Don't Ignore Unreconciled Layers - They are there to Help You

Unreconciled Layers, you know, that pesky notification bubble that you close as soon as you open a DWG file, are very important and can save you a lot of time, effort, and work. Many AutoCAD users simply ignore the notification and move on. I suggest that you stop this practice and start using the notifications to help you out.

Blog Action Day - Climate Change - CAD the Green Way

This years Blog Action Day is about Climate Change. This is my first year participating in Blog Action Day, but I thought it was relevant to this site's content. CAD-a-Blog is about CAD, not going green, but there are many steps that CAD users can take to reduce their impact on the environment. Lacking any hard data or surveys, I would tend to think that two of the major impacts CAD users have on the environment is the use of paper and power. Let's face it, my job is to create construction/permit drawings on a computer all day. If I use less paper and less power, then it can only help.

Use Paper Less

There are several steps CAD users can take to reduce the amount of paper we use. Just say no! We live in the digital age. paper is nice for drawings of course, but the software we use comes with ways to produce our drawings electronically. Instead of printing to paper, print to PDF. if you are using AutoCAD or any other Autodesk product, print to DWF. If you print to DWF then you can use Autodesk's Design Review software (and it's free by the way) to mark up drawings and to share comments. All of this without using paper! If you have to submit your drawings to a client or government agency, submit them electronically. Send them the PDF or DWF files instead of paper. If they won't acept it, start a dialog on how it can help reduce the strain on the environment, but it couls help reduce costs as well. Several govenrment agencies are now allowing electronic submittals. Some even require it.

Use Less Power

This may seem like an obvious help to the environment, but one that might not be as easily remidied. Let's face it, CAD runs on electricity and the power has to be generated somehow. We need to find ways to use less of it, but mainly to stop waisting it.

Turn things off when you go home. It's ok to shut down your computer, desk lamp, radio, etc. If you have a charger for a phone, blue tooth device, GPS unit, etc., unplug the charger until you actually need to charge the unit. Turn your monitor off when you leave your desk.

Just Put in a Bit of Effort

It can be difficult to change our mindsets, our habbits, and the way others do things. It might even seem that our little bit isn't going to save the planet. But if you take a little bit from a lot of people then it adds up. If we don't start reducing waist at all, then we will all run out of resources much quicker.

Thanks for taking the time to read this "PSA". We can all do a little bit, we just have to start.

Array Objects Along a Polyline

Today I had to draw 12" square piles along a shore line about 100 feet long at 3' centers. The shore line was obvious not in a straight line. Originally I was going to draw my square with a circle with a 3' radius and copy each object one at a time. I would use the center of the square (and circle) as a base point and place the next object at the intersection of the circle and the shoreline. Tedious, but it would get the job done. Then I thought about it for a second. there has to be a way to do this in one (maybe two) keystrokes. So I went to the discussion boards at AUGI.

The great people there suggested I use either the DIVIDE or MEASURE command. I always forget about those two commands. Not any more! Both commands work virtually the same. They will place points along a selected line (polyline or spline) in equal segments. DIVIDE places a number of points along a line (a number you give it) while MEASURE places points along the line at a set interval (provided by you.)

If you don't want to place the points, you can choose to place a block instead. In this case (as it was suggested to me on the AUGI discussion boards) I made my pile a block and had the measure command insert it along my polyline at 3' intervals. AND (yes it gets better!) when I did this, the command asked me if I wanted the blocks to be aligned with the line! Of course I did!! Boo-ya!!! What was going to take me 5 minutes to do, now took 30 seconds (not counting the time spent on the board.)

Thanks AUGI!

Customizing AutoCAD to Fit Your Needs

Customizing AutoCAD to Fit Your Needs

It is my personal preference not to customize AutoCAD too much. I feel that it can cause too many problems later on. The first is when you go and work somewhere else. Nothing is where or how it should be, and when you update your system it can be a huge pain. Fortunately these two factors are rare, so maybe I don’t have a valid issue here. Ok I don’t, but when they happen they are a pain. My biggest argument against customizing AutoCAD comes from a CAD Managers perspective. It is a night mare for CAD Managers to maintain everyone’s workstations if they have customized it. I think that is my real issue. I speak from my own personal experience that having to fix problems caused by users customizing their workspace. If everyone has a different workspace it also becomes more difficult to train, maintain, update and standardize.

Regardless of my own personal fears of maintaining different customized workstations, the ability to customize AutoCAD is fantastic feature! What? I know what you are thinking, “Didn’t you start this post by ranting about not customizing?” Yes I did, but nobody listens to me anyway! My train of thought is to go ahead and customize AutoCAD, but be limited in those customizations. There is a time and a place for each application of customization. Don’t do it just because you can. Do you really need it? Will it really increase your efficiency? Will it slow you down when you update? Migrate? Or take on other tasks? What if your computer crashes? Can you easily restore your settings? Maintaining AutoCAD’s settings can be a full time job all in itself. Make sure to keep it organized in a simple manner so that you can easily add on to your customizations and update with little effort.

Tool Pallets

I feel tool pallets are under rated by many users. I feel (did you notice that I am talking about my feelings a lot today?) that tool pallets are often underrated by many users because they simply aren’t used to using them yet even though they have been around since AutoCAD 2004. They really took shape in AutoCAD 2005 though. Many are still used to adding things in the pull down menu. I recommend staying away from the pulldown menu. I remember when I was customizing commands in the Menu Screen. I’m glad I stopped that practice! If you work with standard blocks, hatch patterns, or template files, try using tool pallets. They are very easily maintained and migrated. Set up a master block file that contains your blocks to be shared with your users. Update/maintain the block in the file; make a tool pallet referencing that block; then you only have to update the block to make sure every user has the latest block. You don’t even have to tell them, unless they need to update that block in a current file.

Toolbars/Ribbon

Toolbars are going the way of the dodo. In AutoCAD 2009 the interface was changed to a Ribbon style. Toolbars and the menubar are turned off OOTB (out of the box.) They can be turned back one though. I recommend sticking with the ribbon so that you can become more accustomed to its style of interface. However, I like toolbars. They are small, easily placed on the workspace, and easily customizable. I would recommend using them. You can use the Ribbon like toolbars, but I’ll get into that later. Toolbars can be created in the CUI and transferred easily enough through a migration. They can also be set up easily enough. The best part about them is that you can create one (or two, or three) and place them at a good spot on your screen. They are always there and don’t move. One Problem I have with the ribbon is that you have to click a tab to get to a panel to get to a command. With toolbars, you just move to it and click. That being said, you can pull out Ribbon Panels and use them like toolbars, so really you don’t need toolbars anymore, just the ribbon. I have two recommendations for using the ribbon; pick the one that best suits your needs.

My first recommendation (not in any particular order) is to create a custom TAB that has all of the commands you use every day. If you use it every day put it there. The HOME tab is meant to serve this purpose but it might not fit your exact needs. That’s ok. If you only need to add a few commands, then add them. Don’t bother making a new panel. The Quick Access Toolbar is also a great spot for everyday commands, though I would be careful not to make it too bulky.
My second recommendation is to collapse the Ribbon to its smallest size and pull out the panels containing the commands you need most as if they were toolbars. Customize them if you want or need to, but again keep all of the customization to a minimum. A hybrid customization of these two methods may even be appropriate. Make a Ribbon TAB that has your commands in it and pull them out. This will make maintenance easier. You only have to go to one TAB to update. You won’t have to go from tab to tab to panel to panel to try and find each command that needs changing. Keep your custom panel in one place, that way you only have to search in one place.

CONCLUSION

The ability to customize AutoCAD can be very complicated, but highly beneficial. Do so with care and with the future in mind. Adding a little custom tool here and adding one there will eventually create a giant sized custom interface that can be difficult to maintain. Keep it simple and you will find that you are working at your best.

Happy CADDING!

How to be more Efficient in AutoCAD - Part 8

How to be More Efficient at AutoCAD

- Part 8 -

CAD-a-Blog has a theory, in order to get done more quickly in AutoCAD, do less work. I know, sounds stupid at first. Of course it will take me less time to do less work, duh!! (insert the proverbial slap to the forehead.) But I really mean it. We have all heard the mantra, “Work smarter, not harder.” That’s what I mean here. There are a plethora of tools in AutoCAD that can help us make drawings more accurately and at a quicker pace, so why aren’t we using them?

Part One talks about "double fisted" cadding. I call it Double Fisted because the theory takes advantage of both of the users hands to input commands and data. One hand works the keyboard while the other manipulates the mouse. This way time is saved by eliminating mouse movements across the screen to invoke commands.

Part Two discuses Template Use. Starting a file with a template provides a file that is already set up and ready to use. Users will not have to tale the time to get the file where it needs to be in order to draw. Another time saver.

Part Three looks at referencing files. Referencing files means that users can create a data source that can be used in multiple files. Change the model, or base file, and the sheet files are instantly updated. We also, briefly, discusses referencing OLE objects, sharing data between reports, letters, and drawings.

Part Four demonstrates how Sheet Sets can be used to manage your drawing sets, files, data management and batch plotting.

Part Five saw how fields can be used to maintain data in text, reduce revision time, share data between files. Again, going with the less is less theory.

In Part Six CAD-a-Blog talked about Dynamic block's ability to decrease the amount of blocks users need to create and maintain and their ability to change through grip edits.

Part Seven pointed out that Tool Pallets can be a place to store and mange blocks, hatch patterns, routines, and commands. Not to mention materials and much much more.


Now, in part 8 of this series, I want to talk about customization. AutoCAD became the industry standard many years ago for several reasons. One of those reasons is the fact that users can customize AutoCAD until it is unrecognizable anymore. That’s good and bad. That’s good because users can set their working environment in such a comfortable way that they are in drafting bliss. However, that form of bliss is based on one person’s perspective and familiarity.

Here is my advice for customization. Less is more. Do it, of course, but do as little of it as possible. The more you do it, the more you will have to do when you change work stations. When you update to a newer version, the less you have to port over, the easier, and quicker, it will port. When the interface system changes (like adding a ribbon and removing the toolbars and dashboard in AutoCAD 2009) the easier it will be to adapt.
Bottom line; use the interface that is available out of the box. Turn on what you need, turn off what you don’t. Create tool pallets because they are easily carried through. So are templates. Toolbars are a device of the past, whether any of us like it or not, the way to do things now is with a ribbon. It’s not just for Microsoft Office and AutoCAD; other software producers are using it and have been using it too. Be ready for change, expect change, and anticipate user interface change.

Create a profile in the options that can hold your basic settings (I “need” my crosshairs to extend the full length/height of the screen). I also hate Blipmode, and I want my right-click to act as the enter key. Beyond that I don’t change too much. Set up the ACAD.lsp file to establish some settings for you if you want to, that is very easy to port over regardless of the interface.

When it comes to Customization, in order to work more efficiently, do it, but go with the KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid). Besides maintenance issues, the more complex you customize your system, the more difficult it is to navigate and the point to this is to make everything simpler.

If you insist on customizing, then use workspaces. Customize your workspace to have an environment that provides the tools you need to do a specific job. Perhaps it provides one or two tabs on the ribbon for annotation, if you are dimensioning a drawing. If you need to create a parking layout for a building, create a workspace with design tools for that type of project. This type of specific workspace customization will create a working environment that limits the tools on your screen thus giving you more screen real estate. This can improve efficiency.

How does customization of your working environment go along with CAD-a-Blog’s theory of doing less means getting done quicker? Well, if you set up your tools to be in a position to be easily accessible to you due to familiarity, then you will need to move your mouse less, you will have to think less about were a tool is, and therefore you will move more quickly and get done sooner.

How to be more Efficient at AutoCAD - Part 7

CAD-a-Blog began writing about efficiency in AutoCAD some time ago, and some steps users can take to be more efficient at it.

Part One talks about "double fisted" cadding. I call it Double Fisted because the theory takes advantage of both of the users hands to input commands and data. One hand works the keyboard while the other manipulates the mouse. This way time is saved by eliminating mouse movements across the screen to invoke commands.

Part Two discuses Template Use. Starting a file with a template provides a file that is already set up and ready to use. Users will not have to tale the time to get the file where it needs to be in order to draw. Another time saver.

Part Three looks at referencing files. Referencing files means that users can create a data source that can be used in multiple files. Change the model, or base file, and the sheet files are instantly updated. We also, briefly, discusses referencing OLE objects, sharing data between reports, letters, and drawings.

Part Four demonstrates how Sheet Sets can be used to manage your drawing sets, files, data management and batch plotting.

Part Five saw how fields can be used to maintain data in text, reduce revision time, share data between files. Again, going with the less is less theory.

In Part Six CAD-a-Blog talked about Dynamic block's ability to decrease the amount of blocks users need to create and maintain and their ability to change through grip edits.

How to be More Efficient at AutoCAD

- Part 7 -

In Part Six we looked at dynamic blocks, but where do you keep them? How do you find them? How do your users find your blocks? The answer to these questions and others, Tool Pallets!!
Tool Pallets have been around since AutoCAD 2004!! Yes that long ago. User can put almost anything in a tool pallet. The two most common items are blocks and hatch patterns. But you can do so much more than that.

Tool pallets are a way to hold and manage items to be used. It’s a list. It’s a list that isn’t that complicated either. The tool pallet is divided into tabs. On each tab is a list of whatever you want to be on it. Click on that item and it is inserted into your drawing. That object could be a block, a line, a circle, a hatch pattern, text, or even a command.

My AutoCAD Efficiency Theory, of doing less means spending less time doing, can be applied through tool pallets. The obvious way is that users do not have to hunt (as much) for standard objects. Which block do I use? The one in the tool pallet of course.

Have you ever had a user ask you? “What goes on this type of drawing?” Tool Pallets can help. Use them like a checklist. Create a Tool Pallet that has everything in it that belongs in a typical drawing. For example; labels, symbols, blocks, callouts, dimensions, design criteria, etc. Users can start at the top of the pallet and work their way down. Once at the bottom, the drawing is complete with the typical needs of the drawing met. This method also ensures your company’s drafting standards are met and that all drawings look the same making revisions and inter office workings much easier.

Another great feature about tool pallets is ease of maintenance. Tool Pallets can reference a block or file from a central location, like a network folder or file. If a particular block needs to be updated, do it one time and each user will now be current. They won’t ever now they were out of compliance!

Using Tool Pallets to insert standard blocks and styles is a great way to more with less effort. It creates a common place to go to get your work done. No more browsing for files. No more wondering if it’s the correct folder. No more hoping you updated your block file.

How to be More Efficient in AutoCAD - Part 6

CAD-a-Blog has been running a series called "How to be More Efficient at AutoCAD." Part 5 is going to take a look at using Fields to increase Efficiency and decrease errors.

Part One talks about "double fisted" cadding. I call it Double Fisted because the theory takes advantage of both of the users hands to input commands and data. One hand works the keyboard while the other manipulates the mouse. This way time is saved by eliminating mouse movements across the screen to invoke commands.

Part Two discuses Template Use. Starting a file with a template provides a file that is already set up and ready to use. Users will not have to tale the time to get the file where it needs to be in order to draw. Another time saver.

Part Three looks at referencing files. Referencing files means that users can create a data source that can be used in multiple files. Change the model, or base file, and the sheet files are instantly updated. We also, briefly, discusses referencing OLE objects, sharing data between reports, letters, and drawings.

Part Four demonstrates how Sheet Sets can be used to manage your drawing sets, files, data management and batch plotting.

Part Five saw how fields can be used to maintain data in text, reduce revision time, share data between files. Again, going with the less is less theory.

How to be More Efficient at AutoCAD

- Part 6 -

Do you use blocks to create repetitive line work? Peraps you have parts, structures, or symbols that are used over and over again. This is why we use CAD and this is why AutoCAD uses blocks.

Dynamic Blocks take us to a new level in repetitive task operations. It presents the user with a means to use line work over again and to change that line work with GRIPS. Yes, changing a dynamic block is a simple click and drag-done! Remember our hypothesis is that in order to get our work done more quickly, we need to do less work! Dynamic blocks help us do this.

A dynamic block is not static. It can be altered on the fly, to predetermined states, without having to edit the block. It allows users to have choices in their design. Before dynamic blocks, users would have to insert their company's standard block for a 1" hex head bolt. If your spec changed that bolt to a 2" hex head bolt, you would either edit the block, or insert a new one, after deleting the old one. Too much work. Now users can create a standard dynamic block that can be changed via grips to alter the size of the bolt, and even the length if so desired!

Having to change this block once or twice is not that big of a deal, I agree. But imagine if you had to change every bolt in the entire project! That is a lot of work. But with dynamic blocks you can change each block with one click and one drag, a lot less work. It is especially nice when there are specific blocks that ave to be changed.

Another benefit to dynamic blocks is in standard maintenance. Many users may not be aware of this problem because company standards are often taken care of by an individual or small group of individuals. Regardless, most users ave had to update blocks or templates at one time and it can devour our resources. Dynamic blocks help by reducing the number of blocks needed in a company standards library. Before, users had to crate blocks for every change, or option possible. Now users can create one block that has multiple options added in. If the basic design of te block needs to change, then you only change one block, not several. Again, doing less work and spending less time.

How to be More Efficient at AutoCAD - Part 5

CAD-a-Blog has been running a series called "How to be More Efficient at AutoCAD." Part 5 is going to take a look at using Fields to increase Efficiency and decrease errors.

Part One talks about "double fisted" cadding. I call it Double Fisted because the theory takes advantage of both of the users hands to input commands and data. One hand works the keyboard while the other manipulates the mouse. This way time is saved by eliminating mouse movements across the screen to invoke commands.

Part Two discuses Template Use. Starting a file with a template provides a file that is already set up and ready to use. Users will not have to tale the time to get the file where it needs to be in order to draw. Another time saver.

Part Three looks at referencing files. Referencing files means that users can create a data source that can be used in multiple files. Change the model, or base file, and the sheet files are instantly updated. We also, briefly, discusses referencing OLE objects, sharing data between reports, letters, and drawings.

Part Four demonstrates how Sheet Sets can be used to manage your drawing sets, files, data management and batch plotting.

How to be More Efficient at AutoCAD

- Part 5 -

In part four we introduced Sheet Sets. Sheet Sets can be used to hold and maintain project data. BUT how do users get that data into their files and drawings? Fields.

Autodesk Fields are links to data sources that display that data inside text. If the data is changed, then the field will update inside the text. Fields are used most inside of Title Blocks. They can display Project Names, Drafter Names, Company names, Sheet Numbers, Titles, and so on. There are many preset field values available in Sheet Sets. Sometimes users need more, or more unique data fields than what are provided. Easy enough. If you want the data to be project related just add the property to the Custom Sheet Sets Properties and link your field to it. If you want the field to be in the DWG file, open the file properties and add the appropriate info.

Fields can also read object data and display it. Add the field, and select the object in the file. Any data that can be displayed in a field will be listed. Just pick it. When that specific data of that object changes, the field will be update. This procedure can be useful for bill of materials, or descriptions, etc. Here is an example: Users may need to display the area of an object. Insert a field, select the object and pick the area data. It's that easy. Now change that object and see the field update. No need to change the object, determine the new area, and edit the text. There are at least two chances to make a mistake. Using a field for the area, just change the object's area and you are done. Also note that the user saved two steps. If there are several sets of areas that need changed and displayed then the time saved will add up.

Fields are definitely a big part of the "Less is Less" practice of efficient CAD work.

How to be More Efficent at AutoCAD - Part 4

CAD-a-Blog has been discussing ways to be more efficient at AutoCAD. This will be Part 4 in the series, Sheet Sets.

Part One talks about "double fisted" cadding. I call it Double Fisted because the theory takes advantage of both of the users hands to input commands and data. One hand works the keyboard while the other manipulates the mouse. This way time is saved by eliminating mouse movements across the screen to invoke commands.

Part Two discuses Template Use. Starting a file with a template provides a file that is already set up and ready to use. Users will not have to tale the time to get the file where it needs to be in order to draw. Another time saver.

Part Three looks at referencing files. Referencing files means that users can create a data source that can be used in multiple files. Change the model, or base file, and the sheet files are instantly updated. We also, briefly, discusses referencing OLE objects, sharing data between reports, letters, and drawings.

How to be More Efficient at AutoCAD

- Part 4 -

Sheet Sets were introduced into AutoCAD several releases ago (release 2005 I believe) but many of us are not using them, YET!!!! Sheet Sets is a group of tools used to manage , well, a set of sheet files. It also much more than that. It is also a means to manage project data, to some extent. At a minimum, users can use Sheet Sets to organize and manage files. This will place the project files in order and allow easy access to them. Clicking on a file in the list will open it. No more keeping track of each departments "strange" file naming procedures. Plotting can also be done through the Sheet Set Manager, as well as publishing. If there are multiple sheets in a project, and your client needs 15 sets plotted, just do your batch plotting through the Sheet Set Manager. Right Click on the Set, select PRINT, and tell the print manager how many copies you need.

Sheet Sets can also manage the way your users create new files. You can set which template is to be used for new files, thus taking advantage of Part Two's advice, using templates.

One of the biggest advantages to using Sheet Sets is its data management abilities. Project information can be stored in the Sheet Set and applied to drawing files. In Part Five will will look at fields and how they can reference data from sheet sets. Sheet Sets can be a place to store data that needs to be shown on multiple drawings. Some examples are: Project Name, Sheet Numbers, Project Information (Like number of parts, rooms, etc.), Client Name, Engineer/Architect Name, or anything that is needed to display.

These features follow the theory we have been discussing. Less is Less. For example, project names often change throughout the design life. How annoying is it to set up all of your drawings with a project name in a title block, notes, etc. only to have the client decide they want the name the development something else. GRRRRR!! Now you have to go, open each file, change it, and so on. If you stored that information is a Sheet Set, and referenced that data, all you have to do is to change the data in the Sheet Set and every drawing is now updated!! No brainer here.

The concept here is similar to using x-ref's for a drawing's geometry. Sheet Sets are an "x-ref" for data. Any data that needs to be in multiple drawings and could potentially change should be in the projects Sheet Set. Important data used for the design, or calculations, should also go into the sheet set even if the information does not need to be displayed in a drawing. That way the data can easily be accessed by anyone that will need to know it.

Sheet Sets are a place to store and share data. They also provide a means for file management and batch plotting. Use them, you will do less work throughout the project's life span.

Happy Cadding.

Ten Ways to be More Efficient at AutoCAD - Part 3

Do any of you want or need to do your work in AutoCAD more quickly? Do yo need your work to be preformed in a more accurate fashion? CAD-a-Blog has been discussing a theory of AutoCAD use based upon the cliche "Less is More." The less work you have to do, the less time it will take. The less you touch the files, the fewer the opportunities there will be for error. This post is Part Three of the series, "Ten Ways to be More Efficient at AutoCAD."

In Part One we discussed using Keyboard Commands as a form of input to decrease the time needed to work. Using both hands to input your commands and data is naturally more efficient than making movements back and forth from button to button. For more in depth discussion see the post.

Part Two took a look at using templates. This concept involves starting a new file with a customized template (a DWT file.) Doing so will allow your users to all start at the same point. Everyone in the firm will be using the same fonts, dimension styles, and layers. It also eliminates the need to devote time to setting up files the way you want them to be.

How to be More Efficient at AutoCAD-Part Three

In Part Three of this series I want to discuss using file references. Many of us already use X-refs in our design file process. But are you using them efficiently? Why do you use them? How should you use them? What goes in them? When shouldn't I use them?

If you have used any of Autodesk's verticals (like Civil3D) then the concept of DATA REFERENCING is not knew to you. If you ave never used an Autodesk Vertical, and only "vanilla" CAD, and have used x-ref's then you ARE familiar with data referencing.

There are essentially two main uses of DWG files (there are of course exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking there are only two.) The most common use of a DWG file is as a Sheet File. This is the file used as a drawing, and is printed out for the client. We ave all used DWG files in this function many times. The other function of a DWG file is as a MODEL file. This file contains the project's line work or geometry and is referenced by the sheet files. This is where users create the design objects.

Let's look at a few examples. An architect (should be using Arcitectural Desktop or Revit, but in this case is using AutoCAD) will design a building in a file. When drawings are needed, a new file is created (the sheet file) with a title block, border and the model file x-ref'd into it. Now, in the sheet file, create all notes, dimensions, callouts, bill of materials, etc.

Now go on and create all sheet files required to produce the construction documents.

Now the client calls and wants the Architect to remove a room on the east side and extend the room on the south. Since you used x-ref's all you have to do is change the model file's line work one time. Open the sheet files affected and update the annotation. The alternative is to be forced to change the linework in every file, along with the affected annotation. One change, one time.

Besides saved time, accuracy is ensured. Well, at least it is ensured that all sheets will have the same data. Either they are all wrong, or all correct! It happens.

What goes in a model file? Linework. Annotation belongs in the sheet file. Data defining the objects, that will be frozen in the sheet file, can be placed in the model as a sort of meta-data.

Another form of referencing envolves OLE objects. These are outside files like a spreadsheet or word processing document. Using this type of data link can also speed up drafting time and ensure acuracy, especially if you use the spreadsheet in a report. This way the drawings and the report are ensured to contain the same data.

Changes in design and design data occur througout the design process of any project. Using references will speed up revision time and increase accuracy throught the construction and design documents.

Ten Ways to be More Efficient at AutoCAD-Part 2

Previously I began posting on a series called "Ten Ways to be More Efficient at AutoCAD." Part one introduced our discussion of increased efficiency.

My efficiency philosophy is to do less work. It's not because I am lazy, instead I base this theory on my experience using AutoCAD, and other design/drafting software. The theory is that the less I have to do, the quicker and more accurate I am. It is easier and quicker to draw one line than it is to draw two or three lines. Also, drawing one line means that I have one chance to be wrong, where as if I draw two lines I now have 2 chances to be wrong. Therefore, working less means it takes less time and there is less opportunity to make a mistake.

Part One discussed using Keyboard input rather than toolbars or menus. The idea was to use both hands, not just one. Two hands (one on the keyboard, one on the mouse) can do twice the work in less time. Use the mouse to position the cursor while the other hand inputs the commands and data.

In Part Two we will discus using Templates. I am sure most user take advantage of templates, even if they are not aware of it. AutoCAD comes standard with many different types of template files and most companies have established their own set of templates. Fantastic. Why are templates so important? Templates are the starting point of every model file or sheet file. Without a template, users would be forced to recreate each file every time they started one. Why would you do this? Even when we were still drafting on the board we used standard sheets pre-made with borders and title block lines. We even used sticky back sheets to apply standard notes and details. Yes, old timers used "blocks" even before CAD was invented.

There are many benefits to using templates. The main benefit is that users start off doing less. The drawing environment is already set. In theory, the user should open the proper template and begin drafting or modeling. If the user is required to change settings and variables, load layers, line types, text styles, or dimension styles, the template is not doing its job. Remember, the key to efficiency is to do as little as possible. Therefore, if users find they need to set up a file before they can use it then analyze those settings and find a way to incorporate them into the template. Perhaps a new template should be created.

What should be contained in a template? Here is a short list: layers, dimension styles, plot styles, text styles, multi-leader styles, table styles, and any type of style used. Are you getting the idea? Templates should contain the basic building blocks in drawing creation. Before Paper Space, users would often set up templates to common drawing scales. That was a headache to maintain. When ever a standard layer, dim style, or block changed, it had to be updated in each template. I recommend that users make as few templates as possible in order to be more efficient and more accurate, applying the same theory, less work requires less time spent.

What about blocks? Should blocks be in a template? Perhaps there are a few that meet a specific function that could go into a template. I am of the opinion that, generally speaking, blocks do not belong in a template. the belong in a block library and accessed through Tool Pallets. That way, according to our efficiency theory, they are kept in one place and only have to be updated once. Less work, less time, more accuracy. If users have a block that never changes and is used in every drawing, then that might be an exception to the rule. However, keeping to a standard is very important in maintaining best efficiency practices.

In conclusion, use templates. Set the variables the way you or your users need it to be in order to produce the construction drawings as required. Keep them up to date, according with company standards, and make as few as possible.

Happy CADDING.

Ten Ways to be More Efficient at AutoCAD

After 15 years of experience using AutoCAD and other Autodesk products, I have put together a list of ten tools and methods (not in any particular order) anyone can use to be more efficient in AutoCAD.

• Keyboard Commands - pgp file
  
• Templates - star with dwt files
  
• X-ref and Data Reference - why do things twice
  
• Sheet Sets - organize your work
  
• Fields - change your data globally
  
• Dynamic Blocks - minimize your library, make quick changes
  
• Tool Pallets - find it, drag it
  
• CUI - put your tools where you want them
  
• Standards - keep everyone on the same page
  
• Drafting Tools - classic osnaps, tracking, and more

There are so many things, steps, and tricks and you can use and take in order to make your design documents more quickly and accurately. I have come up with these ten basic concepts that I will delve into more deeply in future posts.

It is my experience that CAD users need to work less, not faster, to increase accuracy and to decrease drafting time. Let me explain the theory here. The less I have to do, the quicker I can get it done. What I mean is that use the tools in AutoCAD to automate your work. The above tips focus on this concept.

I do not mean for drafters to do less work, well, ok I do. The only way to draw faster is to move the mouse less, click less, pick less, and type less. One other tip is to be a two handed drafter. Keep one hand on the keyboard and one on the mouse. Forget toolbars, menus, ribbon, etc. and enter your commands with one hand on the keyboard while positioning your cursor with the other. If you take the time to move the mouse, click, move it again, click, and then start working you have wasted much time. BUT if you move and type at the same time, eventually you will get your work finished sooner.

This is one way in which AutoCAD users can work more quickly. I will take a look at my other ideas later on.

But before that starts, what do you think? What do you feel is the number one thing AutoCAD users can do to be more efficient? Why? What do you do? How do you use it in your day to day routine?

Happy CADDING.

New Features Workshop

Do you update (I would say UPGRADE, but new doesn't guarantee better) your AutoCAD software regularly? Or do you update it in intervals? Regardless, it can be difficult to know and understand what the new version has to offer. There is a built in tool inside of AutoCAD that will help you know and understand the new features and improvements in AutoCAD. It is called the NEW FEATURES WORKSHOP.

When a user starts AutoCAD for the first time a window pops up. It is the New Features Workshop window. When the New Features Workshop window appear, you can turn it off FOREVER, turn it off until the next time you start AutoCAD, or view it now. I ask that if you don't want to view it now, wait till later to view it, or else you might forget. Don't just turn it off right away, it's easy to forget that way.

If it is turned off, you can get it back, don't worry. Go to the HELP function and it will be an option there.

Each new feature will be broken down in its appropriate section.  Some of the instructions now ave a very short animation to more clearly demonstrate the new process.  Each tip can be viewed over and over again.  

If you are a manager, or simply in need of material, you can use the New Features Workshop as a training guide, especially after a new install.  This works well for instructors because it eliminates the need to develop training material, at least for the new features.

The New Features Workshop has new features for the past Three (3) releases.  If you just installed AutoCAD 2009, there will be information for releases 2007, 2008, and 2009.  This is handy as several of us AutoCAD users often don't update every release, but will skip one, two or even three.  This means that what you missed in past releases can easily be picked up on by you and your users.

If you haven't use the New Features Workshop in AutoCAD before, thats ok, try it out and you might be amazed by what you didn't know!

Happy CADDING.

Bye Bye Land Desktop - Hello Civil3D!!

How many of you work in a Civil (or AEC) related field? How many of you use Land Desktop? How many of you have moved to Civil3D? How many of you are trying to move to C3D but can't seem to get 'er done? Autodesk has officially announced the long expected demise of Land Desktop. What now?

Don't worry, your license of ALD (Autodesk Land Desktop) is still good and will work just fine. BUT (there's always a but), what if you come to a time when you have to update your software? You won't be able to. If you are on subscription with ALD, then maybe you need to review your contract. I'm not sure how Autodesk will handle that. Keep in mind that your subscription contract does indicate that there is no guarantee of a new release! If you just signed a three year subscription for Land Desktop, then, well, hmmmm.

What if you are in a situation where you don't use ALD but have set up an elaborate customization of routines, menus, tablets, blocks etc. to do your design and drafting work? This means that you need to start looking at Civil3D because your competition will be. Autodesk has reported several times that many Civil3D users see around a 33% (plus or minus of course) reduction in design drafting time. That means Civil3D companies can under bid you by 50%!! Can you compete with that? Where did I get 50%?

Lets say that it take $100 to do a job. If I use Civil3D, then I can do the job for 33% less. That means it will cost me $66 to do the job. $100 minus $66 is $34. $34 is about half (or 50%) of $66. If I do the job for $100 and my competition does it for $66, then I am making a bid on a job that is 50% higher than my competition !! I think that we would loose clients and eventually shut down. The other alternative is to reduce costs by 30%. How do you do that?

My point, even if you don't use Land Desktop, this will affect you.

Why the Ribon is Bad and Good

There has been a lot of discussion with regards to Autodesk's changes to AutoCAD's interface. There have been many complaints about the ribbon and that it is considered inefficient by many of its users. I feel that the claims of inefficiency are valid when compared to using toolbars and somewhat agree to its comparison to pulldown menus. The issue here is that it takes more clicks to get to the command needed. You can’t disagree with that because it’s true, just count the clicks and mouse movements to get to a command.

I am not saying the ribbon is garbage; I only want to point out the fact that if you are a user that works with toolbars and menus, then you will have efficiency issues.
I propose that toolbars and menus are still less efficient to use then keyboard input. Admittedly I am an old DOS based AutoCAD user and learned to use cad with keyboard entries, a tablet, and the menu screen. Perhaps that makes my opinion a biased one.

If a user can type with the left hand and work the mouse with the right then this, in my opinion, is the most efficient use of time. This work process means a user doesn’t have to move the mouse back and forth across the screen increasing the time it takes to work. It is much quicker to use the keyboard and mouse simultaneously. I call this method “Two-Handed CADing.” “One-Handed CADing” would have the user ignoring the keyboard as much as possible while moving the mouse over the entire screen. This method also takes up more screen real estate. Because more buttons (menus, toolbars, etc.) are needed. If the toolbars and menus change, then the user can not work as efficiently until the new interface is learned.

Two-Handed CADers use keyboard shortcuts. What if they change? Then they can easily open the old alias file, copy and paste the customizations into the new one. They do not have to learn anything unless it is for a new command. Much easier than relearning a program they already knew.

This is where I feel the Ribbon fist best, with Two-Handed practices. Even though TH (Two-Handed) users key in commands, several often use toolbars, palettes, or menus every once in a while. I know that I do. Sections of the Ribbon can be pulled out (like toolbars) and placed anywhere on the screen, while the rest of the Ribbon is collapsed, docked, hidden, or left alone. This has the potential of using even less screen real estate.

For these two reasons I like the Ribbon. It fits well with my Two-Handed style of CAD use.
Do you like it or hate it? Why?

How to stay up to date with AutoCAD

I have a treat for you today. Today's post is guest written by Ellen Finkelstein. She is the author of several AutoCAD books, including the AutoCAD 2008 Bible. Her latest, the AutoCAD 2009 Bible will be available soon. She has also written several books on PowerPoint and other topics. Here are some links to Ellen's website and blogs.

http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com
AutoCAD Tips Blog
PowerPoint Tips Blog

Thanks Ellen for sharing with us.

How to stay up to date with AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a complex program and it's crucial for your work. Obviously, the better you know how to use the program, the quicker and more accurate your drawings will be. This is where the importance of education comes in.

Education has two parts:

• Learning more about the base AutoCAD features that you use, or could use.
• Keeping up with new releases as they come out

Some organizations upgrade only every few years. I sometimes get e-mails from people who are upgrading from R14 to R2008! But many upgrade every two or three years, which means that education is a regular feature of the job.

Autodesk has a subscription program in which you pay an annual fee and automatically get every new release. Additional benefits are "extensions" (new features released between major releases), e-learning tools, and Web-based support. While companies on the subscription program get each release as it comes out, they don't necessarily install and use it. But they generally upgrade more often than companies not on the subscription program. Even with the e-learning tools, retraining becomes a feature of life.

How can you learn as much as possible about AutoCAD and also keep up with new releases?

Basic learning resources

When you first learn AutoCAD, it may be from your dealer, from a book, or from on-the-job training. But it's never enough. Why?

1. You forget a lot of what you learned, because you don't use it every day.
2. New tasks arise and you need to discover the best method of completing them.
3. There's always pressure to be more competitive, which completing tasks more quickly. Therefore, you need to regularly incorporate new customization and automizing techniques.
4. Problems arise, whether due to the melding of drawings from many sources, network issues, having to incorporate multiple software applications, etc.

Here are some resources when you need to learn a new feature, answer a thorny question, or just find a better way:

1. Your peers: If others in your organization use AutoCAD, ask them first. They may have figured out what you need to know.
2. Books: Always have a good reference book on hand. The answer may be as simple as looking in the index or table of contents. (Shameless plug: Look on the right for links to my books.)
3. Discussion groups: The Autodesk AutoCAD discussion group is very active and will often give you an answer within an hour or two.
4. User groups: There are many AutoCAD user groups around the country and the world. Go to AUGI (Autodesk User Groups International) to search for the one nearest you. Their site is also a great source of support.
5. Courses: Many colleges, especially community colleges, offer courses in AutoCAD. The schedules are often geared around working people, so you can take them in the evenings or on weekends. Bonus: The teacher and other students can become a permanent networking resource. You can also purchase video courses.
6. Events: Autodesk University (annually) and CAD camps (several times a year) are great learning opportunities that offer classes specialized by discipline.
7. Newsletters: Several newsletters, including mine (AutoCAD Tips Newsletter), offer regular tips, techniques, and articles. Subscribe!
8. Web sites: There are loads of Web sites, too many to mention. Just start searching and you'll find many. They have free code to download, free tips, and lots more.

Updating your skills

There are several things you can do to specifically help you with new releases. Most of these are time-dependent, matching the cycle of the new software:

1. Beta programs: You can apply to participate in the AutoCAD beta program, which evaluates the software before it's finalized. You need to have some time to commit to this, as you're usefulness is related to the amount of testing you do and comments you submit. You'll learn the new features before they go to market, giving you a jump on the training process.
2. Upgrade training: Most dealers offer upgrade training for each release. Ask your dealer about it.
3. New feature articles: Just after a new release comes out, many sites and newsletters publish a description of the new features. For example, you can find my list of 2009 new features here.
4. If you're a subscription member, you'll have access to e-learning content for the new release.

Succeeding in the AutoCAD world means being a perpetual learner. Hopefully, this list will help you find the best learning tools.

Review-CADsmart-Good for Managers?

I want to talk to you again about CADsmart. I have posted about it a couple of times now (here and here) giving you some information about the software. We first spoke about what it does, generally speaking. Then we took a look at the assessments and how they work. Now I want to look at CADsmart from the manager’s aspect. What can we do with the information we just collected?

CADsmart really excels in the larger firms and for assessing interviewees. It doesn’t perform as well with small firms that have four or five CAD techs. If you are managing only five CAD users, then you already know where they struggle and where they excel. But if you have twenty, fifty, a hundred, or more, then you don’t have the time to know them as well. That’s where CADsmart can help. I also like it when assessing interviewees. It provides a fair environment for the tester, which gives you a more accurate assessment. Many firms have customized their CAD environment and that can intimidate and overwhelm a candidate if they are trying to get a job by taking a test in a place they are unfamiliar with. Sometimes upper management doesn’t understand these types of situations. CADsmart is a fairer assessment process.

Now that we have assessment data on our CAD users, how do we get to it and what do we do with it? Access is easy enough. Go to CADsmart’s website and log in. You will need an account to be able to do this. We will talk about getting an account later on. When you log on there are several options available to you. You can go directly to the performance charts, or go to the assessment results.

The performance charts provide a quick visual guide to the information collected. You can see your scores sorted by group (employee, interviewee, etc.) The charts provide you with a performance spread in one graph and a stage performance in a second graph. This gives you an overall look and a more detailed comparison. There are different color codes to help you differentiate between the groups and the benchmark. Hopefully the benchmark is the lowest set of scores you have! Everything here is online, but you can get the data and print it, transfer it to a PDF, or export it to a spreadsheet. There are many ways to see the data and to get it to use for yourself.

The assessment results tab is where you can go to get more detailed information about the individual test results. You can sort the data by any column and in any order. You can sort it and then resort it by clicking on the headers. You can add and sort your users results by groups. The default groups are Employees and Interviewees. In my test I added groups for our departments; engineering and surveying. This is a nice feature if you need to manage the results from different offices or departments.

The assessment results tab lists each user by name. If you click on the users surname it will open up a window that provides the basic testing data (time, date, CAD platform) and recommendations for training based on the assessment results. If you click on the result score, another window opens up providing a more detailed analysis of each stage. It provides the end score, the time taken, and an analysis. The analysis lets you know what the candidate did incorrectly! This is a great feature because it can better explain to you why they scored the way they did. How useful is an assessment that just says, “You scored an 85%.”? Not very. At the end of the assessment results it compares the score and time with the benchmark letting you know how your skills compare. When you are finished, you can click the print button to print out the certificate (that’s what they call the data sheet.) I was disappointed that CADsmart didn’t provide other output devices as in the Performance Chart Tab like the PDF and Spreadsheet options. That’s how you look at and use the assessment data. It’s very simple to use.

There are other tabs too that you would expect; account details (name, address, password, etc.), resources (this is where you download the assessment software and instruction guides), software settings (turn off testing options like the clock, intro movie, welcome message, and extra candidate labels), booking system (where you can schedule assessment times), support (where to go if you need help), and logout (that one’s obvious!)

You can see that with CADsmart, managers have many tools available to them to better assess the CAD skills of their users. There are many resources to go to for help (like the managers’ video) and more instruction. CADsmart also has some customization features that might help you out too. Overall I feel that CADsmart is a good program and a great service. It is easily used and implemented.

The biggest question is; how much does it cost? CADsmart has two methods, the Premier and the Classic. The premier provides unlimited use and with all the assessment data, recommendations, the whole thing. The Classic level of subscription only provides unlimited use of the Assessment Software and access to your data. This might be enough for some managers. It will depend on you, your needs and your budget.

The pricing varies from the classic to the premier and by the number of users. It seems to me that they are looking for a general usage amount. The website states that you can assess your users as many times as you want including as many interviewees as you have.

The price difference on 1 to 15 users from the classic to the premier was only about $300 (U.S.), ranging from about $1500 to about $1800 per annum. The price on 100 users ranged from about $6300 to about $7500 per annum. You will need to check for yourself as prices may change. They also provide pricing for other countries. The more users you add the higher the price.

Depending on the amount of employees you have, the price will obviously vary. If you have about 100 users, then the cost will be about the same as one license of your CAD software! I think that is a good price and well worth the money spent. I feel that CADsmart is a good investment in your company.

Review - CADsmart 2 of 3

A few days ago I gave you a brief overview of a software program I found called CADsmart. It is a program that you can download and run within AutoCAD (or Microstation) in order to assess your users’ general CAD skills. It doesn’t test programming skills, nor is it release specific, it only looks at general CAD drafting skills. Knowing what areas your users excel in along with the areas they don’t is very useful. It allows you to train them properly and where they need it.

Last time I gave an overview of what CADsmart can do, generally speaking. Now I want to get more specific.

Before you get started using it and before your users test with it, I recommend that everyone involved watches their online videos which let everyone know what to expect and how it works. This is a nice touch. It helps to relieve some of the stress that people have when they are being assessed, especially if they are taking it as part of a job interview or as a personnel review as an employee. People get nervous and they might not perform as well as they normally do when under pressure, so this feature helps.

Another feature that helps the scores be more accurate is that CADsmart runs within AutoCAD (or Microstation). It would be nice if you didn’t have to have AutoCAD to take the review, but this method does have a nice bonus to it. Since the user (if he/she is a current employee) is taking the assessment in a CAD setting that they are familiar with, they will perform better. They perform better because they are being tested in the same environment that they work in everyday. CADsmart also gives the user the ability to arrange the toolbars, pallets, icons, etc. to their liking before the exercise begins. This also helps interviewees test better in a new and different setting. Everyone involved gets better and more accurate scores.

Ten exercises are taken, each one covering different aspects. These ten topics are: Lines, Sheet Set Up/Xrefs, Circles & Arcs, Text, Blocks/Cells, Dimensions, Layers/Levels, Preferences, UCS/ACS. As you can see, these topics cover the general skills needed to be able to work with CAD software. It also breaks them up enough so that we can see what areas we do well in and in what areas need more training.

In order to take the assessment, the CADsmart software must be downloaded and installed on the testing machine. Once it is installed, log on and begin. If the candidate hasn’t watched the introduction movie yet, they will get the option during the set up phase. Some information about the user will have to be filled out in a form. This helps CADsmart identify who you are. They provide a guarantee that says they won’t give out that information to any third party; only CADsmart, you and your company will have access to that data. Once the form is filled out they can begin the assessment.

Each exercise will provide instructions and a preview of what is to be done. It is up to the candidate to figure out what to do and then do it. Be careful when reading the instructions, just as the video says, because if you don’t follow the instructions and do as you are told, your score will be lower than it could be! Once done, the candidate will receive an e-mail where they can go and find out their score. They will also receive an assessment comparing their score to the benchmark as well as recommendations on what areas to improve. This is one of the reasons they had to fill out all of that personal information, so that CADsmart would know who they are.

CADsmart is a simple to use program that provides valuable CAD skill assessment data and comparison. It is easy for users to test with and easy to set up. It is run in a CAD environment that is familiar to the candidate thus giving more accurate scores and skill assessments.

I’m going to stop again so that our minds won’t melt. In the near future I plan on taking a closer look as to what CADsmart offers the manager. We will look at the tools it provides in skill assessment, charts, data management, the benchmark, how to access the data, etc. We’ll also take a look at what managers can do with the information they just collected.

Happy CADDING

Review - CADsmart

CAD-a-Blog is about teaching CAD skills, especially AutoCAD skills. With that in mind, I try to keep my eyes open for products or services that can help users (and me too!) better themselves. I feel that I have found such a product.

Consider this scenario; imagine that you need to hire a new CAD user for your company. How do you know if that user can in fact use CAD? How do you know the extent of his or her skills?

Also consider this; how can you measure the CAD skills of your current users?

Well I have come across a product that comes from the United Kingdom. It is from CADsmart.
CADsmart is a company that provides testing software that measures general AutoCAD (and Microstation) skills in users. It has the ability to measure CAD drafting skills, not programming, not customizations, but CAD skills. In a nutshell, the user takes a series of drafting based assessments, each one covering a specific topic. The results are compared to a benchmark that has been developed by CADsmart from thousands of users that have taken the same or similar assessments. The user is scored individually and in comparison to other users. For example, one segments score could state that you scored an 80%. That means that you were 80% correct. Now compare that score to the benchmark and you will have a means to measure your abilities relative to the thousands of users that have already taken the assessment. This software gives you a score for the user and tells you if it is a good score or not.

CADsmart’s benchmark is meant to represent the average user. If you score above that, then you should be a good CAD user. If you score below the benchmark, then there might be some areas for training. The assessments are scored separately on overall accuracy and time taken. These two measurements can be compared to the benchmark or to other employees in your company.

CADsmart’s assessments cover specific topics. Each one consists of a series of steps that the user must complete. It doesn’t matter how the user gets the work done, or how long it takes, only that the end results are what they need to be. This is one of the main reasons that I like this software because every user will work in a slightly different way and what matters is the final drawing, not so much as how it was drawn. I said that time doesn’t matter, well it doesn’t affect the accuracy score, but it is measured and compared to the benchmark. So keep it in mind that you need to be both accurate and quick, just like in real life!

Each category has its own benchmark that you can compare your score with. This is very useful because it provides a means of determining where your specific problems are. This feature is great for managers too because it enables them to find specific problem areas in their users so that they can concentrate their training programs exactly where they are needed. Time and resources are not wasted training the wrong people in the wrong skill sets.

CADsmart is not perfect. It is not cost productive for a single user to buy the software and use it on themselves, though this can be done. It works best in a group environment. You also have to have AutoCAD software on your machine in order to run it. One other thing that I understand, but didn’t like too much, is that while taking the test, I can’t pause it in case my attention is needed elsewhere (That happened to me while I was taking the test. I got a low score in the dimension portion because of it-maybe I’m just bitter!) Playing devil’s advocate, if I could pause the assessment, then I could stop it, figure out the task, then start again. That’s cheating, so I understand the reason behind it, but I want it anyway!!

That’s the gist of it. I don’t want to overload you with information, so I am going to write about CADsmart in smaller bite size parts like this. Check out their website, read about them, and let me know what you think. Later I’m going to get more into the workings of it, what it has to offer managers in terms of assessment tools, charts, and recommendations. CADsmart will test the user, show the assessment data, and provide recommendations on what areas to train the specific users in. It is a very helpful tool in my opinion.

Happy CADDING!

Quick Tip – Clean Screen

The Clean Screen command in AutoCAD will provide a fuller view of your screen, making it easier to work with. It turns everything “off” on your screen except for the status bar, menu bar, and the command line. Invoking the Clean Screen command again restores your screen

Click the Clean Screen button in the lower right hand corner of the screen (it looks like a box) to toggle it on and off. OR, press “CTRL+O” (that’s the letter “O” not the number zero).

Happy CADDING