AutoCAD Resources

[Stephen Leworthy]

Hi guys

I get ppl asking me about AutoCAD tuts and general acad resource sites. And to be honest i dont know of many. i learned acad years ago and personally haven't needed the use of them. but i thought why not, it'd be a great help all round for nuwbs and proffesionals alike.

So post up all you autocad/adt resources here. tuts, forums, help pages, free models/blocks etc etc.

i'll start with the only acad site i got -

http://www.cadtutor.net/

[patrick anderson]

for blocks and such try

http://cben.net/

or

http://www.caddepot.com/

[Jeff Ries]

Thsi is for the real in-depth stuff.

AutoCAD customization.

Afralisp

I have been using AutoCAD since I was 14 years old and I feel I am quite proficient with it. I thought I was running out of stuff to learn until I discovered Lisp. Now I feel like a kid again, gobbling up information like pacman.

Also, with my own custom commands I cut down on my drawing time considerably.

Sorry I know you were referring to NooB tuts, but this is such a good site I couldn't resist.

Spongebob

[Randy Sanders]

hi There

SpongeBob

what kind of custom Lisp routines did you come up with?
i developed a numeric alias system for autocad commands

i use a right-handed mouse Left-handed (i am right-handed)
so then my right hand resting on the numeric key pad anyways

This is extremely quick for input especially 3d work

example

(defun c:00 () (command ".save" "")
...
(defun c:10 () (command "'pan") (princ))
(defun c:11 () (command ".zoom" "w") (princ))
(defun c:12 () (command ".zoom" ".95x") (princ))
(defun c:13 () (command ".zoom" ".5x") (princ)))
...
(defun c:20 () (command ".arc") (princ))
(defun c:21 () (command ".line") (princ))
(defun c:22 () (command ".pline") (princ))
...
(defun c:30 () (command ".copy") (princ))
(defun c:31 () (command ".move") (princ))
(defun c:31-1 () (command ".move" "L" "") (princ))
(defun c:31-2 () (command ".move" "P" "") (princ))
(defun c:32 () (command ".erase") (princ))
(defun c:33 () (command ".offset") (princ))
...
(defun c:40 () (command ".rotate") (princ))
(defun c:40-0 () (progn (setq ss (ssget)) (command ".rotate" ss "" pause "r" "@" pause pause) (setq ss nil)) (princ))
(defun c:40-1 () (command ".rotate" "l" "" pause 180) (princ))
(defun c:41 () (command ".scale") (princ))
(defun c:41-0 () (progn (setq ss (ssget)) (command ".scale" ss "" pause "r" "@" pause pause) (setq ss nil)) (princ))
(defun c:42 () (command ".array") (princ))

etc

if you are interested i can send These along

let me know

Thanks

Randy

[Jeff Ries]

That is very interresting. I see alot of peeps using AutoCAD in their own custom way but I have never seen anyone shake it up like you do. Kudos!

I am personally one to attempt to leave AutoCAD and a computer in general as it comes and merely add commands and functions. In other words if I want to create a command to add doors in ADT, I think about a simple two key shortcut like 'DR'. Then I find out DR is taken by the command Draw Order, I'd rather pick another shortcut then to hear a user upset about the change. (So far all of my routines are centralized on the server for all computers on the network to use.)

I believe that using numeric commands is a great way to avoid this but I don't think I could remember them all.

Mostly my commands are for inserting blocks. For instance 'ETAG' will insert an elevation tag at the current scale set in drawing setup and consists of two separate blocks which are linked together at the end of the command with grouping. One block is the attributes and the other block is the arrow - keeping them separate allows for the user to rotate the arrow to any angle.

Here's the code if you want to see it.

(defun c:etag (/ InputELEV InputELEVSHT INSPOINT BLKENT ETAGENT ARRENT)
(SETQ OLDORTHOMODE (GETVAR "ORTHOMODE")
OLDPOLARMODE (GETVAR "POLARMODE")
OLDSNAPTYPE (GETVAR "SNAPTYPE")
OLDAUTOSNAP (GETVAR "AUTOSNAP")
)
(gai-layer "A-Anno-Note" 7 "Continuous" 1)
(SETVAR "ATTREQ" 0)
(SETVAR "ATTDIA" 0)
(SETVAR "OSMODE" 0)
(PROMPT "\nTag Location:")
(vl-cmdf "._-INSERT"
"TAG"
"_x"
(tagscale)
"_y"
(tagscale)
"_r"
"0"
PAUSE
)
(setq INSPOINT (getvar "lastpoint")
BLKENT (entlast)
)
(SETVAR "ATTREQ" 1)
(if (/= (setq
inputELEV (getstring t
(if defaultELEV
(strcat "\nEnter elevation number <"
defaultELEV
">:"
)
"\nEnter elevation number:"
)
)
)
""
)
(setq defaultELEV inputELEV)
(setq inputELEV defaultELEV)
)
(if (/= (setq
inputELEVSHT
(getstring t
(if defaultELEVSHT
(strcat "\nEnter sheet elevation is on <"
defaultELEVSHT
">:"
)
"\nEnter sheet elevation is on:"
)
)
)
""
)
(setq defaultELEVSHT inputELEVSHT)
(setq inputELEVSHT defaultELEVSHT)
)
(entdel BLKENT)
(vl-cmdf "._-INSERT"
"ELEVTAG"
INSPOINT
(tagscale)
(tagscale)
"0"
inputELEV
inputELEVSHT
)
(setq ETAGENT (entlast))
(setvar "autosnap" 63)
(setvar "snaptype" 1)
(command "polarang" "15.00")
(setvar "polarmode" 2)
(vl-cmdf "._-insert"
"ETAGARR"
INSPOINT
(tagscale)
(tagscale)
PAUSE
)
(setq ARRENT (entlast))
(vl-cmdf "._group" "_c" "*"
"Elevation tag and arrow" ETAGENT
ARRENT ""
)
(SETVAR "AUTOSNAP" OLDAUTOSNAP)
(SETVAR "POLARMODE" OLDPOLARMODE)
(SETVAR "SNAPTYPE" OLDSNAPTYPE)
(SETVAR "ORTHOMODE" OLDORTHOMODE)
(SETVAR "ATTDIA" 1)
)

Other routines are for setting up standard layers or plot settings and creating my dim styles and text styles. They take a while to create but once done I can work faster than ever.

I have a growing list of about 100 routines which I am constantly working on. It really allows me to be as picky on my drawings as I like without costing me billable time.

I would very much like to exchange ideas with someone like you to see what direction others are going. I'm sure there are some extremely useful tools created with lisp which I have never considered.

Spongebob

[Randy Sanders]

hi There

Spongebob,

one of the things about using the numeric keypad command aliases is that This is very quick and efficient

because the fingers dont have to move very far so therefor they move fairly fast

i organized the numbers by groups or functions

0-9 osnaps
10-19 views/pan/zoom
20-29 creation line pline etc
30-39 edit I
40-49 edit II
50-59 custom
60-69 ddetc (ok old style)
70-79 dimensions
80-89 Text
90-99 etc useful items

also, i did an ergonomic study (i dream a lot while working) and figured out which commands that i use the most and then assigned these commands to the lowest number combinations *0-*6 so that the most frequently used command in each 10 unit category is naturally at the fingertips with the least amount of unnecessasry finger movement or travel distance

i can keep my eyeballs on the screen and keep my right-hand on the keypad and voila presto gizmo shtuff happens

ok, jest joking

here is a sample code that i use a LOT just pick an entity and This will automatically put you onto that layer and into That command

i call it "doit" instead of edit. this also references a (dtx) code fragment that someone else wrote for text that i incorporated into This routine

Thanks

Randy

****

(never mind the bbs didnt like that amount of text so i will send along the short form only)

****

;;; original code by randy l. sanders c 1995
;;; a simple idea that could be expanded upon
;;; too much time on my my hands one fine day
;;; this took about 15 minutes to put together
;;; from scratch, i already was using the dtx fragment
;;; so i just incorporated it into the top part of the code

;;; this can be renamed to whatever
;;; MTC stands for - Match Command.
;;; DOIT instead of EDIT is a possible rename

;;;**********************************************

;;; select an Item on The Screen
;;; This not only sets the Layer current
;;; but also sets That Entities Name-Command current

;;; select a Block and then the Block's Insertion Layer is set current
;;; and you are in the Insert command with that Block being inserted into the dwg

;;; ok, select a piece of Text,
;;; you go to that Text's Layer
;;; and you are in the Text Command,

;;;; cool

;;; There is a Pattern forming here

;;; hey add your own Ideas <shown below>

;;;**********************************************


(defun C:MTC (/ SS DC LA EC)
(setq EC (entsel "Entity to match Command: "))
(setq CM (cdr (assoc 0 (entget (car EC)))))
(setq BK (cdr (assoc 2 (entget (car EC)))))
(setq LA (cdr (assoc 8 (entget (car EC)))))
(setq x41 (cdr (assoc 41 (entget (car EC)))))
(setq y42 (cdr (assoc 42 (entget (car EC)))))
(setq z43 (cdr (assoc 43 (entget (car EC)))))
(command "layer" "s" LA "")
(prompt (strcat "\nCommand Set to: Command: " CM ", Layer: " LA " :"))
(cond
((eq CM "DIMENSION") (command ".dim"))
((eq CM "VIEWPORT") (command ".mview"))
((eq CM "HATCH") (command ".bhatch" "p" bk x41 "" pause))
((eq CM "INSERT") (command ".insert" bk pause x41 y42))
((eq CM "LWPOLYLINE") (command ".pline"))
((eq CM "3DSOLID") (command ".box"))
((eq CM "AEC_WALL") (command "_AecWallAdd"))
; ((eq CM "TEXT") (dtx))

;;;; This is where you can add your own Ideas <right here>
;;;; ((eq CM "GO-FOR-IT") (command "go-for-it"))

(T (command cm))
)
(princ)
)

[Richard McCarthy]

Wow, I am surprised you can remember those numeric keypad command from 1-99.....


-RM

[Jeff Ries]

Talk about an odd coincidence.

We recently made the switch over from AutoCAD R14.0 to ADT 2004. In the move we lost alot of commands and shortcut keys.

I had multiple requests from users here for the creation of two commands to replace the missing ones. The two commands were 'Continuous Copy' & 'Draw by Example'. I created continuous copy with a more basic version I found on the internet as a start and help from a friend to work out the bugs. Here is the resulting code:

<blockquote>code:<hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">
(defun C:CC (/ A INPUTDIST INPUTANG G-PR G-PR2 G-QTY G-INPUT)
(princ &quot;\nSelect entities to Continuous Copy: &quot
(if (setq A (ssget))
(progn (if (not DEFAULTANG)
(setq DEFAULTANG 0.0)
)
(if (setq INPUTANG (getangle (strcat &quot;\nAngle to copy &lt;&quot; (angtos DEFAULTANG) &quot;&gt;:&quot))
(setq DEFAULTANG INPUTANG)
(setq INPUTANG DEFAULTANG)
)
(if (setq INPUTDIST (getdist (if DEFAULTDIST
(strcat &quot;\nDistance to copy &lt;&quot; (rtos DEFAULTDIST) &quot;&gt;:&quot
&quot;\nDistance to copy:&quot;
)
)
)
(setq DEFAULTDIST INPUTDIST)
(setq INPUTDIST DEFAULTDIST)
)
(if INPUTDIST
(progn
(command &quot;._copy&quot; &quot;P&quot; &quot;&quot; &quot;0,0,0&quot; &quot;0,0,0&quot
(command &quot;._move&quot;
&quot;P&quot;
&quot;&quot;
&quot;0,0,0&quot;
(list (* (cos INPUTANG) INPUTDIST) (* (sin INPUTANG) INPUTDIST))
)
(setq G-PR2 &quot;Press &lt;Enter/Spacebar&gt; to continue, &lt;AnyOtherKey&gt; to stop...&quot;
G-QTY 2
)
(prompt (strcat &quot;&gt;&gt; Qty: (2) &quot; G-PR2))
(setq G-INPUT (grread NIL 4 0))
(while (or (= (nth 1 G-INPUT) 13) (= (nth 1 G-INPUT) 32))
(command &quot;copy&quot; &quot;P&quot; &quot;&quot; &quot;0,0,0&quot; &quot;0,0,0&quot
(command &quot;move&quot;
&quot;P&quot;
&quot;&quot;
&quot;0,0,0&quot;
(list (* (cos INPUTANG) INPUTDIST) (* (sin INPUTANG) INPUTDIST))
)
(setq G-QTY (1+ G-QTY)
G-PR (strcat &quot;&gt;&gt; Qty: (&quot; (itoa G-QTY) &quot &quot; G-PR2)
)
(prompt (strcat &quot;\015&quot; G-PR))
(setq G-INPUT (grread NIL 4 0))
)
)
)
)
)
)</pre>[/QUOTE]The other - Draw by Example - is intended to do exactly what your routine does. Do you mind if I use it in lieu of creating from scratch?

Thanks,
Jeffrey Ries

[Randy Sanders]

Spongebob

you talking to me?

if yes Then ok
if not Then who

are you Talking To?

****

Thanks

Randy

****

Strat, sorry we hijacked your Thread

[Jeff Ries]

Yep, you vizwiz.

Odd, its the only routine I was looking for and you dropped it in my lap.

Thanks again,
Jeffrey Ries