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AutoCAD 2015 and AutoCAD LT 2015 Bible

The most comprehensive AutoCAD book around!

Working with linetype scales

Simple linetypes allow you to apply a repeating series of dashes, dots, and spaces to your objects. Complex linetypes can also include text or shapes.

Recently, a reader said that his linetype was defined as dash-dot but displayed as a continuous linetype. If you have this situation, zoom in and see if you can see the […]

Rename named objects–blocks, dimension styles, layers, and more

It really helps to have a naming system for named objects, including:

Blocks Dimension styles Text styles Multileader styles Table styles Layers Linetypes UCSs (User Coordinate Systems) Viewports (viewport configurations) Views

But due to various reasons, you may decide to change their names. Maybe you made a mistake or you’re working on a drawing created […]

Slim down your drawings with the PURGE command

Are your drawings bloated for no obvious reason? When you insert a block, is there a long list of blocks that aren’t in the drawing? Ditto for layers?

Oversized drawings load more slowly, take up more storage space, and take longer to save.

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Then you need the PURGE […]

Know when unwanted layers creep into your drawing with layer notification

Layers are a big issue when it comes to maintaining drawing standards. Where you work, you may have lots of rules about which layers your drawings can have.

Xrefs can be a problem for drawing standards, because when you attach an xref, its layers come along for the ride. This is especially an issue when […]

Batch check multiple AutoCAD drawings against a standards file

In a previous post, “Use a Standards file to bring an AutoCAD drawing into line,” I explained how to check a drawing for certain standards, such as layers. This process is important for maintaining drawing standards where you work.

But suppose you want to check standards for many drawings at once? You can, using the […]

Create layer overrides to create plot variations

Recently, a reader asked how to plot a drawing in black & white except for text. I had a few thoughts — plot styles and layer states, for example — but one idea was layer overrides.

Let’s say that you want to create some plot variations of your drawing. One way to do this is […]

Use a Standards file to bring an AutoCAD drawing into line

All AutoCAD professionals have to deal with standards. But when a drawing is worked on by multiple people and revised over months or even years, standards can deteriorate quickly. AutoCAD’s CAD Standards tools let you check drawings against your standards. You can check the following in a drawing:

Layers Text styles Dimension styles Linetypes Create […]

Maintain standards by returning objects to ByLayer settings

You’ve certainly heard the principle that you should use layers to give objects properties. When you create a layer, you give that layer a

Color Linetype Lineweight Transparancy Plotstyle

Also, for 3D drawings, you can apply a material to a layer with the MATERIALATTACH layer.

But it is all too easy to make an exception […]

Get your layers in line with the layer translator

Whether you receive drawings from others or just need to fix up some sloppy work created in-house, you sometimes need to change layer names and properties for objects in your drawings so that they match your layer standards.

A great way to do this is to use the LAYTRANS command, that is, the layer translator. […]

Make an object’s layer the current layer

Let’s say you need to change the current layer, but aren’t sure which layer you want. But you know that you want the same layer as an existing object you’ve already drawn. That’s a pretty common scenario, right?

Enter Make Object’s Layer Current, also known as LAYMCUR.

This command has been around for a long […]