Wednesday, April 23, 2008

AutoCAD 2009 – Color Change – WHY?

I can’t tell you why the background color of AutoCAD 2009 was changed to white, but it is. You can change it back to black, or any color, very easily. Open your OPTIONS window (type in OP at the command line) and go to the DISPLAY tab.

Click on the COLORS button near the center on the left of the window. A new dialog box will come up. At the TOP on the LEFT, there will be a box called Content. Select (it will highlight when you select it) the 2D MODEL SPACE option. Then near the center of the window, on the interface element OPTIONS, select the UNIFORM BACKGORUND option. Then, on the top right of the screen, there will be a COLOR option box. Click on the arrow to bring up a list of colors. Pick the one you want (I chose black).

That is how you switch your colors, for anything. Play with the options and see if you can come up with a better color solution.

Happy CADDING

27 comments:

  1. autodesk has done this before. i believe the background color was white by default in v.12 (unless my memory's shot) and then they changed it back again.

    black is so much better for so many reasons, not least of which is eye strain.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think it was 13 (everyone hated 13). Regardless, you are right, Autodesk has done this before. You would think they would learn their lesson. I find it interesting every release that the biggest complaints from users will come from the little things like background color, icons, etc.

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  3. What do you guys have against 13? 13 is really hot on the show house!!! Black is definitely the better background for Autocad.

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  4. yes, black makes a better background. i always use black.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks Weeg. I appreciate your sentiments. I don't know who you are since your profile is set so that I can't read it, but I am glad you are fond of this blog. What is it exactly that you like about it?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you very much. This works on 2010 too :)

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  7. Thanks boss.. it was really very helpful.. can u plz help me generate activation code through keygen

    ReplyDelete
  8. "Hunk", I'm glad this post was useful for you, but I can not help you get an activation code. The best advice that I can give you on how to get an activation code is to purchase one from Autodesk.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ok...I am having touble changing the background colour in paper space to the dark grey as in Autocad 2010.
    I have just installed 2011, and revised the settings, but still can't manage to change this one. It is set a very light grey. I looked in the options-context boxes to see where it applies but...unless I am completely blind...I can't find it. Can anyone help? Thanks!

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  10. I'm not sure which part you are talking about, but if you mean the Paper Background, you can only toggle it on/off. go to the DISPLAY tab in the options, on the bottom left there are the buttons for this. You can't change its color. Let me know if this helps out.

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  11. Thousand thanks, got the background revert back to the normal black for 2010

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  12. Prior to AutoCAD 2011, typing in MSB at the command prompt will toggle the screen background from black to white to black, etc. Unfortunately, this feature has changed in 2011.

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  13. I've never heard of MSB and I tried it in AutoCAD 2010, it didn't work. Maybe it was a custom command that was set up where you work?

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  14. As it turns out, it only works on the vertical applications here at my office (MEP, Civil 3D, etc.). I apologize for spreading that mis-info. Good catch Brian.

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  15. Not a problem. Every release this is a big issue. And Billy, not a problem. WHat do you use the command for?

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  16. thank u very much i was searching for this solution

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  17. Question is in reference to paper space DISPLAY background color, 2010 has a light gray and 2011 is white, I can change the back round color in the color options and un-check the display paper background and the white is gone but is the same color as the paper space area. I guess light gray was standard in 2010 and white in 2011, is possible to have 2 separate colors for the display and the background in 2011, or I'm I missing something.

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  18. Yes and no. The background and the paper area in a layout tab can be displayed as either the same color or as two colors. In OPTIONS, go to the Display tab to make these adjustments. To make them the same color, turn off the Display Paper Background option. To make them two different colors, turn it on. If on, the background will be a light gray and the paper area will be the color you select in the color options.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hello all, new to this blog. Unfortunately I'm running an OLD AutoCad version: 2002. Can someone tell me how to print the shaded 3d image (other than via "print screen" which makes the background entirely black - killing my laserjet) with a white backgound and maybe grey (or other color) shaded surfaces?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Changing the color of my car? How much does the DMV charge to change my registration?

    Thank-you
    Silver MLM

    ReplyDelete
  21. thank u so much! i asked my friend about this and he tot maybe i was on layout space, i said no im pretty sure its model space. Had no clue why its white, i prefer black background. I have to admit, im quite lost with this version, as the last autocad i used was probably 2007

    ReplyDelete
  22. GDG DAD

    Click on the viewport you're trying to print. Open Properties. scroll down until you see Shadeplot under Misc. Change that to get the desired effect.

    ReplyDelete

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