Add-on utilities

I have a couple of posts on the various MDI drawing tabs add-ons for AutoCAD, the first was in 2007 (updated in 2010), and another from this year regarding the compatibility of the Autodesk version with AutoCAD 2012.

I have been using the version from www.caelink.com with no problems for a while now. Read more »

Topic updated 2010-08-10

Since AutoCAD moved to the MDI world back in 1999, users have wanted a fast way to switch drawings. Some of these include...

• Set the system variable TASKBAR to 1 and you get a button for each open drawing on the Windows taskbar. This is how R14 would have appeared when you had multiple "sessions" open.
• The Windows pull-down menu allows you to select an open drawing.
• Ctrl+Tab cycles through drawings pretty quickly if you are a keyboard junkie.
• AutoCAD 2009 added "Quick View Drawings" (Command ._QVDRAWING), but this tool can seem a bit sluggish, especially on a slower machine with many drawings open.

Many people prefer tabs, similar to those in Microsoft Excel. If none of the above solutions work for you, there are several vendors out there with add-on's that provide this "tab" functionality. I have tested some, but NOT all of these. This is not meant to be a rating grid, only a summary so that if you are looking for this type of tool, all the links are here.

If I have missed any, let me know.