Categories

Match properties

An object can have a lot of properties and sometimes you want one object to have the same properties as another object. Here are 3 tools that you can use to get the job done quickly.

Match Properties

The MATCHPROP command has been around a long time and lets you easily copy properties from one object to [...]

Stretch a circle with grips and specify the radius or change in radius

You can easily stretch a circle with grips. To specify the new radius, just enter it on the command line (or in the Dynamic Input tooltip). But suppose the information you have is the difference between the two radii?

For example, let’s say that your circle’s radius is 1.825 and you know that you have to [...]

Easily hide and isolate objects in AutoCAD 2011

AutoCAD 2011 has three new commands that help you hide selected objects or isolate them (hide everything except the selected objects).

The ISOLATEOBJECTS command hides all objects except those that you select. After selecting objects, right-click in the drawing area and choose
Isolate> Isolate Objects.
The HIDEOBJECTS command hides selected objects. Select the objects, right-click in the drawing [...]

Tips for working with layers

Everyone works with layers. Most of the time, you set up your layers in a template and that’s that. But when you need to make changes, a few tips can help make the process easier. Here are some of mine:

When you create a new layer, often you want its properties to be similar to that [...]

The flexible CHANGE command

The CHANGE command changes the endpoint of a line and the radius of a circle. The CHANGE command works differently, depending on whether you select lines or circles, so it’s best not to choose lines and circles at the same time.

Note: You can use the CHANGE command to change text , the text and text [...]

Tips on viewing your drawing

The faster you can display the section of your drawing where you need to work, the faster you can get started drawing and editing. With that in mind, here are some tips for viewing your drawing:

Use the mouse wheel

The mouse wheel is the key to fast view changes:

You can zoom in and out by rolling [...]

Precisely scale an object when you know before and after dimensions

Ken Monsanto of Bahrain Precast Concrete sent in this tip for scaling an object when you know the current and desired dimensions. For example, let’s say that you have a circle with a diameter of 35 and you want to scale it so that it has a diameter of 50.

He suggested these steps:

Start the CAL [...]