To be able to use HydraCAD with a background drawing, you need to do these simple steps: Step 1 – Start a new drawing using one of the HydraCAD templates. Answer the scale question if asked. This is non-negotiable! Step 2 – Insert the background drawing into the new HydraCAD drawing, exploded. Meaning, checking the…

If the background drawing has existing piping, you may be able to use that piping for HydraCAD. The 'may' all hinges on how the original author drew the piping. Is it from center of head to center of head (or fitting)? Is it from edge of head to edge or head (or fitting). Is it…

Say you have a background drawing that has sprinkler heads already laid out, but they aren't HydraCAD sprinkler heads. What to do? Zeroth – Do what you should always do with a background drawing. That is, start a New drawing using one of the HydraCAD templates, and then insert your drawing into it, exploded. First –…

There are two overhauled commands in AutoCAD 2020 that are used pretty often; and that have changed considerably. One is the PURGE command, which I covered in an earlier post. The other is INSERT, which I will cover here. Insert has changed considerably, in that it is considerably more complicated. Typing it in yields an…

The above error is common these days. And, it isn't you that is to blame (or us, for that matter). Who do we blame? Why, the Big A of course… Autodesk is in the process of switching from serial number driven activation to user account (email) driven activation. The problem is that they still have…

Want to keep riser nipples from showing both center and cut length when plotting? Tried to freeze or turn off layers? AutoCAD has a newish feature that will help you do just this. Its call VP Freeze for Viewport Freeze. Open the Layer palette. Find the HPipesCGen layer. Click the Square Sun icon in the…

Many of us use Copy and Paste in AutoCAD. Often when using Paste, we try to eyeball and line up the block we are pasting, or use OSNAPS. But there are better ways! The Edit drop down menu in AutoCAD has more than one command to copy and paste:   Cut is cut -but- Copy…

In even a regular-sized drawing it can be hard to determine what is a main, what is a wall, what is a partition, etc. Some people use the Pretty Pipes command to help with this, but that has a few drawbacks, especially when it makes it hard to select objects. Lineweights can make that easier,…

HydraCAD and AutoCAD both have methods of creating typing shortcuts/aliases to commands. HydraCAD does not (usually) use the same key sequences as the AutoCAD does. I say usually, because sometimes AutoCAD adds new commands, and therefore new shortcuts, and we don't go back and change ours just to stay out of their way. HydraCADs aliases take…

A Customer asked me the following question (paraphrased): Q: I am currently designing an apartment bldg using sidewall sprinklers for the top level. And this is also a BIM project so our piping is imported into Navis Works. If you look at the attached sidewall 2D photo. You will see that I have the sidewall…