CADcaster

Autodesk introduced the Microsoft Office 2007 look alike to Autodesk products since version 2009. They introduced the ribbon, and even a new menu structure in Autodesk 2010 version. You may hate it, but many new users may like it. However, I think we do need to get used to it. If one day the ribbon and the menu structure become a ‘Windows compliant’ standard, then all Windows applications would look like that. Ouch!

Here are 10 AutoCAD ribbon tips I found on the internet (and one from my blog that you might need to know.

AutoCAD UI ~ Best of Both Worlds is Flexible with Traditional Menus or New Ribbon +Plus+ AutoCAD UI Retro Mod’ing Fun

So you don’t like AutoCAD ribbon and want to use your classic interface? I know many of you already know it, but who knows, it may be still useful. Shaan shares this to us, and further more, if you would like your AutoCAD looks like R14!

Speed Up as AutoCAD 2009-2010 Ribbon Menu Helps You!

Are you a new AutoCAD user? Then you must love the ribbon! Orhan Toker posted how the ribbon can help you with detailed explanation for each AutoCAD tools!

AutoCAD 2010 Application Menu

The ribbon didn’t come by himself. It also changed the menu structure. Orhan Toker shares how to use the menu. Do you know that we can search a tool/command in the menu now?

AutoCAD 2010 – Hidden Ribbon Trick

Many people complaint that ribbon take a lot of screen space. True, but do you know that you can minimize them? Mark W Kiker shares this on his CADD Manager Blog.

AutoCAD 2010: Getting Sticky with Ribbon Sticky Panels

The most annoying thing about ribbon for me is I have to move to different tabs frequently. I found in Shaans blog that we can tear off a panel from ribbon. This only applies to AutoCAD 2010 and later. With this sticky panel, we can use it just like toolbar!

Lock Down those AutoCAD Toolbars!

Now after you tear off your ribbon panel, you may want them lock at their position. You don’t want to accidentally move them. Lynn Allen shares that we can lock it just like we lock the toolbar!

Ribbon Shortcut Key on Autodesk Products

Do you want to speed up when activating tools via AutoCAD ribbon? You may like this tip. This also applies to all Autodesk products that use ribbon.

Quickly Hide The Ribbon Using A Custom Keyboard Shortcut

This is an article by Richard Alexander. He’s giving a tip about creating a custom keyboard shortcut to quickly hide your ribbon. You may need that!

Add a Button to the ribbon in AutoCAD 2009

This is a tip from Ellen Finkelstein on how you can add a button to your ribbon. Originally written for AutoCAD 2009, but also applies to later versions. She explains the ribbon structure in details. If you new to CUI, you may want to read this.

Ribbon for AutoCAD Express Tools 2009

Are you using AutoCAD 2009 and loves the ribbon? You may found something is missing: the express tools tab. You can add it manually. Xanadu explains how you can do it.

AutoCAD 2010 users don’t have to worry about this, it’s already there

Source: CAD Notes – 10 AutoCAD Ribbon Tips You Should Know
Go to Source: CAD Notes

I wrote this tutorial years ago, while I still working in a Bentley reseller. I wrote it in Indonesian, when it’s still V8XM. I decided to rewrite it in English, and update some screenshot with V8i. Thanks for my partner, I can get 30 days trial to do so. I know there are not many MicroStation tutorial available. That’s why I decided to share this on my blog. I hope this tutorial series will be helpful to you. Enjoy!

MicroStation Manager

MicroStation is a Windows compliant software. As any other software, you can start it from Windows start menu, double click the icon from desktop, or clicking the icon in quick launch if you put it there.

When you start MicroStation, you will see a dialog box: MicroStation Manager.

Not like another popular CAD platform, MicroStation allows you to select user, project, and interface at this dialog. You can find these options on lower right of this dialog.

 

Let’s change the user to examples. And change the project to building. What we just did is we set the folder to examples>building at default location. This is where is it on Vista. If you use XP, you will see it on different folder.

Let’s just open folder drawings, and select file BSI300-GroundFloorPlan.dgn. You should see it because it’s included in default installation. Open it.

MicroStation Interface

This is how MicroStation looks like. It’s not as complicated as this actually. I just arrange them closer so you can see all components in limited image.

Menu

I assume that you already get used to Windows applications. Menu in MicroStation work just the same. You can access all MicroStation tools and settings through available items in MicroStation menu.

Task Navigation

Task navigation is where your tools are.

You can change active task from tasks list. Let’s say you need to give your objects dimension. If you want to focus to dimension tools only, you can switch the active task to drawing>dimension. You will only see dimension tools in active task.

Main tasks are the tools you will see no matter what your active task is. Main task mostly consist tools related to objects manipulations and modifications.

See several icons next to active task title bar? You can change the display by clicking it. Choose which you think suit you most.

Now try to click the icon. That will activate the tool. Yeah, aren’t all Windows application works that way? But now try to click on Place SmartLine tool, hold your mouse button. What do you see? You will see all similar tools to create lines! You can select any other tools you want.

Try to click the ‘open linear as toolbox’ from the selection. That will open a toolbar for linear tools.

Activating and Using tools

Now you already know how to start MicroStation. You know where you can access MicroStation tools. You just need to click on a tool from the list to activate it.

So how do you know what tool is active? You can see it from status bar and from tool settings.

Tool settings will show you only settings related to active tool. In this example, place smartline. Try to click several points in your drawing area. There you go! It’s easy isn’t it?

Next, we will learn how to work with files.

Source: CAD Notes – Introduction to MicroStation
Go to Source: CAD Notes

IntelliCAD

restoring the original menu/setup in progeCAD

22 hours ago

from Discussion Forum -…

- Comment
- Like

This was exactly what I…



News from around the world of IntelliCAD and his friends…

Source: News from IntelliCAD and Friends… – restoring the original menu/setup in progeCAD
Go to Source: News from IntelliCAD and Friends…

IntelliCAD

restoring the original menu/setup in progeCAD

yesterday

from Discussion Forum -…

- Comment
- Like

Hi,

The other day I loaded…



News from around the world of IntelliCAD and his friends…

Source: News from IntelliCAD and Friends… – restoring the original menu/setup in progeCAD
Go to Source: News from IntelliCAD and Friends…

IntelliCAD

restoring the original menu/setup in progeCAD

24 hours ago

from Discussion Forum -…

- Comment
- Like

Go to the Windows Start menu…



News from around the world of IntelliCAD and his friends…

Source: News from IntelliCAD and Friends… – restoring the original menu/setup in progeCAD
Go to Source: News from IntelliCAD and Friends…

SolidWorks Corp has been working hard to improve the user experience.  SolidWorks 2010 has examples have several innovative interface additions.  The one addition that is sure to get a lot of attention is Mouse Gestures.

Mouse Gestures is a simple a menu scheme that is controlled by the RMB and a gesture (or short movement) of [...]

Source: SolidWorks Legion – SolidWorks 2010: Mouse Gestures
Go to Source: SolidWorks Legion

We have discussed how to add new command to AutoCAD. We added our new command to Now let’s discuss how to add it to context menu. We want this command appear when we select particular type of object. This is what a contextual menu all about, right?

This time we will create a command to automatically convert line(s) to polyline. This is not something new. I’ve seen a lot of people have discuss it in forum or blogs. One of them is in Autodesk evangelist, Lynn Allen blog. But we are going to do it slightly different: put it to our context menu.

Open your CUI browser. You might want to read the previous post about creating a new command before you continue.

Right click on command list area, select new command from context menu. Rename it. Let’s call it Line to Pline. Or if it’s sound ridiculous to you, you can use another name that suit you.

Now in properties area, macro field, type this value:

^C^C_pedit;;;^C

A little explanation:

• ^C is similar to pressing [esc], pressing [esc] twice will cancel a running command (if any).
• PEDIT is activating polyline edit command
• ;;; means you press [enter] three times. ; will execute [enter]

In Lynn’s blog she use ^C^CPEDIT;y;; It would work fine too. What’s the difference? Let’s compare to what we do.

• ^C^C is just the same to what we do.
• she use PEDIT instead of _PEDIT. Mostly using either one of it works fine. Adding underscore is an AutoCAD convention so this command can be used by AutoCAD in any other language. If you use English, then there’s no difference with or without underscore.
• She use Y after the first ; If you activate PEDIT and select a line or arc, then AutoCAD will ask you: Object selected is not a polyline Do you want to turn it into one? <Y>
  By default the answer is yes. So pressing [enter] without typing Y will return the value of Yes. She decided to make sure AutoCAD will accept yes as the answer, so add Y then [enter] to do this.

Not different at all, aren’t they?

Now we have done with creating command. Now we have to define a new shortcut menu. Look at customize section. Find shortcut menus group. Right click on it, and click new shortcut menu. Rename it to Line Object Menu.

What are we doing? We define a condition, when this menu should appear. We want this menu appear when we select line. But it won’t appear when we select other type of objects. We have created the menu, but haven’t define the condition. Now we add this condition on properties section, aliases field.

Click ‘…’ button on this field. Use it, don’t type directly on the text field. Type on each line as follow:

• OBJECT_LINE    –> this will enable your menu appear when you select a single line
• OBJECTS_LINE   –> this will enable your menu appear when you select multiple lines

Adding both of them will enable your menu to appear on both conditions.

Click OK. You will see your aliases as below. You might have different ID than mine (mine POP520), but that’s not a problem.

Now, drag and drop our new command to this shortcut menu.

Click OK to close your CUI browser. Now try to draw some lines. Select it, then right click. See if your command show up in your context menu.

Kinda fun, isn’t it?

Source: CAD Notes – Adding Command to Your Right Click
Go to Source: CAD Notes

Hello,
Those that know 3D from earlier versions, would recall that views could be managed from the “Named Views…” menu. AutoCAD has added more features andaslo improved the user interface with what it calls “View Manager” in AutoCAD 2007 and earlier.

First of all let’s remember what we call a ‘view’; to be able to complete a [...]
Source: Daily Autocad – Managing Views With “3D Navigate CP” in Autocad 2007
Go to Source: Daily Autocad