How do you use AutoCAD?

[Alex Moiceanu]

Hello every one,

 

I want to start a thread about improving AutoCAD Drafting...

 

I like to optimise the drafting process and I do some tricks in AutoCAD.

I preffer using command prompt and numerical keypad.And of course,the mouse.

Some commands that I use often are edited in AliasEdit,commands like Copy,Move,etc.

Then,the other commands that I use I type it in command prompt to execute...

So,I have a lot of free space to draft because I use no toolbar.

I put here 2 screenshots of my display and my nummerical keypad to see how I use the AutoCAD.

 

I like to hear other ideas of how you improve the workspace.

[Organic]

I personally would have a few toolbars up there on that user interface (layer drop down, linetypes, custom toolbars etc) as well as the properties pane always open and the viewcube turned off.

[Alex Moiceanu]

I don't use toolbars because I have the Quick Properties pane enabled(Ctrl+Shift+P).Here,I have all I want do modify:layers,linetypes,lineweights,etc.

[DANIEL]

 

basic keyboard commands, only a couple of old school keystrokes modified back into my pgp

[CAD_Kitty]

Have a couple modified commands in the pgp.

[Squirltech]

I always have my properties dialog and my layer manager open (dual monitors). I use some custom keystrokes for basic commands.

 

[tzframpton]

I like a VERY clean and minimal interface. I actually am working on a heavily customized Ribbon but I don't have enough that I feel comfortable to share quite yet.

 

Here's my interface: Big Link Here ---> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4989089/Images/cadtutor/2011-12-02_interface.PNG

 

 

 

And here is my PGP file for work. This doesn't include the quick keyboard commands for my custom files:

 

[BlackBox]

I get the "maximize drawing area" thang; I just don't have the need to turn everything off... If I want a blank-ish interface I'll just hop into "Clean Screen" mode using Ctrl+0, or CLEANSCREENON command (which can also be assigned a PGP alias). I also use a bit of customization.

 

** Edit - ... A "bit"

 

I use dual 20" WS monitors now, and the new dual 24" WS monitors will be arriving in Jan-Feb 2012. We just purchased all new laptops, docks, peripherals, etc. - doing the purchasing in phases! LoL

 

Aside - The new hardware's sweet though; Dell Precision M6600, Core i7 Quad core, 16GB RAM, Win7 64-Bit, Logitech G700, G510, and G13

[rwhitt0724]

I am like the original poster of this forum. I use the command bar with typed entry rather than using buttons or the menus. I do use 3 toolbars though. I use the "Standard" toolbar (opening/saving/printing/match prop/etc.), the "Layers" toolbar to cycle through layers easily, and the "Properties" toolbar. So I can change colors, linetypes, etc at my liberty fairly easy. That is it for the toolbars & buttons. I also have a few commands coded into shortcut keys, ie: CTRL+N turns off the navvcube in new viewports, CTRL+R runs the revcloud command for me at my standard paper space settings, CTRL+D opens a linear dimension, and a few others. The one thing I have started using recently is the "AUTOHIDE" option on dialog boxes. For instance, I have 3 dialog boxes up at all times, the properties box, the layers box, & the external reference box. I have these boxes floating on each side of my screen, properties on the left, layers & xrefs on the right. The properties box is the one I use the most. I just click the item I want to modify, slightly hover over the sliver of the properties dialog and the box fully appears. When I am done, I pull my mouse off the box to start working again and the box disappears. I find this extremely useful. And if you lock the locations of the toolbars and boxes, you don't ever have to worry about accidently moving or "docking" the dialog boxes.

 

Sorry for no pics, if you're really interested I can put one up.

[rwhitt0724]

 

Ah screw it it. There pics of my space. The top shows the properties box open, and the bottom is closed.

[ReMark]

I'd post an image but it would be completely blank. Clean screen and nothing else. It's all in my cerebral cortex or whatever passes for a brain in a machine. Oh, yeah...the CPU. What was I thinking?

[Alex Moiceanu]

Sorry for no pics, if you're really interested I can put one up.

One picture can do more than 1000 words.

[JD Mather]

I like to hear other ideas of how you improve the workspace.

 

I noticed this morning that you posted a thread about the differences between Inventor Fusion and Inventor.

 

In the Inventor products you don't need toolbars or type commands - you can use gestures.

In the attached image you see context sensitive commands, but if I just right drag to where I know for example the Line command will be relative to my cursor - the icons don't even come up as I've already started my desired command. Over time you develop "muscle memory" similar to your typing in command aliases without even thinking about it - but with a simple mouse gesture. That along with a 3D Connexion device and it can look like the model is appearing by magic in skilled hands.

 

You would never actually see this or other context senstive screens once you become proficient in gesture modeling.

[ReMark]

Are you sure you aren't David Copperfield? Sounds like magic to me.

[DANIEL]

I'd post an image but it would be completely blank. Clean screen and nothing else. It's all in my cerebral cortex or whatever passes for a brain in a machine. Oh, yeah...the CPU. What was I thinking?

 

a screen? I though your eyeball had a HUD!

[SLW210]

I am trying to use the ribbon, I just make it smaller. I see a lot keep the old layer toolbars. I have properties, design center, tool palettes etc. docked as icons on the right. I use right-click and keyboard for often used commands, but forcing myself to use the ribbon more and more for that, I need to set up more Workspaces tailored for specific jobs I work on. Being a lot of my time is spent designing, high speed is not a necessity. I am actually using the viewcube a lot these days.

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]31461[/ATTACH]

[DANIEL]

I am actually using the viewcube a lot these days.

 

I hated that thing when i first install 2012, especially when i couldnt figure out out to get rid of it but I'm glad i couldnt because I too have begun finding it quite convenient.

[BlackBox]

FWIW -

 

Accessing commands and menus through "gestures" has been around for decade(s?); I was first introduced to this functionality while at college for computer animation back in the early 2000's. Then we used Alias|Wavefront Maya Unlimited (now owned by Autodesk), and this functionality is called the "HotBox" (see attached pic).

 

The HotBox is fully customizable, and is displayed (at least in Maya) when the user presses (and holds) the spacebar. This feature is contextual, meaning you can have a completely different set of menus display for the various modes (i.e., NURBS Modeling, Poly. Modeling, Texturing, Character Rigging, Animating, Rendering, etc.).

 

This is one of many features that has been culled from Maya (probably the one I miss using the most) and incorporated into other Autodesk products, others include the View Cube, etc.

 

[BlackBox]

a screen? I though your eyeball had a HUD!

 

No silly... that's just his AH (in lieu of AI) kicking in... You know, Artificial Humor.

 

** Edit - "Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha." *Robot laughs awkwardly*

[DANIEL]

That screen gives me a headache renderman lol

 

PS. ALL MY HUMOR IS ARTIFICIAL ......

 

pss. I cap locked you fools!