The H-Factor

Reducing Entropy

Month: August 2014

  • You likely know that Ceiling Heights and Drop/Sprig Lengths are inserted using the same tool, but here is a list of some things you might not know about this tool: 1. If you are manually specifying the drop lengths, then use the User Specified setting under Length Determination. If you want the computer to figure…

  • Most people seem to know that holding down the ALT key while tapping the TAB key switches Windows applications, not as many appear to know that holding down the CTRL key while tapping the TAB key cycles through open Documents or Drawings _within_ the current window. In other words, if you are in AutoCAD, and…

  • These four commands really make it easy to modify drawings. Move Main and Move Line have different options, but Erase Main and Erase Line work the same as each other. Move Main Move Main can be used to move your main over just a little, or over a lot. It can even be used to…

  • Sometime back, I don't know when (between AutoCAD 2010 and AutoCAD 2013), AutoCAD altered the command line so that you can select the option on commands instead of typing it in. To see what I mean, type in ARRAY at the command line to see an example. Select any drawing entity and press enter. The…

  • The Lay Out Hangers command came about because one of my coworkers suggested that it would be cool if a hanger command existed that acted like Main Couplings. Why? Well, Main Coupling will allow you to pick a welded line to visualize where the couplings will go before they are inserted, and it will offset…

  • RapidRefs has been around for a while, previously as its own command with its own button and everything. It is now integrated into the Reference Point command as an option. What's it for? It excels at labeling ref points at the top and bottom of multiple riser nipples, as in those present along a main…

  • If you have an industrial park with a common undergound loop, or many floors in a building with piping out to a pump house, or any need to reuse supply piping, then the Open Append option in HydraCALC is for you. It will add the file you select to the job you currently have open.…

  • If you want to select an intersection, but don't have two lines that meet, what do you do? Many times while training customers, I have noticed hesitation when this comes up. Users will often extend lines so they meet, or try to finagle some other osnap into doing what they want. But, there is an…

  • If you have found that some of the commands you used to use no longer have a button, you can add the button back in yourself in most cases, because we did not delete the command, only the button. And, it isn't that hard. For example, let's say that you want to add back in…