For more information, see Chapter 16, Render .
Creating custom rendered images
AViCAD allows you to create custom rendered images by applying materials,
backgrounds, and lighting (including shadows) to your drawing:
Materials Specify materials for different surfaces and define how the materials
map to those surfaces. Predefined materials are available in the materials library,
which can be customized further using the built-in editor. You can choose to use
procedural or bitmap materials.
Backgrounds Specify the background or backdrop for a rendered image. Several
predefined backgrounds are available. By default, no background is used and it
appears black. The background is an infinite, planar surface and reflects off of any
reflective surfaces in your model. The background is not affected by lighting how-
ever, so no shadows or highlights are seen on the background.
Lighting Specify the placement of lights, light color, and light intensity to deter-
mine how your drawing or scene is lit, including shadows and reflections in the
scene. Lights can be placed either outside the field of view or inside to illuminate
different areas of the scene. Several predefined lighting controls are available,
including ambient lighting, diffuse lighting, specular reflections, specular high-
lights, and transparency.
Fully rendered image.
488 C H A P T E R 1 5
To apply materials, backgrounds, and lighting
1 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Render, and then choose Materials, Background, or Ligh.
On the Render toolbar, click the Materials tool ( ), Background ( ), or
Lights tool ( ).
Type materials, backgrounds, or lighting and then press Enter.
2 Make your selections.
NOTE You can specify additional options by choosing View > Render > Preferences.
For more information about creating custom rendered images, click Help in any of
the Render dialog boxes.
Printing a rendered image
You cannot print a rendered image directly to a printer. Instead, you must first save
the drawing to a different format either a bitmap (.bmp), JPEG (.jpg), TIFF (.tif),
TrueVision TGA (.tga), or Portable Network Graphic (.png). After you save a
rendered image, you can print it from another graphics program.
To save a rendered image of your drawing
1 Create a rendered image of the drawing.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose View > Render > Preferences.
On the Render toolbar, click the Render Preferences tool ( ).
Type setrender and then press Enter.
3 On the Rendering tab, click Save Last Image.
4 Enter a file name and path.
5 In Save As Type, choose the file format.
6 Click Save.
16
Render
This chapter helps you get using new advanced rendering module with the manage-
ment of multiple lights and the creation/editing of materials based on imported exter-
nal bitmaps Reflection, mirror, transparency.
Topics in this chapter
Getting Started ................................................................................................. 490
Render Command ............................................................................................ 492
Full Render Command...................................................................................... 493
Materials Command ......................................................................................... 493
Background....................................................................................................... 522
Light .................................................................................................................. 523
Preferences ...................................................................................................... 531
490 C H A P T E R 1 6
Getting Started
The DaVinci Rendering Library is a tool for generating high-quality, "photo realistic"
renderings or images of three-dimensional AViCAD drawings. The library extracts
geometry information from your AViCAD drawing and then calculates how light will
interact with the surfaces in the drawing to generate a realistic image.
The algorithm used to render the drawing is commonly called Ray Tracing. In the ray
tracing algorithm, "rays" of light are traced backward from the viewer's eye, through
the scene (i.e. the drawing), to the light sources. For each pixel, a ray (or set of rays
when using anti-aliasing) is directed from the viewer's eye in the proper direction for
that pixel. The software then determines which surface in the scene is "struck" first by
the ray. The software then must determine if that spot on the surface is illuminated by
the lights in the scene. If the surface is reflective, the software must also determine
what light is bouncing off of other surfaces and hitting that spot. Similarly, if the sur-
face is transparent or partially transparent, the ray continues on through the surface to
determine what can be seen through it. This process continues for each pixel in the
image.
The commands to use the DaVinci Rendering Library are accessible from the top-
level View menu under the Render sub-menu as shown below.
R E N D E R 491
The set of entries control the rendering library include: Render, Full Render, Materi-
als..., Background..., Light..., and Preferences... .
Render Command
The Render command generates a lower-quality rendered image of the drawing
using the lighting and materials options selected. Shadows, reflections, and transpar-
ency effects are not included to increase the speed of the rendering process. This
command is useful for previewing the rendering output.
Full Render Command
The Full Render command generates a high-quality rendered image of the drawing
using the lighting and materials options selected and also including shadows, reflec-
tions, and transparency effects. This command is used to generate a final rendered
image.
492 C H A P T E R 1 6
Materials... Command
The Materials command allows you to select the "material" for each surface in the
drawing. A number of material options are available and the material settings control
the coloring of each surface, any pattern in the surface (tile or brick for example), as
well as the surface finish (i.e. how the surface reflects light). If no material is speci-
fied for a surface, it defaults to a light gray color so that it will appear in the render-
ing.
Background... Command
The Background command allows you to select the background for the drawing. A
wide variety of backgrounds can be selected. For example, you may wish to render an
architectural drawing in front of a picture of the proposed site. In this case you can
choose an image file for the background. If no background is specified, a black back-
ground is used.
Light... Command
The Light command is used to control the placement of lights in the drawing. Lights
can be placed either outside the field of view or inside to illuminate different areas of
the scene. Light placement controls shadows and reflections in the scene. If no lights
are specified a default light is added to ensure that some part of the drawing will be
scene when rendered.
Preferences... Command
The Preferences command brings up a window used to control various rendering
options. In addition, rendered images can be exported to an image file through the
render settings window or you can produce higher resolution rendered images and
save them directly to a file. Settings that can be controlled include anti-aliasing, sur-
face smoothing, number of reflections considered, and rendering quality.
Render Command
Toolbar: Render > Render ( ).
Menu: View > Render > Render.
Keyboard: RENDER.
Alias: RR.
R E N D E R 493
The Render command starts the rendering process and generates a rendered image of
the current drawing. The Render command generates a lower quality image than the
Full Render command but is displayed more quickly. The Render command does not
include shadow effects, transparency, or reflections, all of which are included with
the Full Render command. The rendered image is displayed overtop the drawing win-
dow and is displayed incrementally while it is processed. At any time during the ren-
dering process, you can cancel the rendering by typing the escape (Esc) key. Once the
image has been displayed, it will be overwritten if you zoom or pan the display or if
another window is popped-up in front of the AViCAD window. The image can be
redrawn (without the rendering delay) by using the "Redisplay Last Image" command
on the Render Settings window. The rendered image can also be saved to a file from
the Render Settings window.
Full Render Command
Toolbar: Render > Full Render ( ).
Menu: View > Render >Full Render.
Keyboard: FULLRENDER.
The Full Render command starts the rendering process and generates a rendered
image of the current drawing. The Full Render command generates the highest qual-
ity image and generally includes shadow effects, transparency, and reflections. The
rendered image is displayed overtop the drawing window and is displayed incremen-
tally while it is processed. At any time during the rendering process, you can cancel
the rendering by typing the escape (Esc) key. Once the image has been displayed, it
will be overwritten if you zoom or pan the display or if another window is popped-up
in front of the AViCAD window. The image can be redrawn (without the rendering
delay) by using the "Redisplay Last Image" command on the Render Settings win-
dow. The rendered image can also be saved to a file from the Render Settings win-
dow.
Materials Command
Toolbar: Render > Materials ( ).
Menu: View > Render > Materials.
Keyboard: MATERIALS.
494 C H A P T E R 1 6
Alias: RMAT.
The Material Assignment window allows you to specify the material that will be
assigned to different surfaces in the drawing and how those materials will be mapped
to the surface. A number of predefined materials are available that include different
color patterns and surface finishes. In addition, a Materials Editor is available which
allows you to modify the predefined materials or create new ones.
Materials can be assigned to either individual drawing entities, to drawing layers, or
to drawing colors. When rendering an entity, first material properties are retrieved for
that entity if they exist. If no material assignment has been made for that entity, then
material properties are retrieved for the layer on which that entity resides. If no mate-
rial assignment has been made for the layer, then material properties associated with
the drawing color are used. Finally if no material properties have been assigned to
that color, then the entity is rendered using the DEFAULT material properties and the
drawing color that it has been assigned.
The Material Assignment window includes two different tabbed worksheets and a
preview area as illustrated below. The first tab is entitled Material Library and allows
you to select from among a variety of predefined materials. The second tab is titled
Material Mapping and controls how the material is mapped to the surfaces in the
drawing.
R E N D E R 495
After you issue the Materials command you will be prompted to choose whether
you'd like to specify materials for a set of drawing entities, for a particular drawing
layer, or for a particular drawing color. The prompt line, as shown below, will read
"Assign materials to: <Selection>/Layer/Color/Browse:". You can either type in
Selection, Layer, or Color; or you can click on the corresponding options on the
popup menu that will appear (you can type the letters 's', 'l', or 'c' as shortcuts for
selection, layer, or color). The default value is Selection, so if you would like that
choice, you can just press enter. The Browse option allows you to look at and edit the
materials library without affecting any material assignments.

To assign materials to a selection of drawing entities, you must designate to which
entities you'd like to make the assignment. If any entities are already selected when
you issue the materials command, the materials will be assigned to those entities and
the Materials Properties window will appear immediately. If no entities are selected,
then a prompt, "Select entities:", will appear and allow you to select an entity or
group of entities. Once you have selected one or more enties, you can then type the
"Enter" key to confirm your selection and then the Materials Properties window will
appear. After you have made your material selection using the Materials Properties
window and then click on the OK button, your material selections will be applied to
all of the drawing entities selected.
496 C H A P T E R 1 6
To assign materials to a layer, you must choose to which layer you'd like to make the
assignment. A selection dialog box as shown below will appear and you can select a
layer by clicking on the layer.
Once you have clicked on the layer of interest, the Materials Assignment window will
appear and enable you to assign the desired material to the chosen layer. Once you've
done that you will return to the Select Layer dialog again. When you have completed
assigning materials to the various layers in the drawing, you can click the Done but-
ton to return to the drawing.
To assign materials to a drawing color, you must choose to which color you'd like to
make the assigment. The color chooser, shown below, is similar to the normal
AViCAD color selection dialog and allows you to click on one of the 256 different
AViCAD drawing colors.
R E N D E R 497
Once you have clicked on the color of interest, the Materials Properties window will
appear. When you are finished assigning materials to the various colors you can click
the Done button to return to the drawing.
In addition to the normal OK, Cancel, and Help buttons, a Clear Assignment button is
provided at the bottom of the dialog box. This button will clear the material assign-
ment for the selected entities, layer, or color. This is useful for example if you have
assigned a material to a particular entity, but then wish to have the entity drawn using
the material selected for the layer. In this case you can select the entity, then issue the
materials command to open the Material Assignment dialog and then click on the
Clear Assignment button. The material selection will then be removed from that
entity and the next time it is rendered it will use the material selection for the layer.
Material Library
The material library provides a selection of predefined materials that you can assign
to the surfaces in your drawing. These predefined materials are shown in a file selec-
tion box on the left-hand side of the window. Folders in the file selection box can be
opened or closed by clicking on the plus or minus sign to the left of the folder name.
Individual materials can be selected by clicking on the name (ending in ".tex"). Once
you click on the material name, a preview image will be shown in the right-hand-side
area. The Brightness slider on the far right side next to the preview window adjusts
the brightness of the preview image. Moving the slider tab up will increase the bright-
ness and moving it down will make the preview image darker. It does not in any way
affect the rendering of the model.
498 C H A P T E R 1 6
The predefined materials listed in the Material Library are initially stored in files on
your hard disk. When they are assigned to a surface in your drawing, a copy of the
material definition is loaded and saved in the drawing file. This ensures that your
drawing will render the same even if you later edit the material definitions on your
hard disk.
Above the file selection box on the left-hand side of the window, there are three
option buttons that let you select whether you'd like to see the materials that are saved
in the current drawing (the "Drawing" option), the materials that are stored in the
library on your disk (the "Library" option), or all materials in the current drawing and
in the library (the "All" option). If you make changes to a material in the library, you
may want to reload that material in other drawings so that the changes you made will
be effective in those drawing. The "Reload" buttons on the right side of the file selec-
tion box allow you to do this. The Reload button will reload the definition of the cur-
rently selected material from the library. If the selected material is not loaded this will
have no effect. The Reload All button will reload the definitions of all of the currently
selected materials.
Above the Reload button is a Save button. If you receive a drawing from someone
else, it may have materials loaded in the drawing that are not in your material library.
The Save button will allow you to save those materials to your library so that you can
reuse them in other drawings.
Below the file selection box are three buttons that allow you to create new materials,
edit existing materials, or remove unneeded materials. The New button will create a
new material and load the Material Editor dialog so that you can define the material's
characteristics. The Edit button will load the Material Editor dialog so that you can
modify the selected material's characteristics. The Remove button will removed the
selected material from the drawing and will also delete the associated file from your
material library. Note that if you'd like to create a new material based on one of the
existing materials, you can use the Edit button and then Rename the material before
saving it as described on the Material Editor page.
R E N D E R 499
Material Mapping
The Material Mapping tab controls how materials are mapped to surfaces in the draw-
ing. Most of the procedural materials and bitmapped materials are 2D in nature, while
the surfaces in the drawing are 3D. Therefore there must be some method of mapping
the 3D coordinates of the surface to the 2D coordinates of the material. As shown
below, the Material Mapping tab gives you a number of options to specify the way
this is done.
Three different mapping or projection types are available for doing this, Planar,
Cylindrical, and Spherical. The option buttons at the top left of the dialog allow you
to control which projection type is used. The three different projection types are illus-
trated below with the Planar to the left, Cylindrical in the middle and Spherical to the
right.
In each case, the 2D image is mapped to the specified geometric shape. Obviously
many surfaces will not be planes, cylinders, or spheres so the material is projected
from that simple geometric shape to the real surface shape.
500 C H A P T E R 1 6
Below the projection type options, there is another block of options for selecting
Plane Normal Vector, the Cylinder Major Axis or the Sphere Major Axis depending
on the projection type. The Plane Normal Vector defines the orientation of the projec-
tion plane and is perpendicular (or normal) to the plane itself. For example, if you
would like the projection plane to be the X-Y plane, the normal vector would be the Z
Axis. For a Cylindrical projection, this vector defines the axis of the cylinder. For a
Spherical projection, the vector points to the north pole of the sphere. The first three
options are the axis directions, X, Y, and Z. The fourth option is to specify the normal
or axis vector directly using the entry boxes just below. The final option is to use the
normal vector calculated for the drawing entity itself. This last option works best for
entities that are nearly planar. The software will calculate the average normal vector
for the entity and use it for the projection.
The box toward the bottom of the window provides entries where you can specify the
Center vector, the Scale vector, the Rotation angle, and the Skew angle for the
project. The Center vector defines where the center of the plane, cylinder, or sphere
will be. If the Auto checkbox to the right of the entries is checked, the center of the
drawing entities will be used. The Scale vector adjusts the size of the material as
applied to the surface. For planar mapping, scale values of 1 will result in the image
extending over a unit square (i.e., a square with width and height equal to one). If the
scale values are greater than one, then the image will extend over a larger area. For
example, if the x scale value (the first entry) is 2, then the image will extend over a
rectangular area of width 2. If the y scale value (the second entry) is 3, then the image
would extend over a rectangular area of height 3.
For cylindrical mapping, scale values of 1 will result in the image extending over a
cyclinder of unit height and all the way around the cyclinder. The first/X component
is mapped to the angle around the cylinder. The x value for cylindrical mapping will
always lie in the range 0 to 1 around the circumference of the cyclinder. Thus x scale
values greater than 1 will result in only part of the image being shown. The second/Y
component is mapped to the height of the cylinder and the third/Z component is the
distance from the centerline.
For spherical mapping, scale values of 1 will result in the image extending com-
pletely around the unit sphere. Note that the center of the image will be stretched
around the "equator" of the sphere. The top and bottom of the image will be shrunk
down to points at the "poles." The x and y values for spherical mapping will alway lie
in the range from 0 to 1 around the sphere. Thus x or y scale values greater than 1 will
result in only part of the image being shown. The x value is the azimuthal angle or
longitude angle around the equator of the sphere. The y value is the elevation or lati-
tude angle on the sphere and the z value is the radial distance from the center of the
sphere.
The rotation and skew angles control the angle at which the pattern is applied. For a
planar mapping, the rotation angle and skew angle are applied the same way and are
essentially added together to rotate the pattern on the plane. For a cylindrical and
spherical mappings, the rotation angle controls where around the circumference of
the cylinder the wrap line appears. The skew angle controls the angle of the pattern
with respect to the axis of the cylinder. The illustration below illustrates the effect of
R E N D E R 501
rotation and skew on an image mapped to the surface of a cylinder. The left hand
image has a rotation and skew angle of zero degrees. The middle image has a rotation
angle of -60 degrees. Note that the image has been rotated around the circumference
of the cylinder. The right image has a skew angle of 45 degrees. The image has been
skewed so that the image is no longer lined up with the axis of the cylinder.
Material Editor
The Material Editor window allows you to modify the properties of any of the materi-
als in the current drawing or in the material library. The window includes the name of
the material at the top, three tabbed worksheets for editing the material properties,
and a preview window on the right-hand side. The three tabbed worksheets are enti-
tled Surface Pattern, Color Map, and Surface Finish. The Surface Pattern worksheet
allows you to choose the type of color pattern that will be displayed on surfaces in
your drawing or as a background for your drawing. Fifteen different patterns (or pro-
cedural textures) are available and each has various parameters that control the look
of the pattern. The Color Map worksheet allows you to choose the colors that will be
used with the selected pattern. Finally, the Surface Finish worksheet allows you to
specify how light will reflect off of the surface and the transparency of the surface.
502 C H A P T E R 1 6
The preview window on the right side of the dialog box enables you to see how the
material will look. After you have made a change to the material, you can click on the
Preview button and the image of the material in the preview window will be updated
to reflect the current settings. The material is shown as a flat 2D surface 1 unit wide
by 1 unit high. When you actually assign the material to a surface in your drawing,
the Material Mapping worksheet will allow you to control how the 2D pattern is
mapped to a three dimensional surface.
If you would like to rename the material, you can click on the Rename button and
then modify the name of the material in the entry area at the top of the window. After
you complete your changes and click on the Save button, you will then be asked to
confirm that you want to remove the old material as shown below.
If you click Yes, the old material will be removed from the drawing and the library. If
you click No, the old material will remain as well as the modified material. This is
useful if you'd like to create a new material based on one of the existing ones.
R E N D E R 503
Surface Pattern
The Surface Pattern worksheet is part of the Material Editor dialog box. This work-
sheet allows you to choose the type of color pattern that will be displayed on surfaces
in your drawing or as a background for your drawing. The simplest option is the Solid
Color pattern option shown below. This option simply applies a solid color to the
entire surface. For the Solid Color pattern you can select the color by clicking on the
button labeled Pattern Color (colored white in the example below).
Once you click on the Pattern Color button, a color chooser dialog box illustrated
below.
504 C H A P T E R 1 6
This dialog box will allow you to select which color you'd like to use for the drawing
entity.
In addition to the Solid Color option, a number of other additional patterns are avail-
able as described in the table below. The appearance of the patterns can be further
changed by modifying the way the material or texture is mapped to the drawing entity
surface through the Material Mapping tab on the Material Assignment dialog.
Most of these patterns utilize the colors defined on the Color Map worksheet and sig-
nificant variations can be achieved by modifying the color map.
Pattern Description
Use Entity Color This selection is similar to the solid color option, but uses the color assigned to
the drawing entity. This allows you to assign the same surface finish to several
different entities or to a layer, but allow them to have different surface colors.
Image This pattern allows you to select an image file that will be used to color the
drawing entities surface.
Gradient A linear gradient fill. The color map defines the way the color changes along the
gradient direction.
Grit This pattern is a solid colors whose intensity varies in a psuedo-random manner
to simulated a gritty appearance.
Marble A pattern simulating the color variations and striations appearing in marble.
Wood This pattern simulates the concentric growth rings seen in wood.
Checker A planar checkerboard type pattern.
Solid Checker A solid checkerboard type pattern. Not only do the colors alternate in one plane
but also in the direction normal to the plane.
Agate A pattern simulating the color variations of agate.
Bozo The bozo pattern is commonly used to simulate the apperance of clouds.
Granite A pattern simulating the color variations of granite.
Onion A pattern simulating the concentric spherical layers of an onion.
Tile A regular geometric pattern simulating tiles or bricks in a "stacked bond"
configuration. The tile color and morter/grout color is controlled by the colormap
as well as the thickness of the morter/grout line. The size of the tiles or bricks is
controlled by the scale parameters.
Brick A regular geometric pattern simulating tiles or bricks in a "running bond"
configuration. The tile color and morter/grout color is controlled by the colormap
as well as the thickness of the morter/grout line. The size of the tiles or bricks is
controlled by the scale parameters.
R E N D E R 505
Agate Pattern
The agate pattern varies the color in a turbulent pattern that sim-
ulates the appearance of venis in various types of natural stone.
The turbulence parameter controls the degree of irregularity in
the pattern.
The parameters available to modify the pattern are described in
the table below and an example of the Surface Pattern worksheet
for agate is also shown. The colors associated with the agate pat-
tern are controlled by using the Color Map tab.

Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern
in the direction specified.
Scale The scale value determines the size of the pattern in each of the three axis
directions. Larger scale values will increase the overall size of pattern.
Noise Octaves The noise model used to for the agate pattern superimposes mulitple layers or
octaves of pseudo-random variations. Each layer has a higher frequency and a
lower magnitude. The superposition or fractal approach results in very complex
and natural-looking patterns. The Noise Octaves parameters controls how
many different layers or octaves of random variations are used in the noise
computation.
506 C H A P T E R 1 6
Bozo Pattern
The bozo pattern is typically used to simulate the appearance of
clouds in the sky. The parameters available to modify the pattern
are described in the table below and an example of the Surface
Pattern worksheet for bozo is also shown. The colors associated
with the bozo pattern are controlled by using the Color Map tab.
Fractal
Dimension
The fractal dimension controls the magnitude of successive octaves of noise.
For example, a value of 0.5 would result in each octave being one half the
magnitude of the previous octave.
Lacunarity The lacunarity controls the relative size of successive octaves of noise. For
example, a value of 2.0 would result in each octave have approximate twice the
frequency of variation as the previous octave.
Turbulence Turbulence controls the magnitude of the random variations in the pattern. Zero
turbulence would result in a regular geometric pattern. Larger values result in
increasing amounts of pseudorandom variation.
Parameter Description
R E N D E R 507
Brick Pattern
The brick pattern generates a regular geometric pattern simulat-
ing tiles or bricks in a "running bond" configuration where each
row is offset from the row beneath it. The tile color and morter/
grout color as well as the thickness of the morter/grout line are
controlled by using the Color Map tab. The size of the tiles or
bricks is controlled by the scale parameters. The other parame-
ters are described in the table below.
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern.
Scale The scale value determines the size of the pattern in each of the three axis
directions. Larger scale values will increase the overall size of pattern.
Noise Octaves The noise model used to for the bozo pattern superimposes mulitple layers or
octaves of pseudo-random variations. Each layer has a higher frequency and a
lower magnitude. The superposition or fractal approach results in very complex
and natural-looking patterns. The Noise Octaves parameters controls how
many different layers or octaves of random variations are used in the noise
computation.
Fractal
Dimension
The fractal dimension controls the magnitude of successive octaves of noise.
For example, a value of 0.5 would result in each octave being one half the
magnitude of the previous octave.
Lacunarity The lacunarity controls the relative size of successive octaves of noise. For
example, a value of 2.0 would result in each octave have approximate twice the
frequency of variation as the previous octave.
Turbulence Turbulence controls the magnitude of the random variations in the pattern. Zero
turbulence would result in a regular geometric pattern. Larger values result in
increasing amounts of pseudorandom variation.
508 C H A P T E R 1 6
Checker Pattern
The checker pattern varies the surface color in an alternating
checker-board pattern as shown above. The parameters available
to modify the pattern are described in the table below and an
example of the Surface Pattern worksheet is also shown.
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern
in the direction specified.
Scale The scale values determines the size of the bricks in each direction. The first
value determines the width of the bricks (where width represents the length of
the long side of a typical brick). The second value determines the height (top to
bottom) of the brick and the third value determines the depth (front to back).
R E N D E R 509
Image Surface Pattern
The image surface pattern uses an image or bitmap file to color th e selected surface.
This can be used to generate very sophisticated patterns and also to merge your CAD
model with an existing scene or background. The Image Filename entry specifies the
file to use for the pattern and the Center vector and Scale vector control the placement
and size of the image on the surface. The meaning of each of these parameters is dis-
cussed in the table below.
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern
in the direction specified.
Scale The scale value determines the size of the pattern blocks in each direction.
Pattern Colors The two pattern color buttons are used to specify the two alternating colors of
the checker pattern. Clicking on either of the two buttons will activate a color
chooser window that will allow you to choose the colors of interest.
510 C H A P T E R 1 6
Gradient Pattern
The gradient pattern provides a way to smoothly vary the color
of a surface between two or more different colors. For example
the sphere above used the gradient pattern to vary the color from
blue at the top to red at the bottom.
As shown below, several parameters control the gradient effect,
including the Center vector and Scale. The meaning of each of
these parameters is discussed in the table below. The colors asso-
ciated with the gradient pattern are controlled by using the Color Map tab.
Parameter Description
Image Filename The image file parameter determines the name of the file used. Note that the
file name is stored with the drawing. The image itself is not stored in the
drawing. Consequently, if the image file location is moved, renamed, or deleted,
the image will not be found during rendering and the surface will be colored
black.
Note that if you put only the filename and not the full path here, then you can
move the drawing file and image file together to different locations without
breaking the association.
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the placement of the image during rendering.
Scale The scale vector determines how the width and height of the image is scaled.
The first number controls the image width, and the second controls its height.
R E N D E R 511
Granite Pattern
The granite pattern varies the color in a turbulent pattern that
simulates the appearance of veins in various types of natural
stone. The parameters available to modify the pattern are
described in the table below and an example of the Surface Pat-
tern worksheet for granite is also shown. The colors associated
with the granite pattern are controlled by using the Color Map
tab.
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the gradient sweep. This point will be the midpoint of
the sweep and will have a value of 0.5.
Scale The scale value determines the distance over which the gradient sweep takes
place. This value represents the total distance from one extreme to the other
along the direction vector specified by U Axis.
512 C H A P T E R 1 6
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern
in the direction specified.
If the checkbox labeled Auto to the right of the number entry blanks is checked,
then the center vector will be automatically calculated as the centroid of each
entity or block to which this pattern is applied. Since in the automatic mode the
center vector is recalculated for each entity or block, there will be a discontinuity
in the pattern between different entities or blocks that share the same pattern.
You can avoid this discontinuity by manually setting the center vector to a
common value for all of the entities or blocks that share the pattern.
Scale The scale value determines the size of the pattern in each of the three axis
directions. Larger scale values will increase the overall size of pattern.
Noise Octaves The noise model used to for the granite pattern superimposes mulitple layers or
octaves of pseudo-random variations. Each layer has a higher frequency and a
lower magnitude. The superposition or fractal approach results in very complex
and natural-looking patterns. The Noise Octaves parameters controls how
many different layers or octaves of random variations are used in the noise
computation.
Fractal
Dimension
The fractal dimension controls the magnitude of successive octaves of noise.
For example, a value of 0.5 would result in each octave being one half the
magnitude of the previous octave.
Lacunarity The lacunarity controls the relative size of successive octaves of noise. For
example, a value of 2.0 would result in each octave have approximate twice the
frequency of variation as the previous octave.
R E N D E R 513
Grit Pattern
The grit pattern applies a slight pseudo random
variation in the surface color that gives the
appearance of a gritty texture. For example, the
two spheres below have the same color applied,
but the left sphere uses the Grit pattern and the
right uses the Solid Color pattern.
The only parameter available for this pattern type
is the color. To change the color click on the button labelled "Pattern Color." A color
selection window will then appear and enable you to select the color of interest.
Marble Pattern
The marble pattern varies the color in a repeating wave pattern
that simulates the appearance of veins in marble and other types
of natural stone. The turbulence parameter controls the degree of
irregularity in the pattern.
The parameters available to modify the pattern are described in
the table below and an example of the Surface Pattern worksheet
for marble is also shown. The colors associated with the marble
pattern are controlled by using the Color Map tab.
514 C H A P T E R 1 6
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern
in the direction specified.
Scale The scale value determines the size of the pattern in each of the three axis
directions. Larger scale values will increase the overall size of pattern.
Noise Octaves The noise model used to for the marble pattern superimposes mulitple layers or
octaves of pseudo-random variations. Each layer has a higher frequency and a
lower magnitude. The superposition or fractal approach results in very complex
and natural-looking patterns. The Noise Octaves parameters controls how
many different layers or octaves of random variations are used in the noise
computation.
Fractal
Dimension
The fractal dimension controls the magnitude of successive octaves of noise.
For example, a value of 0.5 would result in each octave being one half the
magnitude of the previous octave.
Lacunarity The lacunarity controls the relative size of successive octaves of noise. For
example, a value of 2.0 would result in each octave have approximate twice the
frequency of variation as the previous octave.
Turbulence Turbulence controls the magnitude of the random variations in the pattern. Zero
turbulence would result in a regular geometric pattern. Larger values result in
increasing amounts of pseudorandom variation.
R E N D E R 515
Onion Pattern
The onion pattern varies the color in a series of concentric
spheres around the center similar to the layers in an onion. It can
be used to simulate a random ripple effect or wood burl. The
parameters available to modify the pattern are described in the
table below and an example of the Surface Pattern worksheet for
onion is also shown. The colors associated with the onion pattern
are controlled by using the Color Map tab.
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern
in the direction specified.
Scale The scale value determines the size of the pattern in each of the three axis
directions. Larger scale values will increase the overall size of pattern.
516 C H A P T E R 1 6
Solid Checker Pattern
The solid checker pattern varies the surface color in an alternat-
ing checker-board block pattern as shown above. This pattern
differs from the checker pattern in that the blocks alternate in all
three dimensions instead of just two dimensions. The parameters
available to modify the pattern are described in the table below
and an example of the Surface Pattern worksheet is also shown.
Noise Octaves The noise model used to for the onion pattern superimposes mulitple layers or
octaves of pseudo-random variations. Each layer has a higher frequency and a
lower magnitude. The superposition or fractal approach results in very complex
and natural-looking patterns. The Noise Octaves parameters controls how
many different layers or octaves of random variations are used in the noise
computation.
Fractal
Dimension
The fractal dimension controls the magnitude of successive octaves of noise.
For example, a value of 0.5 would result in each octave being one half the
magnitude of the previous octave.
Lacunarity The lacunarity controls the relative size of successive octaves of noise. For
example, a value of 2.0 would result in each octave have approximate twice the
frequency of variation as the previous octave.
Parameter Description
R E N D E R 517
Tile Pattern
The tile pattern generates a regular geometric pattern simulating
tiles or bricks in a "stacked bond" configuration. The tile color
and morter/grout color is controlled by the colormap tab. The
size of the tiles or bricks is controlled by the scale parameters.
The other parameters are described in the table below.
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern
in the direction specified.
Scale The scale values determines the size of the pattern blocks in each direction.
Pattern Colors The two pattern color buttons are used to specify the two alternating colors of
the checker pattern. Clicking on either of the two buttons will activate a color
chooser window that will allow you to choose the colors of interest.
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern
in the direction specified.
Scale The scale values determines the size of the tile blocks in each direction.
518 C H A P T E R 1 6
Wood Pattern
The wood pattern varies the color in a series of concentric rings
that simulates the grain pattern in wood. The turbulence parame-
ter controls the degree of irregularity in the pattern.
The parameters available to modify the pattern are described in
the table below and an example of the Surface Pattern worksheet
for wood is also shown. The colors associated with the wood pat-
tern are controlled by using the Color Map tab.
Parameter Description
Center The center vector includes three numbers (x, y, and z coordinates) that
determine the center of the pattern. Changing this vector will offset the pattern
in the direction specified.
Scale The scale value determines the size of the pattern in each of the three axis
directions. Larger scale values will increase the overall size of pattern.
Noise Octaves The noise model used to perturb the wood grain pattern superimposes mulitple
layers or octaves of pseudo-random variations. Each layer has a higher
frequency and a lower magnitude. The superposition or fractal approach results
in very complex and natural-looking patterns. The Noise Octaves parameters
controls how many different layers or octaves of random variations are used in
the noise computation.
R E N D E R 519
Color Map
The Color Map worksheet, illustrated below, is part of the Materials Editor dialog
boxes. This worksheet allows you to choose the colors that will be used with the
selected pattern on surfaces in your drawing or as a background for your drawing.
The different surface patterns calculate a value between 0 and 1 for each point on the
surface of the entity using a specific algorithm. For example, the gradient pattern cal-
culates the distance for each surface point from the specified origin along a specified
direction. A scale factor is provided and the value is limited to lie within the range 0
to 1. The Color Map worksheet allows you to control how those values are then
mapped to colors for display in the rendered image.
The worksheet includes a colored slider bar across the top with five sliders and five
corresponding color indicators at the bottom. The first slider is constrained to remain
at the left side of the bar corresponding to a value of 0 (zero). The last slider is con-
strained to remain at the right side of the bar corresponding to a value of 1 (one). The
other three sliders can be moved up or down to control the color map. The color rep-
reseted by each slider can be controlled by clicking on the color indicator buttons at
Fractal
Dimension
The fractal dimension controls the magnitude of successive octaves of noise.
For example, a value of 0.5 would result in each octave being one half the
magnitude of the previous octave.
Lacunarity The lacunarity controls the relative size of successive octaves of noise. For
example, a value of 2.0 would result in each octave have approximate twice the
frequency of variation as the previous octave.
Turbulence Turbulence controls the magnitude of the random variations in the pattern. Zero
turbulence would result in a regular geometric pattern. Larger values result in
increasing amounts of pseudorandom variation.
Parameter Description
520 C H A P T E R 1 6
the bottom of the worksheet. This will bring up a color selection dialog that will allow
you to select the color of choice. The selected color will be used for values that are
near the slider position. For values between slider positions, the color will be a mix-
ture of the color map colors above that value and below it. As you move the sliders or
adjust the colors, the background of the slider bar will change to illustrate the color
mapping.
For example, in the illustration above a brick pattern is used to simulate a red brick
wall. Colormap values around 0 are a gray color representing the mortar. The body of
the brick is represented by a red color from values of 0.05 to 1.0.
Significantly different effects can be generated using the same pattern but modifying
the color map. As you change the colors you can click on the Preview button to the
right to observe the effect.
Surface Finish
The Surface Finish worksheet, illustrated below, is part of the Materials Editor dialog
box. This worksheet allows you to specify how light will reflect off of the surface and
the transparency of the surface. It includes one checkbox and 6 different sliders. For
each of the sliders, the value can be adjusted by clicking on the slider tab and moving
it up or down. The value is shown as the tab is moved and is also displayed to the
right of the slider. All except the Light Reflection Size range from 0 to 1. The Light
Reflection Size ranges from 0 to 500.
R E N D E R 521
Parameter Description
Metallic Finish This controls whether the surface is assumed to be metallic or not. When this is
checked, light bouncing off of the surface takes on some of the color of the
surface. For non-metallic surfaces, light bouncing off of the surface remains the
same color as the light source.
Ambient Light Ambient light is used to model the small scale diffuse reflections that tend to fill
in shadows and dark areas in real life scenes. Raytracing algorithms trace the
major light reflections and shadows, but in a real-life scene there are many
small scale reflections and refractions that cannot be modeled effectively with
raytracing. For example, with raytracing areas that are in shadows tend to be
very dark if not entirely black. In real life, shadows tend to be filled in by small
scale or diffuse reflections off of other objects. Ambient light is a way to
approximately model this effect. If the ambient light value is above 0 the surface
will appear even if it is not lit by a light in the scene. Ambient light is equally
distributed over the surface regardless of the angle of view.
Diffuse Light Diffuse light models the way light reflects off of a rough surface. When light
shines off of a rough surface it is reflected in every direction by the surface. In
contrast, a very smooth surface such as a mirror reflects the light primarily one
direction (i.e. the specular direction). The intensity of diffuse lighting depends
on the angle that the light hits the surface and not the angle that the viewer
observes the surface.
Specular
Reflection
The specular reflection value controls the way other objects reflect off of the
surface. If this value is greater than 0 then when a ray hits this surface, a
reflection ray will be generated and traced. Consequently, the image of other
surfaces will be reflected on this surface.
Light Reflection This parameter controls how light reflects off of the surface in specular
highlights. Smooth surfaces reflect most of their light in the specular direction
(imagine a ball bouncing off of a flat surface). In contrast, rougher surfaces will
scatter the light in a diffuse reflection The light reflection parameter controls the
magnitude of this specular highlight that occurs.
Light Reflection
Size
The light reflection size parameter controls the size of the specular highlight
that appears on an object. A value of one will produce a very diffuse reflection
similar to the affect produced by the diffuse light parameter. Higher values of
this parameter will produce smaller/tighter highlights on the surface.
Transparency Transparency controls the way light filters through the surface. If this parameter
is greater than 0 then some portion of what lies behind the object will show
through it. If this parameter is 1, then the object is totally transparent and will not
be visible at all.
522 C H A P T E R 1 6
Background
Toolbar: Render > Background ( ).
Menu: View > Render > Background.
Keyboard: BACKGROUNDS.
Alias: BACKGROUND.
The Background Properties window allows you to specify the background or back-
drop for your image. It is essentially identical to the Material Assignment window
except that it applies to the background instead of surfaces in the drawing. The back-
ground is an infinite plane behind the rest of your drawing. A variety of background
options are available as described below. By default, no background is used and the
background will appear black. Note that the background is an infinite, planar surface
and will reflect off of any reflective surfaces in your model. The background is not
affected by lighting however, so no shadows or highlights will be seen on the back-
ground.
You can access the Background Properties window using any of the toolbar, menu or
keyboard commands shown above. The Background Properties window includes two
different tabbed worksheets and a preview area as illustrated below. The first tab is
entitled Material Library and allows you to select from among a variety of predefined
materials for the background. This tab also includes buttons that allow you to create
new materials or edit existing ones. The second tab is titled Material Mapping and is
used to control the scaling and positioning of the material on the background.
R E N D E R 523
The quickest way to get started specifying a background is to select from among the
predefined materials available on the Material Library tab. The available predefined
materials are shown in a file selection box on the left-hand side of the window. Fold-
ers in the file selection box can be opened or closed by clicking on the plus or minus
sign to the left of the folder name. Individual materials can be selected by clicking on
the name (ending in ".tex"). Once you click on the material name, a preview image
will be shown in the right-hand-side area, and the properties for that material will be
loaded. You can then click on the "OK" button to accept the properties, or you can
click on the Material Mapping tab to adjust the way the material is mapped to the sur-
face.
The Brightness slider on the far right side of the window adjusts the brightness of the
image in the preview window. Moving the slider tab up will increase the brightness
and moving it down will make the preview image darker. It does not in any way
affect the rendering of the model.
The Clear Assignment button at the bottom left of the window allows you to remove
the background material altogether. If this is done, the background will then be ren-
dered as black.
Background settings are stored in the drawing.
Light
Toolbar: Render > Lights ( ).
Menu: View > Render > Light.
Keyboard: LIGHTING.
Alias: LIGHT.
The Lighting command activates the Lighting dialog box which allows you to specify
how your drawing or scene is lit. You can control placement of the lights, light color,
and light intensity. The Lighting dialog box, illustrated below, includes four buttons
in the upper left corner of the window that allow you to select a preset lighting con-
figuration. To the right of those buttons is a list of all of the lights currently defined in
the drawing and buttons that allow you to add or delete from the list of lights. The
change the characteristics of a particular light in the drawing, you first click on the
name of the light in the light list. In the upper right corner of the window, the name of
the selected light will be shown, as well as the color of the light and the light type.
524 C H A P T E R 1 6
Various other light parameters will be shown in the middle section of the window
depending on the particular light type. Three types of lights are available to use in
your drawing, Ambient light, Point lights, and Distant lights. An Ambient light
illuminates the entire scene evenly (depending on the Ambient component of the
Material finish). It does not cast shadows or change with viewing angle. A Point light
represents light eminating from a single point in the drawing. Shadows will be cast by
surfaces in the drawing and you will see highlights where the light reflects off of the
surfaces. Point lights can also have a size or diameter to them so that they cast soft
shadows. A Distant light represents a light from a large distance away from the sur-
faces in the drawing (e.g. the sun). All of the light rays are essentially parallel to each
other so the shadows cast by the light have sharp edges.
The quickest way to specify a lighting configuration is to select one of the several
preset light configurations provided including "Eye Light," "Side Light," "Sun
Light," and "Back Light". All of these options add a small amount of ambient light
and then a single point light. The Eye Light places the point light at the eye position
for the scene. The Side Light option adds the point light at the upper right side of the
scene. The Sun Light option adds a slightly yellowish light at a fixed point in the
drawing coordinate system. The Back Light option adds the light behind and above
the scene. Examples are shown below of the preset lighting on an example sphere.
R E N D E R 525
In addition to these preset lighting configurations, you can add individual lights by
clicking on the "Add" button to the right of the list. You can delete lights by first
clicking on the light in the list and then clicking on the "Delete" button to the right of
the list. When you click on a light in the list it becomes selected and the parameters
for that light are shown in the lower part of the window. Once you have selected the
light of interest you can modify its parameters using the controls in the lower part of
the window.
Lighting settings are stored in the drawing.
Ambient Light
An ambient light illuminates the entire scene evenly and does not cast shadows or
change with viewing angle. The parameters available for an ambient light are the
light color and the light intensity. Ambient light can be used to fill in dark or shad-
owed areas of a drawing. It can also be used to make certain objects in a scene appear
to glow. Note that too much ambient light will make the scene flat and lifeless since it
flattens the shadows and highlights that provide depth cues.
Eye Light Side Light
Sun Light Back Light
526 C H A P T E R 1 6
Point Light
A point light represents light eminating from a specific point in (or out of) the draw-
ing scene. Several additional parameters are available for the point light including its
position, and its diameter. The diameter controls the size of the light source and hence
the sharpness of the shadows cast by the light. A true point light source would have a
diameter of zero and casts sharp-edged shadows. A larger diameter makes the light
source into an area light source that will cast softer-edged shadows. Note that soft-
edged shadows require additional rendering time (please see the description of the
Area Lights/Soft Shadows parameter on the Rendering Options dialog).
Control Description
Name The name field is an arbitrary name you can specify for the light to identify it in
the Lights list at the top.
Color Clicking on the button in the color box will bring up a color selection dialog
window that will allow you to specify the color for the light.
Intensity The light intensity is specified using this slider that ranges from 0 to 200. 100 is
full intensity and 0 is completely dark. This allows you to adjust the brightness
of the scene. Values above 100 will produce a brighter scene, but may
oversaturate some areas.
R E N D E R 527
The position of the point light can be specified in several ways: in angles relative to
the current view, in angles relative to the drawing World Coordinate System, or in
drawing coordinates (X, Y & Z). If the "View" Coordinate System is selected as
shown below, you will have the option to set the azimuth angle, elevation angle, and
distance of the light relative to the current view. The azimuth angle is the angle in the
horizontal plane relative to the scene center. Looking down from above, the camera
position would be at zero degrees and the angle is measured clockwise. For example,
90 degrees would be to the camera's left, 180 degrees would be behind the scene, and
270 degrees would be to the camera's right. The elevation angle is the angle of the
light above the viewing plane. An elevation angle of zero means that the light lies on
the viewing plane, and an angle of 90 degrees means that it is straight above the scene
center. The distance is the radial distance from the scene center to the light in drawing
units. In this coordinate system, the light position will change relative to the drawing
as you zoom, pan or rotate the view of the drawing.
If the "World" Coordinate System is selected, the same azimuth angle, elevation
angle and distance parameters are available. In this case however, the angles are mea-
sured relative to the drawing's World Coordinate System. The Azimuth angle is mea-
sured in the X-Y plane with zero degrees being in the +Y direction and 90 degrees
being in the +X direction. The Elevation angle is measure above the X-Y plane. The
distance is the distance from the light to the origin of the drawing World Coordinate
System (0, 0, 0).
If the "XYZ" Coordinate System is selected, the position of the light is specified
using drawing coordinates (X, Y, Z) directly as shown below. These coordinates are
relative to the drawing World Coordinate System.
528 C H A P T E R 1 6
Detailed descriptions of each of the entries is presented in the table below.
Control Description
Name The name field is an arbitrary name you can specify for the light to identify it in
the Lights list at the top.
Coordinate
System
Point lights can be positioned anywhere in the scene either relative to the
viewer or relative to the scene itself. If View is selected, the light is positioned
relative to the viewer and as the view is modified by rotating or panning the
drawing, then the light position will move as well. If World coordinates are
selected, then the light will be placed at a fixed position relative to the drawing
itself and the azimuth, elevation, and distance parameters are relative to the
drawing origin (0, 0, 0). If XYZ coordinates are selected, then again the light will
be placed at a fixed position relative to the drawing and you can enter the light
X, Y, and Z coordinates directly. Lights placed in either the World or XYZ
coordinate systems will not change position as you zoom or pan the drawing.
Color Clicking on the button in the color box will bring up a color selection dialog
window that will allow you to specify the color for the light.
Intensity The light intensity is specified using this slider that ranges from 0 to 200. 100 is
full intensity and 0 is completely dark. This allows you to adjust the brightness
of the scene. Values above 100 will produce a brighter scene, but may
oversaturate some areas.
Diameter The light diameter is specified using this slider that ranges from 0 to 1,000
drawing units. Larger diameters will produce softer edged shadows. A diameter
of zero will produce a hard edged shadow.
R E N D E R 529
Distant Light
A Distant light represents a light that is a large distance away from the surfaces in the
drawing (e.g. the sun). All of the light rays are essentially parallel to each other so the
shadows cast by the light have sharp edges. This option allows you to use a Sun Posi-
tion Calculator that will calculate the position of the sun at any time of the day or year
at any point on the earth's surface. With this type of light, the light's position is always
calculated in the drawing's World Coordinate System. The Azimuth angle measures
the compass bearing in the X-Y plane to the light and the Elevation angle measures
the angle of the light relative to the X-Y plane horizon. By default, an azimuth angle
of 0 degrees is in the +Y direction. However, this can be altered by adjusting the Site
Orientation parameter on the Site Location tab of the Render Settings dialog.
As shown in the image below, on the middle right side of the dialog box, a Sun Posi-
tion Calculator is available. This calculator enables you to calculate the position of
the sun relative to any point on the earth's surface and any time. It contains entry
blanks for the date and time. It also contains a button, "Edit Site Position", that will
show the Site Location dialog and allow you to specify the latitude and longitude of
the site represented by the drawing. Once you have set the site location, the date, and
the time, you can press the button labeled "Calculate Azimuth and Elevation" and the
software will calculate the sun position.
Azimut The azimuth slider allows you to position the light in the azimuthal direction.
This is best envisioned as a compass heading. When working in World
coordinates, the azimuth is measured by standing at the scene origin, with the
compass N heading pointed in the +Y direction. The direction to the light is then
read from the compass. For example, an azimuth setting of 90 deg would be in
the easterly or +X direction. When working in View coordinates, the azimuth is
measured by standing at the view center point with the compass N heading
pointing at the eye position. An azimuth setting of 90 deg would then be to the
viewer's left.
Distance This is the distance in drawing units to the light from the view center point (in
View coordinates) or from the drawing origin (when using World coordinates).
Elevation This is the vertical angle between the horizon and the light. In World
coordinates, this is measured from the X-Y plane through the origin to the light.
In View coordinates, the horizon plane is the plane normal (perpendicular) to
the view "up" direction. An elevation value of 0 is on the horizon and an
elevation value of 90 degrees is straight up.
Light
Coordinates
If the XYZ Coordinate system is selected, then lights can be placed using their
X, Y, and Z coordinates directly. Text entry boxes will be displayed for each of
the three coordinates.
Control Description
530 C H A P T E R 1 6
Control Description
Name The name field is an arbitrary name you can specify for the light to identify it in
the Lights list at the top.
Color Clicking on the button in the color box will bring up a color selection dialog
window that will allow you to specify the color for the light.
Intensity The light intensity is specified using this slider that ranges from 0 to 200. 100 is
full intensity and 0 is completely dark. This allows you to adjust the brightness
of the scene. Values above 100 will produce a brighter scene, but may
oversaturate some areas.
Azimut The azimuth slider allows you to position the light in the azimuthal direction.
This is best envisioned as a compass heading. The azimuth is measured by
standing at the drawing origin, with the compass N heading pointed in the +Y
direction. The direction to the light is then read from the compass. For example,
an azimuth setting of 90 deg would be in the easterly or +X direction.
Elevation This is the vertical angle between the horizon and the light. This is measured
from the X-Y plane through the origin to the light. An elevation value of 0 is on
the horizon and an elevation value of 90 degrees is straight up.
Date This is the date at which the sun position will be calculated. The sun position
varies based on the day of year and also to a lesser extent the particular year.
R E N D E R 531
Preferences
Toolbar: Render > Render Preferences ( ).
Menu: View > Render > Preferences.
Keyboard: SETRENDER.
Alias: RPREF.
The Render Preferences command allows you to control several aspects of the render-
ing system and the Render Settings dialog box is divided into five different work-
sheets entitled: Rendering, Shadows, Floor, Site, and Render to File.
The first worksheet, entitled "Rendering" is used to control rendering quality, anti-
aliasing, and surface smoothing. It also provides buttons that allow you to save
your rendered image to a file or to redisplay the last rendered image.
The second worksheet, entitled "Shadows" is used to control some of the aspects
of the shadow computations in the rendering module.
The third worksheet, entitled "Floor" is used to control the optional floor that can
be placed beneath drawings when they are rendered.
The fourth worksheet, entitled "Site" is used to set the location of the drawing on
earth and the orientation of the drawing axes to true North. This information is
used in calculating sun angles for lighting purposes.
The fifth worksheet, entitled "Render to File" is used to rendering the drawing
directly to a file on disk. This allows you to generate rendered images at any
desired resolution independent of the screen resolution.
Each different worksheet can be accessed by clicking on the corresponding tab at the
top of the dialog box.
Render settings are stored in the drawing.
Time This is the local time of day in the timezone specified on the Site Location
dialog. Note that daylight savings time is not automatically included so standard
times should be used.
Calculate
Azimuth and
Elevation
This button will cause the sun's azimuth and elevation to be calculated at the
specified time and date.
Edit Site Position This button will show the Site Location dialog to allow you to adjust the site
position (latitude and longitude), site time zone, and site orienation (relative to
true north).
Control Description
532 C H A P T E R 1 6
Rendering Worksheet
The Rendering worksheet appears on the Render Settings Dialog box and is used to
control rendering quality, antialiasing, surface smoothing, and shadow depth. It also
provides buttons that allow you to save your rendered image to a file or to redisplay
the last rendered image.
The Rendering worksheet is shown below and is followed by a table listing each of
the available controls and their function.
R E N D E R 533
Control Description
Rendering
Quality
The Rendering Quality pulldown menu allows you to control the quality of the
rendered image and hence the time needed to compute it. Three options are
available, "Low Quality," "Medium Quality," and "High Quality."
Low Quality - Rendering is calculated without shadows, reflections, or trans-
parency.
Medium Quality - Rendering is calculated without shadows.
High Quality - Rendering is calculated with approximate shadows using a
technique called "Adaptive Shadow Testing." This accelerates the rendering
significantly when rendering scenes with multiple lights, but some artifacts
and inaccuracies in the shadows may be noted in the image.
Very High Quality - Rendering is calculated with detailed shadows, reflec-
tions, and transparency.
Redisplay Last
Image
When a rendered image is computed and displayed on the screen, a copy is
saved in memory for later use. After the image is displayed, it will be erased if
you interact with the drawing or perform a redraw or regen of the drawing. The
Redisplay Last Image button will redisplay the last rendered image onto the
drawing window.
The image will be displayed exactly as it was seen before. Any changes to the
drawing or drawing view will not be reflected. Moreover, the last rendered
image could even be from a different drawing than the one currently displayed.
Save Last Image Once you have generated a rendered image that you would like to save, you
can use the "Save Last Image" button to save the image to a file. Once you
click on this button, you will have the opportunity to select a filename for the
rendered image. Images can be saved in BMP, JPEG, TIFF, TGA, or PNG
format. The saved image will be in 24 bit, full-color format at the same
resolution as rendered on the screen.
Antialiasing In regions of the rendered image where the light intensity changes dramatically
such as near surface edges, jagged edges may appear due to the sampling
nature of the rendering process. Antialiasing attempts to aleviate these
problems by taking multiple samples for each pixel in the rendered image and
averaging the result. This can significantly improve the quality of the final
image, but also significantly increases rendering time. By default, antialiasing is
turned off. You may wish to active it for your final rendering step.
Surface
Smoothing
AViCAD approximates curved surfaces by subdividing the surface into multiple
flat polygons. The surface smoothing option smooths the transitions between
individual faces on asurface so that curved surfaces will appear more rounded.
Double Sided Individual surfaces in the image are considered to have a front and a back face.
This check box controls whether the renderer treats the front and back faces
the same or not. If this box is not checked, then any light rays that hit the back
face of a surface are essentially ignored (i.e. the back face is considered black
and non reflective). If the box is checked, then the back face is treated the same
as the front face.
Which face is considered front and which is considered back is controlled by the
order of the vertices. Looking at the face, if the vertices proceed around the
face in a counter-clockwise order, then the face is the front. If the vertices
proceed around the face in a clockwise fashion, then you are looking at the
back of the surface.
534 C H A P T E R 1 6
Shadows Worksheet
The Shadows worksheet appears on the Render Settings Dialog box and is used to
control some of the aspects of the shadow computations in the rendering module.
The Shadows worksheet is shown below and is followed by a table listing each of the
available controls and their function.
Control Description
Area Lights/Soft
Shadows
This option allows you to control the quality of the soft shadow computations.
Soft shadows from area lights, that is lights that have some non-zero diameter,
are calculated by taking multiple samples of the light at each point in the image.
The higher this number the more accurate the lighting calculations will be, but
the longer the rendering process will take.
Shadow Depth Shadow depth controls the number of light reflections or transmissions that are
considered when generating the image. If your scene contained several
mirrored surfaces that faced each other, the software could spend a
considerable amount of time bouncing rays of light back and forth between the
mirrored surfaces. The shadow depth option controls this by only allowing the
renderer to consider a specified number of "bounces." Each time a light ray hits
a surface and reflects off of it, or travels through it if the surface is transparent,
the "depth" of the ray is increased. The number specified in this entry box will
control how many reflections or transmissions the renderer considers.
Adaptive
Shadow Testing
Adaptive Shadow Testing is an algorithm used to speed up the rendering
process when rendering scenes with multiple light sources. This algorithm
attempts to identify which light sources are most significant for each part of the
scene and only directly samples those lights. The light cast by less significant
light sources is estimated based on statistical techniques.
This slider controls the degree to which the technique will be applied. The
higher the value set, the more rendering will accelerated, but the more
approximate the lighting calculations. If the slider is set to 0, all of the light
sources will be tested and shadows will be calculated exactly. If the slider is set
to 1, only the strongest light source at each pixel will be tested and the
contributions for other lights will be estimated. The Adaptive Shadow Testing
algorithm is only used when Rendering Quality is set to High.
R E N D E R 535
Floor Worksheet
The Floor worksheet appears on the Render Settings Dialog box and controls whether
or not a floor is displayed underneath the rest of the drawing during rendering. As an
example, the drawing on the left below is shown without a floor and the drawing on
the right is shown with the floor. The floor is drawn in the X-Y plane touching the
lowest point (smallest Z value) on the drawing. The Z direction is assumed to be "up".
The Floor worksheet is shown below and is followed by a table listing each of the
available controls and their function.
Control Description
Enable Floor This checkbox controls whether or not the floor is displayed. If the box is
checked, then the floor is displayed. If the box is not checked then the floor is
not displayed.
Edit Floor
Material
This button opens the material selection dialog so that you can control the
appearance of the floor. By default, a solid white/gray color floor is provided.
Floor Size This slider bar controls the size of the floor. If the slider is at the minimum
position, then the floor will extend to the X and Y limits of the drawing. If the
slider is moved to the right the size of the floor will increase.
536 C H A P T E R 1 6
Site Settings
The Site tab of the Render Settings dialog allows you to specify the location and ori-
entation of the site where the drawing is located. This information is used in calculat-
ing the position of the sun for lighting purposes. The tab contains entries for the site
latitude and longitude, the time zone, and site orientation relative to true north. In
addition, it includes a pull-down menu containing a list of a number of major cities
around the world. If your building site is in or near one of these cities you can choose
that city and the latitude, longitude and time zone will be entered automatically.
The site orientation represents the angle of true north relative to the drawing axes. By
default, true north is assumed to be in the +Y direction. The site orientation value
measures the angle from the +Y direction in drawing coordinates to true north. If the
site orientation value is 90 degrees, then true north would be in the +X direction. If it
is set to 180 degrees, then true north would be in the -Y direction.
Note that the Site Location parameters take effect the next time the sun position is
calculated. The Site Orienation parameter will take effect when the next rendering is
performed.
Render to File
The Render to File tab will allow you to produce a rendered image directly to a file on
disk rather than to the AViCAD screen. The tab includes two entry blanks so that you
can specify the desired width and height of the image in pixels. Once you have
entered the desired values, you can click the button labeled "Render" to start the ren-
dering process. There is no preset limits on the width and height dimensions, how-
ever, the larger they are the longer the process will take and the more memory will be
required.
R E N D E R 537
After the rendering process has been started, you can interrupt it by pressing the
Escape (Esc) button. You will not be able to use the AViCAD software until render-
ing processing is completed or cancelled.
538 C H A P T E R 1 6
17
Google Earth
AViCAD add-on application for Google Earth is useful in viewing your CAD models
in the Google Earth environment, rich in maps and satellite images. This tool allows
you to import in the dwg file a Google Earth image that shows the location of your
project and its geographical coordinates. It is also possible to publish your CAD
model in Google Earth exporting a .kmz file.
Topics in this chapter
AViCAD Google Earth add-on .......................................................................... 540
Publishing 3D DWG Models to Google Earth ................................................... 542
540 C H A P T E R 1 7
AViCAD Google Earth add-on
To publish your 3D model into Google Earth, you should know its position on the
earth's surface. The easiest method to find it is firstly to import a Google Earth area
view into AViCAD.
You can import the current Google Earth view into AViCAD and use this raster
image as a background for a drawing or, that is more important, to give a geographi-
cal reference of your DWG model position on the earths surface.
Carrying out this command you have to bring an image into AViCAD, and adjust the
image position according to your model until you see it is in the proper position on
the earth's surface.
To publish a 3d model in Google Earth
1 Start Google Earth, and zoom to the location on the earth's surface where you want
to put your model in.
2 Be sure you are looking perpendicular to the earth's surface (that is, the view
doesnt have any rotation.)
3 Zoom in to capture enough detail of the location area.
4 Keep Google Earth maximized. Do not minimize or close Google Earth applica-
tion.
G O O G L E E A R T H 541
To import an image in AViCAD
1 Start AViCAD and open your file 3D in the plan view.
2 Select the button on the Google Earth toolbar or type importgeimage in the
AViCAD Command Line
3 Set drawing units for picture scaling
4 After a few seconds, the current Google Earths view will be imported and placed
at the point 0, 0 in the coordinate system of your drawing ( if you cant see it,
zoom extents to include all objects of the drawing). The image displayed in the
drawing is a JPG file and it is stored in the same directory as the DWG file.
Your display should look similar to this figure:
The following suggestions may be of help:
Once placed, you can use the AViCAD 'move' and 'rotate' commands to refine
your models position relative to the image. Do not adjust the position of the Goo-
gle Earths image. For details, see Chapter 10, Rearranging entities.
Use the Draw Order command to send an image below.
The image is black and white a current limitation imposed by Google Earth.
542 C H A P T E R 1 7
To use Draw Order command
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Draw Order.
On the Tools toolbar, click the Draw Order tool
Type draworder and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity you want to reorder, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, specify the new drawing order, and then press Enter.
4 If you are reordering above or under, select the entity you want the first entity to
be above or below, and then press Enter.
Publishing 3D DWG Models to Google Earth
To publish 3D DWG data to Google Earth
1 Do one of the following:
choose Add-on > Google earth > publish kml
type publishkml
2 In the dialog box of the command, use the Get georeference data from picture
button and select Google Earths image previously inserted to pick your Earth
G O O G L E E A R T H 543
position.If the position and rotation of a model relative to the image are correct,
theres no need to modify the orientation of the Y axis to North.
3 The output file name is given automatically from the DWG file name and direc-
tory. The Kmz file generated by export has the same name and it is stored in the
same folder as the DWG file.
4 Select the option Export with Materials to get a model with the materials pre-
assigned via O2C.
5 When you have finished, click on Ok
544 C H A P T E R 1 7
18
Working with other programs
AViCAD

offers great flexibility in its capability to be used with other programs.

You can include an AViCAD drawing in a Microsoft Word document or insert a
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet containing a parts list into an AViCAD drawing. To
include AViCAD drawings in other programs and documents from other programs in
AViCAD drawings, you either link or embed them. You can also save AViCAD
drawings in other file formats that can be used directly with other programs or send
AViCAD drawings to coworkers via e-mail.
This chapter explains how to:
Save and view snapshots.
Use object linking and embedding.
Export AViCAD drawings to other file formats.
Send drawing files via e-mail.
Use AViCAD with the Internet.
Topics in this chapter
Saving and viewing snapshots.......................................................................... 546
Using data from other programs in AViCAD drawings ...................................... 547
Using AViCAD data in other programs.............................................................. 551
Using AViCAD with the Internet ........................................................................ 562
Other programs................................................................................................. 565
546 C H A P T E R 1 8
Saving and viewing snapshots
You can save snapshots of a drawing to view later. A snapshot saves the current
drawing in either *.emf, *.wmf, or *.sld format exactly as it appears on the screen. A
snapshot is not a drawing file. You cannot edit or print the snapshot; you can only
view it.
You can use snapshots in the following ways:
Make presentations by showing snapshots of your drawings.
Reference a snapshot of a drawing while working on a different drawing.
Present a number of snapshots as a slide show by using scripts.
When you view a snapshot, it temporarily replaces the current drawing. When you
refresh the display of the current drawing (by redrawing, panning, zooming, minimiz-
ing, maximizing, or tiling), the snapshot image disappears, and you are returned to
the current drawing.
You create a snapshot by saving the current view as a snapshot. A snapshot does not
include any entities on layers that are not currently visible. The contents of the snap-
shot also depend on the current drawing space. In model space, the snapshot shows
only the current viewport. In paper space, the snapshot contains all visible viewports.
To create a snapshot
1 Display the drawing exactly as you want to capture it as a snapshot.
Choose Tools > Make Snapshot.
Type msnapshot and then press Enter.
2 In the Create Snapshot dialog box, specify the name of the snapshot file you want
to create.
3 From the Files Of Types list, choose either *.emf, *.wmf, or *.sld.
4 Click Save.
The current drawing remains on the screen, and the snapshot is saved to the directory
that you specify. You can view previously saved snapshots, and you can also view
snapshots created using AutoCAD.
To view a snapshot
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > View Snapshot.
Type vsnapshot and then press Enter.
2 In the View Snapshot dialog box, specify the name of the snapshot file you want
to view.
3 Click Open.
AViCAD displays the snapshot in the current drawing window.
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 547
Using data from other programs in AViCAD drawings
You can include data from other programs in AViCAD drawings by using either
embedding or linking. The method you choose depends on the type of object or file
you want to include in your AViCAD drawing and what you want to do with it after it
is there.
Embedding objects into drawings
Embed an object into your AViCAD drawing when you want to keep all the data you
work with in one file or if you want to transfer the file to other computers. You can
embed data from programs that support object linking and embedding.
For example, if you want to distribute data about a departments computer equipment
along with an AViCAD drawing of the departments floor plan, you can embed a
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet into the floor plan.
When you embed data from another program, AViCAD becomes the container for
that data. The object embedded in the AViCAD drawing becomes part of the
AViCAD file. When you edit the data, you open its program from within the
AViCAD drawing.
Any changes you make to the embedded data exist only in the AViCAD drawing, so
it is not necessary to keep that data in a separate file. If the data does exist in a sepa-
rate file, the original file does not change when you modify the embedded object in
AViCAD. Also, changes to the original file do not affect the embedded object in the
AViCAD drawing.
To embed another programs object into an AViCAD drawing
1 Open the file that contains the data you want.
2 In the file, select the data you want to embed in the AViCAD drawing.
3 Choose that programs command to place data on the Clipboard.
Usually, you choose Edit > Copy.
4 In the AViCAD window, display the drawing in which you want to embed the
object.
5 Choose Edit > Paste, or click the Paste tool ( ) on the Standard toolbar.
The data on the Clipboard is pasted into the drawing as an embedded object. The
object appears in the center of the view, but you can select and move it by moving
the cursor.
548 C H A P T E R 1 8
To embed an object from an existing file within AViCAD
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > OLE Object.
On the Insert toolbar, click the OLE Object tool ( ).
Type insertobj and then press Enter.
2 In the Insert Object dialog box, click Create From File.
3 Specify the file by doing one of the following:
Type a path and file name in the File box.
Click Browse to select a file.
4 Select Display As Icon if you want that programs icon to appear in the drawing
instead of the data.
5 Click OK.
The first page of the file appears in the AViCAD drawing, unless you chose to dis-
play it as an icon. You can select the object and drag to reposition it.
To create a new embedded object from within AViCAD
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Insert > OLE Object.
On the Insert toolbar, click the OLE Object tool ( ).
Type insertobj and then press Enter.
2 In the Insert Object dialog box, click Create New.
3 From the Object Type list, select the type of object you want to create, and then
click OK.
The program for creating that object opens within AViCAD. If the program is
compatible with ActiveX, it opens in place (within the other program) in the
AViCAD drawing; otherwise, the program opens in its full window.
4 Create the object in the other program.
5 If the program is running within the other document (in place), click anywhere
outside the embedded object to close the program.
If the program is running in its full window, choose File > Exit.
Linking objects to drawings
If another program supports ActiveX, you can link its data to AViCAD drawings.
Use linking when you want to include the same data in many files. When you update
the data, all links to other files reflect the changes.
For example, if you created your company logo in an ActiveX-compatible drawing
program, and you want to include it in the title block of every drawing you create
with AViCAD, you can link it to each AViCAD drawing. When you change the orig-
inal logo in the drawing program, the AViCAD drawing updates automatically.
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 549
When you link data from another program, the AViCAD drawing stores only a refer-
ence to the location of the file in which you created the data. You link data from a
saved file, so AViCAD can find the data and display it.
Because linking adds only a reference to a file, the data does not significantly
increase the file size of the AViCAD drawing. However, links require some mainte-
nance. If you move any of the linked files, you need to update the links. In addition, if
you want to transport linked data, you must include all linked files.
You can update a linked object automatically every time you open the drawing, or
you can do so only when you specify. Anytime a link is updated, changes made to the
object in its original file also appear in the AViCAD drawing, and the changes also
appear in the original file if they were made through AViCAD.
To link a file to an AViCAD drawing
1 Save the original file.
Because a link consists of a reference to the original file, you must save the file
before you can link to it.
2 In the original file, select the data you want in the AViCAD drawing.
3 Choose that programs command to place data on the Clipboard.
Usually, you choose Edit > Copy.
4 Display the AViCAD drawing to which you want to link the file.
5 In AViCAD, choose Edit > Paste Special.
6 In the Paste Special dialog box, select Paste Link.
7 Click OK.
To create a linked object from within AViCAD
1 Display the AViCAD drawing in which you want to display the linked object.
Choose Insert > OLE Object.
On the Insert toolbar, click the OLE Object tool ( ).
Type insertobj and then press Enter.
2 In the Insert Object dialog box, click Create From File.
3 Specify the file by doing one of the following:
Type a path and file name in the File box.
Click Browse to select the file using a file dialog box.
4 Select the Link check box.
5 Select Display As Icon if you want that programs icon to appear in the drawing
instead of the data.
6 Click OK.
The first page appears in the AViCAD drawing, unless you chose to display it as
an icon. To reposition the object, select and drag it.
550 C H A P T E R 1 8
Editing an embedded or linked object from within AViCAD
You can modify an embedded or linked object in its original program from within
AViCAD. When you modify an embedded object, you change the object only in
AViCAD, not its original file (if you pasted the object from an existing file). When
you modify a linked file, however, you open and change the original file.
Most programs include a submenu of actions you can perform on an embedded or
linked ActiveX object. Usually, the commands for editing ActiveX objects are Edit
and Open. If the object is embedded and its program supports in-place editing, the
Edit command opens the object in place. The Open command opens the object in the
full program window. In AViCAD, this command appears at the bottom of the Edit
menu.
To edit an embedded or linked object
In the AViCAD drawing, double-click the object.
If the object is embedded and the program in which you created the object supports
in-place editing, the object opens in place.
If the object is linked, or if its program does not support in-place editing, the other
program opens in its full window and displays the object.
Importing files created in other formats
You can import the following files:
Drawing Exchange Format files with a .dxf file extension. This file type is an
ASCII or binary description of a drawing file.
Design Web Format files with a .dwf file extension. DWF files are used to dis-
tribute a drawing for others to view in a Web browser, review, and edit using free
Autodesk

software and tools.

Drawing templates with a .dwt file extension. This file type contains predefined
settings that you can reuse when you create new drawings.
Three-dimensional entities saved with an .sat file extension. This file type contains
three-dimensional ACIS solids saved as an .sat file.
Importing a DXF, DWF, or DWT file
Importing DXF, DWF, and DWT files is similar to opening a standard drawing file.
To import a DXF, DWF, or DWT file
1 Use one of the following methods:
Choose File > Open.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Open tool ( ).
Type open and then press Enter.
2 Choose the folder that contains the drawing.
3 In Files of Type, choose the type of drawing you want to import.
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 551
4 Choose the file you want to open.
5 Click Open.
Importing an ACIS file
An ACIS file contains three-dimensional solids, regions, or bodies that are saved as
an ASCII .sat file.
To import an ACIS file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Acis In.
On the Insert toolbar, click the Acis File tool ( ).
Type acisin, and then press Enter.
2 Choose the directory containing the SAT file.
3 Choose the SAT file you want to open.
4 Click Open.
Using AViCAD data in other programs
You can use any of the following methods to include AViCAD data in a document
created in another program:
Embedding
Linking
Dragging
Exporting
E-mailing
The method you choose depends on the capabilities of the other program and how
you want to work with the AViCAD data after youve placed it in the other
document.
NOTE Each method except exporting uses ActiveX to integrate data from different
programs. With ActiveX, you can open AViCAD drawings from within the other pro-
gram to modify the AViCAD drawings.
Embedding drawings
When you embed an AViCAD drawing, it becomes part of the other programs docu-
ment file. When you edit the drawing, you edit only the version that is embedded in
the other document.
552 C H A P T E R 1 8
Embedding is useful when you dont want to maintain a link to the AViCAD drawing
for the data you include in the other document. Edits made to the new drawing do not
affect the original drawing. To transfer the file to other computers, you can transfer
all the data in one file, but embedded objects increase the file size.
From within a document in a program that supports ActiveX, such as Microsoft
Word, you can either create a new embedded AViCAD drawing or embed an existing
AViCAD drawing.
To create an AViCAD drawing in another document
1 In the document, choose Insert > OLE Object (or the equivalent command for that
program).
2 In the dialog box, click the options for creating a new file.
3 Under Object Type, choose AViCAD Drawing, and then click OK.
4 Create the AViCAD drawing.
5 If AViCAD is running in its own window, choose File > Exit.
If AViCAD is running within the other document (in place), click somewhere in
the document outside the AViCAD drawing to close AViCAD.
6 To edit the AViCAD drawing from within the document, double-click the draw-
ing.
NOTE You can also embed an existing AViCAD drawing from within another docu-
ment. Follow step 1 in the preceding procedure, and then click the option for creating
an object from an existing file.
To embed selected AViCAD entities
1 In AViCAD, select the entities you want to embed.
2 Choose Edit > Copy (or press Ctrl+C).
3 Open the document in which you want to embed the entities.
4 Choose Edit > Paste (or the equivalent command).
To embed an entire AViCAD drawing
1 Open the document in which you want to embed the drawing.
2 Choose Insert > OLE Object.
3 Click Create From File.
4 Click Browse, and then choose the file you want to embed.
5 Click Insert, and then click OK.
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 553
Editing an embedded AViCAD object in place
In many ActiveX-compatible programs you can edit an embedded AViCAD object
without leaving the program (or container application). This is called in-place editing.
A different set of AViCAD menus and toolbars temporarily replaces most of the
menus and controls in the active window while you edit the AViCAD object.
To edit an embedded AViCAD object in place
1 In the container application, double-click the embedded AViCAD object.
A different set of AViCAD menus and controls appears.
2 Edit the AViCAD drawing.
3 Click anywhere outside the drawing window to exit the in-place editing controls.
Linking drawings
When you link an AViCAD drawing to another document, the other document con-
tains only a reference to the AViCAD drawing file, rather than the actual drawing.
You link data in a saved AViCAD file so that the other program can find the data and
display it.
Linking works well when you want to include the same AViCAD data in more than
one document. When you update the data, you need update it in only one location.
The versions that are linked to other documents reflect the changes automatically.
Linking an AViCAD file to another document does not increase the file size the way
embedding an AViCAD object does. However, links require more maintenance. To
transport the data, you must make sure to transfer all linked files to the other
computer.
To link an AViCAD file to another document
1 Open the drawing you want to link.
NOTE Because a link is a reference to a file, you can link only files that are saved to
a location on a disk. If you havent saved the drawing you want to link, choose
File > Save.
2 In the other program, open the document in which you want to include the
AViCAD drawing.
3 Choose that programs command for inserting objects.
In Microsoft Office programs, choose Insert > OLE Object. In the Object dialog
box, click the Create From File tab. Specify the name of the drawing file you want
to link. Select the Link To File check box, and then click OK.
The drawing appears in the document, with a link to the original AViCAD file.
554 C H A P T E R 1 8
Dragging AViCAD drawings into other programs
If the other program in which you want to include AViCAD drawings is compatible
with ActiveX, an alternative to pasting drawings with menu commands is to drag
drawing file icons from Windows Explorer into the other document. Dragging and
dropping drawings does not use the Clipboard, so data on the Clipboard is not
affected.
When you drag an AViCAD drawing file from Windows Explorer, you link or embed
the entire drawing in the other document. When you drag the file, the cursor changes
in response to the action you take.
NOTE Before you drag a drawing, position the Windows Explorer window and the
other programs window so you can see the file icon and the document in which you
want to drop it.
To drag and embed drawings into another document
Select the icon for the drawing file, and then drag the drawing into the document.
Exporting drawings
You can save or export AViCAD drawings in a number of different formats for use
with other programs. When you save a drawing in a different format, the program
saves all the entities in the drawing to the new file. Or, you can choose which entities
are included in the new file.
How the cursor changes
Cursor appearance Action
Drag to embed the selected file to the other
document.
Cannot drop drawings in that document.
Export formats
Format File extension Details
AutoCAD Drawing DWG AutoCAD versions 2010, 2007, 2004, 2000,
R14, R13, or R11/12,
ASCII AutoCAD Drawing
Exchange Format
DXF AutoCAD versions 2010, 2007, 2004, 2000,
R14, R13, R12, R11, R11, R10, R9, R2.6,
R2.5,
Binary AutoCAD Drawing
Exchange Format
DXF AutoCAD versions 2010, 2007, 2004, 2000,
R14, R13, R12, R11, R11, R10, R9, R2.6, R2.
Bitmap BMP Graphics file
Enhanced Windows Metafile EMF Graphics file
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 555
You can also export ACIS solids, regions, and surfaces to an ASCII file (*.sat) that
you can use in other programs.
ATTENTION You can create PDF and JPG files with the print option in addiction to
the formats previously listed. For more details, see Chapter 14, Print a PDF or JPG
file.
Exporting to a DWG, DXF, BMP, EMF, WMF, or SVG file
Exporting to a file is similar to saving a standard drawing file.
To export a drawing to a DWG, DXF, BMP, EMF, WMF, or SVG file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Export.
Type export and then press Enter.
2 Choose the file format.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.
5 If the selection prompt box displays, choose the entity-selection method, and then
create the selection set.
6 When you have finished selecting entities, press Enter.
Exporting to a PDF file
PDF files allow you to distribute your drawing to others for viewing in Adobe
Acrobat Reader, which is free software that users can download. PDF files can
also be viewed, reviewed, and edited in Adobe Acrobat.
Windows Metafile WMF Graphics file
3D DWF DWF DWF V06.01
Design Web Format DWF Distribute your drawing to others for using
with Autodesk software and tools
Scalable Vector Graphics SVG Graphics file format and Web development
language
Export formats
Format File extension Details
556 C H A P T E R 1 8
To export a drawing to a PDF file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Export > Export PDF.
Type export, press Enter and choose Portable Document Format (pdf).
2 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
3 Click Save.
4 Choose the entity-selection method, and then create a selection set that contains
the entities you want to export.
5 When you have finished selecting entities, press Enter.
6 Choose the options for how you want to export to the PDF file.
7 Click Export.
Exporting to a DWF file
Exporting to a DWF file is similar to saving a standard drawing file, except you spec-
ify options for how you want to save the DWF file.
DWF files allow you to publish your drawings so they can be viewed on the Internet
using a Web browser. AViCAD exports your drawing to a Design Web Format (.dwf)
file, which can be viewed in a Web browser if Autodesk

DWF Viewer is also

installed on the computer. DWF Viewer is a free tool from Autodesk

.
You can export your drawing to a 2D DWF file or a 3D DWF file. 2D DWF files
have smaller file sizes, but cannot be viewed in three dimensions. 3D DWF files can
be viewed in three dimensions using the Autodesk DWF Viewer, but have larger
file sizes.
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 557
To export a drawing to a 2D DWF file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Export > Other formats.
Type export and then press Enter.
2 In Save As Type, choose Design Web Format (dwf).
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.
5 Choose how you want to export:
DWF File Version Choose the DWF file version you want. Version 4.2 can
export entities on the Model tab only (no layouts). Version 5.5 can export the
current layout only. Version 6.0 can export the current layout or all layouts.
DWF File Format Choose the desired file format. Compressed binary files
have a smaller file size than uncompressed binary files. ASCII files have the
largest file size.
Layout to Export Choose whether to export the current layout only, or all
layouts in the drawing.
6 Click OK.
7 Choose the entity-selection method, and then create a selection set that contains
the entities you want to export.
8 When you have finished selecting entities, press Enter.
To export a drawing to a 3D DWF file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Export > Other formats.
Type export and then press Enter.
2 In Save As Type, choose 3D DWF.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.
5 Choose the entity-selection method, and then create a selection set that contains
the entities you want to export.
6 When you have finished selecting entities, press Enter.
558 C H A P T E R 1 8
Exporting to a 3DS, POV or LWO file
To export a drawing to a file
1 Choose File > Export and choose a format
2 In the Export Drawing As File dialog box specify the name of the file you want to
create.
3 Click Save.
4 Select the entities to export.
5 When you have finished selecting entities, press Enter.
NOTE: If the selected drawing has at least one ACIS solid, an alert message will
appear suggesting that you convert it to a surface using the 3Dconvert command. For
more details see Convert a solid to a surface on page 483.
Exporting ACIS files
You can export ACIS entities such as surfaces, regions, and solids to an ACIS file in
ASCII (SAT) format.
To export an ACIS file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose File > Acis Out.
Type acisout and then press Enter.
2 Select the ACIS entities you wish to save.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.
Etransmit
With the help of eTransmit you can prepare a file package for Internet transmission.
When sending drawing files to other users it is necessary to attach even related
dependent files such as xrefs and text fonts. In some cases the lack of these files
makes it impossible for an addressee to use drawing files. Dependent files in eTrans-
mit are automatically included in the transmission package, reducing eventual errors.
It is possible to remove automatically added files or add manually files that you want
to include in the transmission package.
Most common files that are included in the transmission package are immages, print
styles, line types and text fonts.
NOTE: If you want to send only a .dwg file, you can use the Send command from the
File menu.
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 559
To create a group of files for transmission
1 Do one of the following:
Select File > eTransmit
Type etransmit and then press Enter.
2 In the dialog box Create Transmission you will see two tabs where you can view
and change the files that are to be added to the transmission package.
Files Tree. A list of files is presented in this tab. You can expand or fold each
drawing file in the list to view related dependent files that are added automati-
cally in the transmission package. It is possible to remove the dependent files
that you do not want to include in the transmission package.
Files Table. There is a summary table presented in this tab with the files, paths
of relative folders and files details. You can select or deselect each file obtaining
thus a direct control over the contents of the transmission package.
3 Enter notes to include with this transmittal package. You can add notes and com-
ments for a person who receives the transmission package. Besides, a .txt report
file is generated automatically and contains a list of the files present in the trans-
mission package. The contents of this report are displayed when you click on the
View Report button.
4 Choose files to add to the package and confirm them pressing the OK button.
Transmittal setups
The Transmittal Setups button allows to save settings of a transmission package.
560 C H A P T E R 1 8
If you need to send transmission packages several times within one project it is better
to save the Transmittal Setups. The Transmittal Setups dialog box shows you a list of
saved settings that you can choose every time when you transmit a group of files. The
default Transmittal Setup is Standard.
To create new Transmittal Setups
1 Press the New button

2 Indicate some name for the new settings and press Continue
3 There will appear a dialog box with options of Transmittal Setups
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 561

4 Choose transmission options and press OK to confirm.
These settings allow to:
Compress the transmission package in a ZIP file or in a folder that is copied to a
specified location.
Specify if the folder structure of the transmission files should be organized accord-
ing to a logical hierarchy, inserted in a single folder, or copied to the addressees
computer as is. If a FTP or http destination is specified, the transmission package
uses the single folder option.
Include .shx fonts used in the drawing, add password protection to the transmis-
sion package, set the default printer to "none" and send automatically an email after
the transmission package creation is completed.
To conclude the transmission package creation select Transmittal Setups in the main
dialog box and press the OK button.
562 C H A P T E R 1 8
After having created the transmission package you can make it available through the
Internet or you can send it to other users in an email attachment. If you send the trans-
mission package via email, there is an option in the Modify Transmittal Setups dialog
box that launches automatically the default system email application when selected.
When the transmission package is created, it is automatically attached to a new email
together with a transmission report file.
NOTE: Any fully specified (absolute) paths of dependent files are converted to rela-
tive paths or "no path" to ensure that the drawing file can identify the dependent files.
Sending drawings through e-mail
You can send an AViCAD drawing to another user via e-mail. AViCAD is compati-
ble with e-mail programs that support the Messaging Application Program Interface
(MAPI) protocol.
To include a drawing file in an e-mail message
1 While the drawing file is open, choose File > Send.
If your mail program is not already running, it starts; a new e-mail message con-
taining the AViCAD icon and file name appears.
2 Address the e-mail, type a message, and send the e-mail message as you would
any other message.
To view a AViCAD file sent by e-mail
Open the e-mail message, and then double-click the AViCAD icon.
NOTE AViCAD software must be installed on the computer used to open drawings
in e-mail.
Using AViCAD with the Internet
You can use AViCAD to access the Internet and exchange drawing information and
perform other tasks, including:
Add hyperlinks to a drawing
Publish drawings to the Internet
Access the Internet during a drawing session.
NOTE You will need Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.0 or later and access to
the Internet to fully use these features.
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 563
Add hyperlinks to a drawing
In your AViCAD drawings, you can include hyperlinks, which are pointers that take
you to another location, such as a Web address or a file on a particular computer. You
can attach a hyperlink to any entity in your drawing. Then, when you select that
entity, you can open the link and jump to the specific Web address or file location.
You can create absolute hyperlinks, which store the full path to a file, or relative
hyperlinks, which store a partial path relative to a base folder or URL.
NOTE To open files associated with hyperlinks, the PICKFIRST system variable
must be set to On.
To create a hyperlink
1 Type hyperlink and then press Enter.
2 Select an entity or entities that you would like to associate with a hyperlink; then
press Enter to display the Edit Hyperlink dialog box.
3 Do one of the following:
Click Browse to specify a file.
In the Link to File or URL box, type a Web address.
4 If you wish to use a common path for all hyperlinks in the drawing, check the Use
relative path for hyperlinks box. Relative paths provide flexibility if you move
files to a different folder, since you can change multiple hyperlink paths at once,
rather than change them all individually.
5 Click OK to close the Edit Hyperlink dialog box.
564 C H A P T E R 1 8
NOTE The HYPERLINKBASE system variable defines the relative path used for all
hyperlinks in the current drawing. To use the default drawing path, leave the value
blank by entering a period (".").
To remove a hyperlink
1 Type hyperlink and then press Enter.
2 Select an entity or entities with a hyperlink; then press Enter to display the Edit
Hyperlink dialog box.
3 Click Remove Link.
4 Click OK to close the Edit Hyperlink dialog box.
To access a hyperlink
1 Select an entity with a hyperlink.
2 Right-click anywhere in the drawing area.
3 In the pop-up menu, choose Open Link.
Publishing drawings to the Internet
You can publish your drawings so they can be viewed on the Internet using a Web
browser. AViCAD exports your drawing to a Design Web Format (.dwf) file, which
can be viewed in a Web browser if DWF Viewer is also installed on the computer.
DWF Viewer is a free tool from Autodesk

.
For details about creating a DWF file, see Click Export. on page 556 in this chap-
ter.
NOTE You can also export drawings as a Vector Markup Language (VML) files,
which are high-quality graphic files that can be viewed and downloaded quickly on
the Internet. In the command bar, type vmlout to export a drawing to a VML file with
an .htm file extension, which can be viewed directly in a Web browser.
Inserting drawings from a Web site
Some Web sites are configured to allow you to drag drawings from the Web site
directly into your drawing. You can drag-and-drop drawings from any Web site that
supports the Autodesk

i-drop

technology.
To insert a drawing from a Web site
1 Open your Web browser.
2 Navigate to a Web site that supports Autodesk

i-drop.
3 Position the Web browser and AViCAD windows so they are both visible.
4 Click the drawing in your Web browser and drag it to your drawing in AViCAD.
The drawing file is downloaded and inserted into your drawing in AViCAD.
W O R K I N G W I T H O T H E R P R O G R A M S 565
Accessing the AViCAD Web site during a drawing session
In addition to using hyperlinks to access the Internet, you can access the AViCAD
Web site at any time using the Onweb command. At the Web site, you can obtain
information about the AViCAD as well as product information and news.
To access the AViCAD Web site
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Help > AViCAD on the Web.
Type onweb and then press Enter.
2 Navigate to the section of your choice on the AViCAD Web site.
Other programs
AViCAD full version includes a special application that allows you to modify and
view raster images. see Chapter 19, Image.
566 C H A P T E R 1 8
19
Image
AViCAD full version includes a special application that allows you to insert, modify
and view raster images directly inside AViCAD. You can load, edit, and modify mul-
tiple images as overlays or underlays to your AViCAD drawings.
Topics in this chapter
Image overview................................................................................................. 568
Image commands ............................................................................................. 568
568 C H A P T E R 1 9
Image overview
AViCAD supplies the tools that make the management of the images easier, making
the job more simple and effective. The images can be inserted, loaded, downloaded,
updated, correlated, georeferenced, trimmed or deleted from the drawing as desired.
These images are selected for the use with AViCAD commands through their frame
that can be set as On or Off for selection or printing reasons. If the image isnt
required in the drawing anymore, it will be possible to remove it.
AViCAD Image manager allows selecting the color transparence to be able to view
the ones under through the first images. The command Arrangement allows to easily
put in first or second place the images in the drawings.
Among the image formats that can be managed in the drawing have been introduced
ECW and JPG2000. The compression format ECW, acronyms of Enhanced Com-
pressed Wavelet, has a diffuse standard to compress high dimension images, used
very much in the geomatic field and developed by ER Mapper. The JPG2000 com-
pression format, also based on Wavelet technology, has an international ISO stan-
dard, developed by Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG).
Thanks to the compression technique used, the result is the equivalent of a pyramidal
image (in which the datum is present with more resolutions) without the waste of
space connected to the storage of additional data. The data reading time and the time
for the extraction of a raster datum portion at the resolution wanted for a correct view,
are basically independent from the dimension of the overall image. The compression
of lossless data, not involving any data losses, allows recovering all the information
and exactly remake the original datum starting from the compressed datum. This
characteristic is essential in all those application where its important to keep
unchanged the pixel values of the images.
Image commands
Attaching images
When you attach an image to a drawing, the image displays in the drawing but is not
saved in the drawing. The image file remains saved in its original location on your
computer, network, or other media.
If you send or receive drawings that contain images, it is important to include with the
drawing all of the image files attached to it. When you open a drawing that contains
images, the source image files must be accessible for the images to display in the
drawing.
I M A G E 569
To attach an image
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Attach Raster Image.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image Attach tool ( ).
Type imageattach and then press Enter.
2 Specify a file to attach, and then click Open.
3 In Image Path will be Saved As, enter a different image file location, if necessary.
You can click [ > ] to choose how you want to save the image path:
Full Path The image is referenced using its full path, for example, c:\My
Pictures\MyImage.jpg. Use this option if the image is saved in a folder unrelated
to the current drawing folder.
Relative Path The image is referenced using a path relative to the current
drawing folder, for example, ..\My Pictures\MyImage.jpg. Use this option if the
image is stored in a subfolder of the current drawing folder.
File Name Only The image is referenced using its file name in the current
drawing folder, for example, MyImage.jpg. Use this option if the image is saved
in the same folder as the current drawing.
4 In the Attach Image dialog box, specify the position, scale, rotation, transparency,
and clipping options, and then click OK.
For the automatic insertion of georeferenced images, use a positioning File (.tfw)
that contains all raster attributes like: scale, position and rotation angle. This file
should have the same name as the raster file. If it is so and its placed in the same
directory of the image file, it will be viewed in the Positioning File box. To use it
in the insertion of the image, select the option Use positioning file. The same
option can be used to select a .twf file that doesnt have the same name of the
image file or that is in a different path then the image one. With that setting acti-
vated, the mask gets updated to reflect the settings related to the tfw file.
NOTE Transparency works for images that support alpha transparency, that is,
images that have at least one color that can be viewed as a transparent color.
5 In the drawing, specify an insertion point, scale, and rotation if you chose to spec-
ify those on the screen.
570 C H A P T E R 1 9
TIP You can also attach images using the Image Manager. Choose Image > Image
Management, and then click Attach to specify an image and then attach it, or if you
want to quickly add another occurrence of an image already located in the drawing,
select the image in the Image Manager and then click Add.
Modifying images
You can modify an image by changing its brightness, contrast, fade, size, rotation, or
transparency. These changes affect the image in the drawing only not the original
image file.
A Enter a different image file location, if necessary.
B Choose to place the image automatically in the
drawing using specifications located in a
positioning file. Enter the TWF file associated
with the image or click [...] to select it.
C Choose to specify the insertion point in the
drawing upon insertion, or enter coordinates.
D Choose to specify the size of the image in the
drawing upon insertion, or enter the size values.
E Choose whether to turn clipping display on or off
for the image.
F Choose whether entities located under the image
are visible (for images that support alpha
transparency).
G Choose to specify rotation in the drawing upon
insertion, or enter how many degrees to rotate
the image to the left.
H Click to view image information, including color
depth and resolution.
I Choose to save the image path as its full path,
relative path to the current drawing folder, or file
name in the current drawing folder.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
I M A G E 571
In addition to modifying a single image or multiple images that you select, you can
also modify all occurrences of an image within a drawing. For example, if your com-
pany logo appears in multiple locations throughout a drawing, you can use the Image
Manager to specify the changes once and apply them to all occurrences of the logo.
You can use other AViCAD commands for typical modifications, such as Delete,
Move, Layer, and more.
To modify images
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Image Management.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image tool ( ).
Type image and then press Enter.
TIP You can also modify images by selecting one or more images in a drawing,
and then choosing Modify > Properties.
2 In the Images list, select the image you want to modify. If there is more than one
occurrence of the image in the drawing, do one of the following:
To modify all occurrences of the image, select a top-level image in the list.
To modify a single occurrence of the image, expand a top-level image in the list,
and then select the individual image.
3 Adjust the Brightness, Contrast, and Fade by moving the slider to the setting you
want or by entering an exact number. The image preview shows how your changes
will affect the image.
TIP If you want to restore the image to the default brightness, contrast, and fade
settings, click Reset.
4 Adjust the Size by making changes to the width (X) and height (Y) in drawing
units. Mark Keep Aspect Ratio if you want the width and height to change
together to retain the aspect ratio of the image.
5 Adjust the Rotation by entering the number of degrees you want to rotate the
image to the left. Zero degrees indicates no rotation.
6 Mark Use Transparency if you want entities located under the image to be visible
(for images that support alpha transparency, that is, images that have at least one
color that can be viewed as a transparent color).
7 Mark Show Clipping Boundary if you want to show the image clipped, if a clip-
ping boundary is defined for the image. Unmarking this option displays the whole
image, even if a clipping boundary is defined.
8 Click OK.
572 C H A P T E R 1 9
Changing the display of images
You can change the following for how all images display in a drawing:
Image quality Images can display in high or low resolution.
Image frames Images can display with or without frames on their edges.
A Click a top-level image to modify all occurrences
located in the drawing. Expand a top-level image and
click an individual image to modify that occurrence
only.
B Move the slider or enter an exact number for image
brightness.
C Move the slider or enter an exact number for image
contrast.
D Move the slider or enter an exact number for image
fade, which fades the image without displaying entities
located under the image.
E Click to return to the default brightness, contrast, and
fade settings.
F Enter the width (X) and height (Y) in drawing units.
Mark Keep Aspect Ratio to change width and height
together.
G Choose whether to turn clipping display on or off for
the image.
H Choose whether entities located under the image are
visible (for images that support alpha transparency).
I Enter how many degrees to rotate the image to the left.
A
B
C
D
E F
G
H
I
I M A G E 573
Changing the display quality for all images
High quality displays images in high resolution and requires more system resources.
Draft quality displays images in low resolution and consumes fewer system
resources. Changing the quality setting affects all images in the drawing.
To change the display quality for all images
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Image Quality.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image Quality tool ( ).
Type imagequality and then press Enter.
2 Choose High or Draft.
Turning image frames on or off for all images
When an image border is set to 0 it will not be printed or visualized, setting to1, it will
be printed and visualized while, setting to 2 it will be visualized but not printed . Each
image frame dis-plays with the properties (layer, color, linetype, etc.) that are
assigned to the image.
Turning image frames off may be helpful, for example, if the images are part of a
background in the drawing.
To turn image frames on or off for all images
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Display Image Frame.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image Frame tool ( ).
Type imageframe and then press Enter.
2 Choose an option.
Clipping images
You can clip images so that only a portion of the image is visible in a drawing. The
visible portion can be in the shape of a rectangle or polygon.
Image clipping can be turned on an off. If you turn off clipping for an image, the
entire image is visible provided that the image is on a layer that is on and thawed. The
clipping information is retained however, and you can turn clipping back on at any
time.
If you delete clipping from an image, the clipping is removed permanently but the
image itself remains in the drawing.
574 C H A P T E R 1 9
To clip an image in the shape of a rectangle
1 Make sure that image frames are turned on (option 1).
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Clip Image.
On the Image toolbar, click the Image Clip tool ( ).
Type imageclip and then press Enter.
3 Select the edge of the image you want to clip.
4 Choose New to create a new clipping boundary.
5 Choose Rectangle.
6 Define the first corner of the clipping rectangle.
7 Define the opposite corner of the clipping rectangle.
Only the portion of the image located within the clipping rectangle is visible..
I M A G E 575

To clip an image in the shape of a polygon
1 Make sure that image frames are turned on (option 1).
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Clip Image.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image Clip tool ( ).
Type imageclip and then press Enter.
3 Select the edge of the image you want to clip.
4 Choose New to create a new clipping boundary.
5 Choose Polygonal.
6 Select the points for the polygon, and then press Enter to close the polygon.
Only the portion of the image located within the clipping polygon is visible.
To turn clipping on or off for an image
1 Make sure that image frames are turned on (option 1).
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Clip Image.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image Clip tool ( ).
Type imageclip and then press Enter.
3 Select the edge of the image for which you want to turn clipping on or off.
4 Choose On or Off.
576 C H A P T E R 1 9
To remove clipping from an image
1 Make sure that image frames are turned on (option 1).
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Clip Image.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image Clip tool ( ).
Type imageclip and then press Enter.
3 Select the edge of the image for which you want to remove clipping.
4 Choose Delete.
Unloading and reloading images
If you find that including an image affects system performance, you can unload it so
only the image frame displays to mark its location. If you want an unloaded image to
print, reload it before printing. You may also want to reload an image if the original
file contains new content.
To unload and reload an image
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Image Management.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image tool ( ).
Type image and then press Enter.
2 In the Images list, select the desired image. If there is more than one occurrence of
the image in the drawing, do one of the following:
To unload or reload all occurrences of the image, select a top-level image in the
list.
To unload or reload a single occurrence of the image, expand a top-level image
in the list, and then select the individual image.
3 Do one of the following:
To unload the image so only its outer edge displays, click Unload.
To reload the image so its contents display and print, click Reload.
Changing the path for images
If the file associated with an image is renamed or moved to a different location, the
program displays a message indicating that it cannot load the image. You can re-
establish the link to the file by changing the path for the image.
I M A G E 577
To change the path for an image
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Image Management.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image tool ( ).
Type image and then press Enter.
2 In the Images list, select the desired image. If there is more than one occurrence of
the image in the drawing, do one of the following:
To change the path for all occurrences of the image, select a top-level image in
the list.
To change the path for a single occurrence of the image, expand a top-level
image in the list, and then select the individual image.
3 Click the [...] button.
4 Select the file with its new name or in its new location, and then click Open.
5 Click Set Path.
Deleting images
Once an image is no longer required in the drawing, you can delete it from the draw-
ing. Deleting an image removes it from the drawing, and from the list of images in the
Image Manager dialog box.
To delete an image
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Image Management.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image tool ( ).
Type image and then press Enter.
2 In the Images list, select the image you want to delete. If there is more than one
occurrence of the image in the drawing, do one of the following:
To delete all occurrences of the image, select a top-level image in the list.
To delete a single occurrence of the image, expand a top-level image in the list,
and then select the individual image.
3 Click Detach.
Draw Order command
The draw order commands allow you to arrange the images and entities in your draw-
ing. When multiple entities overlap, you can change the order in which they are dis-
played and printed. You can move entities to the front, back, or on top or below of
another entity.
578 C H A P T E R 1 9
To reorder entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Draw Order.
Type draworder and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity you want to reorder, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, specify the new drawing order, and then press Enter:
Front, brings the selected image(s) to the front of the display. On the Draw
Order toolbar, the Bring to Front tool ( ) .
Back, sends the selected image(s) behind all other drawing elements. On the
Draw Order toolbar, the Send to Back tool ( ) .
Upper, select the object respect which it must be put as first.
Down, select the object respect which it must be put as second.
Correlate Command
Create Correlation command applies a linear correlation to align a raster image to a
vectorial drawing or another image, setting insert point, scale and rotation.
To adapt an image to a drawing pick two source points and two destination points;
these are used as reference points to stretch the image corresponding to the drawing.
The next sample show as you can create a correlation between a vectorial drawing, a
building plant and a raster image a map that shown the building context.
I M A G E 579
To Create a Correlation
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Image > Image Correlate.
On the Reference toolbar, click the Image Correlate tool ( ).
Type imatch and then press Enter.
2 Select the raster image that you want to use for the corresponding.
3 Specify the reference points marked as 1 and 2 on the raster image.
4 Specify the source points marked as 1 and 2 on the vectorial image.
580 C H A P T E R 1 9
I M A G E 581
582 C H A P T E R 1 9
20
Customizing AViCAD
You can customize AViCAD in a number of ways. For example, you can change
the appearance of many aspects of the program and modify the existing menus and
toolbars or create new ones. This chapter explains how to:
Set the programs preferences.
Customize menus and toolbars.
Customize the keyboard.
Create aliases for frequently used commands.
Customize entities.
Create and use scripts.
Use add-on programs with AViCAD.
Use a digitizer tablet for menu selection and calibrated drawing.
Topics in this chapter
Setting and changing options............................................................................ 584
Customizing menus........................................................................................... 602
Customizing toolbars......................................................................................... 608
Customizing the keyboard................................................................................. 618
Creating aliases ................................................................................................ 621
Customizing entities.......................................................................................... 624
Creating and replaying scripts........................................................................... 628
Programming AViCAD....................................................................................... 630
Using a digitizer tablet ....................................................................................... 634
584 C H A P T E R 2 0
Setting and changing options
You can change many of the options that control the programs behavior and appear-
ance, such as setting the experience level, specifying file paths and default files, and
configuring display features.
Changing the options on the General tab
In the Options dialog box, the General tab contains settings for experience level and
save options. You can also set VBA security.
Setting the experience level You can control which menus and tools are available
by setting the experience level. You can choose from the following experience levels:
Beginner Menus and toolbars display only basic commands.
Intermediate Menus and toolbars display most two-dimensional entity creation
and modification commands.
Advanced Menus and toolbars display all available commands.
Saving your drawings automatically To avoid losing data in the event of a power
failure or other system error, save your drawing files often. You can configure the
program to periodically save your drawings automatically. The Minutes setting deter-
mines the interval between automatic saves. The program restarts this interval timer
whenever you save the drawing file.
When AutoSave is enabled, the program creates a copy of your drawing. The file is
saved in the folder specified in Options > Paths/Files for Temporary Files, with the
file extension specified in the AutoSave Drawing Extension box (by default, .SV$).
Setting the default Save As format You can control the default file format that you
want to display in the Save Drawing As dialog box. For example, if you use the Save
As command to save most of your drawings in a legacy file format, you can select
that file format as the default so you dont have to select it each time you save a draw-
ing using the Save As command.This setting has no effect on saving existing or new
drawings using commands other than Save As AViCAD always saves existing
drawings in their current file format and saves new drawings with the most current
file format.
Setting how drawings are opened If you regularly open drawings that contain errors
or damaged data, for example, if you are a new AViCAD user and your original
drawings were created using different CAD software, you can enable Open Drawings
using Recover. This option automatically checks all drawings for errors when using
the Open command, and attempts recovery, as needed. Viewing warning messages
when opening drawings allows you to know which files are being fixed by AViCAD
and what errors have occurred; however, you can also choose to hide the warnings.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 585
Disabling VBA CommonProject macros Each time you start AViCAD, macros are
automatically loaded for the Visual Basic Application (VBA) CommonProject. If you
do not plan to use VBA, disabling the macros may improve performance. In addition,
disabling the macros can enhance security if you are running AViCAD at a low secu-
rity level.
To change the options on the General tab
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the General tab.
3 Under Experience level, select Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced.
4 Under AutoSave, select the check box to enable the AutoSave feature, and select
the frequency.
5 If you want to change the default extension assigned to your AutoSave files, type
the new extension in AutoSave Drawing Extension.
6 Under Save As, select the default drawing format that displays when using the
Save As command. You can always specify a different format in the Save Draw-
ing As dialog box.
7 If you want to use the Recover command automatically each time you use the
Open command, mark the check box for Open Drawings using Recover.
8 If you want to hide warnings when errors are found in a drawing, mark the check
box for Hide Warnings when Opening Drawings using Recover. Errors will still
be logged in an ASCII file with an .adt extension.
9 If you do not want the CommonProject macros to be loaded when you start
AViCAD, under VBA Security, click the check box for Disable VBA Common-
Project Macros On Startup.
10 If you don't want to see the Start Wizard when you create a new drawing, deselect
the Enable New Drawing Wizard check box.
11 If you don't want use the PPan acceleration, to improve the Pan command perfor-
mance, deselect the Enable PPan Acceleration check box.
12 To disable the automatic redraw after the command's execution, deselect the
Enable AutoRedraw after command.
13 If you don't want the context menu when you have selected an entity, deselect
Enable context menu on right click when the entity is selected.
14 If you don't want the context menu when no one entity is selected, deselect Enable
context menu on right click with no entity selected.
586 C H A P T E R 2 0
NOTE: If you only want to repeat the last command with the right mouse button you
must disable the options of the context menu
15 If you don't want to drag faster the entities, deselect Enable quick dragging of enti-
ties.
16 If you don't want the simplification of the text, an option that improves the perfor-
mance of the program by seeing only the outline of.
17 If you want see the text with the operation of the Zoom and Pan, deselect the box
Semplify the text during the realtime operation.
18 If you don't want the simplification of hatching during the Pan and Zoom, an
option that improves the performance of the program.
19 If you want see the hatching while using these commands, deselect Hide hatch
during the realtime operation.
20 When you have finished, click OK.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 587

A Click to enable AutoSave feature.
B Select the default file format that displays when
saving drawings using the Save As dialog box.
C Click to disable VBA CommonProject macros on
startup. (Available if supported by your version of
AViCAD.)
D Select to check all drawings for errors when
using the Open command, and attempt recovery,
as needed.
E Select to hide warning messages when opening
drawings, if the check box Open Drawings using
Recover is marked.
F Select to check New Drawing Wizard.
G Select to check PPan Accelleration.
H Select to check AutoRedraw after commands.
I Type the file extension for AutoSaved files.
J Enter frequency of AutoSave in minutes.
K Select the experience level.
L Select to enable Content menu on right click.
M Select to enable the context menu if no entities
are selected.
N Select to enable the quick dragging.
O Select to enable the semplification of the text
during the realtime commands.
P Select to hide the hatching during the realtime
commands.
Q Select to enable VBA Events.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
N
O
P
M
Q
588 C H A P T E R 2 0
Changing the options on the Paths/Files tab
You can specify locations for various file types such as those used for drawings,
fonts, and menus in the Options dialog box on the Paths/Files tab. You can even
specify multiple paths for the same file type. In addition, you can change the names
of the default system files that are used for functions such as font mapping and error
logging.
Specifying the user paths
You can enter paths to your AViCAD directories by typing them into a Location field
in the Options dialog box. This feature includes directories for drawings, fonts, help,
external references, menus, hatch patterns, blocks, print style tables, print output files,
temporary files, templates and color books. AViCAD searches directories for support
files in the following order:
The AViCAD program directory.
The current drawing directory.
The Windows search path.
The search path specified in the Options dialog box.
You can enter multiple paths for each item. If, for example, the Drawings item has
more than one directory associated with it, you can specify multiple paths by separat-
ing them with a semicolon. AViCAD searches the directories in the order in which
they are listed.
To specify a user path
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Paths/Files tab.
3 Under Location, click the item in the User Paths list whose path you want to spec-
ify, and type the path.
If you do not know the path or directory name, click Browse, and then browse to
the location of the directory you want.
4 When you have finished, click OK.
Changing the default system files
You can change the default system files, including the log file, default template, alter-
nate font, and font mapping file.
To change a default system file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 589
2 Click the Paths/Files tab.
3 In the lower half of the dialog box, under File, click the file name for the default
system file you want to change, and type in a new file name.
If you dont know the file name, click Browse, and then browse to the location of
the file you want.
4 Type a new name.
5 When you have finished, click OK.
The following figure shows the Options dialog box with the User Paths and Sys-
tem Files sections identified.
Changing the options on the Display tab
In the Options dialog box, the Display tab contains settings for displaying the
command bar, AViCAD window, menus, and real-time view rotation.
Setting the command lines to track AViCAD tracks the commands and command
prompts you used most recently. You can control the number of lines that the pro-
gram keeps in memory as you work. The default value is 256. You can display the
commands in the Prompt History window. To display the Prompt History window,
press F2. To close the window, press F2 again.
A Click to select new default file.
B Select the default file to change.
C Click to select new default folder.
D Directory path specified by user.
A
B
C
D
590 C H A P T E R 2 0
Displaying tabs and scroll bars Hiding window elements if you do not use them
can help increase drawing space in the AViCAD window.
To show or hide the Model tab and Layout tabs, select the Show Tabs check box. You
may want to hide the tabs if you only work on the Model tab or if you use the com-
mand bar and status bar to switch between tabs.
To show or hide the scroll bars that display on the right side and bottom of the
AViCAD window or viewport, select the Show Scroll Bars check box. You may want
to hide the scroll bars if you only use the Pan command to scroll drawings.
Enabling continuous view rotation When you use the Real-Time Sphere command
to rotate your view of entities, you typically move the mouse to rotate the view. If you
want the rotation to continue after you release the mouse, turn on the Continuous
Inertial Motion in Real Time check box. The rotation also continues when you use the
Real-Time X, Real-Time Y, and Real-Time Z commands.
Changing the zoom direction of the mouse wheel By default when working in a
drawing and using the mouse wheel, you spin the mouse wheel forward to zoom in
and spin it backward to zoom out. If you want to reverse the zoom direction relative
to the zoom wheel, that is, spin the wheel forward to zoom out and spin it backward
to zoom in, enable the Reverse Mouse Wheel Zoom Direction check box. This can be
especially helpful if you use the mouse with your left hand.
Setting the graphics screen color By default, drawings are displayed on a black
background. You can change this color and specify the background screen color that
you want.
Displaying prompt boxes When a command offers several options, a prompt box is
displayed with those options. If you prefer to select options by typing, you can turn
off the prompt boxes by clearing the Display Prompt Boxes check box.
Setting automatic menu loading The first time you start AViCAD, a default menu
is loaded, and the Automatic Menu Loading check box in the Options dialog box is
checked. The Automatic Menu Loading feature allows you to load drawings with
associated menus without overwriting the default menu. You can turn off the Auto-
matic Menu Loading option.
Selection Area Effect When you create a selection window, by default, you are able to
recognize it being identified with two colors: green and blue. In this part of the dialog
box you are able to modify these colors, set their opacity or disable them.
Selection Preview When a command is active and you place the mouse cursor over an
entity, this is highlighted. It is possible to set the selection options in a way that the
elements are highlighted when there is not an active command or you can completely
disable this functionality. With this last option selected the elements will not be high-
lighted.
Selection Preview Filtering When you activate any of the Preview Filtering options
you can define which elements not to highlight, it is possible to chose among locked
layers, external references (Xrefs), multiline text and hatches.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 591
To change the options on the Display tab
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Select the options you want.
4 When you have finished, click OK.
A Type or select the maximum number of
command lines to track.
B Click to show or hide the Model and Layout
tabs.
C Click to show or hide scroll bars.
D Click to select paper color.
E Click to show or hide prompt boxes.
F Click to toggle automatic menu loading on or off.
G Click to select screen color
H Select to zoom out when spinning the mouse
wheel forward and zoom in when spinning the
mouse wheel backward.
I Select to continue rotating the view when using
the Real-Time Sphere, Real-Time X, Real-Time
Y, and Real-Time Z commands.
J Select how the area that you select will appear
K Choose to see the selection preview when you
pass the cursor over the objects if a command is
active or not. You can also decide what objects
not to see in the preview (xrefs, multiline text,
hatch, ecc)
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
592 C H A P T E R 2 0
Changing the options on the Crosshairs tab
In the Options dialog box, on the Crosshairs tab, you can control how the crosshairs
display. To help you differentiate the x-, y-, and z-axes, a different color is assigned
to each. You can change the default axes colors to any color you want. In addition,
you can specify the size of the crosshairs display, enable grips attraction for the cur-
sor, and you can elect to use crosshairs as the default pointer shape.
To change the options on the Crosshairs tab
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Crosshairs tab.
3 Select the options you want.
4 When you have finished, click OK
A For each axis, click Color and select an axis
color from the palette.
B Select to always display the pointer as the
crosshairs (instead of the small box).
C Select to move the crosshairs automatically to
grips within a certain range.
D Enter or scroll to a number for the grips attraction
range. Higher points increase the range of the
attraction.
E Enter or scroll to a number for the percentage of
the screen to be used by the crosshairs cursor.
A
B
C
D
E
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 593
Changing the options on the Profiles tab
AViCAD allows you to customize the settings that control your drawing environ-
ment, and then save and restore those settings in a profile. For example, if you prefer
working with custom menus and toolbars, you can save these settings as your own
profile.
Profiles can be helpful if you have multiple users with different preferences, or if you
are a single user who works on various projects that require unique settings. You can
even export your profile and bring it with you when you work on a different com-
puter.
Understanding the settings saved in profiles
Profiles save many settings that control the drawing environment. Once you start
using a profile, it automatically tracks and stores changes that you make to your
drawing environment.
Some settings are saved immediately, but some require that you exit AViCAD and
then start AViCAD again. This is because profiles save settings from your com-
puters registry and some settings are only saved to the registry when you exit
AViCAD.
Creating profiles
Create profiles if you want to save your custom drawing environment settings. This
can be helpful if you have two or more drawing environments that you use regularly.
When you create a new profile, the current drawing environment settings are auto-
matically saved with the new profile.
Settings saved in profiles
Setting Location When saved
Toolbar settings Tools > Customize, Toolbars tab Exit and restart of AViCAD
Menu settings Tools > Customize, Menus tab Immediately
Keyboard settings Tools > Customize, Keyboard tab Immediately
Alias settings Tools > Customize, Aliases tab Immediately
Window elements on/off
status and their various
settings
View > Display > Command Bar
Tools > Options, Display tab
View > Display > Text Window
View > Display > Scroll Bars
View > Display > Status Bar
Exit and restart of AViCAD
Tablet configurations Tools > Tablet Immediately
User paths Tools > Options, Paths/Files tab Immediately
System variables Typed in command bar Varies some saved immediately
and some upon exit and restart of
AViCAD
594 C H A P T E R 2 0
To create a profile
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Click Create.
4 Enter a name, a description (optional), and then click OK.
5 In the Options dialog box, click OK.
6 Make changes to your drawing environment.
AViCAD automatically saves the settings to the new profile.
NOTE In some cases, for example, with toolbars, you need to exit and restart
AViCAD before the settings are saved with the profile. This is because profiles save
settings from your computers registry and some settings are only saved to the regis-
try when you exit AViCAD.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 595
Loading a profile
While you work in AViCAD, you can load the custom settings of any profile. The
current profile when you exit AViCAD is automatically loaded when you start
AViCAD again.
A Displays the name of the currently loaded profile.
B Select a profile to load it or modify it.
C Displays a description of the profile.
D Click to restore the selected profile to the system
default settings.
E Click to open a profile stored in an .arg file.
F Click to save the selected profile in an .arg file.
G Click to delete the selected profile.
H Click to rename the selected profile.
I Click to make a copy of the selected profile.
J Click to load the selected profile and make it the
active profile.
K Click to create a new profile.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
596 C H A P T E R 2 0
To load a profile
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the desired profile.
4 Click Set Current.
Restoring the default settings
At any time you can return to the default drawing environment settings that were
installed with AViCAD.
If the Default profile is unchanged, simply load it to restore the default settings. If the
Default profile is deleted or changed, reset an existing profile (one that you no longer
need) to replace its contents with the default settings.
To restore default settings using an unchanged Default profile
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the Default profile.
4 Click Set Current.
To restore default settings without using the Default profile
NOTE Resetting a profile erases all of the profiles custom settings. Do this only if
you are certain you no longer need the selected profile.
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select a profile that you no longer need; all of its custom settings will be erased.
If necessary, create or copy a profile to use for restoring the default settings.
4 Click Reset.
Managing profiles
Once you start using profiles, you may need to rename, copy, or delete them. Copy-
ing a profile is a quick way to create a new profile based on an existing profile.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 597
To rename a profile
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the profile you want to rename.
4 Click Rename.
5 Make any necessary changes to the name or description, and then click OK.
To copy a profile
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the profile you want to copy.
4 Click Copy.
5 Enter a new name, a description (optional), and then click OK.
To delete a profile
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the profile you want to delete.
4 Click Delete.
Working with profiles on multiple computers
If you use multiple computers and you like to work with our own drawing environ-
ment settings, save time by bringing your profile with you.
On your computer, export your profile to an .arg file. Bring the file with you to the
other computer using a disk, E-mail, network, or some other method. When you start
working at another computer, simply open and load your profile instead of recreating
your preferred drawing environment.
598 C H A P T E R 2 0
To export a profile to a file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the profile to export.
4 Click Export.
5 Specify a location and name for the exported file, and then click Save.
To open a profile from a file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Click Import.
4 Locate and select the profile (.arg file), and then click Open.
5 Make any necessary changes to the name or description, and then click OK.
6 (Optional) To load the imported profile, select it, and then click Set Current.
Changing the options on the Printing tab
In the Options dialog box, on the Printing tab, you can determine several printing set-
tings, including headers, footers, and print style tables.
Creating headers and footers You can include header and footer information such
as a date and time stamp, your name and company name, or other information that
you want to appear at the top or bottom of printed drawings. Header and footer set-
tings are set globally for all drawings.
Specifying print style settings Print styles change the appearance of your printed
drawing without modifying the actual entities in your drawing. Use the Printing tab to
specify initial print style settings for new drawings created without a template and for
older drawings when opened (older drawings that were created before print styles
were available, for example, before AutoCAD 2000). Drawings that are already open
are not affected.
For more details about print styles and print style tables, see Using print styles on
page 407.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 599
To change the options on the Printing tab
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
2 Click the Printing tab.
3 Select the options you want.
4 When you have finished, click OK.
A Type the content for the header and footer, or
select it from the lists.
B Select to use color-dependent or named print
style tables for new drawings created without a
template.
C Select a print style table to use with new
drawings.
D For color-dependent tables, displays BYCOLOR
(not selectable); for named tables, select the
print style to assign to layer zero.
E For color-dependent tables, displays BYCOLOR
(not selectable); for named tables, select the
print style to assign to new entities.
F Click to create or change print style tables that
can be selected on the Printing tab or elsewhere
in AViCAD.
A
B
C
D
E
F
600 C H A P T E R 2 0
Changing the options on the Snapping tab
In the Options dialog box, on the Snapping tab, you can control how entity snaps
work, including fly-over snapping. Fly-over snapping is a visual aid to help you
see and use entity snaps more efficiently.
To change the options on the Snapping tab
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Options.
Type config and then press Enter.
Choose Format > Entity Snap > Entity Snap Settings and click Flyover.
2 Click the Snapping tab.
3 Select the options you want.
4 When you have finished, click OK.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 601
A Select to display an extra image on the cursor to
show which entity snap is active. (Available even
if fly-over snapping is turned off.)
B Select to turn on fly-over snapping.
C Select to turn on fly-over snap tooltips, which
indicate the type of snap that was used to select
the marked location.
D Select to turn on the fly-over snap aperture box.
Entities found within the aperture box are
available for selection, making it easier to find
and select entity snap points.
E Type or scroll to the tolerance size for the fly-
over snap aperture box. Higher numbers
increase the distance from the cursor in which
entities are found.
F Type or scroll to the thickness of the fly-over
snap marker.
G Type or scroll to the size of the fly-over snap
marker.
H Click to choose the color of the fly-over snap
marker.
I Select to turn on the display of fly-over snap
markers in all views when you are using more
than one viewport.
J Select to turn on fly-over snap markers, which
mark snap points on entities.
A
B
C
G
H
D
E
F
I
J
602 C H A P T E R 2 0
Customizing menus
You can customize a current menu and save your changes as an AViCAD menu file.
You can also load both existing AViCAD (*.icm) and AutoCAD (*.mnu, *.mns)
menu files. You customize menus using the Customize dialog box.
To display the Customize dialog box
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Menus tab.
A To make a menu item current, choose it from the
list.
B Contains the command string assigned to the
current menu item.
C Contains the text displayed in the status bar for
the current menu item.
D Click to import an existing menu file from another
source.
E Click to save the current menu to a different
location.
F Click to display the Options dialog box for further
customization options.
G Click to add the selected command to the current
menu item.
H Click to rename the current menu item.
I Click to insert a Menu Item, a Menu Sub-Item, a
Spacer, or Context Menu Item, or a Context
Menu Sub-Item.
A
B
C
D E
F
G
H
I
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 603
Understanding menu compatibility
MNU files are menu files managed by all AutoCAD releases, and MNS files are
included in AutoCAD Releases 13, 14, and 2000. AViCAD reads both file formats,
even when menu macros include AutoLISP code. This feature allows you to continue
using your existing AutoCAD menus.
To see how AViCAD reads AutoCAD menu source files
1 Type menu and then press Enter.
2 Under Files Of Type, select AutoCAD Menu File (mnu).
3 In the Open Menu dialog box, go to the AutoCAD Support folder and select the
Acad.mnu file (or Acad.mns for Releases 13, 14, and 2000).
4 To load the AutoCAD menu file into AViCAD, click Open.
The AViCAD menu bar now looks identical to the AutoCAD menu bar.
5 To see how it works, choose a few commands from the menu bar, such as File >
Open or Draw > Line.
Creating new menus and commands
You can create a new menu by inserting a menu item at the top level of the Menu
Tree. Then you can add commands to the new menu item. You can also add sub-
menus and modify existing menu names and commands by adding, deleting, and
rearranging them.
NOTE A green bullet in front of a menu item or command indicates that the menu
item or command is available for you to use at the experience level you have set. A
red bullet in front of a menu item or command indicates that the menu item or com-
mand is not available for you to use at the experience level you have set. To change
your experience level, choose Tools > Options.
AViCAD support of specific sections in AutoCAD MNU and MNS files
Menu section Definition AViCAD support
***POP0 Cursor menu Supported
***POPn Pull-down menus Supported
***AUXn Auxiliary menus Not supported
***BUTTONn Button menus Not supported
***ICON Icon menus Not supported
***SCREEN Screen menus Not supported
***TABLETn Tablet menus Not supported
604 C H A P T E R 2 0
To create a new menu
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Menus tab.
3 In the Menu Tree, select the menu name above which you want to add a new
menu.
4 Choose Insert > Menu Item.
5 Type a name for the new pull-down menu, and then press Enter.
6 Click Close.
To see the new menu, you must perform the following steps for adding a command to
the menu.
To add a command to a menu
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Menus tab.
3 In the Menu Tree, select the menu to which you want to add the new command.
4 Choose Insert > Menu Sub-Item.
5 Type a name for the new command, and then press Enter.
6 Assign a command string to the command you added by doing one of the
following:
In the Available Commands list, choose the command, and then click Add
Command.
In the Command box, type the command string, and then click Add Command.
7 In the Help String box, type the text to be displayed in the status bar when the cur-
sor is positioned over the new command.
8 To add another command, repeat steps 3 through 7.
9 When you have finished, click Close.
NOTE When you type a name for a new command, you can specify an access key by
including an ampersand (&) immediately preceding the letter you want to use as the
access key. Be sure not to assign the same access key to more than one menu or com-
mand within a menu. For example, if you add a command named Quick Line to the
Insert menu, including an ampersand immediately preceding the letter Q causes that
letter to appear underlined in the menu. You can then select that command by dis-
playing the menu and pressing the Q key.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 605
To rename a menu item
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Menus tab.
3 In the Menu Tree, select the menu item you want to rename.
4 Click Rename.
5 Type a new name for the menu item by typing over the highlighted name, and then
press Enter.
6 Click Close.
To delete a menu item
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Menus tab.
3 In the Menu Tree, select the menu item you want to delete.
4 Click Delete.
5 In the Confirmation dialog box, click Yes to delete the menu item.
6 Click Close.
NOTE Deleting a menu item that has sub-items below it in the Menu Tree also
deletes all those sub-items.
Setting the experience levels for menus
You can set the experience levels for menu items you create, and you can change the
experience levels for existing commands.
To set the experience levels for a command
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Menus tab.
3 In the Menu Tree, select the command.
4 Click Options.
5 In the Menu Customization Options dialog box, under Experience Level, select
the experience levels that you want for the command.
6 Click OK.
606 C H A P T E R 2 0
7 Click Close.
NOTE Select all the experience levels above the lowest level you want to use. Com-
mands appear in the menu only at the experience levels you specify. If you select
Intermediate without also selecting Advanced, the commands will appear only when
you set the experience level to Intermediate.
Saving menu files
AViCAD automatically saves any changes you make to the current menu. You can
also create and save your custom menus. The program automatically saves all menu
files with the *.icm file extension.
To save the current menu to a file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Menus tab.
3 Click Export.
4 In the Select Menu File dialog box, specify the directory and file name you want
to use to save the menu file.
5 Click Save.
6 Click Close.
NOTE Saving a menu does not save any toolbars that you created or modified.
Loading menu files
You can replace the current menu file with other custom menus. The program loads
both AutoCAD (*.mnu, *.mns) and AViCAD (*.icm) menu files.
To load a menu file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Menus tab.
3 Click Import.
4 From the Files Of Type list, choose either *.icm, *.mnu, or *.mns.
5 Select the menu to load.
6 Click Open.
7 Click Close.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 607
NOTE Loading a new menu replaces only the menu. It does not replace any custom
toolbars you may have defined.
Creating custom shortcut menus
With AViCAD, you can create a custom shortcut menu for commands you want to
use frequently. You access the shortcut menu by holding down the Shift key and
clicking the right mouse button or by clicking the mouse wheel (if you have one).
Using any ASCII text editor, you construct the menu to conform to the Custom short-
cut menu syntax and definitions as shown here:
***MENUGROUP=group_name
***POP0
**menu_name
[menu_name]
ID_item_name [item_string]command
***HELPSTRINGS
ID_item_name[help_string]
To create a custom shortcut menu
The following example describes how to build a custom menu that includes line,
hatch, dtext, circle, and erase commands.
1 Open any ASCII text editor.
2 Type the following characters exactly as shown here:
***MENUGROUP=example
***POP0
**AViCAD
[AViCAD]
ID_Line [Line]^C^C_line
ID_Hatch [Hatch]^C^C_hatch
Shortcut menu syntax and explanations
Item Explanation
group_name Menu group name.
menu_name Shortcut menu name.
item_name Menu item name.
item_string Menu item string (typically, the command name). The menu item string
appears in the shortcut menu. To specify an access key for a command, insert
an ampersand (&) immediately before the letter you want to use as the access
key. Do not assign the same access key to more than one command.
command Command string. Begin the command string with "^C^C" (e.g., ^C^C_LINE)
unless the command is transparent.
help_string Help string. The text in the help string appears in the status bar when you
place the cursor over the menu item.
608 C H A P T E R 2 0
ID_Dtext [Dtext]^C^C_dtext
ID_0 [Circle Rad]^C^C_circle
ID_Erase [erase]^C^C_erase
***HELPSTRINGS
ID_LINE [Draws a line]
ID_HATCH [Fills an enclosed area with a nonassociative hatch pattern]
ID_DTEXT [Displays text on screen as it is entered]
ID_CIRCLE [Creates a circle]
ID_ERASE [Removes objects from a drawing]
3 Save the file as example.mnu to the AViCAD folder.
To use the custom shortcut menu
1 Open AViCAD.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and press Enter.
3 Click the Menus tab.
4 Click Import.
5 Select the custom shortcut menu file.
6 Select the Append To Current Menu check box, and then click Open.
If you dont select this box, the custom shortcut menu deletes all current menus.
7 Click Close.
8 Select an entity in your drawing, and then hold down Shift and click the right
mouse button.
9 Click the shortcut command that you want.
Customizing toolbars
AViCAD provides toolbars so that you can access frequently used commands. You
can customize these toolbars by adding or removing tools or by rearranging the orga-
nization of tools. You can also create custom toolbars. Toolbars are saved as integral
parts of the program. Although you cannot export custom toolbars for use by others,
you can load toolbars created as part of AutoCAD menus. You customize toolbars
using the Customize dialog box and clicking the Toolbars tab.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 609
To display the Customize dialog box
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 Customize the toolbars using the procedures that follow the illustration here.
Creating a new toolbar
You can create a new toolbar by dragging a tool from the Customize dialog box and
dropping it anywhere except on another toolbar. AViCAD immediately creates a new
toolbar and assigns it a default name. Then you can add tools to the new toolbar. You
can also add, delete, or modify tools on any existing toolbar.
When you create a toolbar using tools from the Buttons area of the Customize dialog
box, the ToolTip, Help String, and Command fields are filled in automatically with
default information. You can edit this information for each tool.
A The Categories list shows available toolbar
categories.
B Contains the string displayed as a ToolTip for the
current tool.
C Contains the text displayed in the status bar for
the current tool.
D Contains the command string assigned to the
current tool.
E Displays the available tools for the selected
category.
A
B
C
D
E
610 C H A P T E R 2 0
To create a new toolbar
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 In the Categories list, choose a category to display its associated tools.
4 Click and drag a tool outside the Customize dialog box and onto an open area of
the screen.
5 Modify the ToolTip, Help String, and Command fields as needed.
6 Click Close.
To add a tool to a toolbar
1 Make sure the toolbar you want to modify is visible.
2 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
3 Click the Toolbars tab.
4 In the Categories list, choose a category to display its associated tools.
5 Click and drag a tool onto the toolbar.
6 Modify the ToolTip, Help String, and Command fields as needed.
7 To add another tool, repeat steps 3 through 5.
8 Click Close.
To delete a tool from a toolbar
Make sure the toolbar you want to modify is visible.
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 Drag the tool you want to delete off of the toolbar.
4 Click Close.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 611
To add space between tools on a toolbar
Make sure the toolbar you want to modify is visible.
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 On the toolbar, drag the tool away from the tool beside it.
To avoid accidentally deleting a tool, do not drag a tool more than halfway past
the edge of the toolbar.
4 Click Close.
Naming toolbars
When you create a toolbar, the program assigns it an arbitrary name, such as
ToolBar1, ToolBar2, and so on. The toolbar name is displayed on the title bar when
the toolbar is floating. You can rename a toolbar at any time.
In the Select Toolbars dialog box, you can rename toolbars, turn the display of tool-
bars on and off, choose to display large or small tools, choose to display toolbar tools
in color or black and white, and control the display of ToolTips.
To rename a toolbar
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Toolbar.
Type tbconfig and then press Enter.
2 From the Toolbars list, choose the toolbar that you want to rename.
3 In the Toolbar Name field, replace the current name with the new toolbar name.
4 Click OK.
612 C H A P T E R 2 0

Creating flyouts
A flyout displays a set of additional tools under a single toolbar tool. AViCAD uses
flyouts to organize related tools and to conserve space on toolbars. A flyout is indi-
cated by a small triangle in the lower right corner of a tool. When you click a flyout
tool, the other tools on the flyout extend from the original tool so you can select one
of them. The flyout tool you select then becomes the default tool on the toolbar. You
can add your own flyouts to toolbars.
To add a flyout to a toolbar
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 Select the Insert As Flyout check box.
4 In the Categories list, choose a toolbar name to display its associated tools in the
Buttons area.
5 From the Buttons area, click and drag a tool onto a toolbar outside the Customize
dialog box.
6 Modify the ToolTip, Help String, and Command fields as needed.
7 To add another flyout tool, repeat steps 4 through 6.
8 Click Close.
A Select to display a toolbar.
B Choose the toolbar that you want to rename.
C Type a new name.
D Select to display large tools; clear to display
small tools.
E Select to display color tools; clear to display
black and white tools.
F Select to display ToolTips; clear to not display
ToolTips.
G Click to customize the toolbars.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 613
Setting the experience levels for tools
You can set the experience levels for toolbar tools you create, and you can change the
experience levels for existing tools.
To set the experience levels for a tool
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 Go outside the Customize dialog box to a toolbar, and click a tool to select it.
4 Go back to the Customize dialog box, and click Options.
5 Under User Level, select the experience levels you want for that tool.
6 Click OK.
7 Click Close.
NOTE Select all the experience levels above the lowest level you want to use. Tools
appear in toolbars only at the experience levels you specify. If you select Intermediate
without also selecting Advanced, the tool will appear only when you set the
experience level to Intermediate.
Creating custom toolbar tools
AViCAD provides tools for most of the available AViCAD commands. These tools
appear on the Toolbars tab of the Customize dialog box. You can also create your
own custom tools and incorporate them into your custom toolbars. To add a custom
tool to a toolbar, you must first add one of the programs standard tools and then
replace it on the toolbar with your custom tool.
You create custom tools as bitmap (*.bmp) files using any paint or illustration pro-
gram capable of saving to a bitmap. Because you can configure toolbars to display
either large or small tools and to display tools either in color or monochrome, create
four different versions of each custom tool. Create custom tools using the following
dimensions:
Small tools: 16 x 15 pixels.
Large tools: 24 x 22 pixels.
NOTE If you attempt to use bitmaps that do not match these dimensions, the pro-
gram will stretch or shrink (rather than crop) the bitmaps to fit the specified size. The
resulting tools may not appear as originally intended.
614 C H A P T E R 2 0
To add a custom tool to a toolbar
Make sure the toolbar you want to modify is visible.
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 Go outside the Customize dialog box to a toolbar, and click a tool in the toolbar to
select it.
4 Go back to the Customize dialog box, and click Options.
5 In the Toolbar Customization Options dialog box, under Button Bitmaps, click the
browse tool (indicated by an ellipsis) adjacent to the Small, Color Button list to
display the Select Bitmap dialog box.
6 Select the bitmap you want to use for the small color tool.
7 Click Open.
8 Repeat steps 5 through 7 for the Large Color Button, Small Black and White But-
ton, and Large Black and White Button versions of your custom tool.
9 When you have finished, click OK.
10 Click Close.

The Toolbar Customization Options dialog box.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 615
Importing toolbars
Toolbars are saved as integral parts of AViCAD. In AViCAD, you can load toolbars
created as part of AutoCAD (*.mnu, *.mns) menus. Importing an AutoCAD menu
file from the Toolbars tab of the Customize dialog box loads only the toolbar section
of the menu file.
To import a menu file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 Click Import.
4 Select the menu you want to load.
5 Click Open.
6 Click Close.
NOTE Importing an AutoCAD menu file from the Toolbars tab of the Customize dia-
log box replaces any custom toolbars you may have defined. Importing the menu file
in this way, however, does not affect the current menu.
Creating toolbars that you can share as files
With AViCAD, you can manually create toolbars that you can share as files with
other AViCAD users. You create the toolbar files using any ASCII text editor and the
toolbar syntax and definitions shown here:
***MENUGROUP=group_name

***TOOLBARS
**toolbar_name
ID_toolbar_name [_Toolbar ("toolbar_name", orient, visible, xval, yval,
rows)]
ID_button_name [_Button ("button_name", id_small, id_large)]command

***HELPSTRINGS
ID_button_name [help_string]
Toolbar syntax and explanations
Item Explanation
group_name
Menu group name.
toolbar_name Toolbar name.
orient Orientation. Select Floating, Top, Bottom, Left, and Right (not case
sensitive).
visible Visibility. Select Show or Hide (not case sensitive).
616 C H A P T E R 2 0
To create a toolbar that you can share
1 Open any ASCII text editor.
2 Type the following characters exactly as shown here:
***MENUGROUP=example

***TOOLBARS
**NewDraw
ID_ NewDraw [_Toolbar("NewDraw ", _Bottom, _Show, 200, 200, 1)]
ID_Line_0 [_Button("Line", Iline.bmp, IL_line.bmp)]^C^C_line
ID_Hatch [_Button("Hatch", Ihatch.bmp, IL_hatch.bmp)]^C^C_hatch
ID_Dtext [_Button("Dtext", Idtext.bmp, IL_dtext.bmp)]^C^C_dtext
ID__0 [_Button("Circle Rad", Icirad.bmp, IL_cirad.bmp)]^C^Ccircle;
ID_Erase [_Button("Erase", Ierase.bmp, IL_erase.bmp)]^C^Cerase;

***HELPSTRINGS
ID_Line_0 [Creates straight line segments]
ID_Hatch [Fills an enclosed area with a nonassociative hatch pattern]
ID_Dtext [Displays text on screen as it is entered]
ID__0 [Allows user to draw a circle with a radius value]
ID_Erase [Removes objects from a drawing]
3 Save the file to the AViCAD folder with a *.mnu extension.
xval x coordinate, designated in pixels from left edge of screen. Suggested
value: 200.
yval y coordinate, designated in pixels from top edge of screen. Suggested
value: 200.
rows Number of rows
button_name Tool name. Appears as a ToolTip when user places cursor over button.
id_small Name of small (16 x 15 pixels) icon bitmap (BMP) file. This file must be
located in the AViCAD folder.
id_large Name of large (24 x 22 pixels) icon bitmap (BMP) file. This file must be
located in the AViCAD folder.
command Command string (Example: ^C^C_LINE).
help_string Help string. Appears in the status bar when cursor passes over the button.
Toolbar syntax and explanations
Item Explanation
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 617
To copy an existing toolbar
Make sure the toolbar you want to copy is visible.
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and press Enter.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 Go outside the Customize dialog box and select a tool on the existing toolbar that
you want to copy.
4 Copy the information from the ToolTip, Help String, and Command boxes and
paste it into the corresponding lines in the text file.
5 Save the file to the AViCAD folder with a *.mnu extension.
To open the toolbar file on another computer
1 Copy the toolbar (MNU) file and all related custom bitmap (*.bmp) files to the
AViCAD folder on the other computer.
2 Open AViCAD.
3 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and press Enter.
4 Click the Toolbars tab.
5 Click Import.
6 Select the new toolbar file.
7 Select the Append To Current Menu check box, and then click Open.
If you dont select this box, the custom shortcut menu deletes all current menus.
8 Click Close.
618 C H A P T E R 2 0
Customizing the keyboard
AViCAD provides keyboard shortcuts so you can access frequently used commands.
You can customize these shortcuts and add new shortcuts using the Customize dialog
box.
To customize the keyboard
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Keyboard tab.
3 To define a new shortcut key, enter the shortcut in the Press New Shortcut Key
box.
4 To define a new command string, enter the command string in the Command box.
5 To import an existing keyboard shortcut file, click Import.
6 To save a keyboard shortcut to a file, click Export.
7 To add a command selected in the Available Commands pane to the shortcuts,
click Add Command.
8 To insert a new keyboard shortcut, click New.
A Shows shortcuts already defined.
B Displays the shortcut key combination when
adding a new shortcut.
C Contains the command string assigned to the
shortcut.
A
B
C
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 619
Creating a keyboard shortcut
You can assign macros to special keys and certain combinations of keys to create a
keyboard shortcut. A macro consists of one or more commands that are displayed on
the status bar as follows:
A single command, such as QSAVE.
A command with options, such as ARC;\A;\\.
More than one command, such as ^C^C^CZOOM;E;QSAVE;QPRINT.
Keyboard shortcuts are more powerful than aliases. An alias lets you abbreviate a sin-
gle command name; a keyboard shortcut contains one or more macros. To activate a
macro, you press the shortcut key; you do not need to press Enter as you do with an
alias. A shortcut consists of the following keys: the function and the cursor control
keys, as well as alphanumeric keys pressed in combination with the Ctrl, Alt, and
Shift keys. The Shift key must be used in conjunction with the Ctrl, Alt, and/or func-
tion keys.
Alphanumeric keys are those labeled A through Z and 1 though 0.
The cursor keys are the up, down, left, and right arrows and the Page Up, Page
Down, Home, End, Insert, and Delete keys.
The function keys are those labeled F1 through F12.
To create a keyboard shortcut
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Keyboard tab.
3 Click New.
4 In the Press New Shortcut Key field, press Alt+A.
The program adds Alt+A to its list of Defined Keys.
5 In the Available Commands list, select Arc Center-Start-Angle.
6 Click Add Command.
The program adds the command to the Command field and enters the complete
syntax for you:
^C^C^_CARC;C;\ \A;
7 To save your changes and close the dialog box, click Close.
8 To activate the Arc command with the center, start, and angle options, press
Alt+A.
620 C H A P T E R 2 0
To redefine an existing keyboard shortcut
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Keyboard tab.
3 In the Defined Keys list, select the shortcut you want to change.
4 In the Command field, change the command string assigned to the keyboard short-
cut by doing one of the following:
Use the text cursor to delete the current command string, choose a new
command in the Available Commands list, and then click Add Command.
Edit the command string in the Command field.
5 Click Close.
To delete an existing keyboard shortcut
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Keyboard tab.
3 In the Defined Keys list, select the shortcut you want to delete.
4 Click Delete.
5 Click Close.
Saving keyboard shortcut files
AViCAD automatically saves any changes you make to the current keyboard short-
cuts. You can also create and save your own keyboard shortcut files. The program
saves keyboard shortcut files with the *.ick file extension.
To save the current keyboard shortcuts to a file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Keyboard tab.
3 Click Export.
4 Specify the directory and file name you want to use to save the keyboard shortcut
file.
5 Click Save.
6 Click Close.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 621
Loading keyboard shortcut files
You can replace the current keyboard shortcut file with other custom keyboard short-
cut files.
To load a keyboard shortcut file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Keyboard tab.
3 Click Import.
4 Select the file to load.
5 Click Open.
6 Click Close.
Creating aliases
AViCAD provides aliases for many commands. You can use aliases to issue fre-
quently used commands by entering one or two letters rather than the entire command
name.
The program also uses aliases to maintain command-name compatibility with
AutoCAD. You can use the same aliases and keyboard shortcuts used by AutoCAD.
In addition, AViCAD has enhanced several AutoCAD commands. For example,
AViCAD added two useful options to the rectangle command: you can draw a
rectangle as a square, and you can rotate a rectangle at an angle.
You can customize aliases, and you can add new aliases. You customize aliases using
the Customize dialog box.
To display the Customize dialog box
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Aliases tab.
622 C H A P T E R 2 0

Creating, redefining, and deleting aliases
To create a new command alias, you first define the alias and then assign it one of the
available AViCAD commands.
To create a new alias
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Aliases tab.
3 Click New.
4 In the Alias field, type the new alias.
5 In the Available Commands list, select the command you want to assign to the
alias.
6 Click Assign.
7 Click Close.
A Shows aliases already defined.
B Contains the current alias.
C Displays the command assigned to the current
alias.
A
B C
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 623
To redefine an existing alias
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Aliases tab.
3 In the Aliases list, select the alias you want to change.
4 In the Available Commands list, select the command you want to assign to the
alias.
5 Click Assign.
6 Click Close.
To delete an existing alias
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Aliases tab.
3 In the Aliases list, select the alias you want to delete.
4 Click Delete.
5 Click Close.
Saving alias files
AViCAD automatically saves any changes you make to the current aliases. You can
also create and save your own alias files. The program saves alias files with the *.ica
file extension. You can also save alias files for use with AutoCAD by saving the files
with the *.pgp file extension.
To save the current aliases to a file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Aliases tab.
3 Click Export.
4 From the Save As Type list, choose either *.ica or *.pgp.
5 Specify the directory and file name you want to use to save the alias file.
6 Click Save.
7 Click Close.
624 C H A P T E R 2 0
Loading alias files
You can replace the current alias file with other custom alias files. The program loads
both AutoCAD (*.pgp) and AViCAD (*.ica) alias files.
To load an alias file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Customize > Menu.
Type customize and then press Enter.
2 Click the Aliases tab.
3 Click Import.
4 From the Files Of Type list, choose either *.ica or *.pgp.
5 Select the alias file to load.
6 Click Open.
7 Click Close.
Customizing entities
AViCAD provides ways to customize entities beyond common formats, dimensions,
and layers. Further customization includes using custom audio notes and using cus-
tom shape files.
Working with audio notes
In AViCAD you can record and attach audio notes, which are sound clips attached to
entities and available for playback at any time. For example, audio notes in a factory
floor plan can describe maintenance activities for specific areas of the factory and
employees can play the audio notes to hear instructions.
When you include audio notes in your drawing, they are saved in the drawing file
not in a separate audio file. Note that this can increase the file size of your drawing.
Audio notes created from an existing *.wav file are also saved in the drawing file and
the separate *.wav file remains unchanged.
NOTE You can play audio notes in AViCAD only.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 625
Attaching audio notes
Audio notes can be created from existing *.wav files. You can also record an audio
note using any microphone that works with your computer. Many computers have a
built-in microphone. If you do not have a microphone and you record an audio note,
the audio note will contain no sound.
An audio note icon displays on entities that have attached audio notes. The icon is for
display only and cannot be selected.
To record and attach an audio note to entities
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Audio Note.
Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired entities, and then press Enter.
3 Choose Record.
4 Click Record to begin the audio note, and then speak into the microphone.
5 Click Stop to end the audio note.
6 To test the audio note, click Test, and then use Pause and Stop in the Test Audio
Note area.
7 If necessary, you can record the audio note again. This overwrites the previous
audio note for the entities you selected in Step 2.
8 Click Attach.
TIP To modify an audio note after you attach it to an entity, select the entity and re-
record the audio note using the previous steps.
To attach an audio note to entities using a .wav file
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Audio Note.
Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired entities, and then press Enter.
3 Choose Attach.
4 Select the desired *.wav file, and then click Open.
Selecting audio notes
Audio notes themselves cannot be selected. Instead, you select the entity that corre-
sponds to the desired audio note.
An audio note icon displays on entities that have attached audio notes. The icon is for
display only and cannot be selected.
626 C H A P T E R 2 0

To select audio notes
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Audio Note.
Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity that is attached to the desired audio note, and then press Enter.
You cannot select the audio note icon that displays on the entity.
3 Choose an option to continue working with audio notes.
TIP You can change the appearance of audio note icons using the AUDIOICON,
AUDIOICONCOLOR, and AUDIOICONSCALE system variables.
Playing audio notes
To play audio notes
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Audio Note.
Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity that has the audio note you want to play, and then press Enter.
3 Choose Playback.
4 In the Playback dialog box, do the following:
Click Play to begin playback.
To pause the audio note temporarily, click Pause and then click Resume to
continue.
Click Stop to end playback.
5 Click OK.
An audio note icon displays on an entity, signifying that an audio note
is attached to the entity.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 627
Deleting audio notes
You can remove audio notes from selected entities. In some cases, you may want to
remove extra audio notes to reduce the drawing file size.
NOTE When you remove an audio note from an entity, the audio note is removed
permanently and cannot be recovered. However, if the audio note was created using
an existing *.wav file, that *.wav file is not removed.
To delete audio notes
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Audio Note.
Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select entities that have the audio notes you want to delete, and then press Enter.
3 Choose Delete.
Using shape files
Shapes are objects that you define for use as drawing symbols and text fonts. You can
specify the scale and rotation to use for each shape as you add it.
To use shape files, you first load the compiled shape file that defines the shape. Then
you use insert shapes from the file into your drawing.
To load a shape file
1 Type load and then press Enter.
2 In the Load Shape File dialog box, select a shape file.
3 Click OK to close the Load Shape File dialog box.
To use a shape file
1 Type shape and then press Enter.
2 Choose the Shape-Object or press ? to list the available Shape-Objects.
3 Specify an insertion point.
4 Specify a height.
5 Specify a rotation angle.
628 C H A P T E R 2 0
Creating and replaying scripts
AViCAD can record anything you type on the keyboard and any points you select in
a drawing. You can save all of these actions to a script file (with the *.scr extension)
and then repeat them by replaying the script. You can use scripts for successively
repeating commands, showing snapshots in a slide show, or batch plotting. You can
also load and run script files created for use with AutoCAD.
AViCAD supports most AutoCAD customization files, including menus, script files,
and LISP routines. AViCAD uses compatible linetypes, hatch patterns, units transla-
tion, and command aliases, but you can also substitute your own files for these. This
feature allows you to continue to work with your favorite customized drafting envi-
ronment.
A script is a form of text file. A script file contains one line of text or other data for
each action. For example, when you type a command and press Enter, it is recorded
on a line in the script file. When you select a point in a drawing, the coordinate of that
point is recorded on a line in the script file. You can also create script files outside
AViCAD using a text editor (such as Microsoft Notepad or Microsoft WordPad) or a
word-processing program (such as Microsoft Word) that saves the file in ASCII for-
mat. The file type must be .scr.
Script files can contain comments. Any line that begins with a semicolon is consid-
ered a comment. The program ignores these lines when replaying the script. The
Undo feature reverses the last command performed by the script.
AViCAD improves on scripts, AutoLISP, and ADS by providing additional func-
tions. For scripts, AViCAD includes a Script Recorder that records both command
line entries and screen picks you make with your mouse.
After you activate the Script Recorder, every keyboard entry you make and any
points you select in a drawing are recorded until you stop the Script Recorder. You
can play back your script at any time.
CAUTION The Script Recorder does not record your use of toolbars, menus, or dia-
log boxes. Using these elements while recording a script causes unpredictable
results.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 629
To record a script
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Record Script.
Type recscript and then press Enter.
2 Specify the name of the script file you want to create.
3 Click Save.
4 Type commands on the keyboard.
The Script Recorder records all keyboard entries and all points you select in the
drawing, saving everything to the script file.
To stop recording
1 Type stopscript and then press Enter.
To replay a script
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Run Script.
Type script and then press Enter.
2 In the Run Script dialog box, specify the name of the script file you want to run.
3 Click Open.
The program immediately runs the script, performing all the actions originally
recorded.
To append to a script
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Record Script.
Type recscript and then press Enter.
2 In the Record Script dialog box, select the Append To Script check box.
3 Select the existing script file to append.
4 Click Save.
5 Click Yes to the prompt asking whether you want to replace the existing script.
6 Repeat the procedure to enter additional commands and steps.
NOTE To invoke a script automatically when you load AViCAD, in Windows
Explorer, double-click a script file.
630 C H A P T E R 2 0
Programming AViCAD
Another way you can customize AViCAD is to add custom programs written in any
of several programming languages that run within AViCAD, including the following:
LISP
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
ADS
DIESEL
In AViCAD, you can run many programs originally created for use with AutoCAD.
Specifically, you can use programs written entirely in AutoLISP with no modifica-
tion. In addition, you can run many ADS programs originally written for use with
AutoCAD after first recompiling them using the AViCAD run-time libraries. Many
AutoCAD third-party programs are compatible with AViCAD.
NOTE Creating custom programs for use with AViCAD is beyond the scope of this
manual. For information about programming for AViCAD, see the online Help for
the AViCAD Developers Reference.
Using LISP routines
AViCAD supports the LISP programming language and is compatible with
AutoLISP, the implementation of the LISP language in AutoCAD. This means that
you can load and run any AutoLISP program written for use with AutoCAD.
To load a LISP routine
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Load LISP or SDS Application.
Type appload and then press Enter.
Drag and drop the LISP file into AViCAD.
2 In the Load Application Files dialog box, click Add File.
3 Select the LISP file that you want to load, and then click Open.
4 Click OK.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 631

NOTE You can also load a LISP routine by typing (load d:/path/routine.lsp) in the
command bar (you must include the parentheses and the quotation marks), where d:/
path is the drive and path where the LISP routine is located on your computer, and
routine.lsp is the LISP routine file name.
To run a LISP routine
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Load LISP or SDS Application.
Type appload and then press Enter.
2 In the Load Application Files dialog box, choose the routine you want to run
(make sure that it is the only one selected), and then click Load.
Some LISP routines are created in such a way that you can run them by simply typing
the name of the routine, or by typing a keyword, directly in the command bar. If noth-
ing happens when you attempt to run the LISP routine from within the Load Applica-
tion Files dialog box, turn on the display of the command bar or Prompt History
window by choosing View > Command Bar or View > Prompt History Window, and
look for an entry that is similar to the following:
Loading D:\path\routine.lsp
C:KEYWORD
A Lists the names of LISP and SDS files already
loaded.
B Click to add a LISP or SDS file.
C Click to remove the highlighted file.
D Click to load the highlighted file.
E Click to unload the highlighted file.
F Select to save the current list to the icadload.dfs
file when you click Load, Unload, or OK.
A
B
C D
E
F
632 C H A P T E R 2 0
where D:\path\routine.lsp is the complete drive, path, and file name of the LISP rou-
tine. You may need to scroll back several lines in the command bar or Prompt History
window to find the lines indicating where the LISP routine was loaded. You can run
the LISP routine by typing the name of the routine or keyword appearing after the C
drive designation.
For example, if you loaded a LISP routine named drawbox.lsp and see the designa-
tion C:DRAWBOX in the command bar or Prompt History window, you can run the
LISP routine by typing drawbox in the command bar.
Using ADS applications
To write AutoCAD applications in C or C++, Autodesk uses the ADS (AutoCAD
Development System). This is an API (applications programming interface) that pro-
vides a library to access AutoCAD-specific functions and drawing data.
The equivalent in AViCAD is called SDS, the Solutions Development System.
SDS is a C/C++ language interface compatible with the ADS interface in AutoCAD.
Like scripts and AutoLISP, you can run your existing ADS applications in AViCAD.
Simply recompile the source code using the SDS libraries provided on the AViCAD
CD-ROM, or, if you use an AutoCAD program written by a third-party vendor,
contact that vendor for the AViCAD version.
AViCAD provides the Sds.H file, which redefines ADS function names to their SDS
equivalents. SDS supports the AutoCAD dialog control language (DCL), which is
used by ADS to define the look of a dialog box. You can use all DCL files unmodi-
fied within SDS.
Understanding ADS compatibility
The primary difference between ADS and SDS is that all SDS functions have an sds_
prefix, and ADS functions have a variety of prefixes, such as ads_, acad_, and acrx_.
The exception is dialog-related SDS functions, which have a dlg_ prefix. AViCAD
accepts either prefix. Other differences include the additional SDS functions listed in
the following table.
SDS functions with no ADS equivalent
SDS function name Description
sds_grclear Clears all graphics from the drawing window; similar to the LISP
(grclear) function.
sds_name_clear Clears the entity name or selection set.
sds_name_equal Verifies whether two entity names or selection sets are equal.
sds_name_nil Verifies whether the entity name or selection set has been
cleared.
sds_name_set Copies one entity name or selection set to another drawing.
sds_pmtssget Similar to the ads_ssget function, but allows you to display a
prompt appropriate for the specific command, rather than the
generic Select object prompt.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 633
Some ADS functions are not supported in SDS, including: ads__msize, ads_ssgetx,
ads _s s namex, ads _t abl et , ads _s s Get Kwor dCal l backPt r ,
ads_ssGetOtherCallbackPtr, and adsw_acadDocWnd.
For more information
Read the online documentation for SDS functions.
See the \AViCAD ...\Api\Sds folder, which contains the SDS include, header, and
library files.
See the \AViCAD ...\Api\Dcl folder, which contains the core DCL files.
Using DCL with AViCAD
AViCAD completely supports the AutoCAD DCL (dialog control language). DCL is
used by AutoLISP functions to define the look of dialog boxes. You can use all DCL
files unmodified within AViCAD.
Using VBA
AViCAD can be customized using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) through an
integrated interface, available from the AViCAD menu. AViCAD features a broad
range of objects, giving you the power to write your own custom applications that can
run within AViCAD.
To run a VBA macro
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Macro > Macros.
Type vbarun and then press Enter.
2 In the Run AViCAD VBA Macro dialog box, enter the name of an existing VBA
macro, and then click Run.
You can also create, delete, and edit VBA macros from this dialog box.
sds_point_set Copies a point from one variable to another.
sds_progresspercent Displays the percentage done in a progress bar.
sds_progressstart Starts the progress bar.
sds_progressstop Ends the progress bar.
sds_readaliasfile Loads the PGP file into AViCAD.
sds_sendmessage Sends a message to the AViCAD command line.
sds_swapscreen Flips the off-screen device context to the display.
SDS functions with no ADS equivalent
SDS function name Description
634 C H A P T E R 2 0
To edit a VBA macro
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Macro > Visual Basic Editor.
Type vba and then press Enter.
2 Use the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor to write or debug VBA macros.
For more information
Read the online documentation for VBA, available both from the VBA Editor
Help and from the AViCAD Help.
Many publications are available that explain how to program in Visual Basic and
how to use VBA.
Using DIESEL with IntelliCAD
IntelliCAD supports AutoCAD DIESEL (Direct Interactively Evaluated String
Expression Language). DIESEL is a separate interpretive programming language that
allows you to customize the following:
Status bar
Menus
LISP functions
For more information
Read the online documentation for DIESEL, available from the IntelliCAD Help.
Several publications and tutorials are available online that explain how to use
DIESEL.
Using a digitizer tablet
AViCAD supports tablets compatible with the TabletWorks driver and has its own
tablet overlay. For instructions on installing the tablet driver and using the buttons on
your pointing device, refer to your hardware documentation.
Three options are available with the Tablet command:
Configure Maps the tablet overlay to the tablet itself. Configure the tablet if you
plan to select AViCAD tools from the tablet overlay.
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 635
Calibrate Maps points on the tablet, in absolute coordinates, to points on a draw-
ing. Calibrate the tablet if you intend to digitize points. This process is convenient
for tracing paper drawings.
Tablet ON/OFF Turns tablet calibration (digitizer mode) on and off. Use this to
switch between tool selection and digitizer input. To use the tablet for tool selec-
tion, tablet mode must be turned off.
Configuring the tablet
Before you begin to configure the tablet, slip the tablet overlay underneath the tab-
lets plastic cover, and align it in accordance with the directions for your tablet. If
your tablet does not have a plastic cover, align the overlay holes with the pegs on
your tablet.
AViCAD provides a default configuration for tablets measuring 12" by 12". If you
choose to accept the default, be sure to verify that the commands in the grid are acti-
vated correctly. If the default alignment does not work for your tablet, youll need to
begin the configuration process again and align the tablet yourself.
To configure the tablet for menu input
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Tablet > Configure.
Type tablet, choose Configure, and then press Enter.
2 In response to the prompt to align the tablet, do one of the following:
If your tablet is 12" by 12", choose No to accept the default alignment and
conclude the configuration process.
To align the tablet yourself, choose Yes, and then continue with step 3.
3 Click the tablet pointer on the upper left alignment point of the overlay ().
4 Click the tablet pointer on the lower left alignment point of the overlay ().
5 Click the tablet pointer on the lower right alignment point of the overlay ().
6 Click the tablet pointer on the lower left alignment point of the Workspace area of
the overlay ().
7 Click the tablet pointer on the upper right alignment of the Workspace area of the
overlay ().
636 C H A P T E R 2 0
To turn tablet mode on or off
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Tablet > Tablet On (or Tablet Off).
Type tablet, choose On or Off, and then press Enter.
Press the F4 key to toggle tablet mode on or off.
On the status bar, double-click TABLET to turn tablet mode on or off.
Calibrating the tablet
You must specify at least two points for tablet calibration. However, the more points
you specify, the more accurate the transformation between the tablet and the screen
points. Specifying additional points is particularly useful if you plan to trace a paper
drawing that is not orthogonal, such as an aerial photograph.
Understanding transformation types
Depending on the number of points specified, you have a choice of transformation
types to use, along with the type recommended for AViCAD.
Transformation refers to the calculation of the points on the screen that correspond to
points you digitize on the tablet.
Orthogonal Preserves all angles between lines, preserves all relative distances,
and, in general, preserves shapes. If you specify only two points, an orthogonal
transformation is automatically generated. The orthogonal transformation type
yields the most precise mapping between the digitized points on the tablet and the
corresponding points on the screen.
Click points in the order shown to configure your tablet for menu input.
5
1
2
4
3
C U S T O M I Z I N G A V I C A D 637
Affine Preserves parallel lines, but not necessarily the angles between intersect-
ing lines. If you specified three points, AViCAD can no longer represent this map-
ping as an exact orthogonal transformation. Therefore, you have a choice of an
exact affine transformation or a best fit orthogonal transformation.
Projective Does not preserve parallel lines or angles. If you specify exactly four
points, you have a choice of an exact projective transformation or a best fit
orthogonal or affine transformation.
Choose the recommended type unless you know it will not be appropriate for what
you are digitizing. The most appropriate type is not always the one with the least
error; for example, you might digitize three points and select the orthogonal transfor-
mation, even though the affine transformation would yield a closer representation of
your calibration entries.
Recommended and best fit transformation types
Number of points specified
Transformation type
recommended Best fit (approximate)
2 Orthogonal None
3 Affine Orthogonal
4 Projective Orthogonal, Affine
5-10 None Orthogonal, Affine
Digitizing by selecting points (1, 2, 3, and 4) on the tablet. Corresponding screen coordinates:
1 Coordinate specification X0, Y0, Z0
2 Coordinate specification X0, Y5, Z0
3 Coordinate specification X5, Y5, Z0
4 Coordinate specification X5, Y0, Z0
2
1
4
3
3
4
2
1
638 C H A P T E R 2 0
To calibrate your tablet for digitizing points
1 Do one of the following:
Choose Tools > Tablet > Calibrate.
Type tablet, choose Calibrate, and then press Enter.
2 Click a point on the tablet to define as the first calibration point.
3 Specify a point within the AViCAD drawing window to correspond to the point
you digitized on the tablet, or enter coordinate values in the command bar.
4 Click a point on the tablet to define as the second calibration point.
Specify a point within the AViCAD drawing window to correspond to the point
you digitized on the tablet, or enter coordinate values in the command bar. To
specify more than the two points required, click a point on the tablet to define as
the third calibration point. You can enter up to 10 points.
5 Choose the transformation type, and then press Enter.
Customizing the tablet interface
You can customize the digitizer tablet interface by using the LISP commands
integrated with AViCAD, even if you are not familiar with LISP. For instructions, see
Customizing the Tablet Interface in the AViCAD online Help.
Screen result of orthogonal transformation after
tracing polyline on tablet.
Screen result of affine transformation
after tracing polyline on tablet.
Screen result of projective transformation after
tracing polyline on tablet.
Appendix
Understanding AutoCAD compatibility
AViCAD was designed to interface with AutoCAD as seamlessly as possible.
There are, however, some differences for which those accustomed to working in
AutoCAD may need to adjust. This appendix provides information specifically for
that audience.
Topics in this chapter
Using enhanced AutoCAD commands in AViCAD ........................................... 640
Using additional selection sets ......................................................................... 641
Using additional AViCAD commands................................................................ 641
Recognizing subtle command differences........................................................ 644
Identifying what does not display...................................................................... 644
Supporting AutoCAD customization ................................................................. 645
Understanding menu compatibility.................................................................... 646
Importing and exporting customization files ..................................................... 647
Programming AViCAD...................................................................................... 647
AViCAD-AutoCAD list of terms ......................................................................... 649
640 A P P E N D I X
Using enhanced AutoCAD commands in AViCAD
AViCAD enhances several AutoCAD commands by providing more options. For
example, if you hold down the Shift key, AViCAD is placed temporarily in
orthogonal mode, which you will find to be a useful feature for drawing at right
angles. The following table lists examples of other commands with enhanced options.
Enhanced AViCAD commands
Command
Enhanced
option name Explanation
circle Arc Converts an arc to a circle.
donut 2point Determines the outside diameter of a donut by
two pick points.
donut 3point Determines the outside diameter of a donut by
three pick points.
donut RadTanTan Determines the outside diameter of a donut by
tangent points.
line Angle Types an angle, followed by a length.
line Length Types a length, followed by an angle.
msnapshot (mslide) and
vsnapshot (vslide)
EMF Saves and views screen images in enhanced
metafile format.
msnapshot (mslide) and
vsnapshot (vslide)
WMF Saves and views screen images in Windows
metafile format.
parallel (offset) Both sides Copies an entity parallel on both sides.
parallel (offset) Wrap Follows a complex polyline path.
plane (solid) Rectangle Draws a rectangular solid at any angle.
plane (solid) Square Draws a square solid at any angle.
plane (solid) Triangle Draws an equilateral solid at any angle.
rectangle Square Draws a square rectangle.
rectangle Rotated Draws a rotated rectangle.
U N D E R S T A N D I N G A U T O C A D C O M P A T I B I L I T Y 641
Using additional selection sets
AViCAD has additional selection-set options not found in AutoCAD. In particular, in
the circle selection set, the Crossing Circle (CC), Outside Circle (OC), and Window
Circle (WC) options select all entities relative to the same distance (radius) of a
central pick point.
The following table lists and describes the additional selection sets in AViCAD.
Using additional AViCAD commands
Although you can use the AutoCAD command structure with AViCAD, the program
has its own set of commands. AViCAD has numerous command names not found in
AutoCAD, although many of these commands have an equivalent function in
AutoCAD. When you type the AutoCAD equivalent, the AViCAD alias system
activates the correct command.
The following table lists optional AViCAD command names that you can use in
place of AutoCAD command names to perform the equivalent AutoCAD function.
Additional selection set options
Selection mode Description
CC Crossing Circle: Selects all entities within and crossing a circular area.
D Selection method: Displays the Drawing Settings dialog box.
O Outside Window: Selects all entities outside a rectangular area; this is the
inverse of the Crossing Circle option.
OC Outside Circle: Selects all entities outside a circular area.
OP Outside Polygon: Selects all entities outside a polygonal area; this is the
inverse of the CP (Crossing Polygon) and WP (Window Polygon) options.
PRO Properties: Selects all entities with specific properties, such as area, color,
and layer.
WC Window Circle: Selects all entities within a circular area.
Command differences in AViCAD
AViCAD command AutoCAD 2008 command AutoCAD 2000/R14 command Action in AViCAD
audionote No equivalent No equivalent Creates and plays audio notes attached to
entities.
cmdbar No equivalent No equivalent Positions the command window.
coordinate Ctrl+D or F6 Ctrl+D or F6 Changes the display of coordinates on the
status line.
copyedata No equivalent No equivalent Copies extended entity data from one
entity to another.
642 A P P E N D I X
customize toolbar toolbar Displays the Customize dialog box.
deledata No equivalent No equivalent Deletes extended entity data from an
entity.
delete erase erase Removes entities from the drawing.
dimension dim dim Switches to dimension mode.
editedata No equivalent No equivalent Edits extended entity data found in an
entity.
editlen lengthen lengthen Changes the length of open entities.
editpline pedit pedit Edits polylines and polymeshes.
entprop ddmodify and ddchprop ddmodify and ddchprop Displays the Entity Properties dialog box.
esnap -osnap -osnap Sets entity snaps from the command line.
expblocks ddinsert ddinsert Displays the AViCAD Explorer - Blocks.
expdimstyles ddim ddim Displays the AViCAD Explorer -
Dimension Styles.
expfonts style ddstyle Displays the AViCAD Explorer - Styles.
explayers layer layer Displays the AViCAD Explorer - Layers.
expltypes linetype linetype Displays the AViCAD Explorer - Linetypes.
expucs dducs dducs Displays the AViCAD Explorer - UCS.
expviews ddview ddview Displays the AViCAD Explorer - Views.
face 3dface 3dface Draws three-dimensional faces with three
or four vertices.
flatten No equivalent No equivalent Sets thickness to zero at user-specified
elevation.
font -style -style Displays the Text Style dialog box.
freehand sketch sketch Allows freehand sketching.
infline xline xline Draws a line of infinite length.
mesh 3dmesh 3dmesh Draws a surface mesh.
moveedata No equivalent No equivalent Moves extended entity data from one
entity to another.
msnapshot mslide mslide Makes an SLD, EMF, or WMF file of the
current view.
orthogonal ortho ortho Toggles orthogonal mode.
parallel offset offset Copies an entity by a parallel offset
distance.
plane solid solid Draws a two-dimensional solid plane.
pmthist F2 F2 Switches between the Prompt History
window and the graphics screen.
polyline pline pline Draws a polyline.
Command differences in AViCAD
AViCAD command AutoCAD 2008 command AutoCAD 2000/R14 command Action in AViCAD
U N D E R S T A N D I N G A U T O C A D C O M P A T I B I L I T Y 643
ppreview preview preview Previews the plot.
print plot plot Prints the drawing.
printstyle plotstyle printstyle (not applicable before
AutoCAD 2000)
Assign a print style.
psetup No equivalent No equivalent Displays the Print Setup dialog box.
qprint No equivalent No equivalent Quickly prints the current viewport
(window) with no options.
reassocapp No equivalent No equivalent Reassociates extended entity data with an
application.
recscript No equivalent No equivalent Starts the Script Recorder.
rtrot 3dorbit No equivalent Rotates the view of entities.
rtrotx No equivalent No equivalent Rotates the view of entities while
maintaining the x-axis.
rtroty No equivalent No equivalent Rotates the view of entities while
maintaining the y-axis.
rtrotz No equivalent No equivalent Rotates the view of entities while
maintaining the z-axis.
saveall No equivalent No equivalent Saves all currently open drawings.
setcolor ddcolor ddcolor Displays the Color dialog box.
setdim ddim ddim Displays the Dimension Settings dialog
box.
setesnap osnap osnap Displays the Drawing Settings dialog box
with the Coordinate Input tab displayed.
setlayer ai_molc ai_molc Sets the current layer based on the
selected entitys layer.
settings No equivalent No equivalent Displays the Drawing Settings dialog box.
setucs dducs dducs Displays the User Coordinate Systems
dialog box.
setvpoint No equivalent No equivalent Displays the Preset Viewpoints dialog box.
stopscript No equivalent No equivalent Stops running the script.
tipofday No equivalent No equivalent Displays the Tip of the Day.
undelete oops oops Restores the last deleted entity.
vba vbaide vbaide Opens the Microsoft Visual Basic
Applications editor.
vbarun vbarun vbarun Runs a VBA application.
Command differences in AViCAD
AViCAD command AutoCAD 2008 command AutoCAD 2000/R14 command Action in AViCAD
644 A P P E N D I X
Recognizing subtle command differences
The commands listed in the following table function slightly differently in AViCAD
than in AutoCAD.
Identifying what does not display
When a drawing containing AutoCAD entities that will not display it is loaded into
AViCAD, the program displays the following message: This drawing contains one
or more entities that will not display. These entities WILL be stored and saved back
into the drawing.
The following table identifies which AutoCAD objects are not displayed in
AViCAD.
viewctl ddvpoint ddvpoint Sets the three-dimensional viewing
direction via an interactive dialog box.
viewpoint vpoint vpoint Sets the three-dimensional viewing
direction via the command line.
vsnapshot vslide vslide Displays an SLD, EMF, or WMF file in the
current viewport.
Command differences in AViCAD
AViCAD command AutoCAD 2008 command AutoCAD 2000/R14 command Action in AViCAD
Command function differences
AViCAD
command
AutoCAD
command Function in AViCAD
cal cal Displays the Windows calculator.
pan -pan Performs a vector pan instead of a real-time pan.
zoom -zoom Performs a stepped zoom instead of a real-time zoom.
AutoCAD objects not displayed in AViCAD
AutoCAD object Description
Arc aligned text Text that is aligned along the curve of an arc.
Camera Point at which a camera is inserted into a drawing.
Light Point at which a light is inserted into a drawing.
Read text Dynamically linked text that displays in a drawing but resides in an
external file.
Tables Tables display as anonymous blocks but cannot be edited.
U N D E R S T A N D I N G A U T O C A D C O M P A T I B I L I T Y 645
Moreover you can choose:
View the proxy entities without editing them
Convert them in blocks
Convert only the proxy entities text
Supporting AutoCAD customization
The following table lists and describes the ways AViCAD supports the AutoCAD
customization files.
AViCAD support of AutoCAD customization files
File extension Description
LIN Supported: Linetypes and complex linetypes with text and shapes.
MNU and MNS Supported: Toolbar and menu macros.
Supported: ***POP0, ***POPn, and ***TOOLBAR sections.
Not supported: ***TABLET, ***BUTTONS, ***SCREEN, ***AUX, and ***ICON
sections.
MIN Not supported: The multiline definition file is used by the AutoCAD mline
command.
PAT Supported: Hatch patterns.
PGP Supported: Command aliases.
Not supported: External commands.
PSF Not supported: PostScript fill pattern file is used by the AutoCAD psfill
command.
646 A P P E N D I X
Understanding menu compatibility
MNU files are menu files created by all AutoCAD releases, and MNS files are
included in AutoCAD Releases 13, 14, and 2000. AViCAD reads both file formats,
even when menu macros include AutoLISP code. This feature allows you to continue
using your existing AutoCAD menus.
SHP and SHX Supported: Text fonts and shapes.
SLD Supported: Slide files.
UNT Supported: Unit translation file used by the LISP (cvunit) and SDS sds_cvunit
functions to translate values from one unit of measurement to another.
AViCAD support of AutoCAD customization files
File extension Description
AViCAD support of specific sections in AutoCAD MNU and MNS files
Menu section Definition AViCAD support
***POP0 Cursor menu Supported
***POPn Pull-down menus Supported
***AUXn Auxiliary menus Not supported
***BUTTONn Button menus Not supported
***ICON Icon menus Not supported
***SCREEN Screen menus Not supported
***TABLETn Tablet menus Not supported
U N D E R S T A N D I N G A U T O C A D C O M P A T I B I L I T Y 647
Importing and exporting customization files
You can continue using aliases and menu files from AutoCAD by importing the
appropriate file. You can import AutoCAD customization files and export AViCAD
formats using the Customize dialog box. All of the files listed in the following table
are in ASCII format, which means you can view and edit them with a text editor, such
as Notepad.
NOTE You can manually add toolbar customizations to a MNU file, see Chapter 20,
Customizing toolbars. for more information.
Programming AViCAD
AViCAD supports more AutoCAD application programming interfaces (APIs) than
any other software, but not all of the AutoCAD APIs are available in AViCAD. The
following table summarizes the AutoCAD APIs AViCAD supports.
Customizing files
Customization Import file formats Export file formats
Aliases PGP: AutoCAD aliases
ICA: AViCAD aliases
PGP: AutoCAD aliases
Keyboard ICK: AViCAD keyboard ICK: AViCAD keyboard
Menus MNU: All AutoCAD menus
MNS: AutoCAD R13, R14 and 2000
menus
ICM: AViCAD menu
ICM: AViCAD menu
Toolbars MNU: All AutoCAD menus None
AViCAD support of the AutoCAD programming interface
AutoCAD programming interface AViCAD support
Scripts (SCR files) Supported
AutoLISP (LSP files) Supported
Dialog Control Language (DCL files) Supported
AutoCAD Development System (ADS) Supported; source code must be
recompiled
Visual Basic Applications (VBA) Supported, depending on your version
of AViCAD
Direct Interactively Evaluated String Expression
Language (Diesel)
Supported
648 A P P E N D I X
Understanding AutoLISP compatibility
AViCAD adds LISP functionality that you will find useful. The following table lists
functions that are unique to AViCAD LISP.
Not all AViCAD LISP functions are completely compatible with AutoLISP
functions. The following table identifies AViCAD LISP functions that are partially
compatible with AutoLISP functions.
AutoCAD SQL Interface (ASI) Not supported
Autodesk Threaded Language Application System Toolkit
(Atlast)
Not needed
AutoCAD Runtime Extension (ARx) Not supported
Additional AViCAD LISP functions
Unique LISP function Definition
(log10) Returns log base 10.
(lpad) Pads a text string with spaces to the left.
(rpad) Pads a text string with spaces to the right.
(tan) Returns the tangent.
(trim) Trims spaces from a string.
Partially compatible LISP functions
LISP function Description
(menucmd) Supports P0 (cursor menu) and P1 through P16 (the pull-down
menus) and M (diesel expressions), but does not support A (aux
menus), B (button menus), I (icon menus), M (diesel expressions), S
(screen menu), or T (tablet menus).
(osnap) Supports an additional entity snap, pla, for planview (two-dimensional
intersection).
(print1) Does not support Unicode characters, such as \U+00B0 (the degree
symbol) and M+Nxxxx (multibyte Unicode sequences).
(ssget) and (ssadd) Supports additional selection modes:
CC = Crossing Circle
O = Outside
OC = Outside Circle
OP = Outside Polygon
PO = POint
AViCAD support of the AutoCAD programming interface
AutoCAD programming interface AViCAD support
U N D E R S T A N D I N G A U T O C A D C O M P A T I B I L I T Y 649
AViCAD-AutoCAD list of terms
List of terms
AViCAD term Meaning for AutoCAD users
command bar command prompt area
edit length lengthen
entity object
entity snap object snap
entity snap precision aperture
fixed attribute constant attribute
follow continue
freehand sketch
hidden attribute invisible attribute
infinite line XLine
insert draw
orthogonal ortho
parallel offset
plane solid (2D)
predefined attribute preset attribute
print plot
print style plot style
prompt box context menu
Prompt History window text screen
reference grid grid
point snap node snap
snapshot slide (SLD)
validate attribute verify attribute
650 A P P E N D I X
Glossary
2D Two-dimensional locations defined by x- and y-coordinates.
3D Three-dimensional locations defined by x-, y-, and z-coordinates.
3D DWF Acronym for Three-Dimensional Design Web Format, which is a type of
file that can be viewed in three dimensions using a Web browser, if Autodesk DWF
Viewer is also installed on the computer.
3D solids Three-dimensional ACIS entity.
absolute coordinates Coordinates defined in relation to the origin point of the current
user coordinate system. See also coordinate system, coordinates, origin, relative
coordinates, user coordinate system, and World Coordinate System.
ActiveX A mechanism for exchanging information between different programs
whereby a copy of a source document is embedded or a pointer to a source document
is linked to a target document. See also embed and link.
acute angles Angles of fewer than 90 degrees.
alias An abbreviation or alternative word for an AViCAD

command.
aligned dimension A dimension aligned parallel to an entity or measuring the distance
between two points at any angle.
angle The difference in direction between two nonparallel linear entities, measured in
degrees or radians.
angular dimension A dimension measuring the angle between two lines or subtended
by an arc.
angular unit The unit of measurement for angles. Angular units can be measured in
decimal degrees, degrees/minutes/seconds, grads, and radians.
annotation Any text, dimensions, tolerances, or notes added to a drawing.
ANSI Acronym for American National Standards Institute. In the context of text, a
standard character set defined by ANSI used in computer-aided drafting.
arc A segment of a circle or ellipse.
area Measurement of a planar region or the calculated space within an entity.
array Multiple copies of selected entities in a circular or rectangular pattern.
652 G L O S S A R Y
ASCII Acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a com-
monly used system for assigning numbers to printable alphanumeric characters,
punctuation, and symbols.
attribute A component of a block containing specific text or numeric information.
You can copy the information contained in an attribute from the drawing to an exter-
nal database.
attribute definition An entity composed of a name, prompt for information, display
characteristics, and default text that, when incorporated into a block, creates an
attribute when the block is inserted into a drawing.
attribute name Text that identifies an attribute within a block.
attribute text The text containing an attributes information within a block.
B-spline curve See spline.
base point A point on an entity that serves as its reference or insertion point. A point
of reference when specifying relative distances.
baseline The line on which text characters appear to sit. The descenders of individual
characters drop below the baseline.
baseline dimension Multiple parallel dimensions measured from the same baseline
origin.
bind To convert an externally referenced drawing into a standard block definition.
blips Temporary screen markers displayed in a drawing when you select a point.
Also called marker blips.
block One or more entities grouped together to create a single entity. See also nested
block.
block definition The name, base point, and entities grouped together when creating a
block.
boundary polyline A selected area bounded by a single closed entity or by multiple
entities that intersect.
BYBLOCK A property whereby an entity inherits the color or linetype of any block
that contains it.
BYLAYER A property whereby an entity inherits the color or linetype of its associated
layer.
CAD Acronym for computer-aided design.
Cartesian coordinates Coordinates defined using three perpendicular axes (x, y, and
z) to define locations in three-dimensional space. See also cylindrical coordinates,
polar coordinates, and spherical coordinates.
center line A line used to indicate the center of a circle or an arc, usually consisting of
a center mark and lines extending slightly beyond the diameter of the circle or the arc.
653
center mark A cross marking the center of a circle or an arc.
chamfer A beveled edge between two lines.
chord A line connecting two points on a circle or an arc.
circumference The measurement of the distance around a circle.
closed A condition whereby the start point and endpoint of an entity are the same.
comma-delimited Data that is separated by a comma to represent the end of a field.
command bar A dockable window in which you type AViCAD commands and view
prompts and other program messages.
cone A three-dimensional entity where a vertex exists above or below the circular
shape and where a surface has been applied between the vertex and the circular shape.
contiguous Connected, unbroken, or uninterrupted. Entities that share the same end-
point.
continued dimension A dimension measured from the previous extension line of an
existing dimension, resulting in two or more dimensions positioned end to end.
control point A point used to define a spline.
Coons patch A surface interpolated among three or four boundary curves.
coordinate filter A function that extracts individual x-, y-, and z-coordinate values
from different points to create a new composite point.
coordinate system A system of points that represents the drawing space in relation to
an origin (0,0,0) and a set of axes that intersect at the origin. In two dimensions, the x-
and y-axes represent horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. In three dimen-
sions, the z-axis represents locations above and below the two-dimensional xy plane.
Locations in the drawing can be represented using two-dimensional and three-dimen-
sional rectangular (Cartesian) coordinates, two-dimensional polar coordinates, three-
dimensional polar (cylindrical) coordinates, and three-dimensional spherical coordi-
nates. See also polar coordinates, relative coordinates, spherical coordinates,
user coordinate system, and World Coordinate System.
coordinates A set of values that determines a location in two-dimensional or three-
dimensional space. See also absolute coordinates, Cartesian coordinates, polar
coordinates, relative coordinates, and spherical coordinates.
coplanar Lying within the same plane.
crosshairs A cursor that consists of two or three lines that intersect at the cursor loca-
tion.
crosshatch To fill an area with a pattern of evenly spaced perpendicular lines. See
also hatch.
crossing circle An entity-selection method that selects entities contained within or
crossing the boundary of a circular selection window.
654 G L O S S A R Y
crossing polygon An entity-selection method that selects entities contained within or
crossing the boundary of a polygon selection window.
crossing window An entity-selection method that selects entities contained within or
crossing the boundary of a rectangular selection window.
cube A boxed, three-dimensional, geometric shape where length, width, and height
are equal.
cursor The insertion-point symbol on the screen. The appearance of the cursor
changes based on the current task.
curve A smooth, continuous path made up of linear and arc segments. Curve types
include arcs, splines, circles, and ellipses.
cylindrical coordinates Coordinates describing a point in three-dimensional space
based on its distance from the origin, its angle in the xy plane, and its z-coordinate
value. See also polar coordinates and spherical coordinates.
datum-line dimensioning See ordinate dimension.
default An initial or predefined setting.
detach To remove an external reference from a drawing. See also external refer-
ence. diameter The distance across a circle or sphere.
digitizer tablet A hardware input device that incorporates an electronic pad and a
hand-held pointer similar to a mouse. A digitizer tablet serves two purposes: (1) You
can select tools from paper representations attached to the pad (called an overlay),
providing access to all tools at once while freeing your screen space; and (2) you can
input digital points into the computer that correspond to points on a paper drawing,
photograph, or blueprint attached to the pad.
dimension A measurement, as in height or width. In the context of drafting, a set of
lines, arrowheads, and text used to indicate a measurement.
dimension style A named group of dimension variable settings that determines the
appearance of the dimension. You can save multiple dimension styles for reuse.
dimension text The measurement value. Dimension text can include prefixes, suf-
fixes, tolerances, and other annotations.
dimension text rotation The angle in degrees between the x-axis and the dimen-sion
text baseline.
dimension tolerance A value specifying the allowed variation of a dimension (+ or
n).
dish The lower half of a sphere. See also dome.
displacement point The point to which a base, or reference, point will be relocated
when moving or copying entities.
distance The measure of space between two points.
655
dock To position a toolbar or the command bar at the edge of the drawing window,
where it locks into place. See also float.
dome The upper half of a sphere. See also dish.
donut A filled circle or flat ring created as a polyline.
drawing extents See extents.
drawing limits See limits.
drawing unit The linear measurement system used in a drawing. The user determines
what a drawing unit represents, such as one inch, one centimeter, one foot, or one
meter.
.dwg A standard format used by CAD programs to store drawing files.
DXF Acronym for Drawing Exchange Format, a standard ASCII or binary file format
for importing and exporting files between most CAD programs.
elevation The z value measured from the xy plane. Positive values are above the xy
plane; negative values are below the xy plane.
embed A technique for exchanging information between different programs whereby
a copy of the source document is stored in the target document. See also ActiveX and
link.
EMF Acronym for Enhanced Metafile, a file format with the type and extension of
.emf. It is a native internal file format of Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows
NT. EMF supports both raster and vector information and 24-bit RGB color. Most
Windows-based programs support this format.
endpoint The point at which a line or curve ends.
entity Any single basic item in a drawing. Entities include arcs, attributes, blocks, cir-
cles, dimensions, ellipses, elliptical arcs, infinite lines, lines, polylines, rays, and text.
entity data Any of a variety of additional information, such as text, numbers, and dis-
tances, that can be attached to drawing entities.
entity snap A technique for accurately locating and specifying key geometric points
on entities, such as endpoints and midpoints of lines, and center points and tangents
of arcs and circles.
entity snap override To disable or change an entity snap mode for a single input. See
also entity snap and running entity snap.
Esnap See entity snap.
explode The conversion of a complex entity into its basic entities.
extension lines Lines extending away from an entity being dimensioned so that you
can place the dimension line away from the entity. Also called projection lines.
extents The smallest rectangle that can contain all the entities in a drawing. Infinite
lines and rays do not affect a drawings extents. See also limits.
656 G L O S S A R Y
external reference A drawing that is linked to another drawing.
extrude The process of converting a two-dimensional entity into a three-dimensional
entity by stretching (extruding) the two-dimensional entity along a straight path.
Changing the thickness of a two-dimensional entity effectively extrudes it along its z-
axis. See also tabulated surface.
face A planar surface defined by three or four points.
fence An entity-selection method that selects entities crossing a multisegmented line.
fillet An arc that smoothly connects the end of one line to another.
float To position a toolbar or the command bar away from the edges of the drawing
window where it can be moved independently. See also dock.
freeze To suppress the display of, and ignore the entities on, a specified layer when
regenerating a drawing, thus accelerating the display of the drawing. See also thaw.
grid An adjustable, regularly spaced pattern of dots on the screen, used as an aid in
drawing and aligning entities. The grid is not plotted.
grip A small square displayed at key positions on an entity when the entity is selected
that can be used to modify the entity by clicking and dragging.
halfwidth The distance from the center of a wide polyline to its edge.
hatch To fill a selected area either with lines, crosshatching, or a hatch pattern. See
also crosshatch.
hatch pattern A pattern, often representing a material such as steel, wood, or sand, for
filling selected areas.
hidden-line removal A visualization technique in which all lines that are hidden
behind other entities or surfaces from your viewpoint are clipped or removed, giving
the image the appearance of a solid object.
horizontal dimension A linear dimension measuring a horizontal distance.
infinite line A line extending infinitely in both directions.
insertion point The point where you place an entity into a particular space. A refer-
ence point by which an entity is inserted in a drawing.
intersection The point where two entities meet or cross.
isometric drawing A drawing aligned with an isometric plane.
isometric plane One of three planes representing the left, right, or top sides of an
implied three-dimensional, orthogonal entity. Snap and grid points are aligned with
the plane to constrain drawings.
layer The computer equivalent of overlays used in manual drafting. A tool by which
drawing components can be organized into related sets, such as plumbing, framing,
and electrical systems of a house, each being drawn on its own layer.
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leader A line leading from a feature of a drawing to an annotation.
limits The user-defined boundary of a drawing, defined by its lower left and upper
right corner coordinates. See also extents.
limits tolerance Dimension text in which the measured dimension is replaced by the
largest and smallest dimensions allowed, with the upper limit displayed above the
lower limit. See also tolerance and variance tolerance.
linetype The appearance of a line, defined as a solid (continuous) line or as a pattern
of dashes, dots, and blank spaces.
link A technique for exchanging information between different programs whereby
the target document maintains a pointer to the original source document. Any
changes to the source document are reflected in all target documents containing links
to the source. See also ActiveX and embed.
LISP Acronym for List Processing Language, a computer language invented in the
late 1950s by John McCarthy for use in artificial intelligence. Because it is inter-
preted rather than compiled, and is relatively straightforward, it is a convenient lan-
guage for users to write routines to extend the set of commands and functionality of
AViCAD.
lock Prevents unauthorized access to drawing layers.
M direction In a polygon mesh, the direction from the first to the second row. See also
N direction.
macro In menus and toolbars, several commands grouped together as one. Also
Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications code.
major axis The longest distance across an ellipse, from one end to the other. See also
minor axis.
marker blips Temporary screen markers displayed in a drawing when you select a
point. Also called blips.
MDI Acronym for multiple-document interface. See multiple-document interface.
mesh A set of connected polygon faces approximating a curved surface.
minor axis The shortest distance across an ellipse, from one side to the other. See also
major axis.
mirror To create a reverse-image copy of selected entities by reflecting the entities
symmetrically about a line or plane.
model space The primary drawing workspace in which you create entities. See also
paper space.
multiple-document interface The ability to view and work with different drawings
simultaneously.
N direction In a polygon mesh, the direction from the first to the second column. See
also M direction.
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named view A saved view that can be recalled at a later time by specifying its name.
nested block A block contained as part of the definition of another block. See also
block.
nonassociative hatch A hatch that is not associated with or linked to an entity.
oblique Geometric lines or planes that are not parallel or perpendicular.
offset See parallel.
OLE Acronym for Object Linking and Embedding. See ActiveX.
ordinate dimension A measurement of the horizontal (x-ordinate) or vertical (y-ordi-
nate) distance from an established reference base point or datum.
origin The intersection point of the coordinate system axes. In a Cartesian coordinate
system, the origin is the point at which the x-, y-, and z-axes intersect (the 0,0,0 coor-
dinate).
orthogonal Having perpendicular slopes or tangents at the point of intersection.
orthogonal mode (ortho) A drawing mode in which the entity creation is constrained
to parallel the horizontal and vertical axes relative to the current snap angle.
orthographic projection A drafting technique by which a three-dimensional item is
described in two dimensions by showing it from various directions, most commonly
front, top, and side views.
outside circle An entity-selection method that selects entities falling completely out-
side a circular selection window.
outside polygon An entity-selection method that selects entities falling completely
outside a polygon selection window.
outside window An entity-selection method that selects entities falling completely
outside a rectangular selection window.
pan To shift the displayed view of a drawing without changing the magnification.
See also zoom.
paper space A two-dimensional workspace analogous to a sheet of paper, in which
you can arrange different views of your drawing as floating model space viewports.
See also model space.
parallel Two or more coplanar lines that never intersect one another.
parallel dimension See baseline dimension.
PDF Acronym for Portable Document Format. PDF files can be viewed using
Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free software that users can download; they can
also be viewed, reviewed, and edited using Adobe Acrobat.
perimeter The distance around the boundary of an entity.
perpendicular Entities at right angles to one another.
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planar Entities whose extents are situated entirely within a plane.
plane Two-dimensional surface.
plan view A view of the drawing from above, looking down the z-axis perpendicular
to the xy plane of the current UCS.
point A location in space specified by its x-, y-, and z-coordinates. A drawing entity
consisting of a single x,y,z-coordinate location and represented by one of several
symbols.
point filter See coordinate filter.
polar array Multiple copies of selected entities in a circular pattern.
polar coordinates Coordinates describing a two-dimensional point on a two-dimen-
sional plane based on the points distance from the origin and its angle in the plane.
See also Cartesian coordinates, coordinates, cylindrical coordinates, relative
coordinates, and spherical coordinates.
polygon A closed single entity with three or more sides.
polyline A drawing entity composed of one or more connected line or arc segments
treated as a single entity.
projection lines See extension lines.
prompt box A list of options displayed when a command or tool provides several
choices.
Prompt History window A window containing a history of the most recent commands
and prompts issued since you started the current session of AViCAD.
quadrant One-fourth of a circle, arc, or ellipse entity. In the context of entity snaps,
the option that snaps to points on a circle, arc, or ellipse at each quadrant.
radial dimension A dimension that measures the radius of a circle or arc.
radian A unit of angular measurement; 360 degrees equals 6.283185 or 2pi radians.
radius The distance from the center of a circle or sphere to its periphery.
ray A line that starts at a designated point and runs infinitely.
ray tracing A visualization technique in which rays from imaginary light sources are
traced as they refract off the surfaces of a model, determining where shadows fall and
how reflections on shiny materials such as metal and glass appear.
rectangle A four-sided, closed entity whereby opposite sides are equal in length.
rectangular array Multiple copies of selected entities in a rectangular pattern consist-
ing of a specified number of columns and rows.
redo To reverse the effect of previous undo commands. See also undo.
redraw To quickly update or refresh the drawing screen display. See also regenerate.
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regenerate To update or refresh the drawing screen display by recalculating the draw-
ing from its database. See also redraw.
relative coordinates Coordinates expressed in relation to a previous coordinate. See
also absolute coordinates.
render A visualization technique in which all surfaces of a model are shaded as
though they were illuminated from an imaginary light source located behind you as
you face the screen. Rendered images are photo-realistic, having depth, shadow,
reflection, and texture.
revolve Creating a three-dimensional surface entity by rotating a two-dimensional
profile around an axis.
right-hand rule A visual aid for remembering the relative directions of the positive x-,
y-, and z-axes of a Cartesian coordinate system and the positive rotation direction
about an axis.
rotate To change the orientation of an entity, without modifying it, by repositioning it
equidistant from, but at a new angle with respect to, a point or axis.
rotation angle The angle by which an entity is displaced from its original location
when rotating it about a point or axis.
rubber-band line A ghosted image line that stretches dynamically on the screen with
the movement of the cursor. The line extends between a fixed point and the cursor
position to provide dynamic feedback.
ruled surface A three-dimensional polygon mesh that approximates a smooth surface
between two entities.
running entity snap Setting an entity snap so that it continues for subsequent selec-
tions. See also entity snap and entity snap override.
scale To resize an entity. To draw according to the proportions of an entity.
script A set of commands stored in an ASCII script file and replayed in sequence by
running the script.
SDS Acronym for Solutions Development System, a C programming interface for
developing specialized programs to run inside AViCAD.
segment Any part of an entity bounded by two points.
selection set One or more drawing entities selected on which one can operate as a sin-
gle unit.
shade To fill planar entities with solid colors for easier visualization.
snap angle The angle around which the snap grid is rotated.
snap grid An invisible grid that locks entity creation to a specified alignment and
snap increment when Snap is enabled.
snap resolution The spacing between points on the snap grid.
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snapshot A raster representation of the current view of ones drawing.
spherical coordinates Coordinates describing a point in three-dimensional space
based on its distance from the origin, its angle in the xy plane, and its angle up from
the xy plane. See also Cartesian coordinates, coordinates, cylindrical coordinates,
and polar coordinates.
spline A curve generated along the path of three or more control points. The curve
passes through the start point and endpoint, but does not necessarily pass through the
intermediate control points.
status bar The bar at the bottom of the AViCAD window that displays information
about the selected command or tool as well as the cursor coordinates, the name of the
current layer, mode settings, and other information about drawing settings.
surface model A three-dimensional model consisting of both edges and the surfaces
between those edges. See also wire-frame model.
surface of revolution A three-dimensional polygon mesh that approximates the sur-
face generated by rotating a two-dimensional profile around an axis.
system variable A setting or value that stores operating environment and command
information (such as the drawing limits or global linetype scale factor).
tabulated surface A three-dimensional polygon mesh that approximates the surface
generated by extruding a curve along a vector. See also extrude.
tangent A line that passes through a single point on a curve.
template A drawing with preset layers, linetypes, and other settings (and entities) that
can be used as the basis for creating a new drawing.
text style A named, saved collection of format settings that determines the appear-
ance of text.
thaw To redisplay a layer that was frozen. See also freeze.
thickness An entitys depth, as measured along its z-axis. The distance an entity is
extruded above or below its elevation. See also elevation and extrude.
through point In creating a parallel entity, a point through which the new entity
passes.
tolerance Dimension text indicating how much the actual dimension of a manufac-
tured component can vary from the specified dimension. See also limits tolerance
and variance tolerance.
tolerance command A command that creates a feature-control frame used in mechan-
ical geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.
toolbar A collection of tools arranged on a palette that can be moved and resized any-
where on the screen.
torus A donut-shaped, three-dimensional entity.
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transparent command A command started while another command is already active.
You can use a command transparently by preceding it with an apostrophe.
true color Colors defined using 24-bit color. There are more than 16 million true col-
ors from which you can choose.
UCS Acronym for user coordinate system. See user coordinate system.
UCS icon A user coordinate system icon that shows the orientation of the coordinate
axes, the location of the coordinate system origin, and the viewing direction relative
to the xy plane.
undo To reverse the effect of previous commands. See also redo.
unit See drawing unit.
unlock Free access to layers in a drawing that would be otherwise locked, thus pro-
hibiting them from being viewed or edited by another user.
user coordinate system A Cartesian coordinate system with origins and orientation
defined by the user. See also World Coordinate System.
variance tolerance Dimension text in which a plus/minus value is appended to the
specified dimension to indicate how much the actual dimension of a manufactured
component can vary from the specified dimension. See also limits tolerance and tol-
erance.
VBA Acronym for Visual Basic for Applications, a macro programming language
embedded in programs that allows the user to customize the program.
vector A means of describing a displacement using magnitude and orientation. For
example, you can create a line entity, or move an entity, by specifying an initial point,
a direction, and a distance.
vertex The point of intersection of the sides of an angle. The start points or endpoints
of a line or arc segment in a polyline.
vertical dimension A linear dimension measuring a vertical distance.
view A representation of a drawing or portion of a drawing from a specific viewpoint
in three-dimensional space.
viewpoint A location in three-dimensional space for viewing ones drafting.
viewport A window that displays all or a portion of a drawings model space. See also
model space and paper space.
viewport configuration A named arrangement of windows that can be saved and
restored.
WCS Acronym for World Coordinate System. See World Coordinate System.
wedge A three-dimensional entity that resembles a box divided along one side from
one corner to the opposite corner; for example, a doorstop or a ramp.
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window circle An entity-selection method that selects entities contained entirely
within a circular selection window.
window inside An entity-selection method that selects entities contained entirely
within a rectangular selection window.
window polygon An entity-selection method that selects entities contained entirely
within a polygon selection window.
wipeout An entity that displays with the current background color, so the details
behind it do not display or print.
wire-frame model A three-dimensional model consisting of lines and curves that
define the edges of a three-dimensional entity. See also surface model.
WMF Acronym for Windows metafile, a format containing vector and color informa-
tion to render entities.
workspace A space for representing and working with drawing information; types of
workspaces are model space and paper space.
World Coordinate System The fixed Cartesian coordinate system used as the basis for
defining other coordinate systems. See also user coordinate system.
xref See external reference.
zoom To increase or decrease the magnification of the display of a drawing. See also
pan.

664 G L O S S A R Y