Would you like to create a keyboard shortcut to your favorite command-option combination? For example, I would like a version of the COPY command that doesn’t repeat, that is, that ends after one copy operation. Here are the steps:
- Enter cui to open the Customize User Interface dialog box.
- In the Command List pane, click the New button.
- In the Properties pane, you can now specify your new command. Enter a name and a macro. If the macro is long, click the Ellipsis button at the right side of the Macro text box to open the Long String Editor. My macro was ^C^C_select;\_copy;_previous;;\\;;
- In the Customizations In All Files pane at the top, expand Partial CUI Files, then Custom, then Keyboard Shortcuts, so you can see the Shortcut Keys item.
- Find your new command in the Command List pane (it’s listed under the name you gave it and a tip is to choose Custom Commands from the drop-down list in that pane) and drag it to the Shortcut Keys item in the top pane.
- Click the command where it appears in the top pane. Its Properties pane now shows a Key(s) item. Click that item and then click its Ellipsis button. The Shortcut Keys dialog box opens.
- Press the shortcut key combination you want to use and you can see if it’s unassigned — or assigned to something you never use. Generally, it has to start with Ctrl, Ctrl+Shift, or Shift. Click OK.
- Click OK to close the Customize User Interface dialog box.
- Try out your new shortcut!
Note: For information on how to create a custom command, see this tip.
What keyboard shortcuts do you use? Leave a comment! Please also explain what they do, in case it isn’t obvious to everyone.
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[...] can create your own keyboard shortcuts. See my tip, “Create a custom keyboard shortcut” for the detailed [...]
Hi Ellen.
I use the following keyboard shortcuts to avoid long commands.
D1, *DIMLINEAR
D2, *DIMALIGNED
D3, *DIMANGULAR
D4, *DIMCONTINUE
D5, *DIMBASELINE
D, *DIST
IF, *IMAGEFRAME
LD, *LAYDEL
LM, *LAYMRG
OB, *OBJECTSCALE
OK, *OVERKILL
RC, *REVCLOUD
T2T, *TXT2MTXT
WO, *WIPEOUT
XR, *CLASSICXREF
CS, *CHSPACE
CB, *COPYBASE
Hi Ellen,
I was wondering how to create a custom command to open a new drawing with a template attatched. If you could help me with this it would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Kyla
I should write a tip about it. You use “command line switches” and they control how AutoCAD starts. To see what happens when you double-click it, right-click it, choose Properties and click the Shortcut tab. Look in the Target box. You can duplicate that icon and change the command line. To open AutoCAD with a template called “my_template” you would add a space at the end (usually after acad.exe) then /t my_template. You might need to add the entire path and if there are spaces, put the entire statement in quotes.
Thank you for your quick reply, but what i was looking for was a way to create a command in a custom menu so when i click the menu i will get sub-menus that display my 3 different templates and when i choose one my template will come in on a new dwg. Sorry for the misunderstanding and i hope you might be able to help with this!
Thanks again,
Kyla
Here are some tips that will help you:
http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/acadblog/creating-custom-toolbar-buttons/
http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/acadblog/tutorial-create-a-custom-command/
http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/acadblog/tutorial-automate-tasks-with-a-script-file/
http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/AutoCAD_tips_cmd_line_launch_programs.html
I don’t have much on custom menus–I don’t use menus any more.
You could also create a script file and execute that as a custom command.
Is there a way to make a shortcut key just one letter without using shift or control?
Not a regular keyboard shortcut, but you can use a 1-letter alias in place of a command.
http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/acadblog/tutorial-create-a-command-alias-keyboard-shortcut/
is that possible to make a tool or lsp can get print in one click.More specific need to convert dwg in to pdf, Is there any shortcut key may reduce all step in every time?