AutoCAD is a great program that has brought many innovations to the design process. Users can employ many built-in tools to create a real-world product from just a napkin-sketch idea.
In its core functionality, AutoCAD uses a command to act on an entity or group of entities. This methodology is efficient, yet creates its own potential slow-downs. While it is true that a user can select multiple entities to act on with a single command, the user may need to replicate the same keystrokes for the next desired task.
Most of the time, this is just part of the editing process. For example, if I want to draw a red square, two by two, with a hidden line type, I will have to use several commands, all of which serve a different part of the process. This can be automated with a LISP routine if desired, and there is a CAD admin with the required infrastructure to make it happen. Also, all your user’s systems will need to be correctly figured to make this a smooth process.
If we take a deeper look at what goes into a drawing, it can be broken down into several levels. When creating a drawing, an individual develops and edits entities (individual or multiples). This means that the commands a user selects will vary depending on the given task each time an operation is undertaken.
However, at the top drawing level, user interaction shifts to processes that affect the entire drawing, not particular entities. These tasks are usually more oriented to file cleanup and formatting items.
The inherent challenge with multiple users working on drawings is getting everyone to do so consistently. Also, however, the software itself will sometimes be the issue; AutoCAD Electrical is known for setting the default drawing layer to that of the last used wire type. This is done in the background without informing the user. Creating text or other non-device interconnection items on wire layers will cause errors with the software.
However, one can use the same commands on individual entities at the overall drawing level. A few examples of drawing format problems are; not zooming to extents, having the incorrect default layer, and not cleaning out unused items from a drawing (blocks, layers, line types, etc.).
Your failure to clean up a file today will cause someone else issues later! Many issues can remain unseen until your files are used by someone in the future. Replicate the files in another project, and the errors and poor formatting will ultimately follow.
The basic file management activities commonly applied to every drawing file can easily be combined into a single task. My typical file cleanup tasks, performed when doing a final review of a drawing, are to reset the current layer to “0”, purge all unused items, and zoom to the drawing extents.
If I were to undertake these tasks individually, it would be tedious and inefficient. Duplicating keystrokes is not necessary. I have created a single command (ZERO_PURGE_ZOOM) in my “test” tool palette, as shown below. This tool palette can be placed in a network location, and accessible to all users. I recommend that the containing folder is set to read-only to keep the integrity of the files valid.
You will see additional custom commands included here. This is a test bed for me to fine-tune what I really want to include. Having too many options here will only create clutter and get to be messy. As shown below, I have combined all of my final drawing file editing tasks in one click.
This sequence can be (and has already been) mapped to certain keystrokes elsewhere in my CUI (another topic to be discussed in a different article). In addition to saving time, I can get all CAD users to follow good practices when finalizing their drawings.
The “plot” command can also be customized as a group of commands, pre-configuring the plot style you set in the company standard. This combining of options for specific tasks that support a corporate standard is a huge win for the CAD manager. Easy to use, and quickly deployed to all CAD users, I have an easy-to-use and efficient tool that supports my CAD standard.
Bonus tip! – This is an easy way to set up almost any sequence of commands that a user would like to automate. I recommend that CAD managers ask the users to list commonly used combinations of commands and start working from there. The time savings will start to show quickly!
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