How-to's

Learn how transspatial dimensioning enables you to dimension model space objects from paper space, automatically updating the paper space dimension as you edit the model space object.

Tool palettes provide an easy way to access and insert blocks and hatches into your drawings. In this article, you learn how to customize tool palettes that use your existing block libraries.

When teaching advanced classes in AutoCAD® software, I’m often surprised at the number of students unfamiliar with the Displacement options for the Move and Copy commands in AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT® software.

Don’t we all want to get our designs finished faster? Any enhancements that shave time off the drawing process are definite money savers!

Last time we looked at rotating an object by a referenced amount. This month we’ll see how you can also scale an object by an amount given by a referenced object.

Typically, you use the ROTATE command in AutoCAD LT® software to rotate one or more objects a specified number of degrees about a specified base point. Also typically, you select only one object for rotation and choose a rotation base point somewhere on the object--at an Endpoint or Midpoint, for example.

As much as we’d like to spend our design time focusing on geometry, text is an integral part of the drawing process. Any forward progress in the world of text can mean more time for design and less time on annotation.

Often the easiest way to move lines and other objects back to zero elevation is to use the CHANGE command. But don’t look for this command on a menu pull-down or toolbar. In out-of-the-box AutoCAD LT® software, it’s only available by typing it at the command line.

On a recent snowy afternoon, I ran across some information about the productivity benefits of saving both partial and complete drawing file information in AutoCAD LT® software. If you work with moderate-to-large drawings, you’ll want to explore these file-save methods.

This month, as we continue looking at the new features in AutoCAD LT® software, I want to examine the My Drawings section of the AutoCAD LT Today facility.

This month we are going to look at the AutoCAD LT® PURGE command. The PURGE command is used to remove unused named items, such as block definitions and layers, from a drawing.

This month, as we continue looking at the new features in AutoCAD LT® 2002, I want to examine two of the new text features—the SCALETEXT and JUSTIFYTEXT commands.

This article describes how you can use the SCALETEXT command to change the height of Multi-Lined Text (MTEXT) objects.

One of the greatest advantages of working in AutoCAD LT® software is that you can establish almost boundless number of layers, freeze and thaw them, turn them on and off, and lock and unlock them at will and in any combination.

Beginning with AutoCAD LT 2000 you can perform multiple undo actions, reversing the effect of more than one undo using the new MREDO (for multiple redo) command.

Let's look at an AutoCAD LT® 2002 feature that often gets overlooked: the ability to "lift" drawings from AutoCAD LT and transfer them to other visual applications such as Microsoft Word®, where they can provide effective illustrations for inclusion in a text document.

With eTransmit you can use the Internet (or an Extranet or Intranet) to easily transmit, or "ship," a drawing file—down the hall to a colleague or around the world to a subcontractor.

AutoCAD LT® 2004 makes it easier then ever to free up valuable drawing space and to personalize your environment for maximum productivity.