Since my last Blog was about Text features in AutoCAD, I recently got a support request from one of our clients that made us have to stop and scratch our heads for a minute on the capabilities of using the Find/Replace command with wildcards in AutoCAD. It seemed that in some cases the text would not me found and in others we would lose valuable information. So, after several trial and errors we finally were able to get the command to accomplish what the client needed (and after losing a few hair follicles along the way too!). So I thought this was a perfect time to add to last month’s Blog; so I wanted to share my findings with you…

First let me set the stage of what the customer wanted to do.

They had an AutoCAD Structural drawing with Mtext calling out the member sizes and some of them with the quantities if there were multiple beams, obviously to avoid unnecessary duplication and better drawing clarity. The naming convention was standard (i.e. W12X18 [24]) which denotes a Wide-flange beam 12” by 18” and a total count of 24 beams and so on.

Read the rest of Where the Wild Things Are… Using Wildcards in the FIND and Replace in AutoCAD

 AutoCAD 2015 has enhanced its Mext capabilities in this release. Here are some of the latest features.

Display
The first thing that you will notice is that the back of the text box is transparent (when you have hardware acceleration ON) making it easier to see the available area on your AutoCAD drawing area to avoid excessive corrections afterwards. They have also made the text box resizable by width and height by passing the cursor over the edges and using the sizing arrows. Using the corner sizing arrows will allow you to be able to have more control over adjusting the sizes of columns.

Paragraph tabs

You can now use the Paragraph tabs by picking inside the ruler and access the paragraph settings by right-clicking on the ruler or using the original diagonal arrow in the corner of the Paragraph panel in the Text Editor tab.

Auto Bullets and Numbering

Read the rest of Mtext… Now w/ more variety (& fewer calories).

Well, let me ask you this…
Question: What’s New in Revit 2015?
Answer: ME! (& YOU should be also!)
Wait… Before you call me a cheater and leave! I still love AutoCAD (always will) and still plan to continue Teaching, Supporting, and passing along AutoCAD’s Newest Features on this Blog! But, I wanted to invite you to CADsoft’s A Word on BIM blog as well.

That’s right BIMMERs; We CADDERs are crashing the party!

CADsoft’s Revit blog offers a lot expertise on Industry Tends, or in-depth Revit topics that we like to share, and was perfect for the more experienced Revit user. (Until Now!) I have been asked to contribute to the BIM Blog; but I wanted to bring something for my AutoCAD users. After careful consideration and review of the existing Revit Blog, I felt it needs a section for “New Revit Users with an AutoCAD based background” to help ease them into BIM…

…and the Bippity Boppity BIM, section was born in our Revit Blog area.

http://www.cadsoft-consult.com/blogs/architecture/
Read the rest of Are you a CAD User that is watching the world go BIM?

Being an Arizona native, I really like this new LASSO section method for a quick round up of those stray little doggies, (or entities in this case). In order to create a LASSO selection you simply start like you are going to make object selection with an automatic Crossing or Window, but instead of picking two points to make the box; when you click the first point keep the left mouse button held down (known as press and drag) and move the mouse around the selection of the objects you are selecting, then release the mouse button when are done creating the selection shape. Similar to Crossing and Window Selection methods the rules are the same. If you draw your shape in the counter-clockwise direction you will get a “windowed selection” (objects must be completely inside the lassoed area) OR drawing in the clockwise direction will make a “crossing selection” (objects can be inside or just touch the lassoed area) in order to be selected.

Read the rest of Grab your LASSO and Welcome to the…

First of all, I did not say “BAD” News… Let’s just call it different than what you may be used too.

Normally I try and keep all of my blogs about new and exciting features (and I am not saying these can’t be either, once you get used to them.) But I felt I needed to bring some things right out in the open to everyone, since they have been brought to our attention from our customers. I promise there are a lot more exciting positive things that I will be covering in my future blogs.

First item on the list is the “AutoCAD Classic Workspace”, Wellll… it’s simple; it’s gone. But that should not be a big surprise. The Ribbon has been the main default menu for the last 6 years. (Hence, the reason the old toolbar menu got the name “classic” in the first place.) But, if you wanted, you could rebuild your own from scratch and save the workspace. Oh by the way, the Toolbars button that was on the View tab on the Ribbon is also gone. I’m sure you saw that coming too, right?

Read the rest of The Bearer of CAD News….