Loading Content into DesignCenter

When you use the Tree View to locate source objects and then display those objects in the palette, you are actually loading content into the palette. Using Tree View, you can load content into the palette using the Desktop, Open Drawings, History, and Custom Content modes. By using Tree View’s simple interface, you can load content into the palette from different locations.

Although Tree View’s simple interface can load content into the palette, its capabilities are limited. For example, Tree View does not allow you to define the file type you want to locate when browsing for source objects. Additionally, Tree View does not provide an automated find feature that locates content based on a keyword search. Tree View’s features for locating source objects are useful, but limited.

To compensate for Tree View’s limited abilities for locating source objects, DesignCenter has additional methods for loading content that are very powerful. For example, you can locate drawings using a feature similar to AutoCAD’s Select File dialog box, which allows you to browse for files. The Load DesignCenter Palette feature allows you to indicate the file type for which you are searching, and displays a preview image of the selected file.

You can also use the powerful Find feature, which can search local and network drives for files, as well as source objects within files, using search criteria. By using these features, you can more easily locate the desired source objects, especially when you’re not sure where to look.

In the following two sections, you learn how to use the Load DesignCenter Palette feature and the Find feature to more easily locate the desired source objects.

Using the Load DesignCenter Palette Feature

DesignCenter provides a feature for loading content into the palette that works similarly to AutoCAD’s Select File dialog box. By using the Load DesignCenter Palette dialog box, you can browse for files on local and network drives, in your Favorites folder, or over the Internet. You can also use this feature to automate searching for a particular file based on its name or its file type. By using the Load DesignCenter Palette dialog box, you can use specific tools to locate, preview, and load content into the palette.

The Load DesignCenter Palette dialog box is opened by clicking the Load button located between the Favorites and Find buttons in DesignCenter, as shown in Figure 12.8. After you click the Load button, the Load DesignCenter Palette dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 12.9. Once you’ve opened this dialog box, you can use the various features of the Load DesignCenter Palette to locate files.

In the following exercise, you use the Locate feature of the Load DesignCenter Palette dialog box.

Exercise 12.1 Locating Files with the Load DesignCenter Palette Dialog Box

1.	Create a new folder on your computer called Find Files.
2.	Copy the 12DWG01.dwg, 12DWG01a.dwg, and 12DWG01b.dwg files from the accompanying CD to the Find Files folder. After copying the files, right-click the *.dwg files and select Properties, then clear the Read-only attribute. Next, you use the Locate feature to find the files.
3.	Start a new drawing in AutoCAD.
4.	From the Standard toolbar, select AutoCAD DesignCenter. AutoCAD opens DesignCenter.
5.	From DesignCenter, select Find. AutoCAD displays the Find dialog box (see Figure 12.10). Figure 12.10. The Browse/Search feature of the Load DesignCenter Palette dialog box locates files based on search patterns.
6.	In the Look for drop-down list make sure Drawings is selected.
7.	Select the Drawings tab if needed.
8.	In the Search for word(s) text box, type 12DWG01* . (Be sure to include the asterisk at the end of the text string.)
9.	Over at the In drop-down list select the drive on which you created the Find Files folder. Also make sure the option to search subfolders is checked.
10.	Click Find Now. AutoCAD searches the selected drive using the 12DWG01* search pattern, and displays the results in the results area, as shown in Figure 12.10.
11.	From the Files list, select the 12DWG01.dwg file, then click Open. AutoCAD displays the file’s location in the Tree View, and displays its content in the palette, as shown in Figure 12.11. Figure 12.11. The found file’s location is displayed in the Tree View, and its contents are displayed in the palette. Note The Find dialog will be put behind AutoCAD but will remain open. You can close this by making it active and then selecting the [X] in the top right of the dialog.
12.	You may close DesignCenter, and close the drawing without saving changes.

The Load DesignCenter Palette dialog box allows you to locate files by browsing local and network drives, and by browsing the Internet. You can also locate files using its Browse/Search dialog box.

In the next section, you use the Find feature to locate content within files.

Searching for Content Using the Find Feature

DesignCenter provides a very powerful search feature that allows you to locate the source objects you need. For example, you can search for drawing files by name, or by keyword or description. You can also search inside drawings for a variety of source objects including blocks, layers, linetypes, and text styles. By using DesignCenter’s Find feature, you can locate the source objects you need, even if they reside within a drawing.

In the following exercise, you use DesignCenter’s Find feature to locate a specific block that resides inside a drawing.

Exercise 12.2 Locating Blocks with DesignCenter’s Find Feature

1.	Start a new drawing in AutoCAD.
2.	From the Standard toolbar, select AutoCAD DesignCenter. AutoCAD opens DesignCenter.
3.	From DesignCenter, click the Find button. AutoCAD displays the Find dialog box.
4.	From the Look For list, select Blocks.
5.	From the In list, select the drive on which you created the Find Files folder.
6.	From the Blocks tab, in the Search for the name box, type alarm . This instructs AutoCAD to search for blocks that are named Alarm.
7.	Click Find Now. AutoCAD searches the selected drive for any drawing files that contain a block named ALARM, and displays the results as shown in Figure 12.12. Figure 12.12. The Find dialog box locates source objects, such as blocks, within drawing files.

8. In the list of found files, double-click the Alarm name, this then loads its related drawing into the DesignCenter panel. AutoCAD displays the file’s location in the Tree View, and displays its content in the palette.

9. You may close DesignCenter, close the Find dialog box, and close the drawing without saving changes.

The Find dialog box allows you to locate files and source objects within files by entering search criteria. You can use its three tabs to locate files by type, by date modified, or by specific text. You can search for a variety of object types, such as blocks, layers, layouts, and xrefs, and you can search for objects based on text values for block names, drawing and block descriptions, and attribute tags and values. By using DesignCenter’s Find feature, you have access to a powerful set of tools that help you pinpoint the source objects you need.

In the previous sections, you learned how to use DesignCenter’s various tools for locating content. In the next section, you learn how to load content into the current drawing.