File Safety Precautions

The File Safety Precautions area of the Open and Save tab of the Options dialog box allows you to control some of these backup and file recovery options (see Figure 18-1).

Backup Files. By default, when you save a drawing in AutoCAD, the file is saved with a DWG file extension. The previously saved version of that drawing is renamed with a BAK file extension. For example, you have a drawing called A-06.DWG. When you open that drawing, make changes to it, and then save your drawing, the previously saved file is renamed A-06.BAK, and the new changes are saved to A-06.DWG. If a BAK file already exists, it is overwritten with the new BAK file.

If you are unable to open your current drawing, or if you need to recover changes made to your drawing, you can simply rename the BAK file extension to DWG and open the backup file in AutoCAD. You may want to change the file name as well to avoid confusion. For example, you have two files: A-06.BAK and A-06.DWG. You wish to open the BAK file to recover some objects you deleted. To avoid confusing the two files, you can rename the BAK file to A-06-Backup.DWG and then open the backup file in AutoCAD.

By default, AutoCAD has backup files enabled. To disable the backup file creation, remove the check from the Create backup copy with each save box in the Open and Save tab of the Options dialog box (see Figure 18-1).

Autosave Files. Backup files (BAK) are created only when you save your drawing. For this reason, it’s considered good practice to save your drawing often. However, there are times when AutoCAD quits before you have the opportunity to save. To help recover from these instances, AutoCAD can automatically save your drawing file at regular intervals. This is known as an autosave. By default, AutoCAD does this every 10 minutes.

Files created with the Autosave feature are considered temporary files. When AutoCAD performs an autosave, it assigns a name consisting of the file name combined with a random number and the file extension .SV$. These files are placed in the Windows Temp folder and are created as a failsafe to recover drawing information in the event of a program failure or power failure. If your drawing is closed normally, these temporary save files are deleted. If the drawing does not close normally, the temporary files are retained and can be renamed and opened in AutoCAD.

When you start a command, AutoCAD looks at the time since the last autosave was done. If the time is greater than the autosave interval, AutoCAD will do an autosave before it starts your command. AutoCAD displays a message when it is performing an automatic save while you are working. Following is an example:

Click here to view code image

Automatic save to C:UsersPaulappdatalocal	empAS-01_1_1_7542.sv$

If you do not see a message from AutoCAD, you should check that the Autosave feature is enabled and that a reasonable save interval is set. You can set this in the Automatic save box in the Open and Save tab of the Options dialog box (see Figure 18-1). The Automatic Save File Location setting in the Files tab of the Options dialog box allows you to change the location where the files are saved.

Temporary Files. In addition to the autosave files, AutoCAD also creates temporary files in the Windows Temp folder. These temporary files are used by AutoCAD and Windows to manage data while your drawing file is open. These keep track of undo and redo information as well as store changes to your drawing between saves. These files are given a random name with an .AC$ file extension.

As with the autosave files (.sv$), when a drawing is closed normally, these temporary files are deleted. However, if a drawing is not closed properly, these temporary files are retained. They can also be renamed as .DWG and opened in AutoCAD. Since these files are randomly named, finding the exact file you are looking for can be hit-or-miss. Also, there is no guarantee that the information you’re seeking will be contained in these files, but it does give you some additional places to look if you lose valuable design information.

The File extension for temporary files box in the Open and Save tab of the Options dialog box (see Figure 18-1) allows you to change the file extension of these temporary files. Also, the Temporary Drawing File Location setting in the Files tab of the Options dialog box allows you to change the location where these temporary files are stored (see Figure 18-2).

Corrupt Drawing Objects. Drawing corruption can occur when a drawing object is not defined properly within the drawing file. This can happen when importing drawing information from other CAD applications, if you are using custom software applications inside AutoCAD, or if AutoCAD closes without saving your drawing.

Corrupt objects can cause a variety of problems from AutoCAD locking up to a drawing failing to load properly. When you consider that drawings can be used as xrefs and that nested references may be used, a single corrupt object can wreak havoc on a design project.

If you suspect that corrupt objects may be causing a problem, AutoCAD allows you to turn on a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to monitor all new objects created during the drawing session. This option will check all new objects to ensure they are well defined before AutoCAD adds them to the drawing. This is set by checking the Full-time CRC validation box in the Open and Save tab of the Options dialog box (see Figure 18-1). This checking can slow down the drawing process slightly, so this option should be turned on only as needed to help track down the source of corrupt drawing objects.

Recovering Lost or Corrupt Drawings

If your AutoCAD session locks up or closes before you can save your drawing, AutoCAD provides some tools for recovering lost drawing information and fixing corrupt drawings.

The Drawing Recovery Manager. If your AutoCAD session ends prematurely, the next time you start AutoCAD, it will display a message about drawing recovery (see Figure 18-3), and the Drawing Recovery Manager (see Figure 18-4) will start automatically. You can also start the Drawing Recovery Manager with the DRAWINGRECOVERY command.

The Drawing Recovery Manager provides an easy way to examine backup and autosave files. When the Drawing Recovery Manager starts, it searches for backup (BAK) and autosave (SV$) files along with their associated DWG files and displays them in the Drawing Recovery Manager palette (see Figure 18-4).

The Backup Files area displays all the backup, autosave, and drawing files associated with a given drawing. Selecting one of the listed files will display information about the file in the Details area and a preview of the file in the Preview area.

You can open the selected file by double-clicking it or choosing Open from the right-click menu. This allows you to examine in detail the various backup files. When you find the one you want to keep, save it using the file name of your choosing. You can then remove the drawing from the Drawing Recovery Manager by selecting the drawing file name folder in the Backup Files area and choosing Remove from the right-click menu (see Figure 18-5).

Fixing Corrupt Drawings. AutoCAD provides two commands to examine and repair corrupt drawing files: AUDIT and RECOVER.

The AUDIT and RECOVER commands will both scan a drawing for any corruption and allow you to attempt to correct any problems they find.

The RECOVER command allows you to select any drawing file to scan. The AUDIT command scans only the currently open drawing file. In addition, the AUDIT command gives you the option of just scanning the file without attempting to correct the problems.

The AUDIT and RECOVER commands operate only on a single drawing file. If the drawing has any xrefs, the xrefs will not be scanned for problems. If you wish to scan a drawing and all of its associated xrefs, you should use the RECOVERALL command. The RECOVERALL command scans the drawing and any xrefs attached to the drawing. The RECOVERALL command also displays a report at the end of the command showing the results for each drawing it scans (see Figure 18-6).

Cleaning Up Drawing Files

As you have seen, AutoCAD drawings consist of both graphical and nongraphical elements. Layer settings, block definitions, linetypes, text styles, plot styles, table styles, dimension styles, and other nongraphical elements can be stored in a drawing, even if they may not be used within the drawing. It is possible to have empty layers, unused linetypes, dimension styles, etc.

Although these elements can reside in the drawing without being used, they do add to the size of the drawing file and can add complexity to a drawing. For example, a CAD layering standard may have hundreds of potential layers, but only a handful of them are used in any given drawing. Similarly, you may have a block library that consists of many symbols, but you may use only a few in any single drawing. There is no need to have all of these extra settings and block definitions stored with every drawing.

To help manage these various definitions and style settings, AutoCAD provides the PURGE command to view unused styles and definitions and remove them from the drawing.

The PURGE Command. When you start the PURGE command, AutoCAD displays the Purge dialog box with a list of all the items that can be purged in the drawing (see Figure 18-7). A plus (+) symbol next to any item denotes a category that contains items that can be purged. Clicking on the + symbol expands the tree to show you the specific items. To purge an item, simply select the object from the list and choose the Purge Checked Items button. You can select multiple items using either <Ctrl> or <Shift> while selecting items. To purge all unused objects from a drawing, choose the Purge All button. Placing a check in the Confirm each item to be purged check box will cause AutoCAD to prompt you before it purges each object.

Purging Nested Items. Some objects may be nested, meaning that unused objects are dependent on other unused objects. For example, you may have a block definition that contains an unused layer definition. In order for the layer definition to be purged, the block definition containing the layer definition must first be purged.

To purge nested items, keep selecting items and choosing Purge, or check the Purge nested items box. When this box is checked, all selected items and any items nested below them will also be purged.

To quickly purge all unused objects from your drawing, start the PURGE command, check the Purge nested items box, turn off the Confirm each item to be purged item, and choose Purge All.

Find Non-Purgeable Items. You can find items that are in use and cannot be purged by selecting the Find Non-Purgeable Items button in the Purge dialog box (see Figure 18-8). This is useful when you need to determine the identity of a referenced item in order to take appropriate action.

Possible reasons why the item cannot be purged, along with other useful details, are provided when you select a specific item. Some items, such as layers, include the ability to click and locate objects on the layer in the drawing.

Keep in mind that only unused objects can be purged from the drawing. When the Find Non-Purgeable Items button is selected, you will not be able to purge any objects. In addition, the following default AutoCAD objects cannot be purged from a drawing.

Exporting to DWF/PDF Files

In Chapter 15, we saw how it is possible to create DWF/DWFx (Design Web Format) and PDF (Adobe Portable Document Format) files using the PLOT command. It is also possible to export a file directly to the DWF/DWFx and PDF formats using the tools and settings on the Export to DWF/PDF panel on the Output tab of the ribbon shown in Figure 18-9.

The Export list box at the top of the panel allows you to specify what information to export. In a paper space layout, you can export the current layout or all layouts at one time. In model space, you can export what is currently displayed or the drawing extents, or you can pick a window area.

The Page Setup list box allows you to control what page setup settings to apply. By default, the current page setup is used. The Override option displays the Page Setup Override dialog box so you can change the paper size, the plot style table (pen assignments), the plot scale, and other plot settings.

The Export to DWF Options button displays the Export to DWF Options dialog box shown in Figure 18-10 so you can control the output settings, such as whether to create a multisheet file or to include layer information.

The Export to PDF Options button displays the Export to PDF Options dialog box shown in Figure 18-11.

The Export to PDF Options dialog box has the following options and settings:

Quality. Specifies the resolution of the PDF file.

• Vector quality Controls the resolution of vector graphics

• Raster image quality Controls the resolution of raster images. Raster image quality cannot exceed the vector image quality

  Tip

  When you generate PDF files from drawings that contain a lot of detail, use a higher resolution.

• Merge control Specifies whether overlapping lines overwrite (the top line hides the bottom line) or merge (the colors of the lines blend together)

Data. Specifies the data you can optionally include in the PDF file.

• Include layer information Adds layer information to the PDF file so that you can turn layers on or off when viewing or printing PDF files

• Include hyperlinks Converts sheet set links into hyperlinks in multisheet PDF files and hyperlinks in drawing files to PDF hyperlinks

• Create bookmarks Organizes links to sheets and named views as a tree, then displays them in the bookmarks panel of the PDF viewer

• Capture fonts used in the drawing Embeds TrueType fonts in the PDF file so that they don’t need to be available on the PDF viewer

• Convert all text to geometry Converts all text to geometry in the PDF file. Selecting this option ensures that the text in the PDF file will be identical to that of the drawing

The Preview button allows you to preview the file before exporting it so you can check it to make sure everything looks correct.

Once all the desired settings and options have been selected and you are ready to export your file, select one of the three export types from the flyout menu on the left (DWFx, DWF, PDF) to display its corresponding Save As dialog box so you can specify a file name and any options. The Save As DWF dialog box is shown in Figure 18-12.

The Save As PDF dialog box is shown in Figure 18-13.

Select the Save button once everything is specified to export the file. The Plot and Publish Job Complete notification balloon is displayed in the AutoCAD system tray in the lower right corner of the AutoCAD window when AutoCAD is done exporting the file, indicating the success or failure of the export process.

Importing PDF Files

The PDFIMPORT command allows you to import PDF geometry directly into the current drawing from either a specified PDF file or an attached PDF underlay.

If you select an attached PDF underlay, you can specify a rectangular or polygonal boundary around the objects you want to import, or you can import everything. You can also choose to keep, detach, or unload the PDF underlay after the objects have been imported.

All of these methods share similar options and controls that determine how the PDF file information is imported. If you import a PDF file directly, the Import PDF dialog box shown in Figure 18-14 displays.

Page to Import. Choose Page to import by entering a page number or clicking the thumbnail image. Only one page can be imported at a time. You can toggle between a full-size view and thumbnail views using the controls on the upper right.

Location. Specify the insertion point, scale, and rotation angle. The PDF file will be inserted at 0,0,0 if the Specify insertion point on-screen check box is not selected.

PDF Data to Import. Select what PDF data to import.

• Vector geometry PDF geometric data including linear paths, Beziér curves, and solid-filled areas

• Solid fills Solid-filled areas

• TrueType text Imports only text objects that use TrueType fonts. PDF files recognize only TrueType text objects; text objects that use SHX fonts are treated as geometric objects

• Raster Images Imports raster images by saving them as PNG files and attaching them to the current drawing

Layers. You can choose what method to apply for assigning imported objects to layers.

• Use PDF layers Creates and applies layers with a “PDF” prefix based on the layers stored in the PDF file. If no layers are present in the PDF file, object layers are created instead

• Create object layers Creates layers for each of the following general object types imported from the PDF file: PDF_Geometry, PDF_Solid Fills, PDF_Images, and PDF_Text

• Current layer Imports all PDF objects on the current layer

Import Options. Several options are available to control how PDF objects are processed after being imported.

• Import as block Imports the PDF file as a block rather than as separate objects

• Join line and arc segments Joins contiguous segments into a polyline where possible

• Convert solid fills to hatches Converts 2D solid objects into solid-filled hatches

• Apply lineweight properties Retains lineweight properties of the imported objects

• Infer linetypes from collinear dashes Combines sets of short collinear segments into single polyline segments that are assigned a dashed linetype named “PDF_Import”

Importing and Exporting Other File Types

The IMPORT and EXPORT commands are the most common ways of reading and writing other file formats. AutoCAD also provides a number of commands that work with specific file formats.

The following table describes the various file formats that AutoCAD supports and the commands that are available to read or write.

The EXPORT Command. The EXPORT command allows you to export AutoCAD drawing information to various file formats. When you start the EXPORT command, AutoCAD will display the Export Data dialog box (see Figure 18-15) where you can specify the output file type as well as the file name.

Once you specify the file name and file type, AutoCAD will prompt you to select the objects you want to export. Once you select the objects to export, press <Enter> to export the objects to the specified file.

The IMPORT Command. The IMPORT command allows you to convert various file formats to AutoCAD objects. When you start the IMPORT command, AutoCAD will display the Import File dialog box (see Figure 18-16) and allow you to specify the file type as well as the file name.

After you specify the file name and file type, AutoCAD imports the data and places it in the drawing. The imported objects are typically converted to a block and placed as a single object, which can then be exploded.

Working with DXF Files

DXF stands for Design Exchange Format file and is the primary method that AutoCAD uses for importing and exporting data between CAD applications. A DXF file can be either binary or ASCII text (most commonly used) and is widely used and supported by most CAD applications. DXF files can be created in AutoCAD with the SAVEAS or DXFOUT command. The DXFOUT command is actually a command alias for the SAVEAS command.

Creating a DXF File. Although the EXPORT command only allows you to export selected objects within a drawing, a DXF file represents the entire drawing (paper space, model space, layers, blocks, etc.). Like the DWG file format, the DXF file format has changed over the various releases of AutoCAD. AutoCAD can currently create DXF files in the following formats: AutoCAD 2018, AutoCAD 2013, AutoCAD 2010, AutoCAD 2007, AutoCAD 2004, AutoCAD 2000, and AutoCAD R12.

When you start the SAVEAS command, AutoCAD displays the Save Drawing As dialog box (see Figure 18-17). Specify the file name, location, and type of file you wish to create and choose Save.

DWG Convert Tool

The DWG Convert tool allows you to convert a group of drawings to the following AutoCAD DWG release formats: AutoCAD 2018, AutoCAD 2013, AutoCAD 2010, AutoCAD 2007, AutoCAD 2004, AutoCAD 2000, and AutoCAD R14.

Select the DWG Convert tool to display the DWG Convert dialog box shown in Figure 18-18.

In the DWG Convert dialog box, you select the files you wish to convert along with a conversion setup that controls all of the conversion properties. The buttons along the bottom of the file list box shown in Figure 18-18 allow you to add one or more drawings to convert, make a new list of files, save a list of files, and open or append existing file lists. The Conversion Setups… button allows you to add, delete, rename, or modify conversion setups so you can manage and maintain multiple setups for multiple clients and/or consultants.

The Modify Conversion Setup dialog box shown in Figure 18-19 controls all of the conversion settings.

In the Conversion type and location area at the top of the dialog box, you select the desired file format to convert to as well as whether to save the converted files in -place, to a specific folder, or to either a compressed zip file or a self-extracting .exe file.

The Actions area on the right side of the dialog box allows you to include one or more of the following actions to be performed during the conversion:

• Create backup (*.bak) files Backup files are automatically created during the conversion

• Convert digitally signed files Controls whether digitally signed drawings are converted

• Check and fix errors Drawings are checked for the presence of errors and automatically recovered if any errors are found

• Set default plotter to ‘none’ Changes the printer/plotter setting in the conversion package to None

• Bind external references Binds any xrefs as either a Bind or Insert type

• Purge drawings Automatically purges unreferenced information from drawings

• Remove Design Feed Automatically removes Design Feed information from drawings

• Replace page setups Replaces page setups with a page setup from another drawing

Object Linking Versus Object Embedding

Both the linking and embedding processes insert information from one program’s document into another program’s document. The difference between linking and embedding involves how the information is stored. The difference is similar to the difference between inserting a block and creating an external reference.

Object Embedding. When an object is embedded into a document, that object is completely stored with the destination application. For example, if you created a Word document and then embedded it into an AutoCAD drawing, you would not need to save the Word file to a separate file. That Word document would exist entirely within the AutoCAD drawing. When the AutoCAD drawing is saved, the embedded Word document is saved along with it. This is similar to the relationship between an AutoCAD drawing and a block definition. Block definitions are defined and stored entirely within the AutoCAD drawing. The block does not need to exist as a separate drawing file.

Object Linking. When an object is linked, Windows simply creates a link between the source file and the destination file. Any changes made to the source document will be reflected in the destination document. If the source document is deleted, the link will be broken, and the OLE object will not be updated. This is similar to the relationship between an AutoCAD drawing and an xref. The drawing file does not store the entire xref, only a link to the referenced file. When the referenced file is updated, the AutoCAD drawing containing the xref is also updated.

Inserting OLE Objects

There are a number of ways to create and insert OLE objects within an AutoCAD drawing. The method you use will depend primarily on whether you want to link or embed the OLE object and how you want the OLE object to be displayed within the drawing.

The INSERTOBJ Command. The INSERTOBJ command allows you to create a linked or embedded object. When the command starts, AutoCAD displays the Insert Object dialog box (see Figure 18-20).

From this dialog box, you can choose whether you want to create a new OLE source document or use an existing file as the source document. Select the Create New button to create a new embedded document. Selecting this will only allow you to embed a new file. Once you select the type of file you wish to embed, Windows will launch that application with a new document for you to modify. Once you are done modifying the embedded object, select File | Update Drawing in the source application, and the embedded object will appear in your drawing. Because the object is now embedded in the AutoCAD drawing, you can close the source application

If you want to insert an existing document as an OLE object, select the Create from File button and then choose Browse… to select the source document. Once you select the source file, you can choose whether you want to link to the source file by putting a check in the Link box. Not checking the Link box will embed the source file in your drawing.

Placing a check in the Display As Icon box will display the OLE object as an icon within the drawing. This affects only how the OLE object is displayed in AutoCAD and does not affect the contents of the OLE object.

Using the Windows Clipboard. The Windows Clipboard feature can also be used to link and embed data from other applications. The Windows Clipboard provides a way to store data temporarily from most Windows programs. In most Windows applications, you can select data and choose Copy from the Edit pull-down menu or press <Ctrl>+C within that application. Once information is copied to the Windows Clipboard, it can be pasted into other locations within the same program or into other Windows applications.

The Windows Clipboard can be used to store information from within a file or to copy entire files or multiple files and folders.

When data are stored in the Windows Clipboard, they can be placed into an AutoCAD drawing using either the PASTECLIP or PASTESPEC command.

The PASTECLIP command will place the contents of the Clipboard as an embedded OLE object. When you start the PASTECLIP command, AutoCAD will prompt you for an insertion point. Depending on the type of data in the Clipboard, AutoCAD may display the OLE Text Size dialog box (see Figure 18-21). This dialog box allows you to control how Windows fonts are displayed within AutoCAD and allows you to convert the Windows text point size to AutoCAD text height.

The PASTESPEC command gives you a little more control over how the Clipboard data are stored in AutoCAD. When you start the PASTESPEC command, AutoCAD displays the Paste Special dialog box (see Figure 18-22).

The PASTESPEC command allows you to place an OLE object as either a linked or embedded object. It also gives you the ability to convert the Clipboard contents to AutoCAD entities. The types of entities created depend on the type of data in the Clipboard. AutoCAD will automatically convert the Clipboard data to the most appropriate AutoCAD object. For example, Excel spreadsheet data are converted to an AutoCAD table, Word data are converted to AutoCAD text, raster image data are converted to AutoCAD image overlays, etc.

Drag and Drop. Another feature of Windows is the ability to drag and drop data between Windows applications. Drag and drop involves selecting data in the source application and, while holding your left mouse button down, dragging the data onto your AutoCAD drawing. This can take a little practice and preplanning because both applications must be visible and accessible.

Drag and drop works the same as PASTECLIP; the only difference is that drag and drop bypasses the Windows Clipboard.

Editing OLE Objects

The nature of OLE objects is that they are edited in their source application. Double-clicking an OLE object will launch the source application with the OLE data. You can make changes to the source data and then either close the source application or, in most applications, choose Close and Return to Drawing from the File menu in the source application.

Managing Linked Objects. Linked objects, because they rely on the coordination of multiple files, require a little more attention than embedded objects. The location of the linked file is critical to updating and maintaining the information in the OLE object. The way in which you want the information updated and the ability to terminate a link are also part of maintaining an OLE linked object. The OLELINKS command allows you to manage linked OLE objects from within AutoCAD.

The OLELINKS command works only if you have linked OLE objects in your AutoCAD drawing. When you start the OLELINKS command, AutoCAD displays the Links dialog box (see Figure 18-23). The Update Now button will refresh the OLE object from the source file. The Open Source button will open the source file and allow you to make changes. The Change Source… button allows you to specify a different source file for the OLE object. When you change the source file, the new source file must be the same type of file as the original source file. The Break Link button will terminate the link between AutoCAD and the source file and turn the linked object into an embedded object.

At the bottom of the Links dialog box are two buttons that allow you to control how the OLE objects are updated. Choosing Automatic causes AutoCAD to update the OLE object whenever the source file changes. Choosing Manual tells AutoCAD not to update the OLE object until you choose the Update Now button.

Plot Quality. OLE objects are treated as raster objects when a raster plotter is used. Because large, high-resolution, color-rich rasters can be expensive to plot, you can set the OLEQUALITY system variable to control how each OLE object is plotted. There are four possible settings: 0 (Monochrome), 1 (Low Quality), 2 (High Quality), and 3 (Automatically Select). The default setting, Automatically Select, assigns a plot-quality level based on the type of object. The higher the plot-quality setting, the more time and memory are used to plot. The OLEQUALITY variable can be applied separately to each OLE object in the drawing.

Controlling the Visibility of OLE Objects. While working on a drawing, you may want to suppress the display or plotting of OLE objects. The OLEHIDE system variable allows you to control the visibility and plotting of OLE objects in model space, paper space, or both. The default setting is 0, which displays and plots all OLE objects in both model and paper space. Setting OLEHIDE to 1 displays and plots OLE objects in paper space only. Setting OLEHIDE to 2 displays and plots OLE objects in model space only. Setting OLEHIDE to 3 suppresses the display and plotting of all OLE objects in both model and paper space. The OLEHIDE variable applies globally to all OLE objects in a drawing.

OLEFRAME System Variable. When OLE objects are placed in AutoCAD, they behave like other AutoCAD objects in that they have default properties, such as layer color and linetype, associated with them. Like raster image overlays, these properties apply to the frame surrounding the OLE objects. The OLEFRAME system variable controls the display and plotting of the OLE object frame. Setting OLEFRAME to 0 turns off the OLE frame, and it will not be displayed or plotted. Setting OLEFRAME to 1 displays the OLE frame both on screen and in plots. Setting OLEFRAME to 2 displays the OLE frame in the display but suppresses it in plots. The OLEFRAME variable applies globally to all OLE objects in a drawing.

OLE Properties. As stated, OLE objects behave similarly to other objects in a drawing. They can be moved, copied, resized, etc. The Properties palette (see Figure 18-24) displays information specific to OLE objects, such as the location and the height and width scale of the OLE object. You can also control the plot quality of the OLE object.

Using QuickCalc

There are a few different ways to use the QuickCalc calculator in AutoCAD:

• Directly, by displaying the QuickCalc palette using one of the following methods:

  • Select QuickCalc from the Palettes panel on the View tab of the ribbon.

  • Right-click with your mouse and select QuickCalc from the shortcut menu.

  • Enter the command QUICKCALC or its alias QC at the command prompt.

• Interacting with the Properties palette

• Within a command from a shortcut menu or via the command prompt

The first method is pretty self-explanatory. When you interact with QuickCalc directly, you are using it basically as a regular calculator, similar to the calculator that comes with Windows. You can copy and paste numerical values back and forth between AutoCAD and the calculator using the Windows Clipboard, but nothing that happens in QuickCalc affects your drawing.

You interact with the Properties palette by selecting the QuickCalc button that is displayed next to the property value you are working with. Clicking on QuickCalc displays the current property value in QuickCalc so you can calculate a value. After you are done calculating a value, you can transfer the result back to the Properties palette by selecting the Apply button. The property is updated, and any associated object(s) are changed in the drawing.

When a command is active, you can access QuickCalc either by right-clicking to display the shortcut menu and select QuickCalc or by entering QUICKCALC or QC at the command prompt and preceding it with an apostrophe (‘). Using the apostrophe (‘) prefix allows QUICKCALC to run transparently within the command. If you omit the prefix, you will receive an error. After you are done calculating a value, you can transfer the result back to the active command by selecting the Apply button. Calculations that you transfer back to the command will update the drawing accordingly.

Entering and Evaluating Expressions. Expressions are entered in the Input box shown in Figure 18-30 via the keyboard, the QuickCalc number pad, or a combination of both. QuickCalc evaluates expressions according to the standard mathematical rules of precedence:

• Expressions in parentheses are evaluated first, starting with the innermost set of parentheses and working out.

• Mathematical operators are processed in standard order (exponents, multiply/divide, add/subtract).

• Operators of equal precedence are evaluated from left to right.

You can either press the <Enter> key on your keyboard or click on the equal sign (=) on the QuickCalc number pad to evaluate an expression entered in the Input box.

All expressions that you enter are stored in the History window at the top of the palette so that you can review and retrieve them for reevaluation using different input values if you want. The right-click menu in the History window provides the ability to paste expressions and their values back to the Input box or to the AutoCAD command prompt.

If units are currently set to Architectural, the calculator displays the results of calculations entered in imperial units in the architectural format and rounds them to the current linear precision set in the drawing. The results for all other calculations display in decimal format with full precision.

It is possible to enter feet (′) and inch (″) units anytime in the Input box, even if the units are not currently set to Architectural or Engineering in the drawing. Unlike when entering distances at the command prompt, you can separate feet, inches, and fractional inches with a dash, a space, or nothing. The following are all valid feet-inch formatted values:

4′ or 48″∂

4′-7″ or 4′ 7″ or 4′ 7″∂

4′-1/2″ or 4′ 1/2″ or 4′ 1/2″∂

4′-7-1/2″ or 4′ 7-1/2″ or 4′7-1/2″;∂

4′-7 1/2″ or 4′ 7 1/2″; or 4′7 1/2″;∂

Similar to entering inches at the command prompt, in QuickCalc you have the option of either entering double quotes (″) when specifying inches or simply omitting them.

sq. ft. or sq ft

cu. ft. or cu ft

The QuickCalc Toolbar. The toolbar at the top of the QuickCalc palette shown in Figure 18-31 provides a variety of useful tools and functions.

The different tools and their descriptions are as follows:

• Clear Clears the Input box, similar to selecting C on the number pad

• Clear History Clears the History area

• Paste Value to Command Line Pastes the value currently displayed in the Input box to the command prompt. When QuickCalc is used transparently within a command, this button is removed from the toolbar and replaced by the Apply button at the bottom of the calculator so you can apply results directly to the active command

• Get Coordinates Returns the coordinate value of a point selected in the drawing

• Distance Between Two Points Calculates the distance between two points selected in the drawing. The distance is always returned as a unitless decimal value regardless of the current unit settings

• Angle of Line Defined by Two Points Calculates the angle of the line defined by two points selected in the drawing

• Intersection of Two Lines Defined by Four Points Calculates the intersection of two lines defined by four points selected in the drawing

As you can see, a number of the tools interact with your AutoCAD drawing so that you can retrieve drawing information such as point coordinates, distances, and angles and input them directly into QuickCalc. You can then use QuickCalc to perform complex calculations using the drawing data and then, if you want, you can send the results back to AutoCAD by using copy and paste techniques or by using the Apply button, depending on how you started QuickCalc.

Converting Units

The Units Conversion section of the QuickCalc calculator shown in Figure 18-29 allows you to quickly convert length, area, volume, and angular values between different unit systems. The list of units in the Convert from and Convert to drop-down lists is determined by the unit type currently selected at the top in the Units type drop-down list.

The number in the Value to convert box automatically displays the current value in the Input box, but you can simply overwrite it if you want to convert a different value. The result of the units conversion is instantly displayed in the Converted value box. You can copy the result to the Input box by clicking the QuickCalc icon on the right side of the box.

Calculator Variables

The Variables section of the QuickCalc calculator shown in Figure 18-32 provides the ability to define, store, and retrieve calculator variables.

Variables can be either constant values (coordinates, real numbers, or integers) or functions. When you hover your mouse over a variable, a tooltip displays with the variable’s current value, type, and description. Double-clicking on a variable places its value in the QuickCalc Input box. The toolbar at the top of the Variables section and a right-click menu provide the following capabilities:

• Create a new variable or category

• Edit an existing variable

• Rename a variable

• Delete a variable

• Return variable value to the Input box

AutoCAD provides a number of sample variables and functions. Most of these are expressions that combine the AutoCAD CAL functions with the Endpoint object snap mode. The following table provides a list of the sample variables/functions:

You can either modify the sample variables/functions or create your own.

Creating and Editing Calculator Variables. You create and edit calculator variables using the Variable Definition dialog box shown in Figure 18-33. The following rules apply when defining new variables:

• Constants Expressions entered in the Value or expression: text box are evaluated before they are stored. Variables that are defined as constants are accessible in other drawings and between AutoCAD sessions.

• Functions Expressions entered in the Value or expression: text box are stored as text. Functions are evaluated when they are used in the QuickCalc Input box.

AutoCAD Web and Mobile Apps

The AutoCAD web and mobile apps provide quick and easy access to drawing files on the Internet cloud from wherever you are, on virtually any device. Both apps allow you to design, edit, annotate, and query your drawings using the same core tools and technology provided in the desktop version of AutoCAD.

AutoCAD Web App The AutoCAD web app shown in Figure 18-36 allows you to edit, create, and view your CAD drawings in a simplified web interface from any Internet-enabled device. There’s nothing to download—just enter the URL web.autocad.com and log in with your Autodesk account.

The AutoCAD web app shown in Figure 18-37 uses the same technology as AutoCAD. Most of the core 2D drafting and editing commands are provided. Additionally, the web app is continuously being updated so new commands and features are often available.

Using the AutoCAD web app, you can view layouts, access basic object properties, manage layers, and use other typical AutoCAD features. The AutoCAD web app also supports xrefs.

AutoCAD Mobile App The AutoCAD mobile app provides an optimized version of the AutoCAD web app so you can create, view, edit, and share CAD drawings on mobile devices. Available across Windows, Android, and iOS phones and tablets, the AutoCAD mobile app is optimized for the iPhone X, iPad Pro, and Windows Surface, ensuring the best mobile experience.

The mobile app provides many of the traditional desktop AutoCAD tools, plus new mobile-only tools to extend the power of AutoCAD to mobile devices:

• Magnifier and Object Snap Use your fingers or stylus to touch the screen and zoom in. Use object snap modes to pick points precisely.

• Quick Trim and Measure Quickly take measurements of an entire space with a single tap on the screen. Quick Measure automatically finds the boundaries of a space and displays the distance between those boundaries.

• Laser Measurements Add laser measurements directly to your drawings by connecting Leica DISTO to your mobile device via Bluetooth.

• Annotations and Photo Attachments Add shapes, arrows, text, highlights, and even photos directly to your drawings.

Web & Mobile Save and Open Commands The Save To Web & Mobile and Open From Web & Mobile commands allow you to move files between your desktop and the cloud so you can work anywhere. They are available on the Quick Access toolbar shown in Figure 18-38 or in the standard AutoCAD file Open and Save dialog boxes.

For example, you can take a drawing you are working on at your office, view and edit it in the field on the AutoCAD web or mobile app, and then save it back to your local network drive when you get back.

The Save To Web & Mobile command lets you save your drawings from the local drive to the cloud so they can be edited, viewed, or shared on mobile apps and the web.

The Open From Web & Mobile command lets you access the latest drawings on the cloud that have been created or edited using the AutoCAD web or mobile app.

Shared Views

Shared Views allows you to take a snapshot of a drawing and then share it on the Internet cloud where other people, in or outside your company, can view, review, measure, comment, and mark up the design using the Autodesk Viewer shown in Figure 18-39.

Creating a Shared View The Shared View tool shown in Figure 18-40 can be accessed under Publish of the AutoCAD’s Application menu or on the Collaborate tab of the ribbon.

The Shared View tool has the following options and settings:

• View name View name. Defaults to drawing name.

• Views to share Show current view or all views in drawing (model & layout).

• Create 2D views only Create 2D views only or both 2D & 3D.

• Share object properties Control whether properties can be listed by the recipients when they click on objects in the Autodesk Viewer

After clicking the Share button, you are notified that background processing has started and that you will be notified when the shared view is ready for viewing.

After processing is complete and the shared view has been uploaded to the cloud, a bubble notification displays on the status bar.

Click on the “View in Browser” link in the notification bubble to open the shared view in the Autodesk Viewer.

In the Autodesk Viewer, you can review the view, add any comments, and get the temporary link to share with others.

Shared Views Palette The Shared Views palette shown in Figure 18-41 displays a history of the shared views that have been published and can also be used to create new Shared Views. It is located on the Collaborate tab of the ribbon.

Each view on the palette includes a thumbnail image, title, date created, day until it expires, and whether there are comments with the views.

Views can be sorted by Title, Date created, or Expiration date. You can also filter the view list using the Search tool at the top. Each view includes a […] button in the upper-right corner that provides the following options:

• View in browser Displays the view in the Autodesk Viewer

• Copy Link Copies a link to the clipboard so you can share it with others

• Extend Resets the view to expire in 30 days

• Delete Deletes the view; shared links will no longer display the view

Select a view to expand it in order to read and post comments, as well as resolve any comments received from stakeholders with whom you have shared the view.

DWG Compare

The DWG Compare tool shown in Figure 18-42 allows you to easily examine differences between two revisions of a drawing so you can quickly identify any changes or potential clashes, review constructability, and more.

The comparison takes place in the current drawing. Any changes you make in either the current drawing or the compared drawing are dynamically compared and highlighted.

Default green and red graphics highlight the differences between the first version (green) and second version (red) of a drawing. All unchanged objects are shown in gray.

The differences are highlighted as change sets, using revision clouds (orange). You navigate through the change sets using the DWG Compare toolbar explained below.

The compared drawing objects are placed on a layer called 0-Compare-Reference Drawing Name in the current drawing. Revision clouds are placed on the layer 0-Compare-Revision Cloud. Any objects added to layer 0-Compare-Revision Cloud won’t be compared.

The DWG Compare tool can be accessed from Drawing Utilities on the Application menu, the Collaborate tab on the ribbon, or by using the COMPARE command.

Options and controls that allow you to control colors, revision cloud features, and import/export tools are provided via the DWG Compare toolbar at the top of the drawing area in Figure 18-43.

The DWG Compare toolbar has the following tools:

• Settings Controls the default colors used to distinguish between compared drawings and revision cloud properties, and allows you to filter text and hatch objects

• On or Off Toggles DWG Compare on and off

• Previous Zooms to previous change set

• Next Zooms to next change set

• Import Objects Imports highlighted differences (yellow) into the current drawing. Objects will turn gray and now exist in both drawings. Only objects that are not in the current drawing can be imported.

Export Snapshot Export both drawings into a new “snapshot drawing” that combines the similarities and changes between both drawings. Limitations of the DWG Compare tool include the following:

• Operates in model space only.

• Supports DWG files only.

• Does not support using a comparison drawing to compare against another drawing.

• Cannot detect ByBlock or ByLayer property changes for nested objects.

• Comparison graphics are displayed only in 2D Wireframe visual style.

• Revision clouds cannot enclose changes in an isometric view.

Multiple Choice

Circle the correct answer.

1. The PURGE command can remove unused:

a. Layers

b. Linetypes

c. Blocks

d. All of the above

2. The EXPORT command supports the following file types:

a. WMF, JPG, EPS, DXX, BMP, DWG, 3DS

b. WMF, SAT, EPS, DXX, BMP, 3DS, DWG

c. JPG, PNG, DXX, BMP, DXX, EPS, SAT

d. None of the above

3.The command that saves and exports an AutoCAD object into a drawing file is:

a. WBLOCK

b. WMFOUT

c. JPGOUT

d. DWGOUT

4. The backup file extension is:

a. AC$

b. BAC

c. SV$

d. BAK

5. A DXF file can be created by:

a. Pasting a DWG file into Word

b. Using the SAVE or SAVEAS command

c. Using the XREF command

d. None of the above

6. A source application file:

a. Is where an object is linked

b. Can never be changed or edited

c. Is the same as a destination file

d. None of the above

7. Dragging and dropping objects is the same as:

a. Embedding and linking

b. Copying and pasting

c. Cutting and pasting

d. All of the above

8. An AutoCAD file with linked objects:

a. Can be automatically updated if there are changes to the source file

b. Tends to be smaller in file size than files with embedded objects

c. Must be updated if either the source or the destination file is moved to another drive or directory

d. All of the above

9. An embedded object can be changed or edited in an AutoCAD file:

a. By right-clicking on the object and selecting Edit

b. By double-clicking on the object to bring up the source application

c. By deleting the object, re-creating an updated version in the source file, and bringing it back into AutoCAD through the Clipboard

d. Is not allowed

10. The QuickCalc calculator can be displayed by:

a. Right-clicking and selecting it from the shortcut menu

b. Selecting it from the Palettes panel on the View tab of the ribbon

c. Entering QC at the command prompt

d. All of the above

Matching

Write the number of the correct answer on the line.

True or False

Circle the correct answer.

1. True or False: The RECOVER command can be used on open drawings.

2. True or False: The AUDIT command can be used on closed drawings.

3. True or False: The Drawing Recovery Manager can restore an unsaved drawing file.

4. True or False: The PURGE command is used to erase unused named objects.

5. True or False: The INSERTOBJ command can be used to create a table from scratch in Word and link it into AutoCAD.

6. True or False: The OLE Links dialog box is used to update, change, or break a linked object in AutoCAD.

7. True or False: The OLEFRAME system variable when set to 2 will display a frame around an OLE object on the screen and a plot.

8. True or False: The Action Recorder can record selections made in a dialog box.

9. True or False: The BMP export file is a raster image.

10. True or False: OLE also means object linking and editing.