I want to work with the Dynamic Blocks supplied with AC14 Student Edition

[Vagulus]

I found a small collection of Dynamic Blocks buried deep in the bowels of C drive;

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2014\sample\en-US\Dynamic Blocks.

 

1. Rather than remember this file path, is there a shortcut to access them?

 

I assume they were put there for students to use but I don't have much luck trying to copy and paste them - not into a blank drawing anyway.

 

2. How do I use these dynamic blocks?

[nestly]

I would use Design Center (DC at the Command line) to access the sample content. Many of the sample blocks are also available on the default Tool Palettes (TP from the Command line)

 

When you open Design Center for the first time, it's likely you'll already be in the "Samples" folder you mentioned. If not, simply navigate there as you would with Windows Explorer. What you're going to see are dwg drawing files, and inside these drawings are blocks/dynamic blocks that are related to the drawing name. Expand the drawing, and you'll Block, Dimstyles, Layers etc. when you click on any of those items, all the available content in that drawing will become available in the right pane. What Design Center does is provide a simple way to re-use content in existing drawings. Double click on the blocks in the right pane to initiate the INSERT command, or just drag/drop them onto your current drawing.

 

Tool Palettes should be self explanatory, the tools are grouped by tabs.

[Vagulus]

DC works fine, thanks - I figured there WOULD be a shortcut . On the other hand, TP worked the first time but now does not work.

1. How do I get that back?

 

2. Working with the Dynamic Block for a door, I tried to set the hinge side and I wanted to go on to flip it so it opens the other way when the Tool Palette disappeared. Should I not be able to make some adjustments to the door (like width) and then accept them?

[Vagulus]

I didn't realize that the Tools Palette was minimized and lurking at the left side of the drawing area.

 

Sorry to bother you.

[SLW210]

We all have to start somewhere, ask all the questions you need to get it figured out.

 

You are not a bother.

[Dadgad]

I didn't realize that the Tools Palette was minimized and lurking at the left side of the drawing area.

 

Sorry to bother you.

 

In Autocad we call that DOCKING a toolbar or window to the perimeter of your workspace.

If you right click on many elements, like the QUICK CALCULATOR you can choose AUTO HIDE

behavior which makes some such entities self collapsing.

[PotGuy]

I didn't realize that the Tools Palette was minimized and lurking at the left side of the drawing area.

 

Sorry to bother you.

 

As long you are polite we're always happy to help, problem big or small!