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I love getting my hands on the latest technology. I’m a real CAD geek. But there are some AutoCAD settings that I’m just used to. So I am compelled to change them.
Here are twelve settings that I just had to change in AutoCAD 2015 before I could get productive!
File format
We share a lot of files with customers, partners and subcontractors. We currently use AutoCAD 2007 file format without too many complaints!
Background plotting
Background plotting allows you to continue working while you batch publish plots in the background.
I haven’t experienced to many problems with batch publishing – but when I have Background publish appears to be the culprit.
If you turn Back ground plotting off, you will have to wait for AutoCAD top open and plot each layout in turn.
I don’t mind this, AutoCAD is still waaay quicker at plotting than I am!
To turn off background publishing:
Big Red A > Options > Plot and Publish > Back ground processing options
Block attribute editor
I’m not a big fan of the advanced attribute manager when I’m filling out title blocks. Give me the plain old fashioned block attribute manager any day!
From this:
To this (Much simpler!):
Type ‘CUI’ at the command line and hit enter.
Look under double click actions > Attribute block > edit attribute
Change the command from ‘EATTEDIT’ to ‘ATTEDIT’
Bonus Tip: Can you believe that I’ve been using AutoCAD for ten years and I only just noticed that you can fill out block attributes from the properties palette!
OSNAPS
We all have our own favourite OSNAP setting – here are mine.
Polar tracking
I use Polar tracking and object snap tracking a lot, and I like to set it to 45° increments.
Click on the drop down arrow next to the polar tracking icon in the status bar and pick your preference.
FIELDEVAL
I don’t know why this was turned off when I booted AutoCAD 2015 for the first time? FIELDEVAL controls whether values in fields are updated when re-gen’ing.
We use fields and the Sheet set manager extensively – so it is important that information in block attributes with fields are current.
Type FIELDEVAL at the command line to change the behaviour.
Here are the allowed values. You can add them up to combine properties. ’31’ will turn everything on.
| 0 | Not updated |
| 1 | Updated on open |
| 2 | Updated on save |
| 4 | Updated on plot |
| 8 | Updated on use of ETRANSMIT |
| 16 | Updated on regeneration |
CENTERMT
When I set Mtext to centre justified, I like the grip handles to size the Mtext width equally on both sides.
CENTREMT controls this. Type it at the command line to change it.
CENTREMT = 0 (Off)
CENTREMT = 1 (On)
Dynamic columns
One day I will want to type a whole load of text in AutoCAD and have it neatly set out in columns.
Not today.
To turn off Automatic column text go to In the MTEXT editor and select > Columns > No columns
Layout tabs
The new, clean user interface for AutoCAD 2015 doesn’t leave much room for layout tabs.
Right click in the layout tab area to push them up above the Status bar and give them more room to breathe!
View cube
I don’t do any 3D in AutoCAD, and I don’t use the view cube much. I prefer to set it to a smaller size and turn the inactive capacity right down, so that it only appears when I hover over it.
Right click over viewcube and choose ViewCube Settings:
Change the size to ‘Small’ and the Inactive Opacity to 0%
PDF Export
I use PDF export a lot (When I don’t need to batch publish!). To get this set up go to:
output settings > Export > PDF
Click on the ‘Settings’ button to create single sheet files and turn off layers in the exported PDF
Fuzzy lines
The new ‘Luminescent’ selection effects in AutoCAD 2015 look really cool. However, after a while – they just gave me a head ache!
I noticed that the new graphic acceleration options in AutoCAD 2015 slow down some of our users machines who don’t have dedicated graphics cards.
Note: You may need to re-start AutoCAD to see the result of adjusting these variables.
You can control the selection highlighting effects by typing the following commands at the command line:
‘PRESELECTIONEFFECT’ (Controls the highlighting of lines when you hover over them) 1= ON 0 = OFF
‘SELECTIONEFFECT’ (Controls the highlighting of lines when you select them) 1= ON 0 = OFF
Or right click on the Graphics config icon in the status bar and choose graphics performance.
You can toggle hardware acceleration off here:
You can toggle hardware acceleration, and turn line smoothing off independently:
‘PRESELECTIONEFFECT’ 1= ON
‘PRESELECTIONEFFECT’ 0 = OFF
‘SELECTIONEFFECT’ 1= ON
‘SELECTIONEFFECT’ 0 = OFF
Hardware acceleration off, line smoothing off
Hardware acceleration off, line smoothing on
Over to you
How about you? What are your preferred settings? Is there anything in AutoCAD 2015 that you just can’t get on with? What are your favourite new features in 2015?
Leave a comment to share your observations!
Awesome! Thanks for the tips…. running fast as I was in 2011… I didnt realize my headaches were directly related to the selection effect variable settings…. Thank Again!
Great stuff Sarah!
Hi
I’d like to know if there’s a way to set the default ‘Find’ settings from searching the entire drawing to searching the current space/layout. If I forgot to switch this and I have a lot of layouts it can take a while to search the entire drawing. I generally just want to search in Model space.
Thanks
Hi Sean,
I just checked on my machine and the default is to search current space/layout. So, this means that if you are in Model space, it will search only model space unless you change the selection to ‘Entire drawing’.
Is this what you mean?
Paul
Hi Paul
That’s exactly what I mean except my default is set to ‘entire drawing’. At least this means it can be changed!
Interestingly, if I start the command ‘FIND’ from the command line, it defaults to ‘Entire Drawing’.
If I start the command from Annotate > Text > Find (Looks like a spy glass with a lightning bolt) it defaults to ‘Current space/Layout’.
Is that helpful?
Paul
It is! A much better way of doing it as well. Thank you.
Hooray!
Great job Sean :)
HI,,
I WANT DEFRENT COMMANDS LIST & NEW TIPS OF (AUTOCAD 2012 AND AUTOCAD 2015) ,,,, PLESE SEND ME
Hi Krishna,
You can sign up to Edwin’s newsletter here:
https://www.cad-notes.com/email-newsletter/
Paul
i want to know that i make new drawing and i want to that any one can see my drawing. but no one can print or modify my drawing? only i can . so any one how its possible?
Hi Hafeez,
The best way to do this is to plot your drawing to PDF or DWF.
Does that help?
Paul
MTEXT Columns……. Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t your suggestion only turn off columns for the creation of that MTEXT entity right then? I have not dug into this, but I’d like to turn off column creation FOR ALL ETERNITY.
Hi R.K. You can also use the MTEXTCOLUMN System Variable. A quick test shows me that this does the same thing, but you can do it without having to create an MTEXT entity first…
One for your start up script ;)
Sets the default column setting for an mtext object.
Saved in: Drawing
Initial value: 2
0 No column.
1 Dynamic columns with auto height.
2 Dynamic column with manual height.
Hi Neaton,
I hadn’t picked that up – thanks for the clarification :D
Paul
Nice article, Paul.
For PRESELECTIONEFFECT to work as described it’s companion system variable SELECTIONPREVIEW needs to be set to 1 (no command active), 2 (command active) or 3 (either active or inactive). It is set to 3 by default so 99% won’t have an issue of it not working. But that 1% that will wonder why it isn’t working as described.
I was pleasantly surprised when 2015 came out with FIELDEVAL set to 31 by default. I never could figure out the logic in not having fields update unless you plotted or saved.
The 1st thing that I noticed about 2015 was the Method of Locking the Tool Pallets, Floating & Docked windows, etc.
When you Lock 1 per say, Tool Pallet, with the code given, the others unlock…???
Pre 2015 were able to Lock All, or a select few.
Thank you for your efforts & time.
Edward K.
Hi Edward,
Sorry – I’m not sure what you mean?
Perhaps you could post your question on the Autodesk Forums with a screen shot to help us to understand the issue?
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad/ct-p/8
Remember to come back here and post a link so that we can follow up with you.
Thanks!
Paul
Hi Dave,
That sounds interesting. Can you describe how you do that?
Paul
Hey, what about changing point definitions to relative?