In earlier (2008 and older) versions of AutoCAD, when you started the MTEXT command you would get a toolbar popping up that had all the formatting options that applied. In 2009 and newer – no toolbar. Instead you would get a ribbon panel for MTEXT editing.
This was something that was bugging me all along, but because of a customer problem, I had just dealt without it.
How to fix it? Set the MTEXTTOOLBAR setvar to 1 (just type it in)
From the AutoCAD help:
This entry updates one I did a few years ago. The method for specifying whether HydraLIST should use the hole size or the fitting size has changed.
If you want to spec the fitting size, then just keep listing the 'usual way'. If you want the hole size then right-click in the Fitting column adjacent to the pipe you are working on. Pick Hole from the fitting class list and then pick the fitting type you want
To look at or alter the hole sizes, pick the Utilities pull down menu and pick the first item: Alter Popups. Then pick MTHole.dat and change that file to your liking. The outlet sizes are on the left and the hole sizes are on the right.
If you are auto-listing, then run the job through as usual and then use the HydraLIST Wizard (Utilities pull down) and change the fittings from what they are to what you want.
There are two ways to mark sloping pipe in HydraCAD V5x. Both require the use of the Define Sloping Pipe command on the Pipe Elevation flyout of the Piping toolbar. The alias is DSP.
In Case One you can just label the pipe with the slope you want to denote. Only the upper (or lower) connected pipe needs a pipe elevation:
In Case Two you can label the pipe with a slope of 0 over 0. A pipe elevation is required on the pipes connected as both ends. A similar case was discussed previously in Letting HydraCAD Figure the Slope of Sloping Pipe:
A user called to ask if there was to secure a drawing file so no one else can change it. Seems the AHJ is demanding a DWG file, so sending a PDF or DWF won't cut it.
One of my coworkers (George) found this app by googling: CadVault
Has anyone tried this? There is a free demo, so we are going to check it out.
Problem: The picture below shows apparently false defline (Dline) errors. What's up with those?
Cause: Look at the riser nipple 'clam-shells'. The opening does not line up with any piping. The user inserted the riser nipples and then rotated the drawing. (side-note, he should have just changed his crosshairs to align with the sloping building by using the Set X-hairs by Picking command from the HydraCAD Utilities toolbar).
Solution: Triple-click on a riser nipple. Pick the Spin button until the openings line up as they should. Pick Apply or Select VP to finish this one and go on to another.
From a Customer:
Q: Is there a setting that allows you to put the inch
mark (“) after pipe sizes? Some of our drawings have the inch mark and then
newer drawings leave the mark off?
A: Yes. When you start a new drawing,
there is a place there for adding a suffix. If you put in an inch mark, it will
show up when you size pipe. If you want to change it after you have already started a drawing, pick the HydraTools pulldown then pick Options and then pick Access Drawing Unit Setup. The next time you elevate the drawing and bring it back down, the inch marks will appear/disappear as you set them.
One more nice thing about AutoCAD 2011. If you create a Polyline it automatically has extra vertices added between each segment: Notice the different-looking grips in the picture below. If you hover over a grip at the end of a segment you will be given the option to Add or Remove a Vertex whereas in the past you could only Stretch the Vertex.
We got a comment from a customer that he would like to turn off our default Object Snaps temporarily when using certain HydraCAD tools. There is an easy way to do this – AutoCAD has Temporary Overrides built in; these are stored in the CUI file.
Overrides differ from toggles (F3 for OSNAP, F8 for ORTHO, F9 for SNAP) in that they do not have to be turned off and then back on. Instead, if a key combination is held down then the override kicks in; if it is let up, the override disappears. Look in the CUI under Keyboard Shortcuts/Temporary Override Keys
To remove the osnap (and ORTHO and SNAP), simply hold down SHIFT+D (righties) or SHIFT+L (lefties) to disable all snapping and tracking. Let go, and the osnap returns.
List of useful temporary overrides and toggles:
Toggles Orthogonal Mode SHIFT
Toggles Object Snap Mode SHIFT+A
Toggles Polar Mode SHIFT+X
Object Snap Override : Endpoint SHIFT+E
Object Snap Override : Midpoint SHIFT+M
Object Snap Override : Center SHIFT+C
Disable All Snapping and Tracking SHIFT+D
Disable All Snapping and Tracking SHIFT+L
Toggles Object Snap Mode F3
Toggles Orthogonal Mode F8
Toggles Snap Mode F9
Toggles Polar Mode F10
Toggles Object Snap Tracking Mode F11
Suppress Dynamic Input F12
This problem is not what it might seem at first glance. While it is true that the water supply block may not be at the end of a pipe, it is more likely that the riser nipples somewhere in the grid (it is usually seen in a grid) are set to User Specified when they should be set to Computer Generated.
Elevating the system to 3D resulted in the following piping configuration:
Something is obviously wrong, here.
The grid that had this problem had branch lines that run with the slope of the building. Both mains were tied into the branch lines with User Specified riser nipples. The problem with doing that is that is it extremely difficult to calculate the exact length that the riser nipples will be to meet the differing elevations. The solution is to make the riser nipples on one side of the grid Computer Generated. The quickest way to change these is to use the Edit Riser Nipple command on the Riser Nipple flyout of the Piping toolbar. Or type in ERN.
Pick the first button – Change to Comp Gen/User Spec. Then Pick Computer Generated and pick Apply.
Select the riser nipples to change. You will see a magenta circle around the selected riser nipples. This tells you that those riser nipples will have their length Computer Generated.
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 is a better way.
Example: Say you need to Copy the plan view of a stairway detail from one drawing to another, and naturally, you want to keep the valve and piping arrangement in the same relative position on each drawing
1. In the original drawing pick the Edit pulldown menu and pick Copy
2. Go to the target drawing and pick the Edit pulldown and pick Paste to Original Coordinates
That's it. You can also use the Copy with Base Point command from the same pulldown. Select a common reference point, like the corner of the stairway. Then use the Paste command and you will see that your crosshairs reflect that point.
The H-Factor 