Tips and Tricks

There does not seem to be an option for changing text portions of dates (such as the name of the month) to UPPERCASE (or lowercase) using the Field command dialog box. All of the examples shown are in First capital.

However, if you explore other fields where there are options to change the case, you can see that setting a field to UPPERCASE simply adds some code to the end of the field like this: "%tc1".  

The LENGTHEN command has been around for over 18 years, it was introduced with Release 13 in November of 1994. Yet, I still see many instances where it is ignored and some other method is used in its place. So what can you do with the LENGTHEN command? Let's look at the 4 options, or ways it can work.

This is a quick tutorial on adding and using User Defined Properties for Civil 3D cogo points, and we will create a new expression for use in our point label style. I’m starting with the stock template provided with Civil 3D 2013. Create a single point whose point style is Storm Sewer Manhole, and whose point label style is “Point#-Elevation-Description”

With regard to Civil 3D Cogo Points, you probably know that the point labels include a "Dragged State", the properties of which take over when you drag the point label away from the point location.

So if you think this post look familiar, you are right. This originally ran back in 2009, but it was very popular and I wanted to update it and run it again so that it is at the top. I'm sure it will be new to a few people too.

How many of these do you know? How many do you use? What is your favorite "obscure" AutoCAD command or system variable? Leave a comment.

This tutorial serves two purposes. One is to create a new tool to convert Line or Arc entities to Polylines, and the other purpose is showing how to integrating this tool into a contextual tab.

We're using AutoCAD 2013, and by default there are no contextual tabs for Line or Arc entities. Let's create a tool to convert these object types to polylines and put it on a contextual tab.

Start by opening the CUI editor by running the CUI command. In the upper left pane, under the ACAD menu, expand Ribbon, and then expand Contextual Tab States.

Updated for 2014

Here are links to all of the popular series of Lynn Allen's Tips and Tricks booklets for various releases of AutoCAD.

I have the collection of these and still refer to them when I need to know in what release a particular feature was introduced. But getting to know the new features is what these are all about. Click the thumbnails below to download the version of your choice.

Here is a trick that I find many people are not aware of. It is possible to copy geometry from one AutoCAD drawing to another without using traditional copy and paste methods.

There are a couple of rules.

• Both drawings must be open in the editor
• You will not be able to specify an exact base point. (See text below the graphic)

Here is how to do it.

1. Start by getting both drawings visible at the same time.
2. A quick way to do this is with the SYSWINDOWS command, then specify the Horizontal option.
   

This tip came to me while working with Cogo points in Civil 3D, but it could apply to many things. A while back I had a tip about setting PICKADD to 0. Now generally, this system variable set being to 0 would annoy most people since it only allows you to select one object at a time. But if you are working with Civil 3D Cogo points, say for example dragging labels to create a dragged state, and you are doing this over and over, setting PICKADD to 0 can be a big help. Doing so means you do not have to press Escape to clear the previous selection. As soon as you pick one point, it is selected and all other selections are cleared.

Remember to turn OFF the Properties Palette when working with Cogo points. If the Properties palette is on, Civil 3D has to look up and display the properties each time a new point (or points) is selected and this slows it down tremendously. Try it both ways and see if you see a difference.

Also see this note about PICKADD if you are running version 2011 or later.

Do you ever use the transparent 'CAL command? It is probably one of those commands that you know, but use so infrequently that you forget about it. So why bother? How can it help? Here are some examples. Oh yeah, I'm not talking about the QuickCalc that runs in a palette - this post is strictly referring to the command line 'CAL command.

Example 1: Use it as a plain old calculator. At the command line, type ._CAL and enter an expression like 32/7 which will return 4.57142857. Okay, that was pretty easy and you didn't have to leave AutoCAD.