This
software makes drawing with Autocad an enjoyable task! It extends capabilities of
Autocad resulting in significant time savings during the drawing process for
designers and engineers of any discipline. Techniques to save keystrokes for
Autocad’s most used editing commands are implemented.
The
code supplied includes
two-key commands (no
enter required) that let any key on the keyboard be the the second key that
executes a command. Also, you will be able to
assign
commands from within Autocad to function keys or number pad keys.
Tutorials accompanied by illustrations will help
you get a fast start.
Variables
for dimscale
‘ds’, distance ‘d’, degrees ‘a’, precision ‘pc’, linetype factor ‘ltf’, color
‘col’, block name ‘bname’, and scale factor ‘sf’ are used to expedite commands.
The user is introduced to a simple and
effective process of
drawing quickly and easily
with layers named 0 through 9.
Finding dimensions of like dimstyles and
finding text
of the same height is made possible
with ease and dramatic results on Autocad’s screen. You can pick text
parameters from existing text, and get scale factors from two
circles, two
lines,
two
text entities, or two
inserts. You can
copy
and paste text or attributes to text or attributes in an insert without a
dialog box. You may also
edit text or attributes
without a dialog box (for small edits).
The code includes commands for
exporting text, two
clipboards,
and simple math.
Pasteblock is a command that
pastes the clipboard contents as a block with a name provided by Autocad. We define the same command to insert the block and store the block’s name in a
variable ‘bname’. This variable is used in other commands like the command
reb to rename a block. Autocad’s block name can be renamed
easily to a friendlier one because you do not have to type its name. The name
appears as the default when you rename it with the command
reb. Also, the command
ii,
used to insert blocks may be used. Again, the variable ‘bname’ is the default
for inserting the block.
Autocad’s commands remain unchanged, except c:c the
Circle command has been replaced by the command
cr the new
Circle command, and the command ta the Tablet command has been replaced by the
command
tab the new Tablet command. We have
redefined Autocad’s copy command ‘c’ for circle to to the command
c for copy,
because while drawing, most of the time we copy many more times than do we draw
circles. Autocad’s command ta for tablet
is redefined to the command
ta to
type text again to new parameters.
Drawing quickly and easily with layers named 0 through
9: See:
Basic
Tutorial.
After
the code is loaded the command c:mla creates layers 1 through 9, each with
colors 1 through 9. c:12 is used to change entities to layer 1; c:23 changes
entities to layer 2 and so on till c:0- changes entities to layer 0. This makes
it easy to remember these commands. Type the layer number and the key next to
it on the right to change entities’ layers.
Setting
a layer current is done in a similar manner. c:21 sets the layer 1 current;
c:32 sets the layer 2 current and so on till c:-0 sets layer 0 current. Also
c:0 alone sets layer 0.
The following
additional commands are used for creating a drawing:
c:7 Turns all layers
on.
c:9 Turns all layers
off (except current layer).
c:8 Used to set a
layer current by picking an entity on that layer.
c:5 Erases entities
in repeating crossing window selections.
c:- Used to turn a
layer off by picking an entity on that layer.
c:= Keeps only layer
of entity picked on and rest off.
c:2 Used to type in a
layer name to a variable “lay” used in subsequent commands.
c:3 Used to change entities’
layer to the layer name stored in the variable “lay”.
c:-- Turns off layer
name in variable “lay”.
c:== Keeps only layer
in variable “lay” on, the rest off.
c:tl Changes
entities’ layers one at a time to layer name in variable ‘lay’.
c:tll Copies an
entity and changes it to layer name stored in “lay”.
c:ttl Copies entities
and changes new entities to layer in “lay”.
Note:
c:3 works with
repeating crossing windows. Use cancel to stop the command.
Initially the name in
“lay” is set to “0”.
c:8 also sets layer
variable “lay” to layer of entity picked. Using c:3 after c:8 changes entities
to that layer.
Use Autocad’s undo
command to undo after c:3 or c:5 with the sequence: Undo, enter, b (for back),
enter.
Start Autocad and
open
Tutorial.dwg. This drawing contains one line on each
of layers 0 through 9. The current layer is the layer named 4.
Setting Layers Current
Try the following
commands to set a layer to be the current layer.
|
To set layer 1
current |
To set layer 2
current |
To set layer 3
current |
To set layer 4
current |
To set layer 5
current |
|
Command:
21 + enter |
Command:
32 + enter |
Command:
43 + enter |
Command:
54 + enter |
Command:
65 + enter |
|
To set layer 6
current |
To set layer 7
current |
To set layer 8
current |
To set layer 9
current |
To set layer 0
current |
|
Command:
76 + enter |
Command:
87 + enter |
Command:
98 + enter |
Command:
09 + enter |
Command:
-0 + enter |
Changing entities’ layers
Use the following
commands to change entities’ layers.
|
To change to layer
1 |
To change to layer
2 |
To change to layer
3 |
To change to layer
4 |
To change to layer
5 |
|
Command:
12 + enter |
Command:
23 + enter |
Command: 34
+ enter |
Command:
45 + enter |
Command:
56 + enter |
|
To change to layer
6 |
To change to layer
7 |
To change to layer
8 |
To change to layer
9 |
To change to layer
0 |
|
Command:
67 + enter |
Command:
78 + enter |
Command:
89 + enter |
Command: 90
+ enter |
Command:
0- + enter |
Now, try the
following commands.
Turn all layers off except current layer
Command: 9
+ enter
Every layer gets
turned off.
Turn all layers on.
Command: 7
+ enter
Every layer gets
turned on.
Setting a layer current by picking an object
Command: 8
+ enter
At the prompt pick on
any object in the drawing to set its layer current.
Erase entities with repeating crossing window selections
Command: 5
+ enter
Make crossing window
selections to erase entities.
Turn a layer off by picking an entity on that layer
Command: -
+ enter
At the prompt pick on
an object to turn its layer off.
Keep one layer on by picking an entity on that layer
Command: =
+ enter
At the prompt pick on
an object to keep only its layer on. This sets that object’s layer current and
turns other layers off.
Changing the layer name variable ‘lay’
Command: 2
+ enter
At the prompt type in
a new name for the variable ‘lay’ and press enter.
Change entities’ layer to the layer name stored in the variable “lay”
Command: 3
+ enter
Select entities to
change to the layer ‘lay’ with crossing window selections.
Turn the layer ‘lay’ off
Command: --
+ enter
This turns the layer
with the name that is stored in the layer name variable ‘lay’ off. No pick is
required.
Keep only layer in variable “lay” on, the rest off
Command: ==
+ enter
This turns the layer
with the name that is stored in the layer name variable ‘lay’ off. No pick is
required.
Change entities’ layers one at a time to layer name in variable ‘lay’
Command: tl
+ enter
Pick objects one at a
time and their layer is changed to the layer in ‘lay’.
Copy an entity and change it to layer name stored in “lay”
Command:
tll + enter
Pick objects one a
time to copy them to the layer ‘lay.
Copy entities and change new entities to layer in “lay”
Command:
ttl + enter
At the prompt select
entities. This copies selected entities and changes their layer to layer ‘lay’.
This is done with the command
ggr that defines each subsequent key that you
press on the keyboard to a unique script file that you create or overwrite.
Each letter or number key followed by this command is assigned to run a script file.
We have defined script file names as follows: for letter or number keys use the
number 0 followed by the letter or number on the keyboard. For the letter ‘a’
the script file name is 0a.scr; for the number ‘1’ the script file name is
01.scr, and so on.
Note:
c:3 works with
repeating crossing windows. Use cancel to end the command.
Initially the name in
“lay” is set to “0”.
c:8 also sets layer
variable “lay” to layer of entity picked. Using c:3 after c:8 changes entities
to that layer.
Use Autocad’s undo
command to undo after c:3 or c:5 with the sequence: Undo, enter, b (for back),
enter.
Assigning commands from within Autocad
We do this by using script files. The command
w1 is used to create or to
overwrite an existing script file. The command
w2 allows you to write more than one line to the script file. The script
file may contain a single command or more than one command if Autocad permits
this. It may contain a command followed by options for that command. The script
gets executed when you enter its name at Autocad’s command prompt and press
enter.
Assigning a command to run with a single
key press
Use the link above to
see how to edit Autocad’s menu file acad.mnu.
After editing and
loading the menu the
available single keys that you can use to run a command are: Function keys F3
through F7, F9, F11, and F12, and Number pad keys 0 through 9. You
are now ready to create a script file.
Write one line of text to a script file.
The
names you may use for script files are listed here:
Script file
names.
A script file is a plain
text file with the extension .scr. It may be used to run one or more of
Autocad’s commands.
At the command promt
enter Autocad’s command ‘script’ and press enter. Now, at the prompt enter the
script file name you want to execute. Whatever is contained in the script file
gets executed. The script file may contain just one line of text or more. For
now, let us assume it has only one line of text which is an Autocad command.
You can create script
files from within Autocad with the command w1. This lets you specify the name
of the script file and what command it will contain.
Example: Assigning the function key F5 to execute the command
ggr.
At the
command prompt enter ‘w1’ and press enter. Now, enter 0f5 (that is the number
‘0’, the letter ‘f’, and the number ‘5’)
and press enter. This is the name of the script file you will be
creating. Next, enter ggr and press enter. This creates a script file named
0f5.scr on your hard drive which contains one line of text that reads ‘ggr’.
Now,
when you press the function key F5 it starts the command ggr.
Edit the accelerators
section in Autocad’s menu file acad.mnu.
First,
find ***ACCELERATORS in the file. Now, below the line [CONTROL+"L"]^O
add the following lines:
["F3"]^C^C(command
"script" "0F3")
["F4"]^C^C(command
"script" "0F4")
["F5"]^C^C(command
"script" "0F5")
["F6"]^C^C(command
"script" "0F6")
["F7"]^C^C(command
"script" "0F7")
["F9"]^C^C(command
"script" "0F9")
["F11"^C^C(command
"script" "0F11")
["F12"]^C^C(command
"script" "0F12")
["NUMPAD1"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\001")
["NUMPAD2"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\002")
["NUMPAD3"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\003")
["NUMPAD4"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\004")
["NUMPAD5"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\005")
["NUMPAD6"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\006")
["NUMPAD7"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\007")
["NUMPAD8"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\008")
["NUMPAD9"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\009")
["NUMPAD0"]^C^C(command
"script" "C:\\11\\000")
This defines these
keys to run script files that you create with the command w1.
Omit
any of these lines if you do not want to define a particular key. Load the menu
with Autocad’s menu command. You may also redefine the function key F1 by
including the line:
"[F1"]^C^C(command
"script" "0F1")
The
names of script files that may be used for function keys and number pad keys
are:
|
Funcion Key |
Script File Name (.scr) |
|
F3 |
0f3 |
|
F4 |
0f4 |
|
F5 |
0f5 |
|
F6 |
0f6 |
|
F7 |
0f7 |
|
F9 |
0f9 |
|
F11 |
0f11 |
|
F12 |
0f12 |
|
Number Pad Key |
Script File Name (.scr) |
|
0 |
000 |
|
1 |
001 |
|
2 |
002 |
|
3 |
003 |
|
4 |
004 |
|
5 |
005 |
|
6 |
006 |
|
7 |
007 |
|
8 |
008 |
|
9 |
009 |
Note:
These names were defined by editing Autocad’s menu file acad.mnu.
The
names of script files that may be used to run the
Two-key
command initiator are as follows:
|
Letter Key |
Script file |
Letter Key |
Script file |
Number Key |
Script file |
|
a |
0a |
N |
0n |
1 |
01 |
|
b |
0b |
O |
0o |
2 |
02 |
|
c |
0c |
P |
0p |
3 |
03 |
|
d |
0d |
Q |
0q |
4 |
04 |
|
e |
0e |
R |
0r |
5 |
05 |
|
f |
0f |
S |
0s |
6 |
06 |
|
g |
0g |
T |
0t |
7 |
07 |
|
h |
0h |
U |
0u |
8 |
08 |
|
i |
0i |
v |
0v |
9 |
09 |
|
j |
0j |
w |
0w |
0 |
00 |
|
k |
0k |
x |
0x |
|
|
|
l |
0l |
y |
0y |
|
|
|
m |
0m |
z |
0z |
|
|
Note:
These are keys on the keyboard. These names have been defined in the
two-key command initiator - ggr.
Align (move and rotate) several objects - ac
Aligning text horizontally, left justified - y6
Aligning text on top of a line – t6
Aligning text vertically, left justified – 6y
Aligning text with the end point of a line, left side –
r5
Aligning text with the end point of a line, right side
– r6
Breaking text at word number - bw
Centerline between two parallel lines - ccn
Checking
the distance (length) and angle of a line - da
Copying an attribute or text value to another attribute
or text - fa
Dimensioning
a line with one pick – y7
Dimensioning
the last line in the drawing – y77
Drawing a circle using an existing line as its
diameter - cdd
Drawing a half circle using an existing line - hc
Drawing
a horizontal line at view center of length d - hv
Drawing a leader starting with a near point - qw
Drawing
a line of a specified length and angle - dg
Drawing a rectangle using the last line in the drawing,
left side - kh
Drawing
a rectangle using the last line in the drawing, right side - hk
Drawing lines equal to the line picked - eq
Edit an attribute without a dialog box - ea
First word in a text entity to last word in another text entity, (Word Up) - upp
Joining two text entities, left justified - jt
Last word in text to first word in another line of
text, (Word Down) - dnn
Offsetting
the last line in the drawing to a distance d, left side - jh
Offsetting
the last line in the drawing to a distance d, right side - hj
Select and align one entity with another – e5
Select and move from end point - ge
Select and move from mid point - gm
Stretching (distance d) in opposite directions to
snapangle - hy
The code is supplied in the
file autodraw.lsp or basic.lsp.
Start a new drawing.
Autocad 2000 users can load
the file by clicking Tools on the menu bar. Next, click on Load Application.
The Load Application dialog box is displayed. Next, browse and click on the
file to load. Now, click on the Load button. This should give you the message
that the file was loaded successfully.
You may also load
autodraw.lsp by doing the following:
At the command prompt enter:
(load “autodraw”) or (load
“basic”)
Press enter.
Note: Autodraw.lsp or
basic.lsp should be on your hard drive where Autocad can find it.
This should load the code.
At the command prompt you
should see: C:[[. This is the last command in the code for autodraw.lsp. After
loading basic.lsp you should see: C:TTL.
This is turorial.dwg used in
the Tutorial for Basic Commands.
When selecting objects there
is always that last enter-key press that is required to complete your
selection. The commands in this topic do not need that last enter-key press. Once you have made your window or crossing window
selection you are ready for the two points that define from where to where the
moving or copying is to take place.
Moving Objects From Near To Perpendicular
move
crossing window from near to perpendicular – mj or mnp
move
window from near to perpendicular – mn or mwnp
Note:
Crossing window selections may be made either from bottom right to top left, or
from top left to bottom right.
Crossing Window Selection Moving
Commands
move
crossing window from center to endpoint - mce
move
crossing window from center to intersection - mci
move
crossing window from center to midpoint - mcm
move
crossing window from center to perpendicular - mcp
move
crossing window from endpoint to center - mec
move
crossing window from endpoint to midpoint - mem
move
crossing window from endpoint to perpendicular - mep
move
crossing window from insert to center - msc
move
crossing window from insert to endpoint - mse
move
crossing window from insert to insert - mss
move
crossing window from insert to perpendicular - msp
move
crossing window from intersection endpoint - mie
move
crossing window from midpoint to center - mmc
move
crossing window from midpoint to endpoint - mme
move
crossing window from midpoint to midpoint - mmm
move
crossing window from midpoint to perpendicular - mmp
move
crossing window from quadrant to endpoint - mqe
move
crossing window from quadrant to quadrant - mqq
move
crossing window from quadrant to perpendicular - mqp
