AutoCAD on surface pro 4 or similar touch screen

[post16]

Hello 

I'm new on this Microsoft Surface Pro 4.

I want to use AutoCAD with only pen/stylus, but it is hopeless because of the missing ESC and ENTER button.

Every command works great until I want to stop the command with one of this missing buttons.

Do anyone have a solution for this?

Rune

[TheCADnoob · Accepted solution]

I had an early generation tablet laptop. I was able to get a stylus with additional buttons. 

another way around would be to add some key combinations in the CUI that utilize the buttons you have available. 

[post16]

Thanks for answere!

I have tried to make some buttons but that was not working.

In the command TEXT and SKETCH I have to end the command with ENTER, SPACE or ESC. Staring a new command will not stop the running command.

Is there any special code or macro I could run on the buttons?

Rune

[pendean]

AutoCAD is not designed for that. Unless there is a surprise in store with the next version next year, I have not heard of any attempts at trying either.

Best you can do is turn on TOUCHMODE variable (explained in HELP), which makes a cancel button available on the Ribbon. You will also need to make a button for <enter> as well.

If you want a less capable CAD program, and one that is cloud-based and is fully designed for touchscreens and pens, try http://www.autocad360.com (nope, it's not AutoCAD despite the name, it just shares a name and file formats and is where touchscreen development is headed at Autodesk).

[post16]

Hello Dean!

I have Autocad360 Pro as well. Pretty good, but quality of android and the tablets is not near Autocad on Surface Pro 4. I also need the well working function where Leica Disto Laser writes the measurements directly to cursor in TEXT commant active.

Do you have any idea how the macro scould be for ENTER button when TEXT commant is active?

Rune

[pendean]

A semi-colon (looks like ; ) acts as <enter> in a macro.

[post16]

I have tried that. There are something strange with the TEXT and SKETCH command. They would not breake up by semicolon in button macro, either ^C.

Rune

[pendean]

Help me out a little: are you editing the code for the existing button that launches those commands, or creating your own?
What are you trying to accomplish with <enter> exactly?

[post16]

Hello Dean!

There are no buttons for these old commands TEXT and SKETCH. I have to make a button for the command. It also work well to use the tool palettes. As told: there are no way to exit the command without ESC or ENTER/SPACE.

Other commands will end when starting a new command.

If objects is selected I'll need escape to deselect. 

Rune

[pendean]

You should consider making a button(s) for these then, have your macro go ahead and answer questions and prompts you already know you will accept by default.

Like I said: AutoCAD is not touchscreen friendly, you still need a keyboard if you are not going to fully customize everything you need as buttons in the Ribbon to take care of the default prompts and the default answers you like to use all the time.

Start customizing.

[Anonymous]

To anyone else looking for a solution for this, you have to go into the Surface settings and turn on "on screen keyboard."  This will be different than the keyboard that defaults to come up.  I then pinned this new on screen keyboard to my start menu bar and pull it up when in AutoCAD.  It will have your ESC, DEL and other keys.

Cheers.

[Anonymous]

I had the same problem, because I wanted to draw with complete autocad in real estate and renovation job. There are two commands that can solve your problem, but I only know their names in Spanish version: "Intro" and "cancelar".
What I did was a new tool palette, and with cui drag those commands to the new palette (first I selected one icon for each, as they are by default without it).
After all, it works really fine, without needing to be writing every timein command line.
I hope you can do the same with this poor information.