Author Archives: AutoCAD Tips

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About AutoCAD Tips

This blog serves as a knowledge base for myself (and anyone else) so that I can reference tips & tricks that I have learned and also refer others to it as well. I hope that this blog helps you learn at least one tip to make your drafting/design experience better.

Insert OSNAP

Posted on October 6, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

Have you ever wondered what the OSNAP that is called “INSERT” does? Well, here’s what it does: You can always set this in the “running OSNAPs” or use the OSNAP overrides (shift + right-click and select “Insert’ or entering INS … Continue reading →

Posted in BASICS, Blocks, Text, TIPS, XREFs | 1 Comment

Layer Naming Restrictions

Posted on October 5, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

Here are some layer naming restrictions when creating or editing layers while in the Layer Properties Manager… 1) The most obvious restriction is that you cannot have 2 layers named that have the same name. 2) Certain characters are restricted; … Continue reading →

Posted in BASICS, Layers | Leave a comment

Easy Way to Clear a Selection Set

Posted on October 5, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

Quick tip: Instead of hitting the ESC button multiple times to clear a selection set, try holding the right mouse button for a few seconds.

Posted in BASICS, TIPS | 2 Comments

Layout Tab Cooridinates

Posted on October 4, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

After spending the time to set up a layout tab you may have encountered the frustration of inserting your title block onto the layout tab and it not inserting correctly. This is because the X,Y coordinates of 0,0 (zero,zero) are … Continue reading →

Posted in BASICS, Customization, Layout, Paper Space, TIPS | 9 Comments

AutoLISP: Align Attributes

Posted on October 3, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

Here is a useful routine for aligning attributes in a block. Here’s how: AATTR <enter> to start (Align ATTRibute) Specify the alignment direction Vertical or Horizontal Select the Attribute that the others will be aligned to Select the rest of … Continue reading →

Posted in Attributes, AutoLISP, Blocks, Modifying | 1 Comment

Easily Move or Copy Layout Tabs

Posted on October 3, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

Here is yet another improvement upon a previous post (found here). After you have a layout tab set up, this tip the fastest way that I have found to either move/rearrange the new layout tab or copy it. To move/rearrange … Continue reading →

Posted in Layout, Modifying, Paper Space | 3 Comments

QTEXT to Select Empty Text or Attributes

Posted on September 27, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

I have previously posted about using the QTEXT command to temporarily hide your text in order to speed up performance in case you are working on a large drawing… Well, Here’s another use for QTEXT. If you have empty text … Continue reading →

Posted in Attributes, Modifying, Text, TIPS | 6 Comments

How To Use Stretch With an Angle

Posted on September 26, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

I have previously explained how to use the STRETCH command (found here). But all of the examples that I used were orthogonal (horizontal/vertical). And that’s not how the real world works – we work with angled drawings and components all of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Modifying, TIPS | Leave a comment

AutoLISP: Break At Distance

Posted on September 24, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

Even though this routine prompts you to select a curve, this routine can be used on other objects as well. You simply select an object near the endpoint where you want to start from then specify a distance along the … Continue reading →

Posted in AutoLISP, Modifying, Polylines | 6 Comments

AutoLISP: Break Polyline at Vertex

Posted on September 24, 2011 by AutoCAD Tips

You can always explode a Polyline if you need to break your polyline into individual segments. This method will make the polyline into individual lines. But what if you would like these individual segments to remain individual polylines? That’s where … Continue reading →

Posted in AutoLISP, Modifying, Polylines | 1 Comment