How to Install AutoCAD With a Different Language

If you want to use AutoCAD in a different language it is rather simple to do.  Open AutoCAD, go to the top of the screen to the information center, and click on the expansion arrow.  That will bring up a window where you need to click on the Language Packs button.  See the figure below.

Clicking the Download Language Packs button will open your web browser and bring you to the Autodesk Knowledge base website where you can download the language pack you want.  Scroll down until you find the language you want to install and click the hyperlink to download the file.

There will be several languages to download and the list of available languages will vary depending on your specific region.  Here is a partial list from my selection options and a glimpse as to what the website will look like.

Click on the hyperlink of the language you want to download.  Make sure to pick the system type that you need.  There are 32 bit and 64 bit versions.  Match your computer’s system type.  This downloads a self-extracting .exe file that will install the language pack similarly to how AutoCAD is installed.

Once the .exe file is downloaded run the file.  This will extract the needed files to a folder on your computer and should start the install program.  If it doesn't, browse to where the files were extracted to and run the setup.exe file in the folder.
Once the installer has started click the INSTALL button on the bottom right of the screen.  The installer instructions will be in the language of the language pack, but otherwise it will exactly the same.

Click the install button, select the language pack, and click install.  Make sure all instances of AutoCAD are closed before you install the language pack.  Once the install is finished you will have a new AutoCAD launch icon available.  Now I can run AutoCAD in English or in French.

AutoCAD – How to Break a Line Like a Pro

AutoCAD’s Break command allows you to “break” a line, splitting it into two segments. The Break command “normal” steps are as follows:

1. Start the Break command (type break or br on the command line)
2. Select the object to break which also selects the start of the break area (the area that will be removed from the selected line.)
3. Pick the Second Break point.  This will break the line (arc, circle, polyline, etc.) and remove the segment from the object.

Now for the Tip.  It’s an extra step but it gives you control of where the line is being broken.

1. Start the Break command.  
2. Type F on the command line.  Select exactly where you want the first break point to located.
3. Pick your second break location.

This method makes it easier to control exactly where your line is going to be “broken”.

Tip Number Two.

1. Start the break command and select your object to break.  
2. Type F on the command line and pick the exact place you want to break your line.  
3. For your second point pick the exact same place.  

This tip allows you to break an object in one place leaving the entire object visually intact, but split into two segments.  It will look as if it is still one object until you select it.

You’re welcome.

What not to do in AutoCAD – Labels in a Base File

Today’s look into “You’re doing it wrong” is about labels in base files and drawing files.

Here is a screenshot of a residential plan where a new Force Main was being tied in to an existing manhole.  I have circled the manhole label because that is what I want to discuss today.  This drawing file has two “base” files referenced into it.  One is an existing conditions file that contains the existing residential area, the existing roads, the existing water main, the existing sewer system.  The other reference drawing is the new, or proposed, line work that contains the new force main.  That’s the good part.  It’s always good to separate the new and the old in separate database.  It makes things easier to manage, revise, and to work with.

The bad part is the existing manhole label.  This information is needed of course but it is in the base file.  Labels don’t belong in the base file.  They belong in the drawing file.  Now there is nothing wrong with putting the manhole data in the file in some way; in fact, that would be a great thing to do.  Put that info as attributed info in the manhole block or put it on a non-printing layer.  Better yet, use Civil3D or some other information modeling program like Civil3D to manage the data.  What makes it worse is that the creator of the drawing file took a shortcut and used the data labels as labels for the drawing file.  It might have sounded great at the time but now somebody else has to deal with them.  It turns out that the Force main was installed but not as designed.  Field conditions weren't as indicated on the record drawings.  Oops!!  It happens.  Now we have to update the drawings to reflect the changes made.

We have new labels to add, new information to integrate into the drawings but because the labels are in the base file it is making things difficult to work with.  The work that was avoided at the beginning still has to be done now.  We will copy the labels data into the drawing file, position it so that our new labels can be seen, and freeze the labels in the drawing file.   Unfortunately another no-no happened and when the labels are frozen, so are the lot numbers, and all other labels in the base file because they are all on the same layer.
 
I hate it when a file has a billion layers, but it is a great idea to use more than one layer for your text.  Put lot numbers on their own layer and put street names on their own layer.  You get the idea.  Also keep in mind that the shortcut you use to avoid work now will likely mean you will have to do the work later on, when there is even less time and less budget.

What Not To Do In AutoCAD – text over a table cell

This is the first in a new series of posts titled “What Not To Do In AutoCAD” where we look at practices that should never (usually never) happen in AutoCAD because, well, you’re doing it wrong!

Here is a screenshot of a legend in a drawing.

At first glance it appears that the AutoCAD user has created a legend for their drawing using an AutoCAD Table.  Great idea.  The columns and rows are set to a standard size and will ensure that each drawing’s legend will have a uniform look.  It also ensures that the text will be lined up every time with no additional effort.  Fantastic.

Now select the text in the legend to edit it.  This is what we found:

Each text instance is not a field in the table but an individual multiline text object.  The user created text objects then aligned them perfectly on the table cells.  The left most column are center justified while the second column text objects are left justified.  The text objects would have been fine if the table wasn't

already there.  The purpose of using a table in this case is so that you don’t have to line up or size the text.  The table does that for you.

The Fate of Autodesk Design Review Revealed

When Autodesk released AutoCAD 2014 it did not come with Design Review.  None of the 2014 line of products came with Design Review in it did in the past.  That left many of us asking why?  Then when we found out that Autodesk was not updating Design Review 2013 we became fearful that this was the last version we would ever see.  Autodesk 360 was getting pushed hard and many of us that use Design Review feared the worst.  Then one day in a user asked the Autodesk Discussion groups if Design Review was dead.  Here is the link to the discussion that is now nine pages long.

Many users discussed it, the evidence (as mentioned above) and speculated on what might be happening to this great tool.  Then somewhere on page four an Autodesk Program Manager made this statement, “Thank you for the question. I am not here to delude anyone. If you want an electronic review process, given the current state of Autodesk 360, Autodesk Design Review is still the way to go. But the original question was is Design Review being discontinued, and the answer is yes, it will eventually be replaced by Autodesk 360. Until that time, the 2013 version is available for download from the Autodesk site and works with the 2014 product line since the DWF format did not change.”

Needless to say many of us responded in an excited manner and the discussion continued.