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My first CAD test: Was I too tough?

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Message 1 of 256
Anonymous
3793 Views, 255 Replies

My first CAD test: Was I too tough?

all,

I've never given any prospective employee a "CAD Test," but I was asked to do so
today. I quickly came up with 20 questions which I figured any knowledgable
person who knows the program would be able to hit it out the park.

Instead, I got a serious case of deer-in-the-headlights-itis.

I didn't want to make it version specific, but I understand some questions would
not be answerable for someone running an older release, and gave the person a
pass in those cases.

I also didn't care if the questions were "useful" on a day to day basis; the
idea was to get an idea of how well the user knows AutoCAD.

So, I'll ask you guys: Was this a decent CAD questionnaire?

1. What are the names of the first 7 AutoCAD ACI colors?
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 =
5 =
6 =
7 =

2. What are System Variables? How are they used?

3. When dimensioning in Model space, what DIMSCALE value would you use for
dimensioning for a 3/16"=1'-0" plot?

4. When working with External References (Xrefs) what is the difference between
Overlay and Attach?

5. How would you specify a Viewport scale of 1/4"=1'-0" in a Paper Space
Viewport, using the Command Line?

6. What is a CUI file?

7. What is a fast method for selecting MText objects with a Style of "MEDIUM"?

8. What does the FROM osnap do?

9. What does Zoom Dynamic do?

10. What are the special rules concerning layers and colors in Blocks?

11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5 13/256",
what do you do?

12. What is one way of dimensioning something along an angle?

13. Explain the difference between the DIVIDE and MEASURE commands.

14. What does PSLTSCALE do?

15. What is an easy way to open an Xref from a parent file?

16. What is an easy way to close a Polyline?

17. What support file do you modify to create custom command aliases?

18. What is the command-line sequence you would use to change all Xref layer
colors to color #8 (gray)?

19. What does BATTMAN do?

20. What command do you use to change your default Plotter?

Extra Credit / Trick Questions:

1. During the MOVE command, what happens if you hit in response to the
"Specify second point or :" prompt?

2. What generally happens when you do a PERPendicular Osnap on a Spline curve?


I had some more trick questions, but since the first 20 didn't go so well, we
just called it a day at that point 😞


Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
255 REPLIES 255
Message 2 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Not that bad, but some of those really skew to people that like to
customize Autocad. And I gotta tell ya, number 11 had me stumped.

Matt Stachoni wrote:
> all,
>
> I've never given any prospective employee a "CAD Test," but I was asked to do so
> today. I quickly came up with 20 questions which I figured any knowledgable
> person who knows the program would be able to hit it out the park.
>
> Instead, I got a serious case of deer-in-the-headlights-itis.
>
> I didn't want to make it version specific, but I understand some questions would
> not be answerable for someone running an older release, and gave the person a
> pass in those cases.
>
> I also didn't care if the questions were "useful" on a day to day basis; the
> idea was to get an idea of how well the user knows AutoCAD.
>
> So, I'll ask you guys: Was this a decent CAD questionnaire?
>
> 1. What are the names of the first 7 AutoCAD ACI colors?
> 1 =
> 2 =
> 3 =
> 4 =
> 5 =
> 6 =
> 7 =
>
> 2. What are System Variables? How are they used?
>
> 3. When dimensioning in Model space, what DIMSCALE value would you use for
> dimensioning for a 3/16"=1'-0" plot?
>
> 4. When working with External References (Xrefs) what is the difference between
> Overlay and Attach?
>
> 5. How would you specify a Viewport scale of 1/4"=1'-0" in a Paper Space
> Viewport, using the Command Line?
>
> 6. What is a CUI file?
>
> 7. What is a fast method for selecting MText objects with a Style of "MEDIUM"?
>
> 8. What does the FROM osnap do?
>
> 9. What does Zoom Dynamic do?
>
> 10. What are the special rules concerning layers and colors in Blocks?
>
> 11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5 13/256",
> what do you do?
>
> 12. What is one way of dimensioning something along an angle?
>
> 13. Explain the difference between the DIVIDE and MEASURE commands.
>
> 14. What does PSLTSCALE do?
>
> 15. What is an easy way to open an Xref from a parent file?
>
> 16. What is an easy way to close a Polyline?
>
> 17. What support file do you modify to create custom command aliases?
>
> 18. What is the command-line sequence you would use to change all Xref layer
> colors to color #8 (gray)?
>
> 19. What does BATTMAN do?
>
> 20. What command do you use to change your default Plotter?
>
> Extra Credit / Trick Questions:
>
> 1. During the MOVE command, what happens if you hit in response to the
> "Specify second point or :" prompt?
>
> 2. What generally happens when you do a PERPendicular Osnap on a Spline curve?
>
>
> I had some more trick questions, but since the first 20 didn't go so well, we
> just called it a day at that point 😞
>
>
> Matt
> mstachoni@comcast.net
> mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 3 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Rather, #11 HAS me stumped, must be cause I'm a dirt guy.

Lance W. wrote:
> Not that bad, but some of those really skew to people that like to
> customize Autocad. And I gotta tell ya, number 11 had me stumped.
>
Message 4 of 256
Tom Smith
in reply to: Anonymous

My guess would be, fix the darn walls so they're the correct distance apart.
Message 5 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5
13/256",
what do you do?

Kind of depends on how accurate you want your model. The answer would be
either Fix the Dimstyle to display the correct fractional rounding. I don't
think anyone published dimms to the 256th. Or the answer would be: Fix the
model so the walls are whatever distance apart they should be and then fix
the dimstyle. I wouldn't think the walls would be set a something over 256
apart anyway. I'd also check the distance in another place to confirm the
lines were parallel.

But I'm a dirt guy also. So I may be way off base!

Allen

"Lance W." wrote in message
news:5569541@discussion.autodesk.com...
Rather, #11 HAS me stumped, must be cause I'm a dirt guy.

Lance W. wrote:
> Not that bad, but some of those really skew to people that like to
> customize Autocad. And I gotta tell ya, number 11 had me stumped.
>
Message 6 of 256
joeself
in reply to: Anonymous

Does everyone have the 1st seven colors memorized? I only look when setting up plot styles. Or i'm just brain dead today.

Pretty tough for someone that does not tinker. If they just use buttons and pulldowns would not know half of the items.
Message 7 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Just looking at this and other ones I have seen here. CAD tests like this
are very hard to use to judge what a drafter may know.

#1 I can't tell you but I know where to go to find them.
#3 I have a piece of paper to tell me that info. Why fill the brain with
stuff you can have a reference to use.
#5 I wouldn't. I would use the properties window.
#9 I have not used Dynamic zoom since the wheel pan/zoom.

Just stuff like that make it tuff. And I have been using AutoCAD since R9.
I customize the crap out of my AutoCAD too. I write VBA stuff for it also.
So I know AutoCAD pretty good. But, if are and old CAD person that hasn't
used some of those things in awhile you may not remember, or if you are a
young CAD person you may have never been taught those things. Seeing that
the interface has changed so much. Now sit down in front of a CAD station
with them and ask them to do some of those things on that test, and see how
they do it. Just my thoughts.

--

Thanks,
David M. Gardner
Change the DOT to reply

"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
news:5569527@discussion.autodesk.com...
all,

I've never given any prospective employee a "CAD Test," but I was asked to
do so
today. I quickly came up with 20 questions which I figured any knowledgable
person who knows the program would be able to hit it out the park.

Instead, I got a serious case of deer-in-the-headlights-itis.

I didn't want to make it version specific, but I understand some questions
would
not be answerable for someone running an older release, and gave the person
a
pass in those cases.

I also didn't care if the questions were "useful" on a day to day basis; the
idea was to get an idea of how well the user knows AutoCAD.

So, I'll ask you guys: Was this a decent CAD questionnaire?

1. What are the names of the first 7 AutoCAD ACI colors?
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 =
5 =
6 =
7 =

2. What are System Variables? How are they used?

3. When dimensioning in Model space, what DIMSCALE value would you use for
dimensioning for a 3/16"=1'-0" plot?

4. When working with External References (Xrefs) what is the difference
between
Overlay and Attach?

5. How would you specify a Viewport scale of 1/4"=1'-0" in a Paper Space
Viewport, using the Command Line?

6. What is a CUI file?

7. What is a fast method for selecting MText objects with a Style of
"MEDIUM"?

8. What does the FROM osnap do?

9. What does Zoom Dynamic do?

10. What are the special rules concerning layers and colors in Blocks?

11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5
13/256",
what do you do?

12. What is one way of dimensioning something along an angle?

13. Explain the difference between the DIVIDE and MEASURE commands.

14. What does PSLTSCALE do?

15. What is an easy way to open an Xref from a parent file?

16. What is an easy way to close a Polyline?

17. What support file do you modify to create custom command aliases?

18. What is the command-line sequence you would use to change all Xref layer
colors to color #8 (gray)?

19. What does BATTMAN do?

20. What command do you use to change your default Plotter?

Extra Credit / Trick Questions:

1. During the MOVE command, what happens if you hit in response to
the
"Specify second point or :" prompt?

2. What generally happens when you do a PERPendicular Osnap on a Spline
curve?


I had some more trick questions, but since the first 20 didn't go so well,
we
just called it a day at that point 😞


Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 8 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Matt Stachoni wrote:
> 1. What are the names of the first 7 AutoCAD ACI colors?
*FOUL*,
CTB-biased...

> 2. What are System Variables? How are they used?
The average User may not know this,
given that *most* of the important SYSVARS are set in the Profile?

> 3. When dimensioning in Model space, what DIMSCALE value would you
> use for dimensioning for a 3/16"=1'-0" plot?
a little too off the beaten path?
I certainly don't have this one comitted to memory.
1/8" or 1/4" would be a more fair question...

> 4. When working with External References (Xrefs) what is the
> difference between Overlay and Attach?
yes, good question.

> 5. How would you specify a Viewport scale of 1/4"=1'-0" in a Paper
> Space Viewport, using the Command Line?
This question favors people who actually use the command line to set
viewport zoom scale.
(I don't...)
Much easier to accomplish via Object Properties palette.

> 6. What is a CUI file?
this question is "ok".
I suppose the average User should at least know what one is...

> 7. What is a fast method for selecting MText objects with a Style of
> "MEDIUM"?
A good gauge to se if the User uses "Quick Select".

> 8. What does the FROM osnap do?
nice question.
although, osnap tracking is a less archaic way to accomplish the same
thing...

> 9. What does Zoom Dynamic do?
"Makes people who started using AutoCAD 2.1 feel superior to those that
didn't?"
That would be my answer...

> 10. What are the special rules concerning layers and colors in Blocks?
This answer could be an AU topic .

> 11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5
> 13/256", what do you do?
Label yourself a "deconstructionist", and cop an attitude?

> 12. What is one way of dimensioning something along an angle?
good question.
I assume Dim Aligned, and rotate UCS are acceptable answers?

> 13. Explain the difference between the DIVIDE and MEASURE commands.


> 14. What does PSLTSCALE do?
good question.
people should know this.

> 15. What is an easy way to open an Xref from a parent file?


> 16. What is an easy way to close a Polyline?
good question

> 17. What support file do you modify to create custom command aliases?
not average USER fodder, IMO.

> 18. What is the command-line sequence you would use to change all
> Xref layer colors to color #8 (gray)?
again, many new Users will not be frequenting the command line.
Layer Filters, in Layer Manager is probably the most used method...

> 19. What does BATTMAN do?


> 20. What command do you use to change your default Plotter?
OPTIONS...

> 1. During the MOVE command, what happens if you hit in
> response to the "Specify second point or
> displacement>:" prompt?


> 2. What generally happens when you do a PERPendicular Osnap on a
> Spline curve?

> I had some more trick questions, but since the first 20 didn't go so
> well, we just called it a day at that point 😞

uyeah, you need to tone this down, a bit.
Message 9 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Not bad. However, 11 and 12 seem vague to me...maybe add some more verbage.
There is no inherent problem revealed in the 11 question to me...is the
dim's precision too accurate? wall's too far apart? too close? correct
units? not actually parallel? My guess would be the precision and that you
threw in "parallel" as a trick. Or visa versa. Or not. Eh...I'm a Civil
guy so maybe it's *my* problem 🙂

Josh

"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
news:5569527@discussion.autodesk.com...
all,

I've never given any prospective employee a "CAD Test," but I was asked to
do so
today. I quickly came up with 20 questions which I figured any knowledgable
person who knows the program would be able to hit it out the park.

Instead, I got a serious case of deer-in-the-headlights-itis.

I didn't want to make it version specific, but I understand some questions
would
not be answerable for someone running an older release, and gave the person
a
pass in those cases.

I also didn't care if the questions were "useful" on a day to day basis; the
idea was to get an idea of how well the user knows AutoCAD.

So, I'll ask you guys: Was this a decent CAD questionnaire?

1. What are the names of the first 7 AutoCAD ACI colors?
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 =
5 =
6 =
7 =

2. What are System Variables? How are they used?

3. When dimensioning in Model space, what DIMSCALE value would you use for
dimensioning for a 3/16"=1'-0" plot?

4. When working with External References (Xrefs) what is the difference
between
Overlay and Attach?

5. How would you specify a Viewport scale of 1/4"=1'-0" in a Paper Space
Viewport, using the Command Line?

6. What is a CUI file?

7. What is a fast method for selecting MText objects with a Style of
"MEDIUM"?

8. What does the FROM osnap do?

9. What does Zoom Dynamic do?

10. What are the special rules concerning layers and colors in Blocks?

11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5
13/256",
what do you do?

12. What is one way of dimensioning something along an angle?

13. Explain the difference between the DIVIDE and MEASURE commands.

14. What does PSLTSCALE do?

15. What is an easy way to open an Xref from a parent file?

16. What is an easy way to close a Polyline?

17. What support file do you modify to create custom command aliases?

18. What is the command-line sequence you would use to change all Xref layer
colors to color #8 (gray)?

19. What does BATTMAN do?

20. What command do you use to change your default Plotter?

Extra Credit / Trick Questions:

1. During the MOVE command, what happens if you hit in response to
the
"Specify second point or :" prompt?

2. What generally happens when you do a PERPendicular Osnap on a Spline
curve?


I had some more trick questions, but since the first 20 didn't go so well,
we
just called it a day at that point 😞


Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 10 of 256
jackshield
in reply to: Anonymous

your questions seem a little slanted to customization....
i created one cad test in my life, a set of verbal instructions to draw objects with, a word problem in math terms.
i guess it really depends on what your looking for in a drafter?
Message 11 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Not too bad. I don't know if I'd get #1 correct. Although I dealt with the
color #'s for years. Since they have been able to be set by their names or
from a dialog box for some time. I've dumped those files in to dead storage
and might have some difficulty recovering them.

I don't know a lot about architectural scaling but could take a good guess
and could answer the same questions regarding civil scaling.

The From osnap seems to be an esoteric one. Although I know it will set your
point at an entered distance From a base point. I could not find it in HELP
when I went to see if there was something further.

These question may seem fairly easy to some of us. But if the person being
interviewed came from a shop where the software was highly customized. They
may know how to draw but may have had a toolbar button set for everything.
We've all read of shops where if a cad operator wants to draw a certain type
of line. Say one representing a Sanitary Sewer. They go to the toolbar that
has the utility lines on it and selects SS 8" PVC and the line is draw on
the correct layer with the correct linetype and color or lineweight. Their
cad managers probably discouraged them from knowing anything more that that.
While that is not their fault. They may not fit in your organization because
of it.

The other possibility is that the person was hyping their skill level. Maybe
start out slow with "How do you draw a line?". If the respond "Use the line
icon from the toolbar" then ask "What if you don't see the toolbar?"

I don't have to worry about this. None of the test for this place have any
questions about any type of CAD programs at all.

Allen

"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
news:5569527@discussion.autodesk.com...
all,

I've never given any prospective employee a "CAD Test," but I was asked to
do so
today. I quickly came up with 20 questions which I figured any knowledgable
person who knows the program would be able to hit it out the park.

Instead, I got a serious case of deer-in-the-headlights-itis.

I didn't want to make it version specific, but I understand some questions
would
not be answerable for someone running an older release, and gave the person
a
pass in those cases.

I also didn't care if the questions were "useful" on a day to day basis; the
idea was to get an idea of how well the user knows AutoCAD.

So, I'll ask you guys: Was this a decent CAD questionnaire?

1. What are the names of the first 7 AutoCAD ACI colors?
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 =
5 =
6 =
7 =

2. What are System Variables? How are they used?

3. When dimensioning in Model space, what DIMSCALE value would you use for
dimensioning for a 3/16"=1'-0" plot?

4. When working with External References (Xrefs) what is the difference
between
Overlay and Attach?

5. How would you specify a Viewport scale of 1/4"=1'-0" in a Paper Space
Viewport, using the Command Line?

6. What is a CUI file?

7. What is a fast method for selecting MText objects with a Style of
"MEDIUM"?

8. What does the FROM osnap do?

9. What does Zoom Dynamic do?

10. What are the special rules concerning layers and colors in Blocks?

11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5
13/256",
what do you do?

12. What is one way of dimensioning something along an angle?

13. Explain the difference between the DIVIDE and MEASURE commands.

14. What does PSLTSCALE do?

15. What is an easy way to open an Xref from a parent file?

16. What is an easy way to close a Polyline?

17. What support file do you modify to create custom command aliases?

18. What is the command-line sequence you would use to change all Xref layer
colors to color #8 (gray)?

19. What does BATTMAN do?

20. What command do you use to change your default Plotter?

Extra Credit / Trick Questions:

1. During the MOVE command, what happens if you hit in response to
the
"Specify second point or :" prompt?

2. What generally happens when you do a PERPendicular Osnap on a Spline
curve?


I had some more trick questions, but since the first 20 didn't go so well,
we
just called it a day at that point 😞


Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 12 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

>Not that bad, but some of those really skew to people that like to
>customize Autocad. And I gotta tell ya, number 11 had me stumped.

>> 11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5
>> 13/256",
>> what do you do?

go smack the designer. :o)

--
Daron
Later, back at the Hall of Justice.....
Message 13 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:43:31 +0000, Tom Smith <> wrote:

>My guess would be, fix the darn walls so they're the correct distance apart.

DING DING DING DING DING!

The person's answer was "I would change my dimension style's precision setting."
Which sent the hair on the back of my neck curling.

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 14 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

I know from reading your post that you know how to do the right thing. But
for most architectural plans I've had to work with a 256th of an inch is
perfection. I'm just happy if the dimension overrides make a closed
building. More often than not one side is longer than the other.

Allen

"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
news:5569631@discussion.autodesk.com...
On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:43:31 +0000, Tom Smith <> wrote:

>My guess would be, fix the darn walls so they're the correct distance
>apart.

DING DING DING DING DING!

The person's answer was "I would change my dimension style's precision
setting."
Which sent the hair on the back of my neck curling.

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 15 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:48:00 +0000, David M. Gardner
wrote:

>Just looking at this and other ones I have seen here. CAD tests like this
>are very hard to use to judge what a drafter may know.

I personally think that CAD tests are rather useless. The only way to make sure
someone knows their stuff is to give them a sketch of an outline of a typical
detail, and have them draw it and finish it. What's important to me is how well
it is drawn, and does it cover the bases for construction.

But with this test, here was my thinking:

>#1 I can't tell you but I know where to go to find them.

That's funny, because that's the same answer I got from almost all of my cow
orkers. It's actually not a hard question if you think about it, because you've
seen the Color dialog box a zillion times in your life.

Even I don't have them memorized to a great detail - I have to sort of stop and
think, which is what I wanted the person to do. But instead she just shrugged
and gave up.

>#3 I have a piece of paper to tell me that info. Why fill the brain with
>stuff you can have a reference to use.

Again, it's not something everyone needs to memorize, and that was not the
point. What I specifically wanted to see was if the person could figure it out
on their feet. It's actually a simple mathematical expression that IMO every CAD
user should understand, because it's fundamental to how things work with
annotation.

>#5 I wouldn't. I would use the properties window.

That was EXACTLY the answer she gave me. That was just a test of the ZOOM 1/xXP
functionality. I wanted to see if the person understood that a viewport scale
factor is nothing more than a dumb ZOOM command.

>#9 I have not used Dynamic zoom since the wheel pan/zoom.

Many do not; I wanted to see if the person knew that Dynamic Zoon actually
existed.

>Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 16 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

For the architectural/structural slant this is easy enough if you came up
the ranks; however, for those that now use the point and shoot method they
may not know names only the icons to pick.

1. What are the names of the first 7 AutoCAD ACI colors?
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 =
5 =
6 =
7 =

IMHO not many average users know any of these. They don't even RTFM much
less know variables.

2. What are System Variables? How are they used?

Easy if you came up the ranks and don't depend on the menu.

3. When dimensioning in Model space, what DIMSCALE value would you use for
dimensioning for a 3/16"=1'-0" plot?

Good question to know the answer to.

4. When working with External References (Xrefs) what is the difference
between
Overlay and Attach?

Easy enough for those old time users.

5. How would you specify a Viewport scale of 1/4"=1'-0" in a Paper Space
Viewport, using the Command Line?

I know what it is; however, I never use it to modify my menu as I find it
easier to modify the .mnu and reimport.

6. What is a CUI file?

LST. My routine to gather a style by name.

7. What is a fast method for selecting MText objects with a Style of
"MEDIUM"?

Still valuable as tracking does not handle all situations easily enough.

8. What does the FROM osnap do?

Great command though VIEW is better once set up, as in VS1/VR1 for view save
"1" and recall "1".

9. What does Zoom Dynamic do?

10. What are the special rules concerning layers and colors in Blocks?

Nothing wrong with this dimension if you are a cabinet maker, not very good
in the real world where a measurement is 4'-2 and 3 marks.

11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5
13/256",
what do you do?

12. What is one way of dimensioning something along an angle?

13. Explain the difference between the DIVIDE and MEASURE commands.

14. What does PSLTSCALE do?

15. What is an easy way to open an Xref from a parent file?

Should definitely know how to close one.

16. What is an easy way to close a Polyline?

ACADDOC.LSP for me. I never modify the original AutoCAD files so that
anyone can use this computer if need be.

17. What support file do you modify to create custom command aliases?

No need for filters here as it is easy to do at the command line.

18. What is the command-line sequence you would use to change all Xref layer
colors to color #8 (gray)?

19. What does BATTMAN do?

20. What command do you use to change your default Plotter?

Extra Credit / Trick Questions:

1. During the MOVE command, what happens if you hit in response to
the
"Specify second point or :" prompt?

2. What generally happens when you do a PERPendicular Osnap on a Spline
curve?

A real world drawing situation might show what a user can really do and show
his/her accuracy, it would for me as I don't use the standard menu and
haven't for years so I wouldn't know what pulldown, icon, etc. brings up
anything.


I had some more trick questions, but since the first 20 didn't go so well,
we
just called it a day at that point 😞


Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 17 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

What does Zoom V do?

"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
news:5569633@discussion.autodesk.com...
On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:48:00 +0000, David M. Gardner

wrote:

>Just looking at this and other ones I have seen here. CAD tests like this
>are very hard to use to judge what a drafter may know.

I personally think that CAD tests are rather useless. The only way to make
sure
someone knows their stuff is to give them a sketch of an outline of a
typical
detail, and have them draw it and finish it. What's important to me is how
well
it is drawn, and does it cover the bases for construction.

But with this test, here was my thinking:

>#1 I can't tell you but I know where to go to find them.

That's funny, because that's the same answer I got from almost all of my cow
orkers. It's actually not a hard question if you think about it, because
you've
seen the Color dialog box a zillion times in your life.

Even I don't have them memorized to a great detail - I have to sort of stop
and
think, which is what I wanted the person to do. But instead she just
shrugged
and gave up.

>#3 I have a piece of paper to tell me that info. Why fill the brain with
>stuff you can have a reference to use.

Again, it's not something everyone needs to memorize, and that was not the
point. What I specifically wanted to see was if the person could figure it
out
on their feet. It's actually a simple mathematical expression that IMO every
CAD
user should understand, because it's fundamental to how things work with
annotation.

>#5 I wouldn't. I would use the properties window.

That was EXACTLY the answer she gave me. That was just a test of the ZOOM
1/xXP
functionality. I wanted to see if the person understood that a viewport
scale
factor is nothing more than a dumb ZOOM command.

>#9 I have not used Dynamic zoom since the wheel pan/zoom.

Many do not; I wanted to see if the person knew that Dynamic Zoon actually
existed.

>Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 18 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:49:11 +0000, Corey A. Layton wrote:

>> 7. What is a fast method for selecting MText objects with a Style of
>> "MEDIUM"?
>A good gauge to se if the User uses "Quick Select".

Which she answered correctly.

>> 8. What does the FROM osnap do?
>nice question.
>although, osnap tracking is a less archaic way to accomplish the same
>thing...

Well, perhaps for some people. I think Osnap Tracking completely sucks, myself.
But it was weird enough that I figured it would throw someone, and I was right.

>> 10. What are the special rules concerning layers and colors in Blocks?
>This answer could be an AU topic .

She actually did give the right answer I was looking form, which was to use
Layer 0 and color Bylayer.

>> 11. If you dimension two parallel walls and get a dimension of 14'-5
>> 13/256", what do you do?
>Label yourself a "deconstructionist", and cop an attitude?

Perhaps.

>> 12. What is one way of dimensioning something along an angle?
>good question.
>I assume Dim Aligned, and rotate UCS are acceptable answers?

I was really looking for UCS. I think Dim Aligned dimensions are next to useless
because of how they behave, and wanted to see if she knew that.

>> 14. What does PSLTSCALE do?
>good question.
>people should know this.

She had no clue - never saw it before.

>> 16. What is an easy way to close a Polyline?
>good question

Properties 🙂

or Pedit Close.

It's important because so much depends on closed polylines, and I had a rash of
incidents last week where hatching failed because people weren't clocing their
plines.

>> 17. What support file do you modify to create custom command aliases?
>not average USER fodder, IMO.

Again, wanted to see what she knew. If she did, great, if not, no biggie.

>> 18. What is the command-line sequence you would use to change all
>> Xref layer colors to color #8 (gray)?
>again, many new Users will not be frequenting the command line.
>Layer Filters, in Layer Manager is probably the most used method...

Yep, but I'm also interested in speed, which means to me a profound
understanding of the command line. I don't think you can know AutoCAD without
understanding command line syntax.

'-la c 8 *|* "" ' is imminently faster than opening any dialog box -
particularly the layer dialog.

>> 20. What command do you use to change your default Plotter?
>OPTIONS...

Yip


Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 19 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Bingo.

--
John Mayo
Project Engineer
Conklin Associates
Ramsey, NJ

Civil 3D 2007, LDT 2007, Raster Design 2007
P-IV at 3.5 GHz
2 GB Ram
Nvidea Quadro FX w/ 128 MB Ram
"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
news:5569631@discussion.autodesk.com...
On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:43:31 +0000, Tom Smith <> wrote:

>My guess would be, fix the darn walls so they're the correct distance
>apart.

DING DING DING DING DING!

The person's answer was "I would change my dimension style's precision
setting."
Which sent the hair on the back of my neck curling.

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 20 of 256
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:59:38 +0000, jackshield <> wrote:

>your questions seem a little slanted to customization....

How so?

All of these questions are for relatively basic AutoCAD knowledge. The question
about the PGP was fair game, because many users take advantage of it.

But really the test was aimed more to see if the person could think on their
feet and reason the question out, rather than try to throw up some quaint little
factoid they remembered.

This ain't the AUGI Top Dawg competition here 🙂

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com

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