Other subscribers added ideas, including simply taking [...]]]>

Many people need to export image files from AutoCAD to put into reports or other documents. I have an  old tip on the topic, “Creating JPEG and PNG files.” There I discussed the following methods:

• JPGOUT and PNGOUT commands
• The Publish to Web feature
• Creating a PC3 file and plotting to file

Other subscribers added ideas, including simply taking a screen capture.

Remember that you can now output to PDF format using the EXPORTPDF command.

A subscriber just brought to my attention another way to create JPEG files. After reading that tip, he said:

One of the best methods that I have found so far is printing the AutoCAD file to a PDF file using the FREE Primo PDF virtual printer software (http://www.primopdf.com/index.aspx). Once the AutoCAD file is in PDF format you can then open and edit it in the FREE Gimp photo editing software (http://www.gimp.org/), which allows for the importation and editing of PDF files without having to have a full version of Adobe. Once you have the PDF in Gimp, and have made any changes you might desire to make, do a “Save As” to one of several image file types. In my testing I used the .jpg format. Gimp will tell you that you need to export the file to that file type, and gives you an option to change the resolution of the export. I used !00% and my .jpg looks much better than any of the results from the methods I have tried thus far.

How do you create good-looking images from AutoCAD drawings? Click the comment link to let others know.

I’ve just posted a short tutorial that shows [...]]]>

Column text was introduced in AutoCAD 2008. Columns make fitting your text into tight spaces easier and looks more professional. You may have manually created columns in the past, but when you edited the text, the columns didn’t automatically readjust, leading to awkward spaces or lots or reformatting.

I’ve just posted a short tutorial that shows you how to easily create text in columns. It even includes a short video!

Later (again, I’m not sure [...]]]>

AutoCAD’s surfaces have evolved over the years. First, you could add thickness to 2D objects. I’m not sure when that happened (let me know if you do), but it was in the mid-1980s, perhaps around Release 2.6. This is still the only type of 3D objects that AutoCAD LT can create.

Later (again, I’m not sure when), you could create polygon/polyface meshes. The commands were the 3D command, the 3DFACE command, the 3DMESH command, the PFACE command, and others.

Release 2010 introduced, a new type of  object, the smooth mesh. The REVSURF (revolved surface), TABSURF (tabulated surface), RULESURF (ruled surface), and EDGESURF (edge surface) commands now create the new mesh objects by default. (You can use the MESHTYPE system variable to create the older polygon mesh surface, if you want.) The new mesh objects offer much greater editing capabilities. For more information, see AutoCAD 2010 new features–scroll down to the “New mesh solids” heading and click the movie’s play button.

Because the older commands are pretty much outdated, I’ll be removing the exercises for them from the next edition of my book. But they’re still useful for people with older versions of AutoCAD and an excellent learning experience for those of you who are new to 3D drawing. So, I’ve decided to publish one of the exercises here.

In this exercise, you use the 3D command’s options to create a table and objects on the table. I assume a medium level of AutoCAD experience.

1. In AutoCAD, click New on the Quick Access toolbar or use the NEW command. Choose acad3D.dwt as the template and click Open.
2. Start the UNITS command. In the Drawing Units dialog box, set the Length unit from the Type drop-down list to Architectural. Click OK.
3. Turn on Object Snaps and set running object snaps for Endpoint and Midpoint. Switch to the 3D Modeling workspace, if your release has it.
4. Enter 3d on the command line and choose the Box option. Follow the prompts to make the tabletop:

Specify corner point of box: 1,1,30
Specify length of box: 4′
Specify width of box or [Cube]: 3′
Specify height of box: 1
Specify rotation angle of box about the Z axis or [Reference]: Press Enter.

If necessary, do a Zoom Extents to see the entire box. If you’re not in a 3D view, change the view to SE Isometric. (Use the VIEW command and choose SE Isometric from the Preset views.)

5.    Start the 3D command with the Box option again. Follow the prompts to make a leg:

Specify corner point of box: 1,1
Specify length of box: 1
Specify width of box or [Cube]: 1
Specify height of box: 30
Specify rotation angle of box about the Z axis or [Reference]: Press Enter.

6.    Mirror the leg, from one side of the table to the opposite side, using Midpoint object snaps for the mirror line. Then mirror the two legs in the other direction, so that you have four legs. Zoom out and pan as necessary to center the table in the drawing area. (If you have trouble finding the Midpoint object snaps, change the visual style to 2D Wireframe.)
7.    Start the 3D command with the Dish option. Follow the prompts to create a bowl on the table:

Specify center point of dish: 2′,2′,35-1/2
Specify radius of dish or [Diameter]: d
Specify diameter of dish: 9
Enter number of longitudinal segments for surface of dish <16>: Press Enter
Enter number of latitudinal segments for surface of dish <8>: Press Enter

The dish’s diameter is 9, so its height is half that, or 4-1/2. The center of the dish is at height 35@@bf1/2 because the tabletop is at 31 (31 + 4-1/2 = 35-1/2).

8.   Start the ELEV command on the command line. Change the elevation to 31. Leave the thickness at 0 (zero).
9.    Start the 3D command with the Cone option. Follow the prompts to create a salt shaker:

Specify center point for base of cone: 2′,1′
Specify radius for base of cone or [Diameter]: 1
Specify radius for top of cone or [Diameter] <0>: .5  (That’s 0.5.)
Specify height of cone: 4
Enter number of segments for surface of cone <16>: 8

10.    Start the 3D command with the Sphere option. Follow the prompts to draw an orange in the bowl:

Specify center point of sphere: 2′,2′,32-1/2
Specify radius of sphere or [Diameter]: d
Specify diameter of sphere: 3
Enter number of longitudinal segments for surface of sphere <16>: 8
Enter number of latitudinal segments for surface of sphere <16>: 8

11.    Start the 3D command with the Cone option again. Follow the prompts to make a plate.
(It may not seem logical to use a cone to make a flat plate. However, it works because you can create a truncated cone that is upside down and very shallow. It’s an unusual but interesting use for the CONE command.)

Specify center point for base of cone: 1′,1′
Specify radius for base of cone or [Diameter]: 2
Specify radius for top of cone or [Diameter] <0>: 5
Specify height of cone: 1/2
Enter number of segments for surface of cone <16>: Press Enter

12.    Start the 3D command with the Wedge option. Follow the prompts to make a wedge of cheese on the plate:

Specify corner point of wedge: 10,10
Specify length of wedge: 5
Specify width of wedge: 2
Specify height of wedge: 2
Specify rotation angle of wedge about the Z axis: 30

13.    Start the 3D command with the Pyramid option. Follow the prompts to draw a pyramidal pepper shaker:

Specify first corner point for base of pyramid: 2′6,2′6
Specify second corner point for base of pyramid: @1,0
Specify third corner point for base of pyramid: @0,1
Specify fourth corner point for base of pyramid or [Tetrahedron]: @-1,0
Specify apex point of pyramid or [Ridge/Top]: t
Specify first corner point for top of pyramid: @1/4,1/4,3
Specify second corner point for top of pyramid: @-1/4,1/4,3
Specify third corner point for top of pyramid: @-1/4,-1/4,3
Specify fourth corner point for top of pyramid: @1/4,-1/4,3

14.    Choose Home tab@@>View panel@@>Visual Styles drop-down list@@>Conceptual (the VSCURRENT command). Turn off the grid if it’s on. You can now visualize the drawing better.
15.    Save your drawing. It should look like the figure below.

The table with a plate, wedge of cheese, bowl, orange, and non-matching salt and pepper shakers.

3D objects in AutoCAD

A revision cloud

To add a revision cloud, choose Home tab> Draw [...]]]>

A revision cloud is an often-used means to indicate that certain areas of a drawing contain revisions. The cloud draws attention to the revision. It’s similar to using Track Changes in Microsoft Word, or highlighting text. The revision cloud circles the revised objects.

A revision cloud

To add a revision cloud, choose Home tab> Draw panel (expanded)> Revision Cloud, or start the REVCLOUD command. You see the following prompt:

Minimum arc length: 2′-8″ Maximum arc length: 2′-8″ Style: Normal
Specify start point or [Arc length/Object/Style] <Object>:

The first line shows the existing settings. Use the Arc Length option to set the minimum and maximum arc lengths that make up the cloud. The maximum can be up to 3 times the minimum. When you create a range, the result looks more hand drawn. You can pick each arc point to control the size of the arcs, but if your picks are longer than the maximum arc length, AutoCAD creates the arc automatically.

Use the Object option to select an object and place the cloud around that object. The object must be a polyline, spline, or circle.

A revision cloud around an object

You often need to change the arc length to make a revision cloud look good around various sized areas.

Use the Style option to choose either Normal (the default) or Calligraphy, which creates beautiful clouds that look as if they’re created with a calligraphy pen.

A revision cloud using the Calligraphy style

When you’re done with your settings, just drag around the area to draw the revision cloud. When you get back to the beginning, AutoCAD closes the cloud for you. You can end the cloud at any point by pressing Enter; use this technique to create an unclosed cloud. Drawing a revision cloud is different from other drawing tasks because you drag rather than specify start and end points.

When you insert a block, a Basepoint option appears with the [...]]]>

Blocks and basepoints go hand-in-hand. Knowing how to work with basepoints can make your life much easier. It’s so frustrating to insert a block and have it disappear into outer space because the basepoint is in the wrong location!

The Basepoint option of the INSERT command

When you insert a block, a Basepoint option appears with the Specify insertion point: prompt. When you use this option, you can move the insertion base point of the block to anywhere you want. This option can be really helpful sometimes but I don’t think it’s used very often.

The BASE command

A block library often has one block per drawing. You save each block in its own drawing. By default, the basepoint of a drawing is 0,0. But unless you put the block right at 0,0, you’ll want to change that. (Another option that works is to use WBLOCK and choose to write just the block. Then, the basepoint is taken from the block and is in the right place.)

Use the BASE command in the drawing containing the block to specify the origin of the drawing, which is usually on an object snap somewhere on the block. Then, when you insert the drawing, your basepoint will be right on the block.

The Basepoint parameter for dynamic blocks

Creating a Basepoint parameter

For a dynamic block, the Basepoint parameter  sets a base point for the block. This is useful when you’re turning a block into a dynamic block and want to change the basepoint. You add a Basepoint parameter in the Block Editor, from the Parameters tab of the Block Authoring Palettes, as you see here. The basepoint functions like any other block basepoint.

During insertion of a dynamic block, you can use the Basepoint option as I described earlier.

But you can do something else with dynamic blocks.

While you’re inserting a dynamic block, you can press Ctrl to cycle among the grips if their Cycling property is set to Yes. (By default, it is.) Each time you press Ctrl, the cursor moves to another grip on the block. This lets you visually see the results of each basepoint before you commit to inserting the block.

To check the Cycling property, double-click the block to open the Edit Block Definition dialog box, and click OK to open the Block Editor. Click any grip and open the Properties palette. Look for the Cycling property in the Misc section, as you see here.

Cycling property of dynamic blocks in AutoCAD

If the Cycling property is set to No, click the item, click the drop-down arrow, and choose Yes.

Do you have any other tips for controlling blocks with basepoints?

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

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 properties of block attributes (not yet contained in a block), as well as the location and rotation of blocks. Of course, it’s easier to use the text-related commands. The Properties option of this command can change many object properties, but it’s generally easier to use the Properties palette. However, these features of the CHANGE command are useful when writing scripts or AutoLISP code.

Change lines

If you select one line, the CHANGE command changes the endpoint closest to where you picked the line. At the prompt for a change point, specify where you want that endpoint to be. You can use an object snap to specify the change point. If Ortho Mode is on, the line becomes orthogonal, bringing the endpoint of the line as close as possible to the change point that you specify. OK, it’s easier to do this with grip editing.

However, if you select more than one line, CHANGE works differently, moving the nearest endpoints of all the lines to the change point so that all the lines meet at one point.

See it in action!

Change circles

Changing the radius of a circle is the same as scaling it. When you select a circle, the command prompts you for a change point. AutoCAD resizes the circle so that it passes through the new point. You can also press Enter. You then get a prompt to enter a new radius. OK, so it’s easier to just grip-edit it.

But, if you select more than one circle, the command moves from circle to circle, letting you specify a new radius for each, one at a time. You can tell which circle is current because of its drag image, which lets you drag the size of the circle. You can type the radius of each circle.

If you want to make several circles the same size, select the circles and enter the desired radius in the Radius box of the Properties palette.

Thanks to Joel, whose comment to the earlier post helped [...]]]>

In a previous post, “Create a rectangle with a flexible corner,” I showed how to create a rectangle whose upper-right corner is strechable, creating a flexible rectangle that doesn’t lose its shape. In this post, I show how to do the same with a dynamic block.

Thanks to Joel, whose comment to the earlier post helped me figure this out.