modify sub commands??

[Anonymous]

I'm currently enrolled in an entry level AutoCAD class, and I'm having a bit of trouble answering a question on an assignment from our teacher; he wants us to define what the "modify sub commands" do, giving us C, W, A, and R.

I have no idea what he's even asking for... the modify commands all have different sub commands associated with them.  I have an expensive textbook that is basically no help; all I can find in it is C & R for Copy and Reference used with the Scale command, and A for Angle used with the Chamfer commands.  Honestly, I don't even think that is what he's looking for.  I thought C and W might have been for Crossing and Window Selection, but again I have no idea.  When he gives the drawing assignments I have no problem creating drawings and even incorporating elements weeks before he goes over them in class like manipulating linetype and lineweight, but the way this written assignment is worded is confusing.

Thanks in advance

[beyoungjr]

Hello, I've been teaching ACAD since 2004 and I've never referred to any actions as "sub-commands".  We have commands and we have command options.  Occasionally we also have "variables" that are either setting a condition in the drawing or in AutoCAD globally.

Some of the "Modify" commands (also referred to as Edit commands by older ACAD users) have command aliases (RO = ROTATE, TR = TRIM).  Some Daw commands also have aliases (L = LINE, C = CIRCLE, A = ARC).

The defaults for each of the alias letters you inquired about are CIRCLE, WRITE BLOCK, ARC, REDRAW.

If I consider which Modify commands might use any of the aliases you noted then I might look at C as one of the options in the ROTATE command.  Once you select your objects to rotate, and your base point, you may choose the C option to invoke a copy rotation so that the original objects do not change position but are copied to the new rotation angle.

The aliases for any command option are always visible in blue on the command line.  I might suggest that you dock the command bar that is centered in the bottom middle of your screen by default.  That is, grab it by the left end and drag it to the bottom of the ACAD area where it will dock and be more visible.  You will see more information as commands progress.

Let me know if this helps.

BTW.. What textbook is assigned?  I've seen many.

[TheCADnoob · Accepted solution]

The sub commands are crossing, window, objects and remove.

Start one of the commands and use the sub commands and pay attention to the command prompt. 

[TheCADnoob]

for extra credit tell your instructor about the F sub command. 

[Anonymous]

right, that's why i have no idea what he's talking about.  He's apparently been "beta-testing" the various version of autocad since the 80's, so I don't doubt that he knows his stuff... but he is having trouble teaching us...

and i did what you suggested with the command bar, paying attention to the 'aliases' or whatever you want to call them... I'm not finding any coherence between the various aliases available for the various modify commands- that's why i'm not sure what he's even asking for.

its really frustrating me because i'm extremely intuitive with computer software; i've been using computers since i was 3 (before windows 3.1) and even started teaching myself programming languages in middle school.  what he is asking for seems to be nonsense.

also the textbook is "AutoCAD 2017: A Problem-Solving Approach, basic and intermediate, 23rd edition" by sham tickoo- and its not even the correct book we all foudn out the first day of class, though he said it wouldn't matter.

[Anonymous]

he already made it clear that he doesn't do extra credit... his logic is that the students who need it don't do it, and the students who do it don't need it...

pretty brilliant huh >_>

[Vinayv4v]

Hi,

Welcome to Autodesk Forums

Your teachers question is a little bit confusing.

As he has given the topic modify commands I think he is referring the (sub options = sub commands) which are

Modify>Copy>(Sub Options in copy)

Modify>Array>(Sub Options in array)

Modify>Rotate>(Sub Options in Rotate)

W> I have no idea

For selection methods sub commands refer the article below

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/autocad-tips-tricks-selection-vinay-vijayakumaran

[Anonymous]

i did what you suggested, starting one of the modify commands and then seeing what c/r/a/w do...

thats where my confusion is coming in- for some of them, C and R are copy and reference... for others, C is for crossing selection where W is window selection.  and i'm only seeing an alias for A under chamfer to specify the angle

[beyoungjr]

So these are "selection options" like F for fence.  Glad you pointed that out.  I'm sure it's what the student needed.

Also very hard for students to pay attention to these things with the default command bar spot in modern versions.  Many instructors forget to emphasize the command line as it used to be a HUGE focus.  Once docked students can drag the command line up to reveal the trail of data like you showed by hitting the F2 key to open the command window.  If students have a second monitor they might watch the F2 command windows while they work but only till they have a feel for things.  I wouldn't propose that for everyday working;)

[beyoungjr]

I think you have your answer in the selection options.

The textbook you have is one that I tried for a semester several years ago.  It's not the best but not the worst either.  It is affordable and that seems to be key in software textbooks today.  I cannot justify the $130 cost of the best book I ever used in the classroom (got too expensive).  It was AutoCAD and It's Applications: Comprehensive by Goodheart-Wilcox.  Software companies update every year now so a high priced text is unreasonable IMO.

As long as you keep investigating issues and pursuing answers you will surely succeed.  Many students "shrug off" true effort but you are obviously not doing that.  Once you get through the basics you should do very well.

[Anonymous]

i greatly appreciate everyone taking the time to look into this with me

the rests of the assignment was really easy, except there was one other question i wasn't sure how to answer- he wants 5 different ways of inputting coordinates, but i thought there was only 4 - absolute, relative, relative polar, and distance-- the 5th way i thought would be just using the mouse but he is all about using the keyboard as much as possible, which is really, really irritating and archaic

[TheCADnoob]

My screen cast is finally ready. It may be a little late to the party but FWIW here it is. 

[beyoungjr · Accepted solution]

1. Absolute Rectangular
2. Relative Rectangular
3. Relative Polar
4. Direct Distance Entry (Select start then type distance when cursor is placed in a direction)
5. Position Select via mouse
6. Surveyor Coordinates.

[Anonymous]

the answer can't be surveyor coordinates, as our class hasn't (and won't) go into that

the problem with position select is that its all mouse-based-- the question demands an "example" of each type of coordinate input method, and you can't do that from a method that entails clicking a mouse.  he's really, really dependent on using the keyboard as much as possible (for lines especially)

yeah, i know.... like i said, its a frustrating class and the teacher is making it more annoying than it should be... when he assigns us drawings, i actually like messing around with it and i find it extremely easy and intuitive to use.  why he demands we use the convoluted keyboard commands when you can use the mouse is beyond me

[beyoungjr]

Trying to figure out what other method your instructor wants.  I suppose you are in a post-secondary class?  It's week 6 of my semester and we covered coordinates the first two classes.  Your instructor needs to get on with content.

Maybe my coordinate sheet can help but I can't think of another method.

[Anonymous]

i have no idea what he wants... i'm not particularly fond of his teaching style.  i'm not sure what a "post-secondary" class is - i'm in a regular, 16 week class.  its one of those once-a-week, 3 hour long classes at night (all of us are various craftsmen and apprentices in the shipyard/maritime industry being sent to school for our jobs), but its a normal class.

[TheCADnoob]

Its hard to teach those classes. It sounds like he is pretty knowledgeable and often in those classes they will throw in obscure information to insure that people actually attend the classes and help determine attendance vs. students who just read the books. Its kind of a bummer cause it built to incentive's students but it hurt people who aren't full time students and have legit reasons to miss classes. I took a couple of those classes but i hated the 3 hour format. 

Post secondary just means classes taken after high school. High school is considered secondary education. (in the US any way). That classification never made sense to me either. 

[beyoungjr]

CADNoob makes good points.  The instructor I took over for still taught students the entire dimensioning environment and techniques based on typed commands.  It was super cumbersome and that was the first thing I chucked.

I teach 15-week semesters at Community College where students are 16 to 65+ (broad audience).  It's always interesting to get apprentices in the trades because they already understand a bunch of mechanical aspects but just need formalized instruction on CAD/CAM software and other courses.

You will have to satisfy the instructor's needs but ultimately it's about your own efficiency and being able to produce at your employer.  Keep up the extra effort and it will reward you with better understanding than you get just in class.

[GrantsPirate]

Start the MOVE command, now hit ?, look at the command line for all the 'sub-commands' available.  Most you won't ever use because you don't have to type anything to start a window, or crossing-window, or the new Lasso, etc.  Knowing Last and Previous would probably be the most useful of the ones you have to actually type to get to.

[gotphish001]

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@Anonymous wrote:

he already made it clear that he doesn't do extra credit... his logic is that the students who need it don't do it, and the students who do it don't need it...

pretty brilliant huh >_>

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I'm pretty sure I had a CAD teacher say the same exact thing. Be funny if it was the same guy.