AutoCAD Quick Tip – Create Multileader Style with Right Click

AutoCAD® has an annotation tool known as Multileaders.  Their display features are controlled by styles (if you are doing it right that is) in the same way dimensions and text styles control the display settings of their objects.  If you find that a multileader has been customized and is no longer controlled by a specific style you can quickly create a new style from it.

Here’s how:

1. Select the multileader.  
2. Right Click.  
3. Multileader Style. 
4. Save as New Multileader Style.

Done.  Now open it in the Multileader Style Manager and double check that it turned out the way you hoped.  I tried it several times on different leaders and sometimes it did funky things, but they were easy to remedy.

Autodesk screen shots reprinted with the permission of Autodesk, Inc.

My Take on SOPA/PIPA

On January 18^th Wikipedia and many other high profile websites will be shutting themselves down for the day (or half day in many cases) in protest of the proposed SOPA and PIPA bills in the United States congress.  These bills intended to be a tool to fight against online piracy.  I believe that was the initial intent and that intent is good.  Content Piracy is already illegal.  These bills would not suddenly make them legal.  What these bills will do is empower companies and the government.  The power given allows them to circumvent constitutional rights and rule of law.  A simple accusation of piracy is enough cause (according to these bills) search and seizure of any company or individual by the government.   Instead of being innocent until proven guilty the accused would be considered guilty.  This may be a harsh and over simplification of the bills but the possibility is there. 

Where do AutoCAD Dimensions Belong? Paper Space or Model Space?

There are some topics that will always be debated; Paper or Plastic, Mac or PC, Football or Soccer, Standard Time or Daylight Savings Time, Dimension in AutoCAD’s Model Space or Paper Space?

The problem with this question is the same as with the other questions that I mentioned, the answer depends on what you are doing.  That answer sucks to be honest, but it’s the truth.  Many times it really won’t matter.  Other times having dimensions in model space is the worst thing to do!  Or the worst will be having a million dimensions in paper space across several tabs that have to be updated when one model space dimension would have updated everything.

When is dimensioning in Model Space ok?  When that dimension (and this goes for text too) needs to be shown everywhere (or nearly everywhere) or when there will only be one paper space tab in the file.

When is dimensioning in Paper Space ok?  When you have multiple paper space tabs in your file and your dimensions do not carry over from sheet to sheet.

Free TurboViewer SDK is First to Offer 2D & 3D Programmability

IMSI/Design, producers of TurboCAD®, DoubleCAD™, DesignCAD™, and the TurboViewer families have announced that in February they will be releasing the TurboApps™ SDK.  This SDK (Software Developers Kit) will allow developers to produce applications that incorporate features from IMSI/Design's mobile CAD apps based off of their  TurboViewer®  series.  The TurboApps™ SDK will be free and will be available in February 2012.

See a copy of the press release below.

What AutoCAD Variables do You Set in your ACAD.LSP file?

A quick question if you have the time to answer.  I am working on something and I want to get input from the best CAD readers on the internet.

What AutoCAD Variables do You Set in your ACAD.LSP file?  or the ACADDOC.LSP file?

I want to know how other people use these two files.