The H-Factor

A customer called this morning saying he is about to bid on a project that requires that all drawings be submitted in MicroStation (.dgn) format. Over the years we have heard of similar requests and in the past all we could say to the customer is to send a .dxf file. But, there is finally a solution: AutoCAD 2008 has two new commands DGNIMPORT and DGNEXPORT. These should make even the crankiest bid guy happy (well, almost).

In AutoCAD 2008 Autodesk made a change in how they display drawing entities in layers that are locked. Entities in these locked layers show up as dimmed images compared to those entities in unlocked layers.

As always, there is an AutoCAD variable that can control the amount of dimming or turn it off entirely. The variable is: LAYLOCKFADECTL

From the AutoCAD Help file:

Controls the dimming for objects on locked layers

The range for controlling the dimming for objects on locked layers is from
-90 to 90.

PS – The HydraCAD tools – Pick Lock and Pick Unlock (which are both found in HcadTool->Layers) are handy for locking and unlocking layers without knowing the layer names.

This one comes via Robert Matteson of Dynamic Fire Protection Systems, Inc – Texas:

When selecting objects using a
window or crossing window, I am sometimes hindered from selecting all items that
I want quickly due to the rectangular constraint of  the window or crossing
window.

I found out today, that by entering
WP (window polygon) or CP (crossing polygon) before you select your items, you can
work the window around complex selections very
easily.

Thanks, Robert!
 

Tired of defining the same sprinkler heads over and over again? Then do it in your template once and get it over with.

Open up the template you use most often and hit cancel if asked for sheet size and scale. This preserves this option for when you start a new drawing. Next, define the heads you use most often – they don’t have to be actually inserted into the template drawing. Lastly, save the template.

If you are nervous about messing with our template just do a Save As after opening it up and give it a name you can remember.

Is the Architect/Fire Marshall insisting that you use specific layer names? Try using the LAYTRANS tool that comes with AutoCAD 2007 and later. You can type it in or find it under Tools->Cad Standards->Layer Translator…

1. Once open, pick the New button and type in each new layer name you want
2. Pick a layer on the left and one on the right and pick Map. That layer now disappears from the left and the mapping appears below
3. When done mapping all layers, pick the Save button and pick a name and location that you will remember. You mapping is now done.
4. When ready to translate, pick the translate button and your drawing is ready to go
5. In the future, pick Load and choose the File Type ‘Standards (*.dws) to select your saved mapping

It is possible to automatically save a 2004 version of a drawing every time you hit SAVE in 2007, but you need an add-on to do it. DUALSAVE.ARX is the add-on.

1. Download the DUALSAVE.ARX from our website at this address and save it to your H40\PROG\CAD2007 folder
2. In AutoCAD, pick Tools, Load Application…
3. Navigate to H40\PROG\CAD2007and select and drag DUALSAVE.ARX down to the little briefcase you see that says Startup Suite – this will cause the program to be loaded each time you start AutoCAD

Please note that this will cause Saves to take a little longer because the save is being done twice, once in each format.

Also, this will not work in 2008. No word on an update yet, either.