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The Tutorials section provides over 100 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications. Michael’s Corner is an archive of productivity articles that brings you the best AutoCAD tips and tricks. Our Forum is a lively community where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Downloads area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free images.
Tutorials of the Moment
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Advanced Selection
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AutoCAD Productivity
UCSICON Options
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #146
Originally published: June 2016
Every five years or so I address the UCS icon, so here's your next installment.
General Insights
There is a UCSICON command with these options:

Right-click on the UCS icon to display a shortcut menu with a Properties option where you can dress it up a bit.

When you are in the 2D Wireframe visual style, the UCS icon looks like a stick figure. In any other visual style, the icon is a bit more colorful and 3D looking.Horses can only breath through their nose. [Just checking to see if you're paying attention.]
Click on the UCS icon and you see a square grip at 0,0,0 and round grips at the ends of the axes.To disable the ability to select/click on the UCS icon, set the variable UCSSELECTMODE to <0>.
Note: There's an article on how to dimension 3D objects in Michael's Corner, January 2013. You will find more information on manipulating the UCS icon in that review, too.
See all the articles published in June 2016
Michael's Corner
Between 2003 and 2016, Michael Beall (and one or two guests) wrote almost 600 articles for CADTutor. The focus of these articles is AutoCAD productivity, and although some of them are now more than a few years old, most remain relevant to current versions of AutoCAD. The article above is just one example. Check out Michael's Corner for a full listing.
Image of the Week
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22nd – 28th June 2026
This week's image is by boofrelday
Software used: SketchUp and Podium
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Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by CADken
Software used: SketchUp and Kerkythea
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Two Weeks Ago
This image is by Jay C
Software used: Revit
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Three Weeks Ago
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Software used: AutoCAD 2006
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Tip of the Day
AutoCAD Expert
Are you an expert in AutoCAD? Well according to Autodesk you aren't, well not unless you tell the program otherwise. The EXPERT system variable (default 0) can be changed so that annoying "Are you sure?" commands will go away. Here is the list and what they do:
- EXPERT = 0
- Issues all prompts normally.
- EXPERT = 1
- Suppresses "About to regen, proceed?" and "Really want to turn the current layer off?"
- EXPERT = 2
- Suppresses the preceding prompts and "Block already defined. Redefine it?" (BLOCK) and "A drawing with this name already exists. Overwrite it?" (SAVE or WBLOCK).
- EXPERT = 3
- Suppresses the preceding prompts and those issued by the LINETYPE command if you try to load a linetype that's already loaded or create a new linetype in a file that already defines that linetype.
- EXPERT = 4
- Suppresses the preceding prompts and those issued by UCS Save and VPORTS Save if the name you supply already exists.
- EXPERT = 5
- Suppresses the prompt, "That name is already in Use, redefine it?" issued by the -DIMSTYLE Save option when you supply the name of an existing dimension style.
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