Using IntelliCAD

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 Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
About IntelliCAD and other CAD software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Using AutoCAD legacy drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Using AutoCAD commands with IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Comparing IntelliCAD and CAD to manual drafting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Drawing to scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Using tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Organizing information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Drawing accurately . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Drawing efficiently . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Reusing CAD drawings and entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Making changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Working with other data and programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Using advanced CAD features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Getting more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Working with sample drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
New in IntelliCAD 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
IntelliCAD 13.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
IntelliCAD 13.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Chapter 2 Getting started 19

System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Installing IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Starting IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Working in IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Displaying file tabs for drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Displaying commands on a shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Displaying and hiding the ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Displaying and hiding the Tool Palettes pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Displaying and hiding menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Displaying and hiding toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Using the command bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Using the status bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Using view and visual style controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Using prompt boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Using workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Selecting commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Using commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Starting commands using the ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Starting commands using tool palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Starting commands using toolbars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Starting commands using menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
IV CONTENTS

Starting commands using the command bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Repeating a command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Nesting a command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Modifying a command. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Using the Prompt History window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Using mouse shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Using keyboard shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Using scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Correcting mistakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Customizing IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Migrating customizations from a previous IntelliCAD version . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Getting online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Saving a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Exiting IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Chapter 3 Working with drawings 45

Creating a new drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Opening a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Opening an existing drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Opening a damaged drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Setting up a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Setting the current layer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Setting the current entity color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Setting the current linetype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Setting the linetype scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Setting the current lineweight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Setting the current print style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Setting drawing units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Understanding scale factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Setting up annotation scaling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Setting the text height ........................................ 67
Setting the drawing limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Working with colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Using index colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Using true colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Using color books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Using the grid, snap alignment, cursor restriction, dynamic input, and
selection cycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Setting a reference grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Setting snap spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Changing the snap and grid angle and base point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Using isometric snap and grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Using orthogonal locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Using polar tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Using dynamic input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Setting up selection cycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
 CONTENTS V

Using entity snaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Setting entity snaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Nearest snap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Endpoint snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Midpoint snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Center snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Geometric Center snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Perpendicular snap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Tangent snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Quadrant snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Insertion Point snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Node snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Extension snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Parallel snap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Apparent Intersection snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
From Point snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Track Point snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Mid Between 2 Points snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Clearing entity snaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Using fly-over snapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Using entity snap tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Saving your drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Saving a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Saving a drawing with a new name or file format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Saving a drawing with a password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Chapter 4 Creating simple entities 115

Drawing lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Drawing circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Drawing arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Drawing ellipses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Drawing elliptical arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Drawing point entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Drawing points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Changing the size and appearance of point entities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Drawing rays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Drawing infinite lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Drawing construction lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Drawing construction lines by specifying a basepoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Drawing construction lines by bisecting an angle or entity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Drawing construction lines horizontally and vertically. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Drawing construction lines by specifying the angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Drawing construction lines that parallel other entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Erasing construction lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Drawing freehand sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Creating freehand sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
VI CONTENTS

Erasing freehand sketch lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Setting the sketch method and accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Chapter 5 Creating complex entities 143

Drawing rectangles and squares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Drawing polygons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Drawing polygons by vertex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Drawing polygons by side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Drawing polygons by specifying the length of an edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Drawing polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Drawing a polyline with straight segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Drawing a polyline with arc segments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Drawing multilines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Drawing a multiline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Specifying justification and scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Working with multiline styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Drawing traces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Drawing splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Drawing a spline by specifying fit points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Drawing a spline by specifying control vertices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Converting a spline-fit polyline to a spline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Drawing helices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Drawing donuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Creating planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Drawing architectural entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Drawing a wall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Drawing a door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Drawing a window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Drawing stairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Drawing a railing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Drawing a curtain wall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Drawing steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Drawing a stud, joist, or track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Drawing a beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Drawing wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Drawing a slab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Drawing a roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Drawing a roof slab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Converting 2D entities to walls and slabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Drawing a section line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Drawing an elevation line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Drawing tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Drawing an empty table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Drawing a table using content from a spreadsheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Drawing a table using content from report data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Editing table text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
 CONTENTS VII

Modifying a table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Working with table styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Drawing wipeouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Drawing a wipeout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Creating a wipeout using existing polygons and polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Turning wipeout frames on or off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Drawing revision clouds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Drawing a revision cloud. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Creating a revision cloud using existing entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Customizing default revision cloud settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Adding multileaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Creating multileaders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Adding and removing leader lines from multileaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Aligning multileaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Working with multileader styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Defining boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Understanding boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Defining a boundary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Adding hatching and gradients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Specifying a hatch or gradient pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Specifying entities or areas for hatching and gradients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Specifying islands and island detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Specifying additional hatch and gradient options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Chapter 6 Viewing your drawing 229

Redrawing and regenerating a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Moving around within a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Using scroll bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Panning a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Orbiting the drawing in real time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Changing the magnification of your drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Understanding zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Zooming in to an area using a window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Zooming in to one or more entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Zooming in real time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Displaying the previous view of a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Zooming to a specific scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Combining zooming and panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Displaying the entire drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Changing the view of annotative entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Turning on scaling of annotative entities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Changing the scale of annotative entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Displaying and hiding certain annotative entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Returning scale views of annotative entities to their default positions . . . . . . . 243
Displaying multiple windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Working with multiple windows of a single drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
VIII CONTENTS

Opening a new window of the same drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244

Dividing the current window into multiple windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Saving window configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Working with multiple drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Controlling visual elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Displaying solid fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Displaying quick text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Displaying highlighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Displaying blips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Displaying lineweights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

Chapter 7 Working with coordinates 255

Using Cartesian coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Understanding how coordinate systems work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Changing how coordinates display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Finding the coordinates of a point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Using two-dimensional coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Entering absolute Cartesian coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Entering relative Cartesian coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Entering polar coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Using three-dimensional coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Using the right-hand rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Entering x,y,z-coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Entering spherical coordinates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Entering cylindrical coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Using xyz point filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Using point filters in two dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Using point filters in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Defining user coordinate systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Understanding user coordinate systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Defining a user coordinate system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Using a preset user coordinate system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269

Chapter 8 Working with the Explorer 271

Using the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Displaying the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Copying settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Deleting settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Purging elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Organizing information on layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Understanding layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Displaying layer information in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Creating and naming layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Filtering and finding layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Setting the current layer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Controlling layer visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
 CONTENTS IX

Locking and unlocking layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294

Controlling layer printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Controlling whether a layer is sectionable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Setting the layer color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Setting the layer linetype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Setting the layer lineweight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Setting the layer transparency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Setting the layer material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Setting the layer print style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Undoing changes made to layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Working with layer states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Working with linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Understanding linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Displaying linetype information in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Setting the current linetype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Loading additional linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Creating and naming linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Modifying linetypes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Working with multiline styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Understanding multiline styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Displaying multiline style information in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Creating and naming multiline styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Modifying multiline styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Setting the current multiline style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Working with text styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Understanding text styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Displaying text style information in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Creating and naming text styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Modifying text styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Setting the current text style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Working with table styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Understanding table styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Displaying table style information in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Creating and naming table styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Modifying table styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Setting the current table style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Working with dimension styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Displaying dimension style information in the Explorer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Creating and naming dimension styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Copying dimension styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Working with multileader styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Understanding multileader styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Displaying multileader style information in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Creating and naming multileader styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Modifying multileader styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Setting the current multileader style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
X CONTENTS

Working with named views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335

Displaying views in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Saving and naming views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Restoring named views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Modifying the settings of named views. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Working with visual styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Understanding visual styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Displaying visual style information in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Creating and naming visual styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Modifying visual styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Setting the current visual style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Working with coordinate systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Understanding coordinate systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Displaying coordinate system information in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Defining and naming user coordinate systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Setting the current user coordinate system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Working with blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Understanding blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Displaying block information in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Creating and naming blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Inserting a block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Inserting a drawing as a block ................................... 353
Saving a block as a separate drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Working with groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Displaying information about groups in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Creating a new group using the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Modifying groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Working with references to external files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Displaying information about referenced files in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Attaching referenced files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Modifying the settings for referenced files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Working with layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Displaying layouts in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Creating and naming layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Specifying page setup options for a layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Working with materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Displaying information about materials in the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Importing materials to the drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Assigning materials to entities and layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Copying materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367

Chapter 9 Getting drawing information 369

Specifying measurements and divisions .............................. 370
Understanding measurements and divisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Measuring intervals on entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Dividing entities into segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
 CONTENTS XI

Calculating areas ............................................... 373

Calculating areas defined by points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Calculating areas of entities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Calculating combined areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Calculating distances and angles ................................ 377
Calculating the distance between two points or entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Calculating the total length of entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Viewing calculated distance details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Using calculators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Using the command line calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Using the Quick Calculator pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Displaying information about your drawing ........................... 384
Displaying information about entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Displaying property information about external references and blocks . . . . . . 385
Displaying the drawing status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Tracking time spent working on a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
Reporting information about entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Creating a report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Updating report data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390

Chapter 10 Modifying entities 391

Selecting entities ................................................ 392
Understanding when to select entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
Understanding entity-selection methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Selecting entities by clicking them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Selecting entities by drawing a selection window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Selecting entities using a fence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396
Filtering entity selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396
Deselecting entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Using grips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Customizing the display of selected entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Modifying the properties of entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Modifying entity properties by using the Properties pane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Modifying entity properties by using the Quick Properties pane . . . . . . . . . . . 414
Modifying the properties of multiple entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Changing multiple properties to ByLayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Hiding and isolating entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420
Deleting entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Copying entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Copying entities within a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
Copying between drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Copying between spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Cloning entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
Making parallel copies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427
Mirroring entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429
Arraying entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429
XII CONTENTS

Rearranging entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436

Moving entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
Moving entities between spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
Rotating entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438
Reordering entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
Reversing the direction of entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
Resizing entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
Stretching entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
Scaling entities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442
Extending entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
Trimming entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
Editing the length of entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
Splitting and combining entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
Breaking entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
Joining entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Exploding entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456
Grouping entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Editing polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
Converting an entity to a polyline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
Opening and closing polylines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
Curving and decurving polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
Joining polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Changing the polyline width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465
Editing polyline vertices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
Chamfering and filleting entities .................................. 469
Modifying the chamfer and fillet settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
Chamfering entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
Filleting entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473

Chapter 11 Working with text 477

Creating line text ................................................ 478
Creating a line of text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Creating a single line of text along an arc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
Creating paragraph text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480
Working with text styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484
Formatting text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
Setting the line text style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
Setting the paragraph text style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Setting the line text alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
Setting the paragraph text alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Including special text characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Creating a frame around text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
Changing text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
Changing line text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
Changing paragraph text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
Finding and replacing text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492
 CONTENTS XIII

Changing capitalization of letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494

Converting line text to paragraph text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494
Working with fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
Inserting a field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
Updating fields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
Checking the spelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498
Checking the spelling of text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498
Customizing the spelling words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
Changing the dictionary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
Using an alternate text editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
Selecting an alternate text editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
Creating paragraph text in an alternate text editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
Working with text written in different languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504
Using Unicode characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504
Specifying character sets for drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505
Working with missing fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506

Chapter 12 Dimensioning your drawing 509

Understanding dimensioning concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510
Creating dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512
Creating linear dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512
Creating angular dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517
Creating arc dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518
Creating diametral and radial dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Creating ordinate dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
Creating leaders and annotations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522
Dimensioning model space entities in paper space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523
Creating center marks and center lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524
Creating center marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524
Creating center lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
Editing dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526
Spacing dimension lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526
Breaking dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
Making dimensions oblique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529
Editing dimension text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530
Using dimension styles and variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Creating a dimension style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Selecting a dimension style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Renaming a dimension style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Deleting a dimension style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535
Controlling line settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535
Controlling dimension arrows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538
Controlling dimension text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540
Controlling dimension fit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
Controlling primary dimension units. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544
Controlling alternate dimension units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546
XIV CONTENTS

Adding geometric tolerances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548

Understanding geometric tolerances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Adding a geometric tolerance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Controlling dimension tolerances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551

Chapter 13 Working with other files in your drawings 555

Working with blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556
Understanding blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556
Creating and saving a block using the Block Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Creating and saving a block using individual commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558
Inserting blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 564
Modifying blocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Exploding blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570
Replacing blocks with other blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Converting blocks to external references. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Working with attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573
Defining attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573
Editing attribute definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
Attaching attributes to blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
Editing attributes attached to blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576
Extracting attribute information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577
Synchronizing attributes and blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580
Working with external references ................................ 581
Understanding external references. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
Attaching external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
Viewing the list of external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584
Opening external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585
Removing external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 586
Reloading external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587
Changing the path for external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587
Binding external references to drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589
Clipping external references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
Editing external references in-place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
Attaching underlays created in other file formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595
Attaching a PDF underlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596
Attaching a DWF underlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596
Attaching a DGN underlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597
Attaching a point cloud underlay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597
Attaching a BIM underlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598
Working with data links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600
Creating a data link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600
Opening the source file of a data link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602
Managing data links. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602
Updating data link content. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605
Working with images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 606
Attaching images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 606
 CONTENTS XV

Modifying images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608

Changing the display of images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611
Clipping images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613
Unloading and reloading images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615
Changing the path for images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616
Deleting images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616
Working with geographic locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617
Adding a geographic location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617
Changing how a geographic location map displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618
Removing a geographic location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619
Adding markers and annotations to a geographic location map . . . . . . . . . . . . 619
Working offline with images of geographic map areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 620
Turning the map service on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 622

Chapter 14 Printing drawings 623

Getting started printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624
Defining layouts for printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625
Understanding layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625
Understanding paper space and model space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626
Viewing drawings in paper space and model space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628
Displaying the Model and Layout tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 629
Creating a new layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 629
Reusing layouts from other files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630
Exporting layouts to model space of a new drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631
Managing layouts in a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 632
Working with layout viewports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633
Customizing and reusing print settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 639
Working with page setups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 640
Setting the paper size and orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 646
Selecting a printer or plotter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647
Setting the scale and view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647
Specifying print options specifically for layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
Specifying shaded viewport print options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651
Specifying pen and line printing options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 652
Using printer configuration files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653
Using plotter drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 658
Using print styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 659
Understanding print style tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 659
Implementing print style tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661
Assigning print style tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 663
Creating new print style tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 664
Modifying print style tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 665
Copying, renaming, or deleting print style tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 668
Changing the print style table type of a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 668
Converting print style tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 669
Turning print style tables on or off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 670
XVI CHAPTER

Printing or plotting your drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 671

Previewing a drawing before printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 671
Printing a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 673
Saving print settings for a model or layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 675
Publishing sheet sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 676
Displaying the Sheet Set Manager pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 676
Creating a sheet set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678
Opening a sheet set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 679
Modifying sheet set properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 679
Working with sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 679
Working with subsets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 682
Publishing a sheet set. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 683
Publishing sheet lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 685
Creating a sheet list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 685
Modifying an existing sheet list. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 688
Publishing a sheet list to the printer named in page setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 688
Publishing a sheet list to PDF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 691
Publishing a sheet list to DWF or DWFx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 693
Publishing a sheet list automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695

Chapter 15 Drawing in three dimensions 697

Viewing entities in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 698
Switching to a preset viewing direction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 698
Creating and switching to named views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700
Using the view cube to switch the view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704
Walking and flying through a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 708
Setting a viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 709
Using a section plane to view a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711
Using a camera to view the drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 714
Displaying a plan view of the current drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715
Creating three-dimensional entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716
Applying elevation and thickness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716
Creating three-dimensional faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 721
Creating rectangular meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 722
Creating polyface meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 723
Creating ruled surface meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724
Creating extruded meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724
Creating revolved meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 726
Creating edge-defined Coons surface patch meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 728
Creating boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 729
Creating wedges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 730
Creating cones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 731
Creating pyramids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 733
Creating cylinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 735
Creating spheres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 737
Creating dishes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 738
 XVII

Creating domes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 739

Creating tori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 740
Creating pipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 742
Creating helices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 743
Creating regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 744
Creating planar surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 745
Creating network surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 745
Creating extruded solids or surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 746
Creating revolved solids or surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 747
Creating lofted solids and surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 748
Creating swept solids and surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 749
Creating polysolids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750
Creating composite three-dimensional entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 751
Creating three-dimensional entities from extracted curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 753
Converting three-dimensional entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 754
Converting three-dimensional entities to surfaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 754
Converting three-dimensional entities to meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 754
Converting solids to polyface meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 755
Converting surfaces and solids to NURBS surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 755
Converting entities to solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 756
Editing in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 758
Moving and rotating in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 758
Arraying in three dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 760
Mirroring in three dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 762
Aligning in three dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763
Projecting and trimming entities on a solid, surface, or region . . . . . . . . . . . . . 766
Editing three-dimensional surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 767
Offsetting surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 767
Filleting surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 768
Trimming surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 769
Extending surfaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770
Editing three-dimensional solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 771
Chamfering and filleting solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 771
Sectioning and slicing solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772
Modifying faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 773
Modifying edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 779
Imprinting solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780
Separating solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780
Shelling solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780
Cleaning solids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 781
Checking solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 781
Hiding, shading, and rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 782
Understanding dynamic and static hiding, shading, and rendering . . . . . . . . . . 782
Using dynamic visual styles for hiding, shading, and rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . 782
Creating static hidden-line, shaded, and rendered images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 786
Saving a rendered image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 790
Rendering in Artisan Renderer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 791
XVIII CHAPTER

Chapter 16 Working with other programs and computers 793

Saving and viewing snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 794
Creating snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 794
Viewing snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 795
Using data from other programs in IntelliCAD drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 796
Embedding objects into drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 796
Linking objects to drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 797
Editing an embedded or linked object from within IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . 799
Importing files created in other formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800
Using IntelliCAD data in other programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 811
Embedding drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 811
Editing an embedded IntelliCAD object in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 813
Linking drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 813
Dragging IntelliCAD drawings into other programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 814
Exporting drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 814
Converting files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 821
Converting drawings to other file versions and formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 821
Converting BIM files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 824
Using IntelliCAD data on other computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 825
Packaging drawings and files for use on another computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 825
Sending a drawing through e-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 830
Using IntelliCAD with the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 832
Adding hyperlinks to a drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 832
Publishing drawings to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 833
Inserting drawings from a Web site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 833
Accessing the IntelliCAD Web site during a drawing session . . . . . . . . . . . . . 833
Working with digital signatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 834
Attaching digital signatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 834
Validating a digital signature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 835

Chapter 17 Customizing IntelliCAD 837

Setting and changing options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 838
Changing the options on the Files tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 838
Changing the options on the Display tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 840
Changing the options on the Open and Save tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855
Changing the options on the Print and Publish tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 860
Changing the options on the System tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866
Changing the options on the User Preferences tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 870
Changing the options on the Drafting tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 874
Changing the options on the 3D Modeling tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 875
Changing the options on the Selection tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 879
Changing the options on the Profiles tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 883
Changing the options on the Clipboard tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888
Customizing tool palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 889
Creating tool palettes and adding commands and blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 889
Modifying tool palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 890
 XIX

Modifying the tools on a tool palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 891

Working with groups of tool palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 893
Working with tool palette files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 893
Customizing menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 894
Understanding menu compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 894
Creating new menus and adding commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 895
Setting custom images for commands on a menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 898
Setting properties of menu items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 899
Renaming menu items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 902
Copying and pasting menu items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 902
Deleting menu items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 903
Customizing the ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 904
Creating and customizing ribbon tabs and child panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 904
Creating and customizing quick access toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 908
Creating and customizing application buttons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 909
Setting custom images for commands on the ribbon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 911
Setting properties of ribbon items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 912
Renaming ribbon items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 915
Copying and pasting ribbon items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 915
Deleting ribbon items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916
Customizing toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916
Creating and customizing toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916
Setting custom images for commands on a toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 919
Setting properties of toolbar items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920
Renaming toolbar items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 923
Copying and pasting toolbar items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 923
Deleting toolbar items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 924
Customizing the keyboard, aliases, double-click actions, and image tile menus . 924
Customizing the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 924
Customizing aliases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928
Customizing double-click actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 932
Customizing image tile menus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 937
Customizing the Quick Properties pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 939
Working with user interface customization files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 941
Saving customization files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 941
Loading customization files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 942
Creating a new .cui file and copying settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 944
Customizing a .cui file using an editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 944
Understanding versioning of a .cui file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 946
Understanding the format of a .cui file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 947
Using macros in .cui files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 956
Creating customized toolbar files manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 958
Customizing entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 960
Working with audio notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 960
Using shape files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 963
Creating and replaying scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 965
Recording scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 965
XX CHAPTER

Replaying scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 966

Modifying scripts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 967
Customizing script files using a text editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 967
Programming IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970
Using runtime extension applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970
Using .NET applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 972
Using LISP routines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 973
Using SDS applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974
Using DDE applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 975
Using DCL with IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 976
Using VBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 976
Using DIESEL with IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 977
Loading custom applications automatically when IntelliCAD starts . . . . . . . . 977
Using specialized pointing devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 980
Using a specialized mouse for CAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 980
Using a digitizer tablet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 980
Restoring IntelliCAD to its default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 985

Appendix Understanding AutoCAD compatibility 987

Using enhanced AutoCAD commands in IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 988
Using additional selection sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 989
Using additional IntelliCAD commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 990
Supporting AutoCAD customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 993
Understanding menu compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 994
Importing and exporting customization files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 995
Programming IntelliCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 996
Understanding AutoLISP compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 996
IntelliCAD and AutoCAD list of terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 998

Glossary 999

Index 1013
 1

Introduction

Using IntelliCAD is part of an integrated documentation set that includes this manual
and a comprehensive collection of help resources to give you the information you
need to create drawings in IntelliCAD®.

Topics in this chapter

About IntelliCAD and other CAD software ............................................................ 3
Comparing IntelliCAD and CAD to manual drafting ....................................... 5
Using advanced CAD features............................................................................ 12
Getting more information .................................................................................... 13
New in IntelliCAD 13........................................................................................... 14
2 CHAPTER 1

This manual is organized into chapters that parallel how you work in IntelliCAD,
according to the tasks you might perform. The tasks are divided and organized into
the following work-focused chapters:
Introduction: Chapter 1 An overview of the key features of IntelliCAD plus basic con-
cepts of computer-aided design (CAD) as they apply to IntelliCAD.
Getting started: Chapter 2 Installing IntelliCAD, starting and exiting IntelliCAD,
working with toolbars, and selecting commands.
Working with drawings: Chapter 3 Opening and saving an existing drawing and start-
ing a new drawing. Using drawing settings to establish paper size, scale factors, and
text height. Working with colors in your drawings. Using drawing aids such as entity
snaps and orthogonal mode to draw accurately.
Creating entities: Chapters 4–5 Working with simple entities such as lines, circles, and
arcs and with complex entities such as polygons, spline curves, planes, wipeouts,
boundary hatches, and more.
Viewing your drawing: Chapter 6 Moving around in the drawing, changing its magnifi-
cation, creating multiple views, and saving arrangements of windows of the drawing.
Working with coordinates: Chapter 7 Working with Cartesian coordinate systems,
specifying two-dimensional and three-dimensional coordinates, and defining your
own user coordinate systems.
Working with the Explorer: Chapter 8 Using IntelliCAD’s Explorer to manage your
drawings: controlling layers, layer states, linetypes, multiline styles, text styles, table
styles, dimension styles, multileader styles, coordinate systems, views, visual styles,
layouts, materials, groups, external references, and blocks and copying information
between drawings.
Getting drawing information: Chapter 9 Working with the additional information in
IntelliCAD drawings, calculating areas and distances, and displaying other drawing
information.
Modifying entities: Chapter 10 Selecting, copying, rearranging, resizing, and editing
entities.
Annotating and dimensioning your drawing: Chapters 11–12 Using text to annotate
drawings; using dimensions to annotate the measurement of entities.
Working with blocks, attributes, and external references: Chapter 13 Using blocks and
external references to combine entities and data for reuse; creating attribute informa-
tion to extract for use in other programs.
Formatting and printing drawings: Chapter 14 Combining drawings into finished lay-
outs, customizing print options, printing copies, and also publishing mutliple draw-
ings at a single time using sheet sets and sheet lists.
Drawing in three dimensions: Chapter 15 Viewing, creating, and editing three-dimen-
sional entities. And visualizing them using hidden line removal, shading, and photo-
realistic rendering.
 INTRODUCTION 3

Working with other programs: Chapter 16 Sharing drawings and data with other users,
documents, and programs.
Customizing IntelliCAD: Chapter 17 Customizing the appearance and operation of the
program to suit your needs.
Understanding AutoCAD compatibility: Appendix Describes similarities and differences
between IntelliCAD and AutoCAD.
This section introduces you to IntelliCAD®, its features, and its comprehensive capa-
bilities for creating drawings of various types.

About IntelliCAD and other CAD software

IntelliCAD is designed for anyone who wants a fast and efficient CAD program with
all the power and versatility of standard programs such as AutoCAD® by Autodesk®,
Inc., or MicroStation® by Bentley Systems, Inc., at an affordable price. Using today’s
advanced technology, IntelliCAD integrates the Microsoft® Windows® interface with
a powerful CAD engine.
IntelliCAD provides unparalleled compatibility with AutoCAD, using most of the
same file formats including those for drawings (.dwg files), commands, linetypes,
hatch patterns, and text styles. You can also use AutoCAD menu files and run
Autodesk® AutoLISP® programs. If you have written your own ADS (Autodesk®
AutoCAD Development System®) programs, simply recompile them to link with the
IntelliCAD libraries. Many third-party ADS programs already support IntelliCAD. If
you have a program that is not already supported, ask your software vendor to pro-
vide an IntelliCAD-compatible version of the program.
IntelliCAD is more compatible with the AutoCAD program than any other CAD
product, delivers additional tools with advanced CAD features, and has a seamless
Microsoft® Windows integration. This powerful program provides a superb combina-
tion of features for CAD users like architects, engineers, and designers.
IntelliCAD incorporates standard features found in other CAD programs, along with
features and capabilities you won’t find anywhere else. Its multiple-document inter-
face (MDI) lets you open and work with several drawings at the same time. You can
easily copy drawing entities between drawings. In addition, the powerful Explorer
lets you manage information and settings and quickly copy layers, linetypes, and
other information between drawings.

Using AutoCAD legacy drawings

IntelliCAD fully supports AutoCAD legacy drawings. IntelliCAD reads and writes
.dwg files in their native format without any loss of data, from AutoCAD 2007 back
to Version 11, including AutoCAD LT®. Because IntelliCAD uses Autodesk
DWG format as its native file format, no translation is required.
4 CHAPTER 1

IntelliCAD provides you with the appropriate tools for your experience level—
whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced CAD user. If you are just start-
ing out with CAD, you may want to use the beginner level, which provides toolbars
containing the basic tools such as lines, arcs, and circles. As you become more expe-
rienced, you can move to the intermediate level and then to the advanced level, which
gives you access to more than 300 commands through toolbars, menus, and keyboard
entries. You can change the experience level by choosing Tools > Options and then
clicking the User Preferences tab.
IntelliCAD supports three-dimensional wireframes and surfaces. Three-dimensional
drawings can be displayed in wireframe, hidden-line view, and surface shading.
Some versions of IntelliCAD also support creating and editing 3D solids; all versions
display 3D solids, along with limited editing features.
Some versions of IntelliCAD support displaying and working with raster images in
your drawings. However, IntelliCAD does not display images located inside of
blocks and externally referenced drawings (xrefs). When a drawing containing proxy
entities is loaded into IntelliCAD, a message displays indicating that some entities
will not display, however, the entities reappear when you open the drawing later in
AutoCAD.
It’s easy to customize IntelliCAD. You can modify menus and toolbars, create
custom menus, dialog boxes, command aliases, and scripts, and add custom programs
written in any of several programming languages, including DRX (the program’s
Autodesk® ARX-compatible language), LISP (the program’s Autodesk AutoLISP-
compatible language), and SDS™ (Solutions Development System™, the program’s
Autodesk ADS-compatible language). There is also Microsoft® Visual Basic for
Applications (VBA).
You can run existing Autodesk® AutoLISP applications in IntelliCAD with little or
no modification. IntelliCAD uses the Appload command so you can easily load LISP
programs. IntelliCAD reads files that contain dialog control language (DCL) state-
ments as well, which makes IntelliCAD compatible with dialog boxes created for
AutoCAD.

Using AutoCAD commands with IntelliCAD

Because IntelliCAD supports hundreds of AutoCAD commands, you use the com-
mands you already know. For example, to draw a circle, use the Circle command. To
copy a circle, use the Copy command.
When you press Enter or the spacebar, you activate the command—just like in Auto-
CAD. IntelliCAD accepts the special characters used by AutoCAD, such as point fil-
ters (for example, .xy), relative coordinates (the @ symbol), and the apostrophe (the ‘
prefix) for transparent commands. IntelliCAD function keys are also similar to those
used in AutoCAD.
Because you do not need to learn a new set of commands, you are immediately pro-
ductive with IntelliCAD.
 INTRODUCTION 5

Comparing IntelliCAD and CAD to manual drafting

IntelliCAD greatly reduces the time and effort it takes to create and revise drawings.
Not only can you produce accurate drawings faster, you can also reuse the informa-
tion in your drawings. These are the primary reasons for making the transition to
CAD from traditional, manual drafting on paper.
As with any tool, however, to use it effectively, you need to be familiar with some of
the special features, functions, and concepts of CAD. If you are familiar with manual
drafting, you’ll find some conceptual similarities in CAD as well as some differences.

Drawing to scale
In traditional, manual drafting, you usually determine the scale of the drawing before
you even start to draw, because you are working with a sheet of paper of a fixed size.
You may have to reduce or enlarge the entity you are drawing to fit within the con-
fines of the paper.
When you create a drawing in IntelliCAD, you draw everything full-size. You deter-
mine the type of units in which your drawing is measured. If you are drawing a build-
ing, 1 drawing unit might equal 1 inch. If you are drawing a map, 1 drawing unit
might equal 1 mile. Your drawing environment and the CAD drawing file itself are
not limited to the size of a particular sheet of paper.

1 drawing unit equals 1 inch. 1 drawing unit equals 1 foot.

As you draw, you can use commands such as Pan and Zoom to work on different por-
tions of the drawing and to magnify the display of the drawing to view small details.
These commands have no effect on the actual size of the entities in your drawing;
they affect only the way the drawing is displayed on your screen. Only when you
print or plot your drawing do you need to set the scale so that the printed drawing fits
within a specific paper size.
6 CHAPTER 1

Using tools
In manual drafting, you use tools such as pencils, rulers, T-squares, templates, eras-
ers, and so on. When you create a drawing in IntelliCAD, you use a mouse instead of
a pencil, and you use the mouse to select other tools—commands you select from a
menu or a toolbar.
You use some tools to create basic entities, such as lines, circles, and arcs, and other
tools to modify existing entities (for example, to copy or move them or to change
properties such as color and linetype).

Organizing information
In traditional drafting, you often separate elements such as walls, dimensions, struc-
tural steel members, and electrical plans onto separate, translucent overlays. When
you want to print the working drawings, you can create several different drawings by
combining different overlays.
When you create a drawing in IntelliCAD, you use layers to organize elements in a
similar manner. However, the layers feature in CAD offers numerous advantages
over physical transparencies. The number of overlays you can combine to print a
manually drafted drawing is limited by the printing process. There is no such limita-
tion in CAD. With IntelliCAD, you can define an unlimited number of layers, any of
which can be visible or invisible at any time. You can name each layer and assign
each its own color, linetype, lineweight, and print style. You can also lock individual
layers to ensure that information on those layers isn’t altered accidentally.

Use layers to organize drawing information.

 INTRODUCTION 7

Drawing accurately
When you create a manual drawing, ensuring accuracy typically requires a lot of
manual calculations and rechecking. By contrast, IntelliCAD offers a number of
drawing aids that ensure accuracy from the start. For example, you create and modify
entities based on an underlying Cartesian coordinate system. Every location in the
drawing has its own x,y,z-coordinates. You can also display a grid as a visual refer-
ence to your coordinate system.

Y
-Z
5
4
3
-X 2 (5, 2, 0)
-3 -2 1
-1
1 2
-1 3 4
5 6 X
-2
-3 (0, 0, 0)
Z

-Y

Every location in the drawing has its own x,y,z-coordinates within the underlying Cartesian coordinate
system. Point 5,2,0 is 5 units to the right (along the x-axis), 2 units up (along the y-axis), and 0 units (along
the z-axis) from the origin (the 0,0,0 point).

Settings such as snap and entity snap allow you to draw accurately without specifying
coordinates. The snap setting forces the selected points to adhere to the grid incre-
ment or to any other increment you set. Entity snaps let you snap to precise geometric
points on existing entities—for example, the endpoint of a line or the center of a cir-
cle. Another setting, orthogonal, constrains lines so that they are drawn parallel to the
vertical and horizontal axes.

Paper-based drawings lack the high degree of accuracy possible when using CAD. Lines often overlap or fail
to meet adjacent lines.
8 CHAPTER 1

Snap and entity snap force the cursor to adhere to a specified increment or attach to key geometric points on
existing entities. You can also constrain lines to vertical and horizontal axes.

Drawing efficiently
In paper-based, manual drafting, you often have to redraw the same entity several
times at different scales or from different vantage points. You may also need to
redraw the border and title block on each new sheet.
One of the most powerful features of IntelliCAD is that when you create a drawing,
you can reuse individual entities, borders, and title blocks as often as you want. You
need draw an entity only once; the final printed drawing can show the entity at sev-
eral different scales and viewpoints.
You usually begin drawing in model space on the Model tab, creating the drawing (a
floor plan, a map, or a three-dimensional part) without regard to the final layout on
paper. When you are ready to print your drawing, you have the option to switch to
paper space on a Layout tab, where you lay out the drawing as you want it to appear
on a sheet of paper. For example, you can insert a drawing file that contains the stan-
dard border and title block that you created. You can define and arrange multiple
views of the drawing at appropriate scales and with specific portions visible or invisi-
ble—again, without having to redraw the border and title block for each view.
 INTRODUCTION 9

You create the basic drawing in model space on the Model tab.

When you’re ready to print or plot your drawing, you can switch to paper space on a Layout tab, where you provide a
layout of the drawing as you want it to appear on a sheet of paper.
10 CHAPTER 1

Reusing CAD drawings and entities

When you create a paper drawing manually, you can draw repetitive symbols by trac-
ing a plastic template. After you draw a symbol in IntelliCAD, you can reuse that
symbol without having to redraw it. You simply save the symbol as a block. You can
then insert copies of that block anywhere in your drawing. You can also save the
symbol as a separate drawing for use in other drawings.

You can draw a symbol one time, save it as a block, and then insert multiple copies of that symbol anywhere
in your drawing.

In addition, you can reuse entire drawings and insert individual drawings into other
drawings. You can also use an external reference, which acts as a pointer to another
drawing rather than a copy of the entire drawing. Using an external reference has an
added advantage: when you update the externally referenced drawing, each drawing
that references it can be automatically updated.
 INTRODUCTION 11

Making changes
To make changes to a paper drawing, you erase and then redraw. With IntelliCAD,
you use commands to modify entities in the drawing. You can move, rotate, stretch,
or change the scale of entities. When you want to remove an entity, you can delete it
with a single click of the mouse. If you make a mistake while creating or modifying
your drawing, you can easily reverse your actions.

You can easily change an entity using commands such as move, rotate, stretch, and scale instead of
redrawing the entity.

Working with other data and programs

Traditional paper drawings serve only as a means of communicating information
between the person who created the drawing and the person viewing the drawing. The
drawings contain no more information than what is visually imparted by the creator
and seen by the viewer.
IntelliCAD offers rich possibilities for analyzing drawings and attaching additional
data to them. For instance, although it may be impractical to count entities in a com-
plex paper drawing, this task is simple in CAD. IntelliCAD can calculate the number
of entities in a drawing and compute area and distance.
CAD drawings can also contain information in addition to visible entities. You can
attach invisible database information to visible drawing entities and extract the infor-
mation for analysis in a database or spreadsheet. (Working with information in a data-
base requires a program from a third-party vendor, or you can create your own means
of exporting the data in LISP or SDS. Or, you can also use VBA.)
IntelliCAD provides in-place editing of Microsoft® objects, such as those created in
Microsoft® Word and Microsoft® Excel software programs. In-place editing makes it
easy to share data with other users and programs. For example, you can include Intel-
liCAD drawings in files created using Microsoft® Word, and you can insert files cre-
ated using Microsoft® Word into your IntelliCAD drawings.
12 CHAPTER 1

Using advanced CAD features

In addition to being compatible with AutoCAD, IntelliCAD goes several steps further
by providing you with innovative features to increase your productivity.

Using IntelliCAD’s Explorer

The IntelliCAD’s Explorer has an interface similar to the Windows Explorer, allow-
ing you to view and manage the elements of multiple, open drawings, such as layers,
blocks, linetypes, views, user coordinate systems, materials, text styles, and more.

Editing multiple documents simultaneously

With IntelliCAD, you can open and edit multiple drawings simultaneously. You can
also copy and paste elements between open drawings.

Editing multiple entities

IntelliCAD allows you to change most of the properties of all selected entities using a
single, tabbed dialog box.

Using the CUI dialog box

IntelliCAD has a single dialog box for changing ribbon tabs (if your IntelliCAD ver-
sion supports them), toolbars, menus, keyboard shortcuts, and command aliases. You
can also use the drag-and-drop method to customize these user interface items. The
simple, point-and-click action lets you easily create new items and keyboard short-
cuts—no programming or manual text editing required.

Performing unlimited undo and redo

IntelliCAD increases your power with unlimited undo and redo of editing actions.
 INTRODUCTION 13

Getting more information

In addition to the IntelliCAD documentation, much of the assistance you need as you
use IntelliCAD is specific to the commands you work with on the screen. To obtain
immediate information as you work, use these additional sources of information:
• Tooltips — To find out what a specific tool on a toolbar does, pause the cursor
over it for a moment. A ToolTip appears on the screen.
• Status bar — To find out more detailed information about a tool when you pause
the cursor over it, look on the status bar at the bottom of the screen.
• Online help — IntelliCAD online help is available on the screen when you press
F1, choose a command from the Help menu, or click the question mark in a dialog
box. The online help also presents information that does not appear in this manual,
including a programming reference that describes how to program in TX/IRX,
LISP, DCL, SDS, and DIESEL. The programming reference also describes pro-
gramming in VSTA and VBA.

Working with sample drawings

With the IntelliCAD program, you can create a variety of drawings, including two-
dimensional architectural drawings, electrical schematics, and mechanical drawings.
Viewing and working with sample files can be an easy way to quickly learn how to
use various IntelliCAD features.

To access the sample files

• Choose File > Open, and then open the Samples folder.
14 CHAPTER 1

New in IntelliCAD 13
IntelliCAD 13.1
Performance
• Opening drawings with silhouette edges is up to 10x faster.
• Improved LISP performance.
• Faster entity creation for IcARX applications.
Working with files
For IntelliCAD versions that support working with BIM files:
• Use the Spaces command to create architectural spaces.
• Walls, windows, roofs, slabs, stairs, and roof slabs infill according to the section
fill settings if they are sectioned using the Section Plane command.

Extracting data
• The Extract Data command is completely refactored to improve performance.
• Report on the properties of drawings (such as file size, path, etc.), system variables
stored in drawings, and the number of entities in drawings (such as total circles).
• When refining data for the report, hide and unhide columns, and drag and drop
columns to reorder them.
• When selecting entities to report on, filter the list by displaying only blocks with
attributes.
• Right-click a linked table in the drawing and choose Data Extraction > Data
Extraction Settings to change the report template, entities, columns, filters, etc.
that are used to generate the table.

User interface
• Control how various UI elements work with running and one-time entity snaps by
setting the SNAPUIDISPLAY system variable.
• Control the behavior of status bar menus that support multi-selection by setting the
STATBARMENUMODE system variable.

Layouts
• Ctrl+click to select multiple layouts or Shift+click to select a range of layouts.
• Drag and drop layouts to reorder them.
More features
• Print to .png files with a transparent background.
 INTRODUCTION 15

• Use an interactive dialog box with the 3D Positioner command to accurately input
distances and angles to move or rotate entities along one or more axes, calculate
values, and apply them or undo them as you work.
• Choose between manually or automatically selecting entities for cutting edges and
boundary edges when using the Trim and Extend commands.
• Use the Clone command with more entities: ellipses, splines, infinite lines, rays,
points, wipeouts, 3D polylines, tables, images, and tolerances.
• On the Properties pane, click Calculator for various items to make calculations
using the Quick Calculator.
• Select which hidden program messages you want to display by choosing Options
> System and click Restore Hidden Messages.

APIs
• LISP: Enhanced compatibility and improved performance.
• IcARX: Enhanced support for user interface development and improved perfor-
mance for entity creation.
• VBA: Use the table.setformula method, use formulas with the table.SetText
method, and use new methods related to multileader styles.

System variables
• New system variables: PDFSHX, SMOOTHMESHCONVERT, SNAPUIDIS-
PLAY, STATBARMENUMODE, and TRIMEXTENDMODE.
• Updated system variables: BKGEDITTEXTCOLOR, BKGEDITTEXTTRANS-
PARENCY, and POINTCLOUDPOINTMAX.

IntelliCAD 13.0
Performance
• Updating drawings using the OpenGL and OpenGL ES graphics devices is up to
2x faster.
• Regenerating drawings using the OpenGL and OpenGL ES graphics devices is up
to 1.5x faster.
• Working with view changes, the view cube, and section planes in large drawing
files are several times faster.
• Scanning, sorting, and reporting from large data sets for data extraction is much
faster.
• Using the Hatch command and specifying boundaries is faster.
Working with files
• Assign a digital signature to .dwfx files by choosing Attach Digital Signatures in
the program folder of the Microsoft® Windows® Start menu.
16 CHAPTER 1

• Create shape files (.shp) and compile them into compiled shape files (.shx) by
using the Make Shape command (or use the Compile to SHX command to compile
.shx files manually).
• Create a linetype definition from selected entities and save it to an .lin file by
using the Make Linetype command.
• Load .arx, .crx, and .dbx files by using the Load Application command.
• When importing .dgn files, specify conversion settings for external references and
shapes.
• For IntelliCAD versions that support working with BIM files:
• Convert .rvt and .rfa files to .ifc files by using the RVT to IFC command.
• Check .ifc files for errors by using the IFC Validate command.
• Manage layers for .ifc underlays in the BIM Properties pane.
• Unload BIM underlays in the Xref Manager dialog.
• Dimension AEC entities using these styles: Dimension Opening Center,
Dimension Opening Edge, and Dimension Wall Intersection.
• Use the AEC Styles Manager to define styles for dimensions, spaces, structural
members and structural member shapes, roof slabs and roof slab edges, AEC
polygons, list definitions, mask blocks, mass elements, materials, multi-view
blocks, and profiles.
• Use the Corner Window command to draw a corner window at the intersection
of two linear walls.
• Attach railings to stair components.
• Extract data from .ifc, .rvt, and .rfa files.
Drawing and editing three-dimensional entities
• Use the Flatshot command to create a 2D projection of three-dimensional solids
and surfaces.
• Use the Solid Profile command to create a projection of profile lines of three-
dimensional solids in a layout viewport.
• The following features require Spatial® Technology ACIS® modeler:
• Use the Network command to create three-dimensional surfaces between
networks of open curves, including surface and solid edges, in the U- and V-
directions.
• Use the Offset command for surfaces to create parallel surfaces at a specified
distance from a source surface or region.
• Use the Fillet command for surfaces to create surfaces that fillet an area between
two existing surfaces or regions.
 INTRODUCTION 17

• Use the Extend command for surfaces to extend surfaces to a specified distance.
• Use the Trim command for surfaces to trim surfaces and regions where they
meet edges of other entities.
• Draw truncated solid cones.
Blocks
• View and modify lookup tables for advanced block definitions.
• Reverse all changes made to one or more advanced block references by using the
Reset Advanced Block command.

Extracting data
• Extract data from external references, advanced blocks, attributes, and AEC enti-
ties.
• Extract data from .dgn, .ifc, .rvt, and .rfa files, depending on the program version.
• Create filters to extract data that meets specified conditions.
• Preview entities when choosing which entities to extract data from.
More features
• Set program options using the new Options dialog which is highly compatible
with other CAD applications. The previous Options dialog is available by typing
OPTIONSCLASSIC.
• Use the Quick Calculator command to display the Quick Calculator pane and cal-
culate mathematical, geometric, and scientific expressions, and convert units of
measurement.
• Use the Calculator command to calculate mathematical and geometric expressions
directly in the command line.
• Look up an address when setting a geographic location.
• Preview print jobs using visual styles.
• Use OpenType fonts.
• Use .ico files for custom buttons located on the ribbon, menus, and toolbars.

APIs
• LISP: Completely refactored to improve performance and increase compatibility
with other CAD applications.
• .NET: Support for advanced blocks, IntelliCAD.ApplicationService.Documen-
tExtension.GetAcadDocument(), and the UcsToDisplay method of the Intelli-
CAD.Internal.Utils class.
18 CHAPTER 1

System variables
• New system variables: BACTIONBARMODE, BGRIPOBJCOLOR,
BGRIPOBJSIZE, BPARAMETERCOLOR, BPARAMETERFONT,
BPARAMETERSIZE, BPTEXTHORIZONTAL, DRAWORDERCTL,
FILLETRAD3D, OLEACCURACY, PRESELECTIONEFFECT,
PRESELECTIONEFFECTCOLOR, SELECTIONAREAOPACITY,
SELECTIONEFFECTWIDTH, SURFU, SURFV.
• New system variable defaults: ATTDIA default is 1,
FILEDLGSTYLE default is 1, FILETYPEASSOC default is 0,
OLEQUALITY default is 3, POINTCLOUDPOINTMAX default is 10000000,
SELECTIONEFFECTCOLOR default is 161.
• Updated system variables: PICKDRAG, REGENMODE.
• Renamed system variables: RASTERPREVIEW renamed to THUMBSAVE,
REGENTOOLTIP renamed to REGENNOTIFY.
• REGENMODEGLOBAL is now hidden.
 2

Getting started

This section helps you get started using IntelliCAD software by explaining how to
install it and providing basic information about how to use it.

This guide assumes that you have working knowledge of Windows-based programs.
If necessary, see the documentation that came with your operating system for infor-
mation about Windows terminology and techniques.

Topics in this chapter

System requirements.......................................................................................... 20
Installing IntelliCAD............................................................................................. 21
Starting IntelliCAD .............................................................................................. 22
Working in IntelliCAD.......................................................................................... 23
Selecting commands .......................................................................................... 35
Correcting mistakes ............................................................................................ 40
Customizing IntelliCAD ....................................................................................... 41
Getting online Help ............................................................................................. 42
Saving a drawing ................................................................................................ 43
Exiting IntelliCAD ................................................................................................ 43
20 CHAPTER 2

System requirements
You need the following software and hardware to install and run IntelliCAD:
• Microsoft® Windows® 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8 on a 64-bit computer
• 1 GHz or faster processor
• 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM minimum
• 2.5 gigabytes (GB) of free hard disk space recommended for typical installation
• 1024 x 768 VGA or higher resolution, video adapter, and monitor
• Graphics card compatible with OpenGL Version 1.4 or higher
• Keyboard and mouse, or other pointing device
• Internet access, if downloading and installing from the Internet

For digitizer tablets, IntelliCAD requires a 64-bit wintab-compatible driver installed.

 GETTING STARTED 21

Installing IntelliCAD
A setup program guides you through the IntelliCAD installation process. The pro-
gram transfers files to a folder that it creates on your hard disk. The program also cre-
ates a menu item on the Start menu.
Installation starts automatically after you insert the IntelliCAD compact disc into
your CD-ROM drive. If installation does not start, you can install IntelliCAD by
using the following procedure.

To install IntelliCAD from a compact disc

1 Insert the IntelliCAD compact disc into your CD-ROM drive.
2 Do one of the following:
• Wait for the autorun feature to start.
• Choose Start > Run and in the Open field, type d:\setup, where d is the letter
assigned to your CD-ROM drive. Click OK.
3 Follow the instructions on your screen.

Some IntelliCAD versions may not come with a compact disc.

For example, if you downloaded the program from the Internet, follow the instruc-
tions that came with the program.
22 CHAPTER 2

Starting IntelliCAD
To start IntelliCAD, choose Start > All Programs > ITC > IntelliCAD (may vary,
depending on your operating system).
Each time you start IntelliCAD, the Start Page displays on your screen (unless on the
Start Page you have marked Skip Start Page Next Time). Use the Start Page to
quickly open drawings, create new drawings, and send feedback about the program.

The Recent Document list on the Start Page is customizable.

Right-click an item in the Recent Document List and choose whether to move the item
to the top of the list, delete it from the list (the document itself is not deleted), or copy
its path. You can also choose whether single- or double-clicking a filename or thumb-
nail image opens the corresponding drawing.

For versions of IntelliCAD that don’t have a Start Page, the program opens a new,
blank drawing based on a default template, icad.dwt. Using a template as the basis for
a new drawing has several advantages:
• You can use predetermined units of measure, grid settings, text heights, and other
settings appropriate for the type of drawing you’re creating.
• You can predefine special layers.
• You can predefine the type of print style table.
• You can include predefined title blocks and borders.
 GETTING STARTED 23

Working in IntelliCAD
You can work with the IntelliCAD window and its elements in a variety of ways. For
example, you can display and rearrange tool palettes, the toolbars, display the com-
mand bar, and enable the status bar. The toolbars and command bar can also be
floated anywhere on the screen or docked to the edges of the main IntelliCAD win-
dow.

Use a shortcut to turn window elements on or off all at once.

When multiple window elements are enabled, the size of the drawing window is
reduced, which can limit how much drawing data can be displayed. If you want more
screen space dedicated to drawing, simply choose Clean Screen On/Off in the status
bar. The window elements will hide until you choose the toggle again.

Displaying file tabs for drawings

Multiple drawings can be open at the same time. By default, each drawing displays its
own tab. Select a tab to switch the active drawing.

To toggle the display of file tabs for drawings

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > File Tabs (in Interface)
• On the menu, choose View > Display > File Tabs.
• Type filetab or filetabclose and then press Enter.

Open drawings can also be arranged side by side.

For more details about viewing drawings, see “Working with multiple drawings” on
page 248.

Displaying commands on a shortcut menu

Shortcut menus provide quick access to specific commands. A shortcut menu dis-
plays when you right-click an entity, toolbar, status bar, the Model tab name, or a
Layout tab name. The selections presented in the shortcut menu depend on what you
right-clicked.
When you right-click the drawing, you can choose from a wide range of commands,
including recently used commands. When you right-click a toolbar, the program dis-
plays a shortcut menu that lets you toggle the command bar, status bar, and various
toolbars on and off. If you select one or more entities and then right-click, the pro-
gram displays a shortcut menu from which you can choose a command to modify the
selected entities. To display a shortcut menu from which you can choose an entity
snap, press and hold down the Shift key, and then right-click anywhere within the
drawing window.
24 CHAPTER 2

Displaying and hiding the ribbon

The ribbon contains several areas from which to choose commands:
• Application button — The Application button in the upper left corner contains
file-related commands, such as New, Open, Import, Export, and more.
• Quick Access toolbar — Contains commonly used commands. Click the Quick
Access toolbar down arrow to choose which commands display and to customize
various visual elements of the drawing window.
• Tabs — Contains related commands grouped together, for example, on the tabs
named Home, Edit, Draw, etc.
• Panels — Contains sub-categories of commands within a tab, for example Draw,
Modify, and Layers on the Home tab.

G
A
F
E
B
D

A Click the Application button to view and select E Click to expand the panel and view related
file-related commands. commands below.
B Displays groups of commands in panels. F Click a tab to view different commands.
C Click to lock the expanded panel open. G Click a tool on the Quick Access Toolbar. You
D Click to expand the panel to show additional can also click the arrow on the right to choose
commands below it. additional options.

To customize the Quick Access toolbar

1 To add a command to the Quick Access toolbar, right-click the command in the
ribbon, then choose Add to Quick Access Toolbar.
2 To remove a command from the Quick Access toolbar, right-click the command to
delete, then choose Remove from Quick Access Toolbar.

To customize a tab in the ribbon

1 Right-click anywhere in the tab of the ribbon you want to customize.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Show Tab, then choose the tabs you want to display or hide.
• Choose Show Panel, then choose the areas that you want to display or hide for
that tab.
 GETTING STARTED 25

The ribbon can be customized in other ways.

You can use the Customize UI command or manually edit the .cui file for the rib-
bon. For more details, see “Customizing the ribbon” on page 904. Also see
“Working with user interface customization files” on page 941.

To minimize the ribbon

1 Do one of the following:
• Double-click the name of a ribbon tab.
• Click the down arrow on the Quick Access toolbar, then choose Minimize the
Ribbon.

To show both the ribbon and menus at the same time

1 Right-click anywhere in the ribbon.
2 Choose Menu Bar.

To hide the ribbon

1 Do one of the following:
• Right-click anywhere in the menus or ribbon, then choose Switch to Menu Bar.
This hides the ribbon and displays the menus instead.
• Type ribbonclose and press Enter to hide the ribbon only.
To display the ribbon
1 Do one of the following:
• Right-click a menu or any toolbar, then choose Switch to Ribbon.
• Type ribbon and press Enter.

When using the ribbon, switch between drawings using file tabs or using the status bar.
Click a drawing’s file tab to display the drawing. If file tabs are not visible, type
filetab and press Enter. You can also switch between drawings using Show Window
Menu on the status bar.

Workspaces also can control the ribbon.

The IntelliCAD Classic workspace shows toolbars and the Drafting and Annotation
workspace shows the ribbon. For more details about workspaces, see “Using work-
spaces” on page 33 in this chapter.

Ribbon display can also be affected by Clean Screen On/Off on the status bar.
To control whether the ribbon is included when you click Clean Screen On/Off on the
status bar, right-click the icon and mark or unmark Ribbon.
26 CHAPTER 2

Displaying and hiding the Tool Palettes pane

The Tool Palettes pane displays groups of organized commands and blocks for easy
selection.
The Tool Palettes pane can be either docked or floating. A floating pane has a Close
box and options along the right, can be located anywhere on the screen, and can be
resized. A docked pane has a title bar, a Close button in the upper right only when the
cursor moves over it, cannot be resized, and is attached along one of the edges of the
drawing window.

H
A G
F

D
C

A Click a palette to show its commands. Right-click E Click a tool to start its command. Right-click for
for more options. more options.
B Double-click to dock the pane. Right-click for F Click to display a menu of options: close,
more options. dockable, fix to left, fix to right, autohide, and
C Click and drag to move the pane to a new transparency.
location. Right-click for more options. G Click to auto-hide the pane.
D Click to scroll the list of commands. Right-click H Click to close the pane.
for more options.

To display the Tool Palettes pane

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Tool Palettes (in Display).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Tool Palettes.
• Right-click a ribbon tab (if your version has a ribbon), toolbar, or menu and
choose Tool Palettes.
• Type toolpalettes and press Enter.
 GETTING STARTED 27

To close the Tool Palettes pane

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Tool Palettes (in Display).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Tool Palettes.
• On the Tool Palettes pane when it is undocked, click ( ) in the upper right
corner.
• Right-click a ribbon tab (if your version has a ribbon), toolbar, or menu and
choose Tool Palettes.
• Type toolpalettesclose and press Enter.

The display of tool palettes can be affected by other commands too.

To control whether tool palettes are included when you click Clean Screen On/Off on
the status bar, right-click the icon and mark or unmark Tool Palettes.

To display or hide multiple items at once — tool palettes, drawing tabs, the ribbon
and quick access toolbar (for versions that have a ribbon) — type showpalettes or
hidepalettes in the command bar.

To auto hide the Tool Palettes pane

1 Do one of the following:
• Right-click the Tool Palettes pane title bar and choose Auto Hide.
• On the Tool Palettes pane when it is undocked, click Auto Hide ( ).
• On the Tool Palettes pane when it is undocked, click the menu ( ), and choose
Auto Hide.

To move the Tool Palettes pane

• Click and drag the title bar of the Tool Palettes pane to the desired location in the
drawing window.

To dock or undock the Tool Palettes pane

1 On the Tool Palettes pane when it is undocked, click the menu ( ), and choose
Dockable if it is unchecked.
2 Do one of the following:
• Double-click the title bar of the Tool Palettes pane to dock or undock it.
• Drag the Tool Palettes pane title bar to the far right or left of the drawing
window to dock it, or drag it to a different area of the drawing window to undock
it.
• On the Tool Palettes pane when it is undocked, click the menu ( ), and choose
Fix to Left to dock the palette on the left side of the drawing window, or choose
Fix to Right to dock the palette on the right side.
28 CHAPTER 2

Tool palettes are customizable.

You can change the transparency of the Tool Palettes pane; add, delete and rear-
range tool palettes; and add new customized commands and blocks. For more
details, see “Customizing tool palettes” on page 889.

Displaying and hiding menus

Related commands are grouped together on menus. You can use the menus with or
without the ribbon.

To customize the display of menus

1 Right-click anywhere in the menus or ribbon.
2 Choose Show Menu, then choose the menus you want to display or hide.

There are more ways to customize menus.

You can use the Customize UI command or manually edit the .mnu file for the
menus. For more details, see “Customizing menus” on page 894. Also see “Work-
ing with user interface customization files” on page 941.

To display or hide menus when using the ribbon

For IntelliCAD versions that have a ribbon.
1 Right-click anywhere in the menus or ribbon.
2 Choose Menu Bar.

Menu display can also be affected by Clean Screen On/Off on the status bar.
To control whether menus are included when you click Clean Screen On/Off on the
status bar, right-click the icon and mark or unmark Menu Bar.
 GETTING STARTED 29

Displaying and hiding toolbars

When you start IntelliCAD the first time, multiple toolbars are displayed. IntelliCAD
provides more than a dozen toolbars, which you can customize by adding and delet-
ing tools. You can also move and resize toolbars, and you can create new toolbars.
You can use a shortcut menu to display or hide toolbars and to lock or unlock toolbar
locations.
Toolbars are displayed large or small. You can choose to display or hide tooltips,
which provide descriptions of tools that display when you pause the cursor over them.
Go to View > Toolbars to make these selections.
Toolbars are either docked or floating. A floating toolbar can be located anywhere on
the screen and can be resized. A docked toolbar cannot be resized and is attached
along one of the edges of the drawing window.
• To dock a toolbar, drag it to the perimeter of your drawing; to undock it, drag it
away from the perimeter.
• To position a toolbar in a docking area without docking it, press Ctrl while you
drag it.
• To move a toolbar, drag it to a new location.
• To resize a toolbar, move your cursor to the edge until it changes to a resize arrow,
and then drag.
• To lock toolbars in their current locations, right-click the head of any toolbar or
menu, then choose Lock Location > Floating Toolbars and/or Docked Toolbars.

To choose which toolbars to display

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Toolbars (in Interface).
• On the menu, choose View > Toolbars.
• Right-click anywhere on a visible toolbar (docked, undocked, or the toolbar area
at the top of the window) to display the toolbar shortcut menu, and then choose
Toolbars. You can also select the toolbars you want displayed directly on the
shortcut menu.
• Type toolbar or tbconfig and then press Enter.
2 In the Toolbar Settings dialog box, mark the toolbars you want displayed, and then
click OK.
30 CHAPTER 2

A H
G
B F

C
D

A Select the menu group that contains the toolbar E Highlight the toolbar name that you want to
you want to modify. rename or delete.
B Mark to display a toolbar; clear to hide the F Click to open the Customize User Interface
toolbar. dialog box and customize toolbars.
C Select to display large tools; clear to display G Click to delete the selected toolbar (does not
small tools. delete all checked toolbars).
D Select to display tooltips when you hover over H Click to type a new name for the selected toolbar
tools on the toolbar; clear to not display tooltips. (does not rename all checked toolbars).

Toolbar display can also be affected by Clean Screen On/Off on the status bar.
To control whether all chosen toolbars are included when you click Clean Screen On/
Off on the status bar, right-click the icon and mark or unmark Toolbars.

Using the command bar

The command bar is a dockable window in which you type IntelliCAD commands
and view prompts and other program messages. By default the command bar displays
the three most recent lines of prompts, but you can extend the window to display
more lines. Move or resize the command bar by dragging it.

To display or hide the command bar

• On the ribbon, choose View > Command Bar (in Display).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Command Bar.
• Type cmdbar, then choose Toggle.
• Press Ctrl+9.
 GETTING STARTED 31

Command bar display can also be affected by Clean Screen On/Off on the status bar.
To control whether the command bar is included when you click Clean Screen On/Off
on the status bar, right-click the icon and mark or unmark Command Bar.

When the command bar is docked or floating, you can drag the top or bottom of the
window to change the number of lines of text it displays. You can dock the command
bar at the top, bottom, left, or right of the drawing. You can auto-hide and auto-dis-
play the command bar in its current location by clicking its pin button.

Colors of command bar items can be customized.

To change the color of various parts of the command bar, use the Options command.
For details, see “Setting colors of the main window and other program elements” on
page 841.

When you type in the command bar, IntelliCAD suggests names of matching com-
mands as you type. The suggested names appear in an AutoComplete window. Sim-
ply select the desired command in the list. In addition to command names,
suggestions can include names of external commands, system variables, aliases, and
LISP functions.

To turn on AutoComplete for typing in the command bar

1 Do one of the following:
• On the menu, choose View > Display > AutoComplete.
• Right-click the command bar and then choose AutoComplete.
• Type autocomplete, press Enter, then choose AutoComplete.
• Choose Tools > Options, click the Display tab, then mark Enable
AutoComplete.
When turned on, the AutoComplete window automatically displays when you type in
the command bar, and then automatically closes when you activate a command.
For more details about customizing settings for the AutoComplete window, see “Cus-
tomizing how suggestions display in the command bar” on page 847.
32 CHAPTER 2

Using the status bar

If you elect not to use the command bar, the status bar displays information about the
selected command or tool. It also displays the current cursor coordinates, the name of
the current layer, mode settings, and other information about current settings.
In addition to displaying information, the status bar is a quick way to access many
features. You can click status bar items to make changes, and right-click items to dis-
play short-cut menus that allow you more choices.

To change the items that display on the status bar

1 Right-click an empty area of the status bar.
2 Select an item to add or remove it.

To change the setting of an item on the status bar

1 Do one of the following:
• Double-click the status bar item.
• Right-click the status bar item you want to change, and then select the desired
setting.

To display or hide the status bar

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Status Bar (in Display).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Status Bar.
• Type statbar and then press Enter.

Using view and visual style controls

The view and visual style controls display in the upper-left corner of the current
viewport and allow you to easily apply a different view and visual style to the model.

To display or hide the view and visual style controls

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Control (in Interface).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > View Control.
• Type vpcontrol, press Enter, then type on or off, and press Enter.
To use the view control
• From the list of views, choose the one you want to apply to the model.
For more details about named views, see “Creating and switching to named
views” on page 700.
 GETTING STARTED 33

To use the visual style control

• From the list of visual styles, choose the one you want to apply to the model.
The list of visual styles depends on your graphics device. For more details, see
“Customizing graphics device options” on page 867.

Using prompt boxes

IntelliCAD commands often provide several options. These options appear in the sta-
tus bar or command bar and can also optionally appear in a prompt box (called a con-
text menu in AutoCAD) initially displayed in the upper right corner of the screen.
You can move the prompt box by dragging it; future prompt boxes will appear where
you last placed it. The options appear as menu selections. Choose the appropriate
option by selecting it in the prompt box. To close a prompt box, click the Close box.

Command options appear in a prompt box.

The prompt box is hidden by default. To turn on the display of prompt boxes, choose
Tools > Options, click the Display tab, and then mark Display Prompt Boxes with
Transparency.

Using workspaces
Workspaces are a convenient way to customize the display of commands in the Intel-
liCAD main window. Each workspace stores visibility settings for the following:
• Menus — Visibility settings are saved for each top-level menu (for example, the
Draw menu) and each nested menu (for example, the Draw > Arc submenu).
• Toolbars — Visibility settings are saved for each toolbar, its orientation at the top,
bottom, left, right, or floating, number of button rows, x-coordinate, and y-coordi-
nate.
• Ribbon — For IntelliCAD versions that have a ribbon, visibility settings are saved
for whether the ribbon itself displays, along with visibility settings for each ribbon
tab (for example, the Home tab) and each panel (for example, Home > Modify).
34 CHAPTER 2

Use a shortcut to make more space for drawing in the IntelliCAD main window.
Click Clean Screen On/Off on the status bar to hide multiple user interface items at
the same time. To customize what hides (or displays), right-click the icon and make
your selections for the next time you click the icon.

To create a workspace
1 Organize the menus, toolbars, and ribbon the way you want them.
2 Do one of the following to choose Save Workspace ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Save Workspace (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Save Workspace.
• On the status bar, click Switch Between Workspaces, then choose Save Current
As.
• Type wssave, press Enter.
• Type workspace, press Enter, then choose SaveAs.
3 Enter the name of the new workspace.
4 Click OK.

To save the current visibility settings to an existing workspace

1 Organize the menus, toolbars, and ribbon the way you want them.
2 Do one of the following to choose Save Workspace ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Save Workspace (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Save Workspace.
• On the status bar, click Switch Between Workspaces, then choose Save Current
As.
• Type wssave, press Enter.
• Type workspace, press Enter, then choose SaveAs.
3 Select an existing workspace name from the list.
4 Click OK.

To switch to a workspace
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose the desired workspace from the Workspaces list ( ).
• On the status bar, click Switch Between Workspaces ( ), then choose the
desired workspace.
• On the Workspaces toolbar, choose the desired workspace.
• Type workspace, press Enter, choose Set Current, then enter the name of the
desired workspace.
 GETTING STARTED 35

The My Workspace tool (Workspaces toolbar) loads a specific workspace.

Click the My Workspace tool ( ) to switch to your preferred workspace. To set
which workspace loads when you click the My Workspace tool, click ( ) on the
status bar, choose Workspace Settings, then choose the workspace in My Work-
space.

Selecting commands
Select commands using any of these methods:
• Choose a command from the ribbon.
• Choose a command from a menu.
• Click a tool in the Tool Palettes pane.
• Click a tool in a toolbar.
• Type the command in the command bar.

Some commands remain active until you end them, so you can repeat an action with-
out having to select a command repeatedly. You can end a command by pressing Esc.

Using commands
You can use most commands while another command is active. For example, while
drawing a line, you may want to use the Pan command to move the drawing across
the screen to select the endpoint of the line. You can also change the settings of draw-
ing aids such as snap or grid while other commands are active.
After started, many commands have options that you can select in the command bar,
status bar, or prompt box.

Starting commands using the ribbon

To start a command from the ribbon, choose it from the list of options available. If a
command has an arrow, click the arrow to see related commands. For example,
choose Home, then click the arrow for Array (in Modify) to choose the 3D Array
command.

Starting commands using tool palettes

To start a command from a tool palette, click a tool and respond to the prompts.
If the palette contains several tools, you might need to use the scroll bars to see the
full list of available tools for that palette.
36 CHAPTER 2

Starting commands using toolbars

To start a command from a toolbar, click a tool and respond to the prompts.

The available toolbars depend on the experience level that is set.

To change the current experience level, choose Tools > Options, and then click the
User Preferences tab.

Some tools, such as Line or Arc, contain flyouts, which are options either for using
the basic tool with different methods or that contain other, related tools. Flyouts are
indicated by a small triangle in the lower right corner of a tool. To display a flyout,
click the tool and hold down the mouse button. To select a tool from a flyout, point to
the tool you want and then release the mouse button. The tool you select on the flyout
becomes the default tool on the toolbar.

Starting commands using menus

To start a command from a menu, choose it from the list of menu options available.
The available menu options depend on the experience level that is set. To change the
current experience level, choose Tools > Options, and then click the User Preferences
tab.

Starting commands using the command bar

Type a command, and then press Enter. If the command bar is displayed, the com-
mand you typed appears there. If the command bar is not displayed, the command
you typed appears in the status bar.

Quickly start commands using the command bar by copying, cutting, and pasting text.
In the command bar or Prompt History window, right-click to select various cut,
copy, and paste commands.

Repeating a command
You can repeat a command you used previously without having to reselect it.

To repeat the command you just used

1 Do one of the following:
• Press the spacebar.
• Press Enter.
• Click the right mouse button in the drawing.
 GETTING STARTED 37

To repeat commands you used previously

1 Do one of the following:
• In the command bar or Prompt History window, press Ctrl and double-click the
previous command text.
• In the command bar or Prompt History window, right-click, choose Recent
Commands, and then choose the desired command.
• Use the Up and Down arrows to display previously used commands, if Use Up/
Down Arrows for Command History Navigation is selected on the Display tab
in Tools > Options.

Run a command multiple times using the command bar.

If you are using the command bar to type commands, you can type multiple before
starting some commands (Circle, Arc, and Rectangle, for example) to repeat a com-
mand indefinitely. When you are done with a command, press Esc.

Nesting a command
If you are working in the command bar, you can use another command from within a
command, called nesting. To use a command inside an active command, type an
apostrophe before you type the command, such as ‘circle, ‘line, or ‘pyramid. You can
nest commands indefinitely in IntelliCAD. Many menu and toolbar macros work this
way by default; for example, select color, reference grid, zoom, and snap. When you
have finished with the nested command, the original command resumes.

Modifying a command
If you are working in the command bar, there are special ways that you can modify a
command as you work. You can modify the active command using any of the follow-
ing options:
• Entity snaps — Type an entity snap command, such as nearest or midpoint, to
enable a one-time entity snap for a single selection. You can also use a one-time
entity snap to override a running entity snap.
• Extension snaps — Type int after selecting a command, such as Line or Circle, to
enable a one-time snap to the logical location where two entities would intersect if
they were of infinite length. Type app to enable a similar one-time snap if the
extensions would not intersect in three-dimensional space but would intersect in
the current view.
• Midpoint snaps — Type m2p or mtp to enable a one-time snap to the midpoint of
two points that you specify.
38 CHAPTER 2

Using the Prompt History window

The Prompt History window displays a history of the commands and prompts issued
since you started the current session of IntelliCAD. By default, the program tracks up
to 256 command lines. There is no limit to the number of command lines you can
track, but program performance may be degraded if you choose to track an exces-
sively high number of lines.

To display or close the Prompt History window

1 Do one of the following to choose Prompt History Window:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Prompt History Window (in Interface).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Prompt History Window.
• Type pmthist and then press Enter.
• Press F2.

To view entries in the Prompt History window

1 Do one of the following:
• Use the scroll bars.
• Use the Up and Down arrows to display previously used commands, if Use Up/
Down Arrows for Command History Navigation is selected on the Display tab
in Tools > Options.

To copy or paste text in the Prompt History window

1 If copying text, do one of the following:
• Highlight text using your mouse.
• Press Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys to highlight text.
2 Right-click and choose whether to copy or paste.

You can also copy the entire command history or the last command line.
Choose Copy History or Copy Last Line.

To change the number of command lines to track

1 Do one of the following:
• Choose Tools > Options, and then click the Display tab.
• Type options and then press Enter. Click the Display tab.
2 In Command Lines To Track, type the number of command lines you want to dis-
play, and then click OK.
 GETTING STARTED 39

Using mouse shortcuts

You can use your mouse, often combined with the keyboard, to start commands and
perform other actions.

Mouse shortcuts
Shortcut Action
Hold and drag left mouse button Move selected entities when not in a command
Ctrl + Hold and drag left mouse button Copy and move selected entities when not in a
command
Ctrl + Hold and drag right mouse button Constrained Z Orbit command
Ctrl + Left-click mouse Cycle-select entities located below the cursor
Ctrl + Shift + Hold and drag left mouse button Real-Time Zoom command
Ctrl + Shift + Hold and drag middle mouse button Free Orbit command
(wheel)
Alt + Shift + Hold and drag middle mouse button Constrained Orbit command
or
Shift + Hold and drag middle mouse button
Shift + Left-click mouse Deselect entities
Shift + Right-click mouse Entity snap shortcut menu
Hold and drag left mouse button Move selected entities
Right-click mouse Display shortcut menu for the selected entity
Rotate mouse wheel Zoom In and Zoom Out commands; if over the
ribbon, scrolls ribbon tabs
Hold mouse wheel, then move mouse Real-Time Pan command
Ctrl + Rotate mouse wheel when command bar Zoom in and out of the command bar
is active

Using keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are key combinations that start commonly used IntelliCAD com-
mands. The following table describes function key shortcuts, but there are many more
shortcuts available. For a full list, choose Tools > Customize UI and choose Key-
board Shortcuts in the Current Customization list.

Function key shortcuts

Command Typed Entry Shortcut Description
Coordinate COORDINATE F6, Ctrl+D, Ctrl+I Switches coordinate display between On, Off, and Angle/
Distance.
Entity Snap ESNAP F3, Ctrl+F Turns entity snaps on and off.
Entity Snap Tracking ENTTRACK F11 Switches entity snap tracking on and off
Exit EXIT Alt+F4, Ctrl+Q Closes all drawings and exits IntelliCAD.
Grid GRID F7, Ctrl+G Turns the reference grid display on and off.
40 CHAPTER 2

Function key shortcuts

Command Typed Entry Shortcut Description
Grid Snap SNAP F9, Ctrl+B Turns grid snap settings on and off.
Help HELP F1 Starts online Help.
Isometric Plane ISOPLANE F5, Ctrl+E Switches the isometric plane between Top, Right, and Left.
Orthogonal ORTHOGONAL F8, Ctrl+L Switches the orthogonal mode on and off.
Polar Tracking POLARTRACK F10, Ctrl+U Switches polar tracking on and off
Prompt History Window PMTHIST F2 Turns the Prompt History window on and off.
Tablet TABLET F4 Controls the tablet configuration.
VBA Editor VBA Alt+F11 Opens the Visual Basic for Applications editor so that you
can create or modify a VBA macro.
Window Close WCLOSE Ctrl+F4 Closes the active drawing window.

Using scripts
The IntelliCAD Script Recorder captures and saves many of your actions so you can
play them back. After you enable the Script Recorder, all commands and options that
you type in the command bar are recorded until you type a command to stop
recording. When you run the script, the program carries out the recorded commands
in succession.

Correcting mistakes
IntelliCAD tracks the commands you use and the changes you make. If you change
your mind or make a mistake, you can undo, or reverse, the last action or several pre-
vious actions. You can also redo any actions that you reversed.

A B

A Click Undo to reverse the last action.

B Click Redo to reverse the previous undos.

You can undo and redo multiple actions by choosing Undo and Redo from the Quick
Access toolbar of the ribbon to view and select a range of actions. You can also type
undo and then specify the number of actions to undo.
Many commands also have an Undo option that you can choose (or press Ctrl + Z) to
undo the last action, for example, choose Undo when creating a line to remove the
previously specified point.
 GETTING STARTED 41

Customizing IntelliCAD
You can tailor many aspects of IntelliCAD to better suit your needs. For example,
you can easily create and modify menus using the Customize User Interface (cui)
command or create and modify toolbars by simply dragging and dropping icons.
IntelliCAD stores your customized settings in a .cui file; you can also store them in a
profile.
IntelliCAD supports the most important AutoCAD customization files, including
linetypes, hatch patterns, text fonts, the unit conversion file, menus, toolbars, and
aliases. In addition, IntelliCAD unifies many AutoCAD customization functions with
a single cui command: command aliases, menus, toolbars. keyboard shortcuts, and
double-click actions. And for versions of IntelliCAD that have a ribbon, this list for
the cui command also includes ribbons, quick access toolbars, application buttons,
and contextual menus. For more details about customizations, see Chapter 17,
“Customizing IntelliCAD.”
You can also add custom programs written in any of several programming languages,
including the following:
• ODA SDKs and IRX (similar to the Autodesk® ARX language)
• LISP (the program’s Autodesk® AutoLISP-compatible language)
• SDS (similar to the Autodesk® ADS language)
• DCL (Dialog Control Language)
• DIESEL
• Microsoft® Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
• .NET

For more details about custom programs, see “Programming IntelliCAD” on page
970.

Migrating customizations from a previous IntelliCAD version

Customizations that you made in a previous IntelliCAD version can be easily
migrated to your IntelliCAD current version. You can merge or replace custom
settings made to workspaces and customization files (.cui files), including menus, the
ribbon if your version supports it, toolbars, keyboard shortcuts, aliases and double-
click actions.
42 CHAPTER 2

To migrate customizations from a previous IntelliCAD version

1 Use one of the following methods to choose Migrate UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Migrate UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Migrate UI.
• Type migrate and then press Enter.
2 Enter the file path and filename of the .cui file that contains the customization you
want to migrate to the current IntelliCAD version. If necessary, type ? and press
Enter to see a list of available .cui files.
3 Choose one of the following:
• Replace with given — Replaces the current customization entirely with the one
from the selected .cui file.
• Merge prefer given — Merges customizations with a preference to the previous
installation if conflicts occur.
• Merge prefer current — Merges customizations with a preference to the current
installation if conflicts occur.

Getting online Help

IntelliCAD includes online Help, which contains task-oriented topics, a command
reference, a system variables reference, and a programming language reference.
You can display online Help ( ) in any of these ways:
• On the ribbon, choose Help, then choose a command.
• On the Standard toolbar, click Help.
• Press F1.
• Choose a command from the Help menu.
• Click the question mark in a dialog box.
• Type help in the command bar.
 GETTING STARTED 43

Saving a drawing
You can save your drawing at any time.
Use one of the following methods to choose Save ( ):
• On the Quick Access toolbar of the ribbon, click Save.
• On the ribbon Application button, choose Save.
• On the Standard toolbar, click Save.
• On the menu, choose File > Save.
• Type save and then press Enter.

When you save a drawing the first time, the program displays the Save Drawing As
dialog box so that you can choose a directory and type a name for the drawing. To
save the drawing later using another name, do the following:
• Choose File > Save As and type the new name.

Exiting IntelliCAD
When you have finished working in IntelliCAD:
• On the ribbon Application button, choose Exit.
• On the menu, choose File > Exit.
44 CHAPTER 2
 3

Working with drawings

CAD drawings help you organize information for greater efficiency. With Intelli-
CAD, you can draw entities representing different types of information on various
layers and use those layers to control color, linetype, and visibility. IntelliCAD also
includes drawing aids that help you draw accurately.
This section explains setting up drawings and using built-in drawing aids, including
how to:
• Create new drawings, open existing drawings, and save changes to drawings.
• Use aids such as the grid, snap, and orthogonal settings to draw accurately.

Topics in this chapter

Creating a new drawing ...................................................................................... 46
Opening a drawing.............................................................................................. 47
Setting up a drawing ........................................................................................... 51
Working with colors............................................................................................. 71
Using the grid, snap alignment, cursor restriction, dynamic input, and selection
cycling................................................................................................................. 79
Using orthogonal locking .................................................................................... 85
Using entity snaps .............................................................................................. 94
46 CHAPTER 3

Creating a new drawing

When you start IntelliCAD, the program automatically creates a new drawing based
on a template drawing, icad.dwt. This template includes predefined settings such as
drawing units, text size, print style table type, and drawing area. You can either use
these settings or change them according to your needs. There is nothing unique about
a template drawing. You can use any drawing as a template for future drawings.
You can save many steps by basing a new drawing on an existing template (.dwt file).
By doing this, a new drawing will contain all the settings and entities you need. When
you open a new drawing from your custom template, you can modify existing settings
and delete any entities that you don’t need. When you save a drawing that was created
using a template, you do not change the template.

To create a new drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose New ( ):
• On the Quick Access toolbar of the ribbon, click the New tool.
• Type qnew and then press Enter.
To create a new drawing based on a template
1 Do one of the following to choose New ( ):
• On the ribbon Application button, choose New.
• On the menu, choose File > New.
• Type new or newwiz and then press Enter.
2 Click Use A Template Drawing, and then click Next.
3 To display the Open Template dialog box, click Browse.
4 Select the template (.dwt) file that you want, and then click Open.
You can also choose any drawing (.dwg) file to use as a template.
5 Click Finish.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 47

Opening a drawing
You can open drawing (.dwg) files, Drawing Exchange Format (.dxf) files, Design
Web Format (.dwf) files, and drawing template (.dwt) files.
You can also open and check drawings that you suspect are damaged.

Opening an existing drawing

You can open any of these drawing files:
• Standard drawing files with a .dwg extension.
In addition to your own drawing files, you can open and use one of the sample
drawings that are included with IntelliCAD.
• Drawing Exchange Format files with a .dxf file extension.
• Design Web Format files with a .dwf file extension.
• Drawing templates with a .dwt file extension.
To open an existing drawing
1 Use one of the following methods to choose Open ( ):
• On the Quick Access toolbar of the ribbon, click the Open tool.
• On the menu, choose File > Open.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Open tool.
• Type open and then press Enter.
2 In Files of Type, choose the type of file you want to open.
3 Choose the folder containing the desired file.
4 Do one of the following:
• Choose the drawing you want to open, and then click Open.
• Double-click the drawing you want to open.
If the drawing requires a password, enter the password, click OK to verify the
password, and then click Open again.

You can also open drawings while browsing files on your computer.
Simply double-click the file or drag it to the drawing area in IntelliCAD. Using pro-
grams that came with your operating system, such as Windows File Explorer or My
Computer, you can find the drawing you want by viewing thumbnail images of the
drawing files as you browse them. If needed, use your operating system to specify
which filetypes are associated with IntelliCAD.
48 CHAPTER 3

D
C
B

A If a thumbnail image exists in the selected drawing, displays an E Displays a description of the file size, creation date, and other
image of the drawing before you open it. information about the drawing.
B Turns the drawing preview on or off. F Click to see more options for working with files.
C Unavailable when opening drawings; available only when saving G Defines how drawings display in the list, including file details and
drawings. thumbnail images.
D Opens the drawing as read-only to prevent making changes to
the file.

The most recently opened drawings are tracked for easy opening.
To quickly open a drawing file that you recently used, choose File > filename, or if
your program version has a ribbon, choose the filename from the Application button
or Start Page.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 49

Opening a damaged drawing

Files can become damaged for many reasons. For example, if you are working on a
drawing during a power outage, a system crash, or a hardware failure, your drawing
file may become damaged. IntelliCAD allows you to open and check damaged files
to attempt file recovery.
Recovering a file attempts to open one of the following file types:
• Standard drawing files with a .dwg extension.
• Drawing Exchange Format files with a .dxf file extension.
• Design Web Format files with a .dwf file extension.
• Drawing templates with a .dwt file extension.

You can also audit any open file to check it for errors. You specify whether you want
IntelliCAD to fix any errors that are found automatically. IntelliCAD fixes as many
errors as possible and any errors that cannot be fixed are reported as “Ignored” in the
Prompt History window.
In addition to recovering and auditing drawings, if you open a drawing that does not
display all entities, it might be because those entities are assigned invalid z-coordi-
nates. Use the Set Z All command to set all z-coordinates to a new value so that all
missing entities are then properly displayed.

To open a damaged file

1 Do one of the following to choose Recover ( ):
• On the ribbon Application button, choose Drawing Utilities > Recover.
• On the menu, choose File > Recover.
• Type recover and then press Enter.
2 In Files of Type, choose the type of file you want to recover.
3 Choose the directory containing the damaged file.
4 Choose the damaged file you want to recover.
5 Click Open.

If you want to check all drawings for errors automatically when you open them,
choose Tools > Options, click the Open and Save tab, and mark Open Drawings using
Recover.
50 CHAPTER 3

To check a drawing file for errors

1 With the drawing open that you want to check, do one of the following to choose
Audit ( ):
• On the ribbon Application button, choose Drawing Utilities > Audit.
• On the menu, choose File > Audit.
• Type audit and then press Enter.
2 Choose whether you want IntelliCAD to fix any found errors automatically, and
then press Enter.

An ASCII file describes the audit.

If the AUDITCTL system variable is set to On and errors are found during a file
recovery or audit, an ASCII file is created that describes the audit. The ASCII file is
saved in the same folder as the audited drawing and has the same name as the draw-
ing file, but with an .adt extension.

To fix a drawing that contains invisible entities assigned invalid z-coordinates

1 With the drawing open that you want to fix, do one of the following to choose Set
Z All ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Set Z All (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Tools > Set Z All.
• Type setz and then press Enter.
2 Enter a new value for the z-coordinates of all entities in the drawing.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 51

Setting up a drawing
You can specify individual settings when you create a new drawing or when you
modify settings in a drawing created from a template.

Setting the current layer

Layers are like the overlays that you use in manual drafting. You use layers to orga-
nize different types of drawing information. Every drawing has at least one layer, the
default layer, named “0.” Your drawing can also contain an unlimited number of
additional layers. When you create an entity, it is created on the current layer.

To set the current layer

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool .
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
• Type la and then press Enter.
2 Double-click the layer name that you want to make current.

Use the status bar shortcut.

On the status bar, right-click the current layer control, and from the list, select the
layer you want to make current.

Use the layer of an entity you select to set the current layer.
Type LAYMCUR in the command bar, and select the entity with the layer you want to
be current.
52 CHAPTER 3

Setting the current entity color

An entity’s color determines how it is displayed and, if you are using a color printer,
how it prints. Entities are created in the current color.
When you open a new drawing, entities are created in the color BYLAYER, which
adopts the color of the current layer. Initially, layer 0 is both the only layer and the
current layer. Its default color is white, so your entities appear as white.
There are index colors, which contain two additional color properties that are often
referred to as colors, true colors, and color book colors. The two additional color
properties are BYLAYER and BYBLOCK. These color properties cause an entity to
adopt the color either of the layer or of the block in which it is a member.

To set the current entity color

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 Click Select Color.
4 In the Color dialog box, click one of the following tabs and select a color:
• Index Color — Click BYBLOCK, BYLAYER, or one of the 255 index colors.
You can also type the color number in the Index box.
• True Color — Click a basic color, click a color in the color palette, enter the Hue,
Saturation, and Luminance (HSL) values, or enter the Red, Green, Blue (RGB)
values. There are more than 16 million true colors from which you can choose.
• Color Books — Select a color book from the list, then click a color. You can
select Show Only Color Book Colors Used in Drawing to limit the selection to
only those color book colors that are used in the current drawing.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK again.

Use the status bar shortcut.

On the status bar, right-click the current color, and select from the list the color you
want to use for new entities. You can also click Select Color to choose additional col-
ors.

For more details about using color in the many aspects of your drawing, see “Work-
ing with colors” on page 71 in this chapter.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 53

Setting the current linetype

Linetypes help convey information. You use different linetypes to differentiate the
purpose of one line from another. A linetype consists of a repeating pattern of dots,
dashes, or blank spaces. Linetypes determine the appearance of entities both on the
screen and when printed. By default, every drawing has at least three linetypes: CON-
TINUOUS, BYLAYER, and BYBLOCK. Your drawing may also contain an unlim-
ited number of additional linetypes.
When you create an entity, it is created using the current linetype. By default, the cur-
rent linetype is BYLAYER. IntelliCAD indicates that the entity linetype is deter-
mined by the current layer’s linetype by assigning the BYLAYER property as the
default linetype setting. When you assign BYLAYER, changing a layer’s linetype
changes the linetype of all the entities assigned that layer (if they were created using
the linetype BYLAYER).
You can also select a specific linetype as the current linetype, which overrides the
layer’s linetype setting. Entities are then created using that linetype, and changing the
layer linetype has no effect on them.
As a third option, you can use the linetype BYBLOCK property, in which case new
entities are drawn using the CONTINUOUS linetype until you group them into a
block. The entities then inherit the block’s linetype setting when you insert the block
into a drawing.

To set the current linetype

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Linetype list, choose the linetype that you want to make current.
4 Click OK.

Use the status bar shortcut.

On the status bar, right-click the word BYLAYER for the current linetype, click Prop-
erties, and then choose the linetype that you want to make current.
54 CHAPTER 3

Setting the linetype scale

You can specify the linetype scale. The smaller the scale, the more repetitions of the
linetype pattern are generated per drawing unit. For example, a linetype pattern is
defined as a sequence of dashed lines and open spaces, each 0.25 units long. The line-
type scale uses the drawing scale factor to determine the length. A scale factor of 0.5
would reduce the length of each line and space to 0.125 units; a scale factor of 2
would increase the length of each to 0.5 units.
Note that setting the linetype scale too large or too small may result in a line pattern
looking like a solid line, depending on what the scale view is or at what scale the
drawing is printed.
You can control a new entity’s individual linetype scale factor as well as the overall
or global scale factor applied to all the entities in the drawing. If you use annotation
scaling for entities such as text and dimensions, you can also set up linetype scaling to
coordinate with various annotation scaling scenarios.

To set the current individual linetype scale

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Linetype Scale field, type or choose the linetype scale that you want to
make current.
4 Click OK.

To change the global linetype scale

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Global Linetype Scale field, type or choose the global linetype scale that
you want to change.
4 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 55

To set up linetype scaling to be the same in model space and paper space
1 Set the global linetype scale (mentioned previously) to the drawing scale. For
example, enter .25 for the scale factor 1/4" - 1".
2 Type PSLTSCALE and press Enter, then enter 0 to turn this system variable off.
Customized linetype scaling specific to paper space will be turned off.
3 Type MSLTSCALE and press Enter, then enter 0 to turn this system variable off.
Customized linetype scaling specific to model space will be turned off.

To set up linetype scaling to be different in model space and paper space

1 Set the global linetype scale (mentioned previously) to 1. This sets the default
linetype scale factor to be the same as the drawing scale.
2 Type PSLTSCALE and press Enter, then enter 1 to turn this system variable on.
Customized linetype scaling specific to paper space will be turned off.
3 Type MSLTSCALE and press Enter, then enter 1 to turn this system variable on.
Customized linetype scaling specific to model space will be turned off.
4 For drawings that also use annotation scaling, do the following:
• On the status bar, right-click Annotations Scales List.
• Choose the current annotation scale, for example 1/4" - 1". This makes the
linetype scale set to the annotation scale.

Linetypes will be the same for all viewports that have the same annotation scale.
Setting up linetype scaling so it can be different in model space and paper space is
the preferred method for drawings with details, profiles, or plan views that are not
always the same scale. Paper space viewports will look and print as intended, and
you can adjust the model space annotation scale for it to match the display in
paper space. For more information about annotation scaling, see “Understanding
scale factors” on page 62 in this chapter.

Setting the current lineweight

Lineweights help differentiate the purpose of one line from another. Lineweights
determine how thick or thin entities appear both on the screen and when printed.
Every drawing has these lineweights: DEFAULT, BYLAYER, BYBLOCK, and
many additional lineweights in millimeters (or you can use inches).
When you create an entity, it is created using the current lineweight. By default, the
current lineweight for a new entity is BYLAYER. This means that the entity line-
weight is determined by the current layer. When you assign BYLAYER, changing a
layer’s lineweight changes the lineweight of all the entities assigned that layer (if they
were created using the lineweight BYLAYER).
56 CHAPTER 3

You can also select a specific lineweight (or DEFAULT) as the current lineweight,
which overrides the layer’s lineweight setting. Entities are then created using that lin-
eweight (or the DEFAULT lineweight), and changing the layer lineweight has no
effect on them.
As a third option, you can use the lineweight BYBLOCK property, in which case new
entities are drawn using the DEFAULT lineweight until you group them into a block.
The entities then inherit the block’s lineweight setting when you insert the block into
a drawing.
If you choose a lineweight that is less than .025 millimeter, it displays as one pixel
when you create your drawing. When you print your drawing, it prints at the thinnest
lineweight that is available for your printer.
You cannot assign lineweights to planes, points, TrueType fonts, or raster images (if
supported in your version of IntelliCAD).

To set the current lineweight

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings or choose Tools > Lineweight.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Lineweight list, choose the lineweight that you want to make current.
4 Click OK.

Use the status bar shortcut.

On the status bar, right-click the word BYLAYER for the current lineweight, and then
choose the current lineweight. You can also double-click the word LWT to toggle the
display of lineweights on and off.

Lineweights need to be turned on to be visible.

To see lineweights in your drawing, you may need to turn on their visibility. For
details, see “Displaying lineweights” on page 253.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 57

Setting the current print style

Print styles are used to change the appearance of an entity when it prints, without
actually changing the entity in the drawing.
If your drawing uses named print style tables, you can specify a print style for any
entity. Named print style tables contain print styles that you set up. If your drawing
uses color-dependent print style tables, the print style is BYCOLOR, which cannot be
changed. These types of print style tables determine printing requirements by the
color assigned to an entity or layer. For details about converting a drawing that uses
color-dependent print style tables to use named print style tables, see “Changing the
print style table type of a drawing” on page 668.
When you create an entity in a drawing that uses named print style tables, the entity is
created using the current print style. By default, the current print style is BYLAYER.
When you assign BYLAYER, changing a layer’s print style changes the print style of
all the entities assigned that layer if they were created using the print style
BYLAYER.
You can also select a specific print style as the current print style, which overrides the
layer’s print style setting. Entities are then created using that print style, and changing
the layer print style has no effect on them.
As a third option, you can use the print style BYBLOCK, in which case new entities
use the Normal print style until you group them into a block. The entities then inherit
the block’s print style setting when you insert the block into a drawing.

To set the current print style in a drawing that uses named print style tables
1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 In the Print Style list, choose the print style that you want to make current. If nec-
essary, choose Other and then select a print style.
4 Click OK.

Use the status bar or command bar shortcut.

On the status bar, right-click the word BYLAYER for the current print style, click
Other, and then choose the print style that you want to make current. Or,
type printstyle to choose the current print style.
58 CHAPTER 3

Setting drawing units

With IntelliCAD, you typically draw at full-size (1:1 scale), and then set a scale fac-
tor when you print or plot your drawing. Before you begin drawing, however, you
need to determine the relationship between drawing units and real-world units.
For example, you can decide whether one linear drawing unit represents an inch, a
foot, a meter, or a mile. In addition, you can specify the way the program measures
angles. For both linear and angular units, you can also set the degree of display preci-
sion, such as the number of decimal places or smallest denominator used when dis-
playing fractions. The precision settings affect only the display of distances, angles,
and coordinates. IntelliCAD always stores distances, angles, and coordinates using
floating-point accuracy.
If your drawing contains Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) entities,
you also set the AEC drawing units. To provide compatibility for your drawing with
Autodesk Architecture, drawings with AEC entities require two drawing units: one
for .dwg file compatibility and one for architecture object compatibility.

To set the linear drawing units

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Application
Button > Drawing Utilities > Drawing Units; Home > Drawing Settings (in
Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Drawing Units tab.
3 Click the Linear Units tab.
4 Under Unit Types, select a unit type.
5 For Display Precision, type the display precision according to the number of deci-
mal places you want, or click the arrows to select it.
The box above this setting shows an example of the linear unit type at the current
precision.
6 For Insertion Scale Units, select the units used when inserting blocks, external ref-
erences and images from drawings that use different units than the current draw-
ing.
7 For AEC Entity Units, select the drawing units to use for inserting and scaling
AEC entities.
8 Mark Scale Existing Entities upon Drawing Unit Change to scale AEC entities in
the current drawing if the AEC units change. If not marked, existing AEC entities
are not scaled and the new AEC units affect only new AEC entities.
9 Mark Match Insertion Unit to Drawing Unit Change to make the Insertion Scale
Units change to match AEC units if the AEC units change.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 59

10 Click OK.

H
B

G
C F
E

D
A Determines the type of units you are controlling. F Mark to scale AEC entities if AEC units change.
B Select the type of linear units. G Select drawing units to use for inserting and
C Choose the display precision for linear units. scaling AEC entities.
D Displays only if your program version supports H Select the units used when inserting items from
working with AEC entities. drawings that use different units than the current
drawing.
E Mark to make the insertion scale units change to
match AEC units if AEC units change.
60 CHAPTER 3

To set the angular drawing units

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Drawing Units tab.
3 Click the Angular Units tab.
4 Under Unit Types, select a unit type.
5 Under Display Precision, type the display precision according to the number of
decimal places you want, or click the arrows to select it.
The field above this setting shows an example of the angular unit type at the cur-
rent precision.
6 Under Angle Direction, select the direction in which angles increase when you
specify a positive angle value.
7 Under Angle Base, specify the compass location for the zero angle.
For example, by default, angle 0 is at the “three o’clock” or “east” position.
The adjacent icon shows the current location of the angle base.
8 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 61

C
D

A Determines the type of units you are controlling. D Select the angle base, the direction of the zero
B Select the type of angular units. angle.
C Choose the display precision for angular units. E Select the direction in which angles increase.
62 CHAPTER 3

Understanding scale factors

Instead of drawing to a particular scale, you draw everything in the program full-size.
Although it’s a good idea to keep your scale factor in mind when setting up a draw-
ing, you don’t need to set the scale until you print it. For example, when you draw a
mechanical part 40 inches in length with IntelliCAD, you actually draw it as 40
inches, rather than applying a scale factor as you draw. When you print your drawing,
you can assign the scale at which the drawing is to print.
Scale, however, does affect the way a few elements such as text, arrows, or linetypes
print or plot and even display in your drawing. You can set up annotation scaling to
control the scale of entities such as text, arrows, and linetypes, or you can make man-
ual adjustments when you first set up your drawing so that annotations print and dis-
play at the correct size. For example, when you draw text, you need to determine the
text size so that when you print it later at a particular scale, the text height is correct.
After you determine the eventual scale of your finished drawing, you can calculate
the scale factor for the drawing as a ratio of one drawing unit to the actual scale unit
represented by each drawing unit. For example, if you plan to print your drawing at
1/8” = 1’-0”, your scale factor ratio is 1:96 (1/8” = 12” is the same as 1 = 96). If you
want your printed scale to be 1 inch = 100 feet, your scale factor ratio is 1:1200.
The following table shows some standard architectural and engineering scale ratios
and equivalent text heights required to create text that measures 1/8-inch high when
you print the drawing at the specified scale.

Standard scale ratios and equivalent text heights

Scale Scale factor Text height
1/16” = 1’-0” 192 24”
1/8” = 1’-0” 96 12”
3/16” = 1’-0” 64 8”
1/4” = 1’-0” 48 6”
3/8” = 1’-0” 32 4”
1/2” = 1’-0” 24 3”
3/4” = 1’-0” 16 2”
1” = 1’-0” 12 1.5”
1 1/2” = 1’-0” 8 1”
3” = 1’-0” 4 0.5”
1” = 10’ 120 15”
1” = 20’ 240 30”
1” = 30’ 360 45”
1” = 40’ 480 60”
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 63

Standard scale ratios and equivalent text heights

Scale Scale factor Text height
1” = 50’ 600 75”
1” = 60’ 720 90”
1” = 100’ 1200 150”

You can use these scale factors to predetermine the size of your drawing to make sure
that it fits on a specific size paper when you print it. You control the size of your
drawing by the drawing limits. To calculate the drawing limits to match the size of
your paper, multiply the dimensions of your paper size by your scale factor.
For example, if the paper you use to print measures 36 inches x 24 inches and you
print your drawing at 1/8” = 1’-0” (in other words, using a scale factor of 96), the size
of your drawing measured in drawing units is 36 x 96 (or 3,456 units) wide and 24 x
96 (or 2,304 units) high.
Keep in mind that you can print the finished drawing at any scale, regardless of the
scale factor you calculate. You can also print on paper of a different size and use the
Layout tabs to create different views of your drawing and to position and scale those
views differently. The scaling factor is not related to the size of the entities you draw;
it simply provides a preliminary guide to help you establish the text height and draw-
ing limits when you begin your drawing. You can change the text height and drawing
limits at any time.
64 CHAPTER 3

Setting up annotation scaling

Annotation scaling allows you to control individual entities so their size will consis-
tently display when a drawing is displayed or printed at different scales. You don’t
have to use annotation scaling, but it is a convenient way to control the scaling of the
following entities: text, tolerances, dimensions, leaders, multileaders, attributes,
hatches, and blocks.
These individual entities can be annotative, and so can text styles, dimension styles,
and multileader styles; text, dimensions, or multileaders assigned an annotative style
will have annotation scaling turned on by default.
IntelliCAD comes ready to use annotation scaling, however, you may want to cus-
tomize some of the settings according to your needs.

Customizing the scales list

The scales list defines all of the scales that are available to assign to annotative enti-
ties. For example, to assign an annotation scale to a text entity, you choose it from the
scales list. The scales list displays when you do any of the following:
• Set the current annotation scale — On the status bar, right-click Annotations
Scales List.
• Assign an annotation scale to an entity — Select an entity and use the Properties or
Entity Scale command.
• Print — Choose the Print command.
After you set up your scales list, you may want to create a drawing template with the
default scales or export your scale list so you can easily import the list into other
drawings.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 65

To customize the scales list

1 Do one of the following to choose Scale List ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Scale List (in Annotation Scaling).
• On the menu, choose Format > Scale List.
• On the status bar, click Annotation Scales List.
• Type scalelistedit and then press Enter.
2 To add a scale to the list, do the following:
• Click Add.
• Enter the name of the scale, which will appear in the list.
• Enter the paper units to drawing units ratio.
• Click OK.
3 Do any of the following to further customize the list:
• Select a scale and click Modify to change a scale’s name or ratio.
• Select a scale and click Delete to remove it from the list.
• Select a scale and click Move Up or Move Down to reposition it in the list.
4 Optionally click Export to save your scales list to a file that you can easily import
into other drawings.
5 Click OK.
66 CHAPTER 3

L
K
J
I
A H
G
F
E
D

B
C

A Displays the scales available for annotative G Click to remove all custom scales and restore
entities. the default scale list.
B Click to allow deleting scales that are used in the H Click to remove the selected scale.
drawing. I Click to move the selected scale down one
C Click to display scales from attached external position in the list.
references in the list. J Click to move the selected scale up one position
D Click to save the scales list to a file. in the list.
E Click to open and load a scales list from a file. K Click to modify the selected scale.
F Click to remove all unused scales from the list. L Click to create a new scale and add it to the list.

Purging unused annotation scales can increase performance.

Older drawings from other CAD programs can sometimes have thousands of unused
annotation scales. Click Purge in the Edit Drawing Scales dialog box to remove
unused annotation scales and increase performance.

Customizing styles to be annotative

Text styles and dimension styles determine whether text and dimension entities that
are assigned those styles are annotative by default. Multileader styles can also be
annotative, but IntelliCAD only supports the display of multileaders, not the creation
of multileaders or multileader styles.
For text styles, see “Working with text styles” on page 484.
For dimension styles, see “Controlling dimension fit” on page 542.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 67

Setting up automatic annotation scaling

Automatic annotation scaling automatically assigns the current annotation scale to
annotation entities that have annotation scaling turned on.

To set automatic annotation scaling and the current annotation scale

1 On the status bar, click Automatic Annotation On/Off.
2 On the status bar, click Annotations Scales List.
3 Choose the current annotation scale.

Setting the text height

The text height setting controls the height of text, measured in drawing units. Set this
value initially so that text used for your most common annotations, when scaled to the
size at which you will print a drawing, measures 1/8-inch high on the printed draw-
ing.
For example, if you plan to print your drawing at 1/8” = 1’-0” and you want your text
to be 1/8-inch high in the final drawing, create that text 1 foot high (in your real-
world drawing units) so that when you print it, it appears 1/8-inch high on the paper.
You must create text 4 feet high that you want to print 1/2-inch high.

To set the text height

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Entity Creation tab.
3 Click the Text tab. If necessary, click the right arrow to scroll the tabs horizontally
to view the Text tab.
4 In the Default Text Height field, select the text height or type the text height value
that you want. If you have chosen an annotative text style, you enter the paper text
height.
5 Click OK.
68 CHAPTER 3

A Choose Text. B Specify the text height in drawing units.

The default text height applies only if the current text style height is 0.0.
Otherwise, the text height for the current style takes precedence.

Setting the drawing limits

You can specify the drawing limits that form an invisible boundary around your
drawing. You can use the drawing limits to make sure that you do not create a draw-
ing larger than can fit on a specific sheet of paper when printed at a specific scale.
For example, if you plan to print your drawing at 1/8” = 1’-0” (in other words, using a
scale factor of 96) on a sheet of paper measuring 36 inches x 24 inches, you can set
drawing limits to 3,264 units wide (that is, 34 x 96) and 2,112 units high (22 x 96),
which allows a 1-inch margin around the edges of the printed image.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 69

To set the drawing limits

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click either the Coordinate Input tab or the Display tab.
3 Click the Limits tab.
4 Specify the x-coordinate and y-coordinate of the upper right drawing limit and the
lower left drawing limit.
You can also click Select to specify the drawing limits by selecting points in the
drawing.
5 To constrain your drawing to these drawing limits, click the Disallow Input
Beyond Limits check box.
6 Click OK.
70 CHAPTER 3

B
E
C

A Choose Limits. D When selected, the program prevents you from

B Specify the x-coordinate and y-coordinate of the drawing outside the drawing limits.
upper right drawing limit. E Specify the drawing limits by selecting points in
C Specify the x-coordinate and y-coordinate of the the drawing.
lower left drawing limit.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 71

Working with colors

An entity’s color determines how it is displayed and, if you are using a color printer,
how it prints. Entities are created in the current color specified for the drawing.
Layers can also control the color of entities. When you open a new drawing, entities
are created in the color BYLAYER, which adopts the color of the current layer. Ini-
tially, layer 0 is both the only layer and the current layer. Its default color is white, so
your entities appear as white.
For entities and layers in IntelliCAD, there are three different types of colors:
• Index colors
• True colors
• Color book colors

True colors and color books are unavailable in some cases.

For example, for dimension entities and cursor display.

You can choose colors by selecting them from the Color dialog box. In the command
bar or in some dialog boxes, you specify a color either by name or by number.

Using index colors

There are 255 standard index colors and two additional color properties that are often
referred to as colors (BYLAYER and BYBLOCK). You can use seven of the 255
standard index colors by name: red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, magenta, and white.
(Numbers eight and nine are not named.) Each index color has a unique number from
1 to 255. The two additional color properties are BYLAYER and BYBLOCK. These
color properties cause an entity to adopt the color either of the layer or of the block in
which it is a member. BYLAYER is color number 256, and BYBLOCK is color num-
ber 0. In all commands for which you would use a color, you can indicate BYLAYER
and BYBLOCK as well as by numbers 256 and 0, respectively.

To select an index color

1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text.
The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the Index Color tab.
3 Do one of the following:
• Click BYBLOCK.
• Click BYLAYER.
• Click the color of your choice, or type the color number in the Current box.
4 Click OK.
72 CHAPTER 3

B G
F

D E
A Click to select one of the standard colors. D Indicates the current color.
B Click to select one of the gray shades. E Displays the color number, or enter the color
C Click to select any one of the available index number.
colors. F Click to set the color to BYLAYER.
G Click to set the color to BYBLOCK.

Using true colors

There are more than 16 million true colors from which you can choose. True colors
are defined using 24-bit color.
Even with so many colors available, you can quickly choose a color from the display
of basic colors or by clicking the color palette. Alternatively, if you know the values
used to define the desired color, you can enter the Hue, Saturation, and Luminance
(HSL) values, or you can enter the Red, Green, Blue (RGB) values.

To select a true color

1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text.
The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the True Color tab.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 73

3 Do one of the following:

• Click a basic true color.
• Click a true color in the color palette.
• Enter HSL values for the desired true color.
• Enter RGB values for the desired true color.
4 Click OK.

A F

E
B
D

A Click to select one of the basic true colors. E Enter (or view) the amount of hue, saturation,
B Click to select one of the custom true colors, if and luminance of the desired true color.
any are defined. F Slide or click to adjust the color luminance.
C Click to add the selected color to the custom G Click to select a true color in the color palette.
color area.
D Enter (or view) the amount of red, green, and
blue of the desired true color.
74 CHAPTER 3

Using color books

IntelliCAD uses color books to store collections of colors. For example, you can store
a unique color scheme for a client in a color book and then use colors only from that
color book for the client’s drawings.

Selecting a color book color

To select a color book color
1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text.
The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the Color Books tab.
3 Select a color book from the list.
4 If you want to narrow your color search, do one of the following:
• In the list of colors, select a color book page, if one is available. Pages are partic-
ularly helpful in large color books — they help group colors so you can find
them quickly.
• Select Show Only Color Book Colors Used in Drawing. Only those color book
colors that are used in the current drawing will display in the list.
5 Select the desired color.
6 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 75

B
E

A Select a color book. D Click to create and modify color books.

B Click to select a color book color. E Displays the selected color and its RGB values.
C Select to list only those color book colors that are
used in the current drawing.

Creating color books

You may have a color book given to you by a client, developed by a third-party, or
you can create your own. Each color book has an .acb extension and is saved auto-
matically in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format.

To create a color book

1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text.
The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the Color Books tab.
3 Click Color Book Editor.
4 In the Color Book Editor dialog box, click the New tool ( ).
5 In Color Book Name, enter the name of the color book. This name will appear in
the list of color books on the Color Books tab in the Color dialog box.
76 CHAPTER 3

6 Do the following to define organizational pages in the color book:

• In the contents of the color book, click an existing page or color where you want
to add a page.
• Define a color in the palette.
• Enter the name of the page, and then click Add Page.
7 Do the following to define colors in the color book:
• In the contents of the color book, click an existing page or color where you want
to add a color.
• Define a color in the palette.
• Enter the name of the color, and then click Add Color.
8 Do any of the following to change existing pages and colors in the color book:
• Modify pages and colors — Select a page or color in the color book, define its
new color settings in the palette, enter any changes to its name, and then click
Modify.
• Delete pages and colors — Select a page or color in the color book, and then
click Delete.
• Rearrange pages and colors — Select a page or color in the color book, and then
click the up arrow ( ) or down arrow ( ).
9 In the Color Book Editor dialog box, click the Save tool ( ).
10 Enter a filename for the color book, and then click Save.
By default, the file is saved in the default folder where IntelliCAD searches for
color books.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 77

A
M
L

B
K

C
J
D
E
F I

G
H

A Click New to create a color book; click Open to G Click to move the selected page or color up or
open a color book; click Save to save the color down one position in the color book.
book; click Save As to save the color book with a H Enter the name of the page or color as you want
new filename. it to appear in the color book.
B Select a page or color to modify, delete, or I Enter (or view) the amount of red, green, and
reorder it, or to view its settings. blue of the desired color.
C Click to create a new page in the color book J Enter (or view) the amount of hue, saturation,
using the current color settings. and luminance of the desired color.
D Click to create a new color in the color book K Slide or click to adjust the color luminance.
using the current color settings.
L Click to select a color.
E Click to delete the selected page or color from
the color book. M Enter the name of the color book.
F Click to redefine the selected page or color to
use the current color settings.
78 CHAPTER 3

Modifying color books

You can modify your own color books and the color books that came with Intelli-
CAD. If you modify a color book that came with IntelliCAD, it is recommended that
you save it with a new filename first so the original color book is not overwritten.

To modify a color book

1 Click Select Color in the desired dialog box, such as Layers, Drawing Settings,
Properties, or Multiline Text.
The Color dialog box opens.
2 Click the Color Books tab.
3 Select the color book you want to modify.
4 Click Color Book Editor.
5 In Color Book Name, enter any changes to the color book name. This name
appears in the list of color books on the Color Books tab in the Color dialog box.
6 Do any of the following to modify pages or colors in the color book:
• Add pages — In the contents of the color book, click an existing page or color
where you want to add a page. Define a color in the palette, enter the name of
the page, and then click Add.
• Add colors — In the contents of the color book, click an existing page or color
where you want to add a color. Define a color in the palette, enter the name of
the color, and then click Add.
• Modify pages and colors — Select a page or color in the color book, define its
new color settings in the palette, enter any changes to its name, and then click
Modify.
• Delete pages and colors — Select a page or color in the color book, and then
click Delete.
• Rearrange pages and colors — Select a page or color in the color book, and then
click the up arrow ( ) or down arrow ( ).
7 Do one of the following to save the color book:
• To save the color book with the same filename, click the Save tool ( ) in the
Color Book Editor.
• To save the color book with a new filename or in a new location, click the
Save As tool ( ) in the Color Book Editor.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 79

Loading color books

If you have a color book given to you by a client or developed by a third-party, sim-
ply save it on your computer in a folder where IntelliCAD can find it. By default,
color books are stored in following folder: \Documents and Settings\YourName\My
Documents\Color Books.

To load a color book

1 Save the color book in the folder where IntelliCAD searches for color books.
To verify the folder location, choose Tools > Options, click the Files tab, and in
Support Paths, find the paths specified for Color Book Locations.
2 In a Color dialog box, click the Color Books tab.
The previously loaded color book displays in the list of color books.

Using the grid, snap alignment, cursor restriction, dynamic input, and
selection cycling
Grid and snap settings are effective tools to use in your drawing to ensure accuracy.
Although many users find it convenient to match grid points to snap settings, they are
independent of each other and should not be confused. Grid points are for visual ref-
erence only; they do not affect your drawing and they do not print. Snap points are,
by themselves, not visible; however, when set, they constrain the creation of new
entities.
In addition, the cursor can be restricted to move orthogonally only or guides can dis-
play on the screen automatically at specified polar angle increments.

Setting a reference grid

A reference grid displays as a pattern of regularly spaced dots or lines. You can turn
the grid on and off, and you can specify how far apart the dots or lines are spaced.
By default, the reference grid displays as lines, which has much better display perfor-
mance than a grid that displays as points (dots), and it is adaptive (it proportionately
scales according to the zoom ratio), helping you to align entities and visualize dis-
tances between entities. If desired, the grid can be constrained to only display within
the limits of the drawing.
80 CHAPTER 3

To turn the grid on or off and set the grid spacing

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Snap and Grid tab.
4 Click the Grid On check box to turn the grid on or off.
5 Under Grid Spacing, in the X field, choose the horizontal grid spacing.
6 Under Grid Spacing, in the Y field, choose the vertical grid spacing.
7 Click OK.

Use the shortcuts for toggling the grid display on and off.
Double-click the GRID setting on the status bar, click the Reference Grid tool ( )
on the Settings toolbar, or press F7.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 81

A
B

C Q

D P
E O

F N
M
G
L

H K
I J

A Click to enable orthogonal mode. J Click to display a dotted grid for paper sheets
B Click to enable crosshairs locking to the nearest and layouts (Layout tabs); otherwise a lined grid
snap point. displays.
C Click to enable snap mode. K Click to display a dotted grid for model space
(Model tab); otherwise a lined grid displays.
D Specify the x and y snap spacing.
L Click to display the grid beyond the limits area.
E Specify the polar snap spacing (available if Snap
Type is set to Polar). M Click to split the grid if the zoom level is smaller
than the grid unit (available if adaptive grid is
F Select whether to use standard grid snapping turned on).
(Grid) or to use polar snapping (Polar).
N Click to enable an adaptive grid, which
G Click to use a rectangular or isometric snap. If proportionally scales according to the zoom
isometric, select the initial isoplane: top, left ratio.
(default), or right.
O Enter the number of minor grid lines to display
H Specify the x- and y-coordinates of the snap for every major grid line.
origin.
P Specify the x and y grid spacing.
I Specify the snap rotation angle. The grid will
display rotated to match the snap setting. Q Click to display the reference grid.
82 CHAPTER 3

Setting snap spacing

Another way to ensure drawing accuracy is to turn on and set snap spacing. When
snap is turned on, the program restricts the selection points to predetermined snap
intervals. Although it is often helpful to match the snap spacing to some interval of
the grid spacing or another related setting, the settings do not have to match.

To turn snap settings on and set snap spacing

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Snap and Grid tab.
4 Click the Snap On check box to turn Snap on.
5 Under Snap Spacing, in the X field, choose the horizontal snap spacing.
6 Under Snap Spacing, in the Y field, choose the vertical snap spacing.
7 Click OK.

Use the shortcuts for toggling the snap settings on and off.
?lick the Entity Snap Settings button on the status bar or press F9.

In addition to setting the snap spacing, you can change the snap and grid orientation.
You can also rotate the alignment of the grid or set it to create isometric drawings.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 83

Changing the snap and grid angle and base point

The snap and grid are both normally based on the drawing origin, the 0,0 coordinate
in the World Coordinate System (WCS). You can relocate the snap and grid origin,
however, to help you draw entities in relation to a different location. You can also
rotate the grid to a different angle to realign the crosshairs to the new grid angle. If the
grid is on, and the grid spacing is 0,0, then the grid defaults to the snap spacing.

To change the snap angle and base point

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Snap and Grid tab.
4 Click the Snap On check box to turn Snap on.
5 Click the Grid On check box to turn Grid on.
6 In Snap Basepoint, type the x-coordinate and y-coordinate of the new snap origin.
7 In Rotation, type the snap rotation angle, which also changes the display of the
grid.
8 Click OK.

Default grid and snap alignment. Rotated grid and snap alignment.
84 CHAPTER 3

Using isometric snap and grid

You can use the Isometric Snap and Grid option to create two-dimensional isometric
drawings. With the isometric option, you are simply drawing a simulated three-
dimensional view on a two-dimensional plane, much the same as you might draw on
a piece of paper. Do not confuse isometric drawings with three-dimensional draw-
ings. You create three-dimensional drawings in three-dimensional space.
The isometric option always uses three preset planes, which are denoted as left, right,
and top. You cannot alter the arrangement of these planes. If the snap angle is 0, the
three isometric axes are 30 degrees, 90 degrees, and 150 degrees.
When you use the Isometric Snap option and select an isometric plane, the snap inter-
vals, grid, and crosshairs align with the current plane. The grid is always shown as
isometric and uses y-coordinates to calculate the grid spacing. If you click the Draw
Orthogonal check box, the program restricts the drawing of entities to the current iso-
metric plane.

Use the shortcut to toggle between isometric planes.

Press F5.

To turn the Isometric Snap and Grid option on

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Snap and Grid tab.
4 Click the Snap On check box to turn Snap on.
5 Click the Grid On check box to turn Grid on.
6 Under Snap Type, choose Isometric, then choose the option for the initial isomet-
ric plane you want (Top, Left, or Right).
7 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 85

A B

Isometric planes left (A), right (B), top (C).

Using orthogonal locking

You can restrict cursor movement to the current horizontal and vertical axes so that
you can draw at right angles, or orthogonally. For example, with the default 0-degree
orientation (angle 0 at the “three o’clock” or “east” position), when the Draw Orthog-
onal option is enabled, lines are restricted to 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, or
270 degrees. As you draw lines, the rubber-banding line follows either the horizontal
or vertical axis, depending on which axis is farthest from the cursor. When you
enable the isometric snap and grid, cursor movement is restricted to orthogonal
equivalents within the current isometric plane.

Sometimes orthogonal locking is not used even when it is turned on.

IntelliCAD ignores orthogonal locking when you type coordinates in the command
bar or when you use entity snaps. Additionally, orthogonal locking and polar track-
ing cannot be used at the same time — turning one option on turns the other option
off.

To enable orthogonal locking

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Draw Orthogonal check box.
4 Click OK.

Toggle orthogonal locking on and off.

On the status bar, click Orthogonal On/Off ( ) or press F8. You can also click the
Draw Orthogonal tool ( ) on the Settings toolbar.
86 CHAPTER 3

Using polar tracking

When polar tracking is turned on, guides display on the screen automatically at the
polar angle increment that you specify. For example, if you draw a line with polar
tracking turned on at 45 degrees, the rubber-banding line displays at 45 degree angle
increments.
Polar tracking and orthogonal locking cannot be used at the same time — turning one
option on turns the other option off.

To enable polar tracking and specify the polar angle increment

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Polar Tracking tab.
4 Click the Polar Tracking check box.
5 Do one of the following to specify the polar angle increments:
• In Increment, select an angle.
• Mark the Additional Angles check box and click New to define a custom angle
increment.
6 Click OK.

Toggle polar tracking on and off.

Click Polar Tracking On/Off on the status bar, type POLARTRACK in the command
line, press F10, or press Ctrl+U.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 87

C
D

E
F

A Select Polar Tracking. D Select to specify angle increments that are not
B Select to display polar tracking guides on the defined in the Increment Angle list.
screen. E Click to add a new angle increment.
C Select the angle at which you want the guides to F Click to delete the currently selected angle from
display. the Additional Angles list.
88 CHAPTER 3

Using dynamic input

When dynamic input is turned on, guides display on the screen automatically as you
draw and edit your drawing. Dynamic input can display when you are prompted for a
point, prompted for dimensions such as distances and angles, and prompted for com-
mand input that you would typically enter at the command line. You can determine
many settings for how dynamic input prompts for input and even how the tooltips dis-
play on your screen.

To turn on dynamic input

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Dynamic Input tab.
3 Choose which parts of dynamic input you want to turn on:
• Enable pointer input A field near the cursor that displays and accepts coordinate
values when a command asks you for a point.
• Enable dimension input A field near the cursor that displays and accepts
distance and angle values when a command prompts you for a second point or
a distance.
• Show command prompting and command input near the crosshairs A prompt
near the cursor that allows you to type command input.
4 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 89

A F

B E

A Mark box to turn on pointer input. D Click to choose tooltip appearance settings.
B Click to specify various options for pointer input. E Click to specify various options for dimension
C Mark to display command prompts and allow input.
command input in dynamic input tooltips. F Mark to turn on dimension input.

Toggle dynamic input on and off.

On the status bar, click Dynamic Input On/Off to turn pointer input, dimension input,
and command prompting on or off all at once.
90 CHAPTER 3

To customize pointer input settings

1 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Dynamic Input tab.
2 In Pointer Input, click Settings.
3 Choose whether you want pointer input to default to Polar or Cartesian format for
default second and next points.
4 Choose whether you want pointer input to default to Relative or Absolute coordi-
nates for second and next points.
5 Choose when you want pointer input tooltips to display:
• After Starting to Type Coordinate Data Pointer input tooltips appear only when
you start typing coordinate data.
• When a Command Prompts for a Point Pointer input tooltips automatically
appear when a command prompts for a point.
• Always - Even When Not in a Command Pointer input tooltips always display.
6 If you want to always display a symbol indicating the point format, mark Show
'@' or '#' Before Coordinates.
7 Click OK.

To customize dimension input settings

1 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Dynamic Input tab.
2 In Dimension Input, click Settings.
3 Choose one of the following to determine when dimension input displays during
grip editing:
• One Dimension Input Field Only Displays one dimension input field which can
vary depending on the entity selected.
• Two Dimension Input Fields Displays two dimension input fields which can
vary depending on the entity selected.
• Any Combination of Dimension Input Fields Displays all enabled dimension
input fields that you select: resulting dimension mark, length change mark,
absolute angle mark, angle change mark, and arc radius mark.
4 If you want to use the ANGBASE system variable when specifying the north
direction relative to the current UCS, mark Use ANGBASE Angle. If unmarked,
ANGBASE is ignored which can lead to unpredictable results in some cases.
5 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 91

To customize the appearance of dynamic input tooltips

1 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Dynamic Input tab.
2 Click Tooltip Appearance.
3 In Model Space Colors, select a color for the text and background of dynamic
input tooltips that display in model space.
4 In Paper Space Colors, select a color for the text and background of dynamic input
tooltips that display in paper space.
5 In Size, move the slider to specify the size of dynamic input tooltips and text.
6 In Transparency, move the slider to specify the transparency of dynamic input
tooltips and text.
7 Click OK.
92 CHAPTER 3

Setting up selection cycling

Selection cycling allows you to cycle through overlapping entities under the cursor.
Use the Selection Cycling tab to determine how selection cycle works.

To set up selection cycling

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Selection Cycling tab.
3 Choose the cycling method for overlapping entities:
• Ctrl + click to cycle Press Ctrl with a mouse click to cycle through overlapping
entities.
• Multi-click to cycle Use multiple mouse clicks to cycle through overlapping
entities.
• Shift + Spacebar to cycle Press Shift + Spacebar to cycle through overlapping
entities.
4 Choose the visual aids you want to display:
• Enable visual aids for selection cycling (Ctrl+W) Mark to turn on visual aids
when selecting entities that overlap.
• Display an icon when hovering over overlapping entities Mark to display an
icon at the cursor when you hover over overlapping entities.
• Display a list when selecting overlapping entities Mark to display a Selection
Cycling list when you select overlapping entities.
5 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 93

B
C
D

A Choose to cycle through overlapping entities by C Select to display an icon at the cursor when you
pressing Ctrl with a mouse click, multiple mouse hover over overlapping entities.
clicks, or pressing Shift + Space. D Select to display a Selection Cycling list when
B Select to turn on visual aids when selecting you select overlapping entities.
entities that overlap.
94 CHAPTER 3

Using entity snaps

Entity snaps enable you to quickly select exact geometric points on existing entities
without having to know the exact coordinates of those points. With entity snaps, you
can select the endpoint of a line or arc, the center point of a circle, the intersection of
any two entities, or any other geometrically significant position. You can also use
entity snaps to draw entities that are tangent or perpendicular to an existing entity.
You can use entity snaps any time the program prompts you to specify a point—for
example, if you are drawing a line or other entity. You can work with entity snaps in
one of two ways:
• Enable a running entity snap that remains in effect until you turn it off by choosing
an entity snap when no other command is active.
• Enable a one-time entity snap for a single selection by choosing an entity snap
when another command is active. You can also use a one-time entity snap to over-
ride a running entity snap.

If you type the name of entity snaps, you don’t need to type the whole name.
Type only the first three letters of the snap name.

When using entity snaps, the program recognizes only visible entities or visible por-
tions of entities. You cannot snap to entities on layers that have been turned off or fro-
zen.
When you specify one or more entity snaps, an entity snap target box is added to the
crosshairs. In addition, an icon appears adjacent to the crosshairs indicating the active
entity snap. When you select an entity, the program snaps to the snap point closest to
the center of the target box.

Setting entity snaps

You can set entity snaps using any of the following methods:
• On the ribbon, choose Draw and in Entity Snaps, choose the entity snap you want
to set.
• Choose Tools > Entity Snaps, and choose the entity snap you want to set.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click one of the entity snap tools.
• In the command bar, type an entity snap command.
• In the status bar, click Entity Snap Settings and choose the entity snap you want to
set.
• Press and hold down the Shift key while right-clicking anywhere within the draw-
ing window to display the entity snap shortcut menu, and then choose the entity
snap you want to set.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 95

You can also set entity snaps using the Drawing Settings dialog box. To do this,
choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Entity Snap Settings. The Drawing Settings dialog box
is displayed with the Coordinate Input tab active. In the Entity Snap Modes list, click
the check box for each of the entity snaps that you want to set.

There are several indicators if an entity snap is active.

If you select an entity snap, a check mark appears next to the entity snap in the menu,
the associated tool if the Entity Snaps toolbar is active, and the corresponding box is
checked in the Coordinate Input tab of the Drawing Settings dialog box.

To change the size of the entity snap target box

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Entity Selection tab.
4 Under Entity Snap Aperture, change the value in the Aperture field.
5 Click OK.
96 CHAPTER 3

A Choose Entity Selection. B Type or select the entity snap aperture size.

Nearest snap
Use the Nearest snap to snap to the nearest point of another entity. You can snap to
the nearest point on an arc, circle, ellipse, elliptical arc, line, point, polyline segment,
ray, spline, infinite line, or hatch pattern that is visually closest to the cursor.

To set the Nearest snap

Do one of the following to choose Nearest ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Nearest (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Nearest.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Nearest tool.
• Type nearest and then press Enter.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 97

Endpoint snap
Use the Endpoint snap to snap to the endpoint of another entity. You can snap to the
closest endpoint of an arc, line, polyline segment, ray, hatch pattern, plane, or three-
dimensional face. If an entity has thickness, the Endpoint snap also snaps to the end-
points of the edges of the entity.
To set the Endpoint snap
Do one of the following to choose Endpoint ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Endpoint (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Endpoint.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Endpoint tool.
• Type endpoint and then press Enter.

To snap to the endpoint, select anywhere on the entity near its endpoint (A).

Midpoint snap
Use the Midpoint snap to snap to the midpoint of another entity. You can snap to the
midpoint of an arc, ellipse, line, polyline segment, plane, infinite line, spline, or hatch
pattern. In the case of infinite lines, the midpoint snaps to the first defined point. If an
entity has thickness, the midpoint entity snap also snaps to the midpoint of the edges
of the entity.

Type m2p or mtp to enable a one-time snap to the midpoint between two points.
You specify the points, such as two points selected using entity snaps.

To set the Midpoint snap

Do one of the following to choose Midpoint ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Midpoint (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Midpoint.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Midpoint tool.
98 CHAPTER 3

• Type midpoint and then press Enter.

To snap to the midpoint, select anywhere on the entity near its midpoint (A).

Center snap
Use the Center snap to snap to the center point of another entity. You can snap to the
center of an arc, circle, polygon, ellipse, or elliptical arc. To snap to the center, you
must select a visible portion of the entity.

To set the Center snap

Do one of the following to choose Center ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Center (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Center.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Center tool.
• Type center and then press Enter.

To snap to the center, select anywhere on the visible portion of the entity (A).

Geometric Center snap

Use the Geometric Center snap to snap to the centroid of another entity. You can snap
to the geometric center of any closed polyline or spline. To snap to the geometric cen-
ter, you must select a visible portion of the entity.

To set the Geometric Center snap

Do one of the following to choose Geometric Center ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Geometric Center (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Geometric Center.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Geometric Center tool.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 99

• Type gcenter and then press Enter.

To snap to the geometric center, select anywhere on the visible portion of the
entity (A).

Perpendicular snap
Use the Perpendicular snap to snap to a point perpendicular to the selected entity.
You can snap to an arc, circle, ellipse, line, polyline, infinite line, ray, spline, hatch
pattern, or edge of a plane to form a perpendicular alignment with that entity or with
an imaginary extension of that entity.

To set the Perpendicular snap

Do one of the following to choose Perpendicular ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Perpendicular (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Perpendicular.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Perpendicular tool.
• Type perpendicular and then press Enter.

To form a perpendicular angle (A) to an entity (B), select anywhere on

the entity.

Tangent snap
Use the Tangent snap to snap to the tangent point of another entity. You can snap to
the point on an arc, ellipse, spline, or circle that, when connected to the previous
point, forms a line tangent to that entity.

To set the Tangent snap

Do one of the following to choose Tangent ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Tangent (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Tangent.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Tangent tool.
100 CHAPTER 3

• Type tangent and then press Enter.

To snap to a tangent, select the entity near the tangent point (A).

Quadrant snap
Use the Quadrant snap to snap to the quadrant point of another entity. You can snap
to the closest quadrant of an arc, circle, ellipse, or elliptical arc.

To set the Quadrant snap

Do one of the following to choose Quadrant ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Quadrant (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps> Quadrant.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Quadrant tool.
• Type quadrant and then press Enter.

To snap to a quadrant, select the entity near the quadrant point (A).
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 101

Insertion Point snap

Use the Insertion Point snap to snap to the insertion point of an attribute, block, or
text entity.

To set the Insertion Point snap

Do one of the following to choose Insertion Point ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Insertion Point (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps> Insertion Point.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Insertion Point tool.
• Type insertion and then press Enter.

To snap to an insertion point, select anywhere on the entity (A).

Node snap
Use the Node snap to snap to a point entity.

To set the Node snap

Do one of the following to choose Node ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Node (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Node.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Node tool.
• Type node and then press Enter.

To snap to a point entity, select the entity (A).

102 CHAPTER 3

Extension snap
Use the Extension snap to snap to a temporary extension line of an arc or line. To
make the extension line visible, pause the cursor over the endpoints of the entity.
To set the Extension snap
Do one of the following to choose Extension ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Extension (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Extension.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Extension tool.
• Type extension and then press Enter.

Parallel snap
Use the Parallel snap to show parallel guides when picking second and subsequent
points of new linear entities. Guides display parallel to lines, infinite lines, rays, or
linear segments of polylines that you indicate with the cursor.

Turn Orthogonal off before using parallel snapping

On the status bar, click Orthogonal On/Off ( ) or press F8 to turn it off or on.

To set the Parallel snap

Do one of the following to choose Parallel ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Parallel (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Parallel.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Parallel tool.
• Type parallel and then press Enter.

Select the first point of an entity (A), hover over the desired parallel entity (B),
then move the cursor back to the new entity to view the guide.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 103

To draw a parallel linear entity

1 Choose a command, for example, line.
2 Select the entity’s first point.
3 Type par and then press Enter.
4 Move the cursor over the desired linear entity. A small “x” marks the position on
the linear entity.
5 Select additional entities if necessary. You can also deselect an entity by moving
the cursor over its corresponding “x.”
6 Move the cursor back to the entity you are creating and use the parallel guide to
specify the next point of the entity.

Apparent Intersection snap

The Apparent Intersection snap snaps to the intersection of two entities that do not
intersect in three-dimensional space but seem to intersect in the current view. You
can snap to the intersection of any two entities in the combination of an arc, circle,
line, infinite line, polyline, ray, ellipse, elliptical arc, spline, hatch pattern, polygon
mesh, or polyface mesh. You can also snap to an intersection point within a single
entity, including a polyline or spline.
The Extended Apparent Intersection snap snaps to the logical location where two
entities (lines, arcs, or elliptical segments) would intersect if they were of infinite
length. Dashed extension lines are drawn to help show the extended apparent inter-
section.

There are two types of intersection snaps.

You can set the Apparent Intersection snap or Intersection snap, but you cannot use
both at the same time.

To set the Apparent Intersection snap

Do one of the following to choose Apparent Intersection ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Apparent Intersection (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Apparent Intersection.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Apparent Intersection tool.
• Type apparent and then press Enter.
104 CHAPTER 3

To snap to an intersection, select the apparent intersection (A).

To snap to an extended apparent intersection point

1 Choose a command, for example, line.
2 Type app and then press Enter.
3 Select an extended apparent intersection point.

The Extended Apparent Intersection snap turns off automatically after you select a
point.

From Point snap

Use the From Point snap to set a temporary base point from which to offset point
selection. The From Point snap can be used only while another active command is
requesting a point.

To set a temporary offset point

1 Choose a command, for example, type line or move.
2 Do one of the following to choose From Point ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > From Point (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > From Point.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the From Point tool.
• Type from and then press Enter.
3 Select where to place the temporary base point.
4 Enter the offset distance from the base point, for example, (@8.5,0), where you
want to locate the next point. Note that entering (8.5,0) places an absolute point
from the UCS origin, not a relative point from the base point.
5 Continue with the original command.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 105

Track Point snap

Use the Track Point snap to set a temporary tracking point while using a command.
The Track Point snap can be used only while another active command is requesting a
point.

To set a Track Point snap

1 Choose a command, for example, type line or move.
2 Do one of the following to choose Track Point ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Track Point (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Track Point.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Track Point tool.
• Type tt and then press Enter.
3 Select a point to mark a temporary tracking point.
4 Continue with the original command.

Mid Between 2 Points snap

Use the Mid Between 2 Points snap to set a temporary midpoint snap between two
points. The Mid Between 2 Points snap can be used only while another active com-
mand is requesting a point.

To set a temporary midpoint snap between two points

1 Choose a command, for example, line or move.
2 Do one of the following to choose Mid Between 2 Points ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Mid Between 2 Points (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Mid Between 2 Points.
• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Mid Between 2 Points tool.
• Type m2p (or mtp) and then press Enter.
3 Select the first point.
4 Select the second point. The midpoint is calculated automatically.
5 Continue with the original command.

Clearing entity snaps

Use the Clear Entity Snaps command to turn off all entity snap settings, regardless of
how they were set: by menu, tool, command, or in the Drawing Settings dialog box.

To clear entity snaps

Do one of the following to choose Clear Entity Snaps ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Clear Entity Snaps (in Entity Snaps).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Entity Snaps > Clear Entity Snaps.
106 CHAPTER 3

• On the Entity Snaps toolbar, click the Clear Entity Snaps tool.
• Type none and then press Enter.

Using fly-over snapping

Fly-over snapping is a visual aid to help you see and use entity snaps more efficiently.
When fly-over snapping is turned on, IntelliCAD displays a colored marker at match-
ing entity snap points as you move the crosshairs around the drawing.

Viewing fly-over snap markers

Each entity snap has its own marker.

Fly-over snap markers

Marker Entity snap
Endpoint

Nearest

Midpoint

Center

Geometric Center

Perpendicular

Tangent

Extension

Quadrant

Insertion Point

Parallel

Node

Intersection

Apparent Intersection
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 107

Setting up fly-over snapping

When fly-over snapping is enabled and multiple entity snaps are on, you can press
Tab to cycle through the available entity snap points of the entities covered by the tar-
get box. For example, when the Endpoint and Midpoint snaps are on and the aperture
box is located on a line, press Tab to cycle between the line's closest endpoint and
midpoint.

To set the fly-over snapping options

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings or choose Tools > Entity Snaps
> Entity Snap Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Entity Snaps tab.
4 Click Display Options. The Options dialog box opens to the Drafting tab.
5 Choose Marker to turn on fly-over snapping, also called AutoSnap.
6 Set the fly-over options, including the color and size of the AutoSnap marker.
7 Click OK.
8 Click OK again.

For details about the various fly-over snapping options, see “Changing the options on
the Drafting tab” on page 874.
108 CHAPTER 3

Using entity snap tracking

When entity snap tracking is turned on, guides display at specified angles outward
from temporary tracking points. This can help you draw and modify entities using the
relative position of existing entities, for example, inserting a block with the same y-
coordinate of an existing line.
Temporary tracking points are marked with a red plus sign, and can be placed any-
where in the drawing. To select where tracking points display, first activate a com-
mand that requests a point, then:
• Move the cursor and hover over an entity snap point to add a tracking point.
• Choose the Track Point command, then select anywhere in the drawing for the
tracking point to reside.
• Move the cursor and hover over an existing tracking point to remove a tracking
point.

You can set up entity snap tracking to display guides at 90-degree increments or addi-
tional increments that are defined for polar tracking. You can also set up entity snap
tracking to display guides relative to the current UCS or relative to the last segment
drawn.
To use entity snap tracking, at least one entity snap must be turned on and running
snaps cannot be turned off. Polar tracking does not have to be turned on in order to
use entity snap tracking.

To turn entity snap tracking on or off

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Entity Snaps tab.
4 Click the Entity Snap Tracking checkbox.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 109

Toggle entity snap tracking on and off.

Click the Entity Snap Tracking On/Off on the status bar, type ENTTRACK, or press
F11.

C
A

Start a command, hover over one or more entity snap points to mark them with a
tracking point (A then B), then move the cursor to view the guides (C). In this
example, the Midpoint snap is turned on and entity snap tracking displays at 90-
degree increments.

To specify settings for entity snap tracking

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Coordinate Input tab.
3 Click the Polar Tracking tab.
4 Select one of the following to specify entity tracking settings:
• Orthogonal Only 90-degree angle increments are used for entity snap tracking,
regardless of polar tracking settings.
• Use all polar tracking angles All defined polar tracking angles, including those
other than 90-degree angle increments, are used for entity snap tracking.
5 Select one of the following to specify how the angles of guides are calculated for
entity snap tracking:
• Absolute Guides display at angles relative to the current UCS.
• Relative to last segment Guides display at angles relative to the last segment
drawn, if creating entities with multiple segments (otherwise guides display at
absolute angles).
6 Click OK.
110 CHAPTER 3

A Select to use either 90-degree increment angles B Select whether angles for guides are calculated
or all angles specified in Increment Angle and relative to the current UCS or relative to the last
Additional Angles for polar tracking. previously drawn segment when drawing entities
with more than one segment.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 111

Saving your drawing

When you save a drawing, your work is saved in a drawing (.dwg) file.
After you have saved your drawing for the first time, you can save it with a new
name. In addition to drawing (.dwg) files, you can also save a drawing in a Drawing
Exchange Format (.dxf) file or a drawing template (.dwt) file.
If you created your drawing using a template, saving the drawing does not alter the
original template.
If you need an added level of security for your drawing files, you can save the draw-
ing with a password so only you and those who know the password can open the
drawing.

Saving a drawing
To save a drawing, choose any of the following methods to choose Save ( ):
• On the ribbon Quick Access toolbar, click Save, or on the ribbon Application but-
ton, choose Save.
• On the menu, choose File > Save.
• On the Standard toolbar, click Save.
• Type save and then press Enter.
• Type qsave and then press Enter.

When you save a drawing the first time, the program displays the Save Drawing As
dialog box so that you can choose a directory and type a name for the drawing. You
can use any name when you first save the drawing.
112 CHAPTER 3

A
E

B
C
D

A Displays a description of the file size, creation C Turns the drawing preview on or off.
date, and other information about the drawing. D Saves the drawing with a password.
B Unavailable when saving drawings; available E Displays an image of the drawing before you
only when opening drawings. save it.

Saving a drawing with a new name or file format

You can save a drawing with a new name and in any of the following file formats:
• Standard drawing files with a .dwg extension. You can choose a .dwg file format
that is compatible with various versions of AutoCAD.
• Drawing Exchange Format files with a .dxf file extension. You can choose a .dxf
file format that is compatible with various versions of AutoCAD.
• Drawing templates with a .dwt file extension. Drawing templates allow you to eas-
ily create new drawings that reuse your drawing settings and entities.

To save a drawing with a new name or file format

1 Do one of the following to choose Save As:
• On the ribbon Quick Access toolbar, click Save As, or on the ribbon Application
button, choose Save As.
• On the menu, choose File > Save As.
• Type saveas and then press Enter.
2 In the Save Drawing As dialog box, under Save As Type, choose the file format.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.
 WORKING WITH DRAWINGS 113

Drawings can also be saved by exporting to various file formats.

For more details, see “Exporting drawings” on page 814.

Saving a drawing with a password

Sometimes drawings may contain confidential information and you want to control
who has access to that information. If you need an added level of security, you can
save a drawing with a password so only you and those who know the password can
open the drawing.
To save a drawing with a password, you must save it as a .dwg file for AutoCAD ver-
sion 2004 or newer.

Record passwords or use familiar words.

If you forget a drawing’s password, the drawing cannot be opened or recovered. You
may want to store all passwords in a safe place.

To save a drawing with a password

1 Do one of the following to choose Save As:
• On the ribbon Quick Access toolbar, click Save As, or on the ribbon Application
button, choose Save As.
• On the menu, choose File > Save As.
• Type saveas and then press Enter.
2 In the Save Drawing As dialog box, under Save As Type, choose a .dwg file for
AutoCAD version 2004 or newer.
3 Click Password Protect.
4 Choose a folder where you want to save the drawing.
5 In File Name, specify the name of the file you want to create.
6 Click Save.
7 In the Password dialog box, enter a password.
8 If desired, record and store the password in a safe place. If you forget the draw-
ing’s password, the drawing cannot be opened or recovered.
9 Click OK.
114 CHAPTER 3
 4

Creating simple entities

Simple entities include lines (both finite and infinite), circles, arcs, ellipses, elliptical
arcs, points, and rays. In addition, IntelliCAD includes a freehand sketch tool that can
be used to create simple entities.
This section explains several methods for creating simple entities, including how to:
• Use menu commands on the Draw menu.
• Use the tools on the Draw toolbar.
• Type commands in the command bar.
In some cases, there are a number of different ways to create an entity. For the most
part, one or two are given in this guide. Refer to the Command Reference in the
online Help to learn how to create entities using other methods.
When you use a tool or a drawing command, the program prompts you to enter coor-
dinate points, such as endpoints or insertion points. You can enter the points or dis-
tances either using a mouse or by typing coordinate values in the command bar. As
you draw, IntelliCAD also displays a context-sensitive prompt box with appropriate
additional options for the type of entity you are drawing.
After you create entities, you can modify them using the entity modification tools.

Topics in this chapter

Drawing lines .................................................................................................... 116
Drawing circles ................................................................................................. 117
Drawing arcs..................................................................................................... 121
Drawing ellipses................................................................................................ 125
Drawing elliptical arcs ....................................................................................... 126
Drawing point entities ....................................................................................... 127
Drawing rays ..................................................................................................... 129
Drawing infinite lines......................................................................................... 130
Drawing construction lines................................................................................ 132
Drawing freehand sketches .............................................................................. 139
116 CHAPTER 4

Drawing lines
A line consists of two points: a start point and an endpoint. You can connect a series
of lines, but each line segment is considered a separate line entity.

To draw a line
1 Do one of the following to choose Line ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Line or choose Draw > Line.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Line.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Line tool.
• Type line and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the endpoint.
4 In the prompt box, choose Done to complete the command.

B
A

Start point (A) and endpoint (B).

The prompt box provides several options as you draw. For example, when you draw
the first line segment, you can specify its length or orientation angle. After you draw
at least one line segment, you can click Undo to remove the previous line segment.
You can click Done to end the line command. After you draw two or more line seg-
ments, you can click Close to complete the line command by drawing a line segment
that connects to the start point of the first line segment you drew.
If the last entity you drew was an arc, you can also draw a line tangent to and starting
from the endpoint of the arc.

To draw a line as a continuation from the end of an arc

1 Do one of the following to choose Line ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Line or choose Draw > Line.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Line.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Line tool.
• Type line and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Follow.
3 Specify the length of the line.
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 117

Endpoint of previous arc (A) and length of the line (B).

Drawing circles
The default method for drawing a circle is to specify a center point and radius. You
can draw circles using any of the following methods:
• Center-Radius ( )
• Center-Diameter ( )
• 2-Points ( )
• 3-Points ( )
• Radius-Tangents ( )
• Tan-Tan-Tan
• Convert Arc to Circle ( )

To draw a circle by specifying its center and radius

1 Do one of the following to choose Circle Center-Radius ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Circle Center-Radius or choose Draw > Circle
Center-Radius.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Circle > Circle Center-Radius.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Circle Center-Radius tool.
• Type circle and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center point.
3 Specify the radius of the circle.

B
A

Center point (A) and radius (B).

118 CHAPTER 4

To draw a circle by specifying its center and diameter

1 Do one of the following to choose Circle Center-Diameter ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Circle Center-Diameter or choose Draw > Circle
Center-Diameter. Skip step 3.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Circle > Circle Center-Diameter. Skip step 3.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Circle tool.
• Type circle and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center point.
3 In the prompt box choose Diameter.
4 Specify the second point indicating the diameter of the circle.

Center point (A) and diameter (B).

To draw a circle by specifying two endpoints of the diameter
1 Do one of the following to choose Circle 2-Points ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Circle 2-Points or choose Draw > Circle 2-
Points. Go to step 3.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Circle > Circle 2-Points. Go to step 3.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Circle tool.
• Type circle and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box choose 2 Points.
3 Specify the first endpoint of the diameter of the circle.
4 Specify the second endpoint of the diameter of the circle.

First endpoint (A) and second endpoint (B).

 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 119

To draw a circle by specifying three points on the circumference

1 Do one of the following to choose Circle 3-Points ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Circle 3-Points or choose Draw > Circle 3-
Points. Go to step 3.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Circle > Circle 3-Points. Go to step 3.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Circle tool.
• Type circle and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box choose 3 Points.
3 Specify the first point on the circumference of the circle.
4 Specify the second point on the circumference of the circle.
5 Specify the third point on the circumference of the circle.

First point (A), second point (B), third point (C).

To draw a circle by specifying its radius and two tangent points
1 Do one of the following to choose Circle Radius-Tangents ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Circle Radius-Tangents or choose Draw > Circle
Radius-Tangents. Go to step 3.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Circle > Circle Radius-Tangents. Go to step 3.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Circle tool.
• Type circle and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Tangent-Tangent-Radius.
3 Select the first entity that you want the circle to touch
4 Select the second entity that you want the circle to touch.
5 Specify the radius of the circle.
120 CHAPTER 4

B
C

Tangent lines (A) and (B) and radius of circle (C).

To draw a circle tangent to three entities
1 Do one of the following to choose Tan-Tan-Tan ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Circle Tan-Tan-Tan or choose Draw > Circle
Tan-Tan-Tan. Go to step 3.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Circle > Tan-Tan-Tan. Go to step 3.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Circle tool.
• Type circle and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Tangent-Tangent-Tangent.
3 Select the first entity that you want the circle to touch
4 Select the second entity that you want the circle to touch.
5 Select the third entity you want the circle to touch.

C
A

First tangent entity (A), second tangent entity (B) and third
tangent entity (C).

To convert an arc to a circle

1 Do one of the following to choose Convert Arc to Circle ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Convert Arc to Circle or choose Draw > Convert
Arc to Circle.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Circle > Convert Arc to Circle.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Convert Arc to Circle tool.
Go to step 3.
• Type circle and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Turn Arc Into Circle.
3 Select the arc you want to convert to a circle.
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 121

Select an arc (A) to convert to a circle.

Drawing arcs
An arc is a portion of a circle. The default method for drawing an arc is to specify
three points—the start point, a second point, and the endpoint. You can draw arcs
using any of the following methods:
• Three points on an arc ( ).
• Start point-center-endpoint ( ), or Start point-endpoint-center ( ), or Center-
start point-endpoint ( ).
• Start point-center-included angle ( ), or Start point-included angle-center
( ), or Center-start point-included angle ( ).
• Start point-center-chord length ( ), or Center-start point-chord length ( ).
• Start point-endpoint-radius ( ), or Start point-radius-endpoint ( ).
• Start point-endpoint-included angle ( ), or Start point-included angle-endpoint
( ).
• Start point-endpoint-starting direction ( ), or Start point-starting direction-end-
point ( ).
• Start point-radius-angle ( ).
• As a tangent continuation of the previous arc or line ( ).
122 CHAPTER 4

To draw an arc by specifying three points

1 Do one of the following to choose 3-Point Arc ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > 3-Point Arc (in Draw) or choose Draw > 3-Point
Arc (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Arc > 3-Point Arc.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the 3-Point Arc tool.
• Type arc and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify a second point.
4 Specify the endpoint.

C
B

Start point (A), second point (B), and endpoint (C).

The prompt box provides additional options for drawing arcs. For example, after you
specify the start point of an arc, you can choose Angle, Center, Direction, Endpoint,
or Radius. You can select the options in a different order as well. For instance, you
can draw an arc by specifying its start point, endpoint, and radius, or you can specify
the start point, radius, and then endpoint.

To draw an arc by specifying its start point, center point, and endpoint
1 Do one of the following to choose Arc Start-Center-End ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Arc Start-Center-End (in Draw) or choose Draw
> Arc Start-Center-End (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Arc > Arc Start-Center-End.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Arc Start-Center-End tool.
• Type arc and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 In the prompt box, choose Center.
4 Specify the center point.
5 Specify the endpoint.
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 123

C
A

Start point (A), center point (B), and endpoint (C).

To draw an arc by specifying two points and an included angle
1 Do one of the following to choose Arc Start-End-Angle ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Arc Start-End-Angle (in Draw) or choose Draw
> Arc Start-End-Angle (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Arc > Arc Start-End-Angle.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Arc Start-End-Angle tool.
• Type arc and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 In the prompt box, choose Angle or type angle.
4 To draw an arc in a counterclockwise direction, enter a positive value for the
included angle.
To draw an arc in a clockwise direction, enter a negative value for the included
angle.
5 Specify the endpoint.

C
B
A

Start point (A), endpoint (B), and included angle (C).

If the last entity you drew was an arc or a line, you can also draw an arc tangent to and
starting from the endpoint of the arc or line.
124 CHAPTER 4

To draw an arc tangent to an arc or line

1 Do one of the following to choose Tangent Arc ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Tangent Arc (in Draw) or choose Draw >
Tangent Arc (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Arc > Tangent Arc.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Tangent Arc tool. Go to step 3.
• Type arc and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Follow.
3 Specify the endpoint.

Endpoint (A).

Arcs can be converted to circles

On the Draw toolbar, click the Convert Arc To Circle flyout tool ( ).
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 125

Drawing ellipses
The default method for drawing an ellipse is to specify the endpoints of one axis of
the ellipse, and then specify a distance representing half the length of the second axis.
The endpoints of the first axis determine the orientation of the ellipse. The longer axis
of the ellipse is called the major axis, and the shorter one is the minor axis. The order
in which you define the axes does not matter. The program determines the major and
minor axes based on their relative lengths. You can draw ellipses using any of the fol-
lowing methods:
• Axis-Axis ( )
• Axis-Rotation ( )
• Center-Axes ( )
• Center-Rotation ( )

To draw an ellipse by specifying the axis endpoints

1 Do one of the following to choose Ellipse Axis-Axis ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Ellipse Axis-Axis or choose Draw > Ellipse
Axis-Axis.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Ellipse > Ellipse Axis-Axis.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Ellipse Axis-Axis tool.
• Type ellipse and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first endpoint.
3 Specify the second endpoint.
4 Specify the half-length of the other axis.

A B
C

First axis endpoint (A), second axis endpoint (B), and half-length of other axis (C).
126 CHAPTER 4

Drawing elliptical arcs

An elliptical arc is a portion of an ellipse. The default method for drawing an ellipti-
cal arc is to specify the endpoints of one axis of the ellipse, and then specify a dis-
tance representing half the length of the second axis. Then you specify the start and
end angles for the arc, measured from the center of the ellipse in relation to its major
axis. You can draw elliptical arcs using any of the following methods:
• Axis-Axis ( )
• Axis-Rotation ( )
• Center-Axes ( )
• Center-Rotation ( )

To draw an elliptical arc by specifying the axis endpoints

1 Do one of the following to choose Elliptical Arc Axis-Axis ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Elliptical Arc Axis-Axis or choose Draw > Ellip-
tical Arc Axis-Axis.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Elliptical Arc > Elliptical Arc Axis-Axis.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Elliptical Arc Axis-Axis tool.
• Type ellipse and then press Enter, and then type a (for Arc) and press Enter.
2 Specify the first endpoint.
3 Specify the second endpoint.
4 Specify the half-length of the other axis.
5 Specify the start angle of the arc.
6 Specify the end angle.

IntelliCAD draws elliptical arcs in the direction you specify.

Go to Tools > Drawing Settings > Drawing Units tab. Click the Angular Units tab.
The default setting is counterclockwise.

D
A E
C

B
First axis endpoint (A), second axis endpoint (B), half-length of other axis (C), start angle of arc (D), and
end angle (E).
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 127

Drawing point entities

A point entity is a single x,y,z-coordinate location formatted as either a single dot or
as one of 19 other possible display styles.

Drawing points
You can draw points one at a time or several at a time.

To draw a point
1 Do one of the following to choose Point ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Point.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Point.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Point tool.
• Type point and then press Enter.
2 Specify the location of the point.

To draw several points

1 Do one of the following to choose Point ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Point.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Point.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Point tool.
• Type point and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Multiple Points.
3 Specify the location of each point.
4 In the prompt box, choose Done to complete the command.

Changing the size and appearance of point entities

Changing the size and appearance of point entities affects all point entities already in
the drawing, as well as all points that you subsequently draw. Positive values repre-
sent the absolute size of the point entity measured in drawing units. Negative values
represent a percentage relative to the drawing screen, so that points retain their visual
size as you use the Zoom command to change the magnification of the drawing.

To change the size and appearance of point entities

1 Do one of the following:
• Choose Format > Point Style.
• Type ddptype and then press Enter.
2 Under Point Display Type, select the style you want.
3 Under Point Size, select the point size, or choose one of the options.
128 CHAPTER 4

4 Click OK.

When you regenerate the drawing, all point entities change to reflect the new size and
appearance settings.

A To increase or decrease the point size, type or C Select the point display type that you want.
select a value.
B To use one of the preset point size options, click
the one that you want.
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 129

Drawing rays
A ray is a line in three-dimensional space that starts at a point and extends to infinity.
Because rays extend to infinity, they are not calculated as part of the drawing extents.
The default method for drawing a ray is to select the start point of the ray and then
specify its direction. You can draw a ray in any of the following ways:
• Horizontal draws the ray parallel to the x-axis of the current user coordinate sys-
tem (UCS).
• Vertical draws the ray parallel to the y-axis of the current UCS.
• Angle draws the ray parallel to a specified angle.
• Bisect draws the ray perpendicular to an existing entity.
• Offset draws the ray parallel to an existing entity.

To draw a ray
1 Do one of the following to choose Ray ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Ray or choose Draw > Ray.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Ray.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Ray tool.
• Type ray and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the direction.
4 To complete the command, press Enter.

A B

Start point (A) and direction (B).

130 CHAPTER 4

Drawing infinite lines

An infinite line is a line through a given point, oriented at a specified angle in three-
dimensional space and extending to infinity in both directions. Because infinite lines
extend to infinity, they are not calculated as part of the drawing extents.
The default method for drawing an infinite line is to select a point along the line and
then specify the direction of the line. You can draw an infinite line in any of the fol-
lowing ways:
• Horizontal draws the infinite line parallel to the x-axis of the current UCS.
• Vertical draws the infinite line parallel to the y-axis of the current UCS.
• Angle draws the infinite line parallel to a specified angle.
• Bisect draws the infinite line perpendicular to an existing entity.
• Parallel draws the infinite line parallel to an existing entity.

To draw an infinite line

1 Do one of the following to choose Infinite Line ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Infinite Line or choose Draw > Infinite Line.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Infinite Line.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Infinite Line tool.
• Type infline and then press Enter.
2 Specify a point along the line.
3 Specify the direction.
4 To complete the command, press Enter.
.

A
B

Point along the infinite line (A) and the direction (B).

You can also draw infinite lines at a specific angle or at an angle relative to an exist-
ing entity.
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 131

To draw an infinite line at a specified angle relative to another entity

1 Do one of the following to choose Infinite Line ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Infinite Line or choose Draw > Infinite Line.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Infinite Line.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Infinite Line tool.
• Type infline and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Angle.
3 In the prompt box, choose Reference.
4 Select the reference entity.
5 Specify the angle of the infinite line in relation to the selected entity.
6 Specify the location of the infinite line.
7 To complete the command, press Enter.

A B

Reference entity (A) and angle in relation to entity (B).

132 CHAPTER 4

Drawing construction lines

A construction line is a special type of infinite line that is typically used when quick
drafting techniques are required, for example, to make projections of front and side
views.
Similar to an infinite line, a construction line is a line through a given point, oriented
at a specified angle in three-dimensional space and extending to infinity in both direc-
tions. Because construction lines extend to infinity, they are not calculated as part of
the drawing extents.
Construction lines are drawn automatically on their own layer, which by default is
named CLINE. This makes it easy to change the appearance of construction lines;
simply change the properties of the layer such as its color, transparency, etc. Addi-
tionally, you can specify a different layer for locating construction lines using the
CLINELAYER system variable.
You can easily draw construction lines in any of the following ways:
• Select a point along the construction line and then specify the direction of the line
(default drawing method).
• Horizontally, vertically, or both.
• By bisecting an existing point, an entity, or two entities.
• According to a specified angle.
• Parallel to or on top of an existing entity.

Construction lines are drawn to match the current UCS.

You can quickly rotate the UCS using Draw > Construction Line > Rotate UCS Z and
Rotate UCS World (also available on the Construction Lines toolbar).

Drawing construction lines by specifying a basepoint

There are many quick ways to draw construction lines, but the default method is by
specifying a basepoint along the construction line and then its direction. Using this
method you can quickly draw an array of construction lines.
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 133

To draw a construction line by specifying a basepoint

1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Array from Basepoint
( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Array from Basepoint.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Array from Basepoint.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Array from Basepoint tool.
• Type cline then press Enter.
2 Specify a point along the line.
3 Specify the direction.
4 To complete the command, press Enter.
.

A
B

Point along the construction line (A) and the direction (B).

Drawing construction lines by bisecting an angle or entity

Bisection is a quick way to draw construction lines. You can bisect an angle that you
specify, or you can bisect one or two lines, arcs, or polyline segments.

To draw a construction line by bisecting an angle

1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Bisect Angle ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Bisect Angle.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Bisect Angle.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Bisect Angle tool.
• Type cline, press Enter, then choose Bisect in the prompt box.
2 Select an existing vertex point from which to reference the angle.
3 Specify the first point of the bisection angle.
4 Specify the second point of the bisection angle.
5 To complete the command, press Enter.
134 CHAPTER 4

C
A

Point to bisect (A), start of the bisection angle (B), and the
end of the bisection angle (C).
To draw a construction line by bisecting a line, arc, or polyline segment
1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Bisect Entity ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Bisect Entity.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Bisect Entity.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Bisect Entity tool.
• Type cline, press Enter, choose Bisect in the prompt box, then choose Entity in
the prompt box.
2 Select a line, arc, or polyline segment to bisect.

To draw a construction line by bisecting two lines, arcs, or polyline segments

1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Bisect Two Entities ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Bisect Two Entities.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Bisect Two Entities.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Bisect Two Entities tool.
• Type cline, press Enter, choose Bisect in the prompt box, then choose Two
Entities in the prompt box.
2 Select a line, arc, or polyline segment.
3 Select the second line, arc, or polyline segment.

Drawing construction lines horizontally and vertically

Construction lines can be drawn parallel to the x-axis of the current UCS (horizontal),
parallel to the y-axis of the current UCS (vertical), or parallel to both the x- and y-axis
of the current UCS (both horizontal and vertical).
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 135

To draw a horizontal construction line

1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Horizontal ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Horizontal.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Horizontal.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Horizontal tool.
• Type cline and then press Enter.
2 Specify a point along the line.
3 To complete the command, press Enter.
.

Point through which you want the horizontal construction

line to pass (A).
To draw a vertical construction line
1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Vertical ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Vertical.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Vertical.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Vertical tool.
• Type cline and then press Enter.
2 Specify a point along the line.
3 To complete the command, press Enter.
.

Point through which you want the vertical construction line

to pass (A).
136 CHAPTER 4

To draw both horizontal and vertical construction lines

1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Both Horizontal and Verti-
cal ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Both Horizontal and
Vertical.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Both Horizontal and Vertical.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Both Horizontal and Vertical tool.
• Type cline and then press Enter.
2 Specify a point where both construction lines intersect.
3 To complete the command, press Enter.

Horizontal and vertical construction lines can also be drawn automatically.

Choose Draw > Construction Line > Automatic Horizontal, Automatic Vertical, or
Automatic Both, then select the entities around which you want to draw construction
lines. Construction lines are drawn automatically without creating duplicates for
overlapping vertices or entities.

Drawing construction lines by specifying the angle

You can also draw construction lines at a specific angle or at an angle relative to an
existing entity.

To draw a construction line at a specified angle relative to another entity

1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Angled ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Angled.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Angled.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Angled tool.
• Type cline, choose Angle, and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Reference.
3 Select the reference entity.
4 Specify the angle of the construction line in relation to the selected entity.
5 Specify the location of the construction line.
6 To complete the command, press Enter.

A B

Reference entity (A) and angle in relation to entity (B).

 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 137

Drawing construction lines that parallel other entities

There are two options for drawing construction lines that parallel existing entities:
• Offset Draws a construction line parallel to an existing entity by a specified offset
distance.
• Match Draws a construction line on top of an existing entity.

To draw a construction line that parallels another entity and specify an offset
distance
1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Offset ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Offset.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Offset.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Offset tool.
• Type cline, choose Offset, and then press Enter.
2 Enter the distance you want the construction line drawn from an entity.
3 Select the entity that you want the construction line to parallel.
4 Select the side of the entity where you want to draw the construction line.
5 To complete the command, press Enter.
.

Entity you want to parallel (A) and the side for the
construction line (B).
To draw a construction line that parallels another entity and specify a through
point
1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Offset ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Offset.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Offset.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Offset tool.
• Type cline, choose Offset, and then press Enter.
2 Choose Through point.
3 Select the entity that you want the construction line to parallel.
4 Specify the point through which you want the construction line to pass.
5 To complete the command, press Enter.
138 CHAPTER 4

Entity you want to parallel (A) and the point through which
you want the construction line to pass (B).
To draw a construction line that parallels another entity and matches its location
1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > On Entity ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > On Entity.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > On Entity.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the On Entity tool.
• Type cline, choose Match, and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity that you want the construction line to match.
3 To complete the command, press Enter.

Erasing construction lines

You can delete construction lines as you would any other entity, but there are two
tools designed to make it easy to filter them automatically when selecting them for
deletion.

To delete one or more construction lines

1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Erase ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Erase.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Erase.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Erase tool.
• Type cline, choose Erase, and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more construction lines to delete.
3 To complete the command, press Enter.

To delete all construction lines in a drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Construction Line > Clear ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Construction Line > Clear.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Construction Line > Clear.
• On the Construction Line toolbar, click the Clear tool.
• Type cline, choose Clear, and then press Enter.
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 139

Drawing freehand sketches

A freehand sketch consists of many straight line segments, created either as individ-
ual line entities or as a polyline.

Creating freehand sketches

Before you begin creating a freehand sketch, you must set the length, or increment, of
each segment. The smaller the segments, the more accurate your sketch, but segments
that are too small can greatly increase the file size
After you specify the length of the sketch segments, the crosshairs change to a Pencil
tool. Your freehand sketch is not added to the drawing until you “write” the sketch
into your drawing. This means that you temporarily save the segment that you’ve
drawn and the segment length, and you can continue sketching.

To create a freehand sketch

1 Do one of the following to choose Freehand ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Freehand (in Draw) or Draw 3D > Freehand (in
Curves).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Freehand.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Freehand tool.
• Type freehand and then press Enter.
2 Specify the length of the sketch segments.
3 Click the mouse button to place the Pencil tool ( ) on the drawing to begin
sketching.
4 Move the pencil image to draw a temporary freehand sketch.
5 Click the mouse button to lift the pencil up to stop sketching.
6 In the prompt box, choose Write, Then Resume to write the temporary freehand
sketch into the drawing.
7 Click the mouse button to put the pencil down again and resume sketching.
8 Click the mouse button again to lift the pencil up to stop sketching.
9 In the prompt box, choose Done to write the temporary freehand sketch into the
drawing and end the command.

A freehand sketch consists of individual line entities or a polyline.

140 CHAPTER 4

Erasing freehand sketch lines

You can erase temporary freehand sketch lines that have not yet been written into the
drawing by choosing the Delete On option in the prompt box. The pencil changes to
an Eraser tool. You can erase portions of the line when you move the eraser over a
temporary freehand line without clicking the mouse button.

To erase freehand sketch lines

1 Do one of the following to choose Freehand ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Freehand (in Draw) or Draw 3D > Freehand (in
Curves).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Freehand.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Freehand tool.
• Type freehand and then press Enter.
2 Specify the length of the sketch segments.
3 Select a point on the drawing to display the Pencil tool and begin sketching.
4 Click the mouse button to lift the pencil up to stop sketching.
5 In the prompt box, choose Delete On.
6 Move the Eraser tool ( ) to the beginning or end of the freehand sketch line that
you drew, and then move it as far along the line as you want to erase.
7 Click the mouse button to put the Pencil tool down to resume sketching.

Setting the sketch method and accuracy

Using polylines for freehand sketches makes it easier to go back and edit sketches.
You control whether to create freehand sketches using line segments or polylines in
the Drawing Settings dialog box. You can also control the length of sketch segments
in this dialog box.
 CREATING SIMPLE ENTITIES 141

To specify lines or polylines when sketching

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Choose the Entity Creation tab.
3 Click the Freehand Sketches tab.
4 Under Freehand Sketching Methods, click either Freehand Command Creates
Lines or Freehand Command Creates A Polyline.
5 Click OK.

A Select the sketch method. B Specify the default length of sketch segments.
142 CHAPTER 4
 5

Creating complex entities

Complex entities include polylines (including rectangles, squares, and polygons),

spline curves, donuts, and planes. In addition, IntelliCAD includes tools for adding
tables, wipeouts, revision clouds, leaders, hatching, and gradients to your drawings.
In some cases, there are a number of different ways to create an entity. For the most
part, one or two are given in this guide. Refer to the Command Reference in the
online Help to learn how to create entities using other methods.
When you type a drawing command or select a tool, the program prompts you to
enter coordinate points, such as endpoints or insertion points. As you draw, the pro-
gram displays a context-sensitive prompt box with appropriate additional options for
the type of entity you are drawing.
After you create complex entities, you can modify them using the entity-modification
tools. Several of these entity types require special editing commands.

Topics in this chapter

Drawing rectangles and squares ...................................................................... 144
Drawing polygons ............................................................................................. 146
Drawing polylines.............................................................................................. 148
Drawing multilines............................................................................................. 151
Drawing traces .................................................................................................. 158
Drawing splines ................................................................................................ 159
Drawing helices ................................................................................................ 162
Drawing donuts ................................................................................................. 163
Creating planes................................................................................................. 165
Drawing architectural entities............................................................................ 167
Drawing tables .................................................................................................. 180
Drawing wipeouts ............................................................................................. 191
Drawing revision clouds .................................................................................... 193
Adding multileaders .......................................................................................... 196
Defining boundaries.......................................................................................... 212
Adding hatching and gradients ......................................................................... 215
144 CHAPTER 5

Drawing rectangles and squares

Rectangles are closed polylines with four sides and a square is a rectangle with four
equal sides.
You draw a rectangle by specifying its opposite corners. The rectangle is normally
aligned parallel to the current snap and grid alignment, but you can use the Rotated
option to align the rectangle to any angle.
You draw a square using the Square option of the Rectangle command. The square is
normally aligned parallel to the current snap and grid alignment, but you can use the
Rotated option to align the square to any angle.

To draw a rectangle
1 Do one of the following to choose Rectangle ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Rectangle or choose Draw > Rectangle.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Rectangle.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Rectangle tool.
• Type rectangle and then press Enter.
2 Specify one corner of the rectangle.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the rectangle.

B
A

Opposite corners (A and B) and resulting rectangle.

You can edit each side of a rectangle individually using the Edit Polyline tool ( )
on the Modify toolbar. You can convert the sides into individual line entities using
the Explode tool ( ) on the Modify toolbar. You can control whether wide rectan-
gle lines are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill tool ( ) on the Settings tool-
bar.
You can also use the Rectangle tool to draw a square. Instead of specifying the oppo-
site corners, you specify the length of one side and the alignment of the square.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 145

To draw a square
1 Do one of the following to choose Rectangle ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Rectangle or choose Draw > Rectangle.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Rectangle.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Rectangle tool.
• Type rectangle and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Square.
3 Specify one corner of the square.
4 Specify the length of one side of the square by selecting its other end.
The point you specify determines both the size and alignment of the square.

Endpoints of one side of the square (A and B) and resulting square.

You can control the line width of rectangles.

Choose the Width Of Line option in the prompt box. After you change the width of the
line, the new width setting remains in effect for subsequent rectangles until you
change it again.
146 CHAPTER 5

Drawing polygons
Polygons are closed polylines composed of a minimum of three and a maximum of
1,024 equal-length sides. The default method for drawing a polygon is to specify the
center of the polygon and the distance from the center to each vertex. You can draw a
polygon using any of the following methods:
• Center-Vertex ( )
• Center-Side ( )
• Edge ( )

Drawing polygons by vertex

You can create an equal-sided polygon defined by its center point and the distance to
its vertices. First specify the number of sides, then the center point, and then the loca-
tion of one vertex, which determines both the size and orientation of the polygon.

To draw a polygon by vertex

1 Do one of the following to choose Polygon Center-Vertex ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Polygon Center-Vertex or choose Draw >
Polygon Center-Vertex.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Polygon > Polygon Center-Vertex.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Polygon Center-Vertex tool.
• Type polygon and then press Enter.
2 Type 5 to specify five sides for the polygon.
3 Specify the center of the polygon.
4 Specify the vertex of the polygon.

B
A

The center (A) and vertex (B) and resulting polygon.

 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 147

Drawing polygons by side

You can create a polygon with equal-length sides defined by its center point and the
distance to the midpoint of a side. First specify the number of sides, then the center
point, and then the location of the midpoint of one side, which determines both the
size and orientation of the polygon.

To draw a polygon by side

1 Do one of the following to choose Polygon Center-Side ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Polygon Center-Side or choose Draw > Polygon
Center-Side.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Polygon > Polygon Center-Side.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Polygon Center-Side tool.
• Type polygon and then press Enter.
2 Type 3 to specify three sides for the polygon.
3 Specify the center of the polygon.
4 Specify the midpoint of the side.

B
A

The center (A) and midpoint of one side (B) and resulting polygon.

Drawing polygons by specifying the length of an edge

You can create a polygon with equal-length sides defined by the length of one of the
polygon edges. First specify the number of sides, then the edge start point, and then
the edge end point, which determines both the size and orientation of the polygon.

To draw a polygon by specifying the length of an edge

1 Do one of the following to choose Polygon Edge ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Polygon Edge or choose Draw > Polygon Edge.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Polygon > Polygon Edge.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Polygon Edge tool.
• Type polygon and then press Enter.
2 Type 5 to specify three sides for the polygon.
3 Specify the first point of an edge on the polygon.
4 Specify the second point of the edge on the polygon.
148 CHAPTER 5

Start point of side (A) and end point of side (B) and resulting polygon.
You can edit each side of a polygon individually using the Edit Polyline tool ( ) on
the Modify toolbar. You can convert the sides into individual line entities using the
Explode tool ( ) on the Modify toolbar. You can control whether wide polygon
lines are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill tool ( ) on the Settings toolbar.

Drawing polylines
A polyline is a connected sequence of arcs and lines that is treated as a single entity.
You can draw a polyline with any linetype and using a width that either remains con-
stant or tapers over the length of any segment. When editing a polyline, you can mod-
ify the entire polyline or change individual segments.

Curved polyline with tapered width, polyline with straight segments, and closed polyline.

You can edit entire polylines and individual segments using the Edit Polyline tool
( ) on the Modify toolbar. You can convert polylines into arc and line entities
using the Explode tool ( ) on the Modify toolbar. You can control whether wide
polylines are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill tool ( ) on the Settings
toolbar.

Drawing a polyline with straight segments

After you specify the start point of a polyline, a prompt box provides several options
as you draw, such as Distance, Halfwidth, and Width. You can specify different start-
ing and ending widths to create a tapered polyline segment.
After you draw at least one polyline segment, you can use the Undo tool ( ) to
remove the previous segment. After you draw two or more polyline segments, you
can use the Close option to complete the command by drawing a segment that ends at
the start point of the first polyline segment you drew. Choose Done to complete the
command without closing the polyline.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 149

To draw a polyline with straight segments

1 Do one of the following to choose Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Polyline or choose Draw > Polyline.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Polyline.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Polyline tool.
• Type polyline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the endpoint of each segment.
4 To complete the command, choose Close or Done.

B
B
A
B
B

Polyline start point (A) and segment endpoints (B).

Drawing a polyline with arc segments

With the Draw Arcs option, you can continually draw arc segments until you select
the Draw Lines option to go back to drawing line segments. When you draw arc seg-
ments, the first point of the arc is the endpoint of the previous segment. By default,
you draw arc segments by specifying the endpoint of each segment. Each successive
arc segment is drawn tangent to the previous arc or line segment. If you choose Close
while in the Draw Arcs option, the closing segment is created as an arc.
You can also specify the arc using any of the following methods:
• Start point, included angle, center point
• Start point, included angle, radius
• Start point, center point, endpoint
• Start point, included angle, endpoint
• Start point, center point, included angle
• Start point, center point, chord length
• Start point, direction, endpoint
• Start point, radius, included angle
• Start point, second point, endpoint
150 CHAPTER 5

To draw a line segment followed by an arc polyline segment

1 Do one of the following to choose Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Polyline or choose Draw > Polyline.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Polyline.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Polyline tool.
• Type polyline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the endpoint.
4 In the prompt box, choose Draw Arcs.
5 Specify the endpoint of the arc segment.
6 To complete the command, choose Done.

C
A
B

Polyline start point (A), line endpoint/arc start point (B), and arc endpoint (C).
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 151

Drawing multilines
A multiline is made from multiple parallel lines (two lines by default), which consist
of linear segments connected together. The end of the current segment is the start of
the next segment. Ends of segments are the vertices of the multiline.

Drawing a multiline
To draw a multiline
1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Multiline.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Multiline.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Multiline tool.
• Type mline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify additional vertices.
4 After specifying the last endpoint, choose Done or press Enter.

B C
B B

A
Multiline startpoint (A), vertices (B), and endpoint (C).

Specifying justification and scale

When you draw a multiline, you specify the vertices of one of the lines that makes up
the multiline — the additional parallel lines are drawn in position according to the
justification. Vertices can be specified on the top, middle, or bottom of a multiline,
according to the selected justification.
You can also determine the overall width of the multiline, which affects the distance
between parallel lines, by adjusting the multiline scale.

NOTE If you change the multiline scale, you might need to make equivalent changes to
the linetype scale to prevent dots or dashes from being disproportionately sized.
152 CHAPTER 5

To draw a multiline with different justification or scale

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Multiline.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Multiline.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Multiline tool.
• Type mline and then press Enter.
2 Select justification and choose one of the following options:
• Top Specified vertices define the top line; additional parallel lines are drawn
below the specified vertices.
• Zero Specified vertices define the middle of the multiline.
• Bottom Specified vertices define the bottom line; additional parallel lines are
drawn above the specified vertices.
3 Select Scale and enter a new scale value according to the following:
• Greater than 1 — Multilines are wider.
• Less than 1 — Multilines are narrower.
• Equal to 1 — Multilines collapse into a single line.
• Negative value — Flips the justification when multilines are drawn and alters
the scale according to the set value.
4 Specify the start point of the multiline.
5 Specify additional vertices.
6 After specifying the endpoint, choose Done or press Enter.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 153

Working with multiline styles

When you create a multiline, the program draws it on the current layer, using the cur-
rent multiline style. Each multiline has a corresponding multiline style, which con-
trols the appearance of the multiline, such as the number of parallel lines, the spacing
between each line and each line’s color and linetype, start and end caps, and more.
You can create, save, modify, and delete named multiline styles. You can also set any
multiline style to be the current one that is assigned to new multilines as you add
them to your drawing. Multiline styles can be exported and imported as .mln files
which makes it easy to share them between computers.
Multiline styles can also be managed using the Explorer. For more details, see
“Working with multiline styles” on page 317.

Creating or modifying a multiline style

Multiline styles provide a way for you to change various settings that control the
appearance of multilines. You can then save those settings for reuse. If you don’t
define a multiline style before creating multilines, the program uses the Standard
multiline style, which stores the default multiline settings.
If you modify a multiline style, all multilines entities that are assigned that style will
be updated.

To create a multiline style

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Multiline Styles Manager (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multiline Styles Manager or choose Express
Tools > Tools > Multiline Styles Manager.
• On the Styles toolbar, click the Multiline Styles Manager tool.
• Type mlstyle and then press Enter.
2 Click New.
3 In Style Name, type the name of the new multiline style.
4 In Start With, select an existing multiline style on which to base the new multiline
style.
5 Click Continue.
6 In the Create New Multiline Style dialog box, make your selections for the multi-
line style as necessary.
7 When finished, click OK.
154 CHAPTER 5

To modify a multiline style

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Multiline Styles Manager (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multiline Styles Manager or choose Express
Tools > Tools > Multiline Styles Manager.
• On the Styles toolbar, click the Multiline Styles Manager tool.
• Type mlstyle and then press Enter.
2 Select the multiline style you want to modify, then click Modify.
3 In the Modify Multiline Style dialog box, make your selections for the multiline
style as necessary.
4 When finished, click OK.

B
M
C
D
E L
K
J
F
I
G H

A Enter a description for the multiline style. G Select whether to include a line at joints of
B Select whether to include a line to cap the start multilines assigned this style. If turned on, a line
or end of multilines assigned this style. is drawn from the two outer vertices of the
multiline's joint.
C Select whether to include an arc for outer lines to
cap the start or end of multilines assigned this H Click to select the linetype for the element.
style. I Select the line color for the element.
D Select whether to include an arc for inner lines to J Enter the distance to offset the element, or line,
cap the start or end of multilines assigned this from the previous element.
style. K Click to add a new element according to the
E Select whether to include an angled line to cap current offset, color, and linetype selections.
the start or end of multilines assigned this style. L Click to delete the selected element.
F Select the color fill for multilines assigned this M Displays a list of the offset, color, and linetype
style. combinations assigned to each element, or line.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 155

Setting the current multiline style

When you create a multiline, it is automatically assigned the multiline style that is set
to current. By default, the program uses the Standard multiline style, which stores the
default multiline settings. Or you can choose a different multiline style to be the cur-
rent one.
If you choose a different multiline style as current, that style is assigned to multilines
that you create in the future, not existing multilines.

To set a multiline style as current

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Multiline Styles Manager (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multiline Styles Manager or choose Express
Tools > Tools > Multiline Styles Manager.
• On the Styles toolbar, click the Multiline Styles Manager tool.
• Type mlstyle and then press Enter.
2 In the Multiline Styles Manager dialog box, select a multiline style from the list.
3 Click Set Current.
4 Click OK.

Assigning a style to a multiline

You can assign a different multiline style to a multiline at any time.

To assign a style to a multiline

1 Select a multiline in the drawing.
2 Do one of the following:
• On the Styles toolbar, select the style in the Multiline Style list.
• Right-click the multiline, choose Properties, then in Style, select the style.
156 CHAPTER 5

Renaming a multiline style

Use the Multiline Styles Manager dialog box to rename a multiline style. Note that
the Standard multiline style cannot be renamed.

To rename a multiline style

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Multiline Styles Manager (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multiline Styles Manager or choose Express
Tools > Tools > Multiline Styles Manager.
• On the Styles toolbar, click the Multiline Styles Manager tool.
• Type mlstyle and then press Enter.
2 In the Multiline Styles Manager dialog box, select the multiline style to rename.
3 Click Rename.
4 Type the new name, then click OK.
5 Click OK.

Deleting a multiline style

Use the Multiline Styles Manager dialog box to delete a multiline style. Note that the
Standard multiline style cannot be deleted, and multiline styles that are in use also
cannot be deleted.

To delete a named multiline style

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Multiline Styles Manager (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multiline Styles Manager or choose Express
Tools > Tools > Multiline Styles Manager.
• On the Styles toolbar, click the Multiline Styles Manager tool.
• Type mlstyle and then press Enter.
2 In the Multiline Styles Manager dialog box, select the multiline style to delete.
3 Click Delete.
4 To confirm the deletion, click OK.
5 Click OK.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 157

Importing and exporting multiline style files

Multiline styles can be imported and exported as .mln files which makes it easy to
move multiline styles between computers.

To export a multiline style file

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Multiline Styles Manager (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multiline Styles Manager or choose Express
Tools > Tools > Multiline Styles Manager.
• On the Styles toolbar, click the Multiline Styles Manager tool.
• Type mlstyle and then press Enter.
2 In the Multiline Styles Manager dialog box, select the multiline style to export.
3 Click Export.
4 Specify the name and location for the .mln file, then click Save.
5 Click OK.

To import a multiline style file

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Multiline Styles Manager (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multiline Styles Manager or choose Express
Tools > Tools > Multiline Styles Manager.
• On the Styles toolbar, click the Multiline Styles Manager tool.
• Type mlstyle and then press Enter.
2 In the Multiline Styles Manager dialog box, click Import.
The Import Multiline Style from File dialog box displays a list of the multiline
styles that have already been loaded.
3 Click File.
4 Navigate to and select the .mln file to import, then click Open.
5 Click OK.
158 CHAPTER 5

Drawing traces
With the Trace command, you can draw a two-dimensional solid line of specified
width. The Trace command is not commonly used — most users use the Polyline
command instead.

To draw a trace
1 Type trace and then press Enter. Or on the ribbon, choose Draw > Trace.
2 Specify the width of the trace.
3 Specify the start point.
4 Specify additional vertices.
5 After specifying the last endpoint, choose Done or press Enter.

B C
B B

A
Trace startpoint (A), vertices (B), and endpoint (C).
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 159

Drawing splines
A spline is a smooth curve. You can use splines to create sculptured shapes such as
the cross section of a turbine blade or an airplane wing.
You can define the shape of the spline with either fit points or control vertices.

Drawing a spline by specifying fit points

Splines can pass through or near fit points that you specify to define the spline shape.
By default, a spline passes through all of the fit points, but when you draw a spline,
you can change this by specifying the fit tolerance. The fit tolerance value determines
how closely the spline fits the set of points you specify. For example, a fit tolerance
value of 0 causes the spline to pass through the fit points. A value of 0.01 creates a
spline that passes through the start and endpoints and within 0.01 units of the interme-
diate fit points.
Fit-point splines are additionally affected by knot parametrization, can include tan-
gents, and can be open or closed.

The start point and endpoint (A) of a closed fit-point

spline.
160 CHAPTER 5

To draw a spline that passes through or near fit points

1 Do one of the following to choose Spline Fit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Spline Fit (in Draw) or Draw 3D > Spline Fit (in
Curves).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Spline > Spline Fit.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Spline Fit tool.
• Type spline, press Enter, choose Method, then choose Fit.
2 Specify the first fit point of the spline.
3 Optionally choose Knots, and choose Chord, Square root, or Uniform to determine
how the curve segments between successive fit points within a spline are blended.
4 Optionally choose Fit Tolerance, enter a new fit tolerance, and then press Enter.
5 Specify the second fit point of the spline.
6 Continue specifying as many fit points as you want, then press Enter or choose
Close to close the spline.
7 Specify the start tangent point to give the spline additional shape, or press Enter if
you do not want to add a start tangent.
8 Specify the end tangent point to give the spline additional shape, or press Enter if
you do not want to add an end tangent.
If you are drawing a closed spline, you are prompted for only one tangent.

A B

Initial spline and resulting spline with starting tangent point (A) and ending tangent point (B).

The display of control vertices can be turned on or off, even for fit-point splines.
Use the Show CV command to display control vertices; use the Hide CV command to
hide them.

Drawing a spline by specifying control vertices

Splines drawn using control vertices display with a control frame when the spline is
selected. You can then use the control frame to modify the shape of the spline. Con-
trol-vertex splines are affected by polynomial degrees and can be open or closed.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 161

To draw a spline defined by control vertices

1 Do one of the following to choose Spline CV ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Spline CV (in Draw) or Draw 3D > Spline CV
(in Curves).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Spline > Spline CV.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Spline CV tool.
• Type spline, press Enter, choose Method, then choose CV.
2 Specify the first control vertex of the spline.
3 Optionally choose Degree and enter the polynomial degree for the spline: 1 for lin-
ear, 2 for quadratic, 3 for cubic, etc. up to 10.
4 Specify the second control vertex of the spline.
5 Continue specifying as many control vertices as you want.
6 When you have finished, press Enter or choose Close to close the spline.

Converting a spline-fit polyline to a spline

Both 2D and 3D spline-fit polylines can be converted to splines. If necessary, you can
use the Polyline Edit command (Spline option) to convert a polyline to a spline-fit
polyline.

To convert a spline-fit polyline to a spline

1 Do one of the following to choose Spline CV or Spline Fit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Spline CV (in Draw) or Draw 3D > Spline CV
(in Curves).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Spline > Spline CV.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Spline CV tool.
• Type spline and then press Enter.
2 Choose Entity.
3 Select the 2D or 3D polyline that fits the spline, then press Enter.

Other two-dimensional entities can be converted to splines using the Convert to NURBS
command.
The Convert to NURBS command is typically used to convert solids and surfaces to
NURBS surfaces, but can also be used to convert two-dimensional entities (for exam-
ple, lines, polylines, arcs, circles, etc.) to splines. For more details, see “Converting
entities to solids” on page 756.
162 CHAPTER 5

Drawing helices
A helix is a three-dimensional spiral that is open at both ends. The base and top can
be equal values, similar to a coil or spring, or they can be different values, similar to a
cone.

Helices are often used to create other entities.

In particular, the Sweep, Loft, and Revolve commands can all be used with helices in
more complex drawings to create spiral stairs, spiral parts, and more.

To draw a helix
1 Do one of the following to choose Helix ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Helix (in Draw) or Draw 3D > Helix (in Curves).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Helix.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Helix tool.
• Type helix and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center point of the helix.
3 Specify the radius (or diameter) of the bottom of the helix.
4 Specify the radius (or diameter) of the top of the helix.
5 Optionally set any of the following:
• Turns Specify the number of full turns. The default number of turns is three. The
maximum is 500.
• Turn height Specify the height of one full turn, which updates the number of
turns automatically. This option is available only if you have not specified a
number of turns.
• Twist Specify the direction of helix turns: clockwise (CW) or counterclockwise
(CCW).
6 Specify the height and position of the helix by choosing one of the following:

• Choose Axis endpoint and specify the endpoint of the helix, which determines
the position and direction of the helix.
• Specify the height of the helix. If the height is zero, the helix will be a two-
dimensional spiral, but if the start and end radius are the same it will look like a
circle.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 163

B,C

Helix center point (A), bottom radius (B), top radius (C), and height (D).

Drawing donuts
Donuts are solid, filled circles or rings created as closed, wide polylines. You can
draw a donut using one of several methods. The default method is to specify the
inside and outside diameters of the donut, and then specify its center. You can then
create multiple copies of the same donut by specifying different center points until
you press Enter to complete the command.

To draw a donut
1 Do one of the following to choose Donut ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Donut.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Donut.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Donut tool.
• Type donut and then press Enter.
2 Specify the inside diameter of the donut.
3 Specify the outside diameter of the donut.
4 Specify the center of the donut.
5 Specify the center point to draw another donut, or choose Done to complete the
command.
164 CHAPTER 5

Inside diameter (A) and outside diameter (B).

The prompt box provides additional options for drawing donuts. For example, you
can specify the width of the donut and two points on the diameter of the donut, or you
can specify the width and three points on the donut. You can also draw a donut tan-
gent to existing entities.

A donut can be a completely filled circle.

Donuts are completely filled if the inside diameter is zero.

To draw a donut tangent to existing entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Donut ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Donut.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Donut.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Donut tool.
• Type donut and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Radius Tangent Tangent.
3 Specify the width of the donut.
4 Specify the diameter of the donut.
5 Select the first tangent entity to which to draw the donut.
6 Select the second tangent entity to which to draw the donut.

Width (A) and diameter (B) of the donut and tangent entities (C).
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 165

You can edit donuts using the Edit Polyline tool ( ) on the Modify toolbar. You
can convert donuts into arc entities using the Explode tool ( ) on the Modify
toolbar. You can control whether donuts are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill
tool ( ) on the Settings toolbar.

You can control the default outside and inside diameter of donuts.
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings, click the Entity Creation tab, and choose the
options you want.

Creating planes
With the Plane tool, you can draw rectangular, triangular, or quadrilateral areas filled
with a solid color. The default method is to specify the corners of the plane. After you
specify the first two corners, the plane is displayed as you specify the remaining cor-
ners. Specify corner points in a triangular manner. The program prompts you for the
third point and then the fourth point. If you continue specifying points, the third- and
fourth-point prompts toggle until you press Enter to complete the command.
Creating planes in IntelliCAD is similar to the Solid command in AutoCAD.

To draw a quadrilateral plane

1 Do one of the following to choose Plane ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Plane.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Plane.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Plane tool.
• Type plane and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point.
3 Specify the second point.
4 Specify the third point.
5 Specify the fourth point.
6 To complete the command, press Enter.

B B
D C
A C A D

After you select the first two points (A) and (B), the sequence in which you select the third (C)
and fourth (D) points determines the shape of the resulting quadrilateral plane.
166 CHAPTER 5

The prompt box provides additional options for drawing planes. For example, you
can draw rectangular, square, or triangular planes.

To draw a rectangular plane

1 Do one of the following to choose Plane ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Plane.
• On the menu, choose Draw > Plane.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Plane tool.
• Type plane and then press Enter.
2 Choose Rectangle.
3 Specify the first point.
4 Specify the opposite corner.
5 Specify the rotation angle.
6 To complete the command, specify the opposite corner to draw another rectangle,
or press Enter.

A C B

Opposite corners (A and B) and rotation angle (C) and resulting plane.
You can control whether planes are shown filled or as outlines using the Fill tool
( ) on the Settings toolbar. You can convert planes into individual line entities cor-
responding to the outline of the plane using the Explode tool ( ) on the Modify
toolbar.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 167

Drawing architectural entities

Architectural entities, commonly called AEC entities, are custom entities that you can
use to quickly draw walls, doors, windows, slabs, roofs, and more.

Drawing a wall
Walls can be drawn as interior, exterior, fireproof, foundational, and more.
After you draw a wall, you can modify it as you would other entities using modify
entity commands. You can also use the Properties pane to change the width, style,
automatic cleanup, etc. And when you select a wall, grips display allowing you to
resize and reorient the wall in real-time.

To draw a wall
1 Do one of the following to choose Walls ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Walls and then the wall style (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Walls and then the wall style.
• On the Walls toolbar, click a wall style.
• Type wall and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point of the wall.
3 Specify the endpoint of each segment.
4 After specifying the last endpoint, press Enter.

Drawing a door
Doors can be drawn in a wide variety of styles: single swing, double swing, sliding,
revolving, and many more.
After you draw a door, you can modify it as you would other entities using modify
entity commands. For example, doors can be easily moved and resized within a wall.
You can also use the Properties pane to change the width, style, etc. And when you
select a door, grips display allowing you to resize and reorient the door in real-time.
There is also a special arrow grip for doors that allows you to change the swing with a
single click.
168 CHAPTER 5

To draw a door
1 Do one of the following to choose Doors ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Doors and then the door style (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Doors and then the door style.
• On the Doors toolbar, click a door style.
• Type door and then press Enter.
2 Select the wall where you want to locate the door, or press Enter if not choosing an
existing wall.
3 Specify the point where you want to locate the door.
4 After specifying the last location, press Enter.

Drawing a window
Windows can be drawn as single hung, double hung, picture, pivot, and many more
styles. You can also draw a corner window at the corner junction of two linear walls.
After you draw a window, you can modify it as you would other entities using modify
entity commands. For example, windows can be easily moved and resized within a
wall. You can also use the Properties pane to change the width, style, etc. And when
you select a window, grips display allowing you to resize and reorient the window in
real-time. There is also a special arrow grip for windows that allows you to change
the opening orientation with a single click.

To draw a window
1 Do one of the following to choose Windows ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Windows and then the window style (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Windows and then the window style.
• On the Windows toolbar, click a window style.
• Type window and then press Enter.
2 Select the wall where you want to locate the window, or press Enter if not choos-
ing an existing wall.
3 Specify the point where you want to locate the window.
4 After specifying the last location, press Enter.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 169

To draw a corner window

1 Do one of the following to choose Corner Window ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Corner Window (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Windows > Corner Window.
• On the Windows toolbar, click Corner Window.
• Type windowcorner and then press Enter.
2 Do any of the following, if necessary:
• Choose Width, Height, or Header height, and enter new values to change the
default size of the window.
• Choose Style, and enter a style name to change the style of the window.
3 Select the first wall where you want to add a corner window.
4 Select the second wall where you want to add a corner window.

Drawing stairs
Stairs can be drawn in different types and styles such as spiral, straight, cantilever, a
ramp, and more.
After you draw stairs, you can modify them as you would other entities using modify
entity commands. For example, stairs can be easily moved and resized relative to a
wall or slab. You can also use the Properties pane to change the stair width, tread
dimensions, landing dimensions, turn on/off stringers, etc. When stairs are modified,
any attached railings are updated to match the stair modifications (length, angle,
width, etc.). And when you select stairs, grips display allowing you to resize and
reorient them in real-time.

To draw stairs
1 Do one of the following to choose Stairs ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Stairs and then the stair style (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Stairs and then the stair style.
• On the Stairs toolbar, click a stair style.
• Type stair and then press Enter.
2 If necessary, choose an option to change the default value for the stairs you want
to draw.
3 When done entering values, specify the point where you want to start the stairs.
4 Enter the stair segment length, then press Enter.
5 Specify the endpoint of the stairs.
170 CHAPTER 5

Drawing a railing
Railings can be drawn in different styles such as standard, bollard, vertical or hori-
zontal cable, and many more.
After you draw a railing, you can modify it as you would other entities using modify
entity commands. For example, standalone railings can be easily moved and resized.
You can also use the Properties pane to change the style, rail height, post placement,
etc. And when you select a railing, grips display allowing you to resize and reorient
the railing in real-time.

To draw a railing attached to stairs

1 Do one of the following to choose Railings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Railings and then the railing style (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Railings and then the railing style.
• On the Railings toolbar, click a railing style.
• Type railing and then press Enter.
2 Choose Attach.
3 Specify the stairs where you want to attach a railing.
4 Choose the location of the railing on the stairs: left, right, or center.
5 Specify where on the stairs to attach the railing by doing one of the following:
• Choose All to draw the railing attached to the entire stairs.
• Choose Component to draw the railing attached to a portion of the stairs, and
then select the needed stair components.

To draw a railing that is not attached to stairs

1 Do one of the following to choose Railings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Railings and then the railing style (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Railings and then the railing style.
• On the Railings toolbar, click a railing style.
• Type railing and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point where you want to locate the railing.
3 Specify additional points to create railing segments.
4 After specifying the last point, press Enter.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 171

Drawing a curtain wall

Curtain walls can be drawn in different styles and can also be converted from existing
two-dimensional entities such as lines, arcs, circles, and polylines.
After you draw a curtain wall, you can modify it as you would other entities using
modify entity commands. You can also use the Properties pane to change settings for
divisions, infill, mullion and frame. And when you select a curtain wall, grips display
allowing you to resize and reorient the curtain wall in real-time.

To draw a curtain wall

1 Do one of the following to choose Curtain Wall ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Walls > Curtain Wall (in Draw) or AEC >
Windows > Curtain Wall (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Walls > Curtain Wall or AEC > Windows >
Curtain Wall.
• On the Walls toolbar, click a wall style.
• Type curtainwall and then press Enter.
2 If desired, choose Height to enter the height of the curtain wall.
3 If desired, choose Style and enter the name of the curtain wall style. To view the
list of all styles, choose ?.
4 Specify the start point of the curtain wall.
5 Specify the endpoint of each segment.
6 If you want to add an arc segment, do the following:
• Choose Arc.
• Specify the midpoint of the arc segment.
• Specify the endpoint of the arc segment.
• Choose Line to continue adding line segments or choose Close to add the last
endpoint at the start point.
7 After specifying the last endpoint, press Enter.

To convert two-dimensional entities to a curtain wall

1 Do one of the following to choose Curtain Wall ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Walls > Curtain Wall (in Draw) or AEC >
Windows > Curtain Wall (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Walls > Curtain Wall or AEC > Windows >
Curtain Wall.
• On the Walls toolbar, click a wall style.
• Type curtainwall and then press Enter.
2 Choose Convert.
172 CHAPTER 5

3 Select lines, arcs, circles, or polylines to convert to curtain walls, then press Enter.
4 Choose Yes to delete the original two-dimensional entities, or choose No to retain
the original two-dimensional entities.

Drawing steel
Steel entities can be drawn in many different shapes.

To draw steel
1 Do one of the following to choose Steel ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Steel and then the steel style (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Steel and then the steel shape.
• On the Steel toolbar, click a steel shape.
• Type steel and then press Enter.
2 Select the steel dimensions from the list.
3 Click OK.
4 To mirror the shape about its x-axis, choose XFlip. To mirror the shape about its
y-axis, choose YFlip.
5 Specify the insertion point.
6 Specify the angle of rotation.
7 Specify the length. If the length is 0, a two-dimensional steel shape is created.

Drawing a stud, joist, or track

Studs, joists, and track can be drawn in many different shapes and styles.

To draw studs, joists, or track

1 Do one of the following to choose Studs, Joists, Track:
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Steel and then Stud, S-Stud, Joist, or Track (in
Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Steel and then Stud, S-Stud, Joist, or Track.
• On the Steel toolbar, click Stud, S-Stud, Joist, or Track.
• Type sjt and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired dimensions of the shape from the list.
3 Click OK.
4 To mirror the shape about its x-axis, choose XFlip. To mirror the shape about its
y-axis, choose YFlip.
5 Specify the insertion point.
6 Specify the angle of rotation.
7 Specify the length. If the length is 0, a two-dimensional shape is created.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 173

Drawing a beam
Beams are architectural elements placed between columns, walls and other beams.
After you draw a beam, you can modify it as you would other entities using modify
entity commands. For example, beams can be easily moved and resized relative to a
wall. You can also use the Properties pane to change the thickness, style, etc. And
when you select a beam, grips display allowing you to resize and reorient the beam in
real-time.

To draw a beam
1 Type beam and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the end point.
4 After specifying the last endpoint, press Enter.

You can also set custom options for beams.

At the prompt, choose Style to specify a beam style, Start Offset or End Offset to enter
the distance that you want the beam segment to offset from the start or end point, Jus-
tify to specify the beam position relative to the baseline, or Roll to rotate the beam
segment around the baseline.

To create a beam using an existing entity as the beam path

1 Type beam and then press Enter.
2 Choose Convert.
3 Select the lines, arcs, or polylines to convert to beam paths, then press Enter.
4 If you selected a polyline to convert, choose Yes to create a separate beam for
each polyline segment, or choose No to convert the selected polyline to a single
beam.
5 Choose Yes to delete the selected entities or No to retain the selected entities.
174 CHAPTER 5

Drawing wood
Wood details can be drawn as lumber and TJI joists shapes in many different standard
sizes.

To draw wood
1 Do one of the following to choose Wood ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Wood and then Lumber or TJI Joists (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Wood and then Lumber or TJI Joists.
• Type wood and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired dimensions from the list.
3 Click OK.
4 To mirror the shape about its x-axis, choose XFlip. To mirror the shape about its
y-axis, choose YFlip.
5 Specify the insertion point.
6 Specify the angle of rotation.
7 Specify the length. If the length is 0, a two-dimensional shape is created.

Drawing a slab
Slabs are foundations that are easy to draw at the beginning of an architectural project
or at any time later relative to walls.
After you draw a slab, you can modify it as you would other entities using modify
entity commands. For example, slabs can be easily moved and resized relative to a
wall. You can also use the Properties pane to change the thickness, style, etc. And
when you select a slab, grips display allowing you to resize and reorient the slab in
real-time.

To draw a slab
1 Do one of the following to choose Slab ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Slab (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Slab.
• Type slab and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point of the slab.
3 Specify the endpoint of each segment.
4 After specifying the last endpoint, press Enter.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 175

Drawing a roof
Architectural roofs can have a slope, gables, hips, overhangs, etc. As you draw the
roof, IntelliCAD automatically calculates the dimensions, slopes, etc. according to
the segment points you select.
After you draw a roof, you can modify it as you would other entities using modify
entity commands. For example, roofs can be easily moved, resized, scaled, etc. You
can also use the Properties pane to change the thickness, slope, overhang, etc. And
when you select a roof, grips display allowing you to change its shape from gable to
hip and resize and reorient the roof in real-time.

To draw a roof
1 Do one of the following to choose Roof ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Roof (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Roof.
• Type roof and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point of the roof.
3 Specify the endpoint of each segment.
4 After specifying the last endpoint, press Enter.

Drawing a roof slab

A roof slab is a flat roof that is similar to a slab except it is drawn above walls instead
of below.
After you draw a roof slab, you can modify it as you would other entities using mod-
ify entity commands. For example, roof slabs can be easily moved and resized rela-
tive to a wall. You can also use the Properties pane to change the thickness, style, etc.
And when you select a roof slab, grips display allowing you to resize and reorient the
roof slab in real-time.

To draw a roof slab

1 Do one of the following to choose Roof Slab ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Roof Slab (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Roof Slab.
• Type roofslab and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point of the roof slab.
3 Specify the endpoint of each segment.
4 After specifying the last endpoint, press Enter.
176 CHAPTER 5

Converting 2D entities to walls and slabs

You can convert several 2D entity types to walls or slabs: lines, circles, arcs, and
polylines.

To convert entities to a wall

1 Do one of the following to choose Convert to Wall ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Convert to Wall (in Convert).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Convert to Wall.
• Type wall, press Enter, then choose Convert.
2 Select the 2D entities to convert.
3 Choose whether to delete the 2D entities when they are converted to walls.

To convert entities to a slab

1 Do one of the following to choose Convert to Slab ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Convert to Slab (in Convert).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Convert to Slab.
• Type slab, press Enter, then choose Convert.
2 Select the 2D entities to convert.
3 Choose whether to delete the 2D entities when they are converted to slabs.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 177

Drawing a section line

A section line can be drawn in any three-dimensional drawing to determine a two-
dimensional projection of the area you want to view. The section line is a polyline
that can consist of continuous segments that define the area you want to view.
After you draw a section line in your drawing, you can modify its segments and
length, then update the two-dimensional projection view.

To draw a selection line

1 Do one of the following to choose Section Line ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Section Line (in Sections).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Section Line.
• Type sectionline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point of the section line.
3 Specify the end point of each segment.
4 Specify the end point of the section line, then press Enter.
5 To turn on the visibility of hidden lines, choose No. To keep hidden lines invisi-
ble, choose Yes.
6 Specify the insertion point of the 2D projection.

To add a new 2D projection from an existing section line

1 Type sectionlinegenerate and then press Enter.
2 Select the section line, then press Enter.
3 Specify an insertion point for the new 2D projection view.

Use a shortcut.
Right-click the section line you want to generate a new projection for, then choose
Generate 2D Section.

To modify the position of an existing section line

1 Select the section line.
2 Move its start point, segments, end point, or length.
If Use Model Extents for Height is set to Yes in the Properties pane, the section
line height and lower extension are matched automatically. If set to No, you can
change the height and lower extension separately.
3 If automatic updating is turned off, right-click the 2D projection, then choose
Refresh.
178 CHAPTER 5

To modify the properties of a section line symbol

1 Select the symbol of a section line.
2 In the Properties pane, select new properties, including the label text. Note that the
symbol is annotative and can be scaled.

Use the AECAUTOUPDATE system variable to control automatic updating.

If AECAUTOUPDATE is set to 1, two-dimensional projection views update automat-
ically after a section line or elevation line changes. If set to 0, you need to manually
refresh projection views after changes.

Drawing an elevation line

An elevation line can be drawn in any three-dimensional drawing to create a two-
dimensional projection view of the drawing.
You can modify existing elevation lines and therefore their related projection views.
You can also modify the elevation symbol that marks the elevation line.

To draw an elevation line

1 Do one of the following to choose Elevation Line ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose AEC > Elevation Line (in Sections).
• On the menu, choose AEC > Elevation Line.
• Type elevationline and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point of the elevation line.
3 Specify the end point of the elevation line.
If you want to include all entities in the 2D projection view, make sure the start
and end points are beyond the start and end of the model.
4 To turn on the visibility of hidden lines, choose No. To keep hidden lines invisi-
ble, choose Yes.
5 Specify the insertion point of the 2D projection view.

To add a new 2D projection from an existing elevation line

1 Type elevationlinegenerate and then press Enter.
2 Select the elevation line, then press Enter.
3 Specify an insertion point for the new 2D projection view.

Use a shortcut.
Right-click the elevation line you want to generate a new projection for, then choose
Generate 2D Elevation.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 179

To reverse the direction of an existing elevation line

1 Type elevationlinereverse and then press Enter.
2 Select the elevation line, then press Enter.
3 If automatic updating is turned off, right-click the 2D projection view, then choose
Refresh.

Use a shortcut.
Right-click the elevation line you want to reverse, then choose Reverse.

To modify the position of an existing elevation line

1 Select the elevation line.
2 Move its start point, end point, or length.
If Use Model Extents for Height is set to Yes in the Properties pane, the elevation
line height and lower extension are matched automatically. If set to No, you can
change the height and lower extension separately.
3 If automatic updating is turned off, right-click the 2D projection view, then choose
Refresh.

To modify the properties of an elevation line symbol

1 Select the symbol of an elevation line.
2 In the Properties pane, select new properties, including the label text. Note that the
symbol is annotative and can be scaled.

Use the AECAUTOUPDATE system variable to control automatic updating.

If AECAUTOUPDATE is set to 1, two-dimensional projection views update automat-
ically after a section line or elevation line changes. If set to 0, you need to manually
refresh projection views after changes.
180 CHAPTER 5

Drawing tables
Tables contain data in columns and rows. When you draw a table, you assign it a
table style which affects its layout, formatting, and color, and specify whether the
table content is empty initially or filled automatically with data from a spreadsheet.
After you draw a table—empty or filled with linked data, you can add text and mod-
ify various cell and table settings.

Drawing an empty table

When you draw a table, you assign a table style, determine the number of columns
and rows, and other options. Tables are inserted in the drawing by either specifying
the upper-left corner of the table or by specifying a window that specifies its total
width and height.

To draw an empty table

1 Do one of the following to choose Table ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Table (in Annotation) or Annotate > Table (in
Tables).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Table.
• Type table and then press Enter.
2 In Table Style, choose a table style for the table. If necessary, click ( ) to create
or modify table styles.
3 In Insert Options, select Start from Empty Table.
4 Determine how you want to insert the table in the drawing by choosing one of the
following:
• Specify insertion point Specify the location of the upper-left corner of the table
when you insert it. You can specify the insertion point directly in the drawing or
enter coordinate values in the command bar. If the table reads from bottom to
top (as specified for the table direction in the table style), the insertion point
specifies the location of the lower-left corner of the table.
• Specify window Specify a location and size for the table when you insert it.
Specify two points of the window directly in the drawing or specify their
coordinates in the command bar.
5 Specify column settings:
• Columns Enter the number of columns. If Specify Window is also selected, the
column width is determined automatically by the width of the table.
• Column Width Enter the width of the columns. If Specify Window is also
selected, the number of columns is determined automatically by the width of the
table.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 181

6 Specify data row settings:

• Data Rows Enter the number of data rows. If Specify Window is also selected,
the row height is determined automatically by the height of the table.
• Row Height Enter the height of data rows. If Specify Window is also selected,
the number of data rows is determined automatically by the height of the table.
7 Specify cell settings:
• First row cell style Choose the cell style for the first row of the table.
• Second row cell style Choose the cell style for the second row of the table.
• All other rows' cell style Choose the cell style for all other rows.
8 When finished, click OK.
9 In the drawing, follow the prompts to insert the table.

A l
B

C
K
J
I
H
D
G
F
E

A Select a table style for the table. I Specify the height of rows. If Specify Window is
B Click to create or modify table styles. also selected, the number of data rows is
determined automatically.
C Select to create an empty table.
J Specify the number of columns. If Specify
D Click to turn the preview display on or off. Window is also selected, the column width is
E Choose the cell style for all rows other than the determined automatically.
first and second rows. K Specify the width of columns. If Specify Window
F Choose the cell style for the second row of the is also selected, the number of columns is
table. determined automatically.
G Choose the cell style for the first row of the table. L Choose whether to insert the table by specifying
H Specify the number of data rows. If Specify its upper-left corner as the insertion point or by
Window is also selected, the row height is specifying a window for its overall size.
determined automatically.
182 CHAPTER 5

Drawing a table using content from a spreadsheet

Tables can contain content from a linked .xls or .xlsx file, allowing you to easily
share and update data between CAD drawings and external spreadsheets.
When you insert the table, specify the data link that references the content you want
to include. The number and size of rows and columns of the new table are determined
automatically based on the content in the spreadsheet.
For details about data links, see “Working with data links” on page 600.

To draw a table that contains content from a spreadsheet

1 Do one of the following to choose Table ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Table (in Annotation) or Annotate > Table (in
Tables).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Table.
• Type table and then press Enter.
2 In Table Style, choose a table style for the table. If necessary, click ( ) to create
or modify table styles.
3 In Insert Options, select From Data Link.
4 In the data link list, choose the data link that contains the content you want to
include in the table. If necessary, select Open Data Link Manager ( ) to create a
data link or modify an existing one.

Data links are references to external files.

If you share your drawing with other uses, make sure you include any referenced
.xls/.xlsx files.

5 Click OK.
6 In the drawing, follow the prompts to insert the table.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 183

A
B
C
D
E
G
F

A Select a table style for the table. E Select the data link that contains the content you
B Click to create or modify table styles. want to include.
C Click to create or modify data links. F Click to turn the preview display on or off.
D Select to use content from an external file for the G Disabled because this information is supplied by
new table. the linked spreadsheet.
184 CHAPTER 5

Drawing a table using content from report data

Tables can be created with content from linked report data. When you insert the table,
you specify the options for extracting data from entities located in one or more draw-
ings. The number and size of rows and columns of the new table are determined auto-
matically based on the report data.
Later, the table contents can be updated automatically to include the latest report data.
For more details about extracting data and creating reports, see “Reporting informa-
tion about entities” on page 389.

To draw a table that contains content from report data

1 Do one of the following to choose Table ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Table (in Annotation) or Annotate > Table (in
Tables).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Table.
• Type table and then press Enter.
2 In Table Style, choose a table style for the table. If necessary, click ( ) to create
or modify table styles.
3 In Insert Options, select From Data Extraction.
4 Click OK.
5 Make your selections for extracting data to include in the table. Click [?] for
details about each option.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 185

A
B

C D

A Select a table style for the table. C Select to create table content with data extracted
B Click to create or modify table styles. from one or more drawings.
D Disabled because this information is supplied by
the linked spreadsheet.
186 CHAPTER 5

Editing table text

You can edit table text just as you would edit multiline text in the drawing.

To edit table text

1 Double-click a table cell directly in the drawing, or do one of the following to
choose Edit Table ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Edit Table (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Table.
• Type tabledit and then press Enter.
• Double-click inside a table cell.
2 If you chose the Edit Table command, click inside a table cell.
3 Enter or modify text.
4 To change the properties of text, use the Text Editor tab (if your program version
supports it) or toolbar that displays automatically. For more details about multiline
text properties, see “Creating paragraph text” on page 480.
5 When you are done making changes to the text, press Enter.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 187

Modifying a table
Use the Properties pane to change a table’s style, direction, table breaks, and more.
Tables can also be modified by inserting and deleting rows and columns, merging
cells, locking cells, and specifying the data format.

To modify a table
1 Select a table.
2 Use the Properties pane to change settings for the table.
3 To modify table cells, do the following:
• Select the table cells you want to change. To select multiple cells, press Shift
while clicking the first and last cell in the range. To select an entire row or
column, click the row or column name.
• Right-click the table cells or use the Table Cell tools to make your selections for
highlighted cells.

Tool Name Description

Insert Above Click to insert a row above the current row.

Insert Below Click to insert a row below the current row.

Delete Row(s) Click to delete the current row.

Insert Left Click to insert a column to the left of the

current column.
Insert Right Click to insert a column to the right of the
current column.
Delete Column(s) Click to delete the current column.

Merge Cells Click to combine selected cells together.

Choose Merge All, Merge by Row, or Merge
by Column. (Available only if more than one
cell is selected.)
Unmerge Cells Click to separate selected cells. (Available
only if selected cells are merged.)
Match Cell Click to copy the properties of a source table
cell and apply them to selected cells.
Remove Overrides Click to undo all the changes made to the
selected table cell or range of cells.
Justification Select the justification for selected cells.

Edit Borders Click to modify border properties of the

selected cell or range of cells. For more
details, click Help in the dialog box that
displays.
188 CHAPTER 5

Tool Name Description

Cell Style Select a style to apply to selected cells.

Fill Color Select a color to fill selected cells.

Cell Locking Click to select lock options for selected cells:

Unlocked, Content Locked, Format Locked,
Content and Format Locked.
Data Format Click to select the format for the data in
selected cells: Angle, Currency, Date,
Decimal Number, General, Percentage,
Point, Text, Whole Number. (Not available if
the format is locked.)
Block Click to insert a block into the selected cell
or range of cells. For more details, click Help
in the dialog box that displays.
Field Click to insert a field in a selected cell. For
more details, click Help in the dialog box that
displays.
Formula Click to insert a Sum, Average, Count, Cell,
or Equation formula, and then follow the
prompts.
Manage Cell Click to specify how text and blocks are
Contents positioned relative to each other within a
selected cell. For more details, click Help in
the dialog box that displays. Available only
when the selected table cell contains
multiple text entities and/or blocks.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 189

Working with table styles

When you draw a table in a drawing, the table uses the current table style by default.
A table style determines the table direction, various cell styles, formatting, and other
characteristics.
Every table has a default table style, named Standard. You cannot delete the Standard
style, but you can rename it or modify it. You also can create and use an unlimited
number of additional table styles.
Table styles can also be managed using the Explorer. For more details, see “Working
with table styles” on page 326.

To create a table style

1 Do one of the following to choose Table Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Table Styles Manager (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Format > Table Styles Manager.
• Type tablestyle and then press Enter.
2 Click New.
3 In New Style Name, type the name of the new table style.
4 In Start With, select an existing table style on which to base the new table style.
5 Click Continue.
6 To use an existing table as a base for the new table style, click ( ) and select a
table in the drawing.
7 In Table Direction, choose Down to create a table that reads from top to bottom, or
choose Up to create a table that reads from bottom to top.
8 In Cell Styles, do the following:
• Select Data from the list, then select options for data cells.
• Select Header from the list, then select options for header cells.
• Select Title from the list, then select options for title cells.
Click [?] in the dialog box for more details about each option.
9 If you need to create a new cell style, click (), enter a name for the cell style,
then click Continue. When you return to the New Table Style dialog box, make
your selections.

Cell styles can be renamed and deleted.

In the list of cell styles, select the one you want to rename, click ( ), enter a new
name, then press Enter. To delete a cell style, select it from the list, then click
( ). Data, Header, and Title cell styles cannot be renamed or deleted.

10 When finished, click OK.

190 CHAPTER 5

To modify a table style

1 Do one of the following to choose Table Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Table Styles Manager (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Format > Table Styles Manager.
• Type tablestyle and then press Enter.
2 Select the table style you want to modify, then click Modify.
3 In the Modify Table Style dialog box, make your selections for the table style as
described previously for creating a new table style.
4 When finished, click OK.

A Q
P
O
B N
M
C
L
K
J
I

H
D G
F

A Click to select a table in the drawing to use as a base H Specify the spacing between the left and right cell
for the table style. borders and the contents of the cell.
B Click to remove a start table from the table style. I Choose whether the cell style is for data or a label.
C Choose Down to create a table that reads from top to J Click [...] to set the data format of the cell style.
bottom. Choose Up to create a table that reads from K Choose how you want the text to be justified in the
bottom to top. cell.
D Displays a preview of a table with the style. L Select the background color of the cell.
E Displays a preview of the table cell with current M Click which options you want to change: general,
settings. text, or border options.
F Mark to combine new rows or columns created with N Click to rename the selected cell style.
the current cell style into one cell.
O Click to delete the selected cell style.
G Specify the spacing between the top and bottom cell
borders and the contents of the cell. P Click to create a new cell style.
Q Select the cell style you want to modify.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 191

To assign a table style to an existing table

1 Select a table in the drawing.
2 On the Properties pane in Table Style, change the table style.

Drawing wipeouts
Wipeouts are unique entities that can help you hide areas of your drawing. They dis-
play with the current background color, so the details behind the wipeout do not dis-
play or print.
Wipeouts are similar to other entities — you can copy, mirror, array, erase, rotate,
and scale them, and they can be used in both model space and paper space.
If you want to print the wipeout entities located in a drawing, you must print to a ras-
ter-capable printer. Note that in some cases you may have unexpected results when
printing drawings that contain wipeout entities, for example, if printing on colored
paper.
Wipeouts are created using existing polygons, closed zero-width polylines made up
of only line segments, or new polylines that you draw while using the Wipeout com-
mand.

The display of wipeouts varies depending on your version of IntelliCAD.

If your IntelliCAD version does not include raster image capability, wipeout entities
display, but the details behind the wipeouts also display.

Drawing a wipeout
To draw a wipeout
1 Do one of the following to choose Wipeout ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Wipeout (in Annotation) or Annotate > Wipeout
(in Markup).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Wipeout.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Wipeout tool.
• Type wipeout and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Specify the endpoint of each segment.
4 After specifying the last endpoint, choose Done or press Enter.
192 CHAPTER 5

Existing drawing. Drawing with wipeout.

Creating a wipeout using existing polygons and polylines

To create a wipeout using an existing polygon or polyline
1 Do one of the following to choose Wipeout ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Wipeout (in Annotation) or Annotate > Wipeout
(in Markup).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Wipeout.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Wipeout tool.
• Type wipeout and then press Enter.
2 Choose Polyline.
3 Select the closed polyline to use for the wipeout.
4 Choose one of the following:
• Yes — Creates the wipeout and deletes the polyline used to create the wipeout.
• No — Creates the wipeout and keeps the polyline used to create the wipeout.

Turning wipeout frames on or off

Each wipeout has a frame along its boundary. Wipeout frames can be turned on or off
for any drawing. When wipeout frames are on, you can select and modify wipeouts.
You may want to turn off wipeout frames when it’s time to print.

To turn wipeout frames on or off

1 Do one of the following to choose Wipeout ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Wipeout (in Annotation) or Annotate > Wipeout
(in Markup).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Wipeout.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Wipeout tool.
• Type wipeout and then press Enter.
2 Choose Frames.
3 Choose On or Off.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 193

Wipeout frames turned on. Wipeout frames turned off.

You can also turn wipeout and image frames on or off using a single command.
Type tframes to turn all wipeout and image frames in the drawing on or off. Or use
the IMAGEFRAME and WIPEOUTFRAME system variables.

Drawing revision clouds

Revision clouds are cloud shapes that mark areas of a drawing that require further
attention. They are especially helpful when revising a drawing; add a revision cloud
to each modified area so reviewers can find changes easily.
Revision clouds are polylines, so you can work with and modify them in the same
way you would a polyline: move, copy, mirror, and scale the entire revision cloud or
select and move individual vertices to adjust the arcs that make up the revision cloud.

Drawing a revision cloud

Drawing a revision cloud is easy: simply select a start point and move the mouse.

To draw a revision cloud

1 Do one of the following to choose Revision Cloud ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Revision Cloud (in Annotation) or Annotate >
Revision Cloud (in Markup).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Revision Cloud.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Revision Cloud tool.
• Type revcloud and then press Enter.
2 Specify the start point.
3 Move the mouse, encircling the desired area.
When you return to the starting point, the revision cloud command finishes auto-
matically.
194 CHAPTER 5

Select start point (A), then move the mouse Resulting revision cloud.
around the desired area and back towards the
start point (A).

Edit revision clouds just as you would a polyline.

Select the revision cloud and move its vertices or use the Edit Polyline tool ( ) on
the Modify toolbar.

Creating a revision cloud using existing entities

In addition to drawing new revision clouds, you can also convert existing entities —
lines, arcs, circles, 2D polylines, and splines — into revision clouds.

To create a revision cloud using an existing entity

1 Do one of the following to choose Revision Cloud ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Revision Cloud (in Annotation) or Annotate >
Revision Cloud (in Markup).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Revision Cloud.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Revision Cloud tool.
• Type revcloud and then press Enter.
2 Choose Entity.
3 Select the existing line, arc, circle, 2D polyline, or spline to be converted.
4 Choose whether to reverse the direction of the individual arcs of the revision
cloud. Choose No to keep the arcs pointing inward. Choose Yes to flip the arcs to
point outward.
A revision cloud is created, and the selected entity remains or is deleted depending
on the DELOBJ system variable setting.

Customizing default revision cloud settings

All revision clouds are drawn using default settings that can be customized:
• Minimum arc length — The individual arcs that make up a revision cloud can be
made smaller or larger by setting the minimum arc length.
• Maximum arc length — The individual arcs that make up a revision cloud can be
made smaller or larger by setting the maximum arc length.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 195

• Style — Revision clouds can appear as if they had been drawn with a regular pen
or a calligraphy pen.

Only new revision clouds will be drawn with the new settings. Existing revision
clouds are not affected.

To customize revision cloud settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Revision Cloud ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Revision Cloud (in Annotation) or Annotate >
Revision Cloud (in Markup).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Revision Cloud.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Revision Cloud tool.
• Type revcloud and then press Enter.
2 Choose Arc Length.
3 Enter the minimum length of the individual arcs that make up the revision cloud,
then press Enter.
4 Enter the maximum length of the individual arcs that make up the revision cloud,
then press Enter. The value cannot be set to more than three times the minimum
arc length.

Arc lengths can also be scaled.

The setting of the DIMSCALE system variable also affects arc length.

5 Choose Style and select one of the following:

• Normal — Draws new revision clouds as if they were drawn with a regular pen.
• Calligraphy — Draws new revision clouds as if they were drawn with a callig-
raphy pen.
196 CHAPTER 5

Adding multileaders
Multileaders consist of line segments or a spline curve that connects a feature in a
drawing to multiline text or a block. Generally, you place an arrowhead at the first
point, and the multiline text or block is placed immediately adjacent to the last point.
Landing lines can also be placed horizontally between the leader and content (the
multiline text or block).

Creating multileaders
By default when you create a multileader, the multileader includes an arrow, line seg-
ments, and multiline text at the endpoint. However, you can choose a spline instead
of line segments and a block (or nothing) instead of multiline text.
There are more options too. Use the Multileader prompts once you start the Multi-
leader command. For more control over format, use multileader styles. For more
details, see “Working with multileader styles” on page 201 in this chapter.

To create a multileader that includes multiline text

1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader (in Annotation) or Annotate > Multi-
leader (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Multileader.
• On the Multileader toolbar, click the Multileader tool. Or on the Dimensioning
toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleader and then press Enter.
2 Specify the starting point of the multileader.
3 Specify the endpoint of the multileader line segment.
4 Specify additional multileader line segment endpoints, if the maximum number of
points is set to greater than two.
5 After you specify the last endpoint, press Enter.
6 In the Multiline Text editor, type the annotation.
7 When finished, click outside the Multiline Text editor.

A
Sample

C
Specify the starting point of the multileader (A) and the endpoint of the multileader (B). Then
type multiline text (C).
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 197

To create a multileader that includes a block

1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader (in Annotation) or Annotate > Multi-
leader (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Multileader.
• On the Multileader toolbar, click the Multileader tool. Or on the Dimensioning
toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleader and then press Enter.
2 Choose Options, choose Content Type, then choose Block.
3 Type the name of the block to include at the end of the multileader, then press
Enter.
4 Choose Exit.
5 Specify the starting point of the multileader.
6 Specify the endpoint of the multileader line segment.
7 Specify additional multileader line segment endpoints, if the maximum number of
points is set to greater than two.
8 After you specify the last endpoint, press Enter.

Specify the starting point of the multileader (A) and the endpoint of the multileader (B). The
specified block is drawn automatically.
To create a multileader that does not include multiline text or a block
1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader (in Annotation) or Annotate > Multi-
leader (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Multileader.
• On the Multileader toolbar, click the Multileader tool. Or on the Dimensioning
toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleader and then press Enter.
2 Choose Options, choose Content Type, then choose None.
3 Choose Exit.
4 Specify the starting point of the multileader.
5 Specify the endpoint of the multileader line segment.
198 CHAPTER 5

6 Specify additional multileader line segment endpoints, if the maximum number of

points is set to greater than two.
7 After you specify the last endpoint, press Enter.

Specify the starting point of the multileader (A) and the endpoint of the multileader (B).
To specify options for a multileader before creating it
1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader (in Annotation) or Annotate > Multi-
leader (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Multileader.
• On the Multileader toolbar, click the Multileader tool. Or on the Dimensioning
toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleader and then press Enter.
2 Choose Options, then choose from the following:
• Leader type Select whether the leader line type is straight, a spline, or has no
leader line.
• Leader landing Select whether to place a landing line horizontally between the
leader and text or block content.
• Content type Select whether a multileader with this style contains multiline text,
a block, or neither.
• Maxpoints Select to enter the number of maximum points for the leader line.
• First angle Select to specify the constraint angle of the first line segment.
• Second angle Select to specify the constraint angle of the second line segment.
3 When finished, choose Exit, then continue creating the multileader.

You can specify more multileader options using multileader styles.

For more details, see “Working with multileader styles” on page 201 in this chapter.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 199

Adding and removing leader lines from multileaders

Each multileader can have more than one leader line attached to it.

To add leader lines to a multileader

1 Do one of the following to choose Add Leader Lines ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Add Leader Lines (in Annotation) or Annotate
> Add Leader Lines (in Leaders).
• On the Multileader toolbar, click the Add Leader Lines tool.
• Type aimmleadereditadd and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired multileader.
3 Select an arrowhead location for a new leader.
4 Continue selecting points to add additional leader lines, then press Enter when fin-
ished.

To remove leader lines from a multileader

1 Do one of the following to choose Remove Leader Lines ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Remove Leader Lines (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Remove Leader Lines (in Leaders).
• On the Multileader toolbar, click the Remove Leader Lines tool.
• Type aimmleadereditremove and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to include in the selection set for leader removal.
3 Select a leader line to remove.
4 Continue selecting leader lines to remove, then press Enter when finished.

Aligning multileaders
It’s easy to align and distribute multileaders. You can also collect multileaders and
place them in one location. Note that multileaders with block content can be col-
lected, not multileaders with text content.
200 CHAPTER 5

To align multileaders
1 Do one of the following to choose Align Multileader ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Align Multileader (in Annotation) or Annotate
> Align Multileader (in Leaders).
• On the Multileader toolbar, click the Align Multileader tool.
• Type mleaderalign and then press Enter.
2 Select the multileaders to align, then press Enter.
3 Choose options if you want to customize the alignment, then choose from the fol-
lowing:
• Distribute Places multileader block or text content between two points that you
select.
• Make Leader Segments Parallel Places multileader block or text content where
the last leader line segments will be parallel.
• Specify Spacing Places multileader block or text content according to the
spacing that you specify.
• Use Current Spacing Places multileader block or text content according to the
current spacing that was previously specified.
The following prompts display for the Distribute option, which is the default.
4 Select the start point to use for distributing the multileader block or text content.
5 Select the end point to use for distributing the multileader block or text content.
Content will be aligned and distributed between the two points.

To collect multileaders that include blocks into a row or column

1 Do one of the following to choose Collect Multileader ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Align Multileader (in Annotation) or Annotate
> Collect Multileader (in Leaders).
• On the Multileader toolbar, click the Collect Multileader tool.
• Type mleadercollect and then press Enter.
2 Select the multileaders to collect, then press Enter.
3 Choose how you want to collect and align multileader content:
• Horizontal Places collected multileaders horizontally.
• Vertical Places collected multileaders vertically.
• Wrap Wraps the collected multileaders according to a width and number per row
that you specify.
4 Specify the upper left corner of the new location for the selected multileaders.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 201

Working with multileader styles

When you create a multileader, the program draws it on the current layer, using the
current multileader style. Each multileader has a corresponding multileader style,
which controls the appearance of the multileader, such as the arrowhead type, text
style, colors, and more.
You can create, save, modify, and delete named multileader styles.You can also set
any multileader style to be the current one that is assigned to new multileaders as you
add them to your drawing.
Multiline styles can also be managed using the Explorer. For more details, see
“Working with multileader styles” on page 332.

Creating a multileader style

Multileader styles provide a way for you to change various settings that control the
appearance of multileaders. You can then save those settings for reuse. If you don’t
define a multileader style before creating multileaders, the program uses the Standard
multileader style, which stores the default multileader settings.

To create a multileader style

1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader Styles Manager (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Multileader Styles Manager (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multileader Styles Manager.
• On the Multileader or Styles toolbar, click the Multileader Styles Manager tool.
Or on the Format toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleaderstyle and then press Enter.
2 Click New.
3 In New Style Name, type the name of the new multileader style.
4 In Start With, select an existing multileader style on which to base the new multi-
leader style.
5 In Annotative, select to make multileaders with this style affected by annotation
scaling.
6 Click Continue.
7 In the Create New Multileader Styles dialog box, make your selections for the
multileader style as necessary. For details about the available options, click [?] in
the dialog box.
8 When finished, click OK.
202 CHAPTER 5

Setting the current multileader style

When you create a multileader, it is automatically assigned the multileader style that
is set to current. By default, the program uses the Standard multileader style, which
stores the default multileader settings. Or you can choose a different multileader style
to be the current one.
If you choose a different multileader style as current, that style is assigned to multi-
leaders that you create in the future, not existing multileaders.

To set a multileader style as current

1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader Styles Manager (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Multileader Styles Manager (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multileader Styles Manager.
• On the Multileader or Styles toolbar, click the Multileader Styles Manager tool.
Or on the Format toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleaderstyle and then press Enter.
2 In the Multileader Styles Manager dialog box, select a multileader style from the
list.
3 Click Set Current.
4 Click Close.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 203

Assigning a style to a multileader

You can assign a different multileader style to a multileader at any time.

To assign a style to a multileader

1 Select a multileader in the drawing.
2 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Home then in Annotation, select the style in the Multi-
leader Style list. Or choose Annotate then select the style (in Leaders).
• On the Multileader or Styles toolbar, select the style in the Multileader Style list.
• Right-click the multileader, choose Properties, then in Style, select the style.

Renaming a multileader style

To rename a multileader style
1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader Styles Manager (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Multileader Styles Manager (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multileader Styles Manager.
• On the Multileader or Styles toolbar, click the Multileader Styles Manager tool.
Or on the Format toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleaderstyle and then press Enter.
2 In the Multileader Styles Manager dialog box, select the multileader style to
rename.
3 Click the name a second time, type the new name, then press Enter.
4 Click Close.

Deleting a multileader style

To delete a named multileader style
1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader Styles Manager (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Multileader Styles Manager (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multileader Styles Manager.
• On the Multileader or Styles toolbar, click the Multileader Styles Manager tool.
Or on the Format toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleaderstyle and then press Enter.
2 In the Multileader Styles Manager dialog box, select the multileader style to
delete.
3 Click Delete.
4 To confirm the deletion, click OK.
204 CHAPTER 5

5 Click Close.

Controlling leader format settings for multileader styles

You can control leader format settings that affect the type, color, linetype, lineweight,
arrowhead, and break size. Any changes you make affect the multileader style you’re
working with (a new or existing one). The image tile on the right side of the Create
New/Modify Multileader Styles dialog box shows the appearance of a multileader
based on the current multileader style settings.

To set the leader format for multileader styles

1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader Styles Manager (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Multileader Styles Manager (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multileader Styles Manager.
• On the Multileader or Styles toolbar, click the Multileader Styles Manager tool.
Or on the Format toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleaderstyle and then press Enter.
2 Select a multileader style, then click Modify. Or if you want to create a new multi-
leader style instead, see “Creating a multileader style” on page 201 in this chapter.
3 Click the Leader Format tab and make your selections.
4 Click OK when finished.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 205

A
B
C
D

A Select the leader line type: straight, spline, or no E Select the leader line arrowhead for multileaders
leader line. assigned this style.
B Select the leader line color for multileaders F Enter or select the leader line arrowhead size for
assigned this style. multileaders assigned this style.
C Select the leader linetype for multileaders G Enter or select the leader break size for
assigned this style. multileaders assigned this style. The break size
D Select the leader lineweight for multileaders is used when the Dimension Break command is
assigned this style. used with multileaders that are assigned this
style.
206 CHAPTER 5

Controlling leader structure settings for multileader styles

You can control settings affecting leader constraints, landing settings, and leader
scale. Any changes you make affect the multileader style you’re working with (a new
or existing one). The image tile on the right side of the Create New/Modify Multi-
leader Styles dialog box shows the appearance of a multileader based on the current
multileader style settings.

To set the leader structure for multileader styles

1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader Styles Manager (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Multileader Styles Manager (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multileader Styles Manager.
• On the Multileader or Styles toolbar, click the Multileader Styles Manager tool.
Or on the Format toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleaderstyle and then press Enter.
2 Select a multileader style, then click Modify. Or if you want to create a new multi-
leader style instead, see “Creating a multileader style” on page 201 in this chapter.
3 Click the Leader Structure tab and make your selections.
4 Click OK when finished.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 207

A
B
C

D
E

A Select to limit the number of points for leader E Select to specify the length of the landing line,
line, then enter or select the maximum number of then enter or select the length of the landing line.
points. F Select to specify that multileaders with this style
B Select to specify the angle of the first line are affected by annotation scaling.
segment, then enter or select the angle. G Select whether to scale multileaders
C Select to specify the angle of the second line automatically according to layout scaling or to
segment, then enter or select the angle. enter a fixed scale. (Available for non-annotative
D Select to include a landing line horizontally styles.)
between the leader and text content.
208 CHAPTER 5

Controlling content settings for multileader styles

You can control settings for the content located at the end of multileaders. Specifi-
cally, choose whether the content is multiline text, a block, or none. Then you make
further selections. The image tile on the right side of the Create New/Modify Multi-
leader Styles dialog box shows the appearance of a multileader based on the current
multileader style settings.

To set the content settings for a multileader style with multiline text
1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader Styles Manager (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Multileader Styles Manager (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multileader Styles Manager.
• On the Multileader or Styles toolbar, click the Multileader Styles Manager tool.
Or on the Format toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleaderstyle and then press Enter.
2 Select a multileader style, then click Modify. Or if you want to create a new multi-
leader style instead, see “Creating a multileader style” on page 201 in this chapter.
3 Click the Content Settings tab.
4 In Multileader Type, choose Mtext.
5 Continue making your selections.
6 Click OK when finished.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 209

B
C
D
E
F
G M

I
J
K
L

A Select whether a multileader with this style H Select to attach multiline text content to the
contains multiline text or a block, or none. The multileader horizontally or vertically. The options
options in the dialog box change depending on that display depend on your selection.
your selection. I Select the location of multiline text when it is
B Displays the default text for the multiline text attached to the left (for horizontal) or top (for
content. Click [...] to specify the default text. vertical) of the leader line.
C Select a text style for the multiline text. Click [...]
J Select the location of multiline text when it is
to manage text styles. attached to the right (for horizontal) or bottom
D Select whether the rotation angle of multiline text (for vertical) of the leader line.
is as-inserted, always right-reading, or always K Enter or select the distance between the landing
horizontal. line and multiline text.
E Select a color for the multiline text. L Select to extend the multileader to the text when
F Enter or select the height of the multiline text. needed. (Available only for horizontal
attachments.)
G Select to always left justify the multiline text.
M Select to add a frame around the multiline text.
210 CHAPTER 5

To set the content settings for a multileader style with a block

1 Do one of the following to choose Multileader Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multileader Styles Manager (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Multileader Styles Manager (in Leaders).
• On the menu, choose Format > Multileader Styles Manager.
• On the Multileader or Styles toolbar, click the Multileader Styles Manager tool.
Or on the Format toolbar, click the Multileader tool.
• Type mleaderstyle and then press Enter.
2 Select a multileader style, then click Modify. Or if you want to create a new multi-
leader style instead, see “Creating a multileader style” on page 201 in this chapter.
3 Click the Content Settings tab.
4 In Multileader Type, choose Block.
5 Continue making your selections.
6 Click OK when finished.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 211

C
D
E

A Select whether a multileader with this style C Select which point to use for attaching the block
contains multiline text or a block, or none. The to the multileader: insertion point that you specify
options in the dialog box change depending on or center point.
your selection. D Select the color of the block, which is applied if
B Select the block to use at the end of the the block entity color is ByBlock.
multileader. E Enter or select the scale of the block.
212 CHAPTER 5

Defining boundaries
A bounded polyline is an area bound by a single closed entity or by multiple entities
that intersect and is used for hatching.
For details about adding hatching after you create a boundary, see “Adding hatching
and gradients” on page 215 in this chapter.

Understanding boundaries
With the Boundary command, you can designate a specific area of a drawing for
operations such as hatching and dimensioning. You create a boundary by selecting an
area inside a closed loop. The area you select can be bounded by a single closed entity
or by multiple entities that intersect. The resulting boundary can be a polyline or
region, if your program version supports working with regions.
In cases where entities intersect, IntelliCAD interprets the boundary as the closed
loop closest to the point specifying the area. In the following figure, for example, the
area point selected in the rectangle results in a boundary consisting of the closed loop
nearest the point selection, as opposed to the closed loop formed by the rectangle
itself.

Selected point (A) and resulting boundary (B).

To make boundaries more specific, you can create a boundary set. A boundary set
specifies which entities are considered in determining the boundary path. This can
make creating the boundary faster if you are working with a complex drawing.
In the following figure, the circle and triangle are the selected entities. If you select an
area anywhere inside the circle or the triangle, the result is a polyline (or region if
your program version supports regions) that bounds the shaded area.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 213

B
C

Selected entities (A and B) and the point specified in the selected area (C), which results in a
new boundary around the shaded area.

Defining a boundary
When you create a boundary, you select an existing entity or multiple entities to
define the boundary.

To define boundaries from enclosed areas

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Boundary ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Boundary (in Draw) or choose Draw > Boundary
(in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Hatch > Boundary.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Boundary tool.
• Type boundary and then press Enter.
2 In Boundary Set, optionally specify a subset of entities to consider when creating
the boundary:
• Click Select Boundary Set.
• In the drawing, select the entities to consider when creating the boundary, and
press Enter when finished.
The Boundary Creation dialog box displays again and the Current Selection Set
option becomes selected automatically, which indicates that the entities you
selected will be considered when creating the boundary.

You don’t have to select entities again using Select Boundary Set.
The Current Selection Set option uses the last set of entities you selected with
Select Boundary Set.

3 Mark Island Detection if you want to consider all internal, closed boundaries,
called islands, for defining a boundary.
214 CHAPTER 5

4 In Entity Type, choose whether to create the resulting boundaries as polylines or

regions. Regions are available only for program versions that support working
with regions.
5 Click Pick Internal Points.
6 In the drawing, click inside the area whose closed perimeter forms the boundary,
not on the entity itself. If desired, continue clicking inside additional closed perim-
eters.
7 To complete the selection and create the boundaries, press Enter.

E
D

A Click to pick enclosed areas used to create new D Click to consider all internal, closed boundaries
boundaries. when creating boundaries.
B Click to customize the selection set of entities in E Select whether to create the boundary as a
the drawing to be considered when creating polyline or region (for program versions that
boundaries. support working with regions).
C If you clicked Select Boundary Set, choose
whether to consider all visible entities when
creating boundaries or only the entities in the
custom selection set.

To define a boundary around a hatch

1 Type hatchgenerateboundary and then press Enter.
2 Select the hatch entities around which you want to create boundaries, then press
Enter.
The boundaries are created as polylines and are not associated with the hatch enti-
ties.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 215

Adding hatching and gradients

When you add hatching or gradients to a drawing, IntelliCAD fills entities or
enclosed areas with a pattern.
Adding hatching or gradients is a four step process:
1 Specify a hatch or gradient pattern.
2 Specify entities or areas.
3 Optionally specify island detection options.
4 Specify additional options.

Hatch patterns and gradients are memory intensive. Because hatch and gradient pat-
terns can take a considerable amount of time to draw and display, you may want to
add hatching and gradients during the last steps of drawing creation or insert them on
a separate layer that you can freeze as you continue to work on your drawing. For
example, instead of using a small-scaled line pattern to create a solid fill, use the
SOLID hatch pattern instead as this will print and display much faster.

Specifying a hatch or gradient pattern

A hatch pattern consists of a repeating pattern of lines, dashes, and dots. You can
select one from a set of predefined patterns, define a pattern of your own, or choose a
pattern from a custom hatch library.
A gradient pattern consists of a gradual or smooth change from one color to another
color. You simply select colors and a pattern.

Existing hatches and gradients can be modified.

Type hatchedit to modify an existing hatch or gradient, double-click it in the drawing,
or change its settings in the Properties pane.

Specifying a predefined hatch pattern

Predefined hatch patterns are stored in the following hatch pattern library files:
• icad.pat — American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-compliant patterns.
• icadiso.pat — International Standards Organization (ISO)-compliant patterns.
To specify a predefined hatch pattern
1 Do one of the following to choose Hatch ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Hatch (in Draw) or Draw > Hatch (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Hatch > Hatch.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool.
• Type bhatch and then press Enter.
216 CHAPTER 5

2 Click the Hatch tab.

3 In Type, select Predefined.
4 In Pattern, select the desired pattern. You can also click [...] or click the swatch to
open the Hatch Patterns dialog box and select a pattern from the ANSI, ISO, or
Other Predefined tabs.
5 Specify any of the following options:
• Color In the first (left) color list, select the color of the hatch lines. In the second
(right) color list, select the color of the hatch background.
• Angle Enter the angle of the hatch pattern relative to the x-axis in degrees (1-
360). The default angle is clockwise; you can change the angle by entering a
numerical value.
• Scale Enter the scale factor as a percentage of the default. Changing the scale
factor makes the hatch pattern larger or smaller than the default size. If you
selected an ISO standard pattern, the scale affects the ISO pen width.
• Related to paper space Select to scale the hatch pattern relative to the units
defined for paper space. (Available for named layouts.)
• ISO pen width Enter the pen width if you selected an ISO standard pattern.
6 In Hatch Origin, select whether to draw the hatch pattern from the default origin or
a new origin. If you choose to specify a new origin, do one of the following:
• Click ( ) to pick the new origin directly in the drawing.
• Select Default to Boundary Extents to set the origin to the top left, top right,
bottom left, bottom right, or center of the boundary extents.

A new origin can be saved as the new default.

To store the new hatch origin as the default, select Store as Default Origin. The
hatch origin will be saved in the HPORIGIN system variable.

7 To continue, specify entities or areas for hatching. For details, see “Specifying
entities or areas for hatching and gradients” on page 223 in this chapter.

To specify a user-defined hatch pattern

1 Do one of the following to choose Hatch ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Hatch (in Draw) or Draw > Hatch (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Hatch > Hatch.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool.
• Type bhatch and then press Enter.
2 Click the Hatch tab.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 217

3 In the Type list, select User Defined.

4 Specify any of the following options:
• Color In the first (left) color list, select the color of the hatch lines. In the second
(right) color list, select the color of the hatch background.
• Angle Enter the angle of the hatch pattern relative to the x-axis in degrees (1-
360). The default angle is clockwise; you can change the angle by entering a
numerical value.
• Double Select to cross-hatch the pattern, which places another copy of the
pattern at a 90-degree angle over the original.
• Related to paper space Select to scale the hatch pattern relative to the units
defined for paper space. (Available for named layouts.)
• Spacing Enter the line spacing for the hatch pattern.
5 In Hatch Origin, select whether to draw the hatch pattern from the default origin or
a new origin. If you choose to specify a new origin, do one of the following:
• Click ( ) to pick the new origin directly in the drawing.
• Select Default to Boundary Extents to set the origin to the top left, top right,
bottom left, bottom right, or center of the boundary extents.

A new origin can be saved as the new default.

To store the new hatch origin as the default, select Store as Default Origin. The
hatch origin will be saved in the HPORIGIN system variable.

6 To continue, specify entities or areas for hatching. For details, see “Specifying
entities or areas for hatching and gradients” on page 223 in this chapter.

Specifying a custom library hatch pattern

You can use custom external hatch pattern libraries (.pat files), such as a standard
library used in your office, customized patterns, and libraries available from vendors
or standards organizations. The .pat files can be in any location.
Each .pat file contains one hatch pattern, and the filename must match the name of
the hatch pattern. The hatch pattern definition is as follows:
*[Name],[Description]

angle, x-origin, y-origin, delta-x, delta-y [, dash1, dash2, …]

Alternatively, you can add a custom hatch pattern to icad.pat and use predefined
hatch patterns described previously instead of a custom library pattern below.
218 CHAPTER 5

To use a custom library pattern

1 Do one of the following:
• Copy the custom pattern file (.pat file) to the Patterns folder where you installed
IntelliCAD. To check where IntelliCAD searches for pattern files, choose Tools
> Options, click Files, and check the folders listed for Hatch Pattern Locations.
• Choose Tools > Options, click Files, and add the location of the custom pattern
file (.pat file) to the folders listed for Hatch Pattern Locations.
2 Do one of the following to choose Hatch ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Hatch (in Draw) or Draw > Hatch (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Hatch > Hatch.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool.
• Type bhatch and then press Enter.
3 Click the Hatch tab.
4 In Type, choose Custom.
5 In Custom Pattern, select a pattern from the list. You can also click [...] to open the
Hatch Patterns dialog box and select a pattern from the Custom tab.
6 Specify any of the following options:
• Color In the first (left) color list, select the color of the hatch lines. In the second
(right) color list, select the color of the hatch background.
• Angle Enter the angle of the hatch pattern relative to the x-axis in degrees (1-
360). The default angle is clockwise; you can change the angle by entering a
numerical value.
• Scale Enter the scale factor as a percentage of the default. Changing the scale
factor makes the hatch pattern larger or smaller than the default size.
• Related to paper space Select to scale the hatch pattern relative to the units
defined for paper space. (Available for named layouts.)
7 In Hatch Origin, select whether to draw the hatch pattern from the default origin or
a new origin. If you choose to specify a new origin, do one of the following:
• Click ( ) to pick the new origin directly in the drawing.
• Select Default to Boundary Extents to set the origin to the top left, top right,
bottom left, bottom right, or center of the boundary extents.

A new origin can be saved as the new default.

To store the new hatch origin as the default, select Store as Default Origin. The
hatch origin will be saved in the HPORIGIN system variable.

8 To continue, specify entities or areas for hatching. For details, see “Specifying
entities or areas for hatching and gradients” on page 223 in this chapter.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 219

B
C
D

E
F

G
H
I
J

L
M
N

OPQ

A Select to create a hatch pattern. J Enter the pen width for an ISO-standard predefined pattern.
B Select the type of hatch pattern. K Select to use the default hatch origin or to specify a new origin.
C Select a predefined hatch pattern from the list or click [...] to L Click to pick the new hatch origin in the drawing.
select it in the Hatch Patterns dialog box. M Select to set the new hatch origin to the top left, top right,
D Click to select a hatch pattern. bottom left, bottom right, or center of the boundary extents.
E Select the color of the hatch lines. N Select to save the new hatch origin as the new default.
F Select a custom hatch pattern from the list or click [...] to select O Select to scale the hatch pattern relative to the units defined for
it in the Hatch Patterns dialog box. paper space. (Available for named layouts.)
G Enter the angle of the hatch pattern in relation to the x-axis. P Enter the scale factor as a percentage of the default.
H Select to cross-hatch a user defined pattern. Q Select the color of the hatch background.
I Enter the line spacing for a user defined pattern.
220 CHAPTER 5

Specifying a super hatch pattern

In addition to standard hatch patterns, you can use the Super Hatch command to apply
a hatch pattern created by automatically repeating an image, texture, block, external
reference, or wipeout.
Different than a standard hatch pattern, after you create a super hatch pattern, it is not
associative with the boundary used to create it.

To use a super hatch pattern

1 Do one of the following to choose Super Hatch ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Super Hatch (in Draw), Draw > Super Hatch (in
Draw), or Express Tools > Super Hatch (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Hatch > Super Hatch or Express Tools > Draw >
Super Hatch.
• Type superhatch and then press Enter.
2 In Curve Error Tolerance, optionally enter a tolerance value when approximating
vectors of super-hatch boundaries that are curved.
3 Select which type of entity you want to use as a hatch pattern:
• Image Click to select an image file to use as a hatch pattern. In the Attach Image
dialog box, specify additional settings for inserting the image file in the
drawing.
• Texture Click to select a texture file to use as a hatch pattern. Textures are image
files with a seamless design and are easy to use with super hatches. In the Attach
Image dialog box, specify additional settings for inserting the texture file in the
drawing. Several textures are available with the program.
• Block Click to open the Insert Block dialog box and choose the drawing file or
existing block to use as a hatch pattern.
• Xref Click to open the Attach External Reference dialog box and choose an
external reference file to use as a hatch pattern.
• Wipeout Click to create a hatch using a new wipeout entity.
Alternatively, if the image, block, external reference, or wipeout you want to use
as a hatch already exists in the drawing, click Select Pattern to select it in the
drawing, then follow the prompts.
4 Click OK.
5 Optionally choose Advanced to specify more options for defining the area bound-
ary.
6 Pick a point inside the enclosed area you want to hatch.

You may want to turn off image and wipeout frames after you create a super hatch.
Type tframes to turn image and wipeout frames off (and on).
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 221

Specifying a gradient pattern

A gradient pattern consists of a gradual or smooth change from one color to another
color. Simply select the colors, a pattern, and orientation settings.

To specify a gradient pattern

1 Do one of the following to choose Gradient ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Gradient (in Draw) or Draw > Gradient (in
Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Hatch > Gradient.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Gradient tool.
• Type gradient and then press Enter.
2 In Color, choose one of the following:
• One Color Specify one color for the gradient pattern, then specify the color in
Color1. The color you specify will be smoothed with the color white or black,
depending on the GFCLRSTATE system variable.
• Two Colors Specify two colors for the gradient pattern, then specify the colors
in Color1 and Color2. Color1 will be smoothed with Color2.
3 In the 3x3 display of gradient patterns, select a gradient pattern.
4 Specify the orientation options:
• Centered Select to center the gradient pattern. If not selected, the gradient
pattern appears to have a light source above and to the left (the pattern is shifted
up and to the left).
• Angle Enter or select the angle of the gradient pattern.
5 To continue, specify entities or areas for gradients. For details, see “Specifying
entities or areas for hatching and gradients” on page 223 in this chapter.
222 CHAPTER 5

B
C

F
G

A Select to create a gradient pattern. E Select a gradient pattern.

B Select to specify one or two colors for the gradient pattern. F Select to center the gradient pattern; if not selected, the pattern
C Select the first color of the gradient pattern; click [...] for more will shift up and to the left.
color options. G Enter or select an angle for the gradient pattern.
D Select the second color if creating a two-color gradient pattern;
click [...] for more color options.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 223

Specifying entities or areas for hatching and gradients

You can specify either entities or areas in which to apply hatches and gradients:
• Select entities — Add hatching or gradients to any entity that forms a closed
boundary, for example, a circle or rectangle. You can assign hatching or gradients
to a single entity or several entities at the same time.
• Select areas — Add hatching or gradients to an area enclosed by entities that form
a boundary. The hatch or gradient is created in the enclosed area, not the entities
themselves. The entire hatch or gradient, once drawn, is treated as a single entity
and it is either associative or independent of the boundary entities.

To select entities or areas for hatching and gradients

1 Do one of the following to choose Hatch ( ) or Gradient ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Hatch or Home > Gradient (in Draw); or choose
Draw > Hatch or Draw > Gradient (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Hatch > Hatch, or Gradient.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool or Gradient tool.
• Type bhatch or gradient and then press Enter.
2 Click one of the following:
• Add: Pick points Specifies areas for which to apply hatching and gradients. In
the drawing, click inside the closed perimeter of a boundary, not on the
boundary itself. If desired, continue clicking inside additional closed perimeters.
To complete the selection, press Enter.
• Add: Select entities Specifies entities for which to apply hatching and gradients.
In the drawing, click the entities individually or by choosing a selection method
from the prompt box, and then press Enter when done.
• Remove boundaries Removes boundaries from the selection set. In the drawing,
click the boundaries to remove from the selection set.
• Recreate boundary Creates a polyline or region around a hatch or gradient. In
the drawing, click the hatch or gradient for which you want to create a boundary.
• View selections Displays the selection set. In the drawing, press Enter when
done viewing the selection set.
3 To continue, specify additional options. For details, see “Specifying additional
hatch and gradient options” on page 226 in this chapter.

A warning message displays when you create the hatch or gradient if the number of
entities selected exceeds the HPOBJWARNING system variable value.
If the warning displays, to improve performance before continuing with hatch cre-
ation, select fewer entities. Hatch patterns are memory intensive and can take a
considerable amount of time to draw.
224 CHAPTER 5

ABC DE

A Click to select a point inside one or more entities that create D Click to view currently selected entities in the drawing.
a boundary. E Click to select a hatch or gradient for which to surround with
B Click to select one or more entities. a polyline or region.
C Click to remove a boundary from the selection set.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 225

Specifying islands and island detection

Islands are closed loops that reside inside other closed loops. IntelliCAD provides
island-detection options so that you can specify which islands, if any, should be con-
sidered in the area selection for a boundary.
The following figure shows a rectangular polyline with two islands. The circle is
referred to as the outer island, and the octagon is referred to as a nested island.

A D

Rectangular polyline (A) with outer island (B), with point (C) specifying the area selection, and nested island
(D).

You can choose from three island-detection methods.

• Nested Islands The outer entity and all its islands are considered for the polyline.
• Outer Only Only the outer entity and its outer island are considered for the
polyline.
• Ignore Islands Only the outer entity is considered for the polyline.

A B C
Nested islands (A), with outer island (B), and with ignore islands (C).
226 CHAPTER 5

To specify island detection options

1 Do one of the following to choose Hatch ( ) or Gradient ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Hatch or Home > Gradient (in Draw); or choose
Draw > Hatch or Draw > Gradient (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Hatch > Hatch, or Gradient.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool or Gradient tool.
• Type bhatch or gradient and then press Enter.
2 In Islands, select Island Detection and then choose one of the following:
• Normal The outer entity and all its islands are considered for hatching.
• Outer Only the outer entity and its outer island are considered for hatching.
• Ignore Only the outer entity is considered for hatching.

Specifying additional hatch and gradient options

There are many options that can be specified for hatches and gradients, including for-
matting options and specific options related to boundaries.

Existing hatches and gradients can be modified.

Type hatchedit to modify an existing hatch or gradient, double-click it in the drawing,
or change its settings in the Properties pane.

To specify additional hatch and gradient options

1 Do one of the following to choose Hatch ( ) or Gradient ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Hatch or Home > Gradient (in Draw); or choose
Draw > Hatch or Draw > Gradient (in Draw).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Hatch > Hatch, or Gradient.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Hatch tool or Gradient tool.
• Type bhatch or gradient and then press Enter.
2 Select any of the following formatting options:
• Annotative Makes the display and printing of the hatch or gradient pattern
affected by annotation scaling.
• Associative Associates the hatch or gradient pattern with its boundary entities.
An associative pattern updates automatically if you move any of its boundaries.

An associative hatch can be selected automatically when its boundary entities are
selected.
Use the Hatch Selection command to turn the setting on or off. On the ribbon if
your program version includes one, choose Home > Hatch Selection (in Draw) or
Draw > Hatch Selection (in Modify), or on the menu choose Draw > Hatch >
Hatch Selection.
 CREATING COMPLEX ENTITIES 227

• Create Separate Hatches Creates multiple hatches or gradients when more than
one closed boundary is selected.
• Draw Order Determines the order in which the hatch or gradient pattern is drawn
relative to its boundary.
• Layer Determines the layer on which the hatch or gradient pattern is assigned.
• Transparent Determines the transparency of the hatch or gradient. If you select
Specify Value, enter the transparency value or use the slider.
• Inherit Properties Allows selection of a hatch or gradient from which to copy
settings and load those settings in the Hatch and Gradient dialog box.
3 From the Hatch and Gradient dialog box, click > if necessary to expand the dialog
box.
4 Select any of the following boundary-related options:
• Boundary Retention Keeps any new entities that are created for drawing the
hatch or gradient. If turned on, select whether to create new entities as polylines
or regions. Existing entities are always retained.
• Boundary Set Determines the area of entities that is considered for creating a
boundary when using the Add: Pick Points option. Choose Current Viewport to
make available all entities within the current viewport. Choose Existing Set to
make available only those entities within the area specified with the New option.
Click New to specify a new area.
• Gap Tolerance Determines the tolerance that non-touching entities can be
within and still be used to create a boundary. For example, if two lines do not
meet at the same point but the distance between their endpoints falls within the
hatch tolerance, they will be considered closed and can be used to create a
boundary. IntelliCAD calculates the gap tolerance automatically, depending on
the size of the IntelliCAD window.
• Inherit Options Determines whether to use the current origin or the original
hatch origin when you use Inherit Properties.
5 Click OK.

Hatch patterns are memory intensive.

Because hatch patterns can take a considerable amount of time to draw and display,
you may want to add hatching during the last steps of drawing creation or insert
hatches on a separate layer that you can freeze as you continue to work on your
drawing. In addition, be sure to use the appropriate hatch scale and pattern. For
example, instead of using a small-scaled line pattern to create a solid fill, use the
SOLID hatch pattern instead as this will print and display much faster.
228 CHAPTER 5

M
L

K
J
I
H

ABC D EF

A Select to make the hatch or gradient annotative. H Select the order of the hatch or gradient relative to the
B Select to update the hatch or gradient automatically if you move boundary.
any of its boundaries. I Enter the tolerance that non-touching entities can be within and
C Select to create a separate hatch or gradient when more than still be used to create the hatch pattern boundary.
one closed boundary is selected. J Select the area of entities to consider for creating a boundary
D Click to select a hatch or gradient in the drawing from which to when using the Add: Pick Points option.
copy settings. K Click to specify a new area for boundary selection when using
E Select the transparency of the hatches or gradients; if Specify the Add: Pick Points option.
Value, enter the transparency value or use the slider. L If Retain Boundaries is turned on, select whether to create
boundaries as polylines or regions.
F Select the layer of the hatches or gradients.
M Select to keep any new entities that are created for drawing the
G Choose the hatch or gradient origin to apply when using Inherit hatch or gradient.
Properties. N Determines how hatching and gradients interact with islands.
O Select to detect islands when determining boundaries.
 6

Viewing your drawing

IntelliCAD provides many ways to display and view your drawing. You can also
change various display settings to speed up the display or printing of a drawing. This
section explains how to:
• Navigate within a drawing by scrolling, panning, and rotating the view.
• Change the magnification of a drawing by zooming in and out.
• View a drawing with annotation scales.
• Work with multiple windows or views of a drawing.
• Control the display of elements to optimize performance when working with large
or complex drawings.

When working with three-dimensional drawings, see “Viewing entities in three

dimensions” on page 698. To hide, shade, or render a drawing, see “Hiding, shading,
and rendering” on page 782.

Topics in this chapter

Redrawing and regenerating a drawing ............................................................ 230
Moving around within a drawing ....................................................................... 231
Changing the magnification of your drawing..................................................... 235
Changing the view of annotative entities .......................................................... 240
Displaying multiple windows ............................................................................. 244
Controlling visual elements............................................................................... 250
230 CHAPTER 6

Redrawing and regenerating a drawing

As you work on a drawing, visual elements may remain after the completion of a
command. You can remove these elements by refreshing, or redrawing, the display.

To redraw (refresh) the current window display

Do one of the following to choose Redraw ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Redraw (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Redraw.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Redraw tool.
• Type redraw and then press Enter.

Information about drawing entities is stored in a database as floating point values,

ensuring a high level of precision. Sometimes a drawing must be recalculated, or
regenerated, from the floating-point database to convert those values to the appropri-
ate screen coordinates. This occurs automatically. You can also manually initiate a
regeneration. When the drawing is regenerated, it is also redrawn.
To regenerate the current window, type regen in the command bar. If more than one
window is displayed, type regenall to regenerate all the windows.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 231

Moving around within a drawing

You can move the view of a drawing displayed in the current viewport by scrolling,
panning, or rotating the view. Doing this changes the portion of the drawing you are
viewing without changing the current magnification. Scrolling lets you move around
in the drawing horizontally and vertically. Panning lets you move the drawing in any
direction. Rotating lets you view your drawing from any angle.
You can also move to a different view using the following:
• Model and Layout tabs. For more details, see “Viewing drawings in paper space
and model space” on page 628.
• Preset views. For more details, see “Switching to a preset viewing direction” on
page 698.
• Named views. For more details, see “Creating and switching to named views” on
page 700.
• Cameras. For more details, see “Using a camera to view the drawing” on page
714.

Using scroll bars

To assist you in navigating within a drawing, horizontal and vertical scroll bars are
available in each drawing window. The size of the scroll box in relation to the scroll
bar indicates the current level of drawing magnification. The position of the scroll
box in relation to the scroll bar indicates the location of the center of the drawing in
relation to the extents of the drawing (the smallest rectangle containing all the entities
in the drawing).

To turn scroll bars on or off

Do one of the following to choose Scroll Bars:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Scroll Bars (in Display).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Scroll Bars.
• Choose Tools > Options > Display tab, and mark Show Scroll Bars.
• Type scrollbar, press Enter, and then select On, Off, or Toggle.
232 CHAPTER 6

Panning a drawing
You can move the drawing in any direction using the Pan tool ( ) on the View
toolbar. Panning shifts or slides the view of the drawing horizontally, vertically, or
diagonally. The magnification of the drawing remains the same, as does its orienta-
tion in space. The only change is the portion of the drawing displayed.

If you often pan (and zoom) to a certain area of a drawing, you can create and re-use a
view using the View Manager.
For details, see “Working with named views” on page 335.

Panning (and zooming) can be affected by smooth view transitions.

Type vtoptions to specify whether smooth view transitions are used when panning
and zooming, and to specify speed and performance settings.

Panning by specifying two points

For precise panning, specify two points defining the magnitude and direction of the
pan. The first point, or base point, indicates the starting point of the pan. The second
point indicates the amount of pan displacement relative to the first point.

To pan by specifying two points

1 Do one of the following to choose Pan ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Pan (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Pan > Pan.
• On the View toolbar, click the Pan tool.
• Type pan and then press Enter.
2 Specify the pan base point either by typing the coordinates or by specifying a point
in the drawing window.
3 Specify the pan displacement point either by typing the coordinates or by specify-
ing a point in the drawing window.

A
B

Select the pan base point (A), and then select a Result.
second point (B) to specify the pan displacement.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 233

Panning in real time

By panning in real time, you control the pan at the same time you move your mouse.

To pan in real time

1 Do one of the following to choose Real-Time Pan ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Real-Time Pan (in Navigate).
• Choose View > Pan > Real-Time Pan.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Real-Time Pan tool.
• Type rtpan and then press Enter.
2 Click and hold the left mouse button.
3 Move the cursor in the direction you want to pan.
4 To stop panning, release the mouse button.

Panning using a mouse with a wheel

You can use the wheel of your mouse to help move around in a drawing.
The MBUTTONPAN system variable controls this feature.

To pan using a mouse with a wheel

• Press and hold the wheel, and then move the mouse in the direction you want to
pan.

Panning using the arrow keys

To pan in small increments, use the arrow keys.
You can pan using the arrow keys if Use Up/Down Arrows for Command History
Navigation is not marked on the Display tab in Tools > Options.

To pan using the arrow keys

• Press the up, down, right, or left arrow keys.

Orbiting the drawing in real time

IntelliCAD allows you to orbit the drawing, or rotate the view, in real time. This
allows you to view your model from any angle while in model space. You cannot
rotate the view while in paper space.

Using 3D Orbit commands in large drawing files can be memory intensive.

It may be helpful to set the ZOOMDETAIL system variable to a higher value to
reduce the number of entities that display during the command. For example, if the
value is set to 10, entities with a pixel size less than or equal to 10 become invisible,
and when finished orbiting in real time, the entities become visible again.
234 CHAPTER 6

To orbit the drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Constrained Orbit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Constrained Orbit (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > 3D Orbit > Constrained Orbit.
• On the 3D Orbit toolbar, click the Constrained Orbit tool.
• Type 3dorbit and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click and drag the left mouse button to orbit the drawing.
• Choose Set to pick a different point on which to orbit, then click and drag the
mouse to orbit the drawing.
3 To stop orbiting, release the mouse button.

Use a shortcut.
Press and hold Shift while viewing a drawing, then click and drag the middle mouse
button (wheel) to orbit the drawing.

To orbit the drawing using continuous motion

1 Do one of the following to choose Continuous Orbit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Continuous Orbit (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > 3D Orbit > Continuous Orbit.
• On the 3D Orbit toolbar, click the Continuous Orbit tool.
• Type 3dcorbit and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click and drag the left mouse button to orbit the drawing.
• Choose Set to pick a different point on which to orbit, then click and drag the
mouse to orbit the drawing.
3 Release the mouse button. The view continues to orbit.
4 When finished, press Enter or Esc, or right-click the drawing.

You can orbit without locking any axis or choose a different axis to lock.
Use the Free Orbit command to orbit the drawing without any axis locked. Use the
Constrained X Orbit, Constrained Y Orbit, and Constrained Z Orbit commands to
orbit the drawing while maintaining the chosen axis. You can also press Ctrl and use
the right mouse button to rotate the view about the z-axis.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 235

Changing the magnification of your drawing

You can change the magnification of your drawing at any time by zooming. The
cursor changes to a magnifying glass ( ) when a zoom tool is active. Zoom out to
reduce the magnification so you can see more of the drawing, or zoom in to increase
the magnification so you can see a portion of the drawing in greater detail. Changing
the magnification of the drawing affects only the way the drawing is displayed; it has
no effect on the dimensions of the entities in your drawing.

If you often zoom (and pan) to a certain area of a drawing, you can create and re-use a
view using the View Manager.
For details, see “Working with named views” on page 335.

If you cannot zoom in a layout viewport, the layout viewport may be locked.
The scale and view do not change in model space while panning or zooming in a
locked layout viewport. For more details, see “Modifying layout viewports” on page
638.

Understanding zoom
One of the easiest ways to change the magnification of the drawing is to zoom in or
out by a preset increment. On the Zoom toolbar, the Zoom In tool ( )doubles the
current magnification of the drawing. The Zoom Out tool ( ) reduces the magnifi-
cation of the drawing by half. The portion of the drawing located at the center of the
current viewport remains centered on the screen as you zoom in and out.

Zoom in. Zoom out.

Zooming (and panning) can be affected by smooth view transitions.

Type vtoptions to specify whether smooth view transitions are used when zooming
and panning, and to specify speed and performance settings.
236 CHAPTER 6

Zooming in to an area using a window

You can create a window that defines the portion of the drawing to which you want to
zoom.

To zoom in to an area using a window

1 Do one of the following to choose Zoom Window ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Zoom Window (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Zoom > Window.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Zoom Window tool.
• Type zoom and then press Enter.
2 Select one corner of the window around the area you want to magnify.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the window around the area you want to magnify.

To specify a rectangular window around the Result.

area you want to magnify, select first one corner
(A), and then select the opposite corner (B).

Zooming in to one or more entities

You can zoom in to specific entities that you select. The window fills with the entities
that you select.

To zoom in to one or more entities

1 Select one or more entities.
2 Do one of the following to choose Zoom Entity ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Zoom Entity (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Zoom > Entity.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Zoom Entity tool.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 237

Zooming in real time

By zooming in real time, you control the zoom at the same time you move your
mouse.

Using real-time zoom in large drawing files can be memory intensive.

It may be helpful to set the ZOOMDETAIL system variable to a higher value to
reduce the number of entities that display during the command. For example, if the
value is set to 10, entities with a pixel size less than or equal to 10 become invisible,
and when finished zooming in real time, the entities become visible again.

To zoom in real time

1 Do one of the following to choose Real-Time Zoom ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Real-Time Zoom (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Zoom > Real-Time Zoom.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Real-Time Zoom tool.
• Type rtzoom and then press Enter.
• Simultaneously press and hold Ctrl + Shift.
2 Click and hold the left mouse button.
3 To zoom in, move the cursor up the screen; to zoom out, move the cursor down the
screen.
4 To stop zooming, release the mouse button.

To zoom in real time using a mouse with a wheel

• Rotate the wheel away from you to zoom in or toward you to zoom out.

Customize the mouse wheel.

Settings for the mouse wheel can be customized to accommodate your work style
using the ZOOMWHEEL (wheel direction), ZOOMPERCENT (display accuracy for
curved entities), and ZOOMFACTOR (zoom factor for the wheel) system variables.
238 CHAPTER 6

Displaying the previous view of a drawing

After you zoom in or pan to view a portion of your drawing in greater detail, you may
want to restore the previous view to see the entire drawing.

To display the previous view of a drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Zoom Previous ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Zoom Previous (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Zoom > Previous.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Zoom Previous tool.
Selecting this tool repeatedly steps back through up to 25 successive zoomed or
panned views.

Zooming to a specific scale

You can increase or decrease the magnification of your view by a precise scale factor
measured relative to the overall size of the drawing or in relation to the current dis-
play. When you change the magnification factor, the portion of the drawing located at
the center of the current viewport remains centered on the screen.
To change the magnification of the view relative to the overall size of the drawing,
type a number representing the magnification scale factor. For example, if you type a
scale factor of 2, the drawing appears at twice its original size. If you type a magnifi-
cation factor of .5, the drawing appears at half its original size.
You can also change the magnification of the drawing relative to its current magnifi-
cation by adding an x after the magnification scale factor. For example, if you type a
scale factor of 2x, the drawing changes to twice its current size. If you type a magnifi-
cation factor of .5x, the drawing changes to half its current size.

To zoom to a specific scale relative to the current display

1 Do one of the following to choose Zoom In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Zoom In (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Zoom > Zoom In.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Zoom In tool.
• Type zoom and then press Enter.
2 Type the scale factor, followed by an x (such as 2x).
3 Press Enter.

Combining zooming and panning

You can specify the point you want at the center of the view when you change the
drawing magnification. You can specify the point you want at the lower left of the
view when you change the magnification of the drawing with the Zoom Left tool
( ) on the Zoom toolbar. With the exception of the Zoom Window tool, the other
zoom tools zoom in or out from the center of the current view.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 239

To change the center of the current view

1 Do one of the following to choose Zoom Center ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Zoom Center (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Zoom > Center.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Zoom Center tool.
• Type zoom, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose Center.
2 Select the point you want located at the center of the new view.
3 Specify the zoom scale factor or the height of the drawing in drawing units.

Current view showing the point to be centered in the new view (A), and the new view zoomed using a scale
factor of 2x.

Displaying the entire drawing

There are two main ways you can zoom to display the entire drawing:
• Zoom all — Displays the entire drawing. If you have drawn any entities outside
the defined limits of the drawing, the extents of the drawing are displayed. If all
entities are within the limits of the drawing, the drawing is displayed all the way to
the drawing limits.
• Zoom extents — Displays the drawing to include all entities (to its extents), mak-
ing the image fill the display to the greatest possible magnification.

To display the entire drawing

1 To display the entire drawing, do one of the following to choose Zoom All ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Zoom All (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Zoom > All.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Zoom All tool.
Or, to display the drawing to its extents, do one of the following to choose Zoom
Extents ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Zoom Extents (in Navigate).
• On the menu, choose View > Zoom > Extents.
• On the Zoom toolbar, click the Zoom Extents tool.
240 CHAPTER 6

Zoom extents (displays all entities). Zoom all (displays to drawing limits).

Changing the view of annotative entities

If your drawing contains annotative entities, such as text and dimensions, you can
change the scale, or size, of these entities by setting the annotation scale.
Entities that can be annotative include text, multiline text, tolerances, dimensions,
leaders, multileaders, attributes, hatches, and blocks. If Annotative is set to Yes for
one of these types of entities and you change the annotation scale, the entity will dis-
play at a different scale than other entities in the drawing. For example, if you set the
annotation scale to 1:2, all annotative entities will display at that scale (if Automatic
Annotation is turned on) or only those annotative entities that support the 1:2 scale
will display at that scale (if Automatic Annotation is turned off).
Text styles, dimension styles, and multileader styles also can be annotative, so text,
dimensions, or multileaders assigned an annotative style can also be affected.

Turning on scaling of annotative entities

Annotation scaling allows you to control certain entities so their size will consistently
display when a drawing is displayed or printed at different scales. You don’t have to
use annotation scaling, but it is a convenient way to control the scaling of the follow-
ing entities: text, tolerances, dimensions, leaders, multileaders, attributes, hatches,
and blocks.
Text styles, dimension styles, and multileader styles can also use annotation scaling.
Text, dimension, and multileader entities that are assigned an annotative style will
have annotation scaling turned on by default. For details about text styles, see “Work-
ing with text styles” on page 484. For details about dimensions styles, see “Using
dimension styles and variables” on page 533. IntelliCAD supports the display of
multileaders and their styles, but not editing.)
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 241

To turn annotation scaling on or off for one or more entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Properties ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Properties (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Properties or Modify > Properties.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Properties tool.
• Type entprop and then press Enter.
• Press Ctrl +1.
The Properties pane displays.
2 Select the desired entities.
3 In Annotative, select one of the following:
• Yes Entities display according to the currently set annotation scale.
• No Entities are not affected by the currently set annotation scale.

To assign a scale to all annotative entities automatically

1 On the status bar, turn on automatic annotation by double-clicking Automatic
Annotation On/Off.
2 On the status bar, click Annotations Scales List.
3 Choose the annotation scale.
All annotative entities (all entities with Annotative set to Yes) will be assigned the
selected annotation scale.

To add the current annotation scale to one more entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Add Current Scale ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Add Current Scale (in Annotation Scaling).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Annotative Scale > Add Current Scale.
• Type aiobjectscaleadd and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired entities.

To remove the current annotation scale from one more entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Delete Current Scale ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Delete Current Scale (in Annotation Scaling).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Annotative Scale > Delete Current Scale.
• Type aiobjectscaleremove and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired entities.
242 CHAPTER 6

To add or remove annotation scales for one or more entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Add/Delete Scales ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Add/Delete Scales (in Annotation Scaling).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Annotative Scale > Add/Delete Scales.
• Type objectscale and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired entities.
The Annotation Scales dialog box displays a list of annotation scales that are
assigned to the entities.
3 Do one of the following:
• Click Add to select a scale and it to all selected entities.
• Select a scale and click Delete to remove it from all selected entities.
4 Click OK.

D
C
A

A Displays the annotation scales assigned to C Click to delete the selected annotation scale
selected entities. from selected entities.
B Select whether to display all annotation scales D Click to select an annotation scale to assign to
assigned to selected entities or only those that selected entities.
are in common.

Changing the scale of annotative entities

The annotation scale of a drawing determines the size of annotative entities without
changing the scale of other, non-annotative entities.
If automatic annotation is turned on, changing the annotation scale changes the scale,
or size, of all entities that have annotation scaling turned on. If automatic annotation
is turned off, the size is changed only for annotative entities that are assigned the
selected annotation scale.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 243

To set the annotation scale

1 On the status bar, click Annotations Scales List.
2 Choose the annotation scale.
All enabled annotative entities that have the selected scale assigned to them will
display at the new scale.

To assign and set the scale automatically for all annotative entities
1 On the status bar, turn on automatic annotation by double-clicking Automatic
Annotation On/Off.
2 On the status bar, click Annotations Scales List.
3 Choose the annotation scale.
All enabled annotative entities (all entities with Annotative set to Yes) will be
assigned the selected annotation scale and display at that scale.

Use a system variable.

Automatic annotation can also be set using the ANNOAUTOSCALE system variable.

Displaying and hiding certain annotative entities

An annotative entity can be assigned numerous scales that are used for viewing and
printing. By default, if an annotative entity is not assigned the current annotation
scale, it still displays but at the default scale. Alternately, you can hide annotative
entities that are not assigned the current annotation scale.
You can set the display status for the Model tab and for each Layout tab.

To display or hide annotative entities

1 Click the desired Model tab or Layout tab.
2 On the status bar, double-click Annotation Visibility On/Off.

Returning scale views of annotative entities to their default

positions
Each scale view of an enabled annotative entity can be moved to different locations
using grip editing. If various scale views of an annotative entity have been reposi-
tioned, you can easily return those scale views to their original basepoint.

To return scale views of annotative entities to their default positions

1 Do one of the following to choose Synchronize Multiple-Scale Positions ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Sync Scale Positions (in Annotation Scaling).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Annotative Scale > Synchronize Multiple-Scale
Positions.
• Type annoreset and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired entities.
244 CHAPTER 6

Displaying multiple windows

When you begin a new drawing, it is displayed in a single window. You can view the
drawing in a second window, or you can divide one window into multiple windows.
You can also open and display multiple drawings.

Working with multiple windows of a single drawing

You can open and work with several views of the same drawing simultaneously.
There are two methods for dividing the current drawing into multiple views:
• Open a new window of the open drawing.
• Divide the current window into multiple windows.
After you divide a single window into multiple windows, you can control each win-
dow separately. For example, you can zoom or pan in one window without affecting
the display in any of the other windows. You can control the grid, snap, and view ori-
entation separately for each window. You can restore named views in individual win-
dows, draw from one window to another, and name window configurations
individually so you can reuse them later.
As you draw, any changes you make in one window are immediately visible in the
others. You can switch from one window to another at any time, even in the middle of
a command, by clicking the window’s title bar.

Opening a new window of the same drawing

You can open additional windows to create more than one view of a drawing. To
open a new window, choose Window > New Window. After you open a new win-
dow, you can change its display without affecting any of the other windows.
When you open more than one window for a single drawing, each window is assigned
a unique number (for example, mydrawing:1, mydrawing:2, and so on). If your cur-
rent window is maximized, you can switch to another open window by selecting its
name from the bottom of the Window menu.
The names of other open drawings appear at the bottom of the Window menu. You
can also use the Cascade, Tile Horizontally, and Tile Vertically commands to arrange
all the open windows and drawings. To arrange all the windows and drawings into a
stack of identically sized windows, choose Window > Cascade. Arranging windows
and drawings in this way makes it easy to see the title bar for each window.
To arrange all the windows and drawings horizontally so they are placed in order
from top to bottom, choose Window > Tile Horizontally. Arranging windows and
drawings in this way displays each open window. The windows are resized to fit
within the available space.
To arrange all the windows and drawings vertically so they are placed side by side,
choose Window > Tile Vertically. Arranging windows and drawings in this way dis-
plays each open window. The windows are resized to fit within the available space.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 245

To manage all the windows from one dialog box, choose Window > Windows to
open the Windows dialog box.
IntelliCAD uses the commands in the following table to control its windows.

IntelliCAD window-control commands

Command Result
vports Splits the current window into two, three, or four tiled windows.
wcascade Cascades (overlaps) all open windows.
close Closes the current window.
closeall Closes all windows; also closes all drawings.
closeallother Closes all windows except the current drawing window.
wcloseall Closes all windows; also closes all drawings.
wiarrange Arranges window icons.
wopen Opens another window of the current drawing.
wvtile Tiles all windows vertically.

Dividing the current window into multiple windows

You can divide a single drawing window into multiple tiled windows (called view-
ports) on the Model tab. You can control the number of windows created and the
arrangement of the windows. You can also save and restore named window configu-
rations and display a list of the current and saved window configurations.
While working in a viewport, use the Maximize Viewport command to enlarge the
view to full size, allowing you to easily work on the geometry in that view. When
done, use the Minimize Viewport command to switch back to the original scale and
center point of the viewport.

To create multiple viewports

1 Do one of the following to choose Viewports ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Viewports (in Viewports).
• On the menu, choose View > Viewports.
• On the View toolbar, click the Viewports tool.
• Type viewports and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Create 2 Viewports, Create 3 Viewports, or Create 4
Viewports.
3 In the prompt box, choose the viewport orientation.
246 CHAPTER 6

A B C

D E F

G H I

You can divide a drawing window into two windows arranged vertically (A) or horizontally (B); three windows
arranged left (C), right (D), above (E), below (F), vertically (G), or horizontally (H); or four tiled windows (I).

Viewports can be resized.

Click and drag the border of a viewport to resize it.

To switch to a different viewport

1 Do one of the following:
• Click the edge of the viewport you want to make active.
• Press Ctrl+R to make the next viewport active.
To maximize the current viewport
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Maximize Viewport (in Viewports).
• On the menu, choose View > Viewports > Maximize Viewport.
• On the status bar, click Maximize Viewport ( ).
• Type vpmax and then press Enter.
The viewport is enlarged.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 247

To minimize the current viewport (if it is maximized)

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Minimize Viewport (in Viewports).
• On the menu, choose View > Viewports > Minimize Viewport.
• On the status bar, click Minimize Viewport ( ).
• Type vpmin and then press Enter.
The viewport returns to its original scale and center point.

Saving window configurations

If you have divided the drawing window into multiple views, you can save the current
window arrangement so that you can recall it to the screen later. The number and
placement of the windows are saved exactly as they are currently displayed. The set-
tings for each window are also saved.

To name and save a window configuration

1 Do one of the following to choose Viewports ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Viewports (in Viewports).
• On the menu, choose View > Viewports.
• On the View toolbar, click the Viewports tool.
• Type viewports and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Save.
3 Type a configuration name, and then press Enter.
The name can be up to 255 characters in length and can contain letters, numbers,
the dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and underscore (_), or any combination.

To restore a named window configuration

1 Do one of the following to choose Viewports ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Viewports (in Viewports).
• On the menu, choose View > Viewports.
• On the View toolbar, click the Viewports tool.
• Type viewports and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Restore.
3 Type the name of the window configuration you want to restore.
248 CHAPTER 6

Working with multiple drawings

With the multiple-document interface (MDI) feature, you can open more than one
drawing inside of IntelliCAD. Because you can open and work on several drawings at
one time, you can copy, cut, or paste an entity from one drawing to another.
Each drawing appears in a drawing window, which has the following advantages:
• You can see two or more drawings side by side.
• You can easily copy entities from one drawing to another.
• Using IntelliCAD’s Explorer, you can copy such elements as layers, linetypes, and
text styles from one drawing to another.
• Like viewports on the Model tab, you can tile or overlap drawing windows; unlike
viewports on the Model tab, drawing windows maximize or reduce to an icon.

One session of IntelliCAD with four drawings open.

Each drawing window that you open and work on retains in the Prompt History log
all the commands that you perform, but the command line does not indicate when you
have switched windows.
When you work with more than one drawing open in its own window, you can easily
move, cut, copy, and paste in between drawings. If you move an entity from one win-
dow to another and then want to undo this action, you must undo it in both drawings
for it to take effect. If you copy an entity from one window to another and then want
to undo that action, you must undo it from the drawing into which you copied the
entity. If you cut and paste an entity and then want to undo that action, you must undo
it in both drawings.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 249

In the upper right corner of each window are buttons that help manage the display of
open drawing windows. The buttons that are available depend on the state of the win-
dow. Minimize reduces a window to an icon, Restore expands a window to its normal
size, Maximize expands and fills a window in the drawing area, and Close closes a
drawing window. Each window can also be resized by dragging its edges and posi-
tioned by dragging its titlebar.
IntelliCAD’s primary window type (or document type) is for .dwg drawings. The
Start Page is another document type. You can customize IntelliCAD to display com-
mands according to the document type using the Visibility option of the Customize
UI command. For details about how to set this option for menus, see “Setting proper-
ties of menu items” on page 899.
250 CHAPTER 6

Controlling visual elements

The number of entities in your drawing and the complexity of the drawing affect how
quickly IntelliCAD can process commands and display your drawing. You can
improve overall program performance by turning off the display of certain visual ele-
ments, such as solid fills and text, while you work on the drawing. When you are
ready to print your drawing, turn on the display of these elements so your drawing
prints the way you want.
You can also improve performance by turning off entity-selection highlighting, turn-
ing off the display of marker blips created when you select locations in the drawing,
and by turning off the display of lineweights.

Displaying solid fills

You can reduce the time it takes to display or print a drawing by turning off the dis-
play of solid fill. When solid fills are turned off, all filled entities, such as wide
polylines and planes, display and print as outlines. When you turn solid fills on or off,
you must redraw the drawing before the change is displayed.
A check mark appears next to the Fill command on the Settings menu when it is
turned on.

To turn the display of solid fills on or off

1 Do one of the following to choose Fill ( ):
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Fill.
• On the Settings toolbar, click the Fill tool.
• Type fill and then press Enter.
2 Choose View > Redraw.

Fill on. Fill off.

 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 251

Displaying quick text

Text entities require a considerable amount of time to display and print. You can
reduce the time it takes to display or print a drawing by enabling quick text. For
example, if you’re doing a preliminary check print of a drawing, you may want to
turn quick text on to speed up printing. When quick text is enabled, text entities are
replaced by rectangular boxes that indicate the outline of the area occupied by the
text. When you turn quick text on or off, you must regenerate the drawing before the
change is displayed.

To turn the display of quick text on and off

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type qtext, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose On or Off.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click the secondary Display tab.
4 Select or clear the Enable Quick Text check box.
5 Click OK.
6 To regenerate your drawing, do one of the following to choose Regen ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Regen.
• On the menu, choose View > Regen.
• On the View toolbar, click the Regen tool.
• Type regen and then press Enter.

Quick Text off. Quick Text on.

252 CHAPTER 6

Displaying highlighting
When you select entities to modify, the program can highlight them using a dashed
line pattern or a glow effect. This highlight disappears when you finish modifying the
entities or when the entities are cleared.
Sometimes highlighting entities can take a considerable amount of time, and you may
want to improve overall program performance by turning highlighting off.

To turn highlighting on and off

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type highlight, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose On or Off.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click the secondary Display tab.
4 Choose from the following options:
• Highlight selected entities Displays selected entities highlighted in a dashed
line. When unchecked, selected entities remain unchanged.
• Selection effect Displays selected entities with a glowing highlight instead of a
dashed line. This option only applies if Highlight Selected Entities is turned on.
The glowing highlight effect applies only when the graphics device is set to
OpenGL ES.
5 Click OK.
 VIEWING YOUR DRAWING 253

Displaying blips
You can turn blips off. They are the temporary markers that appear on the screen
when you select an entity or location. Blips are visible only until you redraw the
drawing. You cannot select blips; they are used only for reference and never print.

To turn the display of blips on and off

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type blipmode, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose On or Off.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click the secondary Display tab.
4 Select or clear the Show Marker Blips check box.
5 Click OK.

Blips on. Blips off.

Displaying lineweights
You can reduce the time it takes to display a drawing by turning off the display of lin-
eweights. When you turn off lineweights, all entities display as outlines.
You can also specify a lineweight scale. Specify a smaller scale to display thinner
lines; specify a larger scale to display thicker lines. For example, a scale factor of 0.5
would display a .80 millimeter lineweight as .40 millimeter; a scale factor of 2 would
increase the same lineweight to display at 1.6 millimeters. This can help you differen-
tiate various lineweights that display in a drawing. Adjusting the lineweight display
scale affects how the lineweights appear on your screen, not how they appear when
printed.

Lineweight scale can affect performance.

Setting the lineweight scale too high may result in slower system performance.

You can also adjust the units for measuring lineweights, and the default lineweight.
254 CHAPTER 6

To control the display of lineweights

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
• Type lweight and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click the Lineweights tab.
4 Select or clear Display Lineweights.
5 In Units for Listing, choose Millimeters or Inches.
6 In Default, select the lineweight assigned to layers and entities that use the Default
lineweight.
7 In Adjust Display Scale, move the slider to the scale you want. By default, the
slider begins at 1.00.
8 Click OK.

Use a shortcut.
To turn the display of lineweights on or off, use the LWDISPLAY system variable or
double-click the word LWT on the status bar.

You can turn lineweights on or off when you print. For details, see “Specifying print
options specifically for layouts” on page 650.
 7

Working with coordinates

For accuracy in a drawing, you can locate specific points by entering coordinates as
you draw or modify entities. When you create two-dimensional entities, you enter
two-dimensional coordinates; for three-dimensional entities, you specify three-
dimensional coordinates.
You can also specify coordinates in relation to other known locations or entities in a
drawing. In particular, when you work in three-dimensional drawings, it is often eas-
ier to specify coordinates in relation to a two-dimensional working plane, called a
user coordinate system (UCS).
This section explains how to work with coordinates, including how to:
• Use two-dimensional and three-dimensional coordinate systems.
• Specify absolute and relative coordinates.
• Specify polar, spherical, and cylindrical coordinates.
• Define and manipulate user coordinate systems.

Topics in this chapter

Using Cartesian coordinates ............................................................................ 256
Using two-dimensional coordinates .................................................................. 259
Using three-dimensional coordinates ............................................................... 262
Using xyz point filters........................................................................................ 265
Defining user coordinate systems..................................................................... 267
256 CHAPTER 7

Using Cartesian coordinates

Many commands in IntelliCAD require that you specify points as you draw or modify
entities. You can do so by selecting points with the mouse or by typing coordinate
values in the command bar. The program locates points in a drawing using a Carte-
sian coordinate system.

Understanding how coordinate systems work

The Cartesian coordinate system uses three perpendicular axes — x, y, and z — to
specify points in three-dimensional space. Every location in a drawing can be repre-
sented as a point relative to a 0,0,0 coordinate point, referred to as the origin. To draw
a two-dimensional entity, you specify horizontal coordinate positions along the x-axis
and vertical coordinate positions along the y-axis. Thus, every point on a plane can be
represented as a coordinate pair composed of an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate.
Positive coordinates are located above and to the right of the origin; negative coordi-
nates are located to the left and below the origin.

Y
-Z
5
4
3
-X 2 (5, 2, 0)
-3 -2 1
-1
1 2
-1 3 4
5 6 X
-2
-3 (0, 0, 0)
Z

-Y

The three perpendicular axes of the Cartesian coordinate system.

When you work in two dimensions, you need enter only the x- and y-coordinates; the
program assumes that the z-axis value is always the current elevation. When you
work in three dimensions, however, you must also specify the z-axis value. When you
look at a plan view of your drawing (a view from above, looking down), the z-axis
extends straight up out of the screen at a 90-degree angle to the xy plane. Positive
coordinates are located above the xy plane, and negative coordinates are below the
plane.
 WORKING WITH COORDINATES 257

All IntelliCAD drawings use a fixed coordinate system, called the World Coordinate
System (WCS), and every point in a drawing has a specific x,y,z-coordinate in the
WCS. You can also define arbitrary coordinate systems located anywhere in three-
dimensional space. These are called user coordinate systems and can be located any-
where in the WCS and oriented in any direction.
You can create as many user coordinate systems as you want, saving or redefining
them to help you construct three-dimensional entities. By defining a UCS within the
WCS, you can simplify the creation of most three-dimensional entities into combina-
tions of two-dimensional entities.
To help you keep your bearings in the current coordinate system, the program dis-
plays a coordinate system icon. When you begin a new drawing, you are automati-
cally in the WCS, indicated by the letter W in the icon. When you display a drawing
in plan view, you see the coordinate system icon from the top, with the z-axis directed
straight toward you. When you display a three-dimensional drawing in a view other
than plan view, the coordinate system icon changes to reflect your new viewpoint.

The visible portions of the axes are the positive directions.

The invisible portions are the negative directions.

WCS icon. Plan UCS icon. 3D View WCS icon.

The IntelliCAD UCS icon looks different from the UCS icon in AutoCAD, because it
presents more information. Three colors represent the three axes, making it easier for
you to recognize the orientation in three-dimensional space:
• x-axis: red
• y-axis: green
• z-axis: blue
If you prefer a single color for the cursor and UCS icon, you can make that change
with the config or options command.
258 CHAPTER 7

Changing how coordinates display

The current position of the cursor is displayed as x,y,z-coordinates in the status bar
and, by default, updates dynamically as you move the cursor. There are several dis-
play modes to choose from in IntelliCAD:
• Absolute for points — Updates the display with absolute coordinates only when
you specify a point.
• Absolute continuos — Updates the display with absolute coordinates as you move
the cursor and make selections. This is the default.
• Relative continuos — The same as absolute always when moving the cursor and
making selections, with the addition of displaying relative distances and angles
(rather than x,y,z-coordinates) when you have previously selected a point or entity
and the program displays a rubber-band line. If no command is active, absolute
coordinates display.
• Geographic continuos — Updates the display with geographic coordinates as you
move the cursor and make selections.

To change how coordinates display in the status bar

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.

Use a shortcut.
In the status bar, right-click Drawing Coordinates and choose Coordinate Set-
tings to open the Drawing Setting > Display tab.

3 Choose one of the following:

• Absolute coordinates update only when specifying points
• Absolute coordinates update continuously
• Relative polar coordinates update continuously
• Geographic coordinates update continuously
4 Click OK.

Use a shortcut.
On the status bar, click Drawing Coordinates to switch to the next display mode, or
press Ctrl+I.
 WORKING WITH COORDINATES 259

Finding the coordinates of a point

To find the x,y,z-coordinates for a point on an entity, such as the endpoint of a line,
select an appropriate entity snap (such as Endpoint) before selecting the entity. If you
have no entity snaps set, the x,y-coordinates of the point you specified is displayed,
with the z-coordinate equal to the current elevation.

To find the coordinate of a point in the drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose ID Coordinates ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > ID Coordinate (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > ID Coordinates.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the ID Coordinates tool.
• Type idpoint and then press Enter.
2 Select the point for which you want to find the coordinates.
If the command bar is activated, the x,y,z-coordinates for the point you selected
display in the command bar.
If the command bar is not activated, the Prompt History window displays, show-
ing the x,y,z-coordinates for the point you selected.

Using two-dimensional coordinates

When working in two dimensions, you specify points on the xy plane. You can spec-
ify any point as an absolute coordinate (or Cartesian coordinate), using the exact x-
coordinate and y-coordinate locations in relation to the origin (the 0,0 coordinate
point at which the two axes intersect), or as a relative coordinate in relation to the pre-
vious point. You can also specify points using relative or absolute polar coordinates,
which locate a point using a distance and an angle.

Entering absolute Cartesian coordinates

To enter absolute Cartesian coordinates, type the coordinate location of the point in
the command bar. For example, to use absolute Cartesian coordinates to draw a line
from the origin (0,0) to a point 3 units to the right and 1 unit above the origin, start the
Line command and respond to the prompts as follows:
Start of line: 0,0

Angle • Length • <Endpoint>: 3,1

260 CHAPTER 7

Y 3

(0, 0)
(3, 1)
1
-X X

-Y

Drawing a line using the absolute Cartesian coordinate method.

When using absolute Cartesian coordinates, you need to know the exact point loca-
tions for anything you draw. For instance, to use absolute Cartesian coordinates to
draw an 8.5-unit square with its lower left corner at 4,5, you must determine that the
upper left corner is at coordinate 4,13.5, the upper right corner at 12.5,13.5, and the
lower right corner at 12.5,5.

Entering relative Cartesian coordinates

Another, simpler method is to use relative Cartesian coordinates: you specify a
location in the drawing by determining its position relative to the last coordinate you
specified. To use relative Cartesian coordinates, type the coordinate values in the
command bar, preceded by the at symbol (@). The coordinate pair following the @
symbol represents the distance along the x-axis and the y-axis to the next point. For
example, to draw an 8.5-unit square with its lower left corner at 4,5 using relative
Cartesian coordinates, start the Line command, and then respond to the prompts as
follows:
Start of line: 4,5

Angle • Length • <Endpoint>: @8.5,0

Angle • Length • Follow • Undo • <Endpoint>: @0,8.5

Angle • Length • Follow • Close • Undo • <Endpoint>: @-8.5,0

Angle • Length • Follow • Close • Undo • <Endpoint>: C

 WORKING WITH COORDINATES 261

Y @-8.5, 0
13

@0, 8.5

5 (4, 5) @8.5,0

(0, 0)
-X X
-Y 4 12

Drawing a square using the relative Cartesian coordinates method; enter C to close.
The first relative coordinate (@8.5,0) locates the new point 8.5 units to the right
(along the x-axis) from the previous point of 4,5; the second relative coordinate
(@0,8.5) locates the next point 8.5 units above (along the y-axis) the previous point,
and so on. Entering C (for Close) draws the final line segment back to the first point
specified when you started the Line command.

Entering polar coordinates

Using relative polar coordinates makes drawing a square tilted at a 45-degree angle a
simple task. Polar coordinates base the location of a point on a distance and angle
from either the origin (absolute coordinate) or from the previous point (relative coor-
dinate).
To specify polar coordinates, type a distance and an angle, separated by the open
angle bracket (<). For example, to use relative polar coordinates to specify a point 1
unit away from the previous point and at an angle of 45 degrees, type @1<45.
To draw the square from the example in the previous section, “Entering relative Car-
tesian coordinates,” this time tilted at a 45-degree angle, start the Line command, and
then respond to the prompts as follows:
Start of line: 4,5

Angle • Length • <Endpoint>: @8.5<45

Angle • Length • Follow • Undo • <Endpoint>: @8.5<315

Angle • Length • Follow • Close • Undo • <Endpoint>: @8.5<225

Angle • Length • Follow • Close • Undo • <Endpoint>: C

262 CHAPTER 7

@8.5<315
@8.5<45

5 (4, 5)
@8.5<225
(0, 0) C
-X X
-Y 4

Drawing a tilted square using the relative polar coordinates method; enter C to close.

This example assumes the program’s default settings.

Like all examples in this guide, the example assumes default settings: Angles increase
counterclockwise and decrease clockwise. An angle of 315 degrees is the same as -45
degrees.

Using three-dimensional coordinates

Specifying coordinates in three-dimensional space is similar to working in two
dimensions, except that you also use the z-axis to locate coordinates. Three-dimen-
sional coordinates are represented in the format x,y,z (for example, 2,3,6).

Using the right-hand rule

To visualize how IntelliCAD works with three-dimensional space, use a technique
known as the right-hand rule. Hold up your right hand in a loose fist with your palm
facing you. Extend your thumb in the direction of the positive x-axis and your index
finger upward in the direction of the positive y-axis. Then extend your middle finger
straight toward you in the direction of the z-axis. These three fingers are now pointing
in the positive x, y, and z directions, respectively.
You can also use the right-hand rule to determine the positive rotation direction. Point
your thumb in the positive direction of the axis about which you want to rotate, and
then curl the rest of your fingers toward your palm. These fingers are curling in the
positive rotation direction.
 WORKING WITH COORDINATES 263

The right-hand rule helps you determine the positive direction of the x-, y-, and z-axes and the
positive rotation direction.

Entering x,y,z-coordinates
When working in three dimensions, you can specify x,y,z-coordinates as absolute dis-
tances in relation to the origin (the 0,0,0 coordinate point at which the three axes
intersect) or as relative coordinates based on the last point selected. For example, to
specify a point 3 units along the positive x-axis, 4 units along the positive y-axis, and
2 units along the positive z-axis, specify the coordinate 3,4,2.

Entering spherical coordinates

When working in three-dimensional space, you can use spherical coordinates to spec-
ify a three-dimensional point by entering its distance from either the origin (absolute
distance) or the last point (relative distance), along with its angle in the xy plane and
its angle up from the xy plane. In spherical format, you separate each angle with the
open angle bracket (<).
Thus, to draw a line from the origin to a point 10.2500 drawing units away, at an
angle of 45 degrees from the x-axis and 35 degrees from the xy plane, start the Line
command, and then respond to the prompts as follows:
Start of line: 0,0,0

Angle • Length • <Endpoint>: 10.2500<45<35

264 CHAPTER 7

Z
B

C
E Y

A D
X

When you draw a line from a start point (A) to an endpoint (B) using spherical coordinates, you
specify its length (C, in this case 10.2500 units), the angle in the xy plane (D, in this case 45
degrees), and the angle from the xy plane (E, in this case 35 degrees).

Entering cylindrical coordinates

When working in three-dimensional space, you can also use cylindrical coordinates
to specify a three-dimensional point. You specify a point by entering its distance from
either the origin (absolute distance) or the last point (relative distance), its angle in the
xy plane, and its z-coordinate value.
In cylindrical format, you separate the distance and angle with the open angle bracket
(<) and separate the angle and z value with a comma. For example, to draw a line
from the last point to a point 7.4750 units away, at an angle of 27 degrees from the x-
axis in the xy plane and 3 units up in the z direction, start the Line command, and then
respond to the prompts as follows:
Start of line: (select point A)

Angle • Length • <Endpoint>: @7.4750<27,3

B Y
C

A D

When you draw a line from a start point (A) to an endpoint (B) using cylindrical coordinates,
you specify its length (C, in this case 7.4750), the angle in the xy plane (D, in this case 27
degrees), and the distance in the z direction (E, in this case 3 units).
 WORKING WITH COORDINATES 265

Using xyz point filters

Point filters provide a method of locating a point in a drawing relative to another
point without specifying the entire coordinate. Using a point filter, you can enter par-
tial coordinates, and then the program prompts you for the remaining coordinate
information. To use xyz point filters, respond to the prompt for a coordinate with a
filter in the following form:
.coordinate
where coordinate is one or more of the letters x, y, and z. The program then prompts
you for the filtered coordinate(s). For example, if you type .xy, the program prompts
you to select a point whose xy-coordinate you want, and then prompts you for the z-
coordinate. The filters .x, .y, .z, .xy, .xz, and .yz are all valid filters.

Using point filters in two dimensions

You can use point filters when you work in two dimensions to locate points in rela-
tion to existing entities. For example, to draw a circle centered in a rectangle, start the
Circle command, and then respond to the prompts as follows:
2Point • 3Point • RadTanTan • Arc • Multiple • <Center of circle>: .y

Select Y of: mid

Snap to midpoint of: (select the left side of the rectangle)

Still need XZ of: mid

Snap to midpoint of: (select top of the rectangle)

Diameter • <Radius>: (specify radius of circle)

You can use point filters to center the circle by separately selecting the midpoints of
two sides of the rectangle (A and B) and then specifying its radius.
266 CHAPTER 7

Using point filters in three dimensions

You can use point filters when you work in three-dimensional space to locate points
in two dimensions and then specify the z-coordinate as the elevation above the xy
plane. For example, to begin drawing a line from a point with a z-coordinate 3 units
above the center of a circle, insert the circle, and then start the Line command and
respond to the prompts as follows:
ENTER to use last point • Follow • <Start of line>: .xy

Select XY of: cen

Snap to centerpoint of: (select a point on the circle)

Still need Z of: 3 (locates the starting point 3 units above the center of
the circle)

Length of line: (specify the length of the line)

C
A

You can use point filters to draw a line by first selecting a point in the xy plane (A),
specifying the z-coordinate (B), and then specifying the length of the line (C).
 WORKING WITH COORDINATES 267

Defining user coordinate systems

A user coordinate system (UCS) is a Cartesian coordinate system with origins and
orientation defined by the user.

Understanding user coordinate systems

When working in three-dimensional space, you can define a UCS with its own 0,0,0
origin and orientation separate from the WCS. You can create as many user coordi-
nate systems as you want, and then save and recall them as you need them to simplify
construction of three-dimensional entities.
For example, you can create a separate UCS for each side of a building. Then, by
switching to the UCS for the east side of the building, you can draw the windows on
that side by specifying only their x- and y-coordinates. When you create one or more
user coordinate systems, the coordinate entry is based on the current UCS.

UCS aligned with the front wall of the house.

Defining a user coordinate system

To define a UCS, you can use any of the following methods:
• Specify a new origin and points on the positive x- and y-axes.
• Specify a new origin and point on the positive z-axis.
• Align the UCS with an existing entity.
• Rotate the current UCS around any of its axes.
• Align the UCS with its z-axis parallel to the current viewing direction.
• Align the UCS xy plane perpendicular to the current view.

When you define a new UCS, the UCS icon changes to indicate the origin and orien-
tation of the new UCS.
268 CHAPTER 7

To define a UCS by specifying a new origin and points on the positive x- and y-
axes
1 Do one of the following to choose User Coordinate Systems ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > User Coordinate Systems or choose View > User
Coordinate Systems.
• On the menu, choose Tools > User Coordinate Systems > Select a Predefined
UCS.
• On the UCS toolbar, click the Select a Predefined UCS tool.
• Type setucs and then press Enter.
2 In the User Coordinate Systems dialog box, click Explore UCSs.
3 In the Explorer, be sure that Coordinate Systems is selected, and click the New
Item tool ( ).
4 In the prompt box, choose 3 Point.
5 Select the new origin.
6 Select a point on the positive x-axis.
7 Select a point in the positive y direction.
8 In the Explorer - Coordinate Systems element, type the name for the new UCS,
and then close the dialog box.

B
Define the new UCS by selecting the origin (A), a point on the positive x-axis
(B), and a point in the positive y direction (C).
 WORKING WITH COORDINATES 269

Using a preset user coordinate system

IntelliCAD lets you select a preset UCS. The six planes defined by looking along the
x,y,z-axes align the UCS with the top, left, front, bottom, right, or back, based on
either the WCS or the current UCS in effect when you select the tool. You can also
select the previous UCS, align the UCS to the current view, or select the WCS.
When you select a UCS, the cursor orientation and UCS icon change to reflect the
new UCS. The display does not change, however, unless you select the Change View
To Plan View Of The Selected UCS check box.
After you align the UCS to a preset UCS, you can use IntelliCAD’s Explorer to save
the UCS. To do this, in the Explorer window, choose Edit > New > UCS, and then
select Current.

To select a preset UCS

1 Do one of the following to choose User Coordinate Systems ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > User Coordinate Systems or choose
View > User Coordinate Systems.
• On the menu, choose Tools > User Coordinate Systems > Select a Predefined
UCS.
• On the UCS toolbar, click the Select a Predefined UCS tool.
• Type setucs and then press Enter.
2 Under Set The Selected UCS Relative To, select either Current UCS to change to
the new UCS by reorienting relative to the current UCS or World Coordinate Sys-
tem (WCS) to base the new UCS orientation on the WCS.
3 Under Select UCS, click the button corresponding to the UCS you want as the new
current UCS.

Preset UCSs are also available with a dialog box.

Choose Format > User Coordinate Systems, then select a predefined UCS from the
list. The preset UCSs are also available directly on the UCS toolbar.
270 CHAPTER 7
 8

Working with the Explorer

IntelliCAD’s Explorer provides a powerful and convenient way to maintain and man-
age many settings of your drawings. You can use the Explorer to work with numerous
elements within the current drawing or to copy this information between drawings.
This section explains how to use the Explorer to:
• Organize information on layers, manage layers, and work with layer states.
• Create and use linetypes and multiline styles.
• Load text fonts and create text styles.
• Create and modify table styles.
• Work with named views, visual styles, and coordinate systems.
• Copy, cut, and paste dimension styles between drawings.
• Save, insert, and manage blocks, groups, and external references.
• Work with layouts and materials.

Topics in this chapter

Using the Explorer ............................................................................................ 272
Organizing information on layers................................................................277
Working with linetypes ...................................................................................... 308
Working with multiline styles............................................................................. 317
Working with text styles .................................................................................... 321
Working with table styles .................................................................................. 326
Working with dimension styles.......................................................................... 329
Working with multileader styles ........................................................................ 332
Working with named views ............................................................................... 335
Working with visual styles................................................................................. 340
Working with coordinate systems ..................................................................... 344
Working with blocks .......................................................................................... 347
Working with groups ..................................................................................355
Working with references to external files ....................................................357
Working with layouts ......................................................................................... 361
Working with materials...................................................................................... 364
272 CHAPTER 8

Using the Explorer

IntelliCAD’s Explorer allows you to view, create, copy, and edit layers, layer states,
linetypes, text styles, coordinate systems, blocks, dimension styles, and more within
your drawings. You can also use the Explorer to copy these elements from one open
drawing to another. The Explorer is a great way to manage and maintain your draw-
ings.

Displaying the Explorer

The Explorer opens in its own, separate pane or window, which you can move or
resize. The Explorer has its own menu and tools.

To display the Explorer

Do one of the following to choose Explorer ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Explorer (in Explorer) or View > Explorer (in
Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Explorer or Tools > Explorer > Explore
Layers (or any other item).
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Explorer tool.
• Type explorer and then press Enter.
By default, the Explorer displays as a pane.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 273

A
B E
C

A Click to close the Explorer pane. D Lists the elements you can control. Double-click an
B Click to turn auto-hide on or off for the pane. Available item to open its pane.
when the Explorer is an undocked pane. E Tools on the Explorer toolbar provide controls
C Click to choose the position and transparency of the common to all elements.
pane. (Available when an undocked pane.)

You can click the Show as Pane tool to display the Explorer as a dialog box instead,
which allows you to view the elements for each open drawing. The Explorer displays
elements, such as layers, layer states, linetypes, etc., on the left and corresponding
drawing settings on the right.
274 CHAPTER 8

A E
B D

C
A Tools on the Explorer toolbar vary depending on the element. D The named settings for the selected element. Click a column title to
B The Elements pane shows the name of every drawing currently open sort by category. Click and drag a column title to change the column
and lists the elements you can control in each drawing. order. Right-click a column title to choose which columns display or to
restore all column settings to the default settings.
C Click a setting to change it.
E Other tools appear, depending on the Elements pane selection.

Using the Explorer, you can create, delete, or modify any of the settings for the cur-
rently selected element for a given drawing. You can also copy the contents of any
element from one drawing to another. The common tools and menu items in the
Explorer provide the following functions:

Common Explorer tools

Tool Function

( ) New Item Creates a new layer, linetype, text style, coordinate system, view, block,
external reference, or dimension style.

( ) Current Makes the selection current.

( ) Cut Cuts the selection to the Clipboard.

( ) Copy Copies the selection to the Clipboard.

( ) Paste Pastes the selection from the Clipboard into the appropriate list of a
different drawing.

( ) Delete Deletes the selection from the list.

( ) Purge Eliminates unreferenced elements from your drawing file.

 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 275

Common Explorer tools

Tool Function

( ) Regen Recalculates the display for the current window.

( ) On/Off Regen Turns on and off the display recalculation.

( ) Show as Displays the Explorer as a pane or a dialog box.

Dialog (or Show as
Pane)

( ) Help Displays online help for the Explorer.

Copying settings
A particularly powerful feature of the Explorer is its capability of copying many of the
settings — layers, linetypes, text styles, coordinate systems, views, blocks, or dimen-
sion styles — from one drawing to another. If you have more than one drawing open,
the Explorer makes it easy to reuse information. For example, when you copy layers
from one drawing to another, the layer names as well as their linetypes, colors, and
other settings are also copied, but not the entities on those layers.

To copy layers from one open drawing to another open drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 In the Elements pane, select the drawing from which you want to copy layers.
3 If necessary, click the plus (+) symbol to expand the Elements list for the drawing,
and then click Layers.
4 In the Layers Settings In Drawing list (right pane), select the layers you want to
copy.
5 Choose Edit > Copy, or click the Copy tool ( ).
6 In the Elements pane, select the drawing to which you want to copy the layers.
7 If necessary, click the plus (+) symbol to expand the Elements list for the drawing,
and then click Layers.
8 Choose Edit > Paste, or click the Paste tool ( ).
276 CHAPTER 8

Deleting settings
You can use the Explorer to delete many of the items that appear in the Elements list.
You can delete a layer, linetype, text style, coordinate system, view, block, or dimen-
sion style.
Because you may have already created entities on a particular layer or using a partic-
ular linetype or text style, deleting one of these elements requires that you make cer-
tain choices from options the program presents. For example, if you attempt to delete
a layer, the program prompts you to specify whether you want to move any entities
from that layer to another layer. Every drawing has at least one layer, the default
layer, named “0.” You cannot delete or rename this layer. Your drawing can also con-
tain an unlimited number of additional layers, each of which you assign a unique
name.
If you try to delete a linetype, the program prompts you to specify whether you want
to convert all entities drawn using that linetype to a different linetype. If you attempt
to delete a text style, the program prompts you to specify whether you want to convert
all text entities created using that style to a different style.

To delete a layer and relocate its entities to another layer

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 From the Layer Name list, select the layer that you want to delete.
If that layer is the current layer, layer 0 automatically becomes the current layer.
3 Click the Delete tool ( ).
4 From the dialog box that displays, click the Change option and then select the
layer to which you want to relocate entities.

Delete a layer and its entities.

In the command bar, type LAYDEL, then select an entity that is assigned the layer
you want to delete. Using this method also deletes all entities assigned the layer.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 277

Purging elements
From within the Explorer, you can eliminate unused blocks, layers, linetypes, text
styles, dimension styles, or annotation scales from your drawing file. Purging unused
elements can significantly reduce the drawing file size.

To purge an element
1 Do one of the following to choose Explorer ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Explorer (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Explorer tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Select the element from which you want to purge unreferenced elements.
3 Choose Edit > Purge, or click the Purge tool ( ).

Organizing information on layers

Understanding layers
Layers in IntelliCAD are like the transparent overlays you use in manual drafting.
You use layers to organize different types of drawing information. In IntelliCAD,
each entity in a drawing exists on a layer. When you draw an entity, it is created on
the current layer.
You can control the visibility of layers in individual viewports. When you turn a layer
off, entities drawn on that layer are no longer visible, and they do not print. Although
a layer may be invisible, you can still select it as the current layer, in which case new
entities are also invisible until you turn the layer back on. Entities on invisible layers
can also affect the display and printing of entities on other layers. For example, enti-
ties on invisible layers can hide other entities when you use the Hide command to
remove hidden lines.
You can also freeze and thaw layers, and control whether layers are frozen by default
in newly created layout viewports. Entities drawn on frozen layers do not display, do
not print, and do not regenerate. When you freeze a layer, its entities do not affect the
display or printing of other entities. For example, entities on frozen layers do not hide
other entities when you use the Hide command to remove hidden lines. In addition,
you cannot draw on a frozen layer until you thaw it, and you cannot make a frozen
layer current.
You cannot freeze the current layer. If you attempt to freeze the current layer, a dia-
log box appears prompting you to specify a different layer. You also cannot freeze or
thaw a viewport layer unless you are working in a Layout tab.
278 CHAPTER 8

You can lock or unlock layers. The entities on a locked layer are still visible and will
print, but you cannot edit them. Locking a layer prevents you from accidentally mod-
ifying entities. You can also control whether entities on layers can be cut by section
planes, which is helpful if you use section planes to visualize models.
You can control whether entities on each layer are included or omitted when you
print the drawing.
Each layer has its own properties, such as color, linetype, lineweight, transparency,
print visibility, and more. For drawings that use named print styles, layers can also
have their own print style. Entities you draw on a particular layer are displayed in the
color, linetype, and lineweight associated with that layer unless you override these
settings. You control all of the associated settings for layers using the Layers element
in the Explorer. You can also access layer settings for entities using the Entity Proper-
ties toolbar.
Some drawings contain large lists of layers, in which case you can search for layers
by name, or you can organize layers into subsets using layer filters. Layer states are
also useful for drawings that contain many layers. With layer states, you can assign
properties to individual layers and save them in a layer state, then apply those settings
at any time.

Displaying layer information in the Explorer

To display layer information
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Explorer tool ( ).
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 If desired, view information for only certain layers by doing one of the following:
• On the toolbar, type the name of the desired layers, including wildcards, and
press Enter.
• In the list of layer filters, select All Used Layers to display only those layers that
are used in the drawing.
• In the list of layer filters, select an existing group filter or properties filter.
For details about filtering and searching layers, see “Filtering and finding layers”
on page 281 in this chapter.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 279

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P

A Select to display all layers, all layers that are in use, or a filtered I Indicates the lineweight assigned to each layer.
subset. J Indicates the transparency percentage assigned to each layer.
B Click to collapse or expand the display of layer filters. K Indicates the material assigned to each layer.
C Lists named layers in the current drawing. The list contains all layers or L Indicates the print style assigned to each layer.
a subset if viewing by filter or only used layers. A check mark indicates
the current layer. M Indicates the print status of each layer.
D Displays the color assigned to each layer. N Indicates whether entities on each layer can be cut by section planes.
E Indicates the linetype assigned to each layer. O Indicates whether each layer is frozen by default in newly created
layout viewports.
F Indicates the visibility status of each layer.
P Click a column title to sort by category. Click and drag a column title to
G Indicates the locked or unlocked status of each layer. change the column order. Right-click a column title to choose which
H Indicates the frozen or thawed status of each layer for all viewports. columns display or to restore all column settings to the default settings.

Creating and naming layers

You can create an unlimited number of layers in every drawing and use those layers
for organizing information. When you create a new layer, it is initially assigned the
color white (or black, depending on your system settings) and the linetype CONTIN-
UOUS. By default, a new layer is also visible. After you create and name a layer, you
can change its color, linetype, visibility, and other properties.
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To create a new layer

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > New > Layer.
• Click the New Item tool ( ).
A new layer is added to the Layer Name list, with the default name NewLayer1.
3 Type a name for the new layer over the highlighted default name, and then press Enter.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

To change a layer name in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layer you want to rename.
3 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Highlight the layer name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
• Right-click the layer name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

The layer named “0” is reserved.

You cannot rename it.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 281

Filtering and finding layers

Some drawings contain large lists of layers. To limit the layers that appear in the list,
you can search layers by name (including wildcards) and you can also create layer fil-
ters.
By default, there are two predefined filters. One displays all layers and the other dis-
plays all layers that are used in the drawing.
There are two types of layer filters that you can create:
• Properties filter — Includes layers according to properties that you specify. This
filter is dynamic, that is, if a new layer meets the requirements for the property fil-
ter, it is automatically added to the filter.
• Group filter — Includes layers that you include in the group. This filter is static,
that is, new layers are handled manually.

After you create a layer filter, you can turn all of its layers on or off, thaw or freeze
the layers, and lock or unlock the layers. Layer filters can also be inverted, imported,
and exported.

Layer filters can affect several lists of layers.

In addition to the list of layers in the Explorer, layer filters can also be applied to the
layer controls on the ribbon Home tab and Quick Access toolbar (if the ribbon is
available in your program version), Layer Tools toolbar, and Entity Properties tool-
bar. Click Apply Layer Filter to Layer Control to change whether the current layer
filter selected in the Explorer is applied to these layer lists.
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BC D E F G H

A Displays the list of layer filters. E Click to display the Layer States Manager.
B Click to create a new layer property filter. F Click to export the currently selected layer filter to an .lft file.
C Click to create a new layer group filter. G Click to import a layer filter (.lft file).
D Click to invert the currently selected layer filter. H Type a search term, including wildcards, then press Enter to search
layer names.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 283

Searching layers by name

To search for layers by name
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 In the Explorer toolbar, type the search name, including the following wildcards:
• * Matches any character or series of characters.
• ? Matches a single character.
• # Matches any numerical character.
• @ Matches any alphabetic character.
• . Matches any character that is not alphabetic or numeric.
• [ ] Matches any of the characters inside the brackets.
• ~ Matches any characters except for those after the tilde.
• [~] Matches any of the characters except for those inside the brackets.
• [-] Matches a range of characters inside the brackets.
• ’ Matches the exact characters located after the quote mark. This is most often
used when searching for layer names that include wildcards, for example,
@Floor or Field#.
3 To view all layers again in the list, delete the search term.
4 Click OK.
284 CHAPTER 8

Filtering layers by property

Layer property filters include layers according to properties that you specify. For
example, a property filter can display all layers with a dashed linetype, then you can
easily turn those layers on or off.

To create a properties filter

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Properties Filter tool ( ) or press Alt + F.

Filters can be nested.

To create a sub-filter of an existing filter, right-click the existing filter and choose
New Properties Filter or New Group Filter.

3 Type a name for the filter.

4 Do any of the following in Filter Definition:
• Click the column of an empty row to specify the property to match. All layers
that match the specified properties of any row will be included.
• Click the column of an existing row to specify an additional property that a layer
must match to be included in the filter. All layer properties in a single row must
be matched for the layer to be included.
• Right-click a row and choose Delete Row to delete a row you no longer need.
• Right-click a row and choose Duplicate Row to make a copy of an existing row.
The filter preview displays the layers that will be included in the filter.
5 Click OK.
6 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 285

B
C

A Type a name of the new layer properties filter. C Click the column of an empty row to select the
B Click the column of an existing filter to specify an property to match.
additional property that a layer must match to be D Displays the layers that match the settings of the
included in the filter. layer properties filter.
To modify a properties filter
1 In the Explorer, select Layers, then do one of the following:
• To rename a properties filter, select it and type a new name.
• To delete a properties filter, select it and press Delete.
• To change the definition of a properties filter, double-click it.
• To change the list order of filters, drag and drop a properties filter to a new
location in the list. To sort all filters in alphabetical order, right-click the top
item, All, and choose Sort Filters.

Use a shortcut.
Right-click a properties filter to modify it.
286 CHAPTER 8

To modify the layers in a properties filter

1 In the Explorer, select Layers.
2 To change the visibility of all layers in a properties filter, right-click the properties
filter, choose Visibility, then choose one of the following:
• On / Off
• Thaw / Freeze
• Isolate Freeze
These additional options are available if you’re working on a Layout tab:
• Current Viewport Thaw / Freeze
• Current Layout All Viewports Thaw / Freeze
• Isolate Viewport Freeze
3 To change the accessibility of all layers in a properties filter, right-click the prop-
erties filter, choose Lock, then choose one of the following:
• Lock
• Unlock

Filtering layers by group

Layer group filters include any layer that you select for the group. For example, a
group filter can display all layers that contain text entities, then you can freeze or
thaw those layers as needed.

To create a group filter

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Group Filter tool ( ) or press Alt + G.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 287

Filters can be nested.

To create a sub-filter of an existing filter, right-click the existing filter and choose
New Properties Filter or New Group Filter.

3 Type a name for the new group filter, then press Enter.
4 To choose layers for the group filter, do one of the following:
• Right-click the group filter, choose Select Layers > Add, then select entities in
your drawing that reside on layers to include in the group. Press Enter when
done. Choose Select Layers > Replace if the group filter has existing layers that
you want to remove before adding new layers.
• Double-click the group filter, then mark and unmark the desired layers.
5 Click OK.
6 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Create a group filter by converting an existing property filter.

In the Explorer, view layer filters, right-click a property filter, and choose Convert to
Group Filter.

B C
A Click the circle green to include its layer in the B Displays layers in the drawing.
layer group filter. Click again to exclude it. C Displays the layer description, if available.
288 CHAPTER 8

To modify a group filter

1 In the Explorer, select Layers, then do one of the following:
• To rename a group filter, select it and type a new name.
• To delete a group filter, select it and press Delete.
• To change the layers included in a group filter, double-click it.
• To change the list order of filters, drag and drop a group filter to a new location
in the list. To sort all filters in alphabetical order, right-click the top item, All,
and choose Sort Filters.
• To select new layers for the group filter directly in the drawing, right-click the
group filter. Choose Select Layers > Add if you want to keep all existing layers
in the group filter and select new ones to add directly in the drawing. Choose
Select Layers > Replace if you want to remove all existing layers from the group
filter and select new ones directly in the drawing.

Use a shortcut.
Right-click a group filter to modify it.

To modify the layers in a group filter

1 In the Explorer, select Layers.
2 To change the visibility of all layers in a group filter, right-click the group filter,
choose Visibility, then choose one of the following:
• On / Off
• Thaw / Freeze
• Isolate Freeze
These additional options are available if you’re working on a Layout tab:
• Current Viewport Thaw / Freeze
• Current Layout All Viewports Thaw / Freeze
• Isolate Viewport Freeze
3 To change the accessibility of all layers in a group filter, right-click the group fil-
ter, choose Lock, then choose one of the following:
• Lock
• Unlock
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 289

Inverting layer filters

Layer filters can be inverted, for example, you can invert the All Used Layers filter to
display a list of all layers that are unused in the drawing.

To invert a layer filter

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Select a layer filter.
3 Click the Invert Filter tool ( ).
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

The filter stays inverted until it’s turned off.

If the contents of a filter look incorrect, it could be because it is inverted.

Importing and exporting layer properties filters

Layer properties filters can be imported and exported as .lst files.

To import layer properties filters

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Import Layer Filter tool ( ).
3 Navigate to where you want to save the layer filter, type a name, then click Save.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
290 CHAPTER 8

To export layer properties filters

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Select the layer filter you want to export.
3 Click the Export Layer Filter tool ( ).
4 Locate the layer filter (.lft file) and select it.
5 Click Open.
6 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Setting the current layer

When you create new entities, they are drawn on the current layer. To draw new enti-
ties on a different layer, you must first make that layer the current layer.

To make a layer current

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 In the Layer Name list, select the layer you want to make current.
3 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > Current.
• In the Layer Name list, select the name you want to make current, and then click
the Current tool ( ).
• Double-click the layer name in the Layer Name list.
• Right-click the layer name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu
select Current.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 291

To set the current layer to that of an existing entity

1 Do one of the following to choose Set Layer By Entity ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Set Layer By Entity (in Layers).
• On the menu, choose Format > Layer Tools > Set Layer By Entity.
• On the Layer Tools toolbar, click the Set Layer By Entity tool.
• Type setlayer or laymcur and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to set the current layer.

Use the command bar.

In the command bar, type laybyent and choose Set, then select an entity that is
assigned the layer you want to be current.

Controlling layer visibility

A layer can be visible or invisible. Entities on invisible layers are not displayed and
do not print. By controlling layer visibility, you can turn off unnecessary information,
such as construction lines or notes. By changing layer visibility, you can put the same
drawing to multiple uses.
For example, if you are drawing a floor plan, you can draw the layout of light fixtures
on one layer and the location of plumbing lines on another. By selectively turning
layers on and off, you can print the electrical engineering drawings and the plumbing
drawings from the same drawing file. For even more convenience, you can control
the visibility of layers within individual viewports, so that layers that display in one
viewport are invisible in other viewports in the same drawing.
When you turn a layer off, entities drawn on that layer are no longer visible. When
you turn the layer back on, the entities on that layer are redisplayed.

To turn layers on or off

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the On/Off column for the layer you want to turn on or off.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
292 CHAPTER 8

Select an entity that is assigned to the layer you want to turn off.
In the command bar, type laybyent and choose Off or type layoff, then select an entity
that is assigned the layer you want to turn off.

Use a shortcut to turn on all layers.

Choose Format > Layer Tools > Turn All Layers On or type layon in the command
bar to turn on all layers in a drawing.

To control the visibility of external reference layers and save any changes made to
them in the current drawing, turn on xref visibility.

To turn on xref layer visibility

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter
2 Choose View > Records from Xref Visibility.

Use the system variable.

You can also turn on xref layer visibility by typing visretain to access the system vari-
able.

You can also freeze layers to improve the performance of operations such as zooming
and panning or producing hidden lines or shaded images. When a layer is frozen,
entities drawn on that layer are no longer visible.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 293

To freeze or thaw layers

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Freeze/Thaw column for the layer you want to freeze or thaw.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Select an entity that is assigned to the layer you want to freeze.

In the command bar, type laybyent and choose Freeze or type layfrz, then select an
entity that is assigned the layer you want to freeze.

Use a shortcut to thaw all layers.

Choose the Thaw All Layers command (type laythw) to thaw all layers in a drawing.

To freeze layers automatically when new layout viewports are created

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the New VP Freeze column for the layer you want to freeze automatically in
new layout viewports that you create.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Select entities that are assigned layers you want to freeze in existing layout viewports.
In the command bar, type layvpi to freeze layers of selected entities in all layout view-
ports except the current viewport.
294 CHAPTER 8

Locking and unlocking layers

Locking a layer makes it easy to refer to information contained on the layer, but pre-
vents you from accidentally modifying its entities. When a layer is locked (but visible
and thawed), its entities remain visible, but you cannot edit them. If you lock the cur-
rent layer, you can still add new entities to it. Unlocking a layer restores full editing
capabilities.

To lock or unlock layers

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Lock/Unlock column for the layer you want to lock or unlock.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Select an entity that is assigned to the layer you want to lock or unlock.
In the command bar, type laybyent and choose Lock or Unlock or type laylck or
layulk, then select an entity that is assigned the layer you want to lock or unlock.

To specify how faded entities on locked layers display

1 Do one of the following ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Locked Layer Fade Control (in Layers).
• Type laylockfadectl and then press Enter.
2 Specify the fade percentage to apply when displaying entities on locked layers.

The fade percentage can also be specified using the Options command.
Choose Tools > Options, and on the Display tab, click Fade Control Settings. For
more details, see “Controlling whether certain entities display faded” on page 854.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 295

Controlling layer printing

Controlling layer printing is another way you can specify which entities print in your
drawing.
By controlling layer printing, you can turn off unnecessary information during print-
ing. For example, if you are drawing a floor plan, you can draw the layout of light fix-
tures on one layer and the location of plumbing lines on another. By selectively
turning layers on and off when you print, you can print the electrical engineering
drawings and the plumbing drawings from the same drawing file. By changing layer
printing, you can put the same drawing to multiple uses.
When you turn off printing for a layer, entities drawn on that layer are still visible, but
they do not print. If you turn off a layer’s visibility, entities drawn on that layer do not
display or print. Controlling layer printing can be especially helpful if you want layer
visibility on, but do not want to print entities on that layer.
Layer visibility must be turned on in order to print entities drawn on that layer.

To turn layer printing on or off

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Print column for the layer you want to turn printing on or off for.
296 CHAPTER 8

Controlling whether a layer is sectionable

If you use section planes to visualize a model, you can also determine whether enti-
ties on a layer are affected by the section planes you draw. This helps you control
which entities can be cut by section planes. For more details about section planes, see
“Using a section plane to view a drawing” on page 711.

To control whether a layer is sectionable

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Sectionable column for the layer you want to include or exclude from
cutting by section planes.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Setting the layer color

Each layer in a drawing is assigned a color. IntelliCAD uses the BYLAYER color as
the default color setting for entity creation so that new entities are drawn in the color
of the layer on which they are inserted (set in the Drawing Settings dialog box).
Using the Explorer, you can set or change the color assigned to a layer. With the
direct-editing feature, you can click on the color you want to change, and then select a
new color from the dialog box that appears. Changing a layer’s color automatically
changes the color of all entities on that layer with the BYLAYER color.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 297

To change the layer color

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Color column for the layer you want to change.
3 In the Color dialog box, select a color on one of the following tabs:
• Index Color — Click BYBLOCK, BYLAYER, or one of the 255 index colors.
You can also type the color number in the Index box.
• True Color — Click a basic color, click a color in the color palette, enter the Hue,
Saturation, and Luminance (HSL) values, or enter the Red, Green, Blue (RGB)
values. There are more than 16 million true colors from which you can choose.
• Color Books — Select a color book from the list, then click a color. You can
select Show Only Color Book Colors Used in Drawing to limit the selection to
only those color book colors that are used in the current drawing. If necessary,
create or edit color books by clicking Color Book Editor. For more details, see
“Using color books” on page 74.
4 Click OK.

Entities don’t have to use the layer’s color.

You can assign a specific color to an entity, which overrides the layer’s color setting.
When you create a new entity, use the Format > Colors > Select Color command to
change the current color. For an existing entity, select the entity, right-click for the
shortcut menu, and choose Properties to change the entity’s color using the Proper-
ties pane.

For more details about using color in the many aspects of your drawing, see “Work-
ing with colors” on page 71.

Setting the layer linetype

Each layer uses a default linetype (a repeating pattern of dashes, dots, or blank spaces).
Linetype determines the appearance of entities both on the screen and when printed.
It’s a good idea to assign the BYLAYER linetype to any entities that you draw on that
layer. IntelliCAD uses the BYLAYER linetype as the default linetype setting for
Entity Creation (in the Drawing Settings dialog box).
298 CHAPTER 8

Using the Explorer, you can set or change the linetype assigned to a layer. With the
direct-editing feature, you can click on the linetype you want to change, and then
select a new linetype from the dialog box that appears. Changing the linetype
assigned to a layer changes the linetype of all entities drawn on that layer with the
BYLAYER linetype.
Only those linetypes already set in the drawing can be assigned to layers. For more
information about setting additional linetypes, see “Working with linetypes” on page
308 in this chapter.

To change the linetype assigned to one or more layers

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Linetype column for the layer you want to change.
3 In the Linetype dialog box, select a new linetype for the layer, or click Browse to
select your linetype file.

Entities don’t have to use the layer’s linetype.

You can also assign a specific linetype to an entity, which overrides the layer’s line-
type setting. When you create a new entity, use the Tools > Explorer > Explore Line-
types command to change the current linetype through the Explorer. For an existing
entity, select the entity, right-click for the shortcut menu, and choose Properties. You
can then modify the entity’s linetype using the Properties pane.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 299

Setting the layer lineweight

Each layer uses a default lineweight. Lineweights determine the thickness of entities
both on the screen and when printed.
All new layers are assigned the DEFAULT lineweight, which is .25 millimeters or
.01 inches. If you want a different lineweight assigned to a layer, you can easily
change it using the Explorer. For example, you may want different lineweights on
each layer of your drawing to show separate elements, such as walls, dimensions,
structural steel, and electrical plans. Changing the lineweight assigned to a layer
changes the lineweight of all entities drawn on that layer with the BYLAYER line-
weight.
When you create new entities, it’s a good idea to assign the BYLAYER lineweight to
any entities that you draw on that layer, unless you want to override the layer line-
weight. IntelliCAD uses the BYLAYER lineweight as the default lineweight setting
when you create entities (in the Drawing Settings dialog box).

You can change the default lineweight.

To change the DEFAULT lineweight, choose Tools > Drawing Settings, click the
Display tab, click the Lineweights tab, and then select a new default.

To change the lineweight assigned to one or more layers

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Lineweight column for the layer you want to change.
3 In the Lineweight list, select a new lineweight for the layer, then click OK.

Entities don’t have to use the layer’s lineweight.

You can assign a specific lineweight to an entity, which overrides the layer’s line-
weight setting. When you create a new entity, use the Tools > Drawing Settings >
Entity Creation tab to change the current lineweight. For an existing entity, select the
entity, right-click for the shortcut menu, and choose Properties. You can then modify
the entity’s lineweight using the Properties pane.
300 CHAPTER 8

Setting the layer transparency

Each layer uses a transparency value from 0 to 90, where zero is no transparency (reg-
ular visibility) and 90 is the most transparency (almost invisible).
By default, each layer is assigned zero transparency. If you want a different transpar-
ency assigned to a layer, you can easily change it using the Explorer.

To change the transparency assigned to one or more layers

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Transparency column for the layer you want to change.
3 Enter a new value for the transparency, then press Enter.

Setting the layer material

Each layer can be assigned a material. By default, each layer is assigned the Global
material. If you want a different material assigned to a layer, you can easily change it
using the Explorer.

To change the material assigned to one or more layers

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Material column for the layer you want to change.
3 In the Material list, select a new material for the layer.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 301

Setting the layer print style

If your drawing uses named print style tables, you can specify a print style for each
layer. Named print style tables contain print styles that you set up to control what enti-
ties look like when they print, without actually changing the entities in the drawing.
If your drawing uses color-dependent print style tables, you cannot specify a print
style for a layer. These types of print style tables automatically determine printing
requirements by the color assigned to a layer or an entity. For details about converting
a drawing that uses color-dependent print style table to use named print style tables,
see “Changing the print style table type of a drawing” on page 668.
In drawings that use named print style tables, the default print style is Normal for all
new layers. If desired, you can assign a print style using the Explorer. Changing the
print style assigned to a layer changes the print style of all entities drawn on that layer
with the BYLAYER print style.
When you create new entities, it’s a good idea to assign the BYLAYER print style to
any entities that you draw on that layer, unless you want to override the layer print
style. IntelliCAD uses the BYLAYER print style as the default print style setting
when you create entities (in the Drawing Settings dialog box).

To change the print style assigned to one or more layers (only in a drawing that
uses named print style tables)
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Print Style column for the layer you want to change.
3 If necessary, select a different print style table in the Active Print Style Table list.
4 In Print Styles, select a print style.
5 Click OK.

Entities don’t have to use layer’s print style.

For drawings that use named print style tables, you can also assign a specific print
style to an entity, which overrides the layer’s print style setting. When you create a
new entity, use the Tools > Drawing Settings > Entity Creation tab to change the cur-
rent print style. For an existing entity, select the entity, right-click for the shortcut
menu, and choose Properties. You can then modify the entity’s print style using the
Properties pane.
302 CHAPTER 8

Undoing changes made to layers

Changes made to layer settings can be reversed. For example, you can reverse
changes made to a layer’s color, transparency, freeze/thaw state, etc.
Some changes cannot be reversed. You cannot restore the original name of a layer if
it was renamed, restore a layer if it was deleted or purged, or remove a layer if it was
added.

To undo changes made to layers

1 Do one of the following to choose Layer Previous ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Layer Previous (in Layers).
• On the menu, choose Format > Layer Tools > Layer Previous.
• On the Layers toolbar, click the Layer Previous tool.
• Type layerp and then press Enter.
2 Repeat the command to undo a set of changes one-by-one.

Working with layer states

Layer states are collections of individual layers and their properties. You can restore
layer states at any time, which makes it easy to switch between layer configurations
according to your tasks. Additionally, you can specify whether to restore a layer state
to the current viewport, all viewports, all layouts and viewports, or the Model tab.
Layer states can also be imported and exported. For example, to quickly create all the
layers you need in a new drawing, create and export a layer state from an existing
drawing that has the layers you need, and then import the layer state to the new draw-
ing.
Layer states are saved in the drawing, including drawing templates and exported or
imported drawings.
For each layer included in a layer state, you can set the following properties:
• Color
• Linetype
• On/Off
• Lock/Unlock
• Freeze/Thaw
• Lineweight
• Transparency
• Print
• New Viewports
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 303

Displaying layer states in the Layer States Manager

To display the Layer States Manager
1 Do one of the following to choose Layer State Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Layer States Manager (in Layers).
• On the menu, choose Format > Layer State Manager or choose
Format > Explore Layers, then click the Layer States Manager tool.
• On the Format or Layers toolbar, click the Layer States Manager tool.
• Type layerstate and then press Enter.

PO NM L

B
C
J
D
E
I

F GH

A Displays layer states. G Click to export the selected layer state to an .las file.
B Click to hide layer states located in externally H Click to import a layer state (.las file).
referenced drawings. I Click to mark all checkboxes.
C Click to turn off drawing layers that are not in the J Click to remove marks from all checkboxes.
selected layer state when it is restored.
K Select which properties to restore for the selected layer
D Click to apply layer properties as overrides in the current state.
viewport when the selected layer state is restored.
L Click to create a new layer state.
E Click to freeze drawing layers in the current viewport
that are not in the selected layer state when it is M Click to modify the settings of the selected layer state.
restored. N Click to copy current layer settings from the drawing to
F Select whether to restore the layer state to the current the selected layer state.
viewport, all viewports, all layouts and viewports, or the O Click to change the name or description of the selected
Model tab. If the Model tab is active, you can only layer state.
restore the layer state to the current viewport. P Click to delete the selected layer state.
304 CHAPTER 8

Creating layer states

Creating a layer state saves the current layer settings so you can restore them at a later
time, modify them, and even import and export them for use in other drawings.

To create a layer state

1 Create all of the layers that you want to be in the layer state.
Although you can modify the layer state later, first you should set up your drawing
with its layers and properties so when you create the layer state, it captures all of
the settings. If you don’t want to lose your current layer settings, simply save them
as a layer state that you can restore later.
2 Do one of the following to choose Save Layer State ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Save Layer State (in Layers).
• On the menu, choose Format > Layer Tools > Save Layer State.
• On the Layer Tools toolbar, click the Save Layer State tool.
• Type layerstatesave and then press Enter.
3 Enter a name and description, then click OK.

To create a layer state using Layer State Manager

1 Create all of the layers that you want to be in the layer state.
Although you can modify the layer state later, first you should set up your drawing
with its layers and properties so when you create the layer state, it captures all of
the settings. If you don’t want to lose your current layer settings, simply save them
as a layer state that you can restore later.
2 Do one of the following to choose Layer States Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Layer States Manager (in Layers).
• On the menu, choose Format > Layer State Manager or choose Format >
Explore Layers, then click the Layer States Manager tool.
• On the Format or Layers toolbar, click the Layer States Manager tool.
• Type layerstate and then press Enter.
3 Click New.
4 Enter a name and description, then click OK.
5 Click Edit and do any of the following:
• Click any column for any layer to change its setting. The new setting applies
only when this layer state is applied (restored).
• Click the Add Layer tool and select a layer to add to the layer state.
• Select a layer and click the Delete Layer tool to remove a layer from the layer
state.
6 Click OK.
7 Click Close.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 305

B C D E F G H I J K L M

A Displays the layers included in the layer state. H Click to toggle a layer’s freeze/thaw status for
Click to select a layer. this layer state only.
B Click to add a layer to the layer state. I Click to change a layer’s lineweight for this
C Click to delete the selected layer from the layer layer state only.
state. J Click to change a layer’s transparency for this
D Click to change a layer’s color for this layer layer state only.
state only. K Click to change a layer’s print style for this
E Click to change a layer’s linetype for this layer layer state only.
state only. L Click to change a layer’s print status for this
F Click to toggle a layer’s on/off status for this layer state only.
layer state only. M Click to change a layer’s visibility in new
G Click to toggle a layer’s lock/unlock status for viewports for this layer state only.
this layer state only. N Click a column title to sort by category.
306 CHAPTER 8

Applying a layer state

To apply the settings of a layer state
1 Do one of the following to choose Layer State Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Layer States Manager (in Layers).
• On the menu, choose Format > Layer State Manager or choose
Format > Explore Layers, then click the Layer States Manager tool.
• On the Format or Layers toolbar, click the Layer States Manager tool.
• Type layerstate and then press Enter.
2 Select the layer state to apply.
3 Layer states by design don’t always contain all layers of a drawing. Make selec-
tions for the following:
• Layers not found in state are turned off — After the layer state is applied, the only
layers that will be turned on are those that are included in the layer state. If
unmarked, the on/off status of unmatched layers is not changed.
• Layers not found in state are frozen in current viewport — After the layer state is
applied, the only layers that will be thawed in the current viewport are those that
are included in the layer state. If unmarked, the freeze/thaw statuses of
unmatched layers are not changed.
4 To apply layer properties as overrides in the current viewport, mark Apply Proper-
ties as Viewport Overrides.
5 In Restore Layer State To, select whether to restore the layer state to the current
viewport, all viewports, all layouts and viewports, or the Model tab. If the Model
tab is active, you can only restore the layer state to the current viewport.
6 In Layer Properties to Restore, mark which properties of all layers included in the
layer state to apply. If a property is not marked, that property will not be applied
for matching layers.
7 Click Restore.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 307

Displaying layer states in the Explorer

To display layer states
Do one of the following or choose Explore Layer States ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Layer States (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Layer States.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layer States tool.
• Type explayerstates and then press Enter.
• Choose Tools > Explorer, and then click the Layer States element.

Importing and exporting layer states from files

Layer states can be imported and exported as .las files. Exporting layer states from
one drawing and importing them in a new drawing is a quick way to create all the
new layers you need for the new drawing.

To import a layer state from a file

1 Do one of the following to choose Layer States Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Layer States Manager (in Layers).
• On the menu, choose Format > Layer State Manager or choose Format >
Explore Layers, then click the Layer States Manager tool.
• On the Format or Layers toolbar, click the Layer States Manager tool.
• Type layerstate and then press Enter.
2 Click Open.
3 Select the .las file to import.
4 Click Import.

To export a layer state to a file

1 Do one of the following to choose Layer State Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Layer States Manager (in Layers).
• On the menu, choose Format > Layer State Manager or choose Format >
Explore Layers, then click the Layer States Manager tool.
• On the Format or Layers toolbar, click the Layer States Manager tool.
• Type layerstate and then press Enter.
2 Select the layer state to export.
3 Click Export.
4 Enter a name for the .las file.
5 Click OK.
308 CHAPTER 8

Working with linetypes

Linetypes are sequences of alternating line segments, dots, and blank spaces that
affect the appearance of a line.

Understanding linetypes
IntelliCAD provides simple and complex linetypes:
• A simple linetype consists of a repeating pattern of dots, dashes, or blank spaces.
• A complex linetype contains embedded shape and text entities along with
dots, dashes, and spaces.
You can use different linetypes to represent specific kinds of information. For exam-
ple, if you are drawing a site plan, you can draw roads using a continuous linetype, a
fence using a using a linetype of dashes with square posts, or a gas line using a com-
plex linetype showing the text “GAS”.

By default, every drawing has at least three linetypes: CONTINUOUS, BYLAYER,

and BYBLOCK. You cannot rename or delete these linetypes. Your drawing may
also contain an unlimited number of additional linetypes. You can load more line-
types into the program from a linetype library file or create and save linetypes you
define.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 309

Displaying linetype information in the Explorer

To display the Explorer Linetypes element
Do one of the following to choose Explore Linetypes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Linetypes (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Linetypes.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Linetypes tool.
• Type expltypes and then press Enter.

A B C

A Lists names of linetypes loaded in the current D Click a column title to sort by category. Click and
drawing. A check mark indicates the current drag a column title to change the column order.
linetype. Right-click a column title to choose which columns
B Describes linetypes loaded in the current drawing. display or to restore all column settings to the
default settings.
C Shows how linetypes will appear in the drawing.

Setting the current linetype

You normally draw an entity using the linetype assigned to the current layer, indi-
cated as BYLAYER. You can also assign linetypes on a per-entity basis, which over-
rides the layer’s linetype setting. A third option is to assign the BYBLOCK linetype,
whereby you draw new entities using the default linetype until you group them into a
block. The entities inherit the current linetype setting when you insert the block into
the drawing.
310 CHAPTER 8

To make a linetype current

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Linetypes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Linetypes (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Linetypes.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Linetypes tool.
• Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 In the Linetype Name list, select the linetype you want to make current.
3 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > Current.
• Select it in the Linetype Name list and click the Current tool ( ).
• Double-click the linetype name.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Use the status bar.

On the status bar, right-click on the word BYLAYER for the current linetype, click
Properties, and then choose the linetype that you want to make current.

Loading additional linetypes

Before you can select a new linetype to use in a drawing, you must either create the
linetype definition or load a predefined linetype from a linetype library file (*.lin).
IntelliCAD includes a linetype library file, icad.lin, which contains more than 100
predefined linetypes.

To load a new linetype from a linetype library

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Linetypes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Linetypes (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Linetypes.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Linetypes tool.
• Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 Using one of the following methods, open the New Linetype dialog box:
• Choose Edit > New > Linetype.
• Click the New Item tool ( ).
• With the cursor in the right side of the window, right-click to display the
shortcut menu, and then choose New > Linetype.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 311

3 Select the linetype to load.

4 If necessary, click Browse to choose a different linetype library file that contains
the linetype definitions you want to load.
5 Click OK.

A E
D

A Displays the name of the current linetype library D Click a column title to sort by category.
file that contains the linetype definitions from E Click to open a different linetype library file that
which you can choose. contains the linetypes you want to choose.
B Click to select and load a linetype.
C Click to create a new linetype definition for the
current linetype library file.
312 CHAPTER 8

Creating and naming linetypes

In addition to loading predefined linetypes from a linetype library file, you can create
simple and complex linetypes using the Explorer and save them to a linetype library
file for use in other drawings.

Linetypes can also be created from entities in your drawing.

To create a linetype definition from lines, polylines, points, shapes, and text, choose
Express Tools > Make Linetype (in Tools).

Creating a new simple linetype

To create a new simple linetype
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Linetypes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Linetypes (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Linetypes.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Linetypes tool.
• Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 Using one of the following methods, open the New Linetype dialog box:
• Choose Edit > New > Linetype.
• Click the New Item tool ( ).
• With your cursor in the right side of the window, right-click to display the
shortcut menu, and choose New > Linetype.
3 Click New.
4 Type the name of the line linetype. Do not use spaces between words in the new
linetype name.
5 If necessary, in Linetype File Name, specify a different linetype library file to
which you want to add the new linetype.
6 In Linetype Description, type the linetype description.
You can type anything in this field that will help you remember the purpose or
appearance of this linetype. For example, it is helpful to type text or symbols such
as __..__.. that approximate the appearance of the linetype.
7 In Linetype Definition, type the linetype definition.
The definition consists of positive and negative numbers separated by commas. A
positive number draws a solid line segment for the specified number of drawing
units; a negative number creates a gap for the specified number of units; a zero
creates a dot.
8 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 313

A
B D

A Type a name of the new linetype. D Type the definition of the linetype, consisting of
B Enter the path to the linetype library file to which positive and negative numbers separated by
you want to add the new linetype. commas.
C Type any description in this box that helps you E Click to browse and select a different linetype
remember the purpose or appearance of the library file.
linetype.

Creating a new complex linetype

To create a new complex linetype
A complex linetype can denote utilities, boundaries, contours, and so on. As with
simple linetypes, complex lines are dynamically drawn as the user specifies vertices.
Shapes and text entities embedded in lines are always displayed completely; they are
never trimmed.
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Linetypes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Linetypes (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Linetypes.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Linetypes tool.
• Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 Using one of the following methods, open the New Linetype dialog box:
• Choose Edit > New > Linetype.
• Click the New Item tool ( ).
• With your cursor in the right side of the window, right-click to display the shortcut
menu, and choose New > Linetype.
3 Click New.
4 Type the name of the line linetype. Do not use spaces between words in the new
linetype name.
314 CHAPTER 8

5 In Linetype Description, type the linetype description.

You can type anything in this field that will help you remember the purpose or
appearance of this linetype. For complex linetypes, it is helpful to type a text
description of the linetype.
6 In Linetype Definition, type the linetype definition.
As for the simple linetypes, the syntax for a complex linetype is a comma delimi-
nated list of pattern descriptors. For more details, see “Syntax for a complex line-
type definition” on page 314 in this chapter.
7 Click OK.

Syntax for a complex linetype definition

Complex linetypes can include shape and text entities as pattern descriptors, as well
as the dash and dot descriptors of simple linetypes.

The shape descriptor syntax

You can add a shape entity to a complex linetype using the following syntax:
[shape_name, shape_filename] or [shape_name, shape_filename, transform]

The definitions of the fields in the syntax are as follows.

shape_name

The name of the shape to add to the linetype. The shape name must exist in the
specified shape file (shape_filename).
shape_filename

The name of a compiled shape definition file (extension *.shx). If no path is

defined for the shape file name, the library path is searched for the file.
transform

The transform argument is optional and can be any series of the following (each
preceded by a comma):
R=value Relative rotation
A=value Absolute rotation
S=value Scale
X=value X offset
Y=value Y offset
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 315

In this syntax, value represents a signed decimal number. The rotation is expressed
in degrees while the other options are in linetype scaled drawing units.
rotation

R=value or A=value
R= determines a relative or tangential rotation with respect to the line’s elabora-
tion.
A= determines an absolute rotation of the shape with respect to the origin. All
shapes have the same rotation regardless of their relative position to the line. The
value can be appended with a d for degrees (default), r for radians, or g for grads.
If rotation is omitted, 0 relative rotation is used.
scale

S=value
Determines a factor by which the shape's internal scale is multiplied. If the shape's
internal scale is 0, the scale value is used as the scale.
X offset

X=value
Determines a shift of the shape along the X axis of the linetype computed from the
end of the linetype definition vertex. If X offset is omitted or is 0, the shape is
elaborated with no offset. Include this field if you want a continuous line with
shapes. This value is not scaled by the scale factor defined by S.
Y offset

Y=value
Determines a shift of the shape along the Y axis of the linetype computed from the
end of the linetype definition vertex. If Y offset is omitted or 0, the shape is elabo-
rated with no offset. This value is not scaled by the scale factor defined by S.

The text descriptor syntax

You can add a text entity to a complex linetype using the following syntax:
["string", style_name] or ["string", style_name, transform]

The definitions of the fields in the syntax are as follows.

string

The text to be used in the complex linetype. You cannot use the ` or the " charac-
ters in the text string. To use these characters, enter a control code (%%) with the
ASCII value for the character instead.
style_name
316 CHAPTER 8

The name of the text style to be elaborated. The specified text style must be
included. If it is omitted, use the currently defined style.
transform

The transform argument is optional and can be any series of the following (each
preceded by a comma):
R=value Relative rotation
A=value Absolute rotation
S=value Scale
X=value X offset
Y=value Y offset
In this syntax, value represents a signed decimal number. The rotation is expressed
in degrees while the other options are in linetype scaled drawing units.
rotation

R=value or A=value
R= determines a relative or tangential rotation with respect to the line’s elabora-
tion.
A= determines an absolute rotation of the text with respect to the origin. All text
has the same rotation regardless of its relative position to the line. The value can
be appended with a d for degrees (default), r for radians, or g for grads. If rotation
is omitted, 0 relative rotation is used.
Rotation is centered between the baseline and the nominal cap heights box.
scale

S=value
Determines a factor by which the style's height is multiplied. If the style's height is
0, the scale value is used as the scale.
Because the final height of the text is defined by both the scale value and the
height assigned to the text style, you will achieve more predictable results by set-
ting the text style height to 0. It is recommended that you create separate text
styles for text in complex linetypes to avoid conflicts with other text in your draw-
ing.
X offset

X=value
Determines a shift of the text along the X axis of the linetype computed from the
end of the linetype definition vertex. If X offset is omitted or is 0, the text is elab-
orated by using the lower left corner of the text as the offset. Include this field if
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 317

you want a continuous line with text. This value is not scaled by the scale factor
that is defined by S.
Y offset

Y=value
Determines a shift of the text along the Y axis of the linetype computed from the
end of the linetype definition vertex. If Y offset is omitted or is 0, the text is elab-
orated by using the lower left corner of the text as the offset. This value is not
scaled by the scale factor that is defined by S.

Modifying linetypes
To change a linetype name
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Linetypes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Linetypes (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Linetypes.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Linetypes tool.
• Type expltypes and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select the linetype, and then choose Edit > Rename.
• Click the linetype name you want to change, and then type the new name.
• Right-click the linetype name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

The linetypes named CONTINUOUS, BYBLOCK, and BYLAYER are reserved.

You cannot rename them.

Working with multiline styles

A multiline style is a named, saved collection of format settings that determines the
appearance of multilines.
318 CHAPTER 8

Understanding multiline styles

When you create a multiline in a drawing, it is created using the current multiline
style. The multiline style determines the number of parallel lines, the spacing
between each line, and more.
Every drawing has at least one multiline style, named Standard. You cannot delete
the Standard style, but you can rename it or modify it. You can use an unlimited num-
ber of multiline styles in your drawing.

Displaying multiline style information in the Explorer

To display the Explorer Multiline Styles element
Do one of the following to choose Explore Multiline Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multiline Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multiline Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multiline Styles tool.
• Type expmlinestyles and then press Enter.

A B C D
A Lists names of multiline styles defined in the D Click to modify the corresponding multiline style.
current drawing. A check mark indicates the E Click a column title to sort by category. Click and
current multiline style. drag a column title to change the column order.
B Describes multiline styles loaded in the current Right-click a column title to choose which
drawing. columns display or to restore all column settings
C Shows how multilines will appear in the drawing. to the default settings.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 319

Creating and naming multiline styles

By using the Multiline Styles element in combination with the Modify Multiline
Style dialog box, you can create new multiline styles and modify them.

To create a new multiline style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Multiline Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multiline Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multiline Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multiline Styles tool.
• Type expmlinestyles and then press Enter.
2 Click the New Item tool ( ).
A new style is added to the multiline styles list.
3 Type the name for the new style by typing over the highlighted default text, and
then press Enter.
4 Optionally click the Description and type text, and then press Enter.
5 Click ( ) for the new style and make your selections.
For more details about the available settings, see “Working with multiline styles”
on page 153.

To change a multiline style name in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Multiline Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multiline Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multiline Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multiline Styles tool.
• Type expmlinestyles and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click the multiline style name you want to change, type a new name, and then
press Enter.
• Right-click the multiline style name you want to change, and from the shortcut
menu, select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
320 CHAPTER 8

Modifying multiline styles

A new multiline style is initially assigned default values that you can change. You
can change these values for both new and existing multiline styles.

To modify a multiline style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Multiline Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multiline Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multiline Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multiline Styles tool.
• Type expmlinestyles and then press Enter.
2 Click ( ) for the multiline style you want to modify, and then make your selec-
tions.
For more details about the available settings, see “Working with multiline styles”
on page 153.

Setting the current multiline style

When you insert a multiline in a drawing, the multiline is created using the current
multiline style. You can also assign a different multiline style when you create a mul-
tiline.

To make a multiline style current

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Multiline Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multiline Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multiline Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multiline Styles tool.
• Type expmlinestyles and then press Enter.
2 In the Multiline Style Name list, click the style you want to make current.
3 Click the Current tool ( ).

Use a shortcut.
You can also make a multiline style current by double-clicking the multiline style
name or by right-clicking the multiline style name and then choosing Current.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 321

Working with text styles

A text style is a named, saved collection of format settings that determines the
appearance of text.

Understanding text styles

When you add text to a drawing, it is created using the current text style. The text
style determines the font, size, angle, orientation, if the text is annotative by default,
and other text characteristics.
Every drawing has at least one text style, named Standard, which initially uses the
Arial font. You cannot delete the Standard style, but you can rename it or modify it.
For example, you can change the font or the oblique angle applied to the font. You
also can use an unlimited number of additional text styles in your drawing.
From the Explorer, you can directly edit any setting associated with a text style by
using the single-click editing method to change the setting.

Displaying text style information in the Explorer

To display the Explorer Text Styles element
Do one of the following to choose Explore Text Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Text Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Text Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool.
• Type expstyles and then press Enter.
322 CHAPTER 8

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N

A Lists names of text styles defined in the current drawing. A H Displays the font style, such as bold or italic; you can select a
check mark indicates the current style. new font style.
B Indicates whether text will be annotative by default; you can I Displays the language on which the text style is based; you
click to turn the option on or off. can select a new language.
C Indicates whether annotative text in paper space will be J Displays whether Asian language big font files are used (for
oriented according to the layout viewport; you can click to turn .shx file fonts only).
the option on or off. K Indicates whether text will appear backward; you can click to
D Displays the height for the text style; you can type a new turn the option on or off.
height. L Indicates whether text will appear upside down; you can click
E Displays the width factor for the text style; you can type a new to turn the option on or off.
width factor. M Indicates whether text will appear vertically; you can click to
F Displays the oblique angle for the text style; you can enter a turn the option on or off.
new oblique angle. N Click a column title to sort by category. Click and drag a
G Displays the font name on which the style is based; you can column title to change the column order. Right-click a column
select a new font. title to choose which columns display or to restore all column
settings to the default settings.

Creating and naming text styles

Fonts are character sets that consist of letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and sym-
bols. Each font is stored in its own font file. Text styles apply additional formatting to
fonts. You can create multiple text styles based on the same font, changing the vari-
ous characteristics to alter the appearance of the font. To create a new text style, you
assign formatting characteristics to a font.
IntelliCAD uses *.shx font files and provides a selection of fonts. These fonts are
located in the IntelliCAD/Fonts directory. You can also use any font designed to
work with AutoCAD as well as Windows system fonts. Many fonts are available
from third-party vendors.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 323

To create a new text style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Text Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Text Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Text Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool.
• Type expfonts and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > New > Text Style.
• Click the New Item tool ( ).
A new style is added to the text styles list with the default name, NewStyle1.
3 Type the name for the new style by typing over the highlighted default text, and
then press Enter.
4 Click the columns for the items you want to change and make your selections for
the new text style.
5 To complete the command, close the window.

To change a text style name in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Text Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Text Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Text Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool.
• Type expfonts and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select the text style, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
• Click the text style name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
• Right-click the text style name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
324 CHAPTER 8

Modifying text styles

A new text style is initially assigned default values for height, width factor, oblique
angle, and other characteristics. You can change these values for both new and exist-
ing text styles. You can also change the font assigned to the text style. If you change
the font or orientation properties of a text style assigned to text previously inserted in
the drawing, all text using that style is regenerated to reflect the changes. Oblique
angle and height, if specified, are given by the style definition when text is created,
but are not updated for existing text when the style is changed.
A fixed text height value of 0 allows you to specify the text height at the time you
insert text into the drawing. Any other value sets height of the text to that value; the
program does not prompt for the text height when you insert text into the drawing.
The width factor determines the horizontal scaling of text. A value less than 1 com-
presses the text (for example, 0.75 compresses the text 25 percent); a value greater
than 1 expands the text (for example, 1.50 expands the text 50 percent). The oblique
angle determines the forward or backward slant of text as an angle offset from 90
degrees. Negative values slant text to the left; positive values slant text to the right.

To modify a text style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Text Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Text Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Text Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool.
• Type expfonts and then press Enter.
2 Click the desired column for the text style you want to change, then make the
desired changes.
3 To complete the command, close the Explorer window.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 325

Setting the current text style

When you insert text in a drawing, the text is created using the current text style. You
can also assign a different text style when you create text.

To make a text style current

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Text Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Text Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Text Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Text Styles tool.
• Type expfonts and then press Enter.
2 In the Text Style Name list, click the style you want to make current.
3 Use one of the following methods to make the style the current style:
• Choose Edit > Current.
• Click the Current tool ( ).
• With the cursor in the right side of the window, right-click to display the
shortcut menu, and choose Current.
4 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the Explorer window.

Use a shortcut.
You can also make a text style current by selecting it in the Text Style Name list and
clicking the Current tool ( ) or by double-clicking the text style name in the Text
Style Name list.
326 CHAPTER 8

Working with table styles

A table style is a named, saved collection of format settings that determines the
appearance of tables.

Understanding table styles

When you add a table to a drawing, it is created using the current table style. The
table style determines the table direction, text and border properties, and other set-
tings.
Every drawing has at least one table style, named Standard. You cannot delete the
Standard style, but you can rename it or modify it, for example, to change the table
direction. You can use an unlimited number of table styles in your drawing.

Displaying table style information in the Explorer

To display the Explorer Table Styles element
Do one of the following to choose Explore Table Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Table Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Table Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Table Styles tool.
• Type exptablestyles and then press Enter.

A B

A Lists names of table styles defined in the current B Click to modify the corresponding table style.
drawing. A check mark indicates the current table
style.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 327

Creating and naming table styles

By using the Table Styles element in combination with the Modify Table Style dialog
box, you can create new table and cell styles and modify them.

To create a new table style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Table Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Table Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Table Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Table Styles tool.
• Type exptablestyles and then press Enter.
2 Click the New Item tool ( ).
A new style is added to the table styles list.
3 Type the name for the new style by typing over the highlighted default text, and
then press Enter.
4 Click ( ) for the new style and make your selections.
For more details about the available settings, see “Working with table styles” on
page 189.

To change a table style name in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Table Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Table Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Table Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Table Styles tool.
• Type exptablestyles and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click the table style name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
• Right-click the table style name you want to change, and from the shortcut
menu, select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
328 CHAPTER 8

Modifying table styles

A new table style is initially assigned default values that you can change. You can
change these values for both new and existing table styles.

To modify a table style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Table Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Table Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Table Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Table Styles tool.
• Type exptablestyles and then press Enter.
2 Click ( ) for the table style you want to modify, and then make your selections.
For more details about the available settings, see “Working with table styles” on
page 189.

Setting the current table style

When you insert a table in a drawing, the table is created using the current table style.
You can also assign a different table style when you create tables.

To make a table style current

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Table Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Table Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Table Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Table Styles tool.
• Type exptablestyles and then press Enter.
2 In the list of table styles, click the style you want to make current.
3 Click the Current tool ( ).

Use a shortcut.
You can also make a table style current by double-clicking the table style name or by
right-clicking the table style name and then choosing Current.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 329

Working with dimension styles

From the Explorer, you can use the Dimension Styles element to cut, copy, and paste
dimension styles from one drawing to another.
A dimension style contains the settings that control the appearance of a dimension.
Although you cannot control these settings from within the Explorer, you can use the
Modify Dimension Style dialog box to control settings related to the appearance of
arrows, lines, text, units, and other formatting characteristics.

Displaying dimension style information in the Explorer

To display the Explorer Dimension Styles element
Do one of the following to choose Explore Dimension Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Dimension Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Dimension Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Dimension Styles tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.

A B

A Lists the names of dimension styles defined in B Click to edit the corresponding dimension style.
the current drawing.
330 CHAPTER 8

Creating and naming dimension styles

By using the Dimension Styles element in combination with the Modify Dimension
Style dialog box, you can create new dimension styles, modify them, and copy them
into a different drawing.

To create a dimension style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Dimension Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Dimension Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Dimension Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Dimension Styles tool.
• Type expdimstyles and then press Enter.
2 In the Dimension Styles Manager dialog box, click New.
3 Type the name of the new dimension style.
4 Click the Edit icon for the new dimension style.
5 In the Modify Dimension Style dialog box, select the desired options.
6 Click OK.

To change a dimension style name in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Dimension Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Dimension Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Dimension Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Dimension Styles tool.
• Type expdimstyles and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select the dimension style, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then
press Enter.
• Click the dimension style name you want to change, type a new name, and then
press Enter.
• Right-click the dimension style name you want to change, and from the shortcut
menu, select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 331

Copying dimension styles

You can copy and paste dimension styles between drawings. In addition to the steps
below, you can also select a dimension style and use the Windows shortcut keys
(Ctrl+A to select all, Ctrl+X to cut, Ctrl+C to copy, Ctrl+V to paste) to copy it in the
Explorer. You can use these shortcut keys with all other Explorer elements as well.

To copy a dimension style from one drawing to another

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Dimension Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Dimension Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Dimension Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Dimension Styles tool.
• Type expdimstyles and then press Enter.
2 Right-click the dimension style name you want to copy.
3 From the shortcut menu, select Copy.
4 On the left, select the drawing to which you want to copy the dimension style.
5 Click the Dimension Styles element for that drawing.
6 On the right, right-click, and then from the shortcut menu, select Paste.

Each drawing contains a dimension style named Standard.

You cannot delete this dimension style, but you can rename it from within the
Explorer or modify its properties in the Modify Dimension Style dialog box.
332 CHAPTER 8

Working with multileader styles

A multileader style is a named, saved collection of format settings that determines the
appearance of multileaders.

Understanding multileader styles

When you create a multileader, it is created using the current multileader style. The
multileader style determines the arrowhead type, text style, colors, and more.
Every drawing has at least one multileader style, named Standard. You cannot delete
the Standard style, but you can rename it or modify it. You can use an unlimited num-
ber of multileader styles in your drawing.

Displaying multileader style information in the Explorer

To display the Explorer Multileader Styles element
Do one of the following to choose Explore Multileader Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multileader Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multileader Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multileader Styles tool.
• Type expmleaderstyles and then press Enter.

A B
A Lists the names of multileader styles defined in B Click to modify the corresponding multileader
the current drawing. style.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 333

Creating and naming multileader styles

By using the Multileader Styles element in combination with the Modify Multileader
Style dialog box, you can create new multiline styles and modify them.

To create a new multileader style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Multileader Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multileader Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multileader Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multileader Styles tool.
• Type expmleaderstyles and then press Enter.
2 Click the New Item tool ( ).
A new style is added to the multileader styles list.
3 Type the name for the new style by typing over the highlighted default text, and
then press Enter.
4 Click ( ) for the new style and make your selections.
For more details about the available settings, see “Working with multileader
styles” on page 201.

To change a multileader style name in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Multileader Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multileader Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multileader Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multileader Styles tool.
• Type expmleaderstyles and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click the multileader style name you want to change, type a new name, and then
press Enter.
• Right-click the multileader style name you want to change, and from the
shortcut menu, select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
334 CHAPTER 8

Modifying multileader styles

A new multileader style is initially assigned default values that you can change. You
can change these values for both new and existing multileader styles.

To modify a multileader style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Multileader Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multileader Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multileader Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multileader Styles tool.
• Type expmleaderstyles and then press Enter.
2 Click ( ) for the multileader style you want to modify, and then make your
selections.
For more details about the available settings, see “Working with multileader
styles” on page 201.

Setting the current multileader style

When you insert a multileader in a drawing, the multileader is created using the cur-
rent multileader style. You can also assign a different multileader style when you cre-
ate multileaders.

To make a multileader style current

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Multileader Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Multileader Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Multileader Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Multileader Styles tool.
• Type expmleaderstyles and then press Enter.
2 In the Multileader Style Name list, click the style you want to make current.
3 Click the Current tool ( ).

Use a shortcut.
You can also make a multileader style current by double-clicking the multileader
style name or by right-clicking the multileader style name and then choosing Current.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 335

Working with named views

A named view is a saved collection of view settings that determines a view’s direc-
tion, boundaries, UCS, visual style, background, and perspective, etc. Named views
can be saved and restored in the current window at any time. Use the Explorer to
manage named views and quickly switch between views.
Also accessible from the Explorer is the View Manager, which is used to create new
views and modify any view settings. For more details, see “Creating and switching to
named views” on page 700.

Displaying views in the Explorer

To display views in the Explorer
Do one of the following to choose Explore Views ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Views (in Explorer).
• Choose Tools > Explore Views.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Views tool.
• Type expviews and then press Enter.
• Choose Tools > Explorer, and then click the Views element.

Named views are stored in the drawing.

You can use the Explorer to copy and paste named views from one drawing to
another. Click the Show as Dialog tool to display the Explorer as a dialog box to see
the currently open drawings, then copy and paste between them.
336 CHAPTER 8

A B C D

A Lists names of views defined in the current drawing. E Click a column title to sort by category. Click and drag a
A check mark indicates the current view. column title to change the column order. Right-click a
B Displays the height of the view in drawing units. column title to choose which columns display or to restore
all column settings to the default settings.
C Displays the width of the view in drawing units.
F Click to open the View Manager to specify additional view
D Displays the direction of the view, expressed as a three- settings.
dimensional coordinate in the WCS.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 337

Saving and naming views

You can save the view displayed in the current window as a named view. After you
save a named view, you can restore that view in the current window at any time.

To save a portion of the current view as a named view

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Views ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Views (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Views.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Views tool.
• Type expviews and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > New > View.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the New Item tool ( ).
3 Specify the first corner of the view window.
4 Specify the opposite corner of the view window.
5 Type a new name for the view, and then press Enter.

Named views can be created in more ways using the View Manager.
From Explore Views, click the View Manager tool. For more details, see “Creating
and switching to named views” on page 700.
338 CHAPTER 8

Restoring named views

After you save one or more named views, you can restore any of those views in the
current window using either the View command or IntelliCAD’s Explorer.

To restore a named view from the Explorer

Do one of the following:
• Select the view name in the list of View settings, and then choose Edit > Current.
• Select the view name in the list of View settings, and then click the Current tool
( ).
• Double-click the view name in the View list.
To restore a named view using the View command
1 Do one of the following to choose View Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Manager (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > View Manager.
• On the View toolbar, click the View Manager tool.
• Type view and then press Enter.
2 Select the view you want to restore.
3 Click OK.

Restoring a named view can be affected by smooth view transitions.

Type vtoptions to specify whether smooth view transitions are used when restoring a
named view (the view rotation), and to specify speed and performance settings.

Modifying the settings of named views

Once you create a named view you can modify its properties, such as the target direc-
tion and twist angle. This gives you access to many of the view settings after a view
has been defined. Some properties are available directly in the Explorer, while others
are available in the Views Manager.
Only named views that you create can be changed; preset views cannot be modified.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 339

To change the view options

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Views ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Views (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explore Views.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Views tool.
• Type expviews and then press Enter.
2 To rename a view, do one of the following:
• Select the view, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Click the view name you want to change, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Right-click the view name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 Click the Height, Width, or View Direction column for the view you want to
change, and then type your changes.
4 To make additional changes, click the View Manager tool ( ), change the
desired settings, and then close the dialog box.
340 CHAPTER 8

Working with visual styles

Visual styles are used to control how CAD geometry displays in real-time: 2D where-
fore, hidden-line, shaded, shaded with materials, etc. Visual styles vary based on the
capabilities of the OpenGL and OpenGL ES graphics devices.

Understanding visual styles

Visual styles can change the display of a drawing as you work in real-time. The
current visual style determines whether a background displays, halo gap percentage,
face settings, edge settings, and more.
Every drawing has a predefined list of visual styles, which cannot be deleted or
renamed. However, you can create additional visual styles and change the properties
of any visual style.
For more details about visual styles, see “Using dynamic visual styles for hiding,
shading, and rendering” on page 782.

Displaying visual style information in the Explorer

To display the Explorer Visual Styles element
Do one of the following to choose Explore Visual Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Visual Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Visual Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Visual Styles tool.
• Type expvstyles and then press Enter.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 341

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O

A Lists names of visual styles defined in the current drawing. A check I Controls whether isolines display on top of shaded entities.
mark indicates the current visual style. J Controls whether to display silhouette edges, which are the edges that
B Controls whether default lighting is on or off (for example, if a drawing connect a back facing entity with a front facing entity.
has its own lights). K Controls the number of pixels used to display silhouette edge width.
C Controls the style used to display faces: None, Real (realistic), or L Controls the number of pixels that lines and edges display beyond their
Gooch (non-realistic). endpoints for a hand-drawn effect.
D Controls the opacity level applied to faces from 0 (fully transparent) to M Controls the number of lines that are offset for a pencil effect.
1 (fully opaque).
N Controls the angle used for displaying crease edges.
E Controls whether materials and textures display.
O Controls the gap size displayed where one entity is hidden by another
F Controls the level of specular highlight used to display faces that do not entity.
have materials.
P Click a column title to sort by category. Click and drag a column title to
G Controls whether a background displays. change the column order. Right-click a column title to choose which
H Controls whether to display edges, and whether to display them as columns display or to restore all column settings to the default settings.
isolines or facet edges.
342 CHAPTER 8

Creating and naming visual styles

Using the Explorer, you can create new visual styles and modify their properties.

To create a new visual style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Visual Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Visual Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Visual Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Visual Styles tool.
• Type expvstyles and then press Enter.
2 Click the New Item tool ( ).
A new style is added to the visual styles list.
3 Type the name for the new style by typing over the highlighted default text, and
then press Enter.
4 Optionally click the Description and type text, and then press Enter.

To change a visual style name in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Visual Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Visual Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Visual Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Visual Styles tool.
• Type expvstyles and then press Enter.
2 Click the visual style name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter. Predefined visual styles cannot be renamed.

Modifying visual styles

A new visual style is initially assigned default values that you can change.

To modify a visual style

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Visual Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Visual Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Visual Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Visual Styles tool.
• Type expvstyles and then press Enter.
2 Change the properties for the visual style you want to modify.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 343

You also use the Properties pane to modify a visual style.

When no entities are selected, the Properties pane displays properties for the draw-
ing file. In Visual style, select the visual style you want to modify, then change its
properties.

Setting the current visual style

The current visual style is the style used to display the drawing.

To make a visual style current

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Visual Styles ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Visual Styles (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Visual Styles.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Visual Styles tool.
• Type expvstyles and then press Enter.
2 In the Visual Style Name list, click the style you want to make current.
3 Click the Current tool ( ).

Use a shortcut.
In the upper left corner of the drawing window, click the visual style control and
choose a visual style to make it current. Or using the Explorer, you can also make a
visual style current by double-clicking the visual style name or by right-clicking the
visual style name and then choosing Current.
344 CHAPTER 8

Working with coordinate systems

A coordinate system is a system of points that represents the drawing space in rela-
tion to an origin (0,0,0) and a set of axes that intersect at the origin.

Understanding coordinate systems

When you create entities in a drawing, they are located in relation to the drawing’s
underlying Cartesian coordinate system. Every drawing has a fixed coordinate system
called the World Coordinate System (WCS). You cannot delete or modify the WCS.
Your drawing may contain additional coordinate systems, however, each with its own
0,0,0 origin and orientation. You can create as many user coordinate systems as you
want, and then save and recall them as you need them. You can edit the origin of a
coordinate system from within IntelliCAD’s Explorer by single-clicking the origin
coordinates and then typing new coordinates.
For example, you can create a separate user coordinate system (UCS) for each side of
a building. Then, by switching to the UCS for the east side of the building, you can
draw the windows on that side by specifying only their x- and y-coordinates.
You can create and then switch between various user coordinate systems by selecting
Coordinate Systems in the Explorer.

Displaying coordinate system information in the Explorer

To display the Coordinate Systems element
Do one of the following to choose Explore Coordinate Systems ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Coordinate Systems (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Coordinate Systems.
• Choose Tools > User Coordinate Systems > Explore Coordinate Systems.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Coordinate Systems tool.
• Type expucs and then press Enter.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 345

A B C D

A Lists names of coordinate systems defined in the current D Displays the y-axis direction of the coordinate system in
drawing. A check mark indicates the current coordinate relation to the WCS.
system. E Click a column title to sort by category. Click and drag a
B Displays the origin of the coordinate system in relation to column title to change the column order. Right-click a
the WCS. column title to choose which columns display or to
C Displays the x-axis direction of the coordinate system in restore all column settings to the default settings.
relation to the WCS. F Select the base user coordinate system.

Defining and naming user coordinate systems

A drawing can contain as many coordinate systems as you want and can be named
appropriate names so you can remember how they are used in your drawing for
recalling them later.

To define new user coordinate systems in the Explorer

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Coordinate Systems ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Coordinate Systems (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Coordinate Systems.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Coordinate Systems tool.
• Type expucs and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > New > UCS.
• Click the New Item tool ( ).
• With your cursor in the right side of the window, right-click to display the
shortcut menu, and choose New > UCS.
346 CHAPTER 8

3 Select a method from the prompt box or command bar by which to define the UCS
in the drawing window.
For example, select 3 Point and then specify three points in the drawing window
to define the x, y, and z axes for your coordinate system.
4 Type the name for the new user coordinate system by typing over the highlighted
default text, and then press Enter.
5 To complete the command, close the window.

To change a user coordinate system name in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Coordinate Systems ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Coordinate Systems (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Coordinate Systems.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Coordinate Systems tool.
• Type expucs and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select the user coordinate system, and then choose Edit > Rename, type a new
name, and then press Enter.
• Click the user coordinate system name you want to change, type a new name,
and then press Enter.
• Right-click the user coordinate system name you want to change, and from the
shortcut menu, select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Setting the current user coordinate system

When you draw new entities, they are created in relation to the current coordinate
system. You can set the current UCS from the Explorer.

To set the current UCS from the Explorer

Do one of the following:
• Double-click the UCS name in the UCS Name list.
• Select the UCS in the UCS Name list, and then choose Edit > Current.
• Select the UCS in the UCS Name list, and then click the Current tool ( ).
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 347

Working with blocks

Blocks represent a special type of entity that, once saved, can be inserted and manip-
ulated in the drawing as a single entity.

Understanding blocks
A block can consist of visible entities such as lines, arcs, and circles as well as visible
or invisible data called attributes. You can use attributes to track things such as part
numbers and prices and to export attribute information to an external database. You
can also track the number of parts by counting the number of times a block has been
inserted into the drawing. Blocks are stored as part of the drawing file.
External references have similar uses to blocks. Using external references, you can
attach entire drawings to your current drawing. Unlike a block, however, an external
reference does not become part of the current drawing.
You can save blocks to an external .dwg file from the Explorer. You can also use the
Explorer to manage and insert copies of blocks. The Explorer window lists the names
of all blocks contained in the current drawing, along with other information about
each block or external reference.
You can also rename a block, modify its insertion point, and change the path of an
externally referenced drawing by single-clicking on the property and making your
edits within the Explorer.
In addition to the Explorer, you can also work with blocks by using the Block Editor,
by using various block commands, and by adding blocks to tool palettes. For more
details about the Block Editor and various block commands, see “Working with
blocks” on page 556. For more details about tool palettes, see “Customizing tool pal-
ettes” on page 889.

Displaying block information in the Explorer

To display blocks in the Explorer
Do one of the following to choose Explore Blocks ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Blocks (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Blocks.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Blocks tool.
• Type expblocks and then press Enter.
348 CHAPTER 8

The Blocks element in the Explorer defaults with icons on. The Icons view shows you
a small image of each block.

The Images view shows an image of each block in the selected drawing. Click an image to select it.

When blocks are displayed, additional tools on the Block toolbar provide the func-
tions described in the following table:

Additional tools on the Block toolbar

Tool Function
( ) Icons Displays an image of each block.

( ) Details Displays information about each block.

( ) Insert Inserts a block.

( ) Insert External File Block Inserts a drawing available from disk as a block.

( ) Save Block Saves the selected block as an independent.dwg file. If

more than one block is selected, saves each block as an
independent .dwg file in a folder you specify.

( ) Edit Block Reference Redefines the definition of a block.

To see more information about each block, click the Details tool ( ). In the Details
view, you can edit the path and the insertion point by clicking the setting and typing
your changes.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 349

A B C D E F G H

A Lists names of blocks defined in the current drawing. F Indicates whether the block must scale proportionately;
Click and type to modify it. click to turn the option on or off.
B Displays the number of occurrences of the block in the G Indicates whether the block can be exploded; click to turn
current drawing. the option on or off.
C Displays the insertion point of the block in the current H Displays the description of the block. Click and type to
drawing. Click and type to modify it. modify it.
D Indicates whether the block is annotative by default; click I Click a column title to sort by category. Click and drag a
to turn the option on or off. column title to change the column order. Right-click a
E Indicates whether the block, when located in paper space, column title to choose which columns display or to restore
is oriented automatically according to the layout viewport; all column settings to the default settings.
click to turn the option on or off. (Available only for
annotative blocks.)
350 CHAPTER 8

Creating and naming blocks

You can combine any number of entities into a single block. After you create a block,
you can insert copies of it into a drawing. Each block insertion is treated as a single
entity; for example, you can rotate or scale each block when you insert it. The program
adds the name of the new block you insert to the Block Name list in the Explorer.

To create a block
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Blocks ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Blocks (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Blocks.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Blocks tool.
• Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > New > Block.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the New Item tool ( ).
3 In the Block definition dialog box, enter a name and description for the new block.
4 Specify the insertion point for the block by doing one of the following:
• Specify on Screen Mark this check box to select the base point in the drawing
after you click OK.
• Pick Base Point Click ( ) to temporarily close the dialog box immediately,
select the base point in the drawing, then return to the dialog box. This option is
available only if Specify on Screen is not marked.
• X, Y, and Z Enter the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the base point. This option is
available only if Specify on Screen is not marked.
5 Select the entities to be combined into the block by doing one of the following:
• Specify on Screen Mark this check box to select the entities in the drawing after
you click OK.
• Select entities Click ( ) to temporarily close the dialog box immediately,
select the entities in the drawing, then return to the dialog box. Or you can click
( ) to select entities by type or value. This option is available only if Specify
on Screen is not marked.
6 Select what to do with the entities after the block is created:
• Retain entities Entities selected for the block remain in the drawing.
• Convert to block Entities selected for the block are converted to the block,
which remains in the drawing.
• Delete entities Entities selected for the block are removed from the drawing.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 351

7 Select any of the following options for the block:

• Annotative Determines whether the block is annotative by default. The display
and printing of annotative blocks is affected by annotation scaling. If annotative
by default, you can determine whether the block, when located in paper space,
is oriented automatically according to the layout viewport.
• Scale uniformly Mark this check box to retain the aspect ratio if the block is
scaled. Annotative blocks must be scaled proportionately.
• Allow exploding Mark this check box to allow the block to be exploded into
separate entities.
• Unit Defines the unit of the block, for example inches or millimeters.
8 Click OK.
The program adds a new block to the blocks list, with the name you entered for it.

A N
B

C N
D M
L
E K
J

F G H I
A Enter the name of the block. I Click to select entities by type or value.
B Enter a description of the block. J Choose block units.
C Select to pick the base point in the drawing after K Select to allow the block to be exploded into
you click OK. entities.
D Select to pick the base point now in the drawing. L Select to maintain aspect ratio if the block is
E Displays the base point coordinates or you can scaled.
enter them manually. M Select to make the block, when located in paper
F Select to select entities to include in the block space, oriented according to the layout viewport
after you click OK. (available only if Annotative is marked).
G Click to select entities now in the drawing. N Mark to make the block annotative by default.
H Select whether to keep, convert, or delete
entities after the block is created.
352 CHAPTER 8

To change a block name in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Blocks ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Blocks (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Blocks.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Blocks tool.
• Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select the block, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Click the block name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
• Right-click the block name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Inserting a block
You can insert into a drawing any block listed in the Block Name list in the Explorer.
This includes blocks contained within any open drawing (you copy and paste the
block first) and also dynamic blocks that were created using a different CAD applica-
tion.

To insert a block
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Blocks ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Blocks (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Blocks.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Blocks tool.
• Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 If you want to insert a block from another open drawing, select the drawing in the
left side of the Explorer window, copy the block, and paste it in the destination
drawing. (If the block is contained within the same drawing, you can skip this
step.)
3 Select the block to be inserted.
4 On the Explorer toolbar, click the Insert tool ( ).
5 In the drawing, specify the insertion point.
If inserting a dynamic block, you can press Ctrl while left-clicking the mouse to
cycle through block insertion points defined by its dynamic parameters.
6 Specify the x, y, and z scale factor and the rotation angle, or in the prompt box,
select Done.
7 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 353

The scale can easily be changed after insertion.

To change the scale of a block after insertion, choose Express Tools > Blocks >
Block Scale. You can also change the position, scale, and rotation using the Proper-
ties pane.

Use a shortcut.
You can insert a block by choosing Tools > Explorer, and then double-clicking the
name of the block you want to insert in the Block Name list. And, you can also insert
a block from the Insert menu, see Chapter 13, “Working with other files in your
drawings.”

Inserting a drawing as a block

You can insert another drawing as a block into the current drawing. After you do this,
the block name is added to the Block Name list in the Explorer. Changes made later
to the inserted drawing will not be reflected in this drawing.

To insert a drawing as a block

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Blocks ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Blocks (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Blocks.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Blocks tool.
• Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 On the Explorer toolbar, click the Insert External File Block tool ( ).
3 In the Insert Block dialog box, select the drawing you want to insert, and then
click Open.
4 In the drawing, specify the insertion point.
5 Specify the x, y, and z scale factor and the rotation angle, or in the prompt box,
select Done.
6 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

The scale can easily be changed after insertion.

To change the scale of a block after insertion, choose Express Tools > Blocks >
Block Scale. You can also change the position, scale, and rotation using the Proper-
ties pane.
354 CHAPTER 8

Saving a block as a separate drawing

You can save a block as a separate drawing, and then you can open and modify that
drawing as you would any other drawing.

To save a block as a separate drawing file

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Blocks ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Blocks (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Blocks.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Blocks tool.
• Type expblocks and then press Enter.
2 Select the block you want to save.
3 On the Explorer toolbar, click the Save Block tool ( ).
4 In the Save Block dialog box, select the folder in which you want to save the
block.
5 In the File Name field, type a name for the new drawing file (or accept the default,
in which case the new drawing name is the same as the name of the block), and
then click Save.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 355

Working with groups

In IntelliCAD’s Explorer, you can manage groups — collections of entities saved
together as one unit — that exist in an open drawing, create new groups, manage the
entities contained in a group, and change the settings of groups.

Displaying information about groups in the Explorer

To display groups in the Explorer
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Groups ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Groups (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Groups.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Explore Groups tool.
• Type expgroups and then press Enter.

Creating a new group using the Explorer

To create a new group using the Explorer
1 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > New > Group.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the New Item tool ( ).
A new group is added as Anonymous.
2 Type the name for the new group by typing over the highlighted default text, and
then press Enter.
3 Click the [+] tool to select the entities to be included in the group; click the [-] tool
to select the entities to remove from the group.
You can also click the Number of Entities column and choose Add Entities or
Remove Entities.
4 Press Enter when done selecting entities.
5 To complete the command, close the window.
356 CHAPTER 8

Modifying groups
To modify a group using the Explorer
1 In the Explorer, select Groups.
2 To rename a group, do one of the following:
• Select the group, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Click the group name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
• Right-click the group name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To add entities to a group, select the group and click the [+] tool, select the entities
in the drawing to be included in the group, then press Enter when done selecting
entities.
4 To remove entities from a group, select the group and click the [-] tool, select the
entities in the drawing to remove from the group, then press Enter when done
selecting entities.
5 To make a group selectable or unselectable in the drawing, click Selectable for it.
6 To reorder the entities in a group, select the group and click the Reorder tool,
make you selections, then click OK.
7 To select a group in the drawing and have that group highlighted in the list of
groups, click the Highlight tool, select the desired group, then press Enter. The
appropriate group will be highlighted in the list.
8 To complete the command, close the window.

For more details about working with groups, see “Grouping entities” on page 458.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 357

Working with references to external files

In IntelliCAD’s Explorer, you can work with any file that is referenced from an open
drawing. In addition to commonly used xrefs, or externally referenced drawing files,
you can manage other attached external files such as data links, raster images, .dwf
files, .dgn files, .pdf files, and point clouds directly from the Explorer. If your pro-
gram version supports working with BIM files, you can also manage .ifc, .rvt, and .rfa
files.
When you reference an external file from a drawing, the contents of referenced file
appear in the current drawing, but the contents themselves are not added to the draw-
ing.

Displaying information about referenced files in the Explorer

To display information about referenced files
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore External References ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > External References (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore External References.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore External References tool.
• Type exprefs and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:

• Click the Icons tool ( ) to see a small image of each referenced file,
• Click the Details tool ( ) to see more detailed information about each block.
358 CHAPTER 8

A B C D E F G
A Lists names of files referenced from the current E Displays the type of file.
drawing. F Displays the date of the file.
B Displays the load status of the file in the current G Displays the location of the file.
drawing.
H Click a column title to sort by category. Click and
C Displays the number of times the file is drag a column title to change the column order.
referenced from the current drawing. Right-click a column title to choose which
D Displays the size of the file. columns display or to restore all column settings
to the default settings.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 359

Attaching referenced files

To attach an externally referenced file
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore External References ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > External References (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > External References.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore External Reference tool.
• Type exprefs and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > New > External Reference.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the New Item tool ( ).
3 In Files of type, select the type of file to attach, then click Open.
4 Specify the insertion point for the file and complete the additional prompts.
5 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

After an external file is attached, the Manage Xrefs icon displays in the status bar,
notifying that the drawing contains a linked external reference file.

Modifying the settings for referenced files

Any referenced file can be modified from the Explorer, including renaming, linking
to a new location, clipping, and more.

To change the name of a referenced file in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore External References ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > External References (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore External References.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore External Reference tool.
• Type exprefs and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select the file, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Click the file name you want to change, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Right-click the file name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu, select
Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.
360 CHAPTER 8

To change the name of a referenced file in the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore External References ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > External References (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore External References.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore External Reference tool.
• Type exprefs and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select the file, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Click the file name you want to change, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Right-click the file name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu, select
Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

To manage an externally referenced file

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore External References ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > External References (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore External References.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore External Reference tool.
• Type exprefs and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select a file in the list, choose Edit, then the desired option.
• Right-click the desired file, and from the shortcut menu, select the desired
option.
• Click either the Image Manager tool ( ) or the Xref Manager tool ( ).
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

For more details about working with external references, see “Working with external
references” on page 581.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 361

Working with layouts

Each drawing that you create contains the area where you do most of your work on
the Model tab and can also contain numerous layouts on Layout tabs that simulate the
paper on which you will print a copy of the drawing.
Using the Explorer, you can manage the layouts in a drawing, assign a page setup,
and you can also easily copy layouts to be reused in other drawings.
Making a layout active in the Explorer is the equivalent of clicking its corresponding
tab in the drawing window.

Displaying layouts in the Explorer

To display layouts in the Explorer
Do one of the following to choose Explore Layouts ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Layouts (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explore Layouts.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layouts tool.
• Type explayouts and then press Enter.
• Choose Tools > Explorer, and then click the Views element.

A B C D E F G

A Lists names of layouts defined in the current E Displays the number of viewports in the layout.
drawing. A check mark indicates the current F Choose the page setup for the layout. Choose
layout. Page Setup Manager to modify page setups.
B Displays the coordinates of the lower-left corner G Displays whether a layout is ready to print.
of the layout.
H Click a column title to sort by category. Click and
C Displays the coordinates of the upper-right drag a column title to change the column order.
corner of the layout. Right-click a column title to choose which
D Controls whether linetype scaling in layout columns display or to restore all column settings
viewports is always the same regardless of the to the default settings.
zoom factor. (Layouts only; not the model.)
362 CHAPTER 8

Creating and naming layouts

Each drawing can contain one layout for the model and up to 255 other layouts.

To create a new layout

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layouts ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Layouts (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Layouts.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layouts tool.
• Type explayouts and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > New > Layout.
• Click the New Item tool ( ).
A new layout is added to the layouts list with a default name.
3 Type the name for the new layout by typing over the highlighted default text, and
then press Enter.
4 To complete the command, close the window.

To change a layout name using the Explorer

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layouts ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Layouts (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Layouts.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layouts tool.
• Type explayouts and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select the layout, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Click the layout name you want to change, type a new name, and then press
Enter.
• Right-click the layout name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu,
select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
3 To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Specifying page setup options for a layout

Each layout can have its own page setup assigned to it. This enables you to accommo-
date unique print settings for each layout. If some layouts use the same print settings,
those layouts can be assigned the same page setup.
Assigning a page setup to a model or layout doesn’t mean it will always print with the
specified settings. All of the print settings specified for a page setup can be overrid-
den at print time.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 363

For more details about page setups, see “Working with page setups” on page 640.

To assign a page setup to layouts

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layouts ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Layouts (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Layouts.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layouts tool.
• Type explayouts and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more layouts.
3 In the Page Setup column for one of the layouts, select the desired page setup from
the list.
4 To complete the command, close the Explorer window.

To modify the settings of an assigned page setup

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layouts ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Layouts (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Layouts.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layouts tool.
• Type explayouts and then press Enter.
2 In the Page Setup column for the desired layout, choose Page Setup Manager.
3 Select the page setup that requires changes, then click Modify.
4 Select the new options, then click OK.
5 If necessary, select the page setup that you want to assign to the layout, then click
Set Current.
6 Click Close.
7 To complete the command, close the Explorer window.
364 CHAPTER 8

Working with materials

Materials are images or textures that enhance the visual appearance of entities when
they are rendered. From IntelliCAD’s Explorer, you can use the Materials element to
load materials from a material library to your drawing so your drawing contains only
those materials you need, which helps reduce the drawing file size. You can also cut,
copy, and paste materials from one drawing to another.
Once you import materials to the drawing in the Explorer, you can then assign them
to entities and layers, include them in packages created with the eTransmit command,
and render them with visual styles directly in IntelliCAD.
Display materials in the drawing using the Realistic visual style. For more details
about working with visual styles, see “Using dynamic visual styles for hiding, shad-
ing, and rendering” on page 782.

Displaying information about materials in the Explorer

To display materials in the Explorer
1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Materials ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Materials (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Materials.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Explore Materials tool.
• Type expmaterials and then press Enter.

A
B
C
D

E F

A Choose to view the materials in a list or image view. D Double-click a material to set it as the current
B Click to add materials to the drawing from the material.
library so materials can be assigned to entities and E Lists the names of materials available in the current
layers. drawing.
C Choose to preview the selected material on the F Displays the selected material on a shape.
right as a cube, sphere, or plane.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 365

Importing materials to the drawing

Materials are stored in a library with an .icmat file extension. To reduce the file size
of drawings, you import from the library only those materials you need in the draw-
ing.
Imported materials are stored in the drawing, and then you can work with them
throughout IntelliCAD, including assigning them to entities and layers, include them
in packages created with the eTransmit command, purge them, and display them on
entities using any visual style other than 2D Wireframe.

To import materials to a drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Materials ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Materials (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Materials.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Explore Materials tool.
• Type expmaterials and then press Enter.
2 On the Explorer toolbar, click the Import Materials tool ( ).

Use a shortcut.
At the command bar, type materialimport to open the Import Materials dialog box.

3 Right-click either list, and from the shortcut menu, choose how to view materials
while you select them.
4 On the left, choose the category of materials you want to view.
5 On the right, select the materials you want to add to the drawing. Press Shift +
click to select multiple materials.
6 Click Import.
The selected materials are added to the drawing and appear in the Material
Explorer.
7 Click Close when done importing.

Materials of older file formats can be updated to the current format.

If you open a drawing that contains materials that were created in older formats, type
CONVERTOLDMATERIALS at the command prompt to update them to the current
format.
366 CHAPTER 8

Assigning materials to entities and layers

When you create new entities, they are drawn with the current material. To draw new
entities with a different material, you must first make that material the current mate-
rial.
You can also separately assign materials to specific entities and layers.

To make a material current

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Materials ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Materials (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Materials.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Explore Materials tool.
• Type expmaterials and then press Enter.
2 Select the material you want to make current.
3 Do one of the following:
• Click the Current tool ( ).
• Double-click the material name.
• Right-click the material name, and from the shortcut menu, select Current.
To assign a material to an entity
1 Do one of the following:
• Drag-and-drop a material from the Materials Explorer to an entity.
• Select an entity and in the Properties pane, choose the desired material.
• Select an entity, type change, and follow the prompts to modify the material
property.

To assign a material to a layer

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Layers ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explore Layers (in Layers) or choose Tools >
Layers (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Format > Explore Layers or choose Tools > Explorer >
Explore Layers.
• On the Explorer toolbar, click the Explore Layers tool.
• Type explayers and then press Enter.
2 Click the Material column for the desired layer.
3 Select a material from the list.
 WORKING WITH THE EXPLORER 367

Copying materials
You can copy and paste materials between drawings. In addition to the steps below,
you can also select a material and use the Windows shortcut keys (Ctrl+A to select
all, Ctrl+X to cut, Ctrl+C to copy, Ctrl+V to paste) to copy it in the Explorer. You can
use these shortcut keys with all other Explorer elements as well.

To copy a material from one drawing to another

1 Do one of the following to choose Explore Materials ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Materials (in Explorer).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Explorer > Explore Materials.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Explore Materials tool.
• Type expmaterials and then press Enter.
2 Right-click the material you want to copy.
3 From the shortcut menu, select Copy.
4 If necessary, click Show as Dialog ( ) to display Material Explorer as a dialog
box instead of a pane. (Panes display information about the current drawing only.)
5 On the left, select the drawing to which you want to copy the material.
6 Click the Materials element for that drawing.
7 On the right, right-click, and then from the shortcut menu, select Paste.

Each drawing contains a material named Global.

You cannot delete or rename this material.
368 CHAPTER 8
 9

Getting drawing information

IntelliCAD stores accurate, detailed information about all the entities in a drawing.
You can get details about an existing drawing and its entities using the tools for mea-
suring distances and calculating areas. You can create a table or external file that
reports details about entities in one or more drawings. You can also track the amount
of time you spend editing a drawing. This section explains how to:
• Measure distances along an entity.
• Measure distances and angles.
• Divide an entity into a number of equal segments.
• Calculate areas.
• Display information about entities in a drawing.
• Track the amount of time spent editing a drawing.
• Report and update information about entities in one or more drawings.

Many of the functions described in this section require that you set IntelliCAD to the
Advanced experience level.

Topics in this chapter

Specifying measurements and divisions........................................................... 370
Calculating areas .............................................................................................. 373
Calculating distances and angles ..................................................................... 377
Displaying information about your drawing .................................................384
Reporting information about entities ..........................................................389
370 CHAPTER 9

Specifying measurements and divisions

You can divide a line, arc, circle, polyline, ellipse, or spline into a number of equal
segments or mark off intervals of a specific length along an entity. (Note that divide is
not the same as break.) For example, you may want to place station-point markers
every 50 feet along the centerline of a roadway or divide the plan view of a window
into three equal-width sections of glass, placing a mullion at each division point.

Understanding measurements and divisions

To specify measurements and divisions, use these commands:
• For the length of the segments, use the Measure command.
• For the number of equal-length segments, use the Divide command.
You can measure or divide arcs, circles, lines, polylines, ellipses, and splines. With
either command, you can identify the segments by placing either a block or point
entity at the end of each interval. If you use points, you can snap to the ends of inter-
vals using the point entity snap. The appearance of the point entities is determined by
the current point display type, which you control in the Drawing Settings dialog box.
To use a block as the marker, the block must already be defined in the current draw-
ing. You can further indicate whether to rotate the block to align perpendicularly to
the entity you are measuring or dividing.

Block not aligned with entity. Block aligned with entity.

IntelliCAD begins measuring or dividing based on the point at which you select the
entity and the type of entity with which you are working. For most entities, measuring
starts from the endpoint closest to the point you used to select the entity. If you select
the entity to be measured or divided using a method other than pointing (for example,
using a window or fence selection), the program prompts you to specify the end from
which you want to begin measuring.
 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 371

Measuring intervals on entities

You can mark specified length increments along the length or perimeter of a selected
entity using either a point entity or a block.
You can measure intervals on lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, polylines, and splines.

To measure intervals along an entity and mark them using point entities
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Measure ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Measure (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Measure.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Measure tool.
• Type measure and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 Specify the segment length, and then press Enter.

Points on the entity might not be visible immediately.

You can change the style and size of all points in the drawing. On the Drawing Set-
tings - Entity Creation tab, choose Points. Or type ptype in the command bar.

A B

When you select the entity by pointing, intervals are measured from the end
closest to the point at which you select the entity (A). Blocks or point entities (B)
are placed along the entity at the specified interval.
372 CHAPTER 9

To measure intervals along an entity and mark them using blocks

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Measure ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Measure (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Measure.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Measure tool.
• Type measure and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 Choose Insert Blocks.
4 Type the name of the block you want to insert as the marker.
5 Choose either Yes-Align Blocks to rotate each insertion of the block so that its
vertical alignment is always perpendicular to the entity or No-Do Not Align to
insert each copy of the block with a zero rotation angle.
6 Specify the segment length, and then press Enter.

Dividing entities into segments

You can place markers along a selected entity, dividing that entity into a specified
number of equal-length segments. You can use either a point entity or a block to mark
the segments.
You can divide lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, polylines, and splines.

To divide an entity into equal segments and mark them using point entities
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Divide ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Measure (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Divide.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Divide tool.
• Type divide and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 Specify the number of segments, and then press Enter.

Points on the entity might not be visible immediately.

You can change the style and size of all points in the drawing. On the Drawing Set-
tings - Entity Creation tab, choose Points. Or type ptype in the command bar.
 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 373

When you select the entity by pointing, divisions are marked beginning from the end closest to the
point at which you select the entity (A). Blocks or point entities (B) are placed along the entity to
mark it in equal intervals.
To divide an entity into equal segments and mark them using blocks
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Measure ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Measure (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Divide.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Divide tool.
• Type divide and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 Choose Insert Blocks.
4 Type the name of the block you want to insert as the marker.
5 Choose either Yes-Align Blocks to rotate each insertion of the block so that its
vertical alignment is always perpendicular to the entity or
No-Do Not Align to insert each copy of the block with a zero rotation angle.
6 Specify the number of segments, and then press Enter.

Calculating areas
You can calculate the area and perimeter of entities or areas defined by points you
specify. You can also determine the area of several combined entities and add or sub-
tract the area of one or more entities from a total combined area.

Calculating areas defined by points

You can find the area and perimeter of any closed region by specifying a series of
points. The program calculates the area and perimeter of the space that is enclosed by
an imaginary polygon consisting of straight-line segments connecting each point.
374 CHAPTER 9

To calculate the area defined by points you specify

1 Do one of the following to choose Area ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Area (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > Area.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Area tool.
• Type area and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point.
3 Specify the second point.
4 Continue specifying points in sequence to define the perimeter of the area you
want to measure.
As you select each successive point, the resulting polygon is displayed on the
screen.
5 To complete the calculation, press Enter.
The calculations of the area you defined are displayed. For example, the following
type of information is displayed:
Area = 11.0583, Perimeter = 15.3092

B
A

Select the points (A, B, C) that form a polygon. The area and
perimeter are then calculated.
 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 375

Calculating areas of entities

You can find the area of entities, such as circles, arcs, ellipses, polylines, polygons,
splines, 3D solids, facet model meshes, and planes.
In addition, the program calculates the perimeter of the entity, depending on the type of
entity you select.

To calculate the area of an entity

1 Do one of the following to choose Area ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Area (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > Area.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Area tool.
• Type area and then press Enter.
2 Choose Entity.
3 Select the entity.
The following type of information is displayed:
Area = 62.3837, Perimeter = 27.9989

Calculating combined areas

You can find the total area of several entities or defined areas. You can also subtract
the areas of entities or polygons from a running total.

To calculate the total area of entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Total Area ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Total Area (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > Total Area.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Total Area tool.
• Type totalarea and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to calculate the area for.
The following type of information is displayed:
Total area = 62.3837 sq. units

3 Continue selecting (or deselecting) entities to display the running total area.
4 When finished, press Enter.
376 CHAPTER 9

To add areas to calculate a combined area

1 Do one of the following to choose Area ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Area (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > Area.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Area tool.
• Type area and then press Enter.
2 Choose Add.
3 Using one of the following methods, identify the first area:
• Specify points defining a polygon, and then press Enter. Continue to specify
points to define more areas to include in calculations.
• Choose Entity, select the entities you want to add, and then press Enter to
complete the calculations.
4 To complete the command, press Enter.

To subtract areas when calculating a combined area

1 Do one of the following to choose Area ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Area (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > Area.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Area tool.
• Type area and then press Enter.
2 Choose Add.
3 Using one of the following methods, identify the total area to subtract from:
• Specify points defining a polygon, and then press Enter. Continue to specify
points to define more areas to include in calculations
• Choose Entity, select the entities you want to add to the total running area, and
then press Enter to complete the calculations.
4 Choose Subtract.
5 Using one of the following methods, identify the area to be subtracted:
• Specify points defining a polygon, and then press Enter. Continue to specify
points to define more areas to subtract from the total running area.
• Choose Entity, select the entities you want to subtract, and then press Enter to
complete the calculations.
6 To complete the command, press Enter.
 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 377

B
A

To calculate the area of the gasket using the Area command, first add
the area of the entire gasket (A), and then subtract the areas of the two
circles (B and C).

Calculating distances and angles

You can calculate the distance between any two points you select to determine the
following information:
• The distance between the points, measured in drawing units.
• Their angle in the xy plane.
• Their angle measured from the xy plane.
• The change (delta) in the x, y, and z distances between the two points.

You can also determine the running total length of entities in a selection set.

Calculating the distance between two points or entities

When calculating the distance between points using the Distance command, it is often
helpful to use entity snaps to specify precise points.

You can also use the Quick Calculator pane to calculate distances and angles
For more details, see “Using the Quick Calculator pane” on page 381 in this chap-
ter.

To calculate the distance between two points and their angle

1 Do one of the following to choose Distance ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Distance (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > Distance.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Distance tool.
• Type distance and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point.
3 Specify the second point.
378 CHAPTER 9

C
A
F
B D

Use the Distance command to calculate the distance (A) between two points (B
and C), the angle in the xy plane (D), the angle from the xy plane, and the delta
x (E), delta y (F), and delta z distances between the two points.

Calculating the total length of entities

You can calculate the length of any selected entities using the Total Length com-
mand.

To calculate the total length of entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Total Length ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Total Length (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > Total Length.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Total Length tool.
• Type totallength and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to calculate the length for. The total length displays in
the command bar.
3 Continue selecting entities to display the running total length.
4 When finished, press Enter.

Viewing calculated distance details

As you select entities, the program displays the calculations. If the command bar is
displayed, the information appears there. If the command bar is not displayed, the
program opens the Prompt History window and displays the calculations. The follow-
ing type of information is an example of what is displayed:
Distance = 13.2850, Angle in XY Plane = 31º, Angle from XY Plane = 0º

Delta X = 11.3878, Delta Y = 6.8418, Delta Z = 0.0000

 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 379

Using calculators
The program includes a command line calculator and a Quick Calculator pane that
allows you to calculate mathematical and geometric expressions. The Quick Calcula-
tor has additional capabilities, including the calculation of scientific expressions and
converting values to different units of measurement.

Using the command line calculator

You can calculate mathematical and geometric expressions entered directly in the
command line. This is especially helpful if running custom applications or scripts.
The expressions can use standard operators, functions, and entity snaps for calculat-
ing numbers, points, and vectors.

Understanding command line calculator operators

The command line calculator evaluates expressions using standard mathematical
rules, such as calculating expressions in parentheses first, and uses the following
operators.

Calculator operators
Operator Description
() Groups expressions.
^ Calculates exponents of numbers.
* Multiplies numbers, multiplies vectors by real numbers, and scales the product
of vectors.
/ Divides numbers and divides vectors by real numbers.
+ Adds numbers and vectors (points).
- Subtracts numbers and vectors (points).

To include coordinates in an expression, enter them in brackets. For example, enter

[9,3,3] for coordinates 9, 3, 3.
380 CHAPTER 9

Understanding command line calculator functions

You can perform calculations with numbers and vectors using the following func-
tions:

Calculator functions
Function
abs ceil ln
acos cos log
acosh cosh rand
acot cot sec
acoth coth sech
acsc csc sin
acsch csch sinh
asec cuberoot sqr
asech degrees sqrt
asin dms tan
asinh fact tanh
atan floor
atanh

Calculating expressions in the command line

You can calculate mathematical and geometric expressions entered directly in the
command line, even while in a command.
The following examples are mathematical expressions:
(8*2)+(8*6.5)

sqr(55)+2

The following examples are geometric expressions:

[1,2,3] - [1,2,0]

sqrt(sqr([1,1,0]-[1,0,1])*[1,1,1])

To calculate expressions using the command line

1 Do one of the following:
• Type cal and then press Enter.
• While running a command, type ’cal and then press Enter.
2 Enter the expression to calculate and then press Enter.
 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 381

Using the Quick Calculator pane

The Quick Calculator pane allows you to perform mathematical, scientific, and geo-
metric calculations and also allows you to convert values to different units of mea-
surement.
In addition to common expressions, you can also obtain coordinates, distances, and
angles, and the results display in the calculator’s input area for use in calculations.

Calculating expressions using the Quick Calculator pane

In addition to starting each calculator using the Calculator and Quick Calculator com-
mands, you can also access the calculators while running a command.

To specify input settings for the Quick Calculator pane

1 Do one of the following to choose Quick Calculator ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Quick Calculator (in Utilities) or View > Quick
Calculator (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Quick Calculator.
• Type quickcalc and then press Enter.
• Press Ctrl+8.
• While running a command, type ’quickcalc or ’qc and then press Enter.
2 Click [DEG], [RAD], or [GRAD] until the setting you want displays for inputting
angle values using degrees, radians, or gradians.
3 Click [F-E] to switch between inputting expressions using decimal fractions or
scientific notations.

To calculate an expression using the Quick Calculator pane

1 Do one of the following to choose Quick Calculator ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Quick Calculator (in Utilities) or View > Quick
Calculator (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Quick Calculator.
• Type quickcalc and then press Enter.
• While running a command, type ’quickcalc or ’qc and then press Enter.
2 Using the Number Pad and Scientific areas, enter the expression you need.
3 To add a distance measurement in the input area of the calculator, click Calculate
Distance ( ) and do the following in the drawing:
• Pick the start point of the distance to measure.
• Pick the end point of the distance to measure.
382 CHAPTER 9

4 To add an angle measurement in the input area of the calculator, click Calculate
Angle ( ) and do the following in the drawing:
• Pick the start point of the angle’s top line.
• Pick the end point of the angle’s top line.
The angle is measured between the specified line and the x-axis of the second
point you pick.
5 To add the coordinates of a point in the input area of the calculator, click Get Point
Coordinates ( ), and in the drawing, pick the point for which you want to get
coordinates.
6 To add the coordinates of an intersection point in the input area of the calculator,
click Get Intersection Coordinates ( ) and do the following in the drawing:
• Pick the first point of the first intersected line.
• Pick the second point of the first intersected line.
• Pick the first point of the second intersected line.
• Pick the second point of the second intersected line.
7 When done entering the expression, click [=] or press Enter.
8 If needed, click Paste to Command Line ( ) to copy the result and paste it in the
command line.

Converting units of measurement in the Quick Calculator pane

You can use the Quick Calculator to convert angle, area, energy, length, power, pres-
sure, speed, temperature, volume, and weight values to different units of measure-
ment.

To convert values to a different units of measurement in the Quick Calculator

pane
1 Do one of the following to choose Quick Calculator ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Quick Calculator (in Utilities) or View > Quick
Calculator (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Quick Calculator.
• Type quickcalc and then press Enter.
• Press Ctrl+8.
• While running a command, type ’quickcalc or ’qc and then press Enter.
2 Navigate to the Units Conversion area of the Quick Calculator.
3 In Units type, choose the unit type you want to convert, e.g., angle, speed, or
weight.
4 In Unit 1, choose the first unit of measurement.
 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 383

5 In Unit 2, choose the second unit of measurement.

6 In Value 1 or Value 2, enter the value you want to convert. For example, to con-
vert Unit 2 degrees to Unit 1 radians, enter the degrees in Value 2.
7 If needed, right-click the converted value and choose Copy, then paste it in the
input area of the calculator.

Working with previous entries in the Quick Calculator pane

The program tracks a running list of entries made in the Quick Calculator pane. From
the history list, you can copy a previous expression or its value, and then paste it in
the input area to calculate new values.

To work with previous entries in the Quick Calculator pane

1 Do one of the following to choose Quick Calculator ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Quick Calculator (in Utilities) or View > Quick
Calculator (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Quick Calculator.
• Type quickcalc and then press Enter.
• Press Ctrl+8.
• While running a command, type ’quickcalc or ’qc and then press Enter.
2 Click History ( ).
3 In the Quick Calculator History dialog box, right-click an entry and choose to
copy its value, copy its expression, or delete the entry from the history.
4 When done, click OK.
384 CHAPTER 9

Displaying information about your drawing

You can display a variety of information about a drawing and the entities it contains,
including:
• Information in the drawing database about selected entities.
• The current drawing status.
• The time spent working on the drawing.
This information is displayed in the Prompt History window and in the command bar.

Displaying information about entities

You can display information about the selected entities. The information varies,
depending on the type of entities you select. All of the listings display the following
information:
• Entity type.
• Layer.
• Color.
• Linetype.
• The location of the entity (its xyz-coordinates relative to the current user
coordinate system [UCS]).
• The current space (model space on the Model tab or paper space on a Layout tab).
• The size of the entity (the information varies, depending on the entity type).
To display information about an entity
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose List Entity Info ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > List Entity Info (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > List Entity Info.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the List Entity Info tool.
• Type list and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities.
3 Press Enter.

Use a shortcut.
To return to the drawing window, press F2.
 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 385

The following type of information is displayed:

------ Circle ---------------------------------------------------

Handle: 2C

Current space: Model

Layer: 0

Color: BYLAYER

Linetype: CONTINUOUS

Handle: 4C

Current space: Model

Center point: X= -5.8583 Y= 7.2752 Z= 0.0000

Radius: 4.4562

Circumference: 27.9989

Area: 62.383y

Displaying property information about external references and

blocks
You can display property information about a selected external reference or block.
All of the listings display the following information:
• Entity type
• Name
• Color
• Layer
• Linetype and linetype scale
• Print style
• Lineweight
• Material
• Transparency
• Thickness

To display property information about an external reference or block

1 Do one of the following to choose List Xref/Block Properties ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > List Xref/Block Properties (in Blocks).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Blocks > List Xref/Block Properties.
• Type xlist and then press Enter.
2 Select an external reference or block.
386 CHAPTER 9

Displaying the drawing status

You can display information about the current status of a drawing, including:
• Drawing name.
• Limits.
• Insertion base point.
• Snap and grid settings.
• Current layer, color, and linetype.
• Current settings for various modes (fill, grid, orthogonal, snap, blips, and so on).

To display the drawing status

Advanced experience level
Do one of the following to choose Drawing Status ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities > Drawing Status or
choose Tools > Drawing Status (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > Drawing Status.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Drawing Status tool.
• Type status and then press Enter.
 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 387

The following type of information is displayed:

Current drawing name: Site Plan

Drawing limits are: X=0.0000 Y=0.0000 Z=0.0000

X=12.0000 Y=9.0000 Z=0.0000

Paper space limits are: X=0.0000 Y=0.0000 Z=0.0000

X=12.0000 Y=9.0000 Z=0.0000

Screen width (pixels): 971

Screen height (pixels): 569

Insertion base is: X=0.0000 Y=0.0000 Z=0.0000

Snap resolution is: X=0.5000 Y=0.5000 Z=0.0000

Grid spacing is: X:0.5000 Y:0.5000 Z=0.0000

Current layer: 0

Current color: BYLAYER

Current linetype: BYLAYER

Current elevation: 0.0000

Current thickness: 0.0000

Fill: on

Grid: off

Ortho: off

Snap: off

Blips: off

Drag: on

Command echo: on

Positive angle direction: Counterclockwise

Angular units: Decimal degrees

Dimension units: Decimal

Pick box height: 3

Entities in drawing: 288

388 CHAPTER 9

Tracking time spent working on a drawing

You can display information about the amount of time you have spent working on a
drawing, including:
• The date and time the drawing was created.
• The date and time the drawing was most recently saved.
• The total amount of time spent working on the drawing.
• The time spent working on the drawing during the current editing session.

You can turn the elapsed-time timer on and off or reset it to zero.

To display the timer information

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Time Variables ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Time Variables (in Inquiry).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Inquiry > Time Variables.
• On the Inquiry toolbar, click the Time Variables tool.
• Type time and then press Enter.
2 Select any of the prompt box options:
• Choose Timer On to turn the elapsed timer on.
• Choose Timer Off to turn the elapsed timer off.
• Choose Display Timer to redisplay the timer information.
• Choose Reset Timer to reset the elapsed timer to zero.
3 In the prompt box, choose Cancel to exit the command.

Each time you display the timer information, the following type of information is
displayed:
The current time is Fri Dec 19 09:58:43 1997

Drawing was created on: Wed 17 Dec 1997 at 16:17:59.8090

Drawing was last updated on: Thur 18 Dec 1997 at 09:58:43.3040

Total editing time: 1 2: 35:4.2345

Elapsed timer (on): 0 1: 21:5.6324

 GETTING DRAWING INFORMATION 389

Reporting information about entities

Information about entities can be collected from one or more drawings into reports
such as entity lists, schedules, and parts lists. The extracted information can include
property settings, entity area calculations, coordinate positions, and more.
First you create a report template that contains the settings for the type of report you
need, for example, you can include only block entities with annotative properties and
control the order in which the columns display. Then the report template can be used
to create a report for any drawing file.
Reports are created as tables in the current drawing or as external .xls or .csv files. If
you create a table in the drawing with report data, the table contents can later be
updated to include the latest information about referenced entities.

Creating a report
When you create a report, entity information is extracted from one or more drawings
and can be included in the drawing as a new table or in an external .xls or .csv file.

To create a report
1 Do one of the following to choose Extract Data ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Extract Data (in Data) or Annotate > Extract Data
(in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Extract Data.
• Type dataextraction and then press Enter.
2 Choose one of the following:
• Create New Report Template Creates a report based on a new report template
that you save as an .idxe file. To optionally create the new report template based
on an existing one, mark Start with Existing Report Template, then click [...] to
select the report template (.idxe) file.
• Edit Existing Report Template Creates a report based on an existing report
template that you can modify. Click [...] to select the report template (.idxe) file.
• Reuse Existing Report Template Creates a report for the current drawing based
on an existing report template without modifications. Click [...] to select the
report template (.idxe) file.
3 Click Next and make your selections. Click [?] for more details about each option.
390 CHAPTER 9

Updating report data

Tables created with the Extract Data command contain data that is linked to the enti-
ties used to create them. As entities and drawings change, you can automatically
update the contents of tables that contain report data.

To update report data in a table

1 Select any cell of a table that contains report data.
2 Right-click the cell.
3 Choose Data Extraction > Update Data Extraction.

Table contents can also be unlinked.

To remove the link between a table that contains report data and referenced entities,
select any cell of the table, right-click the cell, then choose Data Extraction > Detach
Data Extraction.
 10

Modifying entities

IntelliCAD provides many editing tools for modifying a drawing. You can easily
move, rotate, or stretch drawing entities, or change their scale. When you want to
remove an entity, you can delete it with a few clicks of the mouse. You can also make
multiple copies of any entity and copy entities from one drawing to another.
You can modify most entities using general-purpose editing commands. Some com-
plex entities require special commands. This section explains how to:
• Select entities using entity-selection methods and grips.
• Change the properties of entities.
• Hiding, isolating, and deleting entities.
• Rearrange entities by moving, rotating, or changing the display order.
• Resize entities by stretching, scaling, extending, trimming, or editing their lengths.
• Split and combine entities by breaking, joining, exploding, and grouping them.
• Edit polylines.
• Create chamfers and fillets.

Topics in this chapter

Selecting entities............................................................................................... 392
Modifying the properties of entities................................................................... 412
Hiding and isolating entities .............................................................................. 420
Deleting entities ................................................................................................ 421
Copying entities ................................................................................................ 421
Rearranging entities.......................................................................................... 436
Resizing entities................................................................................................ 441
Splitting and combining entities ........................................................................ 451
Editing polylines................................................................................................ 462
Chamfering and filleting entities........................................................................ 469
392 CHAPTER 10

Selecting entities
You can create a selection set that consists of one or more entities for modification.
Use any of the following methods to create a selection set:
• Choose a command or tool first, and then select entities.
• Select entities first, and then choose a command or tool (most entities).
• Select entities by clicking while not in a command, and then use grips to modify
them.

Understanding when to select entities

You can select entities before or after you choose a command.

Selecting entities first

When you select entities and then issue a command, the program immediately acts on
the entities you’ve selected. For example, you can select an entity and its properties
automatically display in the Properties pane or you can right-click the selection set to
display a prompt box with various options to choose from.
After you select one or more entities, you can choose an entity-modification com-
mand, such as the Copy or Move command or use grips to modify the entities. You
can also click the right mouse button to display a shortcut menu containing the entity-
modification commands appropriate for the selected entities, and then choose the
command from the menu.

You can control whether selection is allowed before using commands.

Choose Tools > Drawing Settings, click the Coordinate Input tab then the Entity
Selection tab, and mark Pre-pick to allow selection before using commands.

If grips are turned on, grips also display for entities that are selected before issuing a
command. For more information, see “Using grips” on page 407 in this chapter.

Choosing a command first

When you choose an entity-modification tool or command first, the program prompts
you to select entities and displays a prompt box from which you can choose a selec-
tion method. You can select individual entities or use other techniques such as selec-
tion windows to select multiple entities.
When you select entities, you add them to the selection set. After you select at least
one entity, you can remove entities from the selection set. To finish adding entities to
the selection set, press Enter. Most entity-modification commands then act on the
entire selection set.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 393

Understanding entity-selection methods

When you choose a command that requires you to select entities (when you’re delet-
ing or modifying entities, for example), you can use any of the following selection
methods by choosing them in the prompt box or entering them in the command bar:

Entity-selection methods
Selection method Command bar Description
Select all ALL Selects all entities in the current drawing.
entities
Add to set + or A Adds one or more entities to the selection set.
Subtract from set - or R Removes one or more entities from the selection set.
Previous selection P Selects entities included in the previous selection set.
Last entity in L Selects the entity most recently added to the drawing.
drawing
Window-Inside W Selects entities contained entirely within a rectangular
selection window.
Crossing window C Selects entities contained within or crossing the boundary of
a rectangular selection window.
Outside window O Selects entities falling completely outside a rectangular
selection window.
Window polygon WP Selects entities contained entirely within a polygon selection
window.
Crossing polygon CP Selects entities contained within or crossing the boundary of
a polygon selection window.
Outside polygon OP Selects entities falling completely outside a polygon selection
window.
Window circle WC Selects entities contained entirely within a circular selection
window.
Crossing circle CC Selects entities contained within or crossing the boundary of
a circular selection window.
Outside circle OC Selects entities falling completely outside a circular selection
window.
Point PO Selects any closed entities that surround the selected point.
Fence F Selects entities crossing a line or line segments.
Quick Select QSELECT Selects entities by type according to a specified value or
range of values.
Select by PRO Selects entities that match a particular set of properties—for
Properties example, all entities on a particular layer or drawn in a certain
color.
394 CHAPTER 10

You can also use a few selection methods automatically, without displaying the
prompt box:
• Click one or more entities to select them.
• Shift+ click to add or remove an entity from the selection set.
• Click an entity to select it, then Ctrl + click to cycle through the entities below the
cursor, selecting one at a time.
• Click two opposite corners of a rectangular selection window. The direction in
which you define the points of the rectangle (left-to-right or right-to-left) deter-
mines which type of window you create.

Selecting multiple entities can be affected by the PICKADD setting.

If you select one or more additional entities while entities are already selected, the
additional entities can either replace or add to the existing selection set. Click ( )
on the Properties pane or use the PICKADD system variable to toggle what happens
when selecting multiple sets of entities.

Selecting entities by clicking them

You can click entities to select them.

To select entities by clicking them

1 Click an entity.

Selecting entities by drawing a selection window

You can draw a selection window to include the entities contained within the win-
dow.

To create a selection window from left to right

1 Click to select a point in the drawing.
2 Click to the right of the first point to select a second point in the drawing.

Window-Inside by selecting the first (A) and second (B) Resulting selection.
points.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 395

To create a selection window from right to left

1 Click to select a point in the drawing.
2 Click to the left of the first point to select a second point in the drawing.

Crossing Window by selecting the first (A) and second Resulting selection.
(B) points.
In addition to a rectangular window, you can define a selection window using other
shapes such as a polygon or circle.

To select entities using a polygon selection window

1 Activate an entity-modification command.
2 In the prompt box, choose Window Polygon.
3 Specify the vertices of the polygon.
4 To complete the selection polygon, press Enter.

Window Polygon by specifying the vertices of the Resulting selection.

polygon (A, B, and C).
396 CHAPTER 10

Selecting entities using a fence

A selection fence is a multisegmented line that selects entities it crosses.

To select entities using a fence

1 Activate an entity-modification command.
2 In the prompt box, choose Fence.
3 Specify the endpoints of the Fence segments.
4 To complete the Fence, press Enter.

A C

Fence by specifying the endpoints of the fence segments Resulting selection.

(A, B, and C).

Filtering entity selection

Filtering a selection is an efficient way to select a set of entities that have something
in common. For example, you can select all entities with the same property such as
color, all entities that are proxies, or all entities with the same value, block name, or
type. You can even add or remove more filters to a set of entities to further customize
the selection.

Selecting entities by property

IntelliCAD makes it easy to select entities according to their common properties,
allowing you to modify large sets of entities quickly and efficiently. When selecting
entities, simply use a filter to add or remove entities according to these common prop-
erties: color, layer, linetype scale, linetype, lineweight, thickness, and width.

Use the List command to get more information for filtering.

If you are unsure what properties are available for filtering, type list to select an area
of the drawing and list the selected entities and their properties.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 397

To select entities by property using a properties filter

1 Activate an entity-modification command, or type select.
2 Choose Filter.
3 Choose a filter option:
• Color — Enter the color of entities you want to select.
• Layer — Enter the layer name of entities you want to select.
• LinetypeScale — Enter the linetype scale of entities you want to select.
• Linetype — Enter the linetype of entities you want to select.
• Lineweight — Enter the lineweight of entities you want to select.
• Thickness — Enter the thickness of entities you want to select. Note that some
entities have thickness, however, lines, circles, arcs, and polylines all have
thickness.
• Width — Enter the width of entities you want to select. Note that only polylines
have width.

Names of properties are case sensitive.

For example, a drawing with layers SAMPLE Layer 1, sample Layer 2, and SAM-
PLE Layer 3 will return no selection if you specify “SAMPLE” for the layer name.
Specifying “SAMPLE*” returns two layers, “*Layer*” returns all layers, and
“sample*” returns one layer.

4 If desired, add or remove more entities using a filter:

• Choose any other filter option to add more entities to the selection set.
• Choose Remove to remove entities from the selection set according to the filter
you choose next.
A prompt displays the total number of entities in the selection set.
5 To complete the selection, press Enter.

Selection by specifying the smaller of two lineweight Resulting selection.

properties.
398 CHAPTER 10

Selecting proxy entities using a filter

Proxy entities are entities or custom objects that IntelliCAD does not support. When a
drawing containing proxy entities is loaded into IntelliCAD, a message displays indi-
cating that some entities will not display, however, the entities reappear when you
open the drawing later in a CAD application that supports those entities.
Proxy entities can be selected using typical selection methods, but they can also be
selected using a filter, for example, you might want to select all proxies and place
them on a hidden layer or delete them if you know they won’t be needed in the future.

To select proxy entities using a filter

1 Activate an entity-modification command, or type select.
2 Choose Filter.
3 Choose Proxy.
4 If desired, add or remove more entities using a filter:
• Choose any other filter option to add more entities to the selection set.
• Choose Remove to remove entities from the selection set according to the filter
you choose next.
A prompt displays the total number of entities in the selection set.
5 To complete the selection, press Enter.

Selecting blocks of the same name

Some drawings contain many of the same blocks, which are easy to select as a set
using a filter.

Use the List command to get block names.

If you are unsure what blocks are available for filtering, type list to select an area of
the drawing and list the selected entities and their block names.

To select entities by block name

1 Activate an entity-modification command, or type select.
2 Choose Filter.
3 Choose Block.
4 Enter the block name of the entities you want to select.
5 If desired, add or remove more entities using a filter:
• Choose any other filter option to add more entities to the selection set.
• Choose Remove to remove entities from the selection set according to the filter
you choose next.
A prompt displays the total number of entities in the selection set.
6 To complete the selection, press Enter.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 399

Selecting entities by type

You can filter entities in a selection set according to their type, for example, a circle,
line, text, attribute, or block type.

Use the List command to get type names.

If you are unsure what entity types are available for filtering, type list to select an
area of the drawing and list the selected entities and their types.

To select entities by type using the filter option

1 Activate an entity-modification command, or type select.
2 Choose Filter.
3 Choose Type.
4 Enter the type name (a string value) of the entities you want to select.
5 If desired, add or remove more entities using a filter:
• Choose any other filter option to add more entities to the selection set.
• Choose Remove to remove entities from the selection set according to the filter
you choose next.
A prompt displays the total number of entities in the selection set.
6 To complete the selection, press Enter.

Use the Selection pane and the Quick Select command to select entities by type.
You can also type selfilter or qselect to select entities by type.
400 CHAPTER 10

Selecting entities by value

You can filter entities in a selection set according to common properties and their val-
ues. For example, you can filter a selection set to include all the entities that are the
color red and use the Dashed2 linetype, and then change the value of the linetype.

To select entities by value using the Selection Filter pane

1 Do one of the following to choose Selection Filter ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Selection Filter (in Selection) or View > Selection
Filter (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Selection > Selection Filter or View > Display >
Selection Filter.
• Type selfilter and then press Enter.
• Press Ctrl+2.
2 Click the Layer, Color, Entity Type, or Linetype tab.
The Selection Filter pane lists all layers, colors, entity types, and linetypes that are
available in the drawing.
3 In the On column, select a corresponding cell to either include or exclude all enti-
ties with the corresponding value. The clicked cell then displays blank (selection
is off) or with a black circle (selection is on), depending on its status before click-
ing it.
This can affect the On status of other values on other tabs. The On column for all
tabs indicates the following:
• Blank — No entities with the corresponding value are selected in the drawing.
• Black circle — All entities with the corresponding value are selected in the
drawing.
• Gray circle — Only some entities with the corresponding value are selected in
the drawing (due to specified values on other tabs or your entity selections in the
drawing).
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 401

H
A G
B F
E

C D

A Click to include a new entity in the current E Click a tab to view and select entities in the
selection set. drawing according to their assigned layer,
B Click to start a new selection. After you select color, entity type, linetype, or lineweight.
an entity, the previous selection is cleared. F Click to deselect all entities.
C Displays all layers, colors, entity types, or G With entities selected, click then window-
linetypes that are available in the drawing select the currently selected entities and the
depending on the selected tab. additional entities you want to invert selection
D Click to change the selection to include or for.
exclude all entities with the corresponding H Click to exclude an entity from the selection
value. set.
402 CHAPTER 10

To select entities by value using Quick Select

1 Do one of the following to choose Quick Select ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Quick Select (in Utilities) or Edit > Quick Select
(in Selection).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Selection > Quick Select or Tools > Quick Select.
• On the Properties pane or Save Block to Disk dialog box, click the Quick Select
tool.
• Type qselect.
2 In Apply To, specify which entities to consider for selection. For example, select
Entire Drawing to consider all entities in the drawing. To specify a portion of the
drawing to consider for selection, click ( ) and make your selection directly in
the drawing.
3 In Entity Type, specify the type of entity you want to select.
4 Specify the property to filter for selection, its operator, and value. The options
vary by entity type.
5 Select one of the following:
• Include in New Selection Set Creates a new selection that includes only those
entities that meet the selected options.
• Exclude from New Selection Set Creates a new selection set that includes all of
the entities except those that meet the selected options.
6 To add the newly selected entities to a current selection set (available if entities
were selected before using the Quick Select command), mark Append to Current
Selection Set.
7 Click OK.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 403

A H
B

D
E

A Choose which entities to consider for F Choose whether to include or exclude

selection. selected entities in the new selection set.
B Choose the type of entity to select. G Select to add the newly selected entities to a
C Choose the desired property. previously specified selection set (if available).
D Choose how to compare the value and H Click to specify a portion of the drawing to
property. consider for selection. The option Current
Selection will appear in Apply To.
E Choose the desired value.
To select entities by value using the filter option
1 Activate an entity-modification command, or type select.
2 Choose Filter.
3 Choose Value.
4 Enter the value (a string) of the entities you want to select.
5 If desired, add or remove more entities using a filter:
• Choose any other filter option to add more entities to the selection set.
• Choose Remove to remove entities from the selection set according to the filter
you choose next.
A prompt displays the total number of entities in the selection set.
6 To complete the selection, press Enter.

Use the List command to get values.

If you are unsure what values are available for filtering, type list to select an area of
the drawing and list the selected entities and their values.
404 CHAPTER 10

Selecting entities that match the properties of other entities

You can select all entities in a drawing that have the same color, layer, linetype, line-
type scale, lineweight, print style, entity style, name, entity type, or any combination
of these properties. First you select one or more entities that have the properties you
want to match, then you specify which properties to search for and match. The
matched entities are then added to the selection set.
The selection set can be reused in other commands either through the pick-first selec-
tion or by selecting the previous selection.

To select entities that match one or more properties of other entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Select Similar ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Select Similar (in Selection) or Express Tools >
Select Similar (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Selection > Select Similar or Express Tools > Tools
> Select Similar.
• Type selectsimilar and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities that have the properties you want to match.
3 Choose Settings.
4 In the Select Similar Settings dialog box, mark the properties of the selected enti-
ties that you want to match.

The SELECTSIMILARMODE system variable also controls the dialog box settings.
See the System Variables online help for details about using this system variable.

5 Click OK.
Entities with matched properties are added to the selection set.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 405

Creating filters used to select entities

Creating a filter that you can reuse is helpful if you regularly filter entities using the
same parameters. Reusable filters are as easy to create even for complicated selection
sets.

To create a filter used to select entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Filter ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Filter (in Selection).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Selection > Filter.
• Type filter and then press Enter.
2 In Select Filter, select an item for the filter list. For example, choose Line to
include line entities in the selection set.
3 Specify the item’s parameters if necessary. For example, if you chose Linetype,
click Select to choose the linetype; if you chose Line End, enter the x-, y-, and z-
coordinates.
4 Click Add to List.
5 Repeat for additional filter items, and include operators as necessary:
• AND — Add BEGIN AND before one or more items to add them; add END
AND after the items.
• OR — Add BEGIN OR before one or more items to compare them and include
only one; add END OR after the items.
• XOR — Add BEGIN XOR before multiple items to specify exclusions; add
END XOR after the items.
• NOT — Add BEGIN NOT before one item to specify an exclusion; add END
NOT after the item.
6 In Save As, enter a filter name.
7 Click Save As.

To filter a selection set in the drawing

1 Select entities, such as an area of the drawing or all entities.
2 Do one of the following to choose Filter ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Filter (in Selection).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Selection > Filter.
• Type filter and then press Enter.
3 In Current, select the desired filter.
4 Click Apply.
406 CHAPTER 10

N
M
B L

K
C
J
I
D H
E

FG
A Lists the parameters that define the filter. H Click to delete the named filter that is selected
B Select an item to include in the filter. in Current.
C Enter the x-, y-, and z-coordinates if applicable I Click to save the named filter.
to the filter item. J Enter a name for the filter.
D Click to add the specified item to the filter. K Select a previously saved filter to load it.
E Click to select an entity in the drawing to add L Click to edit the settings of the currently
to the filter. selected line in the filter.
F Click to replace the currently selected line in M Click to remove all line items from the filter.
the filter list with the currently specified item. N Click to remove the currently selected line item
G Click to specify a value for the selected filter from the filter.
item.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 407

Deselecting entities
If an entity is no longer needed in a selection set, you can deselect it to remove it from
the selection set.

To remove an entity from the selection set

1 Press Shift, and then select the entity again.

Use a shortcut.
Pressing Shift while selecting entities using a crossing window removes all entities
from the specified selection set.

To remove all entities from the selection set

1 Press Escape.

Using grips
To use grips for editing, you select one or more entities to display the grips, and then
click a grip to make it active and use it. You do not need to enter a command to use
grips.
Grips have different shapes which indicate different behaviors. For example, moving
a line’s arrow grip changes the line length but not the angle, and moving a line’s
square grip changes the endpoint — both the line length and angle.
There are two types of grips:
• Entity grips — Grips that display for each selected entity and allow you to quickly
move and scale entities one-by-one.
• Selection set grips — Grips that display for an entire selection set and allow you to
quickly move, scale, and rotate all selected entities. This type of grip can be help-
ful for schematic drawings where precise scale or sizing is not required.

The grip you select depends on the type of grips that are active, the type of entity
you’re modifying, and the editing operation you’re performing. For example, to move
a line entity with entity grips active, drag it by its midpoint grip. To stretch the line,
drag one of the endpoint grips. With selection grips active, however, you move a line
entity by repositioning the base point grip.
408 CHAPTER 10

Changing grip settings

You can turn the use of grips on and off, control the size and color of grips, and deter-
mine how grips display for blocks, groups, and selection sets.

To change grip settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type ddgrips and then press Enter.
2 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Display tab.
3 Click the Grips tab.
4 Mark Display Grips to activate grips.
• In Block Grips, choose from the following:
• Insertion point grip — Choose to enable a single grip that displays at the
insertion point of the block.
• Grips within blocks — Choose to enable grips for each entity within the block.
• Advanced grips — Choose to enable a set of advanced grips to move, rotate and
scale the whole block. Use side grips for non-uniform scaling; use corner grips
for uniform scaling.
5 In Group Grips, choose from the following:
• Grips within groups Choose to enable grips for each entity within the group.
• Center point grip Choose to display a single grip at the center of the group.
• Center point grip and bounding box Choose to display a single grip at the center
of the group and a bounding box.
• Advanced grips Choose to enable a set of advanced grips to move, rotate and
scale the whole group.
6 Mark Advanced Selection Set Grips if you want to display a single set of advanced
grips for all selected entities. These grips can be helpful for schematic drawings
where precise scale or sizing is not required.
7 In Grip Size, specify the size of the grip square.
8 In Grip Color, select the color for grips.
9 Click OK.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 409

A
B G
C
F
D

A Select to turn on the display of grips. D Select to turn on the display of advanced grips
B Select how you want grips to display for for selection sets.
selected blocks. E Click to choose the color of grips.
C Select how you want grips to display for F Enter the size of the grip box.
selected groups. G Displays a preview of grips.

Using entity grips for editing

You can select entities while not in a command and then modify the entities using
grips, which are small squares and arrows that display on each entity. Grips appear at
strategic points on the entity according to the selected entity.
The locations of entity grips depend on the type of entity selected. For example, grips
appear at the endpoints and midpoint of a line, at the quadrant points and center point
of a circle, and at the endpoints, midpoint, and center of an arc.
Arrow grips are different from square grips. For example, the arrow grips on a line
allow you to change the line length but at the same angle. Square grips at the end of
lines allow you to change the endpoints, that is, the length and the angle.
Depending on your grip settings, blocks and groups can have unique grips that allow
you to edit each entity within the block or group, or the entire block or group, includ-
ing uniform and non-uniform scaling.
410 CHAPTER 10

Examples of entity grip locations.

To edit while using entity grips
1 Make sure entity grips are turned on. For details, see “Changing grip settings” on
page 408.
2 Click an entity to select it and display grips.
3 Click a grip to make it active.
4 Do any of the following:
• Drag the grip to move it.
• Choose a command, such as Base Point or Move.

Using selection grips for editing

With selection grips you can quickly move, scale and rotate all selected entities.
Selection grips are particularly useful for schematic drawings where precise scale or
sizing is not required. In addition, this standard interface for manipulating images and
objects in Windows applications, can be helpful to users who may not be familiar
with precision CAD editing interfaces.
Selection grips are similar to entity grips, but they display as a single set of grips for
all entities in the selection set.
The locations of selection grips are uniform for the selection set. Grips at the corners
of the selection set are for scaling, the bottom center grip is for moving, the top grip is
for rotating, and the center grip is for positioning the base point. When a single block
is selected, additional grips appear for non-uniform scaling for all three axis.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 411

Example of selection grip locations. The rotation grip is located at the top and the move grip is located at the
bottom center.
To edit using selection grips
1 Make sure selection grips are turned on. For details, see “Changing grip settings”
on page 408.
2 Click an entity to select it and display selection grips. If you select more than one
entity, a single set of selection grips displays for the entire selection set.
3 Click a grip to make it active.
4 Drag the grip to move it.

Customizing the display of selected entities

You can make selections easier to see by specifying whether to display selected enti-
ties with a dashed line or highlighted. By default, selected entities are highlighted.

To customize the display of selected entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click the secondary Display tab.
4 Select or clear the Highlight Item When Selected check box.
5 Click OK.
412 CHAPTER 10

Modifying the properties of entities

You can change the layer, thickness, linetype, color, and linetype scale of one or
more entities. Depending on the type of entity or entities you select, you can also
change other properties, such as the start point and endpoint of lines, the center point
and radius of circles, and the vertices of polylines.
The typical way to change entity properties is using the Properties and Quick Proper-
ties panes. You can also change general properties using the Entity Properties toolbar.
Note that the Entity Properties toolbar settings that display when no entities are
selected determine the properties of new entities when you draw them.

Modifying entity properties by using the Properties pane

Use the Properties pane to select properties for any entity. The options that display in
the Properties pane depend on the type of entity that is selected and whether more
than one entity is selected.
If no entities are selected, the Properties pane displays various default settings for the
drawing that you can also modify.

To use the Properties pane to modify properties of entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Properties ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Properties (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Properties or Modify > Properties.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Properties tool.
• Type entprop and then press Enter.
• Press Ctrl +1.
The Properties pane displays.
2 Select the desired entities.
3 Make changes to the properties. The available properties vary according to the
entities you selected.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 413

I
A H
G
B F

A Displays the types of entities in the selection F Click to clear any previous selection and start
set. selecting entities in the drawing.
B Click to display entity types as a flat list or a G Click to select entities by type according to
hierarchical list. specified values.
C Specify properties that are common for most H Click to display or hide the Selection Filter
entities. pane.
D Specify properties for 3D visualization. I Click to determine whether the current
E Specify properties specific to the selected selection set is replaced by or added to
geometry. subsequent entities that you select.
414 CHAPTER 10

Modifying entity properties by using the Quick Properties pane

Compared with the Properties pane which typically displays in a large size and
remains open until you close it manually, the Quick Properties pane displays in a
smaller size and opens and closes dynamically. This allows you to access entity-spe-
cific properties dynamically when you need them without crowding available screen
space. The pane displays automatically when you double-click an entity that does not
have a double-click action assigned to it (for example, multiline text), and it closes
automatically when you choose a subsequent command or action, or press Esc. The
pane can also be set up to display automatically when you select an entity using a sin-
gle-click, crossing window, etc. when a command is not active.
The Quick Properties pane generally doesn’t display all properties of an entity, but
you can easily open the Properties pane directly from the Quick Properties pane to
work with all properties, if needed. The list of properties available in the Quick Prop-
erties pane for each entity type is customizable using the Customize UI command.
For more details, see “Customizing the Quick Properties pane” on page 939.

To use the Quick Properties pane to modify properties of entities

1 Do one of the following to display the Quick Properties pane:
• Double-click an entity.
• Select entities using any selection method. The Quick Properties pane displays
if it is turned on for selection; press Ctrl + Shift + P, choose Quick Properties
On/Off in the status bar when no entities are selected, or type dsettings and use
the Quick Properties tab.
• Type quickproperties, select entities, then press Enter.
2 Make changes to the properties. The available properties vary according to the
entities you selected and the properties specified to display in the Quick Properties
pane for each entity type.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 415

A F
E
B
D

A Displays the types of entities in the selection D Specify properties that are most common.
set. Select from the list to change propertiesE Click to open the Properties pane and view a
for an entity type. complete set of properties for selected entities.
B Click to display a menu of options, including Available only if the Properties pane is not
pane location and settings that determine how displayed.
quick properties work. F Click to open the Customize User Interface
C Specify properties specific to the selected dialog box to manage the properties that
geometry. display in this pane for each entity type.
To change the behavior of the Quick Properties pane
1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, right-click Quick Properties On/Off, then choose Settings.
2 Click the Quick Properties tab.
3 To turn on the display of the Quick Properties pane when an entity is selected in
the drawing (in addition to double-clicking):
• Mark Display the Quick Properties Pane on Selection.
• Choose All Entities to display the pane when any entity is selected or choose
Only Entities with Specified Properties to display the pane only for entities that
are specified in the Customize User Interface dialog box. For more details, see
“Customizing the Quick Properties pane” on page 939.
416 CHAPTER 10

Use a shortcut.
To change whether the Quick Properties pane displays on selection, press
Ctrl + Shift + P or click Quick Properties On/Off in the status bar when no enti-
ties are selected.

4 To specify the default position of the Quick Properties pane when it displays,
choose one of the following:
• Cursor-dependent — Displays relative to the cursor location, below and to the
right of the cursor.
• Static — Displays in a fixed location without reference to the cursor. To specify
a new location, click and drag the pane. The next time the pane opens, it displays
at the same location.
5 To display a collapsed version of the Quick Properties pane until the cursor hovers
over it, when it then automatically expands to display all defined quick properties
for the selected entity, do the following:
• Mark Collapse Pane Automatically.
• In Minimum Number of Rows, enter the number of properties to display when
the pane displays as collapsed.
6 Click OK.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 417

A
B

D
E

A Select to turn on the display of the Quick D Select to display a collapsed version of the
Properties pane when selecting entities. pane until the cursor hovers over it.
B Choose whether the pane displays when any E Enter the number of properties to display when
entity is selected or only for assigned entities. the pane displays as collapsed. Available only
Available only when displaying the pane on when displaying the pane as collapsed is
selection is turned on. turned on.
C Select to display the pane relative to the
cursor location or in a fixed location.
418 CHAPTER 10

Modifying the properties of multiple entities

You can modify all the properties of all selected entities simultaneously. For exam-
ple, using the entprop command, select all entities on a particular layer, and then
move the entities to another layer by simply selecting a name from the Layer text box.
Additionally, using the select command and the Select by Properties option, select all
blue entities and change their color to green.
In the Properties pane, changes that you make in the Layer, Color, Thickness, Line-
weight, Linetype, Linetype Scale, and Print Style (if using named print style tables)
fields affect all selected entities. To change the properties of a single entity in the
selection set, choose the entity from the list at the top of the Properties pane.
You can select the entities to be changed using any entity-selection method.

Changing multiple properties to ByLayer

The Set to ByLayer command sets properties of selected entities to ByLayer. Proper-
ties that can be changed using the Set to ByLayer command include: color, linetype,
lineweight, material, print style, and transparency.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 419

To modify properties of entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Set to ByLayer ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Set to ByLayer (in Layers).
• On the menu, choose Format > Layer Tools > Set to ByLayer.
• On the Layer Tools toolbar, click the Set to ByLayer tool.
• Type setbylayer and then press Enter.
2 Press Enter.
3 In the SetByLayer Settings dialog box, make your selections for the properties you
want to change:
• Color — Resulting entities will have a Color property set to ByLayer.
• Linetype — Resulting entities will have a Linetype property set to ByLayer.
• Lineweight — Resulting entities will have a Lineweight property set to
ByLayer.
• Material — Resulting entities will have a Material property set to ByLayer.
• Print Style — Resulting entities will have a Print Style property set to ByLayer.
• Transparency — Resulting entities will have a Transparency property set to
ByLayer.
4 Click OK.
5 At the prompt, select the desired entities.
6 Choose Yes to change any found ByBlock properties to ByLayer. Otherwise,
choose No.
7 Choose Yes to change the properties of blocks that are selected. Blocks must be on
unlocked layers. Otherwise, choose No.
420 CHAPTER 10

Hiding and isolating entities

You can temporarily hide selected entities or isolate selected entities so that all
remaining entities are temporarily hidden. When you’re ready to view all entities
again, use the Unisolate Entities command.
You can also hide and isolate entities by assigning them a layer that you hide or iso-
late. For more details about layers, see “Organizing information on layers” on page
277.

To hide a selection set

1 Do one of the following to choose Hide Entities ( ):
• On the status bar, click Isolate/Unisolate Entities, and then choose Hide Entities.
• Type hideobjects, and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to make invisible, and then press Enter.
All selected entities are hidden.

To isolate a selection set

1 Do one of the following to choose Isolate Entities ( ):
• On the status bar, click Isolate/Unisolate Entities, and then choose Isolate
Entities.
• Type isolateobjects, and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to remain visible, and then press Enter.
All other entities are hidden.

To unhide and unisolate entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Unisolate Entities ( ):
• On the status bar, click Isolate/Unisolate Entities, and then choose Unisolate
Entities.
• Type unisolateobjects, and then press Enter.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 421

Deleting entities
You can remove entities from a drawing. You can delete entities using any of the
entity-selection methods.

To delete a selection set

1 Do one of the following to choose Delete ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Delete (in Modify) or choose Edit > Delete (in
Modify).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Delete.
• On the Standard (or Modify) toolbar, click the Delete tool.
• Type delete and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.

Typing the Undelete command restores the most recently deleted selection set.
If you have made additional modifications since deleting the entities, use Undelete
rather than Undo to restore those entities without reversing those modifications.

The Overkill command deletes extra entities all at once.

If a drawing has overlapping or duplicate entities that you want to delete or combine,
for example polylines with too many vertices, use the Overkill command to clean up
the drawing.

Copying entities
You can copy one or more entities, making one copy or multiple copies within the
current drawing. You can also copy entities between drawings.
Use any of the following methods to copy entities within the current drawing:
• Create a copy at a location referenced from the original.
• Create a copy aligned parallel to the original.
• Create a copy as a mirror image of the original.
• Create several copies in a rectangular or circular pattern.
422 CHAPTER 10

Copying entities within a drawing

You can duplicate entities within the current drawing. The default method is to create
a selection set and then specify a starting point, or base point, and an endpoint, or dis-
placement point, for the copy. You can also make multiple copies or copy the selec-
tion set to a location you specify, using a direction vector. You can also create an
array of copied entities; for more details, see “Arraying entities” on page 429 in this
chapter.
In addition to copying regular entities in a drawing, you can also copy entities that are
contained within blocks, external references, and underlays.

To copy a selection set

1 Do one of the following to choose Copy ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Copy (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Copy.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Copy tool.
• Type copy and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the base point.
4 Specify the insertion point.
5 Continue specifying insertion points to place additional copies.
6 To complete the command, press Enter.

B
A
C

To make a single copy of an entity, select the Result.

entity to copy (A), base point (B), and then
displacement point (C).
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 423

E
D
B
C

To make multiple copies of an entity, select the Result.

entity to copy (A), specify the base point (B), and
then specify the displacement points (C, D, and
E).

Use a shortcut.
Press and hold Ctrl, then click and drag the left mouse button to copy a selected
entity.

Use a system variable.

The COPYMODE system variable controls whether you are prompted for multiple
copies.

Use the Move/Copy/Rotate command.

You can move, copy, rotate, and scale selected entities using a single command.
Choose the Move/Copy/Rotate express tool or type mocoro.

To copy nested entities within blocks, external references, or underlays

1 Do one of the following to choose Copy Nested Entities ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Copy Nested Entities (in Blocks).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Blocks > Copy Nested Entities.
• Type ncopy and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities nested within blocks, external references, or underlays, and then
press Enter.
3 Specify the base point.
4 Specify the insertion point.
5 Continue specifying insertion points to place additional copies.
6 To complete the command, press Enter.
424 CHAPTER 10

Copying between drawings

You can use the Clipboard to cut or copy entities from one drawing to another.
Cutting removes the selected entities from a drawing and stores them on the
Clipboard. Copying duplicates the selected entities from a drawing and places them
on the Clipboard. Pasting places the Clipboard contents in a drawing, and depending
on the command you choose, at the same or different coordinates as the entities in the
original drawing.

To cut entities to the Clipboard

1 Select the entities you want to cut.
2 Do one of the following to choose Cut ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Cut (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Cut.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Cut tool.
• Type cutclip and then press Enter.

To copy entities to the Clipboard

1 Select the entities you want to copy.
2 Do one of the following to choose Copy to Clipboard ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Copy to Clipboard (in Clipboard).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Copy to Clipboard.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Copy to Clipboard tool.
• Type copyclip and then press Enter.
Anything that you can copy to the Clipboard can be pasted into a drawing. The format
in which the program adds the Clipboard contents to the drawing depends on the type
of information in the Clipboard. For example, if you copy IntelliCAD drawing enti-
ties to the Clipboard, the program pastes them into the drawing as IntelliCAD enti-
ties. If you copy items to the Clipboard from other programs, they are pasted into the
current drawing as embedded ActiveX® objects.

Sometimes the format you want to paste is not available on the Clipboard.
This is mostly likely due to the settings on the Clipboard tab in Tools > Options. For
details, see “Changing the options on the Clipboard tab” on page 888.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 425

To paste entities from the Clipboard

1 Do one of the following to choose Paste ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Paste (in Clipboard) or choose Edit > Paste (in
Modify).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Paste.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Paste tool.
• Type pasteclip and then press Enter.
2 Specify the insertion point.

To paste entities from the Clipboard to their original coordinates

1 Do one of the following to choose Paste to Original Coordinates ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Paste to Original Coordinates (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Edit > Paste to Original Coordinates.
• Type pasteorig and then press Enter.

Clipboard contents can also be inserted as a block.

Type pasteblock to convert Clipboard contents into a block upon insertion.

Copying between spaces

You can copy entities from model space to paper space or from paper space to model
space. You must be viewing a Layout tab that has at least one layout viewport in
order to copy entities between spaces. You can also move entities between spaces
using the same Change Space command.
For more details about model space and paper space, see “Understanding paper space
and model space” on page 626.

To copy entities between spaces

1 Click a Layout tab.
2 Select the entities you want to copy.
3 Do one of the following to choose Change Space ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Change Space (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Change Space.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Change Space tool.
• Type chspace and then press Enter.
4 Choose Copy.
426 CHAPTER 10

If using the command bar, the Copy option can get confused with crossing selections.
To use the Crossing selection method, type the full keyword “crossing”. Typing “c”
calls the Copy option.

Cloning entities
Cloning an entity is similar to copying it, except you draw the new entity with its own
geometric values. The entity type and properties (such as layer, color, linetype, line-
weight, transparency, thickness) are copied and are the same as the entity that you ini-
tially select.

To clone an entity
1 Do one of the following to choose Clone ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Clone (in Draw) or Edit > Clone (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Clone.
• Type addselected or clone and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity that you want to clone. The current properties are set to match the
selected entity, and the corresponding entity-creation command starts.
3 Follow the prompts to create a new entity. The prompts vary depending on the
type of selected entity.
When the command is finished, properties such as layer, color, etc., are reset to
their default values.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 427

Making parallel copies

You can use the offset feature to copy selected entities and align them parallel to the
original entities at a specified distance. You can make parallel, offset entities using
arcs, circles, ellipses, elliptical arcs, lines, two-dimensional polylines, rays, and infi-
nite lines.
Making parallel, offset copies of curved entities creates larger or smaller curves,
depending on which side of the original entity you place the copy. For example, plac-
ing a parallel copy of a circle outside the circle creates a larger concentric circle; posi-
tioning the copy inside the circle creates a smaller concentric circle.

To make a parallel copy by specifying the distance

1 Do one of the following to choose Offset ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Offset (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Basic Editing > Offset.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Offset tool.
• Type offset and then press Enter.
2 Specify the distance by selecting two points or by entering a distance.
3 Select the entity to copy.
4 Specify on which side of the entity to place the parallel copy.
5 Select another entity to copy, or press Enter to complete the command.

A C

B D

To make a parallel copy, specify the distance between copies Result.

by entering a distance or selecting two points (A and B), select
the entity to copy (C), and specify on which side to place the
copy (D).
428 CHAPTER 10

To make a parallel copy passing through a point

1 Do one of the following to choose Offset ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Offset (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Basic Editing > Offset.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Offset tool.
• Type offset and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Through Point.
3 Select the entity to copy.
4 Specify the point for the entity to pass through.
5 Repeat steps 3 and 4, or press Enter to complete the command.

To make a parallel copy passing through a point, select the entity to copy (A) and then specify the through
point (B).

Use additional offset options.

When first starting the Offset command, you can choose Erase to determine whether
the source entity is deleted after it is offset and Layer to determine on which layer the
offset entities are created.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 429

Mirroring entities
You can create a mirror image of an entity. You mirror the entity about a mirror line,
which you define by specifying two points in a drawing. You can delete or retain the
original entities.

To mirror entities
1 Do one of the following to choose Mirror ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Offset (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Mirror.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Mirror tool.
• Type mirror and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the first point of the mirror line.
4 Specify the second point of the mirror line.
5 In the prompt box, choose one of the following:
• Yes, Delete Entities – deletes the original entities.
• No, Keep Entities – retains the original entities.

A
B

To mirror an entity, select it (A), and then specify the Result.

first point (B) and second point (C) of the mirror line.

Arraying entities
You can copy an entity in a pattern that creates an array. There are several ways to
create arrays:
• Linear array — Use the Copy command to control the number of copies in the
array and the line along which the copies are placed.
• Rectangular array — Use the Rectangular Array command to control the number
of copies in the array by specifying the number of rows and columns. You also
specify the distance between each row and column.
• Polar (circular) array — Use the Polar Array command to control the number of
copies that compose the array and whether to rotate the copies.
430 CHAPTER 10

• Path array — Use the Path Array command to control the number of copies that
compose the array and whether to rotate the copies.

Rectangular, polar, and path arrays can be associative, which means the individual
entities contained in the array relate to one another and behave more like a block or
group. Associative arrays can be easily edited using the Edit Array command.

To create a linear array

1 Do one of the following to choose Copy ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Copy (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Copy.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Copy tool.
• Type copy and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the start point of the line along which you want to place entities.
4 Choose Array.
5 Enter the number of items in the array, then press Enter.
6 Specify the second point of the line along which you want to place entities; this is
the point where the first entities in the array will be placed. Or if you choose Fit, it
is the point where the last entities in the array will be placed.
7 Continue specifying points to place additional copies if desired, or press Enter
when done.

To create a rectangular array

1 Do one of the following to choose Rectangular Array ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Rectangular Array (in Modify) or Edit > Rectan-
gular Array (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Rectangular Array.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Rectangular Array tool.
• Type arrayrect and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to include in the array, and then press Enter.
3 Accept the default settings by pressing Enter again or continue with the next steps.
4 If you want to create an array with associative entities, choose Associative, then
choose Yes.
5 To specify a new base point for the array, choose Base Point, then specify a new
base point for the array in the drawing.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 431

6 To specify the number of rows and columns (a rectangular array must have at least
two rows or two columns), do any of the following:
• Choose Count, enter the number of columns, then enter the number of rows.
• Choose Columns, enter the number of columns, then specify the amount of
horizontal space you want between each column in the array.
• Choose Rows, enter the number of rows, then enter the amount of vertical space
you want between each row in the array, then enter the increasing or decreasing
elevation for each subsequent row.
7 To specify spacing between columns or rows directly in the drawing, do the fol-
lowing:
• Choose Spacing.
• Choose Unit cell.
• Select two corners of a rectangle that represents the vertical and horizontal
distance between rows and columns.
8 To specify the number of levels, choose Levels, enter the number of levels, then
enter the amount of space you want between each level in the array. Positive and
negative values create levels in opposite directions along the z-axis.

To create a rectangular array, select the entity to copy (A), type the number of rows and columns, and then
specify the distance between each row (B) and column (C).
432 CHAPTER 10

To create a polar array

1 Do one of the following to choose Polar Array ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Polar Array (in Modify) or Edit > Polar Array
(in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Polar Array.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Polar Array tool.
• Type arraypolar and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to include in the array, and then press Enter.
3 Select the center point around which you want the entities arrayed.
4 Accept the default settings by pressing Enter again or continue with the next steps.
5 If you want to create an array with associative entities, choose Associative, then
choose Yes.
6 To specify a new base point for the array, choose Base Point, then specify a new
base point for the array in the drawing.
7 Specify two of the following values:
• Items — Enter the number of items to create in the array, including one for the
original selection set.
• Fill angle — Enter the angle the array will fill: 0 to 360 degrees. The default
setting for the angle is 360 degrees. Positive values create the array in a counter-
clockwise direction; negative values create the array in a clockwise direction.
• Angle between — Enter the angle between the arrayed items. The default setting
is 90 degrees.
8 To specify the number of rows, do the following:
• Choose Rows.
• Enter the number of rows.
• Enter the amount of vertical space you want between each row in the array.
• Enter the incrementing elevation between rows. The default value 0 creates a
two-dimensional array. Positive values create each subsequent row with an
increasing elevation; negative values create each subsequent row with a
decreasing elevation.
9 To set automatic orientation of items in the array, choose Rotate, then choose Yes.
Automatic rotation orients subsequent items to match the angle of the path curve.
10 To specify the number of levels, choose Levels, enter the number of levels, then
enter the amount of space you want between each level in the array. Positive and
negative values create levels in opposite directions along the z-axis.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 433

To create a polar array, select the entity to copy (A), specify the center point of the array (B), and then
specify other options.
To create a path array
1 Do one of the following to choose Path Array ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Path Array (in Modify) or Edit > Path Array (in
Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Path Array.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Path Array tool.
• Type arraypath and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Select a line, polyline, three-dimensional polyline, spline, helix, arc, circle, or
ellipse to use for the path of the array.
4 Accept the default settings by pressing Enter again or continue with the next steps.
5 To specify a new base point for the array, choose Base Point, then specify a new
base point for the array in the drawing.
6 To specify the distribution of array items along the path, choose Method, then do
one of the following:
• Choose Divide to place a specified number of copies that are evenly distributed
along the entire length of the path.
• Choose Measure to place copies along the path at a specified distance between
them.
7 To specify the alignment of arrayed items relative to the start direction of the path,
choose Tangent Direction, then do the following:
• Specify the first point on the entity. Or choose Normal to align the z- direction
of the first item with the starting direction of the path.
• Specify the second point on the entity.
434 CHAPTER 10

8 To specify the number of items in the array, choose Items. The prompts that fol-
low depend on the setting selected in Method:
• Specify number of items: Specify the number of copies of selected entities you
want in the array. Displays if Divide is the Method setting.
• Specify the distance between items: Enter the distance to use between arrayed
entities. Displays if Measure is the Method setting.
• Enter number of items: The maximum number of items required to fill the entire
length of the path is automatically calculated. You can specify a smaller number
of items if needed.
9 To specify the number of rows, do the following:
• Choose Rows.
• Enter the number of rows.
• Enter the amount of vertical space you want between each row in the array.
• Enter the incrementing elevation between rows. The default value 0 creates a
two-dimensional array. Positive values create each subsequent row with an
increasing elevation; negative values create each subsequent row with a
decreasing elevation.
10 To specify the alignment of arrayed items relative to each other, choose Align
Items, then choose Yes to make all items follow the alignment of the path, or
choose No to specify a parallel alignment of arrayed items.
11 To maintain the z-direction of arrayed items, choose Z Direction, then choose Yes
to make all items follow the z-direction of the path, or choose No to specify a par-
allel alignment of arrayed items in the z- direction.
12 To specify the number of levels, choose Levels, enter the number of levels, then
enter the amount of space you want between each level in the array. Positive and
negative values create levels in opposite directions along the z-axis.

A B

To create a path array, select the entity to copy (A), select the path (B), and then specify other options.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 435

To edit an associative array

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Array ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Edit Array (in Modify) or Edit > Edit Array (in
Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Array.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Array tool.
• Type arrayedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the array you want to edit.
3 To edit the array by modifying one of its arrayed items, do the following:
• Choose Edit Source.
• Select one of the items in the array.
• Modify the item as you would modify any entity in the drawing. You can also
create new entities to include them in the source array item.
4 To edit the array by replacing its items with other entities, do the following:
• Choose Replace Item.
• Select new source entities to use as a replacement.
• Specify a base point for placing each replacement entity in the array.
• Select the array item that you want to replace with the new source entities.
Continue selecting array items for replacement. Or choose Source entities to
replace all array items with the new source entities.
5 To reverse modifications, choose Reset Array, which reverses edits one by one.
6 Continue editing the array. The options vary depending on the type of array you
are editing, and most editing options are the same as the array creation options
described previously.
7 When finished, click Close Array ( ) on the ribbon (if the ribbon is supported in
your program version) or choose Exit.
436 CHAPTER 10

Rearranging entities
You can move one or more entities, and you can also rotate entities about a specified point.
If you have entities that overlap, you can also change the display order.

Moving entities
You can move entities around within the current drawing or from one drawing to
another. The default method is to create a selection set and then specify a starting
point, or base point, and an endpoint, or displacement point, to define the relocation
of the entities. You can also relocate the entities using a direction vector.

To move a selection set

1 Do one of the following to choose Move ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Move (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Move.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Move tool.
• Type move and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the base point.
4 Specify the displacement point.

A C

To move an entity, select it (A), and then specify the Result.

base point (B) and the displacement point (C).

Use shortcuts.
Press Ctrl + arrow keys to move selected entities.

Click and drag the left mouse button to move selected entities. If you often move enti-
ties accidentally using the mouse, you can turn off this feature by unmarking Use
Click-Drag to Move Selected Entities on the Display tab of the Drawing Settings dia-
log box.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 437

Use additional commands to move entities.

You can move, copy, rotate, and scale selected entities using a single command.
Choose the Move/Copy/Rotate command or type mocoro.

You can move entities interactively using a three-dimensional visual aid, which also
works for two-dimensional entities. Choose the 3D Positioner command or type
3dpositioner.

You can also move entities using grips. To move an entity using grips, select the
entity to display its grips, and then click a grip and drag it. The grip you select
depends on the type of entity you’re modifying. For example, to move a line entity,
select the midpoint grip. To move a curved entity, such as an arc, circle, or ellipse,
select the center point grip. Not all entities can be moved using grips.

To move an entity using grips

1 Select the entity.
2 Click a grip to select it.
3 Drag the entity to where you want to relocate it.
4 Click to release.

Moving entities between spaces

You can move entities from model space to paper space or from paper space to model
space. You must be viewing a Layout tab that has at least one layout viewport in
order to move entities between spaces. You can also copy entities between spaces
using the same Change Space command.
For more details about model space and paper space, see “Understanding paper space
and model space” on page 626.

To move entities between spaces

1 Click a Layout tab.
2 Select the entities you want to move.
3 Do one of the following to choose ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Change Space (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Change Space.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Change Space tool.
• Type chspace and then press Enter.
4 Choose Move.
438 CHAPTER 10

Rotating entities
You can rotate entities about a specified point at a specified rotation angle or by an
angle referenced to a base angle. The default method rotates the entities using a rela-
tive rotation angle from their current orientation.

To rotate a selection set

1 Do one of the following to choose Rotate ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Rotate (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Rotate.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Rotate tool.
• Type rotate and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the rotation point.
4 If desired, choose Copy to rotate a copy of selected entities.
5 Specify the rotation angle.

C
A
B

To rotate an entity, select the entity to rotate (A), and then specify the rotation point (B) and the rotation angle
(C).
To rotate a selection set in reference to a base angle
1 Do one of the following to choose Rotate ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Rotate (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Rotate.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Rotate tool.
• Type rotate and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the rotation point.
4 If desired, choose Copy to rotate a copy of selected entities.
5 In the prompt box, choose Base Angle.
6 Specify the base angle, then specify the new angle.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 439

D
A

B C

To rotate an entity in reference to a base angle, select the entity (A), specify the rotation point (B), select the
base angle and pick point (B) again (or type the @ symbol), specify the second point (C), and then specify
the point representing the new angle (D).

There are other ways to rotate entities too.

You can move, copy, and rotate selected entities using a single command. Choose the
Move/Copy/Rotate command or type mocoro.

You can move entities interactively using a three-dimensional visual aid, which also
works for two-dimensional entities. Choose the 3D Positioner command or type
3dpositioner.

You can rotate single-line text, multiline text, attribute definitions, and block attribute
text using an express tool, which has a convenient option for choosing the rotation
that is easiest to read. Choose the Rotate Text command or type torient.

Reordering entities
When multiple entities overlap, you can change the order in which they are displayed
and printed. You can move entities to the front, back, or on top or below of another
entity.
You can also change the draw order of hatches so that they are drawn and printed
behind all other entities in a drawing.
And for text, dimensions, and leaders, it is easy to move them to the front of other
entities. If they are part of a block or external reference though, they are not moved to
the front.

To reorder entities:
1 Do one of the following to choose Draw Order ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Modify expander > Front, Back, Above, or
Under; Edit > Front, Back, Above, or Under (in DrawOrder).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Draw Order > Front, Back, Above, or Under.
• On the Draw Order toolbar, click Front, Back, Above, or Under.
• Type draworder and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity you want to reorder, and then press Enter.
440 CHAPTER 10

3 In the prompt box, specify the new drawing order, and then press Enter.
4 If you are reordering above or under, select the entity you want the first entity to
be above or below, and then press Enter.

The SORTENTS system variable automatically turns on.

The SORTENTS system variable automatically turns on, which may affect system per-
formance.

To reorder hatches to the back:

1 Do one of the following to choose Send Hatches Back ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Modify expander > Send Hatches Back (in Draw
Order tools) or choose Edit > Send Hatches Back (in Draw Order).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Draw Order > Send Hatches Back.
• On the Draw Order - Annotation toolbar, click the Send Hatches Back tool.
• Type hatchtoback and then press Enter.
The number of hatches affected is reported in the command bar.

To reorder text, dimensions, or leaders to the front:

1 Do one of the following to choose Text to Front ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Modify expander > Bring Text Front, Bring
Leaders Front, Bring Dimensions Front, Bring All Annotations Front (in Draw
Order tools); or Edit > Bring Text Front, Bring Leaders Front, Bring Dimen-
sions Front, Bring All Annotations Front (in Draw Order).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Draw Order > Bring Text Front, Bring Leaders
Front, Bring Dimensions Front, Bring All Annotations Front.
• On the Draw Order - Annotation toolbar, click the Bring Text Front, Bring
Leaders Front, Bring Dimensions Front, or Bring All Annotations Front tool.
• Type texttofront and then press Enter.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 441

Reversing the direction of entities

You can reverse the direction of lines, polylines, splines and helixes. The entity posi-
tion and size does not change; only the vertices of the selected segments are swapped.
This can be helpful if segments are assigned linetypes that include text or if polylines
have varying start and end widths. If text is specified as upright, the text orientation is
not changed.

To reverse the direction of entities:

1 Do one of the following to choose Reverse ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Reverse (in Modify); Edit > Reverse (in
Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Reverse.
• On the Modify toolbar, click Reverse.
• Type reverse and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to reverse, and then press Enter.

Resizing entities
You can change the size of an entity or set of entities by stretching, scaling, extend-
ing, trimming, or editing their lengths.

Stretching entities
You can change the size of entities by stretching them. When you stretch entities, you
must select the entities using either a crossing window or a crossing polygon. You
then specify a displacement distance or select a base point and a displacement point.
Entities that cross the window or polygon boundary are stretched; those completely
within the crossing window or crossing polygon are simply moved.

To stretch an entity
1 Do one of the following to choose Stretch ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Stretch (in Edit); Edit > Stretch (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Stretch.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Stretch tool.
• Type stretch and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Crossing Window or Crossing Polygon.
3 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
4 Specify the base point.
5 Specify the second point of displacement.
442 CHAPTER 10

To stretch entities, select them using a crossing window (A) or crossing polygon, and then specify the base
point (B) and displacement point (C).
To stretch an entity using grips, you select it to display its grips and then select a grip
to make it the active grip. This becomes the base point. Then you move the active
grip to a new location. The grip you select depends on the type of entity you’re modi-
fying. For example, to stretch one corner of a rectangle, select the corner point grip.
To stretch a line, select an endpoint grip. Not all entities can be stretched using grips.

To stretch an entity using grips

1 Select the entity.
2 Click a grip to activate it.
3 Drag the grip.
4 Click to release.

B
A
C

To stretch an entity using grips, select the entity Result.

(A), select a grip (B), and drag the grip to its new
location (C).

Scaling entities
You can change the size of a selected entity by scaling it in relation to a base point.
You can change the size of an entity by specifying a base point and a length, which is
used as a scale factor based on the current drawing units, or by specifying a scale fac-
tor. You can also use a scale factor referenced to a base scale factor, for example, by
specifying the current length and a new length for the entity.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 443

To scale a selection set by a scale factor

1 Do one of the following to choose Scale ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Scale (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Scale.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Scale tool.
• Type scale and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 Specify the base point.
4 Specify the scale factor.

A
B

To scale an entity by a scale factor, select the entity (A), and then Result.
specify the base point (B) and the scale factor.
You can also scale some entities using grips. To scale an entity, you select the entity,
and then click a grip. You then change the size of the entity by moving the grip. The
grip you select depends on the type of entity you’re modifying. For example, to scale
a circle, select a quadrant point grip.

To scale an entity using grips

1 Select the entity.
2 Click a grip to select it.
3 Drag the grip.
4 Click to release.

To scale using grips, select the entity (A), click a grip (B), and Result.
scale the entity by dragging the grip to its new location (C).
444 CHAPTER 10

Use the Move/Copy/Rotate command.

You can move, copy, rotate, and scale selected entities using a single command.
Choose the Move/Copy/Rotate express tool or type MOCORO.

To scale selected text entities use the Scale Text express tool or type SCALETEXT.

Extending entities
You can extend entities so that they end at a boundary defined by other entities. You
can also extend entities to the point at which they would intersect an implied bound-
ary edge. When extending entities, you first select the boundary edges, and then you
specify the entities to extend, selecting them either one at a time, using the fence
selection method, or the projection selection method.
You can extend arcs, lines, two- and three-dimensional polylines, and rays. Arcs, cir-
cles, ellipses, lines, splines, polylines, rays, infinite lines, and layout viewports can
act as boundary edges.
If you extend a wide polyline, its centerline intersects the boundary edge. Because the
end of the polyline is always cut at a 90-degree angle, part of the polyline may extend
past the boundary edge. A tapered polyline continues to taper until it intersects the
boundary edge. If this would result in a negative polyline width, the ending width
changes to 0.

A B

A tapered polyline (A) continues to taper until it intersects the Result.

boundary edge (B).
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 445

To extend an entity
1 Do one of the following to choose Extend ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Extend (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Extend.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Extend tool.
• Type extend and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities that you want to use as boundary edges, and then press
Enter. This step is required only if mOde in the next prompt is set to Standard; if
set to Quick, all entities are automatically considered as boundary edges.
3 Select the entity to extend.
4 Select another entity to extend, or press Enter to complete the command.

A
B
B

To extend entities, select the boundary edge (A), and then Result.
select the entities to extend (B).
To extend an entity to an implied boundary edge
1 Do one of the following to choose Extend ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Extend (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Extend.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Extend tool.
• Type extend and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities that you want to use as boundary edges, and then press
Enter. This step is required only if mOde in the next prompt is set to Standard; if
set to Quick, all entities are automatically considered as boundary edges.
3 Choose Edge Mode.
4 Choose Extend.
5 Select the entity to extend.
6 Select another entity to extend, or press Enter to complete the command.
446 CHAPTER 10

B
A

Select the implied boundary edge (A), and then select the Result.
entities to extend (B).
To extend several entities using the fence selection method
1 Do one of the following to choose Extend ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Extend (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Extend.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Extend tool.
• Type extend and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities that you want to use as boundary edges, and then press
Enter. This step is required only if mOde in the next prompt is set to Standard; if
set to Quick, all entities are automatically considered as boundary edges.
3 Choose Fence.
4 Specify the first point of the fence.
5 Specify the second point of the fence.
6 Specify the next fence point, or press Enter to complete the command.

Select the boundary edge (A), and then specify the first point (B) Result.
and second point (C) of the fence.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 447

To extend several entities using projection

1 Do one of the following to choose Extend ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Extend (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Extend.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Extend tool.
• Type extend and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities that you want to use as boundary edges, and then press
Enter. This step is required only if mOde in the next prompt is set to Standard; if
set to Quick, all entities are automatically considered as boundary edges.
3 Choose Projection, and then choose one of the following:
• None Extends only the entities that intersect with the boundary edge in three
dimensions.
• UCS Extends entities that intersect with the projection of the boundary edge onto
the XY plane of the current UCS and not those that intersect with the boundary
edge in three dimensions.
• View Extends entities that intersect with the projection of the boundary edge
along the current view direction.
4 Select the entity to extend.
5 Select another entity to extend, or press Enter to complete the command.

Trimming entities
You can clip, or trim, entities so they end at one or more cutting edges defined by
other entities. You can also trim entities to the point at which they would intersect an
implied cutting edge. When trimming entities, you first select the cutting edges and
then specify the entities to trim, selecting them either one at a time, using the fence
selection method, or using the projection selection method.
You can trim arcs, circles, lines, two- and three-dimensional polylines, and rays.
Arcs, circles, lines, polylines, rays, infinite lines, and layout viewports can act as cut-
ting edges. An entity can be both a cutting edge and one of the entities being trimmed.

Use the Quick Trim command.

You can trim all entities to the edge of a cutting entity in a single operation. Choose
the Quick Trim express tool or type extrim.
448 CHAPTER 10

To trim an entity
1 Do one of the following to choose Trim ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Trim (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Trim.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Trim tool.
• Type trim and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities that you want to use as cutting edges, and then press
Enter. This step is required only if mOde in the next prompt is set to Standard; if
set to Quick, all entities are automatically considered as cutting edges.
3 Select the entity to trim.
4 Select another entity to trim, or press Enter to complete the command.

To trim entities, select the cutting edge (A), and then select Result.
the entities to trim (B).
To trim an entity to an implied edge
1 Do one of the following to choose Trim ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Trim (in Modify) or Edit > Trim (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Trim.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Trim tool.
• Type trim and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities that you want to use as cutting edges, and then press
Enter. This step is required only if mOde in the next prompt is set to Standard; if
set to Quick, all entities are automatically considered as cutting edges.
3 Choose Edge Mode.
4 Choose Extend.
5 Select the entity to trim.
6 Select another entity to trim, or press Enter to complete the command.

Select the implied cutting edge (A), and then select the Result.
entities to trim (B).
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 449

To trim several entities using the fence selection method

1 Do one of the following to choose Trim ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Trim (in Modify) or Edit > Trim (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Trim.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Trim tool.
• Type trim and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities that you want to use as cutting edges, and then press
Enter. This step is required only if mOde in the next prompt is set to Standard; if
set to Quick, all entities are automatically considered as cutting edges.
3 Choose Fence.
4 Specify the first point of the fence.
5 Specify the second point of the fence.
6 Specify the next fence point, or press Enter to complete the command.

A B

Select the cutting edge (A), and then specify the first Result.
point (B) and second point (C) of the fence.
450 CHAPTER 10

To trim several entities using projection

1 Do one of the following to choose Trim ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Trim (in Modify) or Edit > Trim (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Trim.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Trim tool.
• Type trim and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities that you want to use as cutting edges, and then press
Enter. This step is required only if mOde in the next prompt is set to Standard; if
set to Quick, all entities are automatically considered as cutting edges.
3 Choose Projection, and then choose one of the following at the prompt:
• None Trims only entities that intersect with the cutting edge in three dimensions.
• UCS Trims entities that intersect with the projection of the cutting edge onto the
XY plane of the current UCS and not those that intersect with the cutting edge
in three dimensions.
• View Trims entities that intersect with the projection of the cutting edge along
the current view direction.
4 Select the entity to trim.
5 Select another entity to trim, or press Enter to complete the command.

Editing the length of entities

You can change the length of entities or the included angle of arcs. Use any of the fol-
lowing methods to change the length of an entity:
• Dynamically drag the endpoint or angle.
• Specify an incremental length or angle measured from an endpoint.
• Specify the new length as a percentage of the total length or angle.
• Specify a new length or included angle.

You can change the length of arcs, lines, and open polylines.

To change the length of an entity by dragging

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Length ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Edit Length (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Length.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Length tool.
• Type editlen and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Dynamic.
3 Select the entity you want to change.
4 Specify the new endpoint or included angle.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 451

B
A

A B

Select the entity (A), and then select the new Result.
endpoint (B).

Splitting and combining entities

You can break and combine entities using the following methods:
• Break — Separate a single entity into two parts, removing a portion of the entity in
the process.
• Break at Point — Separate a single entity into two parts at a single point, without
removing a portion of the entity in the process.
• Join — Combine two entities into a single entity.
• Explode — Separate a complex entity, such as a block or polyline, into its various
component parts.
• Group — Combine multiples entities to behave as a single unit.

Breaking entities
Use the Break command to split, or remove the ends from, lines, arcs, circles,
ellipses, rays, infinite lines, polylines, and donuts. By default, the point you use to
select the entity becomes the first break point; however, you can use the First option
to select a break point different from the one that selects the entity.
When breaking entities, the original entity is split by removing the portion between
the two points you specify. If the two points are the same or if you use the Split
option, the entity is split without a gap between the resulting entities.
You can also use the Break at Point command to break an entity into two without
removing a portion of the entity.
452 CHAPTER 10

To break an entity by removing a portion of it

1 Do one of the following to choose Break ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Break (in Modify) or Edit > Break (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Break.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Break tool.
• Type break and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 Specify the second break point.

Select the entity (A), and then specify the second break Result.
point (B).
To select an entity and then specify the two break points
1 Do one of the following to choose Break ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Break (in Modify) or Edit > Break (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Break.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Break tool.
• Type break and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 In the prompt box, choose First.
4 Specify the first break point.
5 Specify the second break point.

C
B
A

Select the entity (A), and then specify the first (B) and Result.
second (C) break points.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 453

To split an entity without removing a portion of it using the Break command

1 Do one of the following to choose Break ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Break (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Break.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Break tool.
• Type break and then press Enter.
2 Specify the entity at the desired break point.
3 Do one of the following:
• Choose Split.
• Specify the same point for the second break point by typing the at sign (@) and
pressing Enter.

To break an entity without removing a portion of it using the Break at Point com-
mand
1 Do one of the following to choose Break at Point ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Break at Point (in Modify) or Edit > Break at
Point (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Break at Point.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Break at Point tool.
• Type breakatpoint and then press Enter.
2 Select an entity, such as a line, arc, polyline, infinite line, ray, or spline.
3 Select the point at which to break the selected entity.
454 CHAPTER 10

Joining entities
Two or more entities can be joined at their common endpoints into a single two-dimen-
sional or three-dimensional entity. Entities that can be joined depend on the entity type
and also which method you choose for joining:
• Single source entity — Select a single source entity to limit the types of entities
that can be joined to it. For example, if the source entity is a line, only lines can be
joined to it.
• Multiple entities — Select multiple entities at once and the order in which you
select entities doesn’t matter. For example, if the first entity you select is a line,
you can join arcs, polylines, 3D polylines, or splines to it, which is not possible
when selecting a single source entity.
The following table describes the rules that apply when joining entities.

Joining entities
Entities to join to
Source entity the source entity Rules Resulting entity
Line Lines The lines must be collinear, but they can Line
have space between their endpoints.
Arc Arcs The arcs must have the same center and Arc or circle
radius, but they can have space between
their endpoints. The Close option draws
a circle.
Polyline Lines, arcs, The entities must be contiguous and Polyline
polylines coplanar.
3D polyline Any linear or The entities must be contiguous, but can 3D polyline or
curved entity be non-coplanar. spline
Elliptical arc Elliptical arcs The elliptical arcs must have the same Elliptical arc or
minor and major axes and be coplanar, ellipse
but they can have space between their
endpoints. The Close option draws an
ellipse.
Helix, spline Any linear or Entities must be contiguous, but can be Spline
curved entity non-coplanar.

The Edit Polyline command can also join entities and polylines.
For more details, see “Joining polylines” on page 464 in this chapter.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 455

To join entities by specifying a source entity first

1 Do one of the following to choose Join ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Join (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Join.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Join tool.
• Type join and then press Enter.
2 Select the first entity, then press Enter.
3 Select additional entities, then press Enter when done.

B
A

B
A

Select the first arc or line (A), and then select the Result.
second arc or line (B).
To join entities by specifying multiple entities at once
1 Do one of the following to choose Join ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Join (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Join.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Join tool.
• Type join and then press Enter.
2 Select each entity you want to join into a single entity, then press Enter when
done.

The Overkill command can also combine entities.

If a drawing has overlapping or duplicate entities that you want to combine, for
example polylines with too many vertices, you can use the Overkill command to clean
up the drawing.
456 CHAPTER 10

Exploding entities
You can convert a complex entity, such as a block or polyline, from a single entity
into its component parts. Exploding a polyline, rectangle, donut, polygon, dimension,
or leader reduces it to a collection of individual line and arc entities that you can then
modify individually.
Blocks are converted to the individual entities, possibly including other, nested
blocks that composed the original entity. When exploding blocks, you can also use
the Explode Attributes command to ungroup blocks, creating separate entities for
each element and converting attributes to text. The resulting exploded entities are
placed on the block layer (not the layer of the original entities) while the exploded
attributes are placed on the layer of the original attribute. The Explode Attributes
command is best used if you want to explode a block with attributes and have it retain
the same visual appearance for properties and text. However, if you want to explode
the block to modify the block definition and redefine it, you should use the Explode
command, not Explode Attributes.
Exploding remote text (rtext) entities from drawings created in another CAD program
converts them to multiline text entities.
Exploding multiline text or single-line text using the Text Explode command reduces
the text to polylines.
With the following exceptions, exploding an entity usually has no visible effect on a
drawing:
• If the original polyline had a width, the width information is lost when you explode
it. The resulting lines and arcs follow the centerline of the original polyline.
• If you explode a block containing attributes, the attributes are lost, but the original
attribute definitions remain.
• Colors, linetypes, lineweights, and print styles assigned BYBLOCK may be dif-
ferent after exploding an entity, because they will adopt the default color, linetype,
lineweight, and print style until inserted into another block.

To explode an entity
1 Do one of the following to choose Explode ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explode (in Modify) or choose Edit > Explode
(in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Explode.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Explode tool.
• Type explode and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to explode.
3 Press Enter.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 457

To explode multiline text or single-line text

1 Do one of the following to choose Explode Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Explode Text (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Text > Explode Text.
• Type txtexp and then press Enter.
2 Select the text to explode.
3 Press Enter.

To explode a bock and its attributes

1 Do one of the following to choose Explode Attributes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Explode Attributes (in Blocks).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Blocks > Explode Attributes.
• Type burst and then press Enter.
2 Select the blocks that have attributes you want to explode.
3 Press Enter.

To explode an entity and specify properties of the resulting entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Xplode ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Xplode (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Xplode.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Xplode tool.
• Type xplode and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to explode.
3 Choose an option:
• All — Displays prompts for specifying all available properties: color, layer,
linetype, and lineweight.
• Color — Enter a color. You can enter an index color, true color, or color from a
colorbook.
• Layer — Enter a layer for the resulting entities.
• LType — Enter a linetype for the resulting entities.
• LWeight — Enter a lineweight for the resulting entities.
• Inherit — Explodes selected entities and assigns the same color, layer, linetype,
and lineweight properties to sub-entities as the parent entity if the sub-entity
layer is 0 and other properties are BYBLOCK.
• Explode — Explodes selected entities in the same way as the Explode
command.
458 CHAPTER 10

Grouping entities
A group is a collection of entities saved together as one unit. After you select the enti-
ties that belong in the group, you can later add more entities, remove entities, and
reorder the entities. If necessary, you can also ungroup the entities at any time to
work with the entities separately.

Group selection can be customized.

You can control whether a group is selected when a sub-entity within the group is
selected. On the ribbon if your program version includes one, choose Home > Group
Selection (in Groups), on the menu choose Modify > Groups > Group Selection, or
type togglepickstyle.

Creating groups
The easiest way to create a group is to use the Quick Group command and simply
select the entities that you want to belong in the group. If you want to specify more
options for the group such as a group name, description, and selectability, use the
Group Manager command.

To create a group using the Quick Group command

1 Do one of the following to choose Quick Group ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Quick Group (in Groups).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Groups > Quick Group.
• On the Groups toolbar, click the Quick Group tool.
• Type qgroup and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities for the group, and then press Enter.
An unnamed group is created.

By default, groups created with Quick Group are unnamed.

If you later use the Group Manager command to work with unnamed groups, be
sure to mark Display unnamed groups.

To create a group using the Group Manager command

1 Do one of the following to choose Group Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Group Manager (in Groups).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Groups > Group Manager.
• On the Groups toolbar, click the Group Manager tool.
• Type group and then press Enter.
2 Under Create New Group, enter the name and description of the group.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 459

3 Click Selectable if you want all entities in the group to be selected in the drawing
when you select one entity of the group. If turned off for a group, the group selec-
tion setting has no affect.

Groups can also have grips.

To set how grips work when selecting groups, choose Drawing Settings > Display
> Grips and choose an option in Group grips. For more details, see “Using
grips” on page 407 in this chapter.

4 Click Select Entities and Create Group.

5 Select the entities for the group, and then press Enter.
6 In the Group Manager dialog box, click OK.

You can select entities using groups.

Enter the name of a group in the command bar when selecting entities.

The Group Manager dialog box controls the settings for all groups in a drawing.
460 CHAPTER 10

Modifying groups
There are two commands that allow you to modify a group:
• Group Edit command — Adds and removes entities from a group. You can also
rename a group using this command.
• Group Manager command — Displays the Group Manager dialog box where you
can work with more than one group, add and remove entities from a group,
rename a group, determine selectability, change the entity order, and more.
You can also modify a group using the Ungroup command. For more details, see
“Ungrouping entities” on page 461 in this chapter.

To modify a group and its entities using the Group Edit command
1 Do one of the following to choose Group Edit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Group Edit (in Groups).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Groups > Group Edit.
• On the Groups toolbar, click the Group Edit tool.
• Type groupedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the group you want to modify.

To modify a group and its entities using the Group Manager command
1 Do one of the following to choose Group Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Group Manager (in Groups).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Groups > Group Manager.
• On the Groups toolbar, click the Group Manager tool.
• Type group and then press Enter.
2 Select the group you want to modify.
3 Under Modify Selected Group, do one or more of the following:
• Enter a new name, and then click Rename Group.
• Enter a new description, and then click Change Group Description.
• For Selectable, mark whether you want the group to be selected in the drawing
when you select one entity of the group.

Groups can also have grips.

To set how grips work when selecting groups, choose Drawing Settings > Display
> Grips and choose an option in Group grips. For more details, see “Using
grips” on page 407 in this chapter.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 461

• Click Add Entities to Group, select the entities to add to the group, and then
press Enter.
• Click Remove Entities from Group, select the entities to remove from the group,
and then press Enter.
4 In the Group Manager dialog box, click OK.

To change the order of entities in a group

1 Do one of the following to choose Group ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Group (in Utilities).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Group.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Group tool.
• Type group and then press Enter.
2 Under Modify Selected Group, click Reorder Entities.
3 In the Reorder Grouped Entities dialog box, select the group you want to reorder.
4 To see the order of entities in the group, click Highlight. Follow the prompts that
display to view the entities one by one.
5 To reverse the order of all entities in the group, click Reverse Order.
6 To change the order of specific entities or a range of entities:
• In Remove from Position, enter the current position of the entity.
• In Place to Position, enter the new position of the entity.
• In Number of Entities, enter the number of entities or range of entities to reorder.
For example, if you are changing the order of only one entity, enter 1.
• Click Reorder.
The entities in a group are numbered 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on.
7 Click OK, and then click OK again.

Ungrouping entities
When you ungroup entities, the group breaks apart into separate entities. The entities
remain in the drawing but the group is removed.

To ungroup entities
1 Do one of the following to choose Ungroup ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Ungroup (in Groups).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Groups > Ungroup.
• On the Groups toolbar, click the Ungroup tool.
• Type ungroup and then press Enter.
2 Select the group that you want to break into separate source entities.
462 CHAPTER 10

3 If the selected entity belongs to more than one group, do one of the following at
the prompt that displays:
• Choose Accept to break up the group at the highest level.
• Choose Next to cycle through nested groups. When the group that you want to
break up is highlighted, press Enter.

Editing polylines
You can modify any type of two-dimensional or three-dimensional polyline. Entities
such as rectangles, polygons, and donuts, as well as three-dimensional entities such as
pyramids, cylinders, and spheres, are all variations of polylines that you can edit.
You can edit a polyline by opening or closing it, by changing its overall width or the
widths of individual segments, and by converting a polyline with straight line seg-
ments into a flowing curve or an approximation of a spline. In addition, you can use
the Edit Polyline tool to edit individual vertices, adding, removing, or moving verti-
ces. You can also add new segments to an existing polyline, change the linetypes of a
polyline, and reverse the direction or order of the vertices.

Converting an entity to a polyline

To modify a polyline, you first select the polyline, and then select a polyline editing
option. The available options vary depending on whether the selected polyline is a
two-dimensional or three-dimensional entity. If the selected entity is not a polyline,
the Edit Polyline tool provides the option of turning it into one. You can convert only
arcs and lines into polylines. If several arcs or lines are joined endpoint to endpoint,
they can all be selected and turned into one polyline.

To convert an entity into a polyline

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Edit Polyline (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Polyline.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Polyline tool.
• Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity.
3 In the prompt box, choose Yes-Turn Into Polyline.
4 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the
command.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 463

Opening and closing polylines

When you close a polyline, the program draws a straight polyline segment from the
last vertex of the polyline to the first vertex. Opening a polyline removes the closing
segment. When you select a polyline for editing, the prompt box displays either the
Open or Close option, depending on whether the polyline you select is closed or
open.

To close an open polyline

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Edit Polyline (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Polyline.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Polyline tool.
• Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Close.
4 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.

A B

Closing an open polyline adds a straight Result.

polyline segment between the first (A) and last
(B) vertices.

Curving and decurving polylines

You can convert a multisegment polyline into a smooth curve using either the Fit or
Spline option. The Fit option creates a smooth curve connecting all the vertices. The
Spline option computes a smooth curve that is pulled toward the vertices but passes
through only the first and last vertices. The Decurve option removes Fit or Spline
curves and arcs, leaving straight segments between the vertices.
464 CHAPTER 10

To fit a curve to a polyline

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Edit Polyline (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Polyline.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Polyline tool.
• Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Fit.
4 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the
command.

Original polyline. After applying Fit curve. After applying Spline.

Joining polylines
You can add an arc, line, or polyline entity to an existing open polyline, forming one
continuous polyline entity. To join an entity to a polyline, that entity must already
share an endpoint with an end vertex of the selected polyline.
When you join an entity to a polyline, the width of the new polyline segment depends
on the width of the original polyline and the type of entity you are joining to it:
• A line or an arc assumes the same width as the polyline segment for the end vertex
to which it is joined.
• A polyline joined to a tapered polyline retains its own width values.
• A polyline joined to a uniform-width polyline assumes the width of the polyline to
which it is joined.

Use the Join command to join arcs and lines.

For more details, see “Joining entities” on page 454 in this chapter.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 465

To join an arc, line, or polyline to an existing polyline

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Edit Polyline (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Polyline.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Polyline tool.
• Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Join.
4 Select the arc, line, or polyline to join.
5 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the
command.

Changing the polyline width

You can change the width of an entire polyline, applying a uniform width to the entire
entity or tapering the polyline uniformly along its entire length.

To apply a uniform width to an entire polyline

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Edit Polyline (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Polyline.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Polyline tool.
• Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Width.
4 Specify the new polyline width.
5 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the
command.
466 CHAPTER 10

To taper a polyline uniformly along its length

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Edit Polyline (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Polyline.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Polyline tool.
• Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Taper.
4 Specify the starting width.
5 Specify the ending width.
6 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the
command.

Editing polyline vertices

You can use the Edit Vertices option to modify individual polyline vertices. When
you select this option, the program switches into a special vertex editing mode and
places an x on the first vertex. The x indicates the vertex you are editing. The Next
and Previous options move the x to the next or previous vertex. You can edit only one
vertex at a time.
When editing vertices, you can modify the polyline in the following ways:
• Convert a polyline segment into a curve by specifying a new tangent angle.
• Break a polyline into two separate polylines.
• Insert a new vertex after the current vertex.
• Move the current vertex.
• Straighten the polyline segment between two vertices.
• Change the width of the polyline segment between two vertices.

You can also reverse polyline vertices.

To reverse the direction of polyline segments, use the Reverse command. For more
details, see “Reversing the direction of entities” on page 441 in this chapter.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 467

To move a polyline vertex

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Edit Polyline (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Polyline.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Polyline tool.
• Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Edit Vertices.
4 In the prompt box, choose Next Vertex.
Repeat until the x reaches the vertex you want to move.
5 In the prompt box, choose Move.
6 Specify the new location for the vertex.
7 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Exit to stop editing vertices.
8 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.

A C

Select the polyline (A), move the current vertex Result.

marker to the vertex you want to move (B), and then
specify the new vertex location (C).
468 CHAPTER 10

To taper the width of an individual polyline segment

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Polyline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Edit Polyline (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Edit Polyline.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Polyline tool.
• Type editpline and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline.
3 In the prompt box, choose Edit Vertices.
4 In the prompt box, choose Next Vertex.
Repeat until the x reaches the first vertex of the segment you want to taper.
5 In the prompt box, choose Width.
6 Specify the starting width.
7 Specify the ending width.
8 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Exit to stop editing vertices
and update the display.
9 In the prompt box, choose another option, or choose Done to complete the com-
mand.

A B

Select the polyline (A), move the current vertex Result.

marker to the first vertex of the segment you want to
taper (B), and then specify the new starting and
ending widths for that segment.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 469

Chamfering and filleting entities

You can chamfer or fillet entities. A chamfer connects two nonparallel entities with a
line to create a beveled edge. A fillet connects two entities with an arc of a specified
radius to create a rounded edge. If both entities you are working with are on the same
layer, the chamfer or fillet is drawn on that layer. If they are on different layers, the
chamfer or fillet is drawn on the current layer.

Modifying the chamfer and fillet settings

The Chamfer/Fillet settings in the Drawing Settings dialog box control the chamfer
and fillet settings. The portions of the entities that extend beyond the chamfer or fillet
are normally deleted when you create the chamfer or fillet. You can retain these
original entities, however, by changing the settings in the dialog box.

To modify the chamfer and fillet settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Entity Modification tab.
3 Click the Chamfer/Fillet tab and choose from the following:
• Corners — Select to remove or retain portions of entities that extend beyond the
chamfer or fillet.
• Fillet radius — Specify the fillet radius or click Select to specify it by selecting
two points in the drawing.
• Chamfer Distances and Angles — Choose to use the distance-distance method
or distance-angle method when creating chamfers. The distance-distance
method creates a chamfer using two chamfer distances that you specify. The
distance-angle method creates a chamfer using a chamfer length and angle that
you specify.
4 Click OK.

Chamfering entities
You can connect two nonparallel entities by extending or trimming them and then
joining them with a line to create a beveled edge. You can chamfer lines, polylines,
rays, and infinite lines. When creating a chamfer, you can specify how far to trim the
entities back from their intersection (distance-distance method), or you can specify
the length of the chamfer and the angle it forms along the first entity (distance-angle
method).
470 CHAPTER 10

When chamfering a polyline, you can chamfer multiple segments between two
selected polyline segments, or you can chamfer the entire polyline.

Chamfering two entities using the distance-distance method

To chamfer two entities using the distance-distance method
1 Do one of the following to choose Chamfer ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Modify > Chamfer (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Chamfer.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool.
• Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Chamfer Settings.
3 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Entity Modification tab.
4 Under Chamfer Distances And Angles, click Distance-Distance.
5 Under Chamfer Distances And Angles, specify the first and second chamfer
distances.
6 Click OK.
7 Select the first entity.
8 Select the second entity.

A C

B
D

Select the first (A) and second (B) entities. The chamfer is drawn, based on the first (C) and second (D)
chamfer distances.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 471

Chamfering two entities using the distance-angle method

To chamfer two entities using the distance-angle method
1 Do one of the following to choose Chamfer ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Modify > Chamfer (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Chamfer.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool.
• Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Chamfer Settings.
3 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, click the Entity Modification tab.
4 Under Chamfer Distances And Angles, click Distance-Angle.
5 Under Chamfer Distances And Angles, specify the chamfer distance and angle.
6 Click OK.
7 Select the first entity.
8 Select the second entity.

A C

B
D

Select the first (A) and second (B) entities. The chamfer is drawn, based on the distance measured along the
first entity (C) and the angle (D) formed with the first entity.

Chamfering all vertices in a polyline

To chamfer all vertices in a polyline
1 Do one of the following to choose Chamfer ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Modify > Chamfer (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Chamfer.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool.
• Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Polyline.
3 Select the polyline.
472 CHAPTER 10

Original polyline. Result after chamfering.

Chamfering selected vertices in a polyline

To chamfer selected vertices in a polyline
1 Do one of the following to choose Chamfer ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Modify > Chamfer (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Chamfer.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool.
• Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline along the segment where you want to begin the chamfer.
3 Select the polyline along the segment where you want to end the chamfer.

A B

Select the polyline along the (A) and (B) Result after chamfering.
segments.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 473

Filleting entities
You can connect two entities with an arc of a specified radius to create a rounded
edge. You can fillet pairs of line segments, straight polyline segments, arcs, circles,
rays, and infinite lines. You can also fillet parallel lines, rays, and infinite lines. When
filleting a polyline, you can fillet multiple segments between two selected segments,
or you can fillet the entire polyline.

Filleting two entities

To fillet two entities
1 Do one of the following to choose Fillet ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Modify > Fillet (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Fillet.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Fillet tool.
• Type fillet and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Fillet Settings.
3 In the Drawing Settings dialog box, specify the fillet radius.
4 Click OK.
5 Select the first entity.
6 Select the second entity.

Select the first (A) and second (B) entities. Result after filleting.

Filleting an entire polyline

To fillet an entire polyline
1 Do one of the following to choose Fillet ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Modify > Fillet (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Fillet.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Fillet tool.
• Type fillet and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Polyline.
3 Select the polyline.
474 CHAPTER 10

Select the polyline (A). Result after filleting.

Filleting selected vertices in a polyline

To fillet selected vertices in a polyline
1 Do one of the following to choose Fillet ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Modify > Fillet (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Fillet.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Fillet tool.
• Type fillet and then press Enter.
2 Select the polyline along the segment where you want to begin the fillet.
3 Select the polyline along the segment where you want to end the fillet.

A B

Select the polyline along the (A) and (B) Result after filleting.
segments.
When you fillet circles and arcs, more than one fillet can exist between the entities.
The point at which you select the entities determines the fillet.
 MODIFYING ENTITIES 475

Select entities (A and B). Results after filleting.

You can fillet parallel lines, rays, and infinite lines. The first entity must be a line or
ray; the second entity can be a line, ray, or infinite line. The diameter of the fillet arc
is always equal to the distance between the parallel entities. The current fillet radius is
ignored.

Original entities. Result after filleting.

476 CHAPTER 10
 11

Working with text

You can insert text into your drawing and control its appearance, allowing you to pro-
vide additional information for your IntelliCAD drawings. This section explains how
to:
• Create line text, including along an arc.
• Create paragraphs.
• Create text styles.
• Format text.
• Change line text and paragraph text.
• Convert line text to paragraph text.
• Working with fields.
• Check the spelling of text.
• Use an alternate text editor.
• Working with text written in different languages.
• Working with missing fonts.

Topics in this chapter

Creating line text .............................................................................................. 478
Creating paragraph text.................................................................................... 480
Working with text styles.................................................................................... 484
Formatting text ................................................................................................. 485
Changing text ................................................................................................... 491
Working with fields ........................................................................................... 496
Using an alternate text editor ........................................................................... 503
Working with text written in different languages ............................................... 504
Working with missing fonts............................................................................... 506
478 CHAPTER 11

Creating line text

Most commonly, lines of text are created using the Text command which creates sin-
gle-line text entities. A line of text can also be created along an arc using the Arc-
Aligned Text command.
When creating and editing single-line text, the text is checked for spelling automati-
cally and incorrectly spelled words display with a dashed red underline.

Creating a line of text

When you create single-line text, you end each line of text by pressing Enter. Each
line of text is created as a separate entity that you can modify.

To create a line of text

1 Do one of the following to choose Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Text (in Annotation) or choose Annotate > Text
(in Text).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Text.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Text tool.
• Type text and then press Enter.
2 Specify the insertion point for the first character.
3 Specify the height of the text.
4 Specify the text rotation angle.
5 Type the text, and then press Enter at the end of each new line.
6 To complete the command, press Enter again.

If you’ve already created text, new text can appear immediately below the previous text.
Choose Insert > Text. When prompted for an insertion point, press Enter. The new
text will keep the same height and rotation angle as the previous text.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 479

Creating a single line of text along an arc

You can create a single line of text positioned along an arc. Arc-aligned text is its
own special type of text entity; it is not exactly the same as a single-line text entity.

To create a line of text along an arc

1 Do one of the following to choose Arc-Aligned Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Arc-Aligned Text (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Text > Arc-Aligned Text.
• Type arctext and then press Enter.
2 Select the arc along which you want to align text.
3 In Text, type the text.
4 Select arc-aligned text options.
5 Click OK.

P
O

A
B N
C M
D
L
E

F K
G J
H I

A Click to maintain the arrangement of text relative J Enter the spacing between text and the left edge
to the arc while moving the arc. of the arc. This option is not available when
alignment is set to the left and to the center of the
B Click to reverse the text flow direction.
arc.
C Click to align text to the left, right, fit (text fills the
length of the arc), or center. K Enter the spacing between arc and text.
L Displays a sample of the text.
D Select a text style.
M Click to orient text characters either outward from
E Type the text to display along the arc.
or inward to the center of the arc.
F Type the text font height.
N Click to set the text color to BYLAYER,
G Type the font width factor. BYBLOCK, one of the standard colors, or choose
H Type the spacing between characters. Select Color for more options.

I Enter the spacing between text and the right O Click to apply bold, italics, and underline to the
edge of the arc. This option is not available when text.
alignment is set to the right and to the center of P Click to place text either on the convex side of
the arc. the arc or on the concave side of the arc.
480 CHAPTER 11

Creating paragraph text

Paragraph text consists of one or more lines of text or paragraphs that fit within a
boundary width that you specify. Each paragraph text entity you create is treated as a
single entity regardless of the number of individual paragraphs or lines of text it
contains.
When you create paragraph text, you first determine the paragraph’s boundary width
by specifying the opposite corners of a rectangle. The paragraph text automatically
wraps so that it fits within this rectangle. The first corner of the rectangle determines
the default attachment point of the paragraph text. You can determine the direction in
which text flows within the rectangle, and you can also select the text and paragraph
format, text style, text height, and the rotation angle of the entire paragraph text
entity.
When creating and editing paragraph text, the text can be checked for spelling auto-
matically and incorrectly spelled words display with a dashed red underline.

To create paragraph text

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multiline Text (in Annotation) or Annotate >
Multiline Text (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Multiline Text.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Multiline Text tool.
• Type mtext and then press Enter.
2 Select the first corner of the text area.
3 In the command bar or context menu, optionally choose the properties you want to
set, or proceed directly to the next step. You can also choose these properties later
for the resulting multiline text entity.
4 Select the second corner of the text area.
5 Type the text you want.
To create paragraphs, press Enter and continue typing.
6 On the ribbon (or floating toolbar if not viewing the ribbon), use the Text Editor
tools to make your selections for highlighted text, or if no text is highlighted, the
changes affect new text when you type it.

Text Editor tools display on the ribbon or a floating toolbar.

By default, the floating toolbar displays only if the ribbon is turned off, however,
some users prefer to always use the floating toolbar. To enable the floating tool-
bar even when the ribbon displays, type cui, and on the Customize tab, select
AcTextEditorInProgress in Contextual Ribbon States. On the right, choose True
for the Disabled option, then click OK.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 481

7 Click Close Editor to accept your changes and close the editor.

Tool Name Description

Text Style Select a text style.

Text Height Select or type the text font height.

Annotative Select or type the text font height.

Bold and Italics Click to bold and/or italicize text.

Strikethrough Click to strikethrough text.

Underline and Click to underline and/or overline text.

Overline
Uppercase and Click to make text uppercase or lowercase.
Lowercase
Superscript and Click to make text superscript or subscript.
Subscript
Text Font Select the text font.

Text Color Select BYBLOCK, BYLAYER, the color of

your choice, or choose Select Color to
select from additional colors.
Background Mask Click to set the background settings for text.
For more details, click Help in the dialog box
that displays.
Oblique Angle Select or type the angle of text characters.

Tracking Select or type the factor representing

spacing between characters.
Width Factor Select or type the font width factor.

Clear Formatting Choose whether to remove character

formatting from selected characters,
paragraph formatting or all formatting from a
selected paragraph.
Combine Click to combine selected paragraphs into a
Paragraphs single paragraph.
Justification Select the text box justification.

List Select the type of list for the text. You can
also specify to continue or restart numbered
lists.
Line Spacing Select the spacing between lines.
482 CHAPTER 11

Tool Name Description

Paragraph Click to specify tab, indent, alignment, and
line spacing settings. For more details, click
Help in the dialog box that displays.
Default, Left, and Click to set the paragraph justification to
Center default, left, or center.
Right, Justify, and Click to set the paragraph justification to
Distribute right, justify, or distribute.
Undo and Redo Click to redo or undo the previous action.

Symbol Click to insert a symbol character where the

cursor is located in the text editor.
Insert Field Click to insert a field where the cursor is
located in the text editor. For more details,
click Help in the dialog box that displays.
Columns Click to specify columns for the text, and
options for the columns. For more details,
click Help in the program.
Find and Replace Click to find and replace text in the text
editor.
Import Text Click to select a file that contains text to
import.
AutoCAPS Click to turn on or off capitalizing text
automatically as you type.
Check Spelling Click to check text for spelling automatically.
Incorrectly spelled words display with a
dashed red underline; right-click to choose a
correctly spelled word.
Ruler Click to show or hide the ruler in the text
editor.
Stacked Text Click to stack or unstack selected text, for
example, fractions can display as stacked
text.
More Click to display a menu of additional options,
including the character set, settings for the
text editor, and online help.
Done Accepts your changes and closes the editor.

Access more options by right-clicking the text editor.

Right-click the text editor to access additional options, including Select All, Cut,
Copy, Paste, and Paste Special. You can also use typical shortcuts such as Ctrl + V to
paste text from the clipboard.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 483

A D

A Click to accept your changes and close the D Click and drag to resize the editor horizontally.
editor.
E Displays the ruler.
B Type and select text.
C Click and drag to resize the editor vertically.

There are two multiline text editors.

To switch to a dialog box version of the multiline text editor, set the MTEXTED sys-
tem variable to “oldeditor”.
484 CHAPTER 11

Working with text styles

When you add text to a drawing, it uses the current text style. Text style determines
the font, size, angle, orientation, whether the text is annotative by default, and other
characteristics.
Every drawing has a default text style, named Standard, which initially uses the Arial
font. You cannot delete the Standard style, but you can rename it or modify it. You
can change the font, the size of the font, and the obliquing angle applied to it. If you
change the font or orientation of an existing style, all existing text entities created
using that style are automatically updated to reflect the new font or orientation.
Changing any other characteristic has no effect on existing text. You also can create
and use an unlimited number of additional text styles.
The text style determines the characteristics shown in the following table.

Style characteristic Default Description

Style name Standard The name of the style, up to 255 characters.
Font file Arial The font file on which the style is base, and whether Asian language big font files are used (for
.SHX file fonts only).
Language Western The character height. A value of 0 prompts for text height upon insertion.
Annotative No Determines whether text is annotative by default and therefore its display and print is affected by
annotation scaling. If annotative by default, also determines whether the text, when displayed in
paper space, is oriented automatically according to the layout viewport.
Text height 0 The character height. A value of 0 prompts for text height upon insertion. The text height is the
paper text height if the text style is annotative.
Width factor 1 The horizontal expansion or compression of the text. Values less than 1 compress the text;
values greater than 1 expand the text.
Obliquing angle 0 The slant of the text, in degrees. Negative values slant the text to the left; positive values slant
the text to the right.
Backward No Determines whether text appears backward.
Upside down No Determines whether text appears upside down.
Vertical No Determines whether text has a vertical orientation.

To create a text style

1 Do one of the following to choose Text Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Text Styles Manager (in Annotation) or
Annotate > Text Styles Manager (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Format > Text Styles Manager.
• On the Format or Styles toolbar, click the Text Styles Manager tool.
• Type style and then press Enter.
2 Click New.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 485

3 Type a new text style name, then click OK.

4 Under Text Font, select the name, style, and language of the font you want to use.
5 Under Text Measurements, select the check boxes if you want annotative text; you
can also enter a Fixed Text Height (Paper Text Height if annotative), Width Fac-
tor, or Oblique Angle measurement.
6 Under Text Generation, select the check boxes you want to indicate the direction
for printed text to appear.
7 Click OK.
8 To begin using the new style, choose Draw > Text.
9 In the prompt box, select Use Defined Style.

Formatting text
When you create text, you choose the text style and set the alignment. The style deter-
mines the font characteristics for the text. For single-line text, the alignment point
determines how the text aligns with the text insertion point. For paragraph text, the
alignment point determines the location of the attachment point in relation to the
paragraph text boundary and the direction in which text flows within the boundary.
You can also use the Express Tools > Text area for commands that scale text, justify
text, enclose text in shapes, and more. All of these options are described in the online
help.

Setting the line text style

You can set the text style before you specify the insertion point. You select the text
style by typing the name of a previously defined style.

To specify a line text style

1 Do one of the following to choose Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Text (in Annotation) or choose Annotate > Text
(in Text).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Text.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Text tool.
• Type dtext and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose Use Defined Style.
3 Type the name of a previously defined text style, and then press Enter.
To display a list of available text styles, type a question mark (?), and then press
Enter.
4 Specify the text insertion point.
486 CHAPTER 11

5 Specify the text height.

6 Specify the rotation angle.
7 Type the text line, and then press Enter.
8 To complete the command, press Enter again.

Setting the paragraph text style

You can set the paragraph text style before you specify the insertion point. You select
the text style by typing the name of a previously defined style.

To specify a paragraph text style

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multiline Text (in Annotation) or Annotate >
Multiline Text (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Multiline Text.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Multiline Text tool.
• Type mtext and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point of the text box.
3 In the prompt box, choose Text Style.
4 Type the name of a previously defined text style, and then press Enter.
5 Specify the text height.
6 Specify the rotation angle.
7 Specify the opposite corner of the text box.
8 Type the text.
9 To complete the command, click Close Editor.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 487

Setting the line text alignment

When you create text, you can set the text alignment before you specify the insertion
point. You set the alignment by choosing it in the prompt box. By default, text is left
justified. You can align text at the left, center, or right and at the top, middle, or base-
line of the text or at the bottom of descending letters.

N M K
A
L
B J

C I

H
D E F G

A Top left H Baseline

B Middle left I Right
C Left J Middle right
D Bottom left K Top right
E Center L Middle
F Bottom center M Middle center
G Bottom right N Top center
You can also align text so that it fits or aligns between two points. The Align option
creates text that scales up or down while maintaining a constant height/width ratio;
the Fit option expands or compresses the text to fit between the two points.

Text aligned between two points maintains a Text fit between two points expands or compresses
constant height/width ratio. to fit.
To specify the line text alignment before entering text
1 Do one of the following to choose Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Text (in Annotation) or choose Annotate > Text
(in Text).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Text.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Text tool.
• Type dtext and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose an alignment option, or choose Justification Options to
display all the justification options.
488 CHAPTER 11

3 Specify the text insertion point, and then continue creating the line text.

To specify the justification for existing line text entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Justify Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Justify Text (in Text > Modify Text).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Text > Justify Text.
• Type tjust and then press Enter.
2 Select text entities. In addition to single-line text, you can also choose multiline
text and attribute text.
3 Choose one of the following:

• Center Justification point of the text is center aligned.

• Middle Justification point of the text is middle aligned (left/right and top/
bottom).
• Right Justification point of the text is right aligned.
• TL Justification point of the text is top-left aligned.
• TC Justification point of the text is top-center aligned.
• TR Justification point of the text is top-right aligned.
• ML Justification point of the text is middle-left aligned.
• MC Justification point of the text is middle-center aligned.
• MR Justification point of the text is middle-right aligned.
• BL Justification point of the text is bottom-left aligned.
• BC Justification point of the text is bottom-center aligned.
• BR Justification point of the text is bottom-right aligned.

To fit existing line text within two points

1 Do one of the following to choose Text Fit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Fit Text (in Text > Modify Text).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Text > Fit Text.
• Type textfit and then press Enter.
2 Select single-line text entities.
3 Specify a new desired ending point or choose Start Point to specify a new starting
point and then specify the ending point.

The Text Fit command works with single-line text only.

To fit multiline text within two points, first use the Explode command to convert it to
single-line text.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 489

To change the scale of existing line text

1 Do one of the following to choose Scale Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Scale Text (in Text > Modify Text).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Text > Scale Text.
• Type scaletext and then press Enter.
2 Select single-line text entities.
3 Choose a base point option for scaling.
4 Choose one of the modes of scaling text and follow the prompts. Refer to online
help for more details.

Setting the paragraph text alignment

When you create paragraph text, you can set the text alignment by specifying the
direction in which text flows within the boundary. You can set the paragraph text
alignment either in the prompt box displayed after you specify the first corner of the
paragraph text boundary, from the Properties pane, or using the Justify Text express
tool command. You can specify the attachment point at the top left, top center, top
right, middle left, middle center, middle right, bottom left, bottom center, or bottom
right. The paragraph text can flow left to right, right to left, top to bottom, or bottom
to top. You can change the scale of existing paragraph text using the Scale Text
express tool command.

Including special text characters

You can use control codes to overscore or underscore text or to include special char-
acters. Both overscore and underscore can be active at the same time. To include con-
trol codes, as you type text, type two percent symbols (%%) followed by the special
control code or character. A single percent sign is treated as a normal text character.
A triple-percent control code is provided for those instances where a control-code
sequence must follow a percent sign in the text.

Special text characters

Control code Function
%%o Toggles overscore mode on and off.
%%u Toggles underscore mode on and off.
%%d Draws a degree symbol (º).
%%p Draws the plus-or-minus symbol (±).
%%c Draws the circle diameter symbol (Ø).
%%% Forces a single percent sign.
%%nnn Draws special character number nnn.
490 CHAPTER 11

Text created using special text characters: Ut wisi %%uenim%%d ad%%p%%u minim %%c %%oveniam.

Creating a frame around text

You can draw a frame around each selected line text, paragraph text or attribute text,
that is enclose text with shape. Frames can be in the shape of a circle, rectangle or a
slot.

To draw a frame around text

1 Do one of the following to choose Enclose Text with Shape ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Enclose Text with Shape (in Text >
Modify Text).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Text > Enclose Text with Shape.
• Type tcircle and then press Enter.
2 Select line text, paragraph text or attribute text.
3 Specify which shape you want to draw around text. Refer to online help for more
details.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 491

Changing text
You can change line and paragraph text in your drawing.

Changing line text

You can edit and modify the text as you would any other drawing entity. That is, you
can delete, move, rotate, and scale text.

To edit text and its properties

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Edit Text (in Annotation) or Annotate > Edit
Text (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Entities > Text.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Text tool.
• Type textedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the text entity.
3 In the Text dialog box, edit the text.
4 Change the text properties you want.

The Text dialog box displays when TEXTED is set to 3 (the default).
If the TEXTED system variable is set to 1 or 2, line text is edited in the command bar
or Properties pane respectively instead of the Text dialog box.

Changing paragraph text

You can modify the text as you would any other drawing entity. That is, you can
delete, move, rotate, and scale text.

To edit paragraph text and its properties

1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Edit Text (in Annotation) or Annotate > Edit
Text (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Entities > Text.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Edit Text tool.
• Type textedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the text entity.
3 In the text editor, edit the text.
4 Change the text properties you want.
5 Click Close Editor.
492 CHAPTER 11

Finding and replacing text

You can search and optionally replace text throughout a drawing, within a layout, or
within selected entities.
IntelliCAD searches and displays a list of matching text. Each found text item has an
associated entity type to help you identify its location in the drawing. Entity types can
include single-line text, multiline text, dimension leaders, hyperlinks, alternate text,
paperspace, and modelspace. Note that sometimes dimension text is listed as multi-
line text because of the way dimensions are created.

To find and optionally replace text

1 Do one of the following to choose Find and Replace ( ):
• Choose Edit > Find and Replace.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Find and Replace tool.
• Type find and then press Enter.
2 In Find What, type the text you want to search for, or select previously entered text
from the list.
3 In Find Where, select the location where you want to search:
• Entire drawing Searches the entire drawing.
• Current layout Searches the current layout only.

• Selected entities Searches selected entities only. You can click ( ) to switch
to the drawing temporarily and select entities.
4 In Text Types, select the text types you want to include in the search.
5 In Search Options, select the desired search options.
6 Click Find to displays a list of all matching text.
7 To replace text, do the following:
• In Replace With, enter or select the new text.
• In the list of found text, select the text to replace.
• Click Replace.

Use a shortcut for replacing text.

Click Replace All to replace all matching text without finding it first.

8 Click Done.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 493

A X
W
B
V

C U

D S
E R
F Q
G
H P
I O
N

J K L M
A Type or select the text to find. L Click to find matching text.
B Type or select the text to replace found text with M Click when finished.
(optional). N Select to search hyperlink descriptions.
C Displays all found text. O Select to search hyperlinks.
D Select to find only text that matches the upper and P Select to search tables.
lower case specified in Find What.
Q Select to search both single-line and multiline text.
E Select to find only whole words that match the text in
Find What. R Select to search both dimension and leader text.
F Select to allow the use of wildcards in the search. S Select to search block attribute values.
G Select to include external references in the search. T Click to zoom to the selected found text in the
drawing.
H Select to include blocks in the search.
U Click to create a selection set that includes the
I Select to exclude hidden items (such as text on selected found text in model space or a single layout.
layers that are frozen or turned off and text in block
attributes created in invisible mode) from the search. V Click to create a selection set that includes all found
text in model space or a single layout.
J Click to replace selected text in the Location list with
text from Replace With. W Select where to search for text: the entire drawing,
the current layout, or selected entities.
K Click to replace all matching text without searching
first. X Click to switch to the drawing and select entities to
search.
494 CHAPTER 11

Changing capitalization of letters

You can quickly change the capitalization of single-line and multiline text entities to
these capitalization methods: sentence case, all lower case, all uppercase, title case,
and toggle case.

To set capitalization formatting

1 Do one of the following to choose Change Text Case ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Change Text Case (in Text > Modify
Text).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Text > Change Text Case.
• Type tcase and then press Enter.
2 Select text entities.
3 Choose one of the following:
• Sentence case The first letter of the first text character is upper case.
• lowercase All text characters are lower case letters.
• UPPERCASE All text characters are upper case letters.
• Title The first letters of all text characters are upper case.
• tOGGLE cASE The first letters of all text characters are lower case and the rest
of the letters are upper case.

Converting line text to paragraph text

When converting line text to paragraph text, one or more text entities created with the
Text command are combined into one multiline text entity. During the conversion,
the selected text entities are removed from the drawing and a multiline text entity is
created.

To convert line text to paragraph text

1 Do one of the following to choose Text to Multiline Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Text to Multiline Text (in Annotation),
Annotate > Text to Multiline Text (in Text) or Express Tools > Text to Multiline
Text (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Text to Multiline Text or choose Express Tools >
Text > Text to Multiline Text.
• On the Text toolbar, click the Text to Multiline Text tool.
• Type txt2mtxt and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more text entities.
3 When finished with selection, press Enter.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 495

To customize options while converting line text to paragraph text

1 Do one of the following to choose Text to Multiline Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Text to Multiline Text (in Annotation),
Annotate > Text to Multiline Text (in Text) or Express Tools > Text to Multiline
Text (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Text to Multiline Text or choose Express Tools >
Text > Text to Multiline Text.
• On the Text toolbar, click the Text to Multiline Text tool.
• Type txt2mtxt and then press Enter.
2 Press Enter.
3 Select one of the following:
• Selection set order Select to add single-line text to multiline text in the order
that you select.
• Top-down order Select to add single-line text to multiline text in the order that
they appear in the drawing, from the top downwards.
4 Mark Create Word-Wrap MText to add spaces within individual lines of text,
which helps balance multiple lines of text.
5 Click OK.
6 Select one or more text entities.
7 When finished with selection, press Escape.
All text entities are combined into a single multiline text entity.

A Choose to add text in the order selected or in top- B Click to add spaces within text lines to balance
down order. multiple lines of text.
496 CHAPTER 11

Working with fields

Fields contain expressions that can be updated automatically to generate new field
content as drawing values change. For example, a the filename field displays text
with the name of drawing file. If the name of the drawing file changes, you can use
the Update Field command to automatically update the field with the correct file-
name.

Inserting a field
Fields can be inserted as multiline text entities directly in the drawing.
Fields also can be inserted in existing paragraph text and table cells. For more details
about editing text, see “Changing paragraph text” on page 491 in this chapter. For
more details about editing text in tables, see “Editing table text” on page 186.

To insert a field directly in the drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Field ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Field (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Field > Field.
• Type field and then press Enter.
2 In Field Names, select the field you want to insert.
The fields that display depend on the selected category.
3 Choose additional options, which vary according to the field you selected.
4 Click OK.
5 In the drawing, specify the insertion point.

Fields display with a gray background color.

To turn off the background color, set the FIELDDISPLAY system variable to off (0).
 WORKING WITH TEXT 497

F
A

B
D

A Select a category to filter the Field Names list, or D Select format options for the selected field
select All to display all available fields. (varies according to the selected field).
B Select the field you want to insert. E Displays additional options, if applicable for the
C Displays the expression, similar to a formula, selected field.
that is used to generate content for the selected F Displays a preview of the field content, if
field. available.

Updating fields
Use the Update Field command to automatically regenerate field content in all enti-
ties you select.

To update fields
1 Do one of the following to choose Update Field ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Update Field (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Field > Update Field.
• Type updatefield and then press Enter.
2 Select entities that contain fields, then press Enter.
498 CHAPTER 11

Checking the spelling

You can check the spelling of text in your drawing, customize the dictionary to recog-
nize new words, and use a different spelling dictionary that supports another lan-
guage.
When editing text, the text is checked for spelling automatically and incorrectly
spelled words display with a dashed red underline.

Checking the spelling of text

You can use the Check Spelling command to check the spelling of single-line text,
multiline text, paragraph text, attributes, attribute definitions, and dimension text.

To check the spelling of text

1 Do one of the following to choose Check Spelling ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Check Spelling (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Check Spelling.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Check Spelling tool.
• Type spell and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more text entities.
3 In the Check Spelling dialog box, misspelled words display one at a time. Do one
of the following for each found word:
• Keep text unchanged — Click Ignore to keep the found word unchanged in the
drawing, or click Ignore All to keep all instances of the found word unchanged
in the drawing.
• Change text — Select or type a word in the Suggestions box, then click Change
to change the found word in the drawing to the new text, or click Change All to
change all instances of the found word in the drawing.
4 Click Add if you want to add the currently found word to a list of custom spelling
words. The Check Spelling dialog will recognize the added word as spelled cor-
rectly the next time the word is checked for spelling.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 499

B
K
C J
I
H
G
F
E

A Displays the current dictionary. G Click to suggest additional words based on the
B Displays the misspelled word and its context in the selected word in the Suggestions list.
drawing. H Click to change all instances of the misspelled word
C Displays (or you can type) a new word to replace the to the suggested word.
misspelled word in the drawing. I Click to change a single instance of the misspelled
D Click to select a new word to replace the currently word to the suggested word.
found misspelled word. J Click to skip all instances of the misspelled word.
E Click to select a new dictionary or modify a custom K Click to skip a single instance of the misspelled word
dictionary. without changing it.
F Click to add the suggested word to the custom
dictionary.

Customizing the spelling words

Most drawings contain text that is not recognized as spelled correctly, even though it
is spelled correctly. For example, if your company name Zaffer, Inc. appears in all of
your drawings, the company name will appear as misspelled every time you check the
spelling of drawing text. You can easily add words to a custom dictionary so that any
word in the custom dictionary is recognized as spelled correctly.
The custom dictionary is independent of any spelling dictionary you have chosen to
use. You can check the spelling of text using one dictionary, check the spelling of the
same or other text using a different dictionary, and in both cases your custom diction-
ary is used.
500 CHAPTER 11

To create and manage a custom dictionary

1 Do one of the following to choose Check Spelling ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Check Spelling (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Check Spelling.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Check Spelling tool.
• Type spell and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more text entities.
3 In the Check Spelling dialog box, click Change Dictionaries.
4 To add a custom word, type a word in Custom Dictionary Words, then click Add.
5 To delete a custom word, select a word in Custom Dictionary Words, then click
Delete.
6 Click OK.

F
E

A D
B C

A Type a word for the custom dictionary. E Click to select a different custom dictionary.
B Displays the words in the custom dictionary. F Displays the custom dictionary filename. You can
C Click to delete the currently selected word from the type a new path and filename or click Browse to
custom dictionary. select a file.
D Click to add the current word in the edit box (A) to the
custom dictionary.

You can also add custom words to the custom dictionary during spell checking of text.
In the Check Spelling dialog box, click Add to add the currently found word to the
custom dictionary.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 501

Changing the dictionary

The Check Spelling command compares text found in the drawing with correctly
spelled words in an installed dictionary (.dic file). There are many different dictionar-
ies that can be used with IntelliCAD, including dictionaries in different languages.
You can download and install a new dictionary or use a dictionary already installed
on your computer.

To download and install a new dictionary

1 Do one of the following to choose Check Spelling ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Check Spelling (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Check Spelling.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Check Spelling tool.
• Type spell and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more text entities, then in the Check Spelling dialog box, click
Change Dictionaries.
3 Click Download.
4 From the web page that displays (or from a different web page), download the
desired dictionary.
5 Unzip the contents of the downloaded file to \MyDocuments\Spelling, or the loca-
tion where you installed spelling dictionaries for IntelliCAD.
6 Click Change Dictionaries again, which will load the newly installed dictionary.
7 In Main Dictionary, select the desired dictionary.
8 Click OK.
502 CHAPTER 11

A
B

A Select the desired spelling dictionary. B Click to open the default Internet browser to a web
page where you can download spelling dictionaries in
different languages.

To use a dictionary already installed on your computer

1 Do one of the following:
• Copy the existing dictionary (.dic file) to \MyDocuments\Spelling, or to the
location where you install spelling dictionaries for IntelliCAD.
• Add the folder of the existing dictionary to the list of folders where IntelliCAD
searches for dictionaries. Choose Tools > Options, click the Files tab, and add
the folder location to the Support Paths > Spelling Dictionary Locations. For
more details, see “Changing the options on the Files tab” on page 838.
2 Do one of the following to choose Check Spelling ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Check Spelling (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Check Spelling.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Check Spelling tool.
• Type spell and then press Enter.
3 Click Change Dictionaries.
4 In Main Dictionary, select the desired dictionary.
5 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 503

Using an alternate text editor

IntelliCAD includes a built-in text editor for creating paragraph text using the Multi-
line Text command. You can also specify an alternate text editor for the Multiline
Text command.

Selecting an alternate text editor

Before you can use an alternate text editor, you must specify the editor by setting the
MTEXTED system variable.

To select an alternate text editor

1 Type mtexted and then press Enter.

2 Enter the path and name of the executable file for the text editor you want to use to
create or edit multiline text. For example, to use Microsoft® Wordpad, you would
type something similar to the following (adjusting the path name as necessary):
C:\Program Files\Windows\Accessories\Wordpad.exe

Creating paragraph text in an alternate text editor

After you set up IntelliCAD to use an alternate text editor, you can start using it to
include text in your drawings.

To use an alternate text editor

1 Do one of the following to choose Multiline Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Multiline Text (in Annotation) or Annotate >
Multiline Text (in Text).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Multiline Text.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Multiline Text tool.
• Type mtext and then press Enter.
2 Select the first and second corners of the text area.
3 In the text editor, type the text you want, using the special characters from the
table shown next to achieve special formatting. Enter \P to end a paragraph and
start a new paragraph on the next line. For example, to use an alignment value of 1
and stack two numbers to display them as a fraction:
{\A1;\S1/2;}\P
4 When your text is complete, save the changes and exit the text editor.

Special format character Function

\0...\o Toggles overscore mode on and off.
\L...\l Toggles underscore mode on and off.
\~ Inserts a nonbreaking space.
504 CHAPTER 11

Special format character Function

\\ Inserts a backslash.
\{...\} Inserts an opening and closing brace.
\Cvalue; Sets the color to a specified value.
\File name; Sets the font based on a specified font file name.
\Hvalue; Sets the text height to a specified value.
\Hvaluex; Sets the text height to a multiple of the current text height.
\S...^...; Stacks the subsequent text at the /, #, or ^ symbol.
\Tvalue; Adjusts the space between characters, from 0.75 to 4 times.
\Qangle; Changes obliquing angle.
\Wvalue; Changes width factor to produce wide text.
\A Sets the alignment value.
\P Ends paragraph.
\p[i],[l],[tX1,X2,...,X32] Formats paragraph: i = first line indent; l = paragraph offset; t = tab
positions.

Working with text written in different languages

You can include text in your drawings that is written in different languages.

Using Unicode characters

IntelliCAD supports the Unicode character encoding standard, which enables you to
display and write text in different languages using different letters. Unicode fonts
contain many more characters than typically defined in a system. The following table
describes only a small set that is available

Unicode control code Function

\U+00B0 Draws a degree symbol (º).
\U+00B1 Draws the plus-or-minus symbol (±).
\U+0394 Draws the delta symbol (Δ).
\U+2205 Draws the circle diameter symbol (Ø).
\U+03A9 Draws the omega symbol (Ω).
\U+2260 Draws the not equal symbol (≠).
 WORKING WITH TEXT 505

For details about using other special characters, see “Including special text charac-
ters” on page 489 in this chapter. You can also use a different text editor; see “Using
an alternate text editor” on page 503 in this chapter.

Specifying character sets for drawings

The character set used to display text in drawings typically depends on the character
set specified by your operating system, for example, ANSI_1252 is Latin 1,
ANSI_1253 is Greek, and ANSI_1254 is Turkish. This is also called the code page.
IntelliCAD allows you to manage which code page is assigned to a drawing. This
unique feature is usually not necessary if you distribute drawings within the same
geographic region, but it can be very helpful when sharing or distributing drawings
between different geographic regions. Changing the code page is highly desirable
especially in geographic regions where several languages are used that require differ-
ent character sets to display text properly.
Setting the code page doesn’t change the language of your text; instead it specifies
the character set in which the text displays. Some fonts can display its characters sev-
eral different ways depending on the code page setting.
There are two system variables that relate to the code page of a drawing:
• SYSCODEPAGE — Character set defined for your operating system.
• DWGCODEPAGE — Character set defined for an individual drawing that over-
rides the operating system code page.

To select a code page for the current drawing

1 Type codepage and then press Enter.
The Code Page Manager dialog box opens.
2 If you want to convert the drawing to use a code page that is different from the
operating system code page, in Drawing Code Page, select the new code page for
the drawing.
3 Click OK.

A
B

A Displays the code page for the operating system. B Select the code page for the current drawing.
506 CHAPTER 11

Working with missing fonts

When you open a drawing, the program displays text using fonts that are available on
your computer: TrueType fonts installed when you started the program and SHX font
files located, by default, in the \Fonts folder of your program installation.
If you open a drawing that contains text assigned a font that cannot be found, the pro-
gram attempts to substitute an alternate font for displaying the text. The following
table describes the order in which the program searches for an alternate font, depend-
ing on the font type.

TrueType font SHX font

Font mapping file Font mapping file
Font defined for the text style Font defined for the text style
Similar font determined by Windows FONTALT system variable
User prompted to select font

To add a search folder for where additional SHX files are stored
1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Files tab.
3 In the upper half of the dialog box, in Support Paths > Font Locations, click Add.
4 Enter a path for the folder where SHX font files are located, then press Enter. Or
click Browse, select the folder, and then click Open.
5 Click OK.

To edit the default font mapping file

1 Open the program’s .fmp file in a text editor, such as Notepad.
By default, the .fmp file is located in the folder where you installed the program.
2 Enter font file names in pairs on a separate line using the following format:
missing_font.shx;alternate_font.shx

Font files can be .ttf or .shx font files.

3 When finished editing, click Save and close the text editor.
 WORKING WITH TEXT 507

To specify a different font mapping file

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Files tab.
3 In the lower half of the dialog box, in Font Mapping, do one of the following:
• Enter a path and filename for the font map file, then press Enter.
• Click Browse, select the font map file you want, then click Open.
4 Click OK.

To change the FONTALT system variable

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Files tab.
3 In the lower half of the dialog box, in Alternate Font, do one of the following:
• Enter the SHX font file name, then press Enter.
• Click Browse, select the SHX font file you want, and then click Open.
4 Click OK.
508 CHAPTER 11
 12

Dimensioning your drawing

The IntelliCAD dimensioning tools let you add measurements to a drawing. You can
quickly add dimensions by simply pointing to entities. You can also add tolerance
symbols to your drawings.
The program’s many dimensioning variables let you control the appearance of the
dimensions. With dimension styles, you can save dimension variable settings so you
can reuse them without having to re-create them.
This section explains how to:
• Create dimensions as linear, angular, arcs, diametral, radial, and ordinate.
• Create leaders and annotations.
• Create center marks and center lines.
• Edit dimensions.
• Use dimension styles and variables.
• Add geometric tolerances.
• Control dimension tolerance.
• Control alternate dimension units.

Topics in this chapter

Understanding dimensioning concepts............................................................. 510
Creating dimensions ......................................................................................... 512
Creating center marks and center lines ............................................................ 524
Editing dimensions............................................................................................ 526
Using dimension styles and variables............................................................... 533
Adding geometric tolerances ............................................................................ 548
510 CHAPTER 12

Understanding dimensioning concepts

You can create five basic types of dimensions: linear, angular, radial, diametral, and
ordinate. You can create dimensions for existing entities by selecting them, or you
can create dimensions by selecting points within a drawing. For example, you can
create a linear dimension either by selecting the entity to be dimensioned or by speci-
fying the first and second extension line origins.

G
A
F
H E

A Radial dimension. E Aligned dimension.

B Vertical linear dimension. F Diametral dimension.
C Angular dimension. G Horizontal linear dimension.
D Linear continued dimensions. H Linear baseline dimension.
When you create a dimension, the program draws it on the current layer, using the
current dimension style. Each dimension has a corresponding dimension style, which
controls the appearance of the dimension, such as the types of arrowheads, text style,
and colors of various components. You can modify existing dimension styles by
changing one of the dimension variable settings and then updating the dimension
style to reflect the new settings.
Each dimension you create consists of several parts. A dimension line shows where a
dimension begins and ends. When you create an angular dimension, the dimension
line is a dimension line arc that subtends the measured angle.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 511

Extension lines, also called projection lines, are lines that extend away from the entity
for which you are creating a dimension, so that you can place the dimension line
away from the entity. Arrowheads form the termination at each end of the dimension
line.
Dimension text contains the measured dimension and can also include prefixes, suf-
fixes, tolerances, and other optional text. As you insert dimensions, you can control
the dimension text and specify its position and orientation.

C D
B
A

A Extension line. C Dimension line.

B Arrowhead. D Dimension text.
Dimensions can also contain other optional components. A leader is a line leading
from a feature of the drawing to an annotation. Leaders begin with an arrowhead, and
you can use them to place a dimension away from the dimension line or to add notes.
When you create a radial dimension, using its dimension style you can add a non-
associative center mark, which is a small cross that marks the center of a circle or an
arc, or you can add center lines, which are crossing lines that extend out from the cen-
ter of a circle or an arc. Center marks and center lines can also be created as associa-
tive entities.

Leader. Center mark. Center mark with centerlines.

Dimensions can be one of three types:
• Associative — A dimension is linked with the entities it measures. If the entities
being measured by the dimension are modified, the dimension is updated automat-
ically. Newly created dimensions are associative when DIMASSOC is set to 2
(default) and created using entity snaps.
512 CHAPTER 12

• Non-associative — A dimension is not linked with the entities it measures. If the

entities being measured by the dimension are modified, the dimension is not
updated automatically. Newly created dimensions are non-associative when
DIMASSOC is set to 1.
• Exploded — Dimensions are created as separate entities, not a single dimension
entity. Newly created dimensions are exploded when DIMASSOC is set to 0.

Creating dimensions
You can create dimensions by:
• Selecting the entity to dimension and specifying the dimension line location.
• Specifying the extension line origins and the dimension line location.
When you create dimensions by selecting an entity, the program automatically places
the extension line origins at the appropriate definition points based on the type of
entity you select. For example, the definition points are located at the endpoints of
arcs, lines, and polyline segments. When you create dimensions by specifying the
extension line origins, the points you specify determine the definition points. To
establish these points precisely, use entity snaps.
You can create dimensions in model space or paper space.
There are many commands for creating dimensions, described next. Additionally,
you can use the Quick Dimension command to quickly create a series of dimensions
of the same type, simply follow the prompts.

Creating linear dimensions

Linear dimensions annotate linear distances or lengths and can be oriented horizon-
tally, vertically, or aligned parallel to an existing entity or to the selected extension
origin points. After you create a linear dimension, you can add a baseline dimension
or a continued dimension. A linear baseline dimension inserts an additional dimen-
sion from a common first extension line origin of a previous linear dimension. A lin-
ear continued dimension continues a linear dimension from the second extension line
of a previous linear dimension.

Selecting exact points is important when creating dimensions.

Use entity snaps to select precise ordinate points.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 513

To create a horizontal or vertical dimension

1 Do one of the following to choose Linear ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Linear (in Annotation) or Annotate > Linear (in
Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Linear.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Linear tool.
• Type dimlinear and then press Enter.
2 Press Enter, and then select the entity to dimension.
Or, you can insert the dimension by specifying the first and second extension line
origins.
3 Specify the dimension line location.

B
A

To insert a linear dimension by selecting the entity, select Result.

the entity (A) to dimension, and then specify the
dimension line location (B).

C B
A

To insert a linear dimension by selecting the extension Result.

line origins, select the first extension origin (A), select the
second extension origin (B), and then specify the
dimension line location (C).
514 CHAPTER 12

To create an aligned dimension

1 Do one of the following to choose Aligned ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Aligned (in Annotation) or Annotate > Aligned
(in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Aligned.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Aligned tool.
• Type dimaligned and then press Enter.
2 Press Enter, and then select the entity to dimension.
Or, you can insert the dimension by specifying the first and second extension line
origins.
3 Specify the dimension line location, or press Enter to create the dimension line in
the default location.

B
A

To insert an aligned dimension by selecting the entity, press Result.

Enter, select the entity (A) to dimension, and then select the
dimension line location (B).

C B
A

To insert an aligned dimension by selecting the extension line Result.

origins, select the first extension origin (A), select the second
extension origin (B), and then specify the dimension line location
(C).
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 515

To create a linear baseline dimension

1 Create a dimension.
2 Do one of the following to choose Baseline ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Baseline (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Baseline.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Baseline tool.
• Type dimbaseline and then press Enter.
3 To select a starting dimension, press Enter.
4 Select the next extension line origin, and then press Enter.
Or press Enter, and then select an existing dimension for the baseline. Select the
origin of the next extension line, and then press Enter.
The program automatically places the new baseline dimension above or below the
previous dimension line. The distance between the two dimension lines is determined
by the Baseline Offset value in the Dimension Styles dialog box.

A B

To add a baseline dimension to an existing linear dimension, select the existing dimension (A), select the
next extension line origin (B), and select as many additional points as you want (C).

Result.
516 CHAPTER 12

To create a linear continued dimension

1 Create a dimension.
2 Do one of the following to choose Continue ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Continue (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Continue.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Continue tool.
• Type dimcontinue and then press Enter.
3 To select a starting dimension, press Enter.
4 Select the next extension line origin, and then press Enter.
Or press Enter, and then select an existing dimension to continue.
5 To add continued dimensions, continue selecting extension line origins.
6 To end the command, press Enter twice.

A B

To add a continued dimension to an existing linear dimension, select the existing dimension (A), select the
next extension line origin (B), and select another extension line origin (C).

Result.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 517

Creating angular dimensions

Angular dimensions annotate the angle measured between two lines. You can also
dimension an angle by selecting an angle vertex and two endpoints. After you create
an angular dimension, you can add a baseline dimension or a continued dimension.
An angular baseline dimension inserts an additional dimension from a common first
extension line origin of a previous angular dimension. An angular continued dimen-
sion continues an angular dimension from the second extension line of a previous
angular dimension.

To dimension an angle encompassed by an arc

1 Do one of the following to choose Angular ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Angular (in Annotation) or Annotate > Angular
(in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Angular.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Angular tool.
• Type dimangular and then press Enter.
2 Select the arc.
3 Specify the dimension arc location.

To dimension the angle subtended by an arc, select Result.

the arc (A), and then specify the dimension arc
location (B).
518 CHAPTER 12

To dimension an angle between two lines

1 Do one of the following to choose Angular ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Angular (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Angular.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Angular tool.
• Type dimangular and then press Enter.
2 Select one line.
3 Select the other line.
4 Specify the dimension line location.

C
B

Select one line (A), select the other line (B), and then Result.
specify the dimension line location (C).

Creating arc dimensions

Arc dimensions annotate the length of an arc or arc segment. You can also dimension
a portion of an arc by selecting two points. After you create an arc dimension, you
can change its text to the arc angle or to any other text.

To dimension an arc length

1 Do one of the following to choose Arc ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Arc (in Annotation) or Annotate > Arc (in
Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Arc.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Arc tool.
• Type dimarc and then press Enter.
2 Select the arc or arc segment.
3 Specify the dimension arc location.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 519

To dimension the length of an arc, select the arc (A), Result.

and then specify the dimension arc location (B).

To dimension part of an arc length

1 Do one of the following to choose Arc ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Arc (in Annotation) or Annotate > Arc (in
Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Arc.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Arc tool.
• Type dimarc and then press Enter.
2 Choose Partial.
3 Select the start point of the arc length you want to measure.
4 Select the end point.

A C

To dimension part of an arc length, select the arc (A), Result.

select the start point (B) and end point (C) of the
portion to measure, then specify the dimension arc
location (D).

Creating diametral and radial dimensions

Diameter and radius dimensions annotate the radii and diameters of arcs and circles.
You can optionally include centerlines or center marks.
520 CHAPTER 12

To create a diametral dimension

1 Do one of the following to choose Diameter ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Diameter (in Annotation) or Annotate >
Diameter (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Diameter.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Diameter tool.
• Type dimdiameter and then press Enter.
2 Select the arc or circle.
3 Specify the dimension line location.

A B

Select the circle (A), and then specify the dimension Result.
line location (B).
To create a radial dimension
1 Do one of the following to choose Radius ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Radius (in Annotation) or Annotate > Radius (in
Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Radius.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Radius tool.
• Type dimradius and then press Enter.
2 Select the arc or circle.
3 Specify the dimension line location.

A B

Select the circle (A), and then specify the dimension line Result.
location (B).
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 521

Creating ordinate dimensions

An ordinate dimension annotates the perpendicular distance from an origin or base
point (the origin of the current user coordinate system [UCS]). Ordinate dimensions
consist of an x- or y-coordinate and a leader. An x-ordinate dimension measures dis-
tances along the x-axis; a y-ordinate dimension measures distances along the y-axis.
As you select ordinate points, the program automatically determines whether the
point is an x- or y-ordinate based on which direction you drag the second point. You
can also specify whether the ordinate represents an x- or y-ordinate. Ordinate dimen-
sion text is always aligned with the ordinate leader lines, regardless of the text orien-
tation specified by the current dimension style.

Ordinate dimensions measure the distance along the x- or y-axis from an origin to a selected ordinate point.

To create an ordinate dimension

1 Do one of the following to choose Ordinate ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Ordinate (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Ordinate.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Ordinate tool.
• Type dimordinate and then press Enter.
2 Select the point for ordinate dimension.
3 Specify the ordinate leader endpoint.
522 CHAPTER 12

A B

Select the ordinate point (A), and then specify the ordinate leader endpoint (B).

Selecting exact points is important when creating dimensions.

Use entity snaps to select precise ordinate points.

Creating leaders and annotations

Leaders consist of a line or series of lines that connects a feature in a drawing to an
annotation. Generally, you place an arrowhead at the first point. An annotation, cre-
ated as dimension text, is placed immediately adjacent to the last point. By default,
the text placed at the end of the leader line consists of the most recent dimension. You
can also type an annotation as a single line of text.

To create a leader and an annotation

1 Do one of the following to choose Leader ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Leader (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Leader.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Leader tool.
• Type dimleader and then press Enter.
2 Specify the starting point of the leader.
3 Specify the endpoint of the leader line segment.
4 Specify additional leader line segment endpoints.
5 After you specify the last endpoint, press Enter.
6 Type the annotation, or press Enter to accept the most recent dimension as the
default annotation.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 523

Specify the starting point of the leader (A) Result.

and the endpoint of the leader line segment
(B).

Dimensioning model space entities in paper space

To increase efficiency, you can separate your drawing model from annotations using
the Model and Layout tabs.
It takes time to display dimensions, title blocks, keynotes, and other annotations. If
you draw these on a Layout tab, display-time and visual clutter are reduced when you
work on your model (on the Model tab). IntelliCAD allows you to dimension model
space entities on either the Model tab or a Layout tab — you can make the choice
depending on the method that works best for your needs.

To dimension model space entities in paper space

1 Click a Layout tab.
2 Create at least one layout viewport. For details, see “Creating layout viewports”
on page 633.
3 Select the edge of the layout viewport that you want to use for creating dimensions
and lock the layout viewport by doing one of the following:
• Click Viewport Lock/Unlock in the status bar.
• Right-click the edge of the layout viewport, choose Properties, then choose
Lock Viewports.
Locking the viewport is not required, but it is extremely helpful when you zoom or
pan in the layout viewport; it prevents the viewport scale and view center from
changing.
524 CHAPTER 12

You can work in a layout viewport without having it clutter your display or selections.
Place layout viewports on their own layer, and after locking the layout viewports,
hide the layer that contains them.

4 Make sure you are working in paper space by verifying that Model or Paper Space
in the status bar begins with “P.” If necessary, switch to paper space by double-
clicking Model or Paper Space in the status bar.
5 Create a dimension. You can select the model space entities directly, specify defi-
nition points, or use entities snaps to help accurately select the definition points.
The dimension is created in paper space.

For more details about using paper space and model space, see “Understanding paper
space and model space” on page 626.

Creating center marks and center lines

Center marks and center lines are associative dimensioning references that do not
contain measurement data. A center mark is a small cross that marks the center of a
circle or an arc. Center lines are linear entities drawn between two lines or two linear
segments of polylines.
Both are associative, meaning that when the associated entity changes, so does the
center mark or center line entity. This is different than the non-associative center
marks and lines that can be drawn with dimension styles.

Creating center marks

Center marks can be added to a circle or arc, for example, marking a hole in a
mechanical part. When you move or resize the associated entity, the center mark
entity also moves or resizes.

Center mark.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 525

To create a center mark

1 Do one of the following to choose Center Mark ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Center Mark (in Center Lines).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Center Mark.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Center Mark tool.
• Type centermark and then press Enter.
2 Select the circle or arc that you want to add a center mark to.
3 Continue to select circles or arcs, or press Enter to end the command.

You can change the appearance of center marks.

To change the appearance of existing center marks, use the Properties pane or
grips. To change the appearance of new center marks, before you draw them mod-
ify the CENTERCROSSSIZE, CENTERCROSSGAP, CENTEREXE, CENTERL-
TYPE, CENTERLTSCALE, and CENTERMARKEXE system variable values.

Creating center lines

A center line is an associative linear entity drawn between two lines or two linear seg-
ments of polylines. The center line is drawn using the apparent midpoints between the
two start points and the two endpoints of the selected lines or segments. If selected
lines or segments are not parallel, the center line is drawn using the intersection
point—real or imaginary—and the midpoint between the endpoints of the selected
lines.

To create a center line

1 Do one of the following to choose Center Line ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Center Line (in Center Lines).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Center Line.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Center Line tool.
• Type centerline and then press Enter.
2 Select the first line or linear polyline segment.
3 Select the second line or linear polyline segment.
If specifying linear polyline segments, only the segment you pick, not the whole
polyline, is used to calculate the location of the center line.

You can change the appearance of center lines.

To change the appearance of existing center lines, use the Properties pane or
grips. To change the appearance of new center lines, before you draw them modify
the CENTERLTYPE, CENTERLTSCALE, and CENTEREXE system variable val-
ues.
526 CHAPTER 12

Editing dimensions
The easiest way to edit dimensions is by using grips. Some tasks require an additional
command though, such as the Dimension Break command for adding space around
dimension and extension lines where they intersect other entities. This helps prevent
dimensions from looking as if they are part of drawn entities. You might also want to
quickly distribute equal space between the dimension lines of several dimensions.
You can also use the Edit Dimension Text command to modify the dimension text
and reposition it anywhere along the dimension line or the Make Oblique command
to rotate dimension lines and dimension text at any angle.

Spacing dimension lines

If your drawing contains several dimensions, you can distribute equal space between
their dimension lines. The dimension must be linear or angular with dimension lines
that are parallel.

To distribute equal space between dimension lines

1 Do one of the following to choose Adjust Spacing ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Adjust Spacing (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Adjust Spacing.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Adjust Spacing tool.
• Type dimspace, then press Enter.
2 Select a linear or angular dimension from which dimension lines of other dimen-
sions are to be equally spaced.
3 Select the parallel linear or angular dimensions to adjust, and press Enter when
done.
4 Enter a value for the spacing distance, or press Enter to adjust the distance auto-
matically to two times the text height of the base dimension.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 527

Breaking dimensions
A dimension break is a space on either side of an entity that intersects a dimension or
extension line. Adding a break keeps the dimension from looking as if it is a part of
drawn entities, and it can add clarity where dimension, extension, or leader lines
intersect.
Dimension breaks can be applied to multileaders too.
After a break is added, it is updated automatically when the dimension, multileader,
or intersecting entity is modified.

The size of a break gap is determined by the assigned dimension style.

To specify the break size, use the Dimension Styles Manager command. For more
details, see “Using dimension styles and variables” on page 533 in this chapter.

To break a dimension (or multileader)

1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Break ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Break (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Break.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Make Oblique tool.
• Type dimbreak, then press Enter.
2 Select the dimension or multileader that you want to break. To break or restore
more than one dimension or multileader, choose Multiple, then select them.
3 Do one of the following:
• Select the entity that crosses the dimension or multileader where the break is
needed.
• Choose Auto to place breaks at each point where the selected dimension inter-
sects with other entities.
• Choose Manual to add a break to the selected dimension or multileader
manually, then specify two break points (not available when Multiple is
selected).
4 When finished, press Enter.
528 CHAPTER 12

Specify the dimension (A) and Result.

the intersecting entity (B).
To remove breaks from a dimension (or multileader)
1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Break ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Break (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Break.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Make Oblique tool.
• Type dimbreak, then press Enter.
2 Select the dimension or multileader that you want to break. To break or restore
more than one dimension or multileader, choose Multiple, then select them.
3 Choose Remove to remove all existing breaks from the selected dimensions or
multileaders.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 529

Making dimensions oblique

Extension lines are normally created at a perpendicular angle to the dimension line.
You can change the angle of the extension lines, however, so that they tilt relative to
the dimension line.

To make oblique extension lines

1 Do one of the following to choose Make Oblique ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Make Oblique (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Make Oblique.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Make Oblique tool.
• Type dimedit, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose Oblique Lines.
2 Select the linear dimension, and then press Enter.
3 Type the obliquing angle, and then press Enter.

Select the dimension to be made oblique (A), and then type Result.
the obliquing angle.

You can align the oblique angle if you don’t know the exact measurement.
Use entity snaps to pick two points on the entity.
530 CHAPTER 12

Editing dimension text

You can rotate the text of an existing dimension, move the dimension text to a new
position, or replace selected dimension text with new text. You can also restore
dimension text to its original position as defined by the current dimension style.
When you rotate or replace selected text, you specify the change first, and then select
one or more dimensions to which to apply the change. All the selected dimensions are
updated simultaneously.

To rotate dimension text

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Rotate Dimension Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Rotate Dimension Text (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Rotate Dimension Text.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Rotate Dimension Text tool.
• Type dimedit, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose Rotate Text.
2 Type the new dimension text angle, and then press Enter.
3 Select the dimension to be rotated, and then press Enter.

Select the dimension to be rotated (A), and then Result.

type the rotation angle.

The dimension text angle is relative to the dimension line.

If the dimension text rotation is set to zero, the text angle is defined by the dimension
type and the dimension style.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 531

To move dimension text

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Reposition Dimension Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Reposition Dimension Text (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Reposition Dimension Text.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Reposition Dimension Text tool.
• Type dimtedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the dimension to reposition text.
3 Select the new text position.

A
B

Select the dimension to be moved (A), and then select Result.

the new text position (B).
To restore dimension text to its home position
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Restore Text Position ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Restore Text Position (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Restore Text Position.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Restore Text Position tool.
• Type dimedit, press Enter, and then in the prompt box, choose Restore Text.
2 Select the dimension text to restore, and then press Enter.

To replace existing dimension text with new text

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Dimension Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Edit Dimension Text (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Edit Dimension Text.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Edit Dimension Text tool.
• Type dimedit and then in the prompt box, choose Edit Text.
2 Type the new dimension text, and then press Enter.
3 Select the dimension to be replaced, and then press Enter.
532 CHAPTER 12

To restore dimension text to its original text value

1 Do one of the following to choose Reset Dimension Text ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Reset Dimension Text (in Dimension).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Dimensions > Reset Dimension Text.
• Type dimreassoc and then press Enter.
2 Select the dimension text to restore, and then press Enter.

To reassociate dimension text with a new entity or point on an entity

1 Do one of the following to choose Reassociate Dimensions ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Reassociate Dimensions (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Reassociate Dimensions.
• Type dimreassociate and then press Enter.
2 Select the dimensions you want to reassociate with a different entity or point, and
then press Enter.
3 Follow the prompts to select a new entity or point on an entity. The prompts that
display vary according to the type of dimensions you selected.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 533

Using dimension styles and variables

Dimensions that you insert are created using the current dimension style. You can
create, save, restore, and delete named dimension styles.
To display information about the current dimension style and compare it with other
style names, you can use the dimstyle command.

Creating a dimension style

Dimension styles provide a way for you to change various settings that control the
appearance of dimensions. You can then save those settings for reuse. If you don’t
define a dimension style before creating dimensions, the program uses the Standard
dimension style, which stores the default dimension variable settings. Each option in
the Dimension Styles dialog box relates to a variable that you can set manually. See
the online Command Reference for more information.

To create a dimension style

1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Dimension Styles tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 In the Dimension Styles Manager dialog box, click New.
3 Type the name of the new dimension style.
4 Click Continue.
5 In the Dimension Styles dialog box, make your selections for the dimension style
as necessary.
6 When finished, click OK.
534 CHAPTER 12

Selecting a dimension style

To select a dimension style
1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Dimension Styles tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 In the Dimension Styles Manager dialog box, select a dimension style from the
list.
3 Click Set Current.
4 Click Close.

Renaming a dimension style

To rename a dimension style
1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning or Styles toolbar, click the Dimension Styles Manager
tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 In the Dimension Styles Manager dialog box, click Rename.
3 In the Rename list, select the dimension style you want to rename.
4 Type the new dimension style name.
5 Click Rename.
6 Click OK.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 535

Deleting a dimension style

To delete a named dimension style
1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning or Styles toolbar, click the Dimension Styles Manager
tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 In the Dimension Styles dialog box, select the dimension style to delete.
3 Click Delete.
4 To confirm the deletion, click OK.
5 Click OK.

To display information about the current style

1 Type dimstyle and then press Enter.
2 Type v and then press Enter to display information about the variables.
3 Type the dimension style name, and press Enter.

Controlling line settings

You can control settings affecting dimension lines, extension lines, and center marks.
Any changes you make affect the current dimension style. The image tile on the right
side of the Dimension Styles dialog box shows the appearance of the dimensions
based on the current dimension style settings.

A Extend past dimension. C Offset from origin.

B Baseline offset.
536 CHAPTER 12

To set the color for dimension lines

1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning or Styles toolbar, click the Dimension Styles Manager
tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Lines tab.
3 Make your selections.
4 Click OK.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 537

A
B
C
D
E
F

G
H
I N
J M
K L

A Select the dimension line color. G Select the extension line color.
B Select the dimension linetype. H Select the first extension line linetype.
C Select the dimension lineweight. I Select the second extension line linetype.
D Type or select the distance that dimension lines J Select the extension lineweight.
extend beyond tick marks. K Click to prevent the creation of the first or second
E Type or select the baseline offset distance (the extension line.
distance to offset successive dimension lines L Click to set the length of extension lines to
when creating baseline dimensions) and the always be a set length, then type or select the
offset from origin (the distance extension lines extension line length.
are offset from their origin points).
M Type or select the distance to offset extension
F Click to prevent the creation of the first or second lines from dimension lines.
dimension line.
N Type or select the distance to offset extension
lines from their origin.
538 CHAPTER 12

Controlling dimension arrows

You can control the appearance and size of arrowheads or tick marks placed at the
ends of dimension lines. Any changes you make affect the current dimension style.
The arrowheads you choose display in the image tile on the right side of the Dimen-
sion Styles dialog box.
You can choose from a number of arrowhead types. You can specify different arrow-
heads for each end of a dimension line and for leader lines. The Starting arrow corre-
sponds to the first extension line; the Ending arrow corresponds to the second
extension line. Blocks defined in the drawing also display in the three Arrowhead
lists as user-defined arrows. You can use these blocks to create and assign your own
arrowheads.
The Arrow Size value determines the size of the arrowhead, measured in drawing
units. You can also use tick marks instead of arrowheads.

To choose an arrowhead
1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning or Styles toolbar, click the Dimension Styles Manager
tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Symbols and Arrows tab.
3 In the Starting Arrowhead or Ending Arrowhead list, click to select the starting or
ending arrowhead, respectively. If necessary, mark Allow Separate Arrowheads if
you want to use different starting and ending arrowheads.
4 In the Leader Arrowhead list, click to select a leader arrowhead for leader lines.
5 Click OK.

Use the system variable.

The DIMLDRBLK system variable also specifies leader arrow types.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 539

D
E
F

G
L
H
I K
J

A Select to enable the ability to use different G Enter the size of dimension breaks.
starting and ending arrowheads. H Select the symbol for center marks.
B Click to select a starting arrowhead, or click the I Type or select center mark size. Positive values
arrowhead picture to scroll the list automatically. create a center mark. Negative values create
C Click to select an ending arrowhead, or click the centerlines.
arrowhead picture to scroll the list automatically. J Type or select the angle for the jog of radius
D Click to select a leader arrowhead, or click the dimensions.
arrowhead picture to scroll the list automatically. K Type or select the scale factor for the jog height
E Type or select arrowhead size. of linear dimensions.
F Select to enable tick marks instead of L Select where to position arc symbols for arc
arrowheads, then type or select tick mark size. dimensions.
540 CHAPTER 12

Controlling dimension text

You can control the settings affecting the appearance of dimension text. Any changes
you make affect the current dimension style. The image tile on the right side of the
Dimension Styles dialog box shows the appearance of the dimensions based on the
current dimension style settings.

Text between extension lines aligned Text between extension lines

horizontally. aligned with dimension line.

To align dimension text with the dimension line

1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning or Styles toolbar, click the Dimension Styles Manager
tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Text tab.
3 Make your selections.
4 Click OK.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 541

A
B
C
D
E

F
G
H
I

J M
K L

A Click to select the text style used for dimension G Type or select the vertical text offset distance.
text. Click [...] to manage text styles. H Select the horizontal justification of dimension text.
B Select the dimension text color. I Select the view direction of dimension text.
C Select none, drawing color, or user color for the J Select the alignment when dimension text is
dimension text background color. outside extension lines.
D Select the color for dimension text backgrounds K Select the alignment when dimension text is inside
(available if User Color is selected for Text extension lines.
Background).
L Type or select the distance around the dimension
E Type or select the text height, measured in text.
drawing units.
M Click to include a frame around dimension text.
F Select the vertical justification of dimension text.
542 CHAPTER 12

Controlling dimension fit

You can control the way dimension text and arrowheads are placed in relation to the
dimension lines. You can also control how the dimension scales by choosing whether
it is annotative by default or whether it scales according to a specific scale or accord-
ing to the layout. Any changes you make affect the current dimension style. The
image tile on the right side of the Dimension Styles dialog box shows the appearance
of dimensions based on the current dimension style settings.
The program determines whether both dimension text and arrowheads will fit
between the extension lines by comparing the distance between the extension lines to
the size of the dimension text, the size of the arrowheads, and the amount of space
required around dimension text. The program applies the best fit method based on the
available space. If possible, both the dimension text and arrowheads are placed
between the extension lines. If both will not fit between the extension lines, you can
determine how text and arrowheads are placed using the Fit Method settings on the
Dimension Styles dialog box.

Text and arrowheads placed Text placed between extension Text placed above
outside extension lines. lines and arrowheads outside dimension line with a leader
extension lines. connecting the text to the
dimension line.

To format the fit of dimensions

1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning or Styles toolbar, click the Dimension Styles Manager
tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Fit tab.
3 Click the options that you want.
4 Click OK.

Use the system variables.

The DIMATFIT system variable specifies how dimension text and arrows are
arranged. The DIMTMOVE system variable specifies how dimension text is moved.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 543

B
C

E
H
F G

A Select how to fit text and arrows if they both do E Select how to position text relative to dimension
not fit inside extension lines. lines and whether to include a leader.
B Select to always place text inside extension F Select to be prompted for text placement when
lines. creating dimensions.
C Select to prevent the creation of arrows if theyG Select to scale the dimension according to the
don’t fit inside extension lines. layout or enter a specific scale to apply to all
D Select to draw dimension lines between dimension style settings (available only if
extension lines when text and arrows are placed Annotative is not selected.)
outside extension lines. H Select to make the dimension support annotative
scaling by default.
544 CHAPTER 12

Controlling primary dimension units

You can determine the appearance and format of the primary dimension units. The
image tile on the right side of the Dimension Styles dialog box shows the appearance
of the dimensions based on the current dimension style settings.

Round off distance set to .0100 Round off distance set to Round off distance set
(original dimension before 0.2500. to 1.0000.
rounding).

To set the primary units of dimensions

1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning or Styles toolbar, click the Dimension Styles Manager
tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Primary Units tab.
3 Make your selections.
4 Click OK.

Use the system variables.

The DIMLUNIT system variable specifies units for linear dimensions. The DIMFRAC
system variable specifies fraction formats.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 545

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I

J
K
L P
M O
N

A Select the linear dimension unit format. J Select to prevent the inclusion of inches or feet
B Type or select the number of decimal places for in dimension text when the corresponding
text of linear dimensions. number of inches or feet is zero.
C Select the format for text fractions of linear K Select to prevent the inclusion of leading zeros
dimensions. for angular dimensions.
D Enter the marker symbol used for decimals. L Select the angular dimension unit format.
E Type or select the nearest value to round to for M Type or select the number of decimal places for
linear distances. angular dimensions.
F Type a prefix to be appended to linear dimension N Select to prevent the inclusion of trailing zeros
text. for angular dimensions.
G Type a suffix to be appended to linear dimension O Type or select the linear scale factor applied to
text. all lengths measured by dimensioning
commands.
H Select to prevent the inclusion of trailing zeros
for linear dimension text. P Type or select the scale factor applied to all
dimensions.
I Select to prevent the inclusion of leading zeros
for linear dimension text.
546 CHAPTER 12

Controlling alternate dimension units

You can include alternate dimensions in addition to the primary dimension text. You
can also determine the appearance and format of the alternate dimensions, including
the scale factor applied to generate alternate dimensions. The image tile on the right
side of the Dimension Styles dialog box shows the appearance of the dimensions
based on the current dimension style settings.

Alternate dimension created using a scale factor of 25.4, with an appended suffix.

To control alternate dimension units

1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning or Styles toolbar, click the Dimension Styles Manager
tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Alternate Units tab.
3 Select Display Alternate Units.
4 Make your selections.
5 Click OK.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 547

B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J O

K N
M
L

A Select to include alternate units with dimension J Select to prevent the inclusion of leading zeros
text. for alternate dimension text.
B Click to select the format for alternate dimension K Select to prevent the inclusion of inches or feet
text. in alternate dimension text when the
C Type or select the number of decimal places corresponding number of inches or feet is zero.
displayed in alternate dimension text. L Select to prevent the inclusion of leading zeros
D Type or select the scale factor applied to for tolerances included as part of alternate
measured dimensions to generate the alternate dimensions.
dimension text. M Select to prevent the inclusion of trailing zeros
E Type or select any rounding for alternate for tolerances included as part of alternate
dimension text. dimensions.
F Type a prefix to be appended to alternate N Select to prevent the inclusion of inches or feet
dimension text. for tolerances included as part of alternate
dimensions when the corresponding number of
G Type a suffix to be appended to alternate inches or feet is zero.
dimension text.
O Type or select the number of decimal places
H Select the placement of alternate dimension text. displayed in limits or tolerances included as part
I Select to prevent the inclusion of trailing zeros of alternate dimensions.
for alternate dimension text.
548 CHAPTER 12

Adding geometric tolerances

Geometric tolerances indicate the maximum allowable variations in the geometry
defined by a drawing. IntelliCAD draws geometric tolerances using a feature control
frame, which is a rectangle divided into compartments.

Understanding geometric tolerances

Each feature control frame consists of at least two compartments. The first compart-
ment contains a geometric tolerance symbol that indicates the geometric characteris-
tic to which the tolerance is applied, such as location, orientation, or form. For
example, a form tolerance may indicate the flatness or roundness of a surface. The
geometric tolerance symbols and their characteristics are shown in the following
table.

Geometric tolerance symbols

Symbol Characteristic Type

Position Location

Concentricity or coaxiality Location

Symmetry Location

Parallelism Orientation

Perpendicularity Orientation

Angularity Orientation

Cylindricity Form

Flatness Form

Circularity or roundness Form

Straightness Form

Profile of a surface Profile

Profile of a line Profile

Circular runout Runout

Total runout Runout

 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 549

The second compartment contains the tolerance value. When appropriate, the toler-
ance value is preceded by a diameter symbol and followed by a material condition
symbol. The material conditions apply to features that can vary in size. The material
condition symbols and their meanings are shown in the following table.

Material conditions
Symbol Definition
At maximum material condition (MMC), a feature contains the maximum amount of
material stated in the limits.
At least material condition (LMC), a feature contains the minimum amount of
material stated in the limits.
Regardless of feature size (RFS) indicates that the feature can be any size within
the stated limits.

The tolerance value can then be followed by primary, secondary, and tertiary datum
reference letters, along with the material conditions of each datum. Datum reference
letters are generally used as reference tolerances to one of up to three perpendicular
planes from which a measurement is made, although datum reference letters can also
indicate an exact point or axis.

A B C D E

A Geometric characteristic symbol. D Material condition symbol.

B Diameter symbol. E Datum reference.
C Tolerance value.

When two tolerances apply to the same geometry, you can also add a composite toler-
ance consisting of a primary tolerance value followed by a secondary tolerance value.
To make a tolerance even more specific, it can also contain a projected tolerance con-
sisting of a height value followed by a projected tolerance symbol. For example, you
can use a projected tolerance to indicate the perpendicularity of an embedded part.
550 CHAPTER 12

Adding a geometric tolerance

To add a geometric tolerance
1 Do one of the following to choose Tolerance ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Tolerance (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Tolerance.
• On the Dimensioning toolbar, click the Tolerance tool.
• Type tolerance and then press Enter.
2 To display the geometric tolerance symbols, on the first line, click the Sym box.
3 Click to select a geometric tolerance symbol.
4 Under Tolerance 1, click the Dia box to add a diameter symbol.
5 In the field, type the first tolerance value.
6 To display the material condition symbols, click the M.C. box.
7 Click to select a material condition.
8 Under Tolerance 2, repeat steps 4 through 7 to add a secondary tolerance value, if
appropriate.
9 Under Datum 1, type the primary datum reference letter.
10 To display the material condition symbols, click the M.C. box.
11 Click to select a material condition.
12 Repeat steps 9 through 11 to add secondary and tertiary datum, if appropriate.
13 In the second row, repeat steps 2 through 12 to add composite tolerances, if
appropriate.
14 In the Height box, type a projected tolerance zone height value, if appropriate.
15 To insert a projected tolerance zone symbol, click the Projected Tolerance Zone
box, if appropriate.
16 Click OK.
17 In the drawing, specify the location of the feature frame.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 551

Q P O N ML KJ IH G F E

B D
C

A Use this row to include composite tolerances. J Type the primary datum reference letter.
B Type a projected tolerance height value. K Click to select the material condition symbol for the
C Type a datum identifier. second tolerance value.
D Click to include a projected tolerance symbol. L Type the second tolerance value.
E Click to select the material condition symbol for tertiary M Click to include a diameter symbol for the second
data. tolerance value.
F Type the tertiary datum reference letter. N Click to select the material condition symbol for the first
tolerance value.
G Click to select the material condition symbol for
secondary datum. O Type the first tolerance value.
H Type the secondary datum reference letter. P Click to include a diameter symbol for the first tolerance
value.
I Click to select the material condition symbol for primary
datum. Q Click to select a geometric tolerance symbol.

Controlling dimension tolerances

You can create dimensions as either tolerance or limits dimensions. When creating a
tolerance dimension, you can control the upper and lower tolerance limits as well as
the number of decimal places of the dimension text. The image tile on the right side
of the Dimension Styles dialog box shows the appearance of tolerance and limits
dimensions based on the current dimension style settings.

Tolerance dimension. Limits dimension.

552 CHAPTER 12

The display of zero tolerance values depends on the measurement units.

Metric drawings follow the Metric ISO Dimension Standards and display zero toler-
ance values without a plus or minus sign (0.0). For Imperial drawings, zero tolerance
values display with a plus or minus sign (+0.0 or -0.0). To check the drawing mea-
surement type, use the MEASUREMENT system variable.

To control dimension tolerances

1 Do one of the following to choose Dimension Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Annotate > Dimension Styles Manager (in Dimensions).
• On the menu, choose Dimensions > Dimension Styles Manager or choose
Format > Dimension Styles Manager.
• On the Dimensioning or Styles toolbar, click the Dimension Styles Manager
tool.
• Type setdim and then press Enter.
2 Click the Tolerance tab.
3 Make your selections.
4 Click OK.
 DIMENSIONING YOUR DRAWING 553

A
B

C
D
E
F
G
H
I

J
K

A Select to insert a plus and minus tolerance value F Type or select the scale factor applied to the
with dimension text. height of limits or tolerance dimension text.
B Select to insert upper and lower tolerance limits G Select the vertical justification of limits or
with dimension text. tolerance dimension text.
C Type or select the number of decimal places H Select to prevent the inclusion of trailing zeros in
displayed in limits or tolerance dimension text. limits or tolerance dimension text.
D Type or select the minimum tolerance or lower I Select to prevent the inclusion of leading zeros in
limit value. limits or tolerance dimension text.
E Type or select the maximum tolerance or upper J Select to prevent the inclusion of inches or feet
limit value. in limits or tolerance dimension text when the
corresponding number of inches or feet is zero.
554 CHAPTER 12
 13

Working with other files in your drawings

Blocks, attributes, and external references provide mechanisms for managing entities
in your drawings and for including additional information with the standard drawing
entities. With blocks, you can combine numerous entities into a single entity, and
then reuse it, inserting multiple copies. With attributes, you can associate text, such as
part numbers or prices, with blocks, and then extract the text-attribute information to
a separate file, such as a database, for further analysis. With external references, you
can link separate reference drawing files to a drawing to combine information without
adding the contents of the reference drawings to the current drawing. If you make
changes to the referenced file, all references are updated automatically.
This section explains how to:
• Create, insert, and redefine blocks.
• Create, edit, and insert attributes.
• Extract attribute data to a separate file.
• Attach and work with external references and underlays.
• Link and update data between drawings and spreadsheets.
• Use images in your drawings.
• Use a geographic location in your drawings.

Topics in this chapter

Working with blocks .......................................................................................... 556
Working with attributes ..................................................................................... 573
Working with external references...................................................................... 581
Attaching underlays created in other file formats.............................................. 595
Working with data links ..................................................................................... 600
Working with images......................................................................................... 606
Working with geographic locations ................................................................... 617
556 CHAPTER 13

Working with blocks

Usually, blocks are several entities combined into one that you can insert into a draw-
ing and manipulate as a single entity. A block can consist of visible entities such as
lines, arcs, and circles, as well as visible or invisible data called attributes. Blocks are
stored as part of the drawing file.

Understanding blocks
Blocks can help you better organize your work, quickly create and revise drawings,
and reduce drawing file size. Using blocks, you can create a library of frequently used
symbols. Then you can insert a symbol as a block rather than redraw the symbol from
scratch.
After you create a block from multiple entities, you save it once, which also saves
disk space. You insert only multiple references to a single block definition. You can
change the block definition to quickly revise a drawing, and then update all instances
of the block.
If you insert a block that contains entities originally drawn on layer 0 and assigned
color and linetype BYLAYER, it is placed on the current layer and assumes the color
and linetype of that layer. If you insert a block that contains entities originally drawn
on other layers or with explicitly specified colors or linetypes, the block retains the
original settings.
If you insert a block that contains entities originally assigned color and linetype
BYBLOCK, and the block itself has the color and linetype BYLAYER, those entities
adopt the color and linetype of the layer onto which they are inserted. If the block is
assigned an explicit color or linetype, such as red or dashed, those entities adopt those
qualities.
A procedure called nesting occurs when you include other blocks in a new block that
you are creating. Nesting is useful when you want to combine and include small com-
ponents, such as nuts and bolts, into a larger assembly and you need to insert multiple
instances of that assembly into an even larger drawing.
Some blocks are called dynamic and have associated parameters and actions. You
can’t create dynamic blocks using IntelliCAD, but you can insert any dynamic block
that was created using a different CAD application.
The quickest way to create and save blocks is using the Block Editor. It allows you to
draw and save the block in-place, directly in the drawing area. You can also create
blocks using individual block commands. A third way of creating blocks is using
IntelliCAD’s Explorer. For details about creating blocks using the Explorer, see
“Working with blocks” on page 347.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 557

Creating and saving a block using the Block Editor

When you create a block using the Block Editor, you specify its name and then draw
the entities that compose the block directly in the drawing area. While creating the
block in-place, you can save the block with its existing name or a new name.
The insertion point of the created block is automatically defined relative to the UCS.

To create a block using the Block Editor

1 Do one of the following to choose Block Editor ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Block Editor (in Block Definition) or choose
Insert > Block Editor (in Block Definition).
• Type bedit and then press Enter.
2 In the Edit Block Definition dialog box, enter a name and description for the new
block.
3 Click OK.
4 Draw the entities that make up the block.
5 Do one of the following to choose Save Block :
• On the ribbon, choose Block Editor > Save Block.
• On the floating toolbar (if the ribbon is not displayed), choose Save Block.
• Type bsave and then press Enter.
6 Do one of the following to choose Close Block Editor ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Block Editor > Close Block Editor.
• On the floating toolbar (if the ribbon is not displayed), choose Close Block
Editor.
• Type bclose and then press Enter.
The program adds the new block to the blocks list, with the name you entered for
it.

If you often include blocks in your drawings, you can create a tool palette that con-
tains the blocks you use most often. For details, see “Creating tool palettes and add-
ing commands and blocks” on page 889.

An existing block instance can easily be used to create a new block.

Use the Rename Block command to create a new block by renaming a single block
instance. Use the Change Block command to change the name of a single block
instance and then open the Block Editor where you can modify it.
558 CHAPTER 13

Creating and saving a block using individual commands

When you create a block using the Block command, you specify its name, its inser-
tion point, and the entities that compose the block. The insertion point is the base
point for the block and serves as the reference point when you later insert the block
into a drawing.
The new block you create exists only in the current drawing, unless you save it sepa-
rately using the Save Block to Disk command.

Creating a block for use within the current drawing

To create a block for use within a current drawing
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Create Block ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Create Block (in Block) or choose Insert > Create
Block (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Block > Create Block.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Create Block tool.
• Type block and then press Enter.
2 In the Block definition dialog box, enter a name and description for the new block.
3 Specify the insertion point for the block by doing one of the following:
• Specify on Screen Mark this check box to select the base point in the drawing
after you click OK.
• Pick Base Point Click ( ) to temporarily close the dialog box immediately,
select the base point in the drawing, then return to the dialog box. This option is
available only if Specify on Screen is not marked.
• X, Y, and Z Enter the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the base point. This option is
available only if Specify on Screen is not marked.
4 Select the entities to be combined into the block by doing one of the following:
• Specify on Screen Mark this check box to select the entities in the drawing after
you click OK.
• Select entities Click ( ) to temporarily close the dialog box immediately,
select the entities in the drawing, then return to the dialog box. Or you can click
( ) to select entities by type or value. This option is available only if Specify
on Screen is not marked.
5 Select what to do with the entities after the block is created:
• Retain entities Entities selected for the block remain in the drawing.
• Convert to block Entities selected for the block are converted to the block,
which remains in the drawing.
• Delete entities Entities selected for the block are removed from the drawing.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 559

6 Select any of the following options for the block:

• Annotative Determines whether the block is annotative by default. The display
and printing of annotative blocks is affected by annotation scaling. If annotative
by default, you can determine whether the block, when located in paper space,
is oriented automatically according to the layout viewport.
• Scale uniformly Mark this check box to retain the aspect ratio if the block is
scaled. Annotative blocks must be scaled proportionately.
• Allow exploding Mark this check box to allow the block to be exploded into
separate entities.
• Unit Defines the unit of the block, for example inches or millimeters.
7 Click OK.
The program adds a new block to the blocks list, with the name you entered for it.

A N
B

C N
D M
L
E K
J

F G H I
A Enter the name of the block. I Click to select entities by type or value.
B Enter a description of the block. J Choose block units.
C Select to pick the base point in the drawing after K Select to allow the block to be exploded into
you click OK. entities.
D Select to pick the base point now in the drawing. L Select to maintain aspect ratio if the block is
E Displays the base point coordinates or you can scaled.
enter them manually. M Select to make the block, when located in paper
F Select to select entities to include in the block space, oriented according to the layout viewport
after you click OK. (available only if Annotative is marked).
G Click to select entities now in the drawing. N Mark to make the block annotative by default.
H Select whether to keep, convert, or delete
entities after the block is created.

If you often include blocks in your drawings, you can create a tool palette that con-
tains the blocks you use most often. For details, see “Creating tool palettes and add-
ing commands and blocks” on page 889.
560 CHAPTER 13

Some users frequently restore original entities after defining a block.

To restore the original entities to the drawing while retaining the new block, type
undelete or oops. You might also want to add the Undelete command to a menu or
toolbar by choosing Tools > Customize.

An existing block instance can easily be used to create a new block.

Use the Rename Block command to create a new block by renaming a single block
instance. Use the Change Block command to change the name of a single block
instance and then open the Block Editor where you can modify it.

Saving blocks
You can create a block as a separate drawing file that you can insert into other drawings.
The Save Block to Disk command includes the most options for saving blocks, and the
Quick Block Save command includes only the essential steps: selecting entities and
naming the block.

To quickly save entities as a separate drawing file

1 Do one of the following to choose Quick Block Save ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Quick Block Save (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Quick Block Save.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Quick Block Save tool.
• Type quickwblock and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to save as a block, and then press Enter.
3 Enter a name for the destination drawing file.
4 Click Save.

To save a block as a separate drawing file

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Save Block To Disk ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Save Block to Disk (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Save Block To Disk.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Save Block To Disk tool.
• Type wblock and then press Enter.
2 In Source, choose Block, then select the desired block from the list.
3 In File Name and Path, type the name and path of the destination drawing file you
want to create, or click [...] to browse for it.
4 In Insert Units, select the units used for inserting the separate drawing file.
5 Click OK.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 561

The program assigns the 0,0,0 coordinate as the insertion base point.
You can change the base point by opening the drawing and redefining the block.

To save the current drawing as a separate drawing file

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Save Block to Disk ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Save Block to Disk (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Save Block To Disk.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Save Block To Disk tool.
• Type wblock and then press Enter.
2 In Source, choose Entire Drawing.
3 In File Name and Path, type the name and path of the destination drawing file you
want to create, or click [...] to browse for it.
4 In Insert Units, select the units used for inserting the separate drawing file.
5 Click OK.

The program assigns the 0,0,0 coordinate as the insertion base point.
You can change the base point by opening the drawing and redefining the block.
562 CHAPTER 13

To select entities and save them as a separate drawing file

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Save Block to Disk ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Save Block to Disk (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Save Block To Disk.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Save Block To Disk tool.
• Type wblock and then press Enter.
2 In Source, choose Entities.
3 In Base Point, enter the x,y,z coordinates of the base point to save with the sepa-
rate drawing file, or click ( ) to select it directly in the current drawing.
4 Click ( ) and then select the source entities directly in the current drawing. Or
you can click ( ) to select entities by type or value.
5 Choose what action to take with selected entities in the current drawing after the
separate drawing file is created:
• Retain Keeps the selected source entities in the current drawing.
• Convert to block Converts the selected source entities to a block in the current
drawing.
• Delete from drawing Deletes the selected source entities from the current
drawing.
If no entities are selected, a separate drawing file is not created.
6 In File Name and Path, type the name and path of the destination drawing file you
want to create, or click [...] to browse for it.
7 In Insert Units, select the units used for inserting the separate drawing file.
8 Click OK.
If you often include blocks in your drawings, you can create a tool palette that con-
tains the blocks you use most often. For details, see “Creating tool palettes and add-
ing commands and blocks” on page 889.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 563

J
A

I
B
H
G
C

A Select what content to save to a separate drawing F Displays the number of entities currently selected
file. If Entities is selected, the Base Point and to save to a separate drawing file. If no entities are
Entities options are available. selected, a separate drawing file is not created.
B Click to select in the current drawing the x,y,z G Select what action to take with selected entities in
coordinates of the base point to save with the the current drawing after the separate drawing file
separate drawing file. is created.
C Enter the x,y,z coordinates of the base point to H Click to select entities by type or value.
save with the separate drawing file. I Click to select in the current drawing the entities to
D Enter the path and filename of the new drawing save to a separate drawing file.
file, or click [...] to browse to it. J Select the block to save to a separate drawing file.
E Select the insertion units for the new drawing file. Available only if Block is selected as the source.
564 CHAPTER 13

Inserting blocks
You can insert blocks and other drawings into the current drawing. When you insert a
block, it is treated as a single entity. When you insert a drawing, it is added to the cur-
rent drawing as a block. You can then insert multiple instances of the block without
reloading the original drawing file. If you change the original drawing file, those
changes have no effect on the current drawing unless you redefine the block by rein-
serting the changed drawing.
You can insert dynamic blocks that were created in a different CAD program. When
inserting a dynamic block, press Ctrl to cycle through the block insertion points
defined by its dynamic parameters.
When you insert a block or drawing, you must specify the insertion point, scale, and
rotation angle. The block’s insertion point is the reference point specified when you
created the block. When you insert a drawing as a block, the program takes the speci-
fied insertion point as the block insertion point. You can change the insertion point,
however, by first opening the original drawing and redefining the block.

Block settings can also be set before block insertion.

You can specify the insertion point, scale factors, and rotation angle before inserting
a block by unmarking Specify on Screen for any of these options in the Insert Block
dialog box, and then specifying the appropriate details. You can also control whether
a block is exploded into its original component entities immediately after insertion by
marking Explode.

To insert a block
1 Do one of the following to choose Insert Block ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Insert Block (in Block) or choose Insert > Insert
Block (in Block).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Block.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Block tool.
• Type insert or ddinsert and then press Enter.
2 Choose Block Name, then select the name of the block you want to insert.
3 Click Insert.
4 Specify the insertion point for the block.
If inserting a dynamic block, you can press Ctrl while left-clicking the mouse to
cycle through block insertion points defined by its dynamic parameters.
5 Specify the x, y, and z scale factors and the rotation angle, or press Enter to accept
the default values.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 565

To insert an entire drawing into the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Insert Block ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Insert Block (in Block) or choose Insert > Insert
Block (in Block).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Block.
• On the Draw toolbar, click the Block tool.
• Type insert or ddinsert and then press Enter.
2 Choose From File, then type or click Browse to specify the path and the drawing
file name.
3 Click Insert.
4 Specify the insertion point for the block.
5 Specify the x, y, and z scale factors and the rotation angle, or press Enter to accept
the default values.

The scale can easily be changed after insertion.

To change the scale of a block after insertion, choose Express Tools > Blocks >
Block Scale. You can also change the position, scale, and rotation using the Proper-
ties pane.

You can also insert drawings while browsing files on your computer.
If the DRAGOPEN system variable is set to 0, you can drag a .dwg file to the drawing
area in IntelliCAD to insert it as a block. If DRAGOPEN is set to 1 (the default), the
drawing opens in IntelliCAD.
566 CHAPTER 13

B L
K
C
J
D I
E

FG H

A Choose to insert a block from a file and type or F Click to scale the block when inserting and
click Browse to specify the path and file name; or optionally insert multiple block instances.
choose to insert a block from the current drawing G Specify the scale factor for the x, y, and z
and select its name from the list. directions (if Specify on screen is unmarked for
B Click to position the block when inserting and scale).
optionally insert multiple block instances. H Mark to scale the block uniformly in the x, y, and z
C Specify the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the directions.
insertion point (if Specify on screen is unmarked I Displays the scale factor defined for the block.
for insertion point).
J Displays the insertion units defined for the block.
D Click to pick an insertion point directly in the
drawing area and return to the dialog box to K Enter the rotation angle for the block (available if
specify additional options. Specify on screen is unmarked for rotation).
E Click to explode the block on insertion. L Click to rotate the block when inserting and
optionally insert multiple block instances.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 567

Modifying blocks
There are several ways you can modify a block. After you modify it, all blocks in the
drawing are updated automatically.

Editing blocks using the Block Editor

You can redefine all instances of a block within the current drawing. To redefine a
block that was created in the current drawing, you create a new block using the same
name. You can update all the blocks in the current drawing by redefining the block. If
the block was inserted from a separate drawing file that was subsequently updated,
reinsert that block to update all other instances in the current drawing.

To redefine a block in the current drawing

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Block Editor ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Block Editor (in Block Definition) or choose
Insert > Block Editor (in Block Definition).
• Type bedit and then press Enter.

Use a shortcut.
Double-click a block to open it in the Block Editor. Note that the
BLOCKEDITLOCK system variable controls the double-click action for blocks: if
set to 0, the Block Editor opens; if set to 1, the Properties pane opens.

2 In the Edit Block Definition dialog box, select the block you want to edit.
3 Click OK.
4 In the drawing area, make changes to the block.
5 Do one of the following to choose Save Block :
• On the ribbon, choose Block Editor > Save Block.
• On the floating toolbar (if the ribbon is not displayed), choose Save Block.
• Type bsave and then press Enter.
You can also choose Save Block As ( ) to save the block with a new name.
6 Do one of the following to choose Close Block Editor ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Block Editor > Close Block Editor.
• On the floating toolbar (if the ribbon is not displayed), choose Close Block
Editor.
• Type bclose and then press Enter.
The program updates all instances of the block.

You can update all instances of a block inserted from a separate drawing by reinsert-
ing the drawing.
568 CHAPTER 13

Redefining blocks
You can redefine all instances of a block within the current drawing. To redefine a
block that was created in the current drawing, you create a new block using the same
name. You can update all the blocks in the current drawing by redefining the block. If
the block was inserted from a separate drawing file that was subsequently updated,
reinsert that block to update all other instances in the current drawing.

To redefine a block in the current drawing

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Create Block ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Create Block (in Block) or choose Insert > Create
Block (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Block > Create Block.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Create Block tool.
• Type block and then press Enter.
2 In Name, select the name of the block you want to redefine from the list.
3 Specify the insertion point for the block.
4 Select the entities for the block.
5 Make selections about the behavior.
6 Click OK.
7 When prompted, choose Yes to redefine the block.
The block is redefined, and all instances of the block in the drawing are updated.
8 To restore the original entities to the drawing while retaining the new block, type
undelete or oops.

You can update all instances of a block inserted from a separate drawing by reinsert-
ing the drawing.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 569

Editing blocks in-place

After a block is inserted in a drawing, it can be edited directly in IntelliCAD, and the
source block in the drawing (not on disk) and all references to the block are updated
automatically. Editing in-place is an easy way to make changes to a block without
having to locate and load it.

To edit blocks in-place

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Edit Reference in Place (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Edit Block or X-Ref In-Place > Edit In-Place.
• Type refedit and then press Enter.
2 At the prompt, select the block you want to edit.
The Reference Edit dialog box displays.
3 In Reference Name, select the block you want to edit.
4 Select any of the following options:
• Automatically Select All Nested Entities Select to automatically include all
nested entities for editing in-place.
• Prompt to Select Nested Entities Select to enable editing of individual nested
entities.
5 Select the Settings tab and select from the following options:
• Create Unique Layer, Style and Block Names Select to create unique names for
layers, styles, and blocks that you change. A prefix is added to the original name
of a changed layer, style, or block. Names of unchanged layers, styles, and
blocks do not change.
• Display Attribute Definitions for Editing Select to hide attributes and display
attribute definitions while editing. After saving, changed attribute definitions
affect new block insertions only. Existing blocks are not affected.
6 Click OK.
7 Make changes to the contents of the block.
8 To add an entity from the drawing to the block, select the entity and do one of the
following:
• Choose Tools > Edit Block or X-Ref In-Place > Add to Working Set.
• Type refset, press Enter, then choose Add.
9 To remove an entity from the block, select the entity and do one of the following:
• Choose Tools > Edit Block or X-Ref In-Place > Remove from Working Set.
• Type refset, press Enter, then choose Remove.
570 CHAPTER 13

10 When you’re finished editing the block, do one of the following:

• Choose Tools > Edit Block or X-Ref In-Place > Close Reference.
• Type refclose and then press Enter.
11 Choose Save to save changes or Discard to cancel changes.
If changes are saved, all instances of the block are updated in the current drawing.

Exploding blocks
You can explode an inserted block to its original component entities. When you
explode a block, only that single instance of the block is affected. The original block
definition remains in the drawing, and you can still insert additional copies of the
original block. If you explode a block that contains attributes, the attributes are lost,
but the original attribute definitions remain.
Exploding dissociates component entities to their next simplest level of complexity;
blocks or polylines in a block become blocks or polylines again

To explode a block
1 Do one of the following to choose Explode ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Explode (in Modify) or choose Edit > Explode
(in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Explode.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Explode tool.
• Type explode and then press Enter.
2 Select the block.
3 Press Enter.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 571

Replacing blocks with other blocks

Use the Replace Block command to replace each occurrence of a block with a differ-
ent block. Select the block to replace and the replacement block from a list of all
blocks available in the current drawing, and then choose whether to purge the unused
block definition from the drawing.

To replace a block
1 Do one of the following to choose Replace Block ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Replace Block (in Blocks).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Blocks > Replace Block.
• Type blockreplace and then press Enter.
2 In Select Original Block, select the block that you want to replace. Or click Pick to
select the block directly in the drawing.
3 In Select Replacement Block, select the block that you want to use as a replace-
ment block. Or click Pick to select it directly in the drawing.
4 Click OK.
5 To remove the unreferenced block definition from the drawing, choose Yes. To
keep the block definition in the drawing, choose No.

Converting blocks to external references

There are two ways you can convert and replace blocks with external references in
the current drawing:
• Replace all block occurrences with a new external reference that is created from
the block.
• Replace all block occurrences with an existing external reference.
To convert and replace a block with a new external reference
1 Do one of the following to choose Convert Block to Xref ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Convert Block to Xref (in Blocks).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Blocks > Convert Block to Xref.
• Type blocktoxref and then press Enter.
2 In Block to Convert, select the block that you want to convert, or click Pick to
select the block directly in the drawing area.
3 Choose Convert Block to Xref.
4 Click OK.
5 In the Save Block to File dialog box, enter the file name for the external reference,
then click Save.
572 CHAPTER 13

To convert and replace a block with an existing external reference

1 Do one of the following to choose Convert Block to Xref ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Convert Block to Xref (in Blocks).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Blocks > Convert Block to Xref.
• Type blocktoxref and then press Enter.
2 In Block to Convert, select the block that you want to convert, or click Pick to
select the block directly in the drawing area.
3 Choose Replace Block with Existing Xref.
4 Click OK.
5 In the Select Xref File dialog box, select the drawing file for replacing the selected
block, then click Open.
6 To remove the unreferenced block definition from the drawing, choose Yes. To
keep the block definition in the drawing, choose No.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 573

Working with attributes

An attribute is a particular entity that you can save as part of a block definition. Attri-
butes consist of text-based data. You can use attributes to track such things as part
numbers and prices. Attributes have either fixed or variable values. When you insert a
block containing attributes, the program adds the fixed values to the drawing along
with the block, and you are prompted to supply any variable values.
After you insert blocks containing attributes, you can extract the attribute information
to a separate file and then use that information in a spreadsheet or database to produce
a parts list or bill of materials. You can also use attribute information to track the
number of times a particular block is inserted into a drawing. And if changes are
made to block attributes, you can easily update block instances in the drawing with
the changes.
Attributes can be visible or hidden. Hidden attributes are neither displayed nor
printed, but the information is still stored in the drawing and written to a file when
you extract it.

Defining attributes
You add an attribute to a drawing by first defining it and then saving it as part of a
block definition. To define an attribute, you specify the characteristics of the attri-
bute, including its name, prompt, and default value; the location and text formatting;
and optional modes (hidden, fixed, validate, predefined, and locked).

To define an attribute
Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Define Attributes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Define Attributes (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Block > Define Attributes.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Define Attributes tool.
• Type attdef and then press Enter.
2 Type the tag name, prompt, and default value.
3 Under Mode, select optional attribute modes.
4 Under Insertion Point, enter the coordinates of the attribute location, or mark
Specify On-Screen to specify a location in the drawing when you add the attribute
to the drawing.
5 Under Text Settings, specify the text characteristics.
6 Click OK to add the attribute to the drawing.
574 CHAPTER 13

A S
B
R
C
D Q
E
P
F
O
G N
M
L
H
K
J
I

A Select to create a hidden attribute. J Enter the value for the maximum text boundary
B Select to create a fixed-value attribute. box width. (Available only when Multiple Lines is
selected.)
C Select to create an attribute whose value must
be validated when you later insert a block K Specify the text rotation angle, or click to specify
containing the attribute. the rotation angle by selecting two points in the
drawing.
D Select to create an attribute whose value is
defined and not requested when you later insert L Specify the text height, or click to specify the
a block containing the attribute, but that you can height by selecting two points in the drawing.
edit after the block is inserted. M Select to create an attribute that is annotative by
E Select to create an attribute whose position is default.
locked. N Choose the text style from those styles already
F Select to create an attribute whose default text defined in the drawing.
contains multiple lines of text. O Choose the text justification.
G Select to specify the attribute insertion point by P Enter the default or constant value. For variable
selecting a point in the drawing after you click attributes, the default value is replaced by the
OK. actual value when you later insert a block
H Specify the x-, y-, and z-coordinates for the containing the attribute.
attribute insertion point. (Available if not Q Click to insert a field as all or part of the value for
specifying on-screen.) an attribute. If Multiple Lines is selected, click to
I Select to place the attribute tag directly below enter multiple lines of default text.
the previously created attribute definition. R Enter the identifying prompt information
(Available only if there is a previously defined displayed when you insert a block containing the
attribute.) attribute.
S Type the name you want to assign to the
attribute.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 575

Editing attribute definitions

You can edit an attribute definition before you associate it with a block and before it
is saved as part of a block definition.

To edit an attribute definition

Advanced experience level
1 Select the attribute definition text to edit.
2 Do one of the following to choose Properties ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Properties (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Properties or Modify > Properties.
• Right-click the attribute definition text, then choose Properties.
• Type entprop and then press Enter.
3 Modify the properties, including name, prompt, default value, and other attribute-
specific properties.

Attaching attributes to blocks

You can attach attributes to a block after you define it and select it as one of the enti-
ties to include. Include the attributes when the program prompts you for the entities to
include in the selection set for a block. After the attribute is incorporated into a block,
the program prompts you each time you insert the block, so you can specify different
values for the attributes each time you insert it into a new drawing.
576 CHAPTER 13

Editing attributes attached to blocks

You can edit the attribute values of a block that has been inserted into a drawing.

To edit an attribute attached to a block

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Edit Attributes (Single) ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Edit Attributes > Single (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Entities > Attributes > Edit Attributes > Single.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Edit Single Attributes tool.
• Type eattedit and then press Enter.
2 Select the block to edit.
The Edit Attributes dialog box displays all the attributes attached to the block you
select.
3 Edit the attribute values as necessary.
4 Click OK.

To edit an attribute associated with multiple blocks

1 Do one of the following to choose Global Attribute Edit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Global Edit Attributes (in Blocks).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Blocks > Global Edit Attributes.
• Type gatte and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select the attribute you want to edit.
• Select the block you want to edit, then select or type the name of the attribute
you want to edit.
• Choose Block name, then enter the name of the block that is associated with the
attribute you want to edit.
3 Enter a new attribute value.
4 Choose Yes to change the values of all attributes with the specified name, or
choose No to select them in the drawing one by one.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 577

Extracting attribute information

You can extract attribute information from a drawing and save it to a separate text file
for use with a database program. You can save the file in any of the following for-
mats:
• Comma Delimited Format (CDF) Contains one line for each instance of a block,
with individual attribute fields separated by commas. Character string fields are
enclosed with single quotation marks. You must specify a template file when
extracting to a CDF file.
• Space Delimited Format (SDF) Contains one line for each instance of a block.
Each attribute field has a fixed length; there are no separators or character string
delimiters. You must specify a template file when extracting to a SDF file.
• Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) Creates a subset of a standard DXF file (a *.dxx
file) containing all the information about each block, including the insertion
points, rotation angles, and attribute values. No template file is required.

Before extracting attributes to a CDF or SDF file, you must create a template file. The
template file is an ASCII text file that specifies the attribute data fields to be written
in the extract file. Each line of the template file specifies one attribute field.
IntelliCAD recognizes 15 different fields, which contain elements such as the block
name, the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of its insertion point, the layer on which it is
inserted, and so on. You can include any of these fields. The template file must
include at least one attribute name.
Each line in the template file must start with the field name. Block name and inser-
tion-point values must begin with BL:. The next nonblank character must be either a
C (indicating a character string field) or an N (indicating a numeric field). This char-
acter is then followed by three digits indicating the width of the field (in characters).
The final three digits indicate the number of decimal places (for numeric fields). In
the case of character fields, the last three digits must be zeros (000). A typical tem-
plate file is similar to the one shown here:
578 CHAPTER 13

A G
F
E
B

A Field name. E Number of decimal places for numeric fields or

B Block name. Block names must begin with BL:. 000 for character fields.
C Insertion point. Insertion-point values must begin F Field width for character or numeric fields.
with BL:. G C for character fields; N for numeric fields.
D Attribute tags.
To create a template file
1 Create a template file using any ASCII text editor (such as Microsoft® Notepad or
Microsoft® WordPad) or a word-processing program such as Microsoft® Word.
2 Include the necessary fields in the template file.
3 Save the template file in ASCII text format.

To extract attribute information

1 Do one of the following to choose Extract Attributes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Extract Attributes (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Extract Attributes.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Extract Attributes tool.
• Type ddattext and then press Enter.
2 Click Select, specify the entities from which to extract attributes, and then press
Enter.
3 Specify the format of the extracted file.
4 For CDF and SDF formats, specify the template file.
5 Specify the extract output file.
6 Click Extract.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 579

A H

C G
D F
E

A Click to select blocks in the drawing containing E Click to extract attributes.

attributes you want to extract. F Click to specify the output file using a file dialog
B Click to specify the format of the extracted file. box.
C Specify the template file for CDF and SDF G Click to specify the template file using a file
extracts. dialog box.
D Specify the extract output file. H Indicates the number of blocks with attributes
selected for extraction.
580 CHAPTER 13

Synchronizing attributes and blocks

If changes are made to block attributes with the Create Block or Block Editor com-
mand, you can automatically apply those changes to block instances using the Syn-
chronize Attributes command.
This command doesn't affect values assigned to attributes.

To synchronize a block with updated attributes

1 Do one of the following to choose Synchronize Attributes ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Synchronize Attributes (in Blocks); Insert >
Synchronize Attributes (in Block Definition).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Entities > Attributes > Synchronize Attributes.
• Type attsync and then press Enter.
2 Choose Select.
3 Select a block definition in the drawing to be updated.
4 Choose Yes to update the block, or choose No to cancel.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 581

Working with external references

You can link entire drawings to the current drawing as external references. Unlike
inserting a drawing as a block, in which you add all the entities from the separate
drawing into the current drawing, external references attach a pointer to the external
file. The entities in the external reference appear in the current drawing, but the enti-
ties themselves are not added to the drawing. Thus, attaching an external reference
does not significantly increase the size of the current drawing file.

Understanding external references

External references provide additional capabilities not available when you insert a
drawing as a block. When you insert a drawing as a block, the entities are stored in
the drawing. Any changes you make to the original drawing are not reflected in the
drawing in which you inserted it. When you attach an external reference, however,
any changes you make to the original drawing file are reflected in the drawings that
reference it. These changes appear automatically each time you open the drawing
containing the external reference. If you know that the original drawing was modi-
fied, you can reload the external reference anytime you’re working on the drawing.
External references are useful for assembling master drawings from component draw-
ings. Use external references to coordinate your work with others in a group. External
references help reduce drawing file size and ensure that you are always working with
the most recent version of a drawing. However, if you send or receive drawings that
contain external references, it is important to include with the master drawing all of
the external references attached to it. When you open a drawing that contains external
references, the source external reference files must be accessible for the external ref-
erences to display in the drawing.
The Xref Manager helps you easily attach and work with external references.
582 CHAPTER 13

A
J
I
B H
G
F
E

A Click to display a detailed list or hierarchical tree. F Click to make the external reference a permanent
B Select an external reference to modify its part of the drawing.
attachment. G Click to remove the external reference, but keep
C Type or click Browse to specify the external elements and path information for easy reloading.
reference location. H Click to update with changes from the external
D Type or click Browse to specify other search reference.
directories where external references may be I Click to completely remove the external reference.
located. J Click to link a drawing.
E Click to open the source drawing for the external
reference.

Attaching external references

Attaching a separate drawing to the current one creates an external reference. The
external reference appears in the drawing as a block definition, but the drawing enti-
ties are linked rather than added to the current drawing. If you modify the linked
drawing, the current drawing that contains the external reference is updated automati-
cally when you open it, or you can reload the external reference manually so it
reflects the latest version of the external reference.
When you attach an external reference, its layers, linetypes, text styles, and other ele-
ments are not added to the current drawing. Rather, these elements are also linked
from the referenced file.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 583

There are two ways you can attach an external reference:

• An attachment is an inserted drawing that contains a link to the original file.
Attachments can themselves contain other, nested reference files. When you
attach an external reference, any nested references contained in the file also appear
in the current drawing.
• An overlay is an inserted drawing that contains a link to the original file. Overlays
allow you to lay a drawing on top of another drawing, similar to the way you work
manually with transparencies. When a drawing that contains overlaid external ref-
erences is itself attached or overlaid as an external reference in another drawing,
the overlays do not appear as part of the external reference. Use overlaying when
you want to see reference geometry in a drawing but you do not need to include
that geometry in drawings that will be used by others (nested external references).

You can attach as many copies of an external reference file as you want. Each copy
can have a different position, scale, and rotation angle.

To attach an external reference

1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
2 Click Attach.
3 Specify the drawing file to attach as an external reference, and then click Open.
4 In Reference Type, choose how you want to insert the drawing:
• Attachment – inserts a copy of the drawing and includes any other drawings that
are externally referenced within the referenced drawing.
• Overlay – lays a copy of a drawing over your original drawing; it does not
include any nested external references from the externally referenced drawing.
5 Make any additional selections.
6 Click OK.
7 If you marked Specify On-Screen for any items, follow the prompts to attach the
external reference.

After an external file is attached, the Manage Xrefs icon displays in the status bar,
notifying that the drawing contains a linked external reference file.
584 CHAPTER 13

A G

B F

E
C

A Displays the external reference to attach, or select D Choose to specify the scale in the drawing, or enter
one from the list. x-, y-, and z-scale factors.
B Click Attachment to link a drawing, including any of E Choose to specify the rotation angle in the drawing,
its own external references. Click Overlay to link a or enter a rotation angle.
drawing, omitting any of its own nested external F Select to save the folder location of the referenced
references. drawing. If not selected, the referenced drawing
C Choose to specify the insertion point in the must be located in the same folder as the current
drawing, or enter x-, y-, and z-coordinates. drawing.
G Click to locate and select a different external
reference.

Viewing the list of external references

You can view a list of the external references that are linked to the current drawing
two different ways using the Xref Manager:
• List View displays the external references in a list, which allows you to sort the list
of references by name, status, size, type, date, or saved path.
• Tree View displays a hierarchical representation of the external references and the
relationships between them. The tree view shows the level of nesting relationships
of the attached external references.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 585

To view a list of external references

1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, click Manage Xrefs, which displays when external references
are linked to the drawing.
2 Click List View ( ) or Tree View ( ).

Opening external references

From the Xref Manager you can quickly open the source drawing for any external
reference. This is especially helpful if you are working with nested external refer-
ences, which you cannot bind or detach. From the Xref Manager, open the source
drawing, make changes, and then save and close the source drawing. When the Xref
Manager displays again, simply reload the external reference.

To open an external reference

1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, click Manage Xrefs, which displays when external references
are linked to the drawing.
2 Select the external reference to open.
3 Click Open.

Use a shortcut.
Type xopen to open an external reference without using the Xref Manager. To see any
changes that you make to the external reference while it is open, reload it.
586 CHAPTER 13

Removing external references

Removing external references from the current drawing is easy with the Xref Man-
ager. You can unload an external reference, which keeps some information about the
external reference in the current drawing for easy reloading later, or you can detach
the external reference entirely.
When you unload an external reference, you remove it from the current drawing.
However, its elements, such as layers and linetypes, remain in the drawing and it is
still listed in the Xref Manager. By detaching an external reference you remove it and
all of its elements from the current drawing, and it is no longer listed in the Xref Man-
ager.

To unload an external reference

1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, click Manage Xrefs, which displays when external references
are linked to the drawing.
2 Select the external reference to unload.
3 Click Unload.

To detach an external reference

1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, click Manage Xrefs, which displays when external references
are linked to the drawing.
2 Select the external reference to detach.
3 Click Detach.

Nested external references cannot be detached.

Only the external references that are attached directly to the current drawing can be
detached.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 587

Reloading external references

When you open or print a drawing, any external references in the drawing are updated
automatically.
If a drawing is already open and a referenced drawing is modified, you can update the
current drawing manually to display the latest version of the referenced drawing. The
program checks for modified external references every five minutes.
You may also want to reload an external reference that has been unloaded temporar-
ily.
To reload an external reference
1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, click Manage Xrefs, which displays when external references
are linked to the drawing.
2 Select the external reference to reload.
3 Click Reload.

Use a shortcut.
By default, when an external reference is modified outside of IntelliCAD, a notifica-
tion appears in a balloon message and in the Event Log. Click Reload in the balloon
message to reload the external reference. To turn off these notifications, set the
XREFNOTIFY system variable to 0; to turn on notifications, set it to 2. To change
how often the program checks for modified external references, set the number of
minutes using the XNOTIFYTIME system variable.

Changing the path for external references

If the file associated with an external reference is moved to a different directory or
renamed, the program displays a message indicating that it cannot load the external
reference. You can re-establish the link to the file by doing any of the following:
• Change the path for the external reference.
• Specify additional directories for IntelliCAD to search. This is especially helpful
if you have several external references that have moved to a new directory.
588 CHAPTER 13

To change the path for a single external reference

1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, click Manage Xrefs, which displays when external references
are linked to the drawing.
2 Select the external reference whose path you want to change.
3 In Xref Path, do one of the following:
• Enter a new filename or location.
• Click Browse to locate and select the referenced drawing.
IntelliCAD reloads the specified external reference automatically.

External references cannot be recursive.

You cannot recursively reference a drawing from the same original drawing.

To change the search paths for all external references in the drawing
1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, click Manage Xrefs, which displays when external references
are linked to the drawing.
2 In Additional Xref Search Paths, do one of the following:
• Enter a new directory and its path. Separate multiple paths with a semicolon, for
example, c:\My Drawings;d:\My Drawings\Backup.
• Click Browse to locate and select a directory.
IntelliCAD searches the specified directories; any found external references are
reloaded automatically.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 589

Binding external references to drawings

External references are not part of the drawing. Rather, they are links to an externally
referenced file. To provide a copy of a drawing containing external references to
someone else, you must also provide all the external reference files. In addition, the
person receiving the drawings must either re-create the same paths you used when
linking the external references or change the paths for the external references.
To provide a copy of a drawing that contains external references, it is often easier to
first bind the external references to the drawing. Binding the external references
makes them a permanent part of the drawing, which is similar to inserting a separate
drawing as a block.
You can bind external references that are attached directly to the current drawing; you
cannot bind nested external references.

To bind an existing external reference to a drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, click Manage Xrefs, which displays when external references
are linked to the drawing.
2 Select the external reference to bind.
3 Click Bind.
4 Choose one of the following:
• Bind Binds the external reference and creates a unique name for each named
entity, such as a layer or block, that is located in the external reference. For
example, a layer named Electric in the external reference will be named
Xref$0$Electric in the current drawing. If the current drawing already has a
layer or block with the same name, the name is changed incrementally, for
example, Xref$1$Electric.
• Insert Binds the external reference, but does not change the names of any named
entities in the external reference. For example, a layer named Electric in the
external reference will have the same name, Electric, in the current drawing. If
the current drawing has a layer or block with the same name, the named entity
in the external reference takes on the properties of the named entity in the
current drawing.
5 Click OK.
590 CHAPTER 13

Clipping external references

When you attach a drawing as an external reference, all of the referenced drawing
displays in the current drawing. However, after you attach an external reference, you
can define a clipping boundary that determines which portion of the referenced draw-
ing is visible or hidden.
You can edit, move, or copy clipped external references the same way you modify
unclipped external references. The boundary moves with the reference. If an external
reference contains nested clipped external references, they also appear clipped in the
drawing.
In addition to clipping external references, you can also partially hide blocks using
clipping boundaries.

Example of an external reference clipped using a clipping boundary. The clipping boundary is the rectangle
in the top window.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 591

Adding clipping boundaries

When you create a clipping boundary, it affects only the display of the referenced
drawing; it does not affect the original referenced drawing or any referenced geome-
try. The portion of the external reference within the clipping boundary is visible and
the remainder of the external reference becomes hidden.

To define a rectangular clipping boundary

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Clip Xref (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Xref Clip.
• Type xclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the external references to clip. If desired, you can also select blocks.
3 Press Enter.
4 Press Enter to create a new clipping boundary.
5 If prompted, press Enter to delete any existing boundaries.
6 Choose Rectangular.
7 Define the first corner of the clipping rectangle.
8 Define the second corner of the clipping rectangle.
The selected external references are clipped by the rectangle.

Use the shortcut.

You can first select all external references, right-click the selection, and then select
Xref Clip from the shortcut menu.

To define a clipping boundary using a polyline

1 Draw a polyline where you want to clip external references.
2 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Clip Xref (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Xref Clip.
• Type xclip and then press Enter.
3 Select the external references to clip. If desired, you can also select blocks.
4 Press Enter.
5 Press Enter to create a new clipping boundary.
6 If prompted, press Enter to delete any existing boundaries.
7 Choose Select Polyline.
8 Select the polyline to use as clipping boundary.
592 CHAPTER 13

Turning clipping boundaries on and off

You can turn xref clipping on or off. When a clipping boundary is turned off, the
boundary does not display and the entire external reference is visible, provided that
the geometry is on a layer that is on and thawed. When a clipping boundary is turned
off, it still exists and can be turned on. However, deleting a clipping boundary is per-
manent.

To turn clipping boundaries on and off

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Clip Xref (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Xref Clip.
• Type xclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired external references.
3 Press Enter.
4 To turn off clipping boundaries, choose Off. To turn on existing clipping boundar-
ies, choose On.
5 Press Enter.
If you are turning off a clipping boundary, click the clipped portion of the external
reference to view the previously hidden portion of the referenced drawing.

Use the XCLIPFRAME system variable.

When the XCLIPFRAME system variable is on (set to 1), you can select and print the
clipping boundary frame.

Deleting clipping boundaries

If you no longer need a clipping boundary for an external reference, you can delete it.

To delete a clipping boundary

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Clip Xref (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Xref Clip.
• Type xclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired external references.
3 Press Enter.
4 Choose Delete, and then press Enter.
5 Click the clipped portion of the external reference.
The previously hidden portion of the referenced drawing displays.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 593

Editing external references in-place

After an external reference is inserted in a drawing, it can be edited directly in Intelli-
CAD, and the source drawing file is updated automatically. Editing in-place is an
easy way to make changes to the source file without having to locate the file and load
it.

To edit an external reference in-place

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Edit Reference in Place (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Edit Block or choose X-Ref In-Place > Edit In-
Place.
• Type refedit and then press Enter.
2 At the prompt, select the external reference you want to edit.
The Reference Edit dialog box displays.
3 In Reference Name, select the external reference you want to edit.
4 Select the Settings tab and select from the following options:
• Create Unique Layer, Style and Block Names Select to create unique names for
layers, styles, and blocks that you change. A prefix is added to the original name
of a changed layer, style, or block. Names of unchanged layers, styles, and
blocks do not change.
• Display Attribute Definitions for Editing Select to hide attributes and display
attribute definitions while editing. After saving, changed attribute definitions
affect new insertions only.
5 Click OK.
6 Make changes to the contents of the external reference. Any new entities created
during edit in-place are automatically added when the external reference is closed
and saved.
7 To add an existing entity from the drawing to the external reference, select the
entity and do one of the following:
• Choose Tools > Edit Block or X-Ref In-Place > Add to Working Set.
• Type refset, press Enter, then choose Add.
594 CHAPTER 13

8 To remove an entity from the external reference, select the entity and do one of the
following:
• Choose Tools > Edit Block or X-Ref In-Place > Remove from Working Set.
• Type refset, press Enter, then choose Remove.
9 When you’re finished editing the external reference, do one of the following:
• Choose Tools > Edit Block or X-Ref In-Place > Close Reference.
• Type refclose and then press Enter.
10 Choose Save to save changes or Discard to cancel changes.
11 The external reference is updated and the current drawing displays the changes.

You can also type xopen to open an external reference directly.

To see any changes that you make to the external reference while it is open, reload it.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 595

Attaching underlays created in other file formats

When you attach an underlay, a picture representation of the file’s contents is inserted
into the drawing. An underlay is similar to an image and different from an external
reference in that it cannot be linked and automatically updated.
You can attach underlays using files that have the following formats:
• PDF format — Portable document format viewable using Adobe® Acrobat®
Reader® and Adobe® Acrobat. The PDF format uses the .pdf file extension.
• Autodesk® DWF format — Autodesk Design Web Format (used with .dwf
files) is used to distribute a drawing for others to view in a Web browser, review,
and edit using free Autodesk software and tools. The DWF format uses the .dwf
file extension.
• DGN format — Drawing files used with Bentley Microstation. The DGN for-
mat uses the .dgn file extension.
• PCG format — Point cloud files used by Autodesk® software and tools. The PCG
format uses the .pcg file extension.
• RCP/RCS format — Point cloud files. The RCP/RCS format uses the .rcp or .rcs
file extension.
• IFC format — BIM files in the Industry Foundation Classes format for building
and construction data.
• RVT/RFA format — BIM files used by Autodesk Revit® for building and con-
struction data.
596 CHAPTER 13

Attaching a PDF underlay

Attaching a .pdf file is similar to attaching an image file.

To attach a PDF underlay

1 Use one of the following methods:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > PDF Underlay (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > PDF Underlay.
• Type pdfattach and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .pdf file you want to attach.
3 Click Open.
4 Specify which page of the .pdf file to attach.
5 Select an insertion point.
6 Enter the scale in which to insert the .pdf file.
7 Enter the rotation to use for the insertion.

Attaching a DWF underlay

Attaching a .dwf file is similar to attaching an image file.

To attach a DWF underlay

1 Use one of the following methods:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > DWF Underlay (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > DWF Underlay.
• Type dwfattach and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .dwf file you want to attach.
3 Click Open.
4 Select an insertion point.
5 Enter the scale in which to insert the .dwf file.
6 Enter the rotation to use for the insertion.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 597

Attaching a DGN underlay

Attaching a .dgn file is similar to attaching an image file.

To attach a DGN underlay

1 Use one of the following methods:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > DGN Underlay (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > DGN Underlay.
• Type dgnattach and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .dgn file you want to attach.
3 Click Open.
4 Select an insertion point.
5 Enter the scale in which to insert the .dgn file.
6 Enter the rotation to use for the insertion.

Attaching a point cloud underlay

A point cloud is a set of 3D points that represents the surface of an entity in three
dimensions. Point cloud files are typically created by 3D-scanners.
Attaching a point cloud file (.pcg, .rcp, or .rcs file) is similar to attaching an image
file.

To attach a point cloud underlay

1 Do one of the following to choose Point Cloud Underlay ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Point Cloud Underlay (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Point Cloud Underlay.
• Type pointcloudattach and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .pcg, .rcp, or .rcs file you want to attach.
3 Click Open.
4 In the Attach Point Cloud dialog box, select an insertion point.
5 Enter the scale in which to insert the point cloud file.
6 Enter the rotation to use for the insertion.
7 If you want to lock the point cloud so it cannot be moved or rotated after insertion,
mark Lock Point Cloud.
8 If you want to zoom in to the point cloud automatically after insertion, mark Zoom
to Point Cloud.
9 Click OK.
598 CHAPTER 13

Attaching a BIM underlay

A Building Information Modeling (BIM) file is a drawing that typically contains a 3D
model of a building that can be used for visualization, design, analysis, and to gener-
ate building construction documents. You can attach the following types of BIM
files:
• RVT format — Drawing files used by Autodesk Revit® for building and construc-
tion data.
• RFA format — Family files used by Autodesk Revit® typically for storing build-
ing and construction elements.
• IFC format — Files in the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) format used for
building and construction data.

Attaching a BIM file is similar to attaching an image file.

After you attach a BIM underlay, note the following:
• Layers Use the BIM Properties pane to control visibility of layers in .ifc underlays
and floors or categories in .ifc and .rvt underlays. Type bimprop to open the pane
(and type bimpropclose to close it).
• Entity snapping To snap to BIM underlays, turn on the UOSNAP system variable
(or RVTOSNAP for only .rvt and .rfa files or IFCOSNAP for only .ifc files). You
can also use the Options command, Drafting tab.
• Explode The BIM Explode command breaks apart an attached BIM underlay into
polyface meshes and polylines that can be edited. BIM Explode is similar to using
the Explode command for a BIM underlay except all BIM underlay intelligence is
kept intact and each resulting entity is placed on its own layer.

• Unload and reload You can unload BIM underlays from the drawing and reload
them to update the drawing with any changes made to the source file. Using the
Explore External References command, right-click the underlay and choose
Unload or Reload.

Import an .ifc file to retain its entities.

When importing an .ifc file, all entities are available and construction and architec-
tural entities are converted to AEC entities. For more details, see “Importing an IFC
format file” on page 805.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 599

To attach a BIM underlay

1 Do one of the following to choose BIM Underlay ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > BIM Underlay (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > BIM Underlay.
• Type bimattach and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .rvt, rfa, or .ifc file you want to attach.
3 Click Open.
4 Select an insertion point.
5 Enter the scale in which to insert the file, then press Enter.
6 Enter the rotation to use for the insertion, then press Enter.
600 CHAPTER 13

Working with data links

Data links allow you to share data between CAD drawings and spreadsheets. First
you create a data link to a spreadsheet (.xls or .xlsx file), and then you select the data
link when inserting a table in a drawing.
When content in the linked source .xls/.xlsx file changes, you can update the table in
your drawing to include the modified data. And vice versa, you can update the exter-
nal source .xls/.xlsx files to include the modified data from your drawing.

Using data links is different than importing an .xls/.xlsx file.

Importing an .xls or .xlsx file creates and fills a table with the data contained in the
file, but the external source file is not linked to the drawing so future changes in
either the drawing or source file cannot be updated automatically. For more details
about importing, see “Importing an XLS format file” on page 809.

Creating a data link

Each data link corresponds to a single sheet in an .xls or .xlsx file. You can link to the
whole spreadsheet, a named range, or a custom range that you specify.
To create a data link, Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet program that works
with .xls or .xlsx files must be installed on your computer.
Once the data link is created, you can include the referenced data in your drawing by
inserting a table and selecting the data link. The data link can also be created at the
same time you draw tables. For more details about tables, see “Drawing an empty
table” on page 180.

To create a data link

1 Do one of the following to choose Data Link Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Data Link Manager (in Data); Annotate > Data
Link Manager (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Data Link > Data Link Manager.
• Type datalink and then press Enter.
2 Click New Data Link ( ).
3 In Name, enter a name for the data link.
4 In Choose an Excel File, click [...] to browse for an .xls, .xlsx file, or choose a file
from the list of files that are linked to from the current drawing.
5 In Path Type, choose whether you want to use a full path, relative path, or no path
to find the specified file.
6 In Select Excel Sheet to Link To, choose the sheet from the list of all sheets con-
tained in the specified Excel file.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 601

7 Choose one of the following:

• Link Entire Sheet Select to include data from the entire specified sheet within
the Excel file.
• Link to a Named Range Select to include data from a named range of cells within
the Excel file. Available only when the specified file contains named ranges.
• Link to Range Select to include data from a custom range of cells. You can
specify an entire column (e.g., A:A), a set of entire columns (e.g., A:D), or a
rectangular area (e.g., A1:D10).
8 Click OK.
9 Click OK again.

B H

A Enter a name for the data link. E Choose to link to all content in the sheet, a named
B Select an Excel file to link to, or select Browse for a range (if defined in the source file), or a custom
File to select a different file. range that you specify.
C Choose whether to use a full path, relative path, or F Turns the preview on or off. For large source files,
no path to find the specified file. turning off the preview can improve performance.
D Choose the sheet in the Excel file that contains the G Click to update the preview. (Available if Link to
content you want to link to. Range is selected.)
H Click to browse for an .xls or .xlsx file to link to.
602 CHAPTER 13

Opening the source file of a data link

If you need to open a source file to edit its content and then update its linked data in
your drawing, you can easily open the source file by using the Data Link Manager
command.

To open the source file of a data link

1 Do one of the following to choose Data Link Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Data Link Manager (in Data); Annotate > Data
Link Manager (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Data Link > Data Link Manager.
• Type datalink and then press Enter.
2 Select a data link.
3 In Details, confirm that the referenced file is the one you want to open.
4 Click Open Source File.

Managing data links

Data links can be renamed and deleted, and their settings can be changed, including
the files they link to.
If a source file is moved, deleted, or renamed, the link becomes broken. You can rees-
tablish the link to the same file in a new location or a different file altogether.

To modify a data link or fix a broken one

1 Do one of the following to choose Data Link Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Data Link Manager (in Data); Annotate > Data
Link Manager (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Data Link > Data Link Manager.
• Type datalink and then press Enter.
2 Select the data link you want to modify.
Broken data links are indicated in the Links list ( ).
3 Click Modify Data Link ( ).
4 If the data link is broken or for any other reason, click [...] to select a different file
to link to.
5 Select any additional options you want to change. Click [?] for more details.
6 Click OK.
7 Click OK again.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 603

To rename a data link

1 Do one of the following to choose Data Link Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Data Link Manager (in Data); Annotate > Data
Link Manager (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Data Link > Data Link Manager.
• Type datalink and then press Enter.
2 Select the data link you want to rename.
3 Click Rename Data Link ( ).
4 Type a new name, and then press Enter.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK again.

To delete a data link

1 Do one of the following to choose Data Link Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Data Link Manager (in Data); Annotate > Data
Link Manager (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Data Link > Data Link Manager.
• Type datalink and then press Enter.
2 Select the data link you want to delete.
3 Click Delete Data Link ( ).
4 Click OK to confirm the deletion, or click No to cancel.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK again.
604 CHAPTER 13

H
G
F
E
D
A

A Displays a list of all data links in the drawing. Right- E Click to modify the selected data link.
click for more options. F Click to rename the selected data link.
B Mark to turn the preview display on or off. G Click to delete the selected data link.
C Displays details about the selected data link. H Click to open the source file associated with the
D Click to create a data link. selected data link.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 605

Updating data link content

If you make changes to linked data in the drawing or referenced source file, you can
automatically synchronize the linked content.

To apply changes made in the source file to linked data in your drawing
1 Do one of the following to choose Update from Source ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Update from Source (in Data); Annotate >
Update from Source (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Data Link > Update from Source.
• Type datalinkupdate, press Enter, and then choose Update Data Link.
2 Select the tables you want to update with modified data from external source files,
or do one of the following:
• Choose Data Link to enter the name of a data link to update.
• Choose All Data Links to update all data links in the drawing.
To update the source file with changes made to linked data in your drawing
1 Do one of the following to choose Save to Source ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Save to Source (in Data); Annotate > Save to
Source (in Tables).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Data Link > Save to Source.
• Type datalinkupdate, press Enter, and then choose Write Data Link.
2 Select the tables that contain modified linked data you want to save to correspond-
ing external source files, then press Enter.

Get notified about modified or missing data links.

By default, the status bar indicates when a table in the drawing is linked to data and a
balloon message displays when a data link is modified or missing. Use the
DATALINKNOTIFY system variable to change this setting.
606 CHAPTER 13

Working with images

You can modify and view raster images directly inside of IntelliCAD. You can load,
edit, and modify multiple images as overlays or underlays to your IntelliCAD draw-
ings. The images can be selected for use with IntelliCAD commands by selecting the
image frame, which can be turned on or off for printing or selection purposes.
IntelliCAD supports numerous image file formats, including BMP, JPG, GIF, EMF,
TIF, PNG, WMF, SID, and many more.

Attaching images
When you attach an image to a drawing, the image displays in the drawing but is not
saved in the drawing. Similar to an external reference, the image file remains saved in
its original location on your computer, network, or other media.
If you send or receive drawings that contain images, it is important to include with the
drawing all of the image files attached to it. When you open a drawing that contains
images, the source image files must be accessible for the images to display in the
drawing.

To attach an image
1 Do one of the following to choose Attach Image:
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Attach Image (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Attach Image or Modify > Entities >
Image > Attach Image.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Attach Image tool.
• Type imageattach and then press Enter.
2 Specify a file to attach, and then click Open.
3 In Image Path will be Saved As, enter a different image file location, if necessary.
You can click [ > ] to choose how you want to save the image path:
• Full Path — The image is referenced using its full path, for example, c:\My
Pictures\MyImage.jpg. Use this option if the image is saved in a folder unrelated
to the current drawing folder.
• Relative Path — The image is referenced using a path relative to the current
drawing folder, for example, ..\My Pictures\MyImage.jpg. Use this option if the
image is stored in a subfolder of the current drawing folder.
• File Name Only — The image is referenced using its file name in the current
drawing folder, for example, MyImage.jpg. Use this option if the image is saved
in the same folder as the current drawing.
4 In the Attach Image dialog box, specify the position, scale, rotation, transparency,
and clipping options, and then click OK.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 607

NOTE Transparency works for images that support alpha transparency, that is,
images that have at least one color that can be viewed as a transparent color.

5 In the drawing, specify an insertion point, scale, and rotation if you chose to spec-
ify those on the screen.

A
J
B
I

C
H

D
G
F

A Enter a different image file location, if necessary. G Choose whether entities located under the image are
B Choose to place the image automatically in the visible (for images that support alpha transparency).
drawing using specifications located in a positioning H Choose to specify rotation in the drawing upon
file. Enter the TWF file associated with the image or insertion, or enter how many degrees to rotate the
click [...] to select it. image to the left.
C Enter a name for the image. I Click to view image information, including color depth
D Choose to specify the insertion point in the drawing and resolution.
upon insertion, or enter coordinates. J Choose to save the image path as its full path,
E Choose to specify the size of the image in the relative path to the current drawing folder, or file
drawing upon insertion, or enter the size values. name in the current drawing folder.
F Choose whether to turn clipping display on or off for
the image.

You can also attach images using the Image Manager or Explorer
Choose Insert > Image > Image Manager, and then click Attach to specify an
image and then attach it, or if you want to quickly add another occurrence of an
image already located in the drawing, select the image in the Image Manager and
then click Add. Or, choose Tools > Explorer and attach an image as an externally
reference file.
608 CHAPTER 13

Modifying images
You can modify an image by changing its brightness, contrast, fade, size, rotation, or
transparency. These changes affect the image in the drawing only — not the original
external image file.
In addition to modifying a single image or multiple images that you select, you can
also modify all occurrences of an image within a drawing. For example, if your com-
pany logo appears in multiple locations throughout a drawing, you can use the Image
Manager to specify the changes once and apply them to all occurrences of the logo.
You can use other IntelliCAD commands for typical modifications, such as Delete,
Move, Copy, Rotate, and more.

To modify images
1 Do one of the following to choose Image Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Image Manager (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Image Manager or Modify > Entities >
Image > Image Manager.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Image Manager tool.
• Type image and then press Enter.

TIP You can also modify images by selecting one or more images in a drawing,
and then choosing Modify > Properties.

2 In the Images list, select the image you want to modify. If there is more than one
occurrence of the image in the drawing, do one of the following:
• To modify all occurrences of the image, select a top-level image in the list.
• To modify a single occurrence of the image, expand a top-level image in the list,
and then select the individual image.
3 Adjust the Brightness, Contrast, and Fade by moving the slider to the setting you
want or by entering an exact number. The image preview shows how your changes
will affect the image.

TIP If you want to restore the image to the default brightness, contrast, and fade
settings, click Reset.

4 Adjust the Size by making changes to the width (X) and height (Y) in drawing
units. Mark Keep Aspect Ratio if you want the width and height to change
together to retain the aspect ratio of the image.
5 Adjust the Rotation by entering the number of degrees you want to rotate the
image to the left. Zero degrees indicates no rotation.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 609

6 Mark Use Transparency if you want entities located under the image to be visible
(for images that support alpha transparency, that is, images that have at least one
color that can be viewed as a transparent color).
7 Mark Show Clipping Boundary if you want to show the image clipped, if a clip-
ping boundary is defined for the image. Unmarking this option displays the whole
image, even if a clipping boundary is defined.
8 Click OK.
610 CHAPTER 13

B K
C
D
J
E I

H
F G

A Click a top-level image to modify all occurrences G Choose whether all images in the drawing display in
located in the drawing. Expand a top-level image and high quality (requires more system resources).
click an individual image to modify that occurrence H Enter the width (X) and height (Y) in drawing units.
only. Mark Keep Aspect Ratio to change width and height
B Move the slider or enter an exact number for image together.
brightness. I Choose whether to turn clipping display on or off for
C Move the slider or enter an exact number for image the image.
contrast. J Choose whether entities located under the image are
D Move the slider or enter an exact number for image visible (for images that support alpha transparency).
fade, which fades the image without displaying K Enter how many degrees to rotate the image to the
entities located under the image. left.
E Click to return to the default brightness, contrast, and L Click to view details about the selected image.
fade settings.
F Choose whether all image frames in the drawing
display and print.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 611

Changing the display of images

You can change the following for how all images display in a drawing:
• Image quality — Images can display in high or low resolution.
• Image frames — Images can display and print with or without frames on their
edges.

Changing the display quality for all images

High quality displays images in high resolution and requires more system resources.
Draft quality displays images in low resolution and consumes fewer system
resources. Changing the quality setting affects all images in the drawing.

To change the display quality for all images

1 Do one of the following to choose Image Quality ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Image Quality (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Image Quality or Modify > Entities >
Image > Image Quality.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Image Quality tool.
• Type imagequality and then press Enter.
2 Choose High or Draft.

TIP This feature is also available in the Image Manager. Type image, then in the
Image Manager dialog box, choose your selection for High-quality image display.
612 CHAPTER 13

Turning image frames on or off for all images

When image frames are turned on, a frame displays and prints on the edge of all
images in the drawing. When image frames are turned off, none of the images display
or print with a frame. Each image frame displays with the properties (layer, color,
linetype, etc.) that are assigned to the image.
Turning image frames off may be helpful, for example, if the images are part of a
background in the drawing.

To turn image frames on or off for all images

1 Do one of the following to choose Display Image Frame ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Display Image Frame (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Display Image Frame or Modify >
Entities > Image > Image Frame.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Display Image Frame tool.
• Type imageframemode and then press Enter.
2 Choose On or Off.
3 If you chose On, choose whether to print image frames.

Image frames can be turned on an off using various methods.

Type image, then in the Image Manager dialog box, make your selection in Image
Frames. Or use the IMAGEFRAME system variable. Additionally, type tframe to turn
on or off all image and wipeout frames in the drawing.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 613

Clipping images
You can clip images so that only a portion of the image is visible in a drawing. The
visible portion (or the invisible portion for inverted clips) can be in the shape of a
rectangle, polygon, or existing polyline.
Image clipping can be turned on and off. If you turn off clipping for an image, the
entire image is visible provided that the image is on a layer that is on and thawed. The
clipping information is retained however, and you can turn clipping back on at any
time.
If you delete clipping from an image, the clipping is removed permanently but the
image itself remains in the drawing.

Clipping images in the shape of a polygon or rectangle

To clip an image in the shape of a polygon or rectangle
1 Do one of the following to choose Clip Image ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Clip Image (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Clip Image or Modify > Entities > Image
> Clip Image.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Clip Image tool.
• Type imageclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the image you want to clip.
3 Choose New Boundary to create a new clipping boundary.
4 By default, only the portion of the image located within the clipping polygon will
be visible. If you want to invert the clip, that is, hide the area inside the boundary
and make the outer portion visible, choose Invert Clip before the next step.
5 Choose one of the following:
• Polygonal, then select the points for the polygon, and press Enter when the
polygon is complete.
• Rectangular, then select the first and opposite corners of the clipping rectangle.
614 CHAPTER 13

Clipping images in the shape of an existing polyline

To clip an image in the shape of an existing polyline
1 Do one of the following to choose Clip Image ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Clip Image (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Clip Image or Modify > Entities > Image
> Clip Image.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Clip Image tool.
• Type imageclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the image you want to clip.
3 Choose New Boundary.
4 By default, only the portion of the image located within the clipping polygon will
be visible. If you want to invert the clip, that is, hide the area inside the boundary
and make the outer portion visible, choose Invert Clip before the next step.
5 Choose Select Polyline.
6 Select an existing polyline to use as the clipping boundary, then press Enter. If the
polyline is not closed, the clipping boundary is formed as if the start and end
points connect.

Turning clipping on or off for images

To turn clipping on or off for an image
1 Do one of the following to choose Clip Image ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Clip Image (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Clip Image or Modify > Entities > Image
> Clip Image.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Clip Image tool.
• Type imageclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the image for which you want to turn clipping on or off.
3 Choose On or Off.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 615

Removing clipping from images

To remove clipping from an image
1 Do one of the following to choose Clip Image ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Clip Image (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Clip Image or Modify > Entities > Image
> Clip Image.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Clip Image tool.
• Type imageclip and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the image for which you want to remove clipping.
3 Choose Delete.

Unloading and reloading images

If you find that including an image affects system performance, you can unload it so
only the image frame displays to mark its location. If you want an unloaded image to
print, reload it before printing. You may also want to reload an image if the original
file contains new content.

To unload and reload an image

1 Do one of the following to choose Image Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Image Manager (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Image Manager or Modify > Entities >
Image > Image Manager.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Image Manager tool.
• Type image and then press Enter.
2 In the Images list, select the desired image. If there is more than one occurrence of
the image in the drawing, do one of the following:
• To unload or reload all occurrences of the image, select a top-level image in the
list.
• To unload or reload a single occurrence of the image, expand a top-level image
in the list, and then select the individual image.
3 Do one of the following:
• To unload the image so only its outer edge displays, click Unload.
• To reload the image so its contents display and print, click Reload.
616 CHAPTER 13

Changing the path for images

If the file associated with an image is renamed or moved to a different location, the
program displays a message indicating that it cannot load the image. You can re-
establish the link to the file by changing the path for the image.

To change the path for an image

1 Do one of the following to choose Image Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Image Manager (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Image Manager or Modify > Entities >
Image > Image Manager.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Image Manager tool.
• Type image and then press Enter.
2 In the Images list, select the desired image. If there is more than one occurrence of
the image in the drawing, do one of the following:
• To change the path for all occurrences of the image, select a top-level image in
the list.
• To change the path for a single occurrence of the image, expand a top-level
image in the list, and then select the individual image.
3 Click the [...] button.
4 Select the file with its new name or in its new location, and then click Open.
5 Click Set Path.

Deleting images
Once an image is no longer required in the drawing, you can delete it from the draw-
ing. Deleting an image removes it from the drawing, and from the list of images in the
Image Manager dialog box.

To delete an image
1 Do one of the following to choose Image Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Image Manager (in Underlay).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Image > Image Manager or Modify > Entities >
Image > Image Manager.
• On the Image toolbar, click the Image Manager tool.
• Type image and then press Enter.
2 In the Images list, select the image you want to delete. If there is more than one
occurrence of the image in the drawing, do one of the following:
• To delete all occurrences of the image, select a top-level image in the list.
• To delete a single occurrence of the image, expand a top-level image in the list,
and then select the individual image.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 617

3 Click Detach.

Working with geographic locations

Adding a geographic location to a drawing allows you to draw entities that corre-
spond to specific locations on a map, which can be especially helpful when working
with drawings that contain survey, civil, and architectural data.
A geographic location is commonly specified by entering latitude, longitude, and ele-
vation values with a coordinate system, but the location can also be specified using an
address, your current location, a Keyhole Markup Language map file (.kml or .kmz).
Note that an Internet connection is required.
Once a geographic location is specified, an online map displays in the background of
the drawing along with a red geographic location marker, which IntelliCAD uses to
compute all relative geographic coordinates in the drawing. It is common to zoom
and pan the map next, so you can view a specific area of the map. You may want to
create position markers, which indicate and annotate geographic locations on the
online map. Or you may want to capture an area as a map image, which creates a
static image in the drawing. Then you can turn off the online map, and draw entities
at specific geographic coordinates on top of the map image, updating the map image
as needed and changing between hybrid, road, and satellite map types.

Adding a geographic location

Geographic locations can be added using latitude and longitude coordinates, your
current location, an address, or a Keyhole Markup Language map file (.kml or .kmz).
After you specify a geographic location, a map displays with a red geographic loca-
tion marker, which indicates the coordinates used to insert the online map and used to
calculate all relative geographic coordinates.
An Internet connection is required.

To specify a geographic location

1 Do one of the following to choose Set Location ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Set Location (in Geolocation).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Geolocation > Set Location.
• Type geo and then press Enter.

Only one geographic location can be specified in a drawing at a time.

If the Set Location command is unavailable, a location is already set in the draw-
ing. Use the Geographic Map command (type geomap) to check whether the dis-
play is turned off.
618 CHAPTER 13

2 If prompted, click Yes to allow the program to use the Internet. Or click No to can-
cel the command.
3 Do one of the following, depending on how you want to specify the location:
• Use your current location — If necessary, turn on location access for your
computer, then click Load Current Location.
• Load a map file — Click Load Map File, select a .kml or .kmz file, then click
Open. The first location mark defined in the selected file is used to place the
geographic location marker.
• Specify an address — Click Load Address, enter an address, zip code, landmark,
or coordinates, then click ( ). Choose an address from the list, then click OK.
• Enter location values — Enter the latitude, longitude, and optional elevation.
4 In Coordinate System, select a coordinate system or choose Select Coordinate
System.
The dialog box that displays may require extra time to open as it scans the entire
coordinate database to find coordinate systems appropriate for the specified loca-
tion.
5 Select a coordinate system.
The list displays coordinate systems that are referenced by the latitude and longi-
tude previously determined in the Geographic Location - Set Location dialog box.
6 Click OK.
7 Click OK again.
8 In model space of the drawing, specify the location of the geographic location
marker, which corresponds to the location on the Earth surface that you specified
in the Geographic Location - Set Location dialog box.
9 Specify the angle of deviation from the x-axis that indicates the north direction.
Or, to determine the north direction using a line, choose First Point, specify the
start point of the line, then specify the end point of the line to set the angle.
An online map and a red geographic marker display in the drawing. You may need
to zoom or pan to view the map precisely.

Changing how a geographic location map displays

You can display online maps in these ways:
• Aerial — Displays aerial satellite imagery.
• Road — Displays the road view.
• Hybrid — Displays aerial satellite imagery overlaid with roads.
• Off — Hides the online map in the current viewport. The map display is turned
off, but the map and its data remain in the drawing.

An Internet connection is required.

 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 619

To change the display of a geographic location map

1 Do one of the following to choose Geographic Map ( ), which is available only
if an online map was added using the Set Location command and the map service
is turned on using the Map Service command:
• On the ribbon, choose Geolocation > Map Aerial, Map Road, Map Hybrid, or
Map Off (in Online Map).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Geolocation > Map Aerial, Map Road, Map
Hybrid, or Map Off.
• Type geomap and then press Enter.
2 If you entered the command at the command prompt, choose the map display type,
then press Enter.

Removing a geographic location

When you remove a geographic location from a drawing, you remove all associated
data, including the coordinate system details, online map, and the red geographic
location marker.
If you need to hide the online map temporarily, you can simply turn off its display
using the Geographic Map command. For more details, see “Changing how a geo-
graphic location map displays” on page 618 in this chapter.
If you need to turn off Internet access temporarily for the online map, use the Map
Service command. For more details, see “Turning the map service on and off” on
page 622 in this chapter.

To remove a geographic location

1 Do one of the following to choose Remove Location ( ), which is available
only if an online map was added using the Set Location command:
• On the ribbon, choose Geolocation > Remove Location (in Location).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Geolocation > Remove Location.
• Type georemove and then press Enter.
2 Choose Yes to confirm deletion.

Adding markers and annotations to a geographic location map

Position markers indicate and annotate a location on an online map. Each position
marker has a point, leader, and multiline text.
An Internet connection is required.
620 CHAPTER 13

To add a position marker to an online map

1 Do one of the following to choose Mark Position ( ), which is available only if
an online map was added using the Set Location command and the map service is
turned on using the Map Service command:
• On the ribbon, choose Geolocation > Mark Position (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Geolocation > Lat-Long, My Location, or Point.
• Type geomarkposition and then press Enter.
2 Choose one of the following, depending on how you want to define the position
marker:
• Lat-Long — Places the position marker by specifying its latitude and longitude.
Enter the latitude and longitude values at the prompts that display.
• My Location — Places the position marker at the point that corresponds to your
current location. An Internet connection is required and location access must be
turned on for your computer.
• Point — Places the position marker by specifying its location in the drawing. At
the prompt that displays, select the location in the drawing.
3 To specify an annotation at the position marker location, press Enter, and type
multiline text. Or to specify another location for the annotation, click the desired
point in the drawing, then type multiline text.
4 When finished typing text, click Close Editor to accept your changes and close the
text editor.

You can change the size of position markers.

At the command prompt, type geomarkpositionsize and enter the desired size.

Working offline with images of geographic map areas

You can create a raster image, or map image, of a geographic map area. This is espe-
cially helpful when you need to work offline. Each map image can display with a type
— aerial, road, or hybrid — and at a specific resolution.
An Internet connection is not required after a map image is created, but it is required
while creating or updating it.

To create a map image

1 Do one of the following to choose Capture Area ( ), which is available only if
an online map was added using the Set Location command and the map service is
turned on using the Map Service command:
• On the ribbon, choose Geolocation > Capture Area (in Online Map).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Geolocation > Capture Area.
• Type geomapimage and then press Enter.
 WORKING WITH OTHER FILES IN YOUR DRAWINGS 621

2 Specify the first corner of the rectangle to define the map image, or choose Center
to use the map's center point.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the rectangle to define the map image.

To change the display type of a map image

1 Select a map image.
2 Do one of the following to choose Map Image Type ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Map Image > Map Aerial, Map Road, Map Hybrid (in
Properties).
• Type geomapimagesetmaptype and then press Enter.
3 If you entered the command at the command prompt, choose the display type for
the map image:
• Aerial — Displays aerial satellite imagery.
• Road — Displays the road view.
• Hybrid — Displays aerial satellite imagery overlaid with roads.
To change the resolution of a map image
1 Select a map image.
2 Do one of the following to choose Map Image Resolution ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Map Image > Very Fine, Fine, Optimal, Coarse (in
Properties).
• Type geomapimagesetresolution and then press Enter.
3 If you entered the command at the command prompt, choose the resolution.

To reload or reset a map image

1 Select a map image.
2 Do one of the following to choose Reload Image ( ), which is only available if
the map service is turned on using the Map Service command:
• On the ribbon, choose Map Image > Reload Image (in Update).
• Type geomapimageupdate and then press Enter.
3 Choose one of the following:
• Optimize — Resets the map image to display with an optimal resolution for
viewing.
• Reload — Updates the map image to include data from the latest online map.

Use a shortcut.
Right-click a map image and choose Geolocation to select commands for working
with map images.
622 CHAPTER 13

Turning the map service on and off

If Internet privacy or bandwidth is a concern while working with a drawing, turning
off the map service prevents the program from accessing the Internet to display the
online map and prevents use of the Mark Position, Capture Area, and Reload Image
commands. Then when you’re ready, it’s easy to turn on the map service again.
You might also need to turn the map service on if you previously chose to not allow
the program to access the Internet when starting various geographic location com-
mands.
If you need to hide the online map temporarily, you can simply turn off its display
using the Geographic Map command. For more details, see “Changing how a geo-
graphic location map displays” on page 618 in this chapter.

To turn the map service on or off

1 Do one of the following to choose Map Service ( ), which is available only if
an online map was added using the Set Location command:
• On the ribbon, choose Geolocation > Map Service (in Location).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Geolocation > Map Service.
• Type geomapservice and then press Enter.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Yes to turn on the map service, and if prompted, click Yes to allow
internet use.
• Choose No to turn off the map service.
 14

Printing drawings

You can print a copy of your drawing exactly as you created it, or you can add
formatting and specify print controls to change how your drawing looks when it is
printed.
Sometimes you may require multiple printed drawings, each with a different look or
layout. For example, you may need one printed drawing for a client presentation,
along with several other variations for production contractors. For each type of
printed drawing that you require, you can create a layout that defines its
characteristics, including scale, area to print, print style tables, and more.
This section explains how to:
• Start printing right away.
• Set up a drawing to print multiple layouts from paper space on a Layout tab.
• Customize how you want your drawing to look when it is printed.
• Define how to print your drawing further using print styles.
• Print or plot your drawing.
• Publish your drawing using sheet sets or sheet lists.

Topics in this chapter

Getting started printing...................................................................................... 624
Defining layouts for printing............................................................................... 625
Customizing and reusing print settings ............................................................. 639
Using print styles...............................................................................................659
Printing or plotting your drawing........................................................................ 671
Publishing sheet sets ........................................................................................ 676
624 CHAPTER 14

Getting started printing

When you create a drawing, you do most of your work on the Model tab. At any time
you can print your drawing to see how it looks on paper. It’s easy to get started print-
ing, and then later create layouts and custom print settings to enhance your printed
output.

To start printing
1 From the Model tab, do one of the following to choose Print ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print, or choose
Output > Print (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Print.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Print tool.
• Type print and then press Enter.
2 Click Print.

There are many print options detailed in this section, such as the scale of the drawing,
print area, print style tables, and more.

Type qprint and then press Enter to print the current viewport.
The Print dialog box is bypassed and the drawing is sent directly to the selected
printer.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 625

Defining layouts for printing

You can print your drawing directly from the Model tab where you created it, or you
can create custom layouts for printing on Layout tabs.
When printing from the Model tab, you can print your drawing exactly the way it
appears, or you can modify the drawing before printing by adding dimensions, a leg-
end, or a title block.
You typically use the Layout tabs for printing if you require multiple print layouts.
You may also want to use a Layout tab for printing even if you want your drawing
printed only one way. For example, if you want to include large amounts of text on
your printed drawing, you can add the text to a Layout tab so it does not clutter your
drawing while you work on the Model tab.

Understanding layouts
When you create a drawing, you do most of your work on the Model tab. Each draw-
ing that you create can contain numerous layouts that simulate the paper on which
you will print a copy of the drawing. Each of these layouts is created on a Layout tab.
You can prepare a separate layout for each way you want to print your drawing. The
layout allows you to organize different views to control which portion of your draw-
ing prints and at what scale.
Before you print, you can also include additional entities and layout settings that con-
trol how your drawing prints. Additional items only appear on the Layout tab, not on
the Model tab. For example, a layout can contain dimensions, title blocks, legends, or
keynotes that print with your model, but do not clutter the screen when you work with
your model on the Model tab.
Use these general steps to prepare your drawing for printing multiple layouts:
1 On the Model tab, create your drawing.
2 Create a new layout. You can use an existing Layout1 or Layout2 tab, or you can
create a new Layout tab. For details, see “Creating a new layout” on page 629 in
this chapter.
3 Create at least one layout viewport on the Layout tab. Use each viewport to help
control which portion of the drawing prints and at what scale. For details, see
“Working with layout viewports” on page 633 in this chapter.
4 Include any additional items that may be required for the specific layout, such as
dimensions, a legend, or a title block.
5 Specify additional settings for the layout, such as the scale of the drawing, print
area, print style tables, and more. For details, see “Customizing and reusing print
settings” on page 639 in this chapter.
6 Print or plot your drawing. For more details, see “Printing or plotting your draw-
ing” on page 671 in this chapter.
626 CHAPTER 14

Understanding paper space and model space

When you start a drawing session, your initial working area is called model space.
Model space is an area in which you create two-dimensional and three-dimensional
entities based on either the World Coordinate System (WCS) or a user coordinate
system (UCS). You view and work in model space while using the Model tab.
Your view of this area is a single viewport that fills the screen. You can create addi-
tional views on the Model tab, called viewports, which can show the same or differ-
ent two-dimensional or three-dimensional views, all of which are displayed in a tiled
manner. You can work in only one of these viewports at a time on the Model tab, and
you can print only the current viewport.

Model space with two viewports.

IntelliCAD provides an additional work area, called paper space. The contents of
paper space represent the paper layout of your drawing. In this work area, you can
create and arrange different views of your model similar to the way you arrange detail
drawings or orthogonal views of a model on a sheet of paper. You can also add
dimensions, keynotes, annotations, borders, title blocks, and other print-related
entities in paper space, which reduces clutter when you work with your model in
model space.
You view and work in paper space while using a Layout tab. Each view, or layout
viewport, that you create in paper space provides a window of your drawing in model
space. You can create one layout viewport or several. You can place layout viewports
anywhere on the screen; their edges can be touching or not; and you can print them all
at the same time.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 627

You do not need to use paper space to print your drawing, but it offers several advan-
tages:
• Print the same drawing with different print settings that you save with each layout,
for example, printer configuration files, print style tables, lineweight settings,
drawing scale, and more.
• Add print-related entities that are not essential to the model itself, such as key-
notes or annotations, to reduce clutter when you work with your model in model
space on the Model tab.
• For a single layout, create multiple layout viewports that print the model at differ-
ent views and scales.

Paper space with layout viewports.

You can copy and move entities between model space and paper space.
Choose Modify > Change Space, then select the entities you want to copy or move
from paper space to model space or from model space to paper space.
628 CHAPTER 14

Viewing drawings in paper space and model space

When you work in paper space on a Layout tab, you can still view your drawing in
model space. First you need to create a layout viewport in paper space; this allows
you to view your model space entities from paper space.
Within a layout viewport you can modify and snap to model space entities while
working in model space and even snap to model space entities from paper space.
Snapping to model space entities from paper space allows you to accurately dimen-
sion model space entities in paper space. And although it is generally more conve-
nient to modify entities on the Model tab, there are often times when it is convenient
to make modifications from a layout viewport on a Layout tab.
Zooming or panning the drawing in model space or paper space affects the entire
drawing, unless you use multiple windows or viewports. Additionally, if you are
working from paper space, you can lock the layout viewport so the viewport scale and
view center do not change while panning and zooming in the layout viewport.

To view a drawing in model space on the Model tab

Do one of the following:
• Click the Model tab.
• Right-click a Layout tab and choose Activate Model Tab.
• Right-click Model or Paper Space in the status bar, and then choose Model.
• While using a layout tab, type model.
• Type ctabnext or press Ctrl+Page Down to switch to the next tab; type ctabprev or
press Ctrl+Page Up to switch to the previous tab.

To view a drawing in paper space on a Layout tab

Do one of the following:
• Click one of the Layout tabs.
• Click the navigation arrows at the beginning of the row of Layout tabs to view
Layout tabs in the order in which they appear.
• Click ( ) at the end of the row of Layout tabs, then choose a layout from the list.
• Right-click a Model or Layout tab and choose Activate Previous Layout.
• Type layout and then press Enter. In the prompt box, choose Set. Type a name for
the layout you want to make current, and then press Enter.
• Double-click Model or Paper Space in the status bar. For example, double-click
“Model” or “M:Tab Name” in the status bar to switch to paper space.
• While using a Layout tab, type pspace and then press Enter.
• While using a Layout tab, double-click outside of the layout viewport.
• Type ctabnext or press Ctrl+Page Down to switch to the next tab; type ctabprev or
press Ctrl+Page Up to switch to the previous tab.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 629

To view a drawing in model space on a Layout tab

Do one of the following:
• Click the desired Layout tab, and then create and view a layout viewport. For more
details, see “Working with layout viewports” on page 633 in this chapter.
• Double-click Model or Paper Space in the status bar. For example, double-click
“P:Tab Name” in the status bar to switch to model space on the current Layout tab.
• Type mspace and then press Enter.
• While using a Layout tab, double-click inside of the layout viewport.

Displaying the Model and Layout tabs

The Model and Layout tabs can be hidden, if desired. You may want to hide the tabs
if you only work on the Model tab or if you use the command bar and status bar to
switch between tabs.

To turn the Model and Layout tabs display on or off

Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Model and Layout tabs (in Display).
• Choose View > Display > Model and Layout tabs.
• Choose Tools > Options > Display tab, and choose Show Model and Layout Tabs.

Creating a new layout

In IntelliCAD, you can create multiple layouts for a single drawing. Each layout rep-
resents a sheet of paper. For each layout you can specify the print area, print styles,
print scale, lineweight scale, pen mappings, and add viewports, dimensions, a title
block, and other geometry specific to the layout.
The entities you add to a layout in paper space do not appear in model space.
Each layout requires at least one layout viewport, which is created automatically
when you create a new layout. This viewport displays the drawing’s model space
entities.
When you create a new drawing, the drawing automatically contains two default lay-
outs: Layout1 and Layout2. You can start by using one of the default layouts, you can
create your own, or your can create a new layout from another template (.dwt) file,
drawing (.dwg) file, or drawing interchange (.dxf) file. You can also use IntelliCAD’s
Explorer to create and manage layouts.
Each drawing can contain up to 255 layouts.

To create a new layout using the Layout1 or Layout2 tab

1 Click the Layout1 or Layout2 tab.
2 If necessary, set up at least one layout viewport. For details, see “Working with
layout viewports” on page 633 in this chapter.
630 CHAPTER 14

3 If desired, rename the layout. For details, see “To rename a layout” on page 632 in
this chapter.

To create a new layout using a new Layout tab

1 Do one of the following to choose New Layout ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > New Layout (in Layouts).
• Choose Insert > Layout > New Layout.
• On the Layouts toolbar, click the New Layout tool.
• Type layout, press Enter, and choose New.
• Right-click a Layout tab and choose New.
2 Type a unique name for your layout and then press Enter.
The name can be up to 255 characters in length and can contain letters, numbers,
the dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and underscore (_), or any combination.
3 Set up at least one layout viewport. For details, see “Working with layout view-
ports” on page 633 in this chapter.

To create a new layout from an existing file

1 Do one of the following to choose Layout from Template ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Layout from Template (in Layouts).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Layout > Layout from Template.
• On the Layouts toolbar, click the Layout from Template tool.
• Type layout, press Enter, and choose Template.
• Right-click a Layout tab and choose From Template.
2 Select the desired template, drawing, or drawing interchange file that contains the
layout you want, and then click Open.
3 Select the layout(s), and then click OK. You can choose multiple layouts by hold-
ing down Ctrl while selecting layout names.

Reusing layouts from other files

Save time by re-using layouts that you have already created. Within the same draw-
ing, you may want to make a copy of a layout that contains most of the settings you
want, and then make changes to the new copy. If you created layouts that you want to
use again when you create new drawings, you can save the layouts as a drawing tem-
plate.

To make a copy of a layout

1 Do one of the following:
• Right-click the Layout tab you want to copy, then choose Copy.
• Type layout and then press Enter. Then choose Copy and type the name of the
layout you want to copy, and then press Enter.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 631

2 Type a name for the new layout, and then click OK or press Enter, depending on
how you started the command.

To save a layout as a drawing template

1 Do one of the following:
• Right-click the Layout tab you want to save, then choose Save As.
• Type layout and then press Enter. Then choose Save and type the name of the
layout you want to save, and then press Enter.
2 Specify the file name and location for the template, and then click Save.

After you save a layout as a template, you can use the template when you create new
drawings. You can also import the template’s layouts into another drawing.

Exporting layouts to model space of a new drawing

Any layout can be exported to model space of a new drawing. During the export, enti-
ties might be modified by trimming, scaling, or exploding in order to visually repre-
sent the layout contents in model space.

To export a layout to model space of a new drawing

1 Click the Layout tab you want to export.
2 Do one of the following to choose Export Layout to Model ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Export Layout to Model (in Layouts).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Layout > Export Layout to Model.
• On the Layouts toolbar, click the Export Layout to Model tool.
• Type exportlayout and then press Enter.
• Right-click the Layout tab and choose Export Layout to Model.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create, and then click Save.
632 CHAPTER 14

Managing layouts in a drawing

You can rename layouts, delete layouts, and view a list of all layouts available in a
drawing. You can also change the order in which the Layout tabs appear; the Model
tab is always stationary.
If you want to rename, delete, or reorder a layout when the Layout tabs are hidden,
you can type layout to make your changes or choose View > Display > Model and
Layout Tabs to display the tabs.

Multiple layouts can be selected at a single time.

Ctrl+click to select multiple layouts or Shift+click to select a range of layouts.

To rename a layout
1 Right-click the Layout tab you want to rename.
2 Choose Rename.
3 Type a new name for the layout.
4 Click OK.
The name can be up to 255 characters in length and can contain letters, numbers,
the dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and underscore (_), or any combination.

To delete a layout
1 Right-click the Layout tab to delete.
2 Choose Delete.
3 Click OK to confirm the deletion.

You cannot delete the Model tab or the last remaining Layout tab.
To delete all geometry from the Model tab or a Layout tab, first select all geometry
and then use the Erase command.

To reorder the Layout tabs

1 Do one of the following:
• Drag and drop a layout to a new location.
• Right-click the Layout tab you want to move, then choose Move Right and
choose a new location, or choose Move Left and choose a new location.

To view a list of all layouts

1 Type layout and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose ? to list all layouts.
3 Type s or press Enter to scroll through the layouts.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 633

Working with layout viewports

A layout viewport is a window in a Layout tab (paper space) that displays all or a por-
tion of a drawing’s model space entities.

Understanding layout viewports

When you begin working in a drawing on the Model tab, it consists of a single view
of your model. You may have created additional views by dividing the drawing space
into multiple windows; each window is a separate viewport on the Model tab.
Similarly, when you begin working in a drawing on a Layout tab, it consists of a sin-
gle view from paperspace of your model. You can also create multiple layout view-
ports that display unique views of your model. Each layout viewport functions as a
window into your model space drawing — with each window looking different from
the next. You can customize the view center, scale, layer visibility, and contents of
each layout viewport. Each layout viewport is created as a separate entity that you can
move, copy, or delete.
Click any layout viewport to make it the current viewport, and then add or modify
model space entities in that viewport, even while snapping to model space entities
from paper space. Any changes you make in one layout viewport are immediately
visible in the other viewports (if the other layout viewports are displaying that portion
of the drawing). Zooming or panning in the current viewport affects only that view-
port.
This section focusses on working with layout viewports in paper space on a Layout
tab. For additional information about viewports in model space, see “Dividing the
current window into multiple windows” on page 245.

Creating layout viewports

The first time you switch to a Layout tab, your model displays in a default layout
viewport. You can create other layout viewports anywhere inside the drawing area.
You can control the number of viewports created and the arrangement of the view-
ports.

To create layout viewports

1 Do one of the following to choose Layout Viewports ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Layout Viewports (in Layouts or in Viewports).
• On the menu, choose View > Viewports > Layout Viewports.
• On the Viewports toolbar, click the Layout Viewports tool.
• Type mview and then press Enter.
634 CHAPTER 14

2 Specify two opposing corners to create a custom rectangular viewport, or in the

prompt box, choose one of the following:
• Fit To View — Creates a layout viewport that fills the screen.
• Entity — Converts a closed entity to a layout viewport. You can convert a circle,
ellipse, closed polyline, spline, or region.
• Polygonal — Creates a non-rectangular layout viewport.
• Create 2 Viewports, Create 3 Viewports, Create 4 Viewports — Creates two,
three, or four layout viewports using an orientation that you specify. You can
select whether to arrange the viewports to fill the current graphic area or a
rectangular area that you specify.

The border of a new layout viewport is created on the current layer.

You can make layout viewport borders invisible by creating a new layer before you
create layout viewports and then turning off that layer after you create the layout
viewports. To select a layout viewport’s borders, you must turn that layer back on
before you can rearrange or modify the layout viewport.

A B C

D E F

G H I

You can create a single layout viewport, or you can divide the graphic area into two viewports arranged
vertically (A) or horizontally (B); three viewports arranged left (C), right (D), above (E), below (F), vertically
(G), or horizontally (H); or four viewports (I).
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 635

Viewing and scaling layout viewports

If you have created numerous layout viewports, your system performance may be
affected. If necessary, you can turn a layout viewport on or off. Turning off a layout
viewport does not delete the viewport or its contents; it simply turns off its display.
You can also change how you view items within a layout viewport by specifying a
scale factor, which changes how large or small model space entities appear within the
layout viewport. Another helpful tool is the Align Space command, which changes
the pan and zoom magnification of model space entities in a layout viewport so they
align with entities in paper space or in other layout viewports.
While working in a layout viewport, you can use the Maximize Viewport command
to enlarge the view to full size and emulate model space, allowing you to easily work
on the geometry in that view. When done, use the Minimize Viewport command to
switch back to the original scale and center point of the layout viewport.

To turn layout viewports on or off

1 Click the desired Layout tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Layout Viewports ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Layout Viewports (in Layouts or in Viewports).
• On the menu, choose View > Viewports > Layout Viewports.
• On the Viewports toolbar, click the Layout Viewports tool.
• Type mview and then press Enter.
3 Choose On or Off.
4 Select the edge of the layout viewport to turn on or off, and then press Enter.

To maximize a layout viewport

1 On a Layout tab, select a layout viewport. Or, skip this step to maximize the cur-
rent layout viewport.
2 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Maximize Viewport (in Viewports).
• On the menu, choose View > Viewports > Maximize Viewport.
• On the status bar, click Maximize Viewport ( ).
• Type vpmax and then press Enter.
The layout viewport is enlarged.
636 CHAPTER 14

To minimize a layout viewport (if it is maximized)

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View > Minimize Viewport (in Viewports).
• On the menu, choose View > Viewports > Minimize Viewport.
• On the status bar, click Minimize Viewport ( ).
• Type vpmin and then press Enter.
The layout viewport returns to its original scale and center point.

To change the layout viewport scale

1 Do one of the following to choose Properties ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Properties (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Properties or Modify > Properties.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Properties tool.
• Type entprop and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the layout viewport.
3 In Custom Scale, enter the scale at which you want to view model space entities
from within the layout viewport.
4 Click OK.

To report the scale of a layout viewport scale

1 Do one of the following to choose List Viewport Scale ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > List Viewport Scale (in Layout).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Layout > List Viewport Scale.
• Type vpscale and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the layout viewport, then press Enter.
The viewport scale (paperspace to model space) displays in the command bar.

To change the scale of model space entities relative to paper space

1 Click the Model tab.
2 Click a viewport to make it current.
3 Choose View > Zoom > Zoom.
4 Type the zoom scale factor relative to paper space by appending the suffix xp to
the scale factor, and then press Enter.
For example, to increase the scale of the entities in the viewport on the Model tab
to twice the size of paper space units, type 2xp. To decrease the scale to half the
size of paper space units, type .5xp.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 637

To change the zoom and pan of a layout viewport relative to paper space or
another layout viewport
1 Click a Layout tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Align Space ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Align Space (in Layout).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Layout > Align Space.
• Type alignspace and then press Enter.
3 Specify the first alignment point in model space of a layout viewport.
4 Specify the second alignment point in model space of the same layout viewport, or
press Enter if you do not need to specify a second point.
5 Specify the first alignment point in paper space or another layout viewport.
6 If you previously specified a second alignment point in model space, specify the
second alignment point in paper space or another layout viewport.
7 Select the layout viewport to align by changing its pan and zoom magnification,
then press Enter.

To synchronize layout viewports

1 Do one of the following to choose Synchronize Viewports ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Synchronize Viewports (in Layout).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Layout > Synchronize Viewports.
• Type vpsync and then press Enter.
2 Select the master layout viewport that has the desired zoom factor.
3 Select one or more viewports to align with the master viewport, then press Enter.
638 CHAPTER 14

Modifying layout viewports

After you create layout viewports, you can modify them as needed. On the Layout
tab, you can snap to the viewport borders using entity snaps. You can copy, delete,
move, scale, and stretch layout viewports as you would any other drawing entity.
Additionally, you can lock a layout viewport so the viewport scale and view center do
not change in model space while panning or zooming in the layout viewport. If you
are working on model space entities from a Layout tab, locking the layout viewport
prevents you from constantly changing the layout viewport scale and view center.
And assigning a UCS to each viewport allows you to quickly switch between layout
viewports and immediately draw in a different UCS. This can greatly increase pro-
ductivity, especially when creating complex 3D models.
Modifying a layout viewport on a Layout tab does not affect the model space entities
within the layout viewport.

To modify layout viewport properties

1 Click the desired Layout tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Properties ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Properties (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Properties or Modify > Properties.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Properties tool.
• Type entprop and then press Enter.
3 Select the edge of the layout viewport you want to modify.
4 Adjust the center point, width, or height of the viewport.
5 In Custom Scale, enter the scale at which you want to view model space entities
from within the layout viewport.
6 In Display Locked, choose True to lock the viewport scale and view in model
space while panning or zooming in the layout viewport.
7 Mark UCS per Viewport if you want to use a unique UCS for each layout view-
port.
8 Click OK.

You can select only layout viewports for modification.

If you click a viewport on the Model tab, it makes that viewport active, not available
for modification.

Clipping layout viewports

You can clip layout viewports so that only a portion of the viewport is visible on a
Layout tab. You can clip layout viewports in the shape of a new polygon or an exist-
ing circle, ellipse, closed spline, closed polyline, or region.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 639

If you delete clipping from a layout viewport, the clipping is removed permanently
but the viewport itself and its contents remain in the drawing.

To clip a layout viewport in the shape of an existing entity

1 Click a Layout tab, and select the desired layout viewport.
2 Type vpclip and then press Enter.
3 In the drawing, select an existing circle, ellipse, closed spline, closed polyline, or
region to use as a clipping boundary.

To clip a layout viewport in the shape of a new polygon

1 Click a Layout tab, and select the desired layout viewport.
2 Type vpclip and then press Enter.
3 Press Enter to create a new clipping boundary.
4 Define the first point of the clipping polygon.
5 Define additional points.
6 Press Enter when done.

To delete a clipping boundary

1 Click a Layout tab, and select the desired layout viewport.
2 Type vpclip and then press Enter.
3 Choose Delete, and then press Enter.

Customizing and reusing print settings

Most drawings require adjustments to print settings in order to print the way you
want. You can make adjustments to the print settings each time you print, but you can
also create page setups, which save the print settings and assign them to different lay-
outs in your drawing. If you have several perspectives of your drawing that require
printing, using page setups is the most efficient way to print.
640 CHAPTER 14

Working with page setups

Page setups store printer information for specific models or layouts, which eliminates
the need to completely reconfigure your print settings each time you print a drawing
and helps ensure that each perspective of a drawing prints as planned.

Assigning a page setup to a model or layout

Because the main model on the Model tab and the various layouts for printing on the
Layout tabs all may require unique print settings, the model and each layout can be
assigned a separate page setup. If some layouts use the same print settings, those
layouts can be assigned the same page setup.
Assigning a page setup to a model or layout doesn’t mean it will always print with the
specified settings. All of the print settings specified for a page setup can be overrid-
den at print time.

To assign a page setup to a model or layout

1 Click the Model tab or Layout tab that you want to assign a page setup.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup.
4 Click Set Current.
5 Click OK.

You can also choose a page setup at print time.

In the Print dialog box, select a different page setup from the Page Setup list before
you click Print.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 641

H
G
B F
E
D

A Displays the name of the model or layout to which D Click to delete the currently selected page setup.
the current page setup is assigned. E Click to import a page setup from a different
B Displays a list of all model page setups or layout drawing.
page setups, depending on whether you were F Click to modify the settings for the currently
viewing the Model tab or a Layout tab before selected page setup.
opening the dialog box.
G Click to create a new page setup.
C Displays details about the currently selected page
setup. H Click to assign the currently selected page setup to
the current layout.

Creating a page setup

There are two types of page setups:
• Model page setup — Contains print settings available for the model on the Model
tab.
• Layout page setup — Contains print settings available for one or more layouts on
the Layout tabs.

IntelliCAD comes with two default page setups — one model page setup and one lay-
out page setup. You can create as many additional page setups, of either type, as
required for any drawing. Each page setup specifies many aspects of printing, includ-
ing page size, default printer or plotter, page orientation, print scale, and more.
642 CHAPTER 14

To create a page setup

1 To create a model page setup, click the Model tab. To create a layout page setup,
click any Layout tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Click Add.

You can create a new page setup based on the print settings of an existing page setup.
Select an existing page setup in the list, then click Add. The new page setup uses
the print settings of the existing page setup as a starting point.

4 Enter a name for the page setup, then click OK.

5 Select the desired print options.
6 Click OK.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 643

B
C W

V
D

U
T
S
E R
F Q
G
H P
I
J
O
K
N

L M

A Displays “Layout” if creating a layout page setup or M Type the x- and y-coordinates of the two opposing
“Model” if creating a model page setup. corners of the rectangular area to print, or click
B Enter any changes to page setup name. Select Print Area to specify coordinates in the
drawing window. (Available only if Window is
C Click to specify options for the selected printer or selected for What to print.)
printer configuration (.pc3) file.
N Select to print the drawing upside down on your
D Select the printer or printer configuration file and printer.
view its details.
O Select portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal)
E Select a paper size supported by the selected orientation.
printer.
P Select whether to print lineweights and print styles.
F Select a predefined print scale, or choose Custom
to specify your own. Q Select to print entities with their assigned
transparency.
G Select to fit the specified print area to the current
paper size. R Select to prevent paperspace entities from printing.
H Specify the custom scale for the print area by typing S Select to print paperspace entities after printing
the ratio of drawing units to printed inches or printed modelspace entities.
millimeters. T Select to show print styles when viewing the layout.
I Click to specify drawing units and paper size in U Select to print entities with their assigned
millimeters or inches. lineweights. If you turn off lineweight printing,
J Select to center the print area on the printed page. entities print with a default outline.
K Type x- and y-coordinates to specify the origin of V Select options for shaded viewports. Quality and
the print area. DPI are not currently implemented.
L Click to select the area of the drawing that you want W Select a print style table to apply during printing, or
to print. select None. Click [...] to modify the selected print
style table.
644 CHAPTER 14

Modifying an existing page setup

You can change any of the print settings associated with a page setup, which elimi-
nates the need to override the settings when it comes time to print the model or each
layout that is assigned the page setup.
If you change the settings for a layout print setup, all layouts assigned that print setup
will print using the new settings.

To modify an existing page setup

1 To modify a model page setup, click the Model tab. To modify a layout page
setup, click any Layout tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the page setup you want to change.
4 Click Modify.
5 Select the desired print options.
6 Click OK.

Importing page setups from a different drawing

If you have a different drawing file that contains one or more page setups defined
with the print settings you need for your current drawing, you can import the page
setups from the other file instead of re-creating them in the current drawing.

To import a page setup from a different drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
2 Click Import.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 645

Use a shortcut.
Type psetupin.

3 Select the drawing that contains the page setups you want to import, then click
Open.
4 Select the model and layout page setups to import.
5 Click OK.

All page setups from the specified drawing file are imported, even though they might
not all display in Page Setup Manager. Imported model page setups display if you’re
working on a Model tab, and layout page setups display if you’re working on a Lay-
out tab.

Deleting a page setup

If you delete a page setup that is assigned to the model or a layout, that model or lay-
out will no longer be assigned a page setup.

To delete a page setup

1 To delete a model page setup, click the Model tab. To delete a layout page setup,
click any Layout tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the page setup you want to delete.
4 Click Delete.
5 Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
646 CHAPTER 14

Setting the paper size and orientation

You can specify a paper size and paper orientation for all drawings. You can also
adjust the orientation by printing a drawing upside down on the paper. Each layout in
your drawing can specify whether to print upside down.

To select the paper size and orientation

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to set paper size and orien-
tation.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 In Paper size, select a paper size supported by the currently selected printer.
5 In Orientation, select the following settings:
• Portrait or Landscape — Select Portrait for vertical paper orientation or
Landscape for horizontal paper orientation.
• Print upside down — Select to print the drawing upside down on your printer.
6 Click OK.
7 Click OK.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 647

Selecting a printer or plotter

You can specify a printer or plotter to be used when printing any drawing. You can
print your drawing on any printer or plotter that is compatible with Windows, includ-
ing raster printers.
Instead of a physical printer, you can choose to print directly to a file, including .pdf,
dwf, .png, and .jpg. Printing to a file is not the same as exporting. If you need to
export a drawing to one of the various file formats available, see “Exporting draw-
ings” on page 814.

To select a printer or plotter

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to select a printer.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 From the Printer Name list, select a printer or plotter.
5 If desired, click Properties to choose options for the currently selected printer.
6 Click OK.
7 Click OK.

The printer or plotter you select for a page setup is also used when you publish sheet
lists. For details, see “Publishing a sheet list to the printer named in page setup” on
page 688 in this chapter.

Setting the scale and view

You can print or plot the entire drawing or a selected portion of a drawing. You can
choose to print what is visible on the screen, or you can specify to print an area of the
drawing.
You can control the position of the drawing on the paper by specifying the origin of
the print area, the location of the lower left corner of the print area, in relation to the
lower left corner of the paper. The origin is normally set to 0,0, which places the
lower left corner of the print area as close to the lower left corner of the paper as the
printer or plotter will allow. You can specify a different origin, however, by
specifying different coordinates.
When you create a drawing, you generally draw entities full-size. When you print the
drawing, you can specify the scale of the resulting print or let the program adjust the
size of the drawing to fit the paper. To print the drawing at a specific scale, specify
the scale as a ratio of drawing units to printed units.
648 CHAPTER 14

If you are printing from a Layout tab, the scale and view options you specify can be
different for each layout that you create.

To automatically scale the drawing for printing

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to set to scale automati-
cally.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 In Print Scale, select Fit to Paper to scale the drawing to fit on one printed page.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK.

To specify the scale factor yourself

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to specify the scale factor.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 In Print Scale, do one of the following:
• Select a pre-defined scale in the Scale list. For example, choose 1:2 if you want
1 printed unit (inch or millimeter) to equal 2 drawing units. The list of available
scales is set up using the Scales List command. For more details, see “Custom-
izing the scales list” on page 64.
• Type the ratio of printed units of measure (inches or millimeters) to drawing
units.
5 To specify the printed units of measure, choose Inches or Millimeters.
6 Click OK.
7 Click OK.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 649

To specify a portion of the drawing to print

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to specify the area to print.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 In What to Print, click one of the following:
• Display — Prints the view on the screen.
• Extents — Prints the area that contains entities in the drawing.
• Limits — Prints to the limits defined for the drawing. (Available for model page
setups only.)
• Layout — Prints to the edge of the layout. (Available for layout page setups
only.)
• View — Prints the selected saved view. (Available for drawings that have saved
views.)
• Window — Prints the portion of the drawing contained in the specified window,
maintaining the aspect ratio of the windowed area to the drawing.
If you clicked Window, you must specify the window. Under Windowed Print
Area, enter the diagonal x- and y-coordinates of the window, or select the area on
the screen.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK.
650 CHAPTER 14

To specify the print area origin

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to setting paper size and ori-
entation.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 Under Print Offset, do one of the following:
• To center the specified print area on the printed page, select Center on Page.
• To specify an origin for the print area, type the x- and y-coordinates.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK.

Specifying print options specifically for layouts

Each layout in your drawing can specify certain print settings that apply only to lay-
outs: lineweight scaling, print style display, and paperspace print options.

To set print options for only layouts

1 Click a Layout tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 In the Model/Layout Tab Options area, choose the desired print settings:
• Scale lineweights — Select to print lineweights in proportion to the specified
Print Scale settings; if not selected, lineweights print at their assigned size.
Note that print styles can also affect how lineweights print.
• Display print styles — Select to show print styles when viewing the layout.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 651

• Print paperspace last — Select to print paperspace entities after printing model-
space entities. By default, paperspace entities print first.
• Hide paperspace entities — Select to prevent paperspace entities from printing.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK.

Specifying shaded viewport print options

Each model page setup can specify how to print shaded viewports: as displayed, wire-
frame, hidden, or rendered. Note that Quality and DPI are not currently implemented.

To set print options for shaded viewports

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to set shaded viewport set-
tings.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 In the Shaded Viewport Options area, choose the desired settings:
• Shade — Select how to print shaded viewports
• Quality — Select the resolution to use for the printed viewport. (Not currently
implemented.)
• DPI — Enter the custom dots per inch to use for printing the viewport shading.
Available only if Quality is set to Custom. (Not currently implemented.)
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK.
652 CHAPTER 14

Specifying pen and line printing options

Each layout in your drawing can specify certain print settings that apply only to lay-
outs: lineweight scaling, print style display, and paperspace print options.

To set pen and line printing options

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to set pen and line printing
options.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 Choose the desired settings:
• Print style table — Select a print style table to apply during printing, or select
None. If you select a print style table, you can click [...] to modify its settings.
• Print transparency — Select to print entities with their assigned transparency.
Note that turning on this option can slow printing. Also note that the
PLOTTRANSPARENCYOVERRIDE system variable can override trans-
parency print settings for all layout viewports at once.

A print style table and print transparency cannot be used at the same time.
• Print entity lineweights — Select to print entities with their assigned
lineweights. If you turn off lineweight printing, entities print with a default
outline.
• Print with print styles — Select to print according to the print style settings in
the currently selected print style table.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 653

Using printer configuration files

Printer configuration files store the printer information you use for specific drawings
or layouts, which eliminates the need to completely reconfigure your print settings
each time you print a drawing. Printer configuration files also allow you to share and
reuse print settings between different drawings and layouts.
IntelliCAD supports the printer configuration files (PCP and PC3 files) used by Auto-
CAD. This feature makes it possible to use existing PCP files saved in AutoCAD, as
well as to save your IntelliCAD print configuration settings to the PC3 format.
You can convert an AutoCAD PC2 or PCP file using the AutoCAD PCINWIZARD
command.

Selecting a printer configuration file for printing

You can specify that a printer configuration file be used when printing any drawing.

To select a printer configuration file for printing

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to print.
2 Do one of the following to choose Print ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print, or choose
Output > Print (in Print).
• Choose File > Print.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Print tool.
• Type print and then press Enter.
3 From the Printer Name list, select a .pc3 or .pcp file.
4 Click OK to print.
654 CHAPTER 14

Modifying and saving printer settings in a .pc3 file

Each .pc3 file stores the following printer settings, depending on the destination
printer or file:
• Standard paper sizes and margins
• Graphics settings for vectors, rasters, and text
• Custom properties for colors, scaling, layers, fonts, and more

Paper sizes and margin settings are customizable and saved in .pmp files, not .pc3 files.
When you customize paper sizes and margins, a .pmp file is saved and attached to the
.pc3 file automatically. You can also attach an existing .pmp file. For more details,
see “Working with paper sizes and .pmp files” on page 656.

To modify and save printer settings in a .pc3 file

1 Do one of the following to choose Print ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print, or choose
Output > Print (in Print).
• Choose File > Print.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Print tool.
• Type print and then press Enter.
2 From the Printer Name list, select a .pc3 file.
3 Click Properties.
4 In the Printer Configuration Editor dialog box, click the Settings tab.
5 Expand Media in the list to view and select the default paper size for the printer.
Select Source and Size, then in Media Source and Size, select a new default paper
size for the printer configuration.
6 Expand Graphics in the list and choose from the following options:
• Vector Graphics — Displays settings for printing vector graphics. In Color
Depth, select whether to use color or monochrome output and then the color or
grayscale bit depth.
• Raster Graphics — Displays settings for printing raster graphics. When printer
resources are limited, you can move the sliders to balance printing speed and
image quality for raster images, OLE objects, and general trade-offs.
• TrueType Text — Select whether to print text that is assigned TrueType fonts as
text (faster but may print with a different font) or graphics (slower but ensures
text is printed as displayed).
• Merge Control — To retain the colors of lines that overlap, choose Lines
Overwrite. The visible color is of the line that was most recently added to the
drawing. To merge colors together, choose Lines Merge.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 655

7 Select Custom Properties in the list to specify additional settings for printing,
which vary according to the selected printer:
• Standard printers and drivers — The standard dialog box opens for your
printer.
• DWF .pc3 files — The Custom Properties dialog box opens. Click [?] for more
details about each available option.
• PDF .pc3 files — The Custom Properties dialog box opens. Click [?] for more
details about each available option.
• JPG file — In Custom Properties, select a background color. The Transparent
option is not available for .jpg files.
• PNG .pc3 files — In Custom Properties, choose Transparent to print with a
transparent background (default for the transparent PNG .pc3 file) or choose
Color and select a background color (default for the non-transparent PNG .pc3
file).
8 Click Save As.
9 Specify a name and location for the .pc3 file, which can be new or the existing
.pc3 file, then click Save.
10 Click OK.
11 Click OK to print, or click Cancel.

You can also modify and save printer configuration files using the Options command.
Choose Options, click the Print and Publish tab, click Add or Configure Printers,
then make your selections. For more details, see “Setting up printer configuration
files” on page 860.
656 CHAPTER 14

Working with paper sizes and .pmp files

Each .pc3 file stores a list of standard paper sizes and margins, which determine the
printable area. If your print jobs often require different settings, you can create your
own paper sizes with margins.
User-defined paper sizes and margins are stored in a PMP (Plotter Model Parameter)
format file. You can attach a .pmp file to any .pc3 file, allowing you to reuse the
paper size definitions that you create for multiple .pc3 files and on multiple comput-
ers. Each .pmp file includes the following:
• Modifications you make to standard paper sizes
• Custom paper sizes
• Calibration settings, if your .pmp file was created with another CAD program
To modify the margins of a standard paper size
1 Do one of the following to choose Print ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print, or choose
Output > Print (in Print).
• Choose File > Print.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Print tool.
• Type print and then press Enter.
2 From the Printer Name list, select a .pc3 file.
3 Click Properties.
4 In the Printer Configuration Editor dialog box, click the Settings tab.
5 Expand User-defined Paper Sizes in the list, then choose Standard Paper Sizes
(Printable Area).
A list displays the standard paper sizes defined for the .pc3 file.
6 Select the standard paper size you want to modify with new margins.
7 Click Edit.
8 Enter new values for the top, bottom, left, and right margins, which determine the
printable area of the paper, then click Next.
9 Enter a name for the .pmp file where the custom settings will be saved, then click
Next.
If a .pmp file is already attached to the .pc3 file in the Printer Configuration Editor
dialog box, you are not prompted for a .pmp file name; the modified settings are
stored automatically in the attached .pmp file.
10 Click Finish.
If a .pmp file was not previously attached to the .pc3 file, a .pmp file is created and
attached automatically.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 657

To create a custom paper size

1 In the Printer Configuration Editor dialog box, click the Settings tab.
2 Expand User-defined Paper Sizes in the list, then choose Custom Paper Sizes.
3 Click Add.
4 Choose whether to create an entirely new paper size or to start with an existing
paper size that you select, then click Next.
5 Enter the width and height of the paper, in millimeters or inches, then click Next.
6 Enter values for the top, bottom, left, and right margins, which determines the
printable area of the paper, then click Next.
7 Enter a name for the paper size that will display in the list of custom paper sizes,
then click Next.
8 Enter a .pmp file name where the paper size is to be saved, then click Next.
If a .pmp file is already attached to the .pc3 file in the Printer Configuration Editor
dialog box, you are not prompted for a .pmp file name; the new paper size is stored
automatically in the attached .pmp file.
9 Click Finish.
If a .pmp file was not previously attached to the .pc3 file, a .pmp file is created and
attached automatically.

You can modify and delete custom paper sizes.

To modify a custom paper size, select it in the Manage Custom Paper Sizes list, then
click Edit and follow the prompts. To delete a custom paper size, select it in the list
and click Delete.

To attach a .pmp file to a .pc3 file

1 In the Printer Configuration Editor dialog box, click the Settings tab.
2 Expand User-defined Paper Sizes in the list, then choose PMP File Name.
3 Click Attach PMP.
4 Select a .pmp file.
5 Click Open.
The name and path of the attached .pmp file displays for the PMP File Name in the
list.

To save and attach user-defined paper sizes in a new .pmp file

1 In the Printer Configuration Editor dialog box, click the Settings tab.
2 Expand User-defined Paper Sizes in the list, then choose PMP File Name.
658 CHAPTER 14

3 Click Save PMP.

4 Specify a name for the .pmp file.
5 Click Save.
The new .pmp file is automatically attached to the .pc3 file.

To detach a .pmp file from a .pc3 file

1 In the Printer Configuration Editor dialog box, click the Settings tab.
2 Expand User-defined Paper Sizes in the list, then choose PMP File Name.
3 Click Detach PMP.
Modifications to standard paper sizes and all custom paper sizes are removed from
the Printer Configuration Editor dialog box.

Using plotter drivers

To print your drawing, the program sends the output to any printer driver in up to 256
colors, but with no width specified. Initially, the printed output will have a uniform
fine width that is the finest line that the plotter device can produce.
The driver then passes colored vectors to the printer, which creates color output on
color printers and grayscale output on laser printers. (Color output that converts to
grayscale on a laser printer usually is unacceptable by CAD users for final printing.)
With print style tables, you can map all colors to black and set all lineweights to a
width you choose. You must use a value appropriate to your printing capabilities.
With these features, you can meet most non-presentation print needs.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 659

Using print styles

IntelliCAD uses print styles to change the appearance of your printed drawing with-
out modifying the actual entities in your drawing. Assigning print styles allows you to
customize the color, pen width, linetype, and lineweight that are used to print your
drawing.
Print styles help you control what your drawing looks like when it is printed. Rather
than describe what an entity looks like on your screen, print styles describe what an
entity will look like when you print it. For example, you can map all yellow entities in
your drawing to print in blue without modifying the actual entities. You could also
map all yellow entities to print with whatever lineweight, linetype, or pen width that
you specify.
Because print styles are saved in print style tables, which are files located on your
computer, disk, or server, you can reuse them to help eliminate the need to reconfig-
ure your print settings each time you print a drawing. For example, you may have
multiple clients who have their own printing preferences. You can save print styles in
a named file for each of your clients. You can even share the file with co-workers, or
store the files on a network to ensure that everyone in your office uses the same stan-
dards.

Understanding print style tables

A print style table is a collection of print styles that allows you to change the appear-
ance of your printed drawing without modifying the actual entities in your drawing.
Each print style table is saved in a file that can be located on your computer, disk, or
server.
A drawing can use one type of print style table at a time. There are two types of print
style tables:
• Color-dependent print style tables (CTB) contain a collection of print styles based on
each of the 255 index colors available in a drawing. True colors and color books
are not applicable to color-dependent print style tables.
• Named print style tables (STB) contain a collection of print styles that you define.
They can vary regardless of color.

With color-dependent print style tables, you cannot assign print styles to individual
entities or layers. To use these print styles, you assign a specific color to an entity or
layer. When you specify a color-dependent print style table at printing time, the entity
colors and layer colors map to color-based print styles in the print style table that you
specify.
660 CHAPTER 14

With named print style tables, you can assign named print styles to individual entities
and layers. Entities and layers assigned print styles are printed according to the print
style table that you specify at printing time. If you specify a print style for a specific
entity, that print style overrides any print style assigned to the layer on which the
entity resides.
Sometimes a named print style assigned to an entity or layer is not located in the print
style table that is assigned to a layout or drawing. This can happen if the print style
has been deleted from the named print style table or if you assign a different named
print style table to the drawing that does not contain the named print style. In this
case, the entity is printed using its default properties, which is similar to assigning the
Normal print style to an entity or layer. If you plan on interchanging named print style
tables within the same drawing, it’s a good idea to coordinate the tables to use the
same print style names.
If a new drawing is based on a template, the new drawing uses the same type of print
style table as the template. If a new drawing is created without a template, the type of
print style table is specified in the New Drawing Wizard; by default, the new drawing
uses the print style table type specified in Tools > Options on the Print and Publish
tab. Every drawing is designed to use print style tables, but you decide whether to
implement them.

Comparison of print style table types

Color-dependent print
style table (CTB) Named print style table (STB)
Description Contains pre-defined print styles Contains unique print styles that you
according to color; there is one print style create. Entities with the same color can
for each of the 255 index colors available have different print settings.
in the drawing. Entities with the same
color are printed the same way.
Example All blue entities print with a .5 millimeter One entity prints with a .7 millimeter
lineweight. lineweight; a second blue prints with a .5
millimeter lineweight.
Number of 255 (fixed). At least one (varies).
print styles
Print style Print style names range from “Color_1” You define new print style names. You
names to “Color_255”. You cannot rename print can rename all print styles except the
styles. Normal print style.
Add, delete, You can modify the existing print styles, You can add and delete print styles. You
and modify but you cannot add or delete print styles. can modify all print styles except the
print styles Normal print style, which uses the
default characteristics of the entity.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 661

Comparison of print style table types

Color-dependent print
style table (CTB) Named print style table (STB)
Create Yes. Yes.
additional
tables
Assignment Current print style: New entities always Current print style: Assigned to new
assigned BYCOLOR. entities.

Print styles: Assigned to colors in the Print styles: Assigned to entities and
print style table. layers.

Print style tables: Assigned to a Layout Print style tables: Assigned to a Layout
tab or the Model tab. tab or the Model tab.
Legacy file You can import existing printer Not applicable.
support configuration files (PCP) files into the
print style table. CTB files are similar to
PCP files primarily used in previous
versions of IntelliCAD.

Implementing print style tables

Every drawing is designed to use print style tables, but you decide whether to imple-
ment them. Even if you use one of the default print style tables available with Intelli-
CAD, using print style tables requires planning ahead of time to ensure that your
drawing prints as planned.
For example, a single drawing of a floor plan might require the printing of the follow-
ing drawing sheets:
• Main Floor Plan Walls print with thick, black lines.
• Electrical Plan Walls print with normal gray lines, indicating that they are not the
focus.
• HVAC Plan Walls print with normal gray lines, indicating that they are not the
focus.
• Roof Plan Walls print with thin, gray lines and a hidden linetype, indicating that
they are hidden under the roof in a plan view.

In this example, you can create four named print style tables, each containing a print
style named “WallPstyle”. Each print style table contains its own settings for
“WallPstyle” to control how the walls print. Assign WallPstyle to either the wall enti-
ties or to a wall layer. Then, assign a different named print style table each time you
print, or create four layouts and assign a different print style table to each layout.
The following table describes, in order, the steps to get you started using both color-
dependent and named print style tables.
662 CHAPTER 14

Getting started using print style tables

Color-
dependent Named Task Command Where to get details
X X Create a new drawing. Select a drawing File > New Creating a new drawing, page 46
template that uses the desired print style
table type or choose it in the New Drawing
Wizard.
X X (Optional) Create a new print style table. File > Print Styles Manager Creating new print style tables,
page 664
X Assign colors to entities and layers that Modify > Properties Setting the current entity color,
correspond with print style table settings. Tools > Explorer page 52; Modifying the properties
of entities, page 412; Setting the
layer color, page 296
X Set the current print style assigned to new Tools > Drawing Settings > Setting the current print style,
entities. Entity Creation tab; status page 57
bar; printstyle
X Assign print styles to entities. Modify > Properties; Entity Modifying the properties of
Properties toolbar; printstyle entities, page 412
X Use the Explorer to assign print styles to Tools > Explorer Setting the layer print style, page
layers. 301
X X Assign a print style table to the Model tab, File > Print > Advanced tab Assigning print style tables, page
a layout, or to all layouts in the drawing. 663
X X (Optional) Make changes to the assigned File > Print Styles Manager Modifying print style tables, page
print style table. File > Print > Advanced tab 665
X X Print the drawing. File > Print Printing or plotting your drawing,
page 671
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 663

The following table describes how to further customize how print styles work within
your drawings.

Further customizing print style tables

Task Command Where to get details
Copy, rename, or delete print style File > Print Styles Manager Copying, renaming, or
tables. deleting print style tables,
page 668
Change a drawing to use another type convertpstyles Changing the print style
of print style table, for example, change table type of a drawing,
a drawing that uses color-dependent page 668
print style tables to one that uses
named print style tables.
Convert a color-dependent print style convertctb Converting print style
table to a named print style table. tables, page 669
Change the default location where print Tools > Options > Files tab Changing the options on
style tables are stored. the Files tab, page 838
Customize how print styles work with Tools > Options > Print and Changing the options on
new drawings that you create and older Publish tab the Print and Publish tab,
drawings that you open. page 860

Assigning print style tables

Select a print style table before printing if you want to change how your drawing
appears when you print it. Print style tables can modify how colors, pen widths, line-
types, and lineweights look when they are printed.
You can assign print style tables globally for all layouts (including the Model tab), or
individually for the Model tab or a Layout tab. Assigning a print style table to an indi-
vidual layout allows you to further customize the layouts you use to print a drawing.
However, assigning different named print style tables to various layouts may result in
mismatched print style names; a named print style assigned to an entity or layer may
not be located in the assigned print style table at print time. In this case, entities are
printed using their default properties, which is similar to assigning the Normal print
style to an entity or layer.

To assign a print style table at the same time you print

1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab, or click the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Print ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print, or choose
Output > Print (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Print.
• Type print and then press Enter.
664 CHAPTER 14

You can assign a print style table to a page setup.

Use the Page Setup Manager to assign a print style table to a page setup that you
use for printing. For more details, see Specifying pen and line printing options.

3 Under Print Style Table (Pen Assignments), select a print style table that you cre-
ated or one of the following:
• None — Applies no print style table. Entities print according to their own
properties.
• Icad — Uses the default print style table and its color assignments.
• Monochrome — Prints all colors as black.
4 Select Save Changes to Layout, and then click OK.

When a drawing is first created it is assigned to use either color-dependent or named print
style tables.
For details on converting a drawing to use a different type of print style table, see
“Understanding print style tables” on page 659 in this chapter.

Creating new print style tables

IntelliCAD offers several print style tables to help you get started. If you want to cus-
tomize your print output further, you can create your own print style table. You can
create a new print style table entirely from scratch, based on IntelliCAD registry set-
tings, or by importing a printer configuration file (PCP file).

To create new print style tables

1 Do one of the following to choose Print Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Print Styles
Manager, or choose Output > Print Styles Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Print Styles Manager or choose Format > Print
Styles Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Print Styles Manager tool.
• Type stylesmanager and then press Enter.
2 Click Add.
3 Complete the setup wizard.
On the last wizard page, you can click Print Style Table Editor to set up the print
styles for the table. For more details about the Print Style Table Editor options, see
the next section.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 665

E
D
C
B

A Displays the location where print style tables are C Click to delete the currently selected print style
located. table.
B Displays a list of all print style tables available in the D Click to modify the settings for the currently
named folder. selected print style table.
E Click to create a new print style table.

Modifying print style tables

When your drawing was created, it was set up to use color-dependent or named print
style tables:
• Color-dependent print style tables (.ctb files) — You can modify individual print
styles within the table, but you cannot add, rename, or delete print styles. Color-
dependent print style tables always have 255 print styles, each named for a spe-
cific color. Your changes affect all entities and layers assigned that color.
• Named print style tables (.stb files) — You can add, modify, rename, and delete
individual print styles within the table. However, you cannot modify, rename, or
delete the Normal print style. Your changes affect all entities and layers that are
assigned that print style name.

Use a system variable to determine the type of print style table your drawing uses.
If you can’t remember what type of print style table is assigned to your drawing, use
the PSTYLEMODE system variable to determine the print style table type.

Each print style within a print style table specifies a color, pen numbers, linetype, and
lineweight. IntelliCAD recognizes additional characteristics for compatibility with
AutoCAD only, including: dither, grayscale, screening, adaptive, line end style, line
join style, and fill style.
When specifying print style characteristics, be sure to consider the limitations of your
output device.
666 CHAPTER 14

It is recommended that you only modify print style tables that you have created.
If you modify a default print style table that came with IntelliCAD, you overwrite the
original information which is then lost.

To modify print style tables

1 Do one of the following to choose Print Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Print Styles
Manager, or choose Output > Print Styles Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Print Styles Manager or choose Format > Print
Styles Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Print Styles Manager tool.
• Type stylesmanager and then press Enter.
2 Select the print style table you want to modify.
3 Click Modify.
4 Click the General tab, and then do any of the following:
• Enter a new table description.
• Select Apply Global Scale Factor to Non-ISO Linetypes to apply the scale factor
to non-ISO linetypes used for any print style in the current print style table. This
also applies to fill patterns, which are not used in IntelliCAD, but are recognized
for compatibility with AutoCAD.
• Enter a scale factor to apply to non-ISO linetypes used for any print style in the
current print style table.
5 Click the Form View tab, and then do any of the following:
• Make format changes to a print style by selecting it in the Print Styles list, then
make color, pen map, linetype, or lineweight changes for the print style. Your
changes are saved automatically for the selected print style.
• Add a new print style by clicking Add Style. Enter a new name, and then click
OK. Select the options for the print style. (Available for named print styles
only.)
• Rename a print style by selecting it in the Print Styles list. Single-click the print
style again, and then enter a new name. (Available for named print styles only.)
• Delete a print style by selecting it in the Print Styles list. Click Delete Style.
(Available for named print styles only.)
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 667

6 Click OK.

R
Q
P
O
A
N
M
L
K
J
I
H
B
G

C F
D E

A Select a print style to modify it. K Choose whether to adjust the linetype scale
B Enter a description for the selected print style. automatically to complete the linetype pattern
when necessary.
C Click to create a new print style. (Named print
style tables only.) L Choose a linetype for the selected print style.
D Click to delete the selected print style. (Named M Select the level of color intensity for the selected
print style tables only.) print style: 100 is full intensity, 0 is white. (Dither
must be on.)
E Click to modify the list of available lineweights for
the current print style table. N Type or scroll to the width of the virtual pen for the
selected print style (for printers that don’t have
F Click to save the print style table with a new name physical pens, such as laser or inkjet printers).
or in a new location.
O Type or scroll to the width of the physical pen for
G Choose a fill style for the selected print style. the selected print style.
H Choose a line join style for the selected print P Choose whether to print the selected print style in
style. grayscale.
I Choose a line end style for the selected print Q Choose whether to turn on dithering for the
style. selected print style.
J Choose a lineweight for the selected print style. R Choose a color for the selected print style.
668 CHAPTER 14

Copying, renaming, or deleting print style tables

Copy, rename, or delete a print style table just as you would any other file on your
computer. Regardless of which print style table type your drawing uses, you can use
the Print Style Manager to manage both color-dependent and named print style tables.

To delete print style tables

1 Do one of the following to choose Print Styles Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Print Styles
Manager, or choose Output > Print Styles Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Print Styles Manager or choose Format > Print
Styles Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Print Styles Manager tool.
• Type stylesmanager and then press Enter.
2 Select a print style table, then click Delete.
Color-dependent print style tables are .ctb files and named print style tables are
.stb files.

To copy, rename, or delete print style tables

1 On your computer, open the folder that stores print style tables, for example,
\CompanyName\ProductVersion\Print Styles.
2 Copy, rename, or delete the print style table just as you would any other file on
your computer.

Changing the print style table type of a drawing

When your drawing was created, it was set up to use color-dependent print style
tables (.ctb files) or named print style tables (.stb files). A drawing can use one type
of print style table at a time. If necessary, after a drawing is created you can convert
the drawing to use the other type of print style table.
If you can’t remember what type of print style table is assigned to your drawing, use
the PSTYLEMODE system variable to determine the print style table type.

To change a drawing to use named print style tables

1 If you want to reuse any of the existing print style information, convert your color-
dependent print style tables to named print style tables. For details, see “To con-
vert a color-dependent print style table to a named print style table” on page 670 in
this chapter.
2 Open the drawing that uses color-dependent print style tables (.ctb files).
3 Type convertpstyles, and then press Enter.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 669

4 If you have already converted your individual color-dependent print style tables to
named tables, click OK in the prompt that displays.
If you have not converted the tables, click Cancel. First use convertctb to convert
your color-dependent print style tables to named tables. If you do not, all of the
print style information you specified in your drawing will be lost.
5 Select a named print style table (.stb file) that you want to use with the drawing.
6 Click Open.

Errors will occur if you have not converted print style tables.
If you have not converted a color-dependent print style table to a named print style
table, you will be warned that the table you have selected does not contain color map-
ping and the drawing cannot be converted.

To change a drawing to use color-dependent print style tables

1 Open the drawing that uses named print style tables (.stb files).
2 Type convertpstyles, and then press Enter.
3 If you are sure you want to convert the drawing and lose all print style assign-
ments, click OK in the prompt that displays.
If you do not want to lose the print style assignments, click Cancel.

Converting a drawing to use color-dependent print style tables will remove all of the
named print style information from entities and layers.
However, the named print style tables are not deleted from your computer.

Converting print style tables

You can convert a color-dependent print style table to a named print style table. You
cannot convert a named print style table to a color-dependent print style table because
color-dependent tables contain only print styles that are named after the 255 colors to
which they map.
Converting a color-dependent print style table to a named print style table can be
helpful in the following situations:
• You don’t want to create a named print style table from scratch.
• You want to create a named print style table that has the same settings as a color-
dependent print style table, but with some new print styles or other custom set-
tings.
• You want to convert a drawing to use named print style tables and you want to
reuse most of print styles already defined in a color-dependent print style table.
670 CHAPTER 14

To convert a color-dependent print style table to a named print style table

1 Type convertctb, and then press Enter.
2 Select the color-dependent print style table (.ctb file) that you want to convert.
3 Click Open.
4 Enter a name for the new named print style table (.stb file).
5 Click Save.

The print styles in the new table are named Style 1, Style 2, and so on. If want to use
different print style names, rename the print styles before you assign them to entities
and layers in your drawing. If you rename the print styles after assigning them, they
will not match when you print your drawing. For information about renaming print
styles, see “Modifying print style tables” on page 665 in this chapter.

Turning print style tables on or off

When you turn off print style tables, entities print according to their own properties.
However, all of the print style information is saved so you can easily turn on print
styles again. Actual print style table files are not deleted, and for drawings that use
named print style tables, entities and layers retain their assigned print styles.

To turn off print style tables

1 Click the Layout tab or Model tab for which you want to turn on or off print style
tables.
2 Do one of the following to choose Page Setup Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Page Setup Manager,
or choose Output > Page Setup Manager (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Page Setup Manager.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Page Setup Manager tool.
• Type pagesetup and then press Enter.
3 Select the desired page setup, then click Modify.
4 In Print style table, select a print style table to turn on print style tables, or select
None to turn off print style tables.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 671

Printing or plotting your drawing

After you have configured your drawing and any layouts for printing, you are ready
to print. If desired, you can preview your page before printing.

Previewing a drawing before printing

Viewing a drawing before printing gives you a preview of what your drawing will
look like when it is printed. This helps you see if there are any changes you want to
make before actually printing the drawing.
If you are using print style tables, the preview shows how your drawing will print
with the assigned print styles. For example, the preview may display different colors
or lineweights than those used in the drawing because of assigned print styles.

To preview a drawing before printing

1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Print Preview ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Print Preview,
or choose Output > Print Preview (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Print Preview.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Print Preview tool.
• Type ppreview and then press Enter.
3 Do any of the following to browse the preview image:
• To zoom in or out, click Zoom In, click Zoom Out, or spin the center mouse
wheel.
• To pan, press and hold the center mouse wheel while moving the mouse.
4 After checking the preview image, do one of the following:
• To print the drawing, click Print.
• To return to the drawing, click Cancel.
672 CHAPTER 14

A B C D

A Click to zoom in. C Click to print the drawing.

B Click to zoom out. If you have zoomed in D Click to close the preview and return to the
several times, click multiple times to restore drawing.
the entire preview image.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 673

Printing a drawing
The Print dialog box has print settings described in the previous sections for page set-
ups.

You cannot print a rendered image directly to a printer.

To print a rendered image, you must first save the drawing to a different format and
then print it from another graphics program.

To print a drawing
1 If necessary, click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab.
2 Do one of the following to choose Print ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print, or choose
Output > Print (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Print.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Print tool.
• Type print and then press Enter.
3 In Page Setup Name, select the page setup to apply for printing. The print options
in the Print dialog box change to reflect the settings of the selected page setup. For
details about importing page setups, see “Importing page setups from a different
drawing” on page 644 in this chapter.
4 Make any necessary adjustments, including for the following options that are
available only at print time (not when setting up a page setup):
• Print to file — Select to print to a file instead of a printer.
• Number of copies — Enter the number of copies to print.
• Print transparency — Select to print entities with their assigned transparency.
Note that turning on this option can slow printing. Also note that the
PLOTTRANSPARENCYOVERRIDE system variable can override trans-
parency print settings for all layout viewports at once.
• Print in background — Print in the background of other tasks being performed
by the computer.
• Print stamp on — Select to print with a header and footer. When enabled, you
can click [...] to modify the text of the print stamp.
• Save changes to layout — Select to save the print settings for the model or
layout.
5 Click Print.
674 CHAPTER 14

G
B
F
E
D
C

A Select to print to a file instead of a printer. E Select to print with a header and footer.
B Enter the number of copies to print. F Select to print in the background of other tasks
C Select to save the print settings for the model or being performed by the computer.
layout. G Select to print entities with their assigned
D Click to modify the text of the print stamp (available transparency.
if print stamps are turned on).
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 675

Saving print settings for a model or layout

All print settings can be saved with a model or layout, which can be particularly help-
ful if you don’t use page setups. The next time you print the model or layout, the
saved print settings automatically load in the Print dialog box.

Saved print settings are also used when publishing.

If you’re publishing drawings using sheets that don’t have a page setup assigned, the
print settings saved for the model or layout are used by default.

To save print settings with a model or layout

1 Click the desired Layout tab or the Model tab for which you want to save print set-
tings.
2 Do one of the following to choose Print ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print, or choose
Output > Print (in Print).
• On the menu, choose File > Print.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Print tool.
• Type print and then press Enter.
3 Make your print selections.
4 Click Apply to Layout.
5 Do one of the following:
• Click OK to print and close the dialog box.
• Click Cancel to close the dialog box without printing.
676 CHAPTER 14

Publishing sheet sets

With sheets sets, you can collect and organize sheets (layouts) from various drawings
in one location, which makes it easy to open, view, print, and distribute numerous
layouts that are related to a single project. You can publish sheet sets to a printer or
plotter and to the following file formats: PDF, DWF, and DWFx.
Sheet sets are saved in .dst files and are managed and published using the Sheet Set
Manager pane. If you move a .dst file to another computer, its referenced .dwg files
should also be moved.
Some projects benefit from using sheet set information in fields that are inserted in
the drawing. For example, you can include the current sheet name and description in
fields, which update automatically when using the Update Field command. For more
details, see “Working with fields” on page 496.
Sheet sets are typically used for large multi-drawing projects, but another way to pub-
lish drawings is using sheet lists which are saved in .dsd file and published using the
Publish command. For more details, see “Publishing sheet lists” on page 685 in this
chapter.

Displaying the Sheet Set Manager pane

The Sheet Set Manager pane is used to collect, organize, and publish collections of
sheets (layouts) that are located in multiple drawings.

To display or hide the Sheet Set Manager pane

1 Do one of the following to choose Sheet Set Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button, then choose Sheet Set Manager;
choose Output > Sheet Set Manager (in Print); or choose View > Sheet Set
Manager (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose File > Sheet Set Manager or View > Display > Sheet Set
Manager.
• Type sheetset and then press Enter.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 677

J
I
A H
B
C
D

A Select a sheet set from the list of opened F Click and drag to move the pane to a new
sheet sets. location. Right-click for more options.
B Click to close the pane. G Double-click to dock the pane. Right-click for
C Click to automatically hide the pane. more options.
D Click to display a menu of options: close, H Click to publish the displayed sheet set.
dockable, fix to left, fix to right, autohide, and I Click to open a sheet set.
transparency. J Click to create a sheet set.
E Displays the sheets and subsets of the sheet
set. Drag-and-drop sheets and subsets to
reorder them.
678 CHAPTER 14

Creating a sheet set

You can create a sheet set (.dst file) by selecting drawings that contain the sheets (lay-
outs) that you want to include. If you have an existing sheet set that contains the gen-
eral structure you need, you can use the existing sheet set as a template for the new
one.

To create a new sheet set using layouts from existing drawings

1 Do one of the following:
• In the Sheet Set Manager pane, click New ( ).
• Type newsheetset, then press Enter.
2 Select Existing Drawings, then click Next.
3 Enter the name, optional description, and folder for the sheet set, then click Next.
4 Click Import Options and do the following:
• To automatically add the drawing file name as a prefix to sheet titles, mark
Prefix Sheet Titles with File Name.
• To create and organize subsets for the sheet set based on the folder hierarchy on
your computer, mark Create Subsets Based on Folder Structure. If marked,
choose whether to omit the top folder when creating the subsets in the resulting
sheet set structure.
• Click OK.
5 Click Browse, select the folder that contains drawings with layouts you want to
use for sheets, then click OK.
6 Uncheck any drawings or layouts you don’t want added to the sheet set, then click
Next.
7 Review the details, then click Finish.

To create a new sheet set based on a template

1 Do one of the following:
• In the Sheet Set Manager pane, click New ( ).
• Type newsheetset, then press Enter.
2 Select An Example Sheet Set, then click Next.
3 Specify the path and name of the sheet set you want to use as a template or click
Browse to locate it, then click Next.
4 Enter the name, optional description, and folder for the sheet set, then click Next.
5 Review the details, then click Finish.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 679

Opening a sheet set

When you open a sheet set (.dst file), its sheets and subsets display in the Sheet Set
Manager pane.

To open a sheet set

1 Do one of the following:
• In the Sheet Set Manager pane, click Open ( ).
• Type opensheetset, then press Enter.
2 Choose the folder containing the desired sheet set (.dst) file.
3 Do one of the following:
• Choose the file you want to open, then click Open.
• Double-click the file you want to open.

Close a sheet set.

To close a sheet set but keep the Sheet Set Manager pane open, right-click the name
of the sheet set and choose Close Sheet Set.

Modifying sheet set properties

You can change a sheet set’s name, description, file path, and more.

To change the properties of a sheet set

1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, right-click the sheet set, then choose Properties.
2 Make your selections. Click [?] for more details about each option.
3 Click OK.

Working with sheets

Each sheet in a sheet set corresponds to a single layout in a drawing. You can open a
sheet’s corresponding layout directly from the Sheet Set Manager pane, add sheets,
reorganize sheets, and change the properties of sheets.

Opening a sheet
Open any sheet in a sheet set by simply double-clicking it in the Sheet Set Manager
pane. As long as the referenced drawing is found and the layout exists, IntelliCAD
opens the drawing and activates the layout.
680 CHAPTER 14

To open a sheet in the program

1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, do one of the following:
• Double-click a sheet.
• Right-click a sheet and choose Open. If Open is unavailable, the referenced
drawing is not found.
The sheet opens in the program.
2 If the sheet cannot be found, choose one of the following options:
• Locate drawing Allows you to navigate to the folder where the referenced
drawing is located and choose the layout.
• Remove the sheet Deletes the sheet from the sheet set.
• Associate a different layout Allows you to navigate to the folder where the
referenced drawing is located and choose a different layout.

Adding sheets to a sheet set

From the Sheet Set Manager pane with a sheet set open, you can add existing sheets
(layouts) from a drawing or create and add new ones.

To create a new sheet and add it to a sheet set

1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, right-click the item located above where the new
sheet is to be added, then choose New Sheet.
2 Make your selections.
3 Click OK.

A F
E
D

C
B

A Indicates the sheet number. It is D Displays the default folder path where the new
recommended that you don't change the sheet drawing will be stored.
number until after you've create the sheet. E Enter the name of the new .dwg file to create
B Mark to open the new sheet in the drawing for this sheet.
window after you click OK. F Enter the name of the new layout you want to
C Displays the default template that will be used create for this sheet.
for the new sheet.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 681

To add a sheet by selecting one or more existing layouts

1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, right-click the item located above where the new
sheet is to be added, then choose Import Layout as Sheet.
2 Click Browse and select the folder that contains drawings you want to browse for
layouts, then click OK.
3 Mark each layout you want to add to the sheet set.
4 Click Import Checked.

G
B F

E
A Click to select drawings that contain layouts D Click to add the drawing file name as a prefix
you want to use for sheets. to sheet titles.
B Displays all layouts in the selected drawings E Click to import all layouts that are marked.
that are not already in the sheet set. F Displays the status of the layout.
C Mark each layout you want to import as a G Displays the name of the layout.
sheet.
682 CHAPTER 14

Modifying sheets
Sheets can be renamed, renumbered, reordered, and deleted. Sheets also have proper-
ties which can be changed.

To rename or renumber a sheet

1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, right-click the desired sheet, then choose Rename
and Renumber.
2 In Title, enter a new sheet name.
3 In Number, enter a new sheet number.
4 Click OK.

To reorder sheets in a sheet set

• In the Sheet Set Manager pane, select and drag a sheet to its new location in the
list.

To delete a sheet from a sheet set

• In the Sheet Set Manager pane, right-click the desired sheet, then choose Remove
Sheet.

To change the properties of a sheet

1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, right-click the desired sheet, then choose Proper-
ties.
2 Make your selections. Click [?] for more details about each option.
3 Click OK.

Working with subsets

Sheet sets can contain various subsets, which help organize individual sheets into cat-
egories, similar to a folder name. For example, a sheet set might have subsets named
Architectural, Civil, Electrical, and Structural. Subsets can also be nested, similar to
folders.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 683

To create a subset
1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, right-click the sheet set or subset, then choose
New Subset.
2 In Name, enter the name of the subset.
3 In Description, enter an optional description for the subset.
4 In Publish Sheets in Subset, choose one of the following:
• Do Not Publish Sheets Prevents sheets in this subset from being published or
sent via eTransmit.
• Publish by Sheet “Include for Publish” Setting Includes sheets in this subset for
publishing or eTransmit according to each sheet's “Include for Print/Publish”
setting.
5 In Prompt for Template, choose whether to prompt for a layout to use as a tem-
plate when adding new sheets to the subset.
6 Click OK.
7 Drag-and-drop existing sheets to the subset, or right-click the Subset and choose
New Sheet to add new sheets.

To move a subset and its contents

• In the Sheet Set Manager pane, select and drag a subset to its new location in the
list.

To rename a subset or change its properties

1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, right-click the desired subset, then choose Proper-
ties.
2 In Name, enter a new name for the subset.
3 Make additional selections. Click [?] for more details about each option.
4 Click OK.

Publishing a sheet set

You can publish sheet sets to a printer or plotter and to the following file formats:
PDF, DWF, and DWFx.
Sheet sets are saved in .dst files and are managed and published using the Sheet Set
Manager pane. Another way to publish drawings is using sheet lists which are saved
in .dsd file and published using the Publish command. For more details, see “Publish-
ing sheet lists” on page 685 in this chapter.
684 CHAPTER 14

To publish a sheet set or part of it

1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, do one of the following depending on what you
want to publish:
• To publish the entire sheet set, click Publish ( ) in the Sheet Set Manager
pane or right-click the sheet set name in the list.
• To publish only the content of a subset, right-click the subset name in the list.
• To publish only a single sheet, right-click the sheet name in the list.
2 If you need to specify options for publishing, choose Publish, then one of the fol-
lowing:
• Sheet Set PDF Publish Options Allows you to specify options for publishing to
a .pdf file. Click [?] to see details about each option.
• Sheet Set DWF Publish Options Allows you to specify options for publishing to
a .dwf or .dwfx file. Click [?] to see details about each option.
3 If you specified publish options, right-click the item again.
4 Choose Publish, then choose one of the following:
• Publish to PDF Publishes to a .pdf file. In the dialog box that displays, specify
the location and file name of the .pdf file, then click Save.
• Publish to DWF Publishes to a .dwf file. In the dialog box that displays, specify
the location and file name of the .dwf file, then click Save.
• Publish to DWFx Publishes to a .dwfx file. In the dialog box that displays,
specify the location and file name of the .dwfx file, then click Save.
• Publish to Printer Publishes to a printer. In the dialog box that displays, specify
the desired settings. Click [?] to see details about each option. When finished,
click Print.

To publish a sheet set via eTransmit

1 In the Sheet Set Manager pane, right-click one of the following:
• The sheet set name if you want to publish the entire sheet set.
• A subset name if you want to publish only the content of the subset.
• A sheet name if you want to publish only the single sheet.
2 Choose eTransmit.
3 Specify the desired options, then click OK. Click [?] to see details about each
option or see “Packaging drawings and files for use on another computer” on page
825.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 685

Publishing sheet lists

A sheet list is a collection of sheets that you want to publish using the Publish com-
mand. Each sheet in the list references a model or layout tab from any drawing.
First you create a sheet list by specifying the drawing and which of its model and lay-
out tabs that you want to publish. For each sheet, you can assign a page setup and
layer state. Save the sheet list, then publish it. You can publish sheet lists to a printer
or plotter and to the following file formats: PDF, DWF, and DWFx.
Sheet lists are saved as Drawing Set Description files (.dsd files). If you move a .dsd
file to another computer, its referenced .dwg files should also be moved.
Another way to publish drawings is using sheet sets which are saved in .dst files and
published from the Sheet Set Manager pane. For more details, see “Publishing sheet
sets” on page 676 in this chapter.

Creating a sheet list

A sheet list is saved in a .dsd file and contains references to the model and layout tabs
of the drawings you want to publish. Each sheet can be assigned a page setup and
layer state, and can be placed in the order you want it to appear among other sheets
when published.

To create a sheet list to publish

1 Do one of the following to choose Publish ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button, then choose Publish > Publish, or
choose Output > Publish.
• On the menu, choose File > Publish.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Publish tool.
• Type publish and then press Enter.
2 Depending on the dialog box settings, the sheet list that displays first in the dialog
box might have too many or too few sheets for your needs. To quickly clear or add
sheets, choose one of the following options, then click Close and open the dialog
box again:
• Load Select which drawing files to include when adding sheets automatically
the next time the dialog box opens: all open drawings, the current drawing only,
or none (empty sheet list).
• Include Select which tabs to add as sheets automatically the next time the dialog
box opens: model tabs only, layout tabs only, or both model and layout tabs.
3 Click Add ( ) to add sheets to the list. You can also press Insert when a sheet is
selected or drag drawing files from the Windows Explorer window and drop them
in the list.
686 CHAPTER 14

4 Choose which drawings you want to add new sheets from:

• Drawings already in the publish list Select to display layouts or models that are
missing from drawings that are already listed in the Publish dialog box. The list
is empty if all layouts and models are already included in the sheet list.
• Other drawings Select to display models and layouts from other drawings, then
click Browse to select one or more drawing files.
5 Mark the layouts and models that you want to include in the sheet list.
6 Click OK.
7 To remove unwanted sheets from the sheet list, select a sheet, then click Remove
( ) or press Delete.
8 To move sheets up or down in the list, select the sheet and click Move Up ( ) or
click Move Down ( ). You can also click Reverse ( ) to reverse the order of
all sheets. Sheets are published in the order in which they display.
9 To assign a different page setup to sheets, in the Page Setup column, select a sheet
(or Ctrl+click to select multiple) and select a page setup from the list.
The page setup you select for a sheet is assigned to all other selected sheets if they
have the same type (for a model or layout) and are located in the same drawing.
For details about importing page setups, see “Importing page setups from a differ-
ent drawing” on page 644 in this chapter. For details about using Page Setup Man-
ager, see “Working with page setups” on page 640 in this chapter.
10 To edit page setup settings, do the following:
• Select a sheet for a model or layout in the drawing that contains the page setup
you want to edit. The page setups that display in the Page Setup Manager dialog
box depend on whether a model or layout sheet is currently selected.
• Click Edit Page Setup ( ). You can also double-click a sheet.
• Select the page setup to change, then click Modify.
• Make your selections, then click OK.
• Click Close.
11 To publish a sheet using a specific layer state, in the Layer State column, select a
sheet (or Ctrl+click to select multiple) and select a layer state from the list. The list
displays all layer states created for a drawing. Choose Layer States Manager in the
list to modify and create layer states.
The layer state you select for a sheet is assigned to all other selected sheets if they
are in the same drawing.
12 Click Save ( ).
13 In the Save DSD File dialog box, enter a name for the sheet list, then click Save.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 687

J
A I
B H
C G
F

A Click to edit page setup settings in the Page Setup F Click to move the currently selected sheet down
Manager. The page setups that display for editing one position.
depend on whether the currently selected sheet is G Click to reverse the order of sheets.
for a model or layout.
H Click to move the currently selected sheet up one
B Click to delete the currently selected sheet from the position.
sheet list.
I Choose whether to add sheets for the model tab,
C Click to add sheets from drawings that you select. layout tabs, or both when automatically loading
D Displays the sheets to publish with each sheet’s sheets when the dialog opens.
settings. J Choose which drawings (if any) to load sheets from
E Displays details about the currently selected sheet. automatically when the dialog displays.
K Click to save the list of sheets in a .dsd file.
688 CHAPTER 14

Modifying an existing sheet list

Open, or load, an existing sheet list (.dsd file) to modify it. During loading, drawings
that are specified in the sheet list must be accessible in the referenced folder location.

To modify a sheet list

1 Do one of the following to choose Publish ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button, then choose Publish > Publish, or
choose Output > Publish.
• On the menu, choose File > Publish.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Publish tool.
• Type publish and then press Enter.
2 Click Open ( ).
3 Locate and select the .dsd file to modify.
4 Click Open.
5 Make any necessary changes. The options are the same as creating a new sheet.
For details, see “Creating a sheet list” on page 685 in this chapter.
6 Click Save ( ).

Publishing a sheet list to the printer named in page setup

Publishing a sheet list prints all referenced sheets at the same time. The sheets are
printed to the printer named in the assigned page setup for each sheet. If the Page
Setup column indicates None for a sheet, the sheet is published using the print options
specified for the layout.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 689

To publish a sheet list to the printer named in page setup

1 Do one of the following to choose Publish ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button, then choose Publish > Publish, or
choose Output > Publish.
• On the menu, choose File > Publish.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Publish tool.
• Type publish and then press Enter.
2 Open the desired sheet list:
• Click Open ( ).
• Locate and select the .dsd file to publish.
• Click Open.
For details about creating a sheet list, see “Creating a sheet list” on page 685 in
this chapter.
3 In Publish To, select Printer Named in Page Setup.
4 If you regularly publish to the page setup’s printer instead of other formats,
optionally click Set as Default.
5 Verify the status of each sheet in the list:
• No Errors — The sheet is ready for publishing.
• Layout Not Initialized — The sheet’s layout is not assigned a valid printer. If
the sheet is assigned a page setup, choose File > Page Setup and specify a valid
printer for the page setup. If no page setup is assigned, open the source drawing
file, click the referenced Model or Layout tab, choose File > Print, specify a
printer, then click Apply to Layout.
6 Specify any of the following options:
• Number of copies — Enter the number of copies to print.
• Include print stamp — Select to print with a header and footer. Click ( ) to
modify the text of the header and footer.
• Publish in background — Select to print in the background of other tasks being
performed by the computer.
7 Click Publish.
690 CHAPTER 14

A
B L

D
K
J

I
H
G
E F

A Click to open a sheet list. H Click to modify the text of the print stamp (available
B Select a sheet list to publish. if print stamps are included).
C Select to print to the page setup named for each I Mark to publish with a header and footer.
sheet. Click Set as Default to make this the default J Click to change the page setup for the currently
setting each time you open the dialog box. selected sheets.
D Displays the sheets to publish with each sheet’s K Click to change the layer state for the currently
settings. selected sheets.
E Displays details about the selected sheet. L Displays the location of the currently selected
F Enter the number of copies to print. printer settings. Click [...] to specify a different
folder.
G Mark to publish in the background of other tasks
being performed by the computer.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 691

Publishing a sheet list to PDF

Publishing a sheet list to PDF prints all referenced sheets at the same time to a .pdf
file. PDF format files allow you to distribute your drawing to others for viewing in
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®, which is free software that users can download. PDF
format files can also be viewed, reviewed, and edited in Adobe Acrobat.
If the Page Setup column indicates None for a sheet, the sheet is published using the
print options specified for the layout.

To publish a sheet list to a .pdf file

1 Do one of the following to choose Publish ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button, then choose Publish > Publish, or
choose Output > Publish.
• On the menu, choose File > Publish.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Publish tool.
• Type publish and then press Enter.
2 Open the desired sheet list:
• Click Open ( ).
• Locate and select the .dsd file to publish.
• Click Open.
For details about creating a sheet list, see “Creating a sheet list” on page 685 in
this chapter.
3 In Publish To, select PDF.
4 If you regularly publish to PDF instead of other formats, optionally click Set as
Default.
5 In PDF Preset, choose the printer configuration (*.pc3) file that contains the pre-
defined settings for creating the .pdf file.
6 Click Publish Options and do any of the following:
• Select options for the published .pdf file.
• Click Advanced Options to select additional options, then click OK when done.
• Click [?] to see details about each option.
7 Click OK when done setting PDF options.
8 Verify the status of each sheet in the list:
• No Errors — The sheet is ready for publishing.
• Layout Not Initialized — The sheet’s layout is not assigned a valid printer. If
the sheet is assigned a page setup, choose File > Page Setup and specify a valid
printer for the page setup. If no page setup is assigned, open the source drawing
file, click the referenced Model or Layout tab, choose File > Print, specify a
printer, then click Apply to Layout.
692 CHAPTER 14

9 Select Include Print Stamp to print with a header and footer, then click ( ) to
modify the text of the header and footer.
10 Click Publish.

A
B M
L
C

E J
I

H
G

A Click to open a sheet list. G Click to modify the text of the print stamp (available
B Select a sheet list to publish. if print stamps are included).
C Select to publish to PDF. Click Set as Default to H Mark to publish with a header and footer.
make this the default setting each time you open the I Click to change the page setup for the currently
dialog box. selected sheets.
D Choose the printer configuration (*.pc3) file that J Click to change the layer state for the currently
contains the predefined PDF options for creating selected sheets.
the .pdf file. Available only when publishing to PDF. K Click to set options for publishing to PDF.
E Displays the sheets to publish with each sheet’s L Displays details about the currently selected PDF
settings. publish options.
F Displays details about the currently selected sheet. M Click to specify a different output folder.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 693

Publishing a sheet list to DWF or DWFx

Publishing a sheet list to DWF or DWFx prints all referenced sheets at the same time
to a .dwf or .dwfx file, depending on the format you choose. DWF and DWFx format
files allow you to distribute your drawing to others for online viewing, reviewing, and
editing.
If the Page Setup column indicates None for a sheet, the sheet is published using the
print options specified for the layout.

To publish a sheet list to a .dwf or .dwfx

1 Do one of the following to choose Publish ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button, then choose Publish > Publish, or
choose Output > Publish.
• On the menu, choose File > Publish.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Publish tool.
• Type publish and then press Enter.
2 Open the desired sheet list:
• Click Open ( ).
• Locate and select the .dsd file to publish.
• Click Open.
For details about creating a sheet list, see “Creating a sheet list” on page 685 in
this chapter.
3 In Publish To, select DWF or DWFx.
4 If you regularly publish to DWF or DWFx instead of other formats, optionally
click Set as Default.
5 Click Publish Options and select options for the published .dwf or .dwfx file.
Click [?] to see details about each option.
6 Click OK when done setting publish options.
7 Verify the status of each sheet in the list:
• No Errors — The sheet is ready for publishing.
• Layout Not Initialized — The sheet’s layout is not assigned a valid printer. If
the sheet is assigned a page setup, choose File > Page Setup and specify a valid
printer for the page setup. If no page setup is assigned, open the source drawing
file, click the referenced Model or Layout tab, choose File > Print, specify a
printer, then click Apply to Layout.
8 Click Publish.
694 CHAPTER 14

A
B J
I
C

D G
F

A Click to open a sheet list. F Click to change the page setup for the currently
B Select a sheet list to publish. selected sheets.
C Select to publish to DWF or DWFx. Click Set as G Click to change the layer state for the currently
Default to make this the default setting each time selected sheets.
you open the dialog box. H Click to set options for publishing to DWF/DWFx.
D Displays the sheets to publish with each sheet’s I Displays details about the currently selected DWF/
settings. DWFx publish options.
E Displays details about the currently selected sheet. J Click to specify a different output folder.
 PRINTING DRAWINGS 695

Publishing a sheet list automatically

Drawings can be automatically published whenever they are saved or closed, with or
without prompting. During automatic publishing, .dwf, dwfx, or .pdf files are saved
according to predefined options that you specify. By default, automatic publishing is
turned off, so don’t forget to turn it on after you set it up.

To set up auto publishing

1 Do one of the following to choose Auto Publish ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button, then choose Publish > Auto
Publish.
• On the menu, choose File > Auto Publish.
• Type autopublish and then press Enter.
2 Choose Settings.
3 Make your selections, then click OK.
4 To publish, for example a test publish with your new settings, press Enter. To skip
publishing, press Esc.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H

A Select when to auto publish: when the file is saved E Select whether to publish the drawing to a .dwf,
or closed, and with or without a prompt. .dwfx or .pdf file.
B Select whether to save published files to the same F Select whether to publish all sheets to a single file
folder as the drawing, a subfolder of the drawing or each sheet to its own file.
folder, or a different folder. G Select whether to include layer information.
C Select the folder where you want to save published H Select whether overlapping lines include only the
files. (Available only if User Location is selected in last line or are merged together.
Location.)
D Select whether the model, layouts or both the model
and layouts are published.
696 CHAPTER 14

To turn automatic publishing on or off

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Printer
Options, or choose Tools > Options (in Manage) then click the Print and Publish
tab.
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options then click the Print and Publish tab or
choose File > Printer Options.
• Type options, press Enter, then click the Print and Publish tab.
2 Mark or unmark Automatic Publish on Save or Close.
3 Click OK.
 15

Drawing in three dimensions

Paper drawings typically represent two-dimensional views of three-dimensional

objects. With IntelliCAD, you can create three-dimensional models of three-dimen-
sional objects.
This section explains how to:
• View entities in three dimensions.
• Create three-dimensional entities.
• Convert three-dimensional entities to surfaces or meshes.
• Edit entities in three-dimensional space.
• Edit three-dimensional solids.
• Display hidden-line, shaded, and rendered views of three-dimensional entities.

The tools and commands for many of the functions described in this section appear
on the Draw 3D toolbar and the Insert menu, respectively, when you set the program
to the Advanced experience level.

Topics in this chapter

Viewing entities in three dimensions ................................................................. 698
Creating three-dimensional entities...................................................................716
Editing in three dimensions ............................................................................... 758
Editing three-dimensional solids ....................................................................... 771
Hiding, shading, and rendering ......................................................................... 782
698 CHAPTER 15

Viewing entities in three dimensions

You can view an IntelliCAD drawing from any position in three-dimensional space.
From any selected viewing position, you can add new entities and modify existing
entities. You can also generate hidden-line and shaded views from any viewing posi-
tion.
You view three-dimensional drawings by setting the viewing direction. The viewing
direction establishes the viewing position, the Cartesian coordinate corresponding to
the viewpoint looking back at the origin point, the 0,0,0 coordinate. When you view a
drawing from the default viewpoint (0,0,1), you see a plan view of the drawing.

Changing the viewing direction can be affected by smooth view transitions.

Type vtoptions to specify whether smooth view transitions are used when changing
the viewing direction (rotation), and to specify speed and performance settings.

Switching to a preset viewing direction

Using preset views, you can quickly change the viewing direction to look at the draw-
ing from a different vantage point or to work on a three-dimensional model from a
different orientation.

To switch to a preset viewing direction

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, go to the Views area of the View tab.
• On the menu, choose View > 3D Views.
• Go to the View toolbar.
• Type view.
• Click the view control in the upper left corner of the drawing window.
2 Select or type the name of one of the following:
• Top, Front, Right Side, Left Side, Back, Bottom
• Above, Left Front; Above, Right Front; Above, Right Rear; Above, Left Rear
• Below, Left Front; Below, Right Front; Below, Right Rear; Below, Left Rear

The view cube also has preset views.

Click a preset view on the view cube to switch the viewing direction. For more
details, see “Using the view cube to switch the view” on page 704 in this chapter.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 699

To switch to a preset viewing direction using the Preset Viewpoints command

1 Do one of the following to choose Preset Viewpoints ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Preset Viewpoints (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Preset Viewpoints.
• On the View toolbar, click the Preset Viewpoints tool.
• Type setvpoint and then press Enter.
2 Click the preset view you want to use.

A Click to select an isometric viewpoint. B Click to select an orthographic viewpoint.

700 CHAPTER 15

Creating and switching to named views

As you work on a drawing, you may find that you frequently switch among different
portions of it. For example, if you are drawing the floor plan of a house, you may
zoom in to particular rooms of the house and then zoom out to display the entire
house. Although you can repeat the Pan and Zoom commands to do this, it is much
easier to save various views of the drawing. You can then quickly switch among these
views.
These custom views that you create, called named views, can control more settings
than just view direction and location — they can also include the visual style, UCS,
background, perspective and lens length, clipping, etc.

Creating a named view

Named views can be saved and displayed in the current window.

To create a named view for the current view in the drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose View Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Manager (in Views).
• Choose View > View Manager.
• On the View toolbar, click the View Manager tool.
• In the View element of the Explorer, click the View Manager tool.
• Type view and then press Enter.
2 Click New.
3 In Name, type a name for the view.
4 Choose the desired options. If you want to see your changes directly in the draw-
ing as you specify them, mark Update drawing display.
5 Click OK when done.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 701

S
R
Q
P
O
N
M
A L

K
J
I
B H
C

D
E G
F

A Lists the current view, model views (named views and J Enter the height of the selected view.
cameras), and preset views. K Enter the width of the selected view.
B Enter the x-, y- and z- coordinates of the selected L Enter the x- and y-coordinates of the selected view's
view's target location, to which the view is oriented. center point.
C Mark to update the drawing display automatically as M Enter the x-, y- and z-coordinates of the selected
you change settings. view's camera location, from which the view is
D Click to create a new view. oriented.
E Click to delete the selected view. N Select the user coordinate system for the selected
F Click to select the boundaries of the view directly in view.
the drawing. O Select where to locate boundary clipping of the
G Enter the front and back distances of the selected selected view.
view's clipping planes, or move the slider. Available P Select Off (orthographic) or On (perspective) for the
only when clipping is turned on to the appropriate selected view. (Then specify the lens length.)
setting. Q Select a background for the selected view.
H Enter the lens length (millimeters) of the selected R Select a visual style for the selected view.
view, or move the slider. Available only when
Perspective is turned on. S Enter a new name for the selected view.
I Enter the twist angle for the selected view.
702 CHAPTER 15

To create a named view for a portion of the current view in the drawing
1 Do one of the following to choose View Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Manager (in Views).
• Choose View > View Manager.
• On the View toolbar, click the View Manager tool.
• In the View element of the Explorer, click the View Manager tool.
• Type view and then press Enter.
2 Click New.
3 In Name, type a name for the view.
4 Make any additional changes to the view. And if you want to see your changes
directly in the drawing as you specify them, mark Update drawing display.
5 Click OK when done.

To create a named view from an existing view

1 Do one of the following to choose View Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Manager (in Views).
• Choose View > View Manager.
• On the View toolbar, click the View Manager tool.
• In the View element of the Explorer, click the View Manager tool.
• Type view and then press Enter.
2 In the list of views, select the view that has the settings you want to use as a base
for the new view.
3 Click New.
4 In Name, type a name for the new view.
5 Make any additional changes to the view. And if you want to see your changes
directly in the drawing as you specify them, mark Update drawing display.
6 Click OK when done.

View Manager is not a transparent command.

For example, you cannot use View Manager during the Preset Viewpoints or Define
View commands, or when zooming or panning the drawing.

Setting the background for a named view

For each named view that you create, you can assign a solid-color, gradient, or image
background. Whenever you switch to that view, the background displays if the view
is also assigned any visual style other than 2D Wireframe.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 703

To set the background for a named view

1 Do one of the following to choose View Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Manager (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > View Manager.
• On the View toolbar, click the View Manager tool.
• Type view and then press Enter.
• In the View element of the Explorer, click the View Manager tool.
2 Select the model view for which you want to set a background.
3 In Visual style, select Conceptual, Hidden, or Realistic.
4 In Background, choose one of the following:
• Solid
• Gradient
• Image
5 In the Background dialog box, make your selections. Click [?] to see details about
each option.
6 Click OK.

Use the Background command to set a background for the current view.
To specify a solid-color, gradient, or image background for the current view, type
background and make your selections.

Switching to a named view

After you save one or more named views, you can restore any of those views in the
current window using either the View command or IntelliCAD’s Explorer.

To switch to a named view

1 Do one of the following to choose View Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Manager (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > View Manager.
• On the View toolbar, click the View Manager tool.
• Type view and then press Enter.
• Click the view control in the upper left corner of the drawing window.
2 Select the view you want to switch to.
3 Click OK.
704 CHAPTER 15

You can also switch between named views using the Explorer.
Choose Tools > Explore Views (in Explorer), then double-click the desired named
view.

Modifying named views

Once you create a named view, you can modify any of its settings or simply fine-tune
it as you drawing changes. Only named views that you create can be changed; preset
views cannot be modified.

To change the settings of a named view

1 Do one of the following to choose View Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Manager (in Views).
• Choose View > View Manager.
• On the View toolbar, click the View Manager tool.
• In the View element of the Explorer, click the View Manager tool.
• Type view and then press Enter.
2 To see your changes directly in the drawing as you make them, mark Update
drawing display.
3 Change the desired settings.
4 Click OK when done.

Using the view cube to switch the view

The view cube is a navigation tool that indicates the current viewing direction and
allows you to switch between preset views and custom viewing directions. You can
also use the view cube to change the coordinate system and switch between ortho-
graphic and perspective projections.
The view cube displays in the current viewport when working in 2D model space or a
3D visual style. It becomes active when you move the mouse over it, and it can dis-
play with transparency or not at all when inactive.

Turning the display of the view cube on or off

The view cube is a convenient way to view a drawing from various directions. When
you aren’t using it, you can turn the display off.

The view cube can be transparent when inactive.

Instead of turning the view cube display off, you might want to make it transparent,
all or partially, when it is inactive. For details, see “Changing view cube settings” on
page 706 in this chapter.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 705

To display or hide the view cube

1 Do one of the following to choose View Cube ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Cube (in Interface).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > View Cube.
• Type navvcube, press Enter, then choose On or Off.

Changing the view using the view cube

Use the view cube to view a drawing using the following:
• Home view
• Orthographic and isometric preset views
• Custom views
• Orthographic and perspective projections
• Coordinate systems

A
H
B
C G
D
F
E

A Click to switch to the home view saved with the E Click to choose the coordinate system.
drawing. F Click to switch to the home view, set the home
B Click an arrow to change to an orthogonal preset view, switch between Parallel and Perspective
view, orienting from that direction. projections, and access view cube settings.
C Click a face to switch to the named orthographic G Click an edge to switch to a custom view,
preset view. orienting the view from that direction.
D Click a corner to switch to an isometric preset H Click to rotate the view 90 degrees, or click and
view. drag to rotate the view in real-time.
706 CHAPTER 15

To change the view direction using the view cube

1 Do one of the following:
• Click Activate Home View to return to the home view that is saved with the
drawing. To set the current view as the home view, right-click the view cube,
and then choose Set Current View as Home.
• Click a face of the cube to switch to the Top, Front, Left Side, Right Side, Back,
and Bottom preset orthographic views.
• Click a corner of the cube to switch to the Above, Left Front; Above, Right
Front; Above, Right Rear; Above, Left Rear, Below, Left Front; Below, Right
Front; Below, Right Rear; and Below, Left Rear preset isometric views.
• Click an edge of the cube to switch to a custom view, orienting the view from
that direction.
• Click an arrow to switch to the orthographic view, orienting the view from that
direction. The arrows display if you already are viewing the drawing with an
orthographic view (for example, after clicking a face of the cube).
• Click the rotation arrows (available when viewing orthographically) to rotate
the view 90 degrees, or click and drag the view cube or rotation arrows to rotate
the view in real-time.

To switch between parallel (orthographic) and perspective projections using the

view cube
1 Do one of the following:
• Click the drop-down arrow in the lower right of the view cube, and then choose
Parallel or Perspective.
• Right-click the view cube, and then choose Parallel or Perspective.

The perspective projection changes all preset views to perspective views.

When using the perspective projection, all views become perspective views and are
no longer orthographic or isometric views.

To change the coordinate system using the view cube

1 Click the Activate Coordinate System menu.
2 Choose WCS or the name of the user coordinate system. You can also choose
New UCS to create a new user coordinate system.

Changing view cube settings

You can change the location and appearance of the view cube, such as which corner
of the viewport it is located and how transparent it is when inactive. Additionally, you
can specify various options for using it. For example, you may want to prevent the
model from turning upside down when rotating the view.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 707

To change view cube settings

1 Do one of the following to choose View Cube Settings:
• Click the drop-down arrow in the lower right of the view cube, and then choose
View Cube Settings.
• Right-click the view cube and choose View Cube Settings.
• Type navvcube, press Enter, then choose Settings.
2 To change the appearance and location of the view cube, select from the following
options:
• On-screen Position Select the corner where to display the view cube in the
current viewport.
• Size Select the size of the view cube. If Automatic, the size adjusts automati-
cally depending on the drawing window size and number of viewports.
• Inactive Opacity Move the slider to set the opacity percentage for the view cube
when it is inactive. The lower the number, the more transparent the view cube is.
• Show UCS Menu Mark to display the active coordinate system drop-down menu
below the view cube.
3 Select any of the following options, depending on your preferences for using the
view cube:
• Snap to Closest View When Dragging Mark to adjust the current view to the
closest preset view when dragging the view cube to rotate the view.
• Zoom to Extents after View Change Mark to automatically zoom the model to
fit the current viewport after a view change.
• Use View Transitions When Switching Views Mark to turn on smooth view
transitions when switching between views using the view cube.
• Orient View Cube to Current UCS Mark to orient the view cube to reflect the
current user coordinate system. When unmarked, it is oriented to reflect the
WCS.
• Keep Scene Upright Mark to prevent turning the viewpoint of the model upside
down.
4 Click OK.
708 CHAPTER 15

Walking and flying through a drawing

Drawings can be viewed as though you are walking or flying through them

To walk through a drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose 3D Walk ( ) or 3D Fly ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Visualize > 3D Walk (in Animations) or 3D Fly (in
Animations).
• On the menu, choose View > Walk and Fly > 3D Walk or 3D Fly.
• On the Walk and Fly toolbar, click the 3D Walk or 3D Fly tool.
• Type 3dwalk or 3Dfly and then press Enter.
2 Click and drag in the drawing to walk or fly through the model, or use the arrow
keys on the keyboard. When finished, release the mouse button.
3 Repeat to walk or fly again.
4 When finished, press Enter, right-click the drawing, or press Esc.

To customize walk and fly settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Walk and Fly Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Visualize > Walk and Fly Settings (in Animations).
• On the menu, choose View > Walk and Fly > Walk and Fly Settings.
• On the Walk and Fly toolbar, click the Walk and Fly Settings tool.
• Type 3dwalkflysettings and then press Enter.
2 In Step Size, enter the value for the step size in drawing units, then enter the speed
in steps per second.
3 Mark Prevent Clipping if you want to disable clipping.
4 In Lens Length, enter the value for the lens length you want to use. This value
applies only when using the 3D Walk and 3D Fly commands; it does not change
the default lens length that is determined by the LENSLENGTH system variable.
5 In Walk Elevation, specify the elevation to apply to walk mode during the 3D
Walk command.
6 Click OK.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 709

Setting a viewpoint
You can dynamically rotate the viewpoint within the xy plane and relative to the xy
plane, and you can pan and zoom the drawing. As you change the viewpoint settings,
the drawing display automatically updates.

To dynamically set a view direction

1 Do one of the following to choose Dynamic View Control ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Dynamic View Control (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Dynamic View Control.
• On the View toolbar, click the Dynamic View Control tool.
• Type viewctl and then press Enter.
2 Make your selections to change the viewpoint.
3 To complete the command, click OK.

B H

C G
D F

E
A Select whether the viewing direction is relative to E Enter the angle from the xy-plane.
the World Coordinate System or User F Click to open the Preset Viewpoints dialog box
Coordinate System. and set the viewing direction using predefined
B Displays the current viewing direction settings. settings.
Click to select a new viewing direction. G Click to open the View Control dialog box and set
C Enter the angle from the x-axis. the viewing direction interactively with the
D Click to set the viewing direction to the plan view. drawing.
H Indicates the current viewpoint.
710 CHAPTER 15

To set a view direction interactively with the drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Dynamic View Control ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Dynamic View Control (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Dynamic View Control.
• On the View toolbar, click the Dynamic View Control tool.
• Type viewctl and then press Enter.
2 Click Adjust.
3 Make your selections to change the 3D viewing direction within the drawing.
4 Click OK.
5 To complete the command, click OK.

A
G

E
B D
C

A Indicates the current viewpoint. E Click to zoom in.

B Click to pan the drawing. F Shows the current viewpoint orientation.
C Click to zoom extents. G Click to rotate the view about a predefined axis.
D Click to zoom out. H Type or select the rotation angle increment.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 711

Using a section plane to view a drawing

Section planes are used to visualize cross-sections of two- and three-dimensional
entities and point clouds. For example, you can move a horizontal section plane that
cuts through a multi-level building to interactively view inside the building under the
roof, then under the top floor, etc.
A single drawing can contain multiple section planes, allowing you to create cross-
sections of different model areas.
Section planes only apply when the graphics device is set to OpenGL ES.

Section planes are used for visualization, not documentation, of a model.

Sections and section lines (if your program version supports them) can be used to
document a model. For more details about sections, see “Sectioning and slicing sol-
ids” on page 772 in this chapter. For details about section lines, see “Drawing a sec-
tion line” on page 177.

Drawing section planes

You can draw section planes aligned orthographically with the current UCS or by
specifying points.

To draw an orthographic section plane

1 Do one of the following to choose Section Plane ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Visualize > Section Plane (in Live Sections); AEC >
Section Plane (in Sections, if your program version supports AEC entities).
• On the menu, choose View > Live Sections > Section Plane; AEC > Section
Planes > Section Plane (if your program version supports AEC entities).
• Type sectionplane and then press Enter.
2 Choose Orthographic.
3 Choose the orthographic orientation (relative to the UCS) that you want the sec-
tion plane to align with.

To draw a section plane by specifying points

1 Do one of the following to choose Section Plane ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Visualize > Section Plane (in Live Sections); AEC >
Section Plane (in Sections, if your program version supports AEC entities).
712 CHAPTER 15

• On the menu, choose View > Live Sections > Section Plane; AEC > Section
Planes > Section Plane (if your program version supports AEC entities).
• Type sectionplane and then press Enter.
2 Specify a first point.
3 Specify a second point.
4 Do one of the following:
• To draw a section plane that is automatically aligned with the current view
direction, press Enter.
• To draw a section plane with a different orientation, pick a third point to define
its vertical direction.

You can specify the elevation and exact location of a selected section plane.
Type entprop to open the Properties pane. In Vertex, specify which vertex to change,
then enter the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the vertex.

Viewing a model using section planes

Use the center grip of a section plane to reposition the section plane and change the
view of intersecting entities. Also if needed, you can turn live sectioning on or off for
any section plane. This allows to you change whether the cross sections of intersect-
ing entities are displayed.
If the visualization of an entity is unchanged by a section plane, check that the entity
is on a sectionable layer. For more details, see “Controlling whether a layer is sec-
tionable” on page 296.

Section planes render with the current visual style.

Using shaded visual styles makes it easier to see and select a section plane.

To view a model interactively using a section plane

1 Select the section plane.
2 Click and drag the double-arrow grip in the center of the section plane to move it
and interactively visualize different areas of the model.
3 Click and drag other grips to resize the section plane, if necessary.

Section planes are infinite.

Although you can use grips to change the size of the section plane, the section plane
is infinite. Resizing the plane helps with selecting and visualizing the plane entity.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 713

To turn live sectioning on or off for a section plane

1 Do one of the following to choose Live Section On/Off ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Visualize > Live Section On/Off (in Live Sections); AEC
> Live Section On/Off (in Sections, if your program version supports AEC
entities).
• On the menu, choose View > Live Sections > Live Section On/Off; AEC >
Section Planes > Live Section On/Off (if your program version supports AEC
entities).
• Type livesection and then press Enter.
2 Select the section plane for which you want to turn live sectioning on or off.

Changing display options for the intersection area of section planes

The appearance of the intersection area where the section plane intersects entities is
customizable. The display settings you choose apply to all section planes in the draw-
ing.

To change display options for the intersection area of section planes

1 Do one of the following to choose Section Plane Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Visualize > Section Plane Settings (in Live Sections);
AEC > Section Plane Settings (in Sections, if your program version supports
AEC entities).
• On the menu, choose View > Live Sections > Section Plane Settings; AEC >
Section Planes > Section Plane Settings (if your program version supports AEC
entities).
• Type sectionplanesettings and then press Enter.
• Choose Settings when using the Section Plane command.
2 To display the intersection area with a color or pattern that is different than the rest
of the section plane, do the following:
• Mark Display Section Fill.
• In Fill Color, select the color used to fill the intersection area.
3 To display the intersection area with a pattern and fill, do the following:
• Mark Display Section Pattern.
• In Pattern Type, select the pattern.
• In Pattern Color, select the color for the pattern.
4 Click OK.
714 CHAPTER 15

Using a camera to view the drawing

Cameras define settings for 3D views of drawings according to a location and target.
You can also specify the camera height, clipping boundaries for the view, and other
options.
To modify a camera, select it in the drawing and move its grips or change its proper-
ties in the Properties pane. Cameras are named views that can also be changed using
the View Manager. For more details about the Properties pane, see “Modifying the
properties of entities” on page 412. For more details about View Manager, see
“Working with named views” on page 335.

To create a camera
1 Do one of the following to choose Create Camera ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Create Camera (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Create Camera.
• On the View toolbar, click the Create Camera tool.
• Type camera and then press Enter.
2 Specify the camera location.
3 Specify the target point of the view.
4 Choose one of the following to specify more options:
• Name Enter a new name for the camera, then press Enter.
• Location Specify a new camera location, then press Enter.
• Height Specify the height of the camera, then press Enter.
• Target Specify a new target point for the camera view, then press Enter. The
target location is the center of the view.
• Lens Enter the length of the lens. The greater the value, the more narrow the
view. The value must be 600 or less millimeters.
• Clipping There are two clipping planes that help define the view. Anything
between the camera and the front clipping plane is hidden, and anything
between the back clipping plane and the target is hidden. Choose Yes to specify
a front (or back) clipping plane, enter a distance, and then press Enter. Choose
No for either option to disable the clipping plane.
• View Choose Yes to switch the current view to the camera settings when the
camera is created. Choose No to keep the current view the same when the
camera is created.
5 When done, press Enter.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 715

To switch to a camera view

1 Do one of the following to choose View Manager ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > View Manager (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > View Manager.
• On the View toolbar, click the View Manager tool.
• Type view and then press Enter.
2 Select a camera view.
3 Click OK.

Displaying a plan view of the current drawing

You can set the current viewing direction to the plan view of the current user coordi-
nate system (UCS), a previously saved UCS, or the World Coordinate System
(WCS).

To display a plan view of the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Plan View ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Plan View (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Plan View.
• On the View toolbar, click the Plan View tool.
• Type plan and then press Enter.
2 In the prompt box, choose one of the following:
• Current displays the plan view of the current UCS.
• UCS displays the plan view of a saved UCS. The program prompts you for the
name of the UCS.
• World displays the plan view of the WCS.
716 CHAPTER 15

Creating three-dimensional entities

IntelliCAD supports the following types of three-dimensional models:
• Wire-frame models, which consist of lines and curves that define the edges of a
three-dimensional entity. You can create a wire-frame model by drawing lines,
arcs, polylines, and other two-dimensional entities anywhere in three-dimensional
space. Wire-frame models have no surfaces; they always appear as outlines.
Because you must individually draw and position each entity that makes up a
wire-frame model, creating one can be exacting and time-consuming.
• Surface models, which consist of both edges and the surfaces between those
edges. You can create a surface model by applying elevation and thickness to two-
dimensional planar entities or by using specific three-dimensional entity-creation
commands. Surface models consist of individual planes forming a faceted, polyg-
onal mesh.
• Facet model meshes, which are smart surface model entities that can be combined
into composite meshes and rendered more like solids.
• 3D solids, which are three-dimensional ACIS entities that consist of faces and
edges. 3D solids appear to have volume and are easier to work with than wire-
frame and surface models. IntelliCAD supports viewing and limited editing of 3D
solids, including moving, rotating and scaling. Additionally, some versions of
IntelliCAD allow you to create and more completely edit 3D solids.

Applying elevation and thickness

By default, the program creates new two-dimensional entities with a zero elevation
and thickness. The easiest way to create a three-dimensional entity is to change the
elevation or thickness property of an existing two-dimensional entity.
The elevation of an entity is its z-coordinate position in relation to the xy plane in
which the entity is drawn. An elevation of 0 indicates that the entity is drawn on the
xy plane of the current UCS. Positive elevations are above this plane; negative eleva-
tions are below it.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 717

The thickness of an entity is the distance it is extruded above or below its elevation. A
positive thickness extrudes the entity upward in the positive z direction of the entity;
a negative thickness extrudes it downward in the negative z direction. The thickness
is applied uniformly to the entire entity. You can extrude any two-dimensional entity
into a three-dimensional entity by changing the thickness of the entity to a nonzero
value. For example, a circle becomes a cylinder, a line becomes a three-dimensional
plane, and a rectangle becomes a box.

Two-dimensional entities. Two-dimensional entities with thickness added.

You can create three-dimensional entities using any of the following methods:
• Draw two-dimensional entities in three-dimensional space.
• Convert two-dimensional planar entities into three-dimensional entities by apply-
ing elevation and thickness.
• Convert two-dimensional planar entities into three-dimensional entities by revolv-
ing or extruding.
• Create three-dimensional entities such as boxes, cylinders, cones, domes, spheres,
and wedges.

Three-dimensional solids are drawn as true solids with versions of IntelliCAD that support
three-dimensional ACIS solids.
Three-dimensional solids that you can create include: box, cone, cylinder, dish,
dome, pyramid, sphere, torus, and wedge.

You can change the default elevation and thickness values to create new entities with
an elevation and thickness already applied.

To set the current elevation

1 Do one of the following to choose Elevation ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Elevation (in Settings).
• On the menu, choose Format > Elevation.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Elevation tool.
• Type elev and then press Enter.
2 Specify the New Current Value For Elevation, and then press Enter.
718 CHAPTER 15

To set the current thickness

1 Do one of the following to choose Thickness ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw > Thickness (in Settings).
• On the menu, choose Format > Thickness.
• On the Format toolbar, click the Thickness tool.
• Type thickness and then press Enter.
2 Specify the New Current Value For Thickness, and then press Enter.

To set the current elevation and thickness using a dialog box

1 Do one of the following to choose Drawing Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Application button > Drawing Utilities; Home > Drawing
Settings (in Utilities); or Tools > Drawing Settings (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Drawing Settings.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Drawing Settings tool.
• Type dsettings and then press Enter.
2 Click the 3D Settings tab.
3 Click the Surfaces tab.
4 To change the current thickness, in the Current 3D Thickness box, type a new
thickness value or click the arrows to select a new thickness.
5 To change the current elevation, in the Current 3D Elevation box, type a new ele-
vation value or click the arrows to select a new elevation.
6 Click OK.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 719

A
B

A Type or select the current three-dimensional B Type or select the current three-dimensional
thickness. elevation.

To change the thickness and elevation of an existing entity

1 Do one of the following to choose Properties ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Properties (in Panes).
• On the menu, choose View > Display > Properties or Modify > Properties.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Properties tool.
• Type entprop and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity, and then press Enter.
IntelliCAD displays the Properties palette (its exact appearance depends on the
type of entity you select).
3 To change the thickness, in the Thickness box, type a new thickness value or click
the arrows to select the new thickness.
4 To change the elevation, in the Z coordinate box (or some entities have an Eleva-
tion box), type a new elevation value or click the arrows to select the new eleva-
tion.
5 Click OK.
720 CHAPTER 15

When you change the thickness of an entity, you do not change the entity type.
If you want to extrude an entity and convert it to a three-dimensional solid, use the
Extrude command. If you want to thicken a surface or mesh entity and convert it to a
three-dimensional solid, use the Thicken command.

A Type or select the new thickness. B Type or select the new elevation.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 721

Creating three-dimensional faces

You can create a three-dimensional face, which consists of a section of a plane in
three-dimensional space. You define a three-dimensional face by specifying the x,y,z
coordinates of three or more corners. After you specify the fourth point, the program
continues to prompt you for additional faces by alternating prompts for the third point
and fourth point to allow you to build a complex three-dimensional entity. Each
three- or four-sided plane is created as a separate three-dimensional face entity.

To create a three-dimensional face

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Face ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > 3D Face (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Face.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Face tool.
• Type face and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point of the three-dimensional face.
3 Specify the second, third, and fourth points.
4 Specify the third and fourth points for additional faces.
5 To complete the command, press Enter.

Any or all edges of a three-dimensional face can be invisible to allow you to more accu-
rately model entities with holes in them.
As the program prompts you for the corner points, in the prompt box, choose Invisi-
ble Edge to make the next edge invisible. Or after the 3D face is drawn, use the Edge
command. For details about the Edge command,

An example of a three-dimensional model created using three-dimensional faces.

722 CHAPTER 15

Creating rectangular meshes

You can create a three-dimensional rectangular mesh consisting of four-sided poly-
gons. You determine the size of the mesh by specifying the number of vertices along
the primary (M-direction) and secondary (N-direction) mesh axes and then specifying
the coordinates for each vertex.

To create a rectangular mesh

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Mesh ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Meshes (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Mesh.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Mesh tool.
• Type mesh and then press Enter.
2 Specify the number of vertices along the primary mesh axis.
3 Specify the number of vertices along the secondary mesh axis.
4 Specify the coordinates for each vertex.
Specifying the coordinates for the last vertex completes the mesh and ends the
command.

Although creating rectangular meshes manually can be exacting, they are useful for repre-
senting complex surfaces such as three-dimensional terrain models.
The Mesh tool is most useful when combined with scripts or LISP programs that
mathematically calculate the coordinates of the vertices.

An example of a three-dimensional terrain model created using rectangular meshes.

 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 723

Creating polyface meshes

You can create a polygon mesh consisting of faces connecting three or more vertices.
You first determine the coordinates of each vertex and then define each face by enter-
ing the vertex numbers for all the vertices of that face. As you create each face, you
can control the visibility and color of each edge and assign each edge to specific lay-
ers.

To create a polyface mesh

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Polyface Mesh ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Polyface Mesh (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Polyface Mesh.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Polyface Mesh tool.
• Type pface and then press Enter.
2 Specify the coordinates of each vertex.
After each vertex that you specify, the next vertex number is displayed, and you
are prompted for the coordinates of the vertex. Specify the coordinates, and then
press Enter. Continue to specify the coordinates for each numbered vertex.
3 To finish specifying vertex coordinates, press Enter.
4 Specify the vertex numbers that define the first face.
You specify the face by entering the vertex numbers that were defined when you
specified coordinates in step 2. Each face can be composed of three or more num-
bered vertices.
5 To finish defining the first face, press Enter.
6 Specify the next face by entering its vertex numbers.
7 To complete the command, press Enter.

Edges can be made invisible.

Type the vertex number as a negative value.
724 CHAPTER 15

Creating ruled surface meshes

You can create a ruled surface, which is a three-dimensional polygon mesh that
approximates the surface between two existing entities. You select the two entities
that define the ruled surface. These entities can be arcs, circles, lines, points, or
polylines.

To create a ruled surface mesh

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Ruled Surface ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Ruled Surface (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Ruled Surface.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Ruled Surface tool.
• Type rulesurf and then press Enter.
2 Select the first defining entity.
3 Select the second defining entity.

A
B

Select the first (A) and second (B) defining entities. The resulting ruled surface mesh.

The value of the Number of M-Direction Surfaces controls the density of the mesh.
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings, click the 3D Settings tab. click the Surfaces tab,
then under Surface Settings, change the Number Of M-Direction Surfaces value.

Creating extruded meshes

You can create an extruded mesh, which is a three-dimensional polygon mesh that
approximates the surface generated by extruding a profile curve along a path. You
select the two entities that define the path curve and direction vector. The length of
the direction vector determines the distance the path curve is moved along the direc-
tion vector. The extruded entity can be an arc, circle, line, or polyline. You can
choose a line or open polyline as the direction vector. The resulting mesh consists of
a series of parallel polygonal planes running along the specified path.
You can create two types of extruded meshes:
• Facet model meshes are smart meshes that can be modified with advanced features
such as boolean operations. They are similar to solids but are more lightweight
and don’t have mass properties.
• Surface meshes are simple meshes.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 725

To create an extruded facet model mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Extrude ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Extrude (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Extruded.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Extrude tool.
• Type fmextrude and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to extrude.
3 Select the extrusion path, specify the direction, or specify the height.

To create an extruded surface mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Extruded Surface ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Extruded Surface (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Extruded Surface.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Extruded Surface tool.
• Type ai_tabsurf and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to extrude.
3 Select the extrusion path.

A B

Select the entity to extrude (A) and the extrusion The resulting extruded
path (B). surface mesh.

The value of the Number of M-Direction Surfaces controls the density of the mesh.
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings, click the 3D Settings tab, click the Surfaces tab,
then under Surface Settings, change the Number Of M-Direction Surfaces.

An extruded mesh is different from an extruded solid.

If you want to extrude an entity and convert it to a three-dimensional solid, use the
Extrude command. Note that you can also use the Extrude command to create an
extruded surface. For more details, see “Creating extruded solids or surfaces” on
page 746 in this chapter.
726 CHAPTER 15

Creating revolved meshes

You can create a revolved mesh, which is a three-dimensional polygon mesh that
approximates the surface generated by rotating a two-dimensional profile around an
axis. You select the two entities that define the profile and the axis. You also specify
the starting angle and the number of degrees to revolve the profile.
Revolving the profile 360 degrees creates a closed three-dimensional mesh.
You can create two types of revolved meshes:
• Facet model meshes are smart meshes that can be modified with advanced features
such as boolean operations. They are similar to solids but are more lightweight
and don’t have mass properties.
• Surface meshes are simple meshes. Note that the Number Of M-Direction Sur-
faces value determines the mesh density (the number of mesh segments) in the M-
direction (around the axis of revolution). The N-Direction Mesh Density value
determines the mesh density (the number of mesh segments) in the N-direction
(along the axis of revolution).

To create a revolved facet model mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Revolve ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Revolve (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Revolve.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Revolve tool.
• Type fmrevolve and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to revolve.
3 Do one of the following to define the axis of revolution:
• Specify a start point and an end point.
• Choose Entity and press Enter to select an entity that determines the axis.
• Choose Xaxis to select the x-axis.
• Choose Yaxis to select the y-axis.
4 Specify the angle of revolution.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 727

To create a revolved surface mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Revolved Surface ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Revolved Surface (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Revolved Surface.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Revolved Surface tool.
• Type revsurf and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to revolve.
3 Select the entity to be used as the axis of revolution.
4 Specify the starting angle.
5 Specify the number of degrees to revolve the entity.

Select the entity to be revolved (A) and the The resulting revolved surface
axis of revolution (B). mesh.

The values of the Number of M-Direction Surfaces and N-Direction Mesh Density control
the density of the mesh.
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings, click the 3D Settings tab, click the Surfaces tab,
then under Surface Settings, change the Number Of M-Direction Surfaces and N-
Direction Mesh Density values.

Revolved surfaces can also be created using the Revolve command.

The Revolve command is typically used for creating revolved three-dimensional sol-
ids, but it can also be used to create a revolved surface. For more details, see “Creat-
ing revolved solids or surfaces” on page 747 in this chapter.
728 CHAPTER 15

Creating edge-defined Coons surface patch meshes

You can create a surface called a Coons surface patch, which is a mesh connecting
four edges. You select the entities that define the edges. Edge entities can be arcs,
splines, lines, or polylines. The four edge entities must be touching and form a closed
loop. A patch is a bicubic surface (one curve extends in the M-direction and the other
in the N-direction) interpolated between the four adjoining edges. You can select the
edges in any order. The first edge you select determines the M-direction of the mesh.

To create an edge-defined Coons surface patch mesh

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following to choose Coons Surface ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Coons Surface (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Coons Surface.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Coons Surface tool.
• Type edgesurf and then press Enter.
2 Select the first edge.
3 Select the second, third, and fourth edges.

B
A

Select the entities to be used as the four The resulting Coons surface patch mesh.
edges (A, B, C, and D).

The values of the Number of M-Direction Surfaces and N-Direction Mesh Density control
the density of the mesh.
Choose Tools > Drawing Settings, click the 3D Settings tab, click the Surfaces tab.
then under Surface Settings, change the Number Of M-Direction Surfaces and N-
Direction Mesh Density values.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 729

Creating boxes
You can create rectangular boxes, or cubes. A box consists of six rectangular surface
planes. The base of the box is always parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS.
You position the box by specifying either a corner or the center of the box. You deter-
mine the size of the box by either specifying a second corner and the height; defining
the box to be a cube and then providing its length; or specifying the length, width, and
height.

To create a box as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Box ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Box (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Box.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Box tool.
• Type box and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first corner of the base.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the base.
4 Specify the height.

To create a box as a Facet Model mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Box ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Box (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Box.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Box tool.
• Type fmbox and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first corner of the base.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the base.
4 Specify the height.

To create a box as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Box ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Box (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Box.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Box tool.
• Type ai_box and then press enter.
2 Specify the first corner of the base.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the base.
4 Specify the height.
730 CHAPTER 15

First corner of the base (A), the opposite corner of the base (B), and the height (C).

Creating wedges
You can create three-dimensional wedges consisting of five surface planes. The base
of the wedge is always parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS with the sloped
face opposite the first corner. The height is always parallel with the z-axis. You posi-
tion the wedge by specifying either a corner or the center of the wedge. You deter-
mine the size of the wedge by either specifying a second corner and the height;
defining the wedge based on a cube having a given length; or specifying the length,
width, and height.

To create a wedge as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Wedge ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Wedge (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Wedge.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Wedge tool.
• Type wedge and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first corner of the base.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the base.
4 Specify the height.

To create a wedge as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Wedge ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Wedge (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Wedge.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Wedge tool.
• Type ai_wedge and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first corner of the base.
3 Specify the opposite corner of the base.
4 Specify the height.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 731

B
A

First corner of the base (A), the opposite corner of the base (B), and the height (C).

Creating cones
You can create three-dimensional cones defined by a circular base and tapering to a
point perpendicular to the base. The base of the cone is always parallel with the xy
plane of the current UCS; the height of the cone is always parallel with the z-axis.
You position the cone by specifying the center of the base. You determine the size of
the cone by specifying either the radius or the diameter of the base and the height.

To create a cone as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Cone ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Cone (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Cone.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Cone tool.
• Type cone and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cone.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height by doing one of the following:
• Enter the height of the cone, or select a point to indicate the height.
• Choose Apex to draw a cone with a length and orientation defined by an axis
endpoint, and then select the point for the tip of the cone.
• Choose 2Point to specify the height by picking two points, and then select the
two points.
• Choose Top Radius to draw a truncated cone, select a point to indicate the
radius, and then select a point to indicate the height. If you want to specify the
height by picking two points, choose 2Point and then select the two points, or if
you want to draw a truncated cone with a length and orientation defined by an
axis endpoint, choose Apex.
732 CHAPTER 15

To create a cone as a Facet Model mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Cone ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Cone (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Cone.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Cone tool.
• Type fmcone and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cone.
3 Specify the base radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height.

To create a cone as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Cone ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Cone (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Cone.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Cone tool.
• Type ai_cone and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cone.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height.

B
Center of the base (A), the radius of the base (B), and the height (C).
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 733

Creating pyramids
You can create tetrahedrons (three-sided pyramids) or four-sided pyramids. The sides
of the resulting pyramid can meet at a point (the apex) or can form a three- or four-
edged top. The sides of a four-sided pyramid can also meet along a ridge defined by
two points. The base of the pyramid is always parallel with the xy plane of the current
UCS. You position the pyramid by specifying a corner of the base. You determine the
size of the pyramid by specifying the base points and either the apex, the corners of
the top surface, or the endpoints of the ridge.

To create a tetrahedron as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Pyramid ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Pyramid (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Pyramid.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Pyramid tool.
• Type pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the second and third points.
4 In the prompt box, choose Tetrahedron.
5 Specify the apex of the tetrahedron.

To create a tetrahedron as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Pyramid ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Pyramid (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Pyramid.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Pyramid tool.
• Type ai_pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the second and third points.
4 In the prompt box, choose Tetrahedron.
5 Specify the apex of the tetrahedron.
734 CHAPTER 15

A C

The first point (A), second point (B), and third point (C) of the base, and the apex (D).
To create a pyramid as a Facet Model mesh
1 Do one of the following to choose Pyramid ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Pyramid (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model > Pyramid.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Pyramid tool.
• Type fmpyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the radius for the base of the pyramid.
4 Specify the height.

To create a pyramid with a planar top as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Pyramid ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Pyramid (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Pyramid.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Pyramid tool.
• Type pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the second, third, and fourth points.
4 In the prompt box, choose Top Surface.
5 Specify the first point on the top surface of the pyramid.
6 Specify the second, third, and fourth points.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 735

To create a pyramid with a planar top as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Pyramid ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Pyramid (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Pyramid.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Pyramid tool.
• Type ai_pyramid and then press Enter.
2 Specify the first point for the base of the pyramid.
3 Specify the second, third, and fourth points.
4 In the prompt box, choose Top Surface.
5 Specify the first point on the top surface of the pyramid.
6 Specify the second, third, and fourth points.
.

H
E
G
F

D
A
C

The first point (A), second point (B), third point (C), and fourth point (D) of the base, and the first point (E),
second point (F), third point (G), and fourth point (H) of the top surface.

Creating cylinders
You can create cylinders defined by a circular base. The base of a cylinder is always
parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS; the height of a cylinder is always paral-
lel with the z-axis. You position a cylinder by specifying the center of the base. You
determine the size of a cylinder by specifying either the radius or diameter of the base
and the height.
736 CHAPTER 15

To create a cylinder as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Cylinder ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Cylinder (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Cylinder.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Cylinder tool.
• Type cylinder and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cylinder.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height by doing one of the following:
• Enter the height of the cylinder, or select a point to indicate the height.
• Choose Center of Second End to draw a cylinder with a slanted wall, and then
specify the center point for the second end.
• Choose 2Point to specify the height by picking two points, and then select the
two points.

To create a cylinder as a Facet Model mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Cylinder ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Cylinder (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model > Cylinder.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Cylinder tool.
• Type fmcylinder and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cylinder.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height.

To create a cylinder as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Cylinder ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Cylinder (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Cylinder.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Cylinder tool.
• Type ai_cylinder and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the base of the cylinder.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the height.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 737

Center of the base (A), radius of the base (B), and the height (C).

Creating spheres
You can create spheres. The latitude lines of a sphere are always parallel with the xy
plane of the current UCS; the central axis is always parallel with the z-axis. You posi-
tion a sphere by specifying its center point. You determine the size of a sphere by
specifying either its radius or its diameter.

To create a sphere as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Sphere ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Sphere (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Sphere.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Sphere tool.
• Type sphere and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the sphere.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.

To create a sphere as a Facet Model mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Sphere ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Sphere (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model > Sphere.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Sphere tool.
• Type fmsphere and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the sphere.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
738 CHAPTER 15

To create a sphere as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Sphere ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Sphere (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Sphere.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Sphere tool.
• Type ai_sphere and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the sphere.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
4 Specify the number of longitudinal sections that are perpendicular to the xy plane.
5 Specify the number of latitudinal sections that are parallel to the xy plane.

Center (A) and radius (B) of the sphere. The resulting sphere.

Creating dishes
You can create a three-dimensional dish. The latitude lines of a dish are always paral-
lel with the xy plane of the current UCS; the central axis is always parallel with the z-
axis. You position a dish by specifying its center point. You determine the size of a
dish by specifying either its radius or its diameter.

To create a dish as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Dish ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Dish (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Dish.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Dish tool.
• Type dish and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the dish.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 739

To create a dish as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Dish ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Dish (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Dish.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Dish tool.
• Type ai_dish and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the dish.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
.

Center (A) and radius (B) of the dish.

Creating domes
You can create a three-dimensional dome. The latitude lines of a dome are always
parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS; the central axis is always parallel with
the z-axis. You position a dome by specifying its center point. You determine the size
of a dome by specifying either its radius or its diameter.

To create a dome as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Dome ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Dome (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Dome.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Dome tool.
• Type dome and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the dome.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.
740 CHAPTER 15

To create a dome as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Dome ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Dome (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Dome.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Dome tool.
• Type ai_dome and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the dome.
3 Specify the radius or diameter.

Center (A) and radius (B) of the dome.

Creating tori
You can create a three-dimensional donut or ring-shaped entity known as a torus. The
diameter of a ring is always parallel with the xy plane of the current UCS. A torus is
constructed by revolving a circle about a line drawn in the plane of the circle and par-
allel with the z-axis of the current UCS. You position a torus by specifying its center
point. You determine the size of a torus by specifying its overall diameter or radius
and the diameter or radius of the tube (the circle being revolved).

To create a torus as an ACIS solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Torus ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Torus (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Torus.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Torus tool.
• Type torus and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the whole torus.
3 Specify the radius or diameter of the whole torus.
4 Specify the radius or diameter of the body of the torus.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 741

To create a torus as a Facet Model mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Torus ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Torus (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Torus.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Torus tool.
• Type fmtorus and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the whole torus.
3 Specify the radius or diameter of the whole torus.
4 Specify the radius or diameter of the body (tube) of the torus.

To create a torus as a 3D mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Torus ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Torus (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Torus.
• On the Draw 3D Meshes toolbar, click the Torus tool.
• Type ai_torus and then press Enter.
2 Specify the center of the whole torus.
3 Specify the radius or diameter of the whole torus.
4 Specify the radius or diameter of the body of the torus.
5 Specify the number of longitudinal sections that are perpendicular to the xy plane.
6 Specify the number of latitudinal sections that are parallel to the xy plane.

B C

Center (A) and radius of the whole torus (B), and the radius of the body (C).
742 CHAPTER 15

Creating pipes
You can create a three-dimensional pipe, which is a hollow cylinder or tube. Pipes are
created by specifying the base center, radius or diameter, wall thickness, and length.
Pipes are created as Facet Model meshes.

To create a pipe as a Facet Model mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Pipe ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Pipe (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Pipe.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Pipe tool.
• Type fmpipe and then press Enter.
2 Specify the base center of the pipe.
3 Do one of the following:
• Enter the radius, or specify a second point to indicate the radius.
• Choose Diameter, and then enter the diameter, or specify a second point to
indicate the diameter.
4 Enter the thickness of the pipe wall, or choose 2Point to specify two points that
indicate the thickness.
5 Enter the length, or specify a point to indicate the length.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 743

Creating helices
You can create a three-dimensional helix, which is a spiral-shaped entity, as a facet
model mesh. Helices are created by specifying the base, top, turns, and height or axis
endpoint.

To create a helix as a Facet Model mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Helix ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Helix (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Helix.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Helix tool.
• Type fmhelix and then press Enter.
2 Specify the radius of the helix body (tube).
3 Specify the center point of the helix base.
4 Do one of the following to specify the bottom of the helix:
• Enter the radius, or specify a second point to indicate the radius.
• Choose Diameter, and then enter the diameter or specify a second point to
indicate the diameter.
5 Do one of the following to specify the top of the helix:
• Enter the radius, or specify a second point to indicate the radius.
• Choose Diameter, and then enter the diameter or specify a second point to
indicate the diameter.
6 Optionally define the turns of the helix:
• Choose Turns, then enter the number of full turns. The maximum is 500.
• Choose turn Height, then specify the height of one full turn.
• Choose tWist, then specify the direction of helix turns, which can be clockwise
(CW) or counterclockwise (CCW).
7 Do one of the following:
• Specify the height of the helix.
• Choose Axis endpoint, then specify the endpoint of the helix, which determines
the position and direction of the helix.
744 CHAPTER 15

Creating regions
You can convert a closed entity into a two-dimensional region. After you create a
region, you can modify it using the various three-dimensional tools. For example, you
can create a region from a square, and then extrude the square to create a three-
dimensional cube.
You can create regions from closed entities, such as polylines, polygons, circles,
ellipses, closed splines, and donuts. You can also select open entities such as lines
and arcs, if they have common endpoints and they form a closed area.
Creating regions typically has no visible effect on a drawing. However, if the original
entity had a width or lineweight, that information is lost when you create the region.

To create a region
1 Do one of the following to choose Region ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Region (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Region.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Region tool.
• Type region and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to create the region.
3 Press Enter.
The command bar displays a message that describes how many regions were cre-
ated.

The Boundary command can also be used to create regions.

For more details, see “Defining boundaries” on page 212.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 745

Creating planar surfaces

You can create planar surfaces by drawing a rectangle or selecting existing closed,
planar entities such as polylines, polygons, circles, ellipses, closed splines, and
donuts. You can also select open entities such as lines and arcs, if they have common
endpoints and they form a closed area.

To create a rectangular planar surface

1 Do one of the following to choose Planar ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Planar (in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Surfaces > Planar.
• On the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Planar tool.
• Type planesurf and then press Enter.
2 Specify a point for the first corner.
3 Specify a point for the opposite corner.

To create a planar surface from existing entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Planar ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Planar (in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Surfaces > Planar.
• On the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Planar tool.
• Type planesurf and then press Enter.
2 Choose Entity.
3 Select closed, planar entities, then press Enter.

Creating network surfaces

You can create a three-dimensional surface between a network of open curves,
including surface and solid edges, in the U- and V-directions.

To create a network surface

1 Do one of the following to choose Network ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Network (in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Surfaces > Network.
• On the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Network tool.
• Type surfnetwork and then press Enter.
2 Specify the curves or surface edges that you want to use for network creation in
the U-direction.
746 CHAPTER 15

3 Specify the curves or surface edges that you want to use for network creation in
the V-direction.
4 If a surface edge or solid edge was selected, enter a bulge magnitude value in the
range 0 to 1. The bulge magnitude is the roundness of the network surface edge
where it meets the originating surface.

Creating extruded solids or surfaces

You can create three-dimensional solids or surfaces by extruding closed entities, such
as polylines, polygons, circles, ellipses, closed splines, donuts, and regions. You can
extrude the entity along a selected path, or you can specify its height and taper angle.

To create an extruded solid or surface

1 Do one of the following to choose Extrude ( )( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Extrude (in Solids or in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Extrude or Draw > Surfaces >
Extrude.
• On the Draw 3D Solids or the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Extrude tool.
• Type extrude and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to extrude.
If you want to create an extruded surface instead of a solid, choose Mode. If an
open profile is selected, a surface is created even if Mode is set to Solid.
3 Select the extrusion path, or specify the height.

A B

Select the entity to extrude (A) and the extrusion The resulting extruded
path (B). solid.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 747

Creating revolved solids or surfaces

You can create three-dimensional solids or surfaces by revolving closed entities, such
as polylines, polygons, circles, ellipses, and regions. You can revolve the entity about
a defined axis, line, polyline, or two points.

To create a revolved solid or surface

1 Do one of the following to choose Revolve ( )( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Revolve (in Solids or in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Revolve or Draw > Surfaces >
Revolve.
• On the Draw 3D Solids or the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Revolve tool.
• Type revolve and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity to revolve.
If you want to create a revolved surface instead of a solid, choose Mode. If an
open profile is selected, a surface is created even if Mode is set to Solid.
3 Do one of the following to define the axis of revolution:
• Specify a start point and an end point.
• Type e and press Enter to select an entity that determines the axis.
• Type x and press Enter to select the x-axis.
• Type y and press Enter to select the y-axis.
4 Specify the angle of revolution.

Select the entity to revolve (A) and the The resulting revolved
axis (B) about which to revolve it, solid.
followed by the angle of revolution.
748 CHAPTER 15

Creating lofted solids and surfaces

Creates a three-dimensional solid or surface between two or more cross sections.
Cross sections can be open or closed entities. Open cross sections create three-dimen-
sional surfaces. Closed cross sections create three-dimensional solids or surfaces,
depending on the specified mode.
Cross sections can be 2D polylines, lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, elliptical arcs, 2D
splines, helices, traces, edges of entities, faces of a solid or surface, points of the first
or last cross section, regions, and 2D solids.
Guides can be 2D polylines with a single segment, 3D polylines, lines, arcs, elliptical
arcs, 2D and 3D splines, and edges of entities.
Paths can be 2D and 3D polylines, lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, elliptical arcs, 2D and
3D splines, helices, and edges of entities.

To create a lofted solid or surface

1 Do one of the following to choose Loft ( )( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Loft (in Solids or in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Loft or Draw > Surfaces > Loft.
• On the Draw 3D Solids or the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Loft tool.
• Type loft and then press Enter.
2 Select the cross sections in the order you want them to loft. You must select at
least two cross sections.
3 If desired, choose Point to taper the loft entity. Select the taper point on a cross
section, then press Enter.
4 If desired, choose Join multiple edges to create a cross section from edges. Select
the edges, which must share start and end points, to be considered as a cross sec-
tion. When done selecting edges, press Enter.
5 If needed, choose Mode to change whether a three-dimensional solid or surface is
created, then press enter.
6 Press Enter to continue.
7 Choose one of the following:
• Guides — Creates the loft entity using guide curves which help shape the entity.
Select the guide curves for the loft entity. Guide curves must intersect each cross
section and begin and end at the first and last cross section. You can also
combine multiple edges to form a guide.
• Path — Creates the loft entity along a path. Select the path for the lofted entity.
The path must intersect the solid or surface on all planes.
• Cross sections only — Creates the loft entity between the cross sections without
using guides or paths.
• Settings — Opens the Loft Settings dialog box to specify various settings.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 749

Creating swept solids and surfaces

You can create three-dimensional solids or surfaces by sweeping an entity along a
path.
Entities that you can sweep include 2D polylines, lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, ellipti-
cal arcs, 2D and 3D splines, 3D solid faces, and 2D solids.
Entities that can be the path include 2D and 3D polylines, lines, arcs, circles, ellipses,
elliptical arcs, 2D and 3D splines, helices, and edges of solids, surfaces, or meshes.

To create a swept solid or surface

1 Do one of the following to choose Sweep ( )( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Sweep (in Solids or in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Sweep or Draw > Surfaces > Sweep.
• On the Draw 3D Solids or the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Sweep tool.
• Type sweep and then press Enter.
2 Select one or more entities to sweep.
You can choose Mode to change whether a three-dimensional solid or surface is
created.
3 Select the path.
4 If desired, choose any of the following options:
• Alignment — Aligns the sweep entity to be perpendicular (normal) to the
tangent direction of the sweep path.
• Base point — Determines the base point of the sweep entity.
• Scale — Determines the scale factor for the sweep entity. If there are multiple
sweep entities, the scale factor is applied to each entity. You can also choose
Reference to select reference points in the drawing for scaling.
• Twist — Determines the degrees in which to rotate the sweep entity along the
path. If there are multiple sweep entities, the twist angle is applied to each entity.
You can also choose Bank to determine whether the sweep entity being swept
rotates along a 3D path such as a 3D polyline, spline, or helix.
750 CHAPTER 15

Creating polysolids
You can create three-dimensional solids with a rectangular profile from a new
polyline that you draw or from an existing line, arc, polyline, or circle.

To create a polysolid without converting any entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Polysolid ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Polysolid (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Polysolid.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Polysolid tool.
• Type polysolid and then press Enter.
2 Select the start point of the polysolid.
3 Continue selecting points. You can choose Arc to create an arc segment. You can
also choose Undo to erase the previous point.
4 Choose Height and specify the height of the polysolid. The default height is speci-
fied by the PSOLHEIGHT system variable.
5 Choose width and specify the width of the polysolid. The default height is speci-
fied by the PSOLWIDTH system variable.
6 Choose Justify to specify whether the width and height should be justified to the
left, center, or right. Justification orientation is determined according to the direc-
tion of the first profile segment.

To create a polysolid from an existing entity

1 Do one of the following to choose Polysolid ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Polysolid (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Polysolid.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Polysolid tool.
• Type polysolid and then press Enter.
2 Choose Entity, then press Enter.
3 Select the entity you want to convert to a polysolid. You can select a line, arc,
polyline, or circle.
4 Choose Height and specify the height of the polysolid. The default height is speci-
fied by the PSOLHEIGHT system variable.
5 Choose width and specify the width of the polysolid. The default height is speci-
fied by the PSOLWIDTH system variable.
6 Choose Justify to specify whether the width and height should be justified to the
left, center, or right. Justification is determined according to the direction of the
first profile segment.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 751

Creating composite three-dimensional entities

You can create composite three-dimensional facet model meshes by combining, sub-
tracting, and finding the intersection of two or more facet model meshes.
Composite three-dimensional entities can also be created using 3D solids.

Combining three-dimensional entities

Combine two or more facet model meshes to create one facet model mesh.
You can also combine two or more 3D solids.

To combine facet model meshes

1 Do one of the following to choose Union ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Union (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Union.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Union tool.
• Type fmunion and then press Enter.
2 Select the facet model meshes to combine.

To combine solids
1 Do one of the following to choose Union ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Union (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Union.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Union tool.
• Type union and then press Enter.
2 Select the 3D solids to combine.

Select the entities to combine (A and B). The resulting combined

entity.

Subtracting three-dimensional entities

Subtract two or more facet model meshes to create one facet model mesh.
You can also subtract two or more 3D solids.
752 CHAPTER 15

To subtract facet model meshes

1 Do one of the following to choose Subtract ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Subtract (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Subtract.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Subtract tool.
• Type fmsubtract and then press Enter.
2 Select the facet model meshes to subtract from one another.

To subtract solids
1 Do one of the following to choose Subtract ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Subtract (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Subtract.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Subtract tool.
• Type subtract and then press Enter.
2 Select the 3D solids to subtract from one another.

Select the entities to subtract (A and B). The resulting entity.

Intersecting three-dimensional entities

Create a composite three-dimensional entity from the intersection of two or more
facet model meshes. Areas outside of the intersection are removed.
You can also intersect two or more 3D solids.

To intersect facet model meshes

1 Do one of the following to choose Intersect ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Intersect (in Facet Model Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Facet Model Meshes > Intersect.
• On the Facet Model Meshes toolbar, click the Intersect tool.
• Type fmintersect and then press Enter.
2 Select the facet model meshes to intersect.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 753

To intersect solids
1 Do one of the following to choose Intersect ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Intersect (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Intersect.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Intersect tool.
• Type intersect and then press Enter.
2 Select the 3D solids to intersect.

Select the entities to combine (A and B). The resulting combined

entity.

Creating three-dimensional entities from extracted curves

You can create curves from the contours of three-dimensional surfaces—and from
solids if your program version supports them—and use those curves to experiment
with non-mesh shapes. The resulting curves depend on the original entity's shape and
can be lines, polylines, arcs, circles, or splines.
When finished experimenting with the resulting curves, you can use the Loft com-
mand to create a solid or surface from the revised curves.

To extract curves
1 Do one of the following to choose Extract Isolines ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Extract Isolines (in Curves).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Operations > Extract Isolines.
• Type surfextractcurve and then press Enter.
2 Select the surface, solid, or solid face that you want to extract curves from. To
select a solid face, press Ctrl + click.
3 Optionally choose any of the following:
• Chain Extracts curves from adjacent faces of the entity you select.
• Direction Changes the direction of the extracted curves. By default, curves are
created in the U direction.
4 Move the mouse over the selected entity, and then click to create the curve that is
being previewed.
5 Continue creating curves, and press Enter when done.
754 CHAPTER 15

To extract splines that pass through all specified points on the surface
1 Do one of the following to choose Extract Isolines ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Extract Isolines (in Curves).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Operations > Extract Isolines.
• Type surfextractcurve and then press Enter.
2 Select the surface, solid, or solid face that you want to create a custom curve from.
To select a solid face, press Ctrl + click.
3 Choose Spline points.
4 Specify a point for the spline to pass through.
5 Continue specifying points, and then press Enter when done.

Converting three-dimensional entities

Various types of three-dimensional entities can be converted into other entity types:
• Convert to 3D surfaces — Select closed 2D entities, 3D solids, regions, lines, arcs
and open polylines with thickness, mesh entities and 3D faces to convert to 3D
surfaces.
• Convert to 3D meshes — Select 3D solids, 3D faces, polyface meshes and poly-
gon meshes, regions, and closed polylines to convert to 3D meshes.
• Convert to polyface meshes — Select 3D solids to convert to polyface meshes.
• Convert to 3D solids — Select various entity types and convert to 3D solids.

Converting three-dimensional entities to surfaces

You can convert the following entities into three-dimensional surfaces: closed 2D
entities, 3D solids, regions, lines, arcs and open polylines with thickness, mesh enti-
ties and 3D faces.

To convert a three-dimensional entity to a surface

1 Do one of the following to choose Convert to Surface ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Convert to Surface (in Convert).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Convert > Convert to Surface.
• Type convtosurface and press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to convert, then press Enter when done.

Converting three-dimensional entities to meshes

You can convert the following entities into three-dimensional surfaces: 3D solids, 3D
faces, polyface meshes and polygon meshes, regions, and closed polylines.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 755

To convert a three-dimensional entity to a mesh

1 Do one of the following to choose Convert to Mesh ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Convert to Mesh (in Convert).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Convert > Convert to Mesh.
• Type convtomesh and press Enter.
2 Choose Settings to view or change settings for the conversion:
• Show Edges Click this check box to display the edges that form the mesh.
• Subdivide Level Enter a value from 0 to 3 to determine the level of detail. The
higher the number, the greater the detail applied to the converted mesh.
3 Click OK.
4 Select the entities you want to convert, then press Enter when done.

Converting solids to polyface meshes

You can convert three-dimensional solids to polyface meshes using the 3D Convert
command.

To convert a solid
1 Do one of the following to choose 3D Convert ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > 3D Convert (in Convert).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Convert > 3D Convert.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the 3D Convert tool.
• Type 3dconvert and press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to convert.

Converting surfaces and solids to NURBS surfaces

Use the Convert to NURBS command to convert solids and surfaces that are created
with the Convert to Surface command to NURBS surfaces.
Meshes created with the Convert to Mesh command can also be converted to NURBS
surfaces if you use the Convert to Surface or Convert to Solid command first.

Select a line to convert it to a spline.

The Convert to NURBS command is typically used to convert solids and surfaces to
NURBS surfaces, but it can also be used to convert two-dimensional entities (for
example, lines, polylines, arcs, circles, etc.) to splines.
756 CHAPTER 15

To convert entities to NURBS surfaces

1 Do one of the following to choose Convert to NURBS ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Convert to NURBS (in Convert).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Convert > Convert to NURBS.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Convert to NURBS tool.
• Type convtonurbs and press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to convert.

NURBS surfaces can display with control vertices.

Use the Show CV command to display control vertices; use the Hide CV command to
hide them.

Converting entities to solids

The Convert to Solid command converts several types of entities to solids: closed
mesh entities, closed 3D surfaces, and closed circles and polylines with thickness.
You can also apply thickness to surface and mesh entities and convert them to three-
dimensional solids using the Thicken command.

To convert closed entities to a solid using Convert to Solid

1 Do one of the following to choose Convert to Solid ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Convert to Solid (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Convert to Solid.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Convert to Solid tool.
• Type convtosolid and press Enter.
2 Select the entities that you want to convert to solids, which can include:
• Closed meshes
• Closed 3D surfaces
• Circles with thickness
• Closed polylines with thickness and a non-changing width
3 When you are finished selecting entities, press Enter.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 757

To convert a surface or mesh to a solid using Thicken

1 Do one of the following to choose Thicken ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Thicken (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Thicken.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Thicken tool.
• Type thicken and press Enter.
2 Select the surface or mesh entity you want to convert and apply thickness to.
3 If you selected a mesh entity, choose Facet Surface. The mesh is converted to a
facet surface first.
4 Enter the thickness value.
758 CHAPTER 15

Editing in three dimensions

You can copy, move, rotate, array, mirror, and align two-dimensional and three-
dimensional entities in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional space. You can
also change and edit properties of three-dimensional entities much like you change
and edit properties for two-dimensional entities. When you modify three-dimensional
entities in two-dimensional space, you modify the entity in relation to the current
UCS.

Moving and rotating in three dimensions

Use the 3D Positioner command to move and rotate entities interactively in three
dimensional space. There are two ways you can use the 3D Positioner command:
• Interactive dialog box — Choose Move or Rotate in the dialog box, then enter or
calculate distances and angles. Movement and rotation can be for one or more
axes at a single time, and you can apply and undo changes as you work.
• Visual aid (or gizmo) — Click one of its arrows to move entities along the corre-
sponding x-, y-, or z-axis, or click one of its orbits to rotate entities relative to the
corresponding axis. Movement and rotation is restricted to the axis you select.

To move and rotate entities in three dimensions

1 Do one of the following to choose 3D Positioner ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > 3D Positioner (in Modify); Edit > 3D Positioner
(in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Operations > 3D Positioner.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the 3D Positioner tool.
• Type 3dpositioner and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to move or rotate, and then press Enter.
3 Specify a point relative to which the selected entities are moved or rotated.
Both the 3D Positioner dialog box and visual aid display.
4 To use the dialog box:
• Move selected entities by choosing Move, then in X, Y, or Z Distance, enter the
distance you want to move selected entities along one or more axes.
• Rotate selected entities by choosing Rotate, then in X, Y, or Z Angle, enter the
angle you want to rotate selected entities relative to one or more axes.
• Calculate any value by clicking ( ) to open the Quick Calculator. For more
details, see “Using the Quick Calculator pane” on page 381.
• Revert applied changes one by one by clicking Undo, if needed.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 759

5 To use the visual aid:

• Move selected entities by clicking the arrow that corresponds to the axis you
want to move along, then pick a new location.
• Rotate selected entities by clicking the orbit that corresponds to the axis you
want to rotate around, then enter the rotation angle or pick a new location.

A Click and drag an arrow to move selected B Click and drag an orbit to rotate selected entities
entities along the corresponding axis. relative to the corresponding axis.

Another way to rotate entities about a specified axis in three dimensional space is
using the 3D Rotate command. First you select the entities to rotate and then define
the axis of rotation either by specifying two points; selecting an existing entity; align-
ing the axis with the x-, y-, or z-axis of the current UCS; or aligning the axis with the
current view.

To rotate an entity in three dimensions using the 3D Rotate command

1 Do one of the following to choose 3D Rotate ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > 3D Rotate (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Rotate.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the 3D Rotate tool.
• Type rotate3D and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to rotate, and then press Enter.
3 Choose from one of the following options: Entity, Last, View, Xaxis, Yaxis,
Zaxis.
4 Specify the rotation angle.
5 Specify the reference angle.
760 CHAPTER 15

A
C
D

Select the entities to rotate (A), specify the Result after rotating the entities.
endpoints of the axis of rotation (B and C), and then
specify the rotation angle (D).

Arraying in three dimensions

You can copy selected entities and arrange them in a three-dimensional rectangular or
polar (circular) pattern. For a rectangular array, you control the number of copies in
the array by specifying the number of rows and columns and the number of levels.
You also specify the distance between each. For a polar array, you specify the axis
around which to array the entities, the number of copies of the entities to create, and
the angle subtended by the resulting array.

To create a three-dimensional rectangular array

1 Do one of the following to choose 3D Array:
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > 3D Array (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Array.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the 3D Array tool.
• Type 3Darray and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose Rectangular.
4 Type the number of rows in the array.
5 Type the number of columns.
6 Type the number of levels.
7 Specify the vertical distance between the rows.
8 Specify the horizontal distance between the columns.
9 Specify the depth between the levels.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 761

B A
C

To create a three-dimensional rectangular array, select the entity to copy (A), type the number of rows,
columns, and levels, and then specify the distance between each row (B), column (C), and level (D).
To create a three-dimensional polar array
1 Do one of the following to choose 3D Array ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > 3D Array (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Array.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the 3D Array tool.
• Type 3Darray and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose Polar.
4 Type the number of copies to make, including the original selection set.
5 Specify the angle the array is to fill, from 0 to 360 degrees.
The default setting for the angle is 360 degrees. Positive values create the array in
a counterclockwise direction; negative values create the array in a clockwise
direction.
6 In the prompt box, choose one of the following:
• Yes-Rotate Entities to rotate entities as they are arrayed.
• No-Do Not Rotate to retain the original orientation of each copy as it is arrayed.
7 Specify the center point of the array.
8 Specify a second point along the central axis of the array.
762 CHAPTER 15

B
A

To create a three-dimensional polar array, select the entity to copy (A), type the number of copies to make,
specify the angle the array is to fill (B), and then specify the center point of the array (C) and a second point
along the central axis of the array (D).

Mirroring in three dimensions

You can create a mirror image of selected entities in three-dimensional space. You
mirror the entities about a mirror plane that you define by either specifying three
points; selecting an existing two-dimensional planar entity; aligning the plane parallel
with the xy, yz, or xz plane of the current UCS; or aligning the plane with the current
view. You can delete or retain the original entities.

To mirror an entity about a three-dimensional plane

1 Do one of the following to choose 3D Mirror ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > 3D Mirror (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Mirror.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the 3D Mirror tool.
• Type mirror3D and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities, and then press Enter.
3 In the prompt box, choose 3 Points, or press Enter to select the default.
4 Specify the first point on the mirror plane.
5 Specify the second and third points on the plane.
6 In the prompt box, choose one of the following:
• Yes-Delete Entities to delete the original entities.
• No-Keep Entities to retain the original entities.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 763

D C
A

Select the entity to mirror (A), and then specify The resulting mirrored entity.
the first point (B), second point (C), and third
point (D) defining the mirror plane.

Aligning in three dimensions

You can align one or more selected entities with other entities in three-dimensional
space. First you select the entities you want to move and align, then you specify pairs
of points to move and align the selected entities:
• One pair of points — Moves selected entities.
• Two pairs of points — Moves then rotates selected entities. The second pair of
points can also determine the scale of moved entities (scaling is available only
when using two pairs of points).
• Three pairs of points — Moves, rotates, then again rotates selected entities.
To align entities by moving them
1 Do one of the following to choose Align ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Align (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Align.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Align tool.
• Type align and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities that will be moved, and then press Enter. Do not include desti-
nation entities in the selection set.
3 Specify the first source point.
4 Specify the first destination point, then press Enter.
764 CHAPTER 15

Select one or more entities to move, and The resulting entities.

then specify the first source point (A) and
the first destination point (B).
To align entities by moving and rotating them
1 Do one of the following to choose Align ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Align (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Align.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Align tool.
• Type align and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities that will be moved and rotated, and then press Enter. Do not
include destination entities in the selection set.
3 Specify the first source point then the first destination point.
4 Specify the second source point then the second destination point, then press
Enter.
5 If desired, choose Yes to scale the moved entities. Otherwise, choose No. If scal-
ing, the selected entities scale proportionately so that the distance between the two
source points is the same as the distance between the two destination points.
The scaling option is available only when selecting two pairs of points.

C D

Select one or more entities to move and The resulting entities, not scaled.
rotate, and then specify the first source
point (A), the first destination point (B), the
second source point (C), and the second
destination point (D).
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 765

To align entities by moving and then rotating them twice

1 Do one of the following to choose Align ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Align (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Align.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Align tool.
• Type align and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities that will be moved and rotated, and then press Enter. Do not
include destination entities in the selection set.
3 Specify the first source point then the first destination point.
4 Specify the second source point then the second destination point.
5 Specify the third source point then the third destination point, then press Enter.

C D

E
A

B
F

Select one or more entities to move and The resulting entities.

rotate, and then specify the first source
point (A), the first destination point (B), the
second source point (C), the second
destination point (D), the third source point
(E), and the third destination point (F).
766 CHAPTER 15

Projecting and trimming entities on a solid, surface, or region

You can modify a solid, surface, or region by projecting geometry onto it. For exam-
ple, you can project holes drawn on a different plane onto a three-dimensional
mechanical part and automatically trim the holes from the part.
You can project points, lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, 2D and 3D polylines, splines, and
helices onto a three-dimensional solid, surface, or region using a direction that you
specify.

To project entities onto a solid, surface, or region

1 (Optional) To trim the resulting projection from the three-dimensional entity,
choose Auto Trim ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Auto Trim (in Curves).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Operations > Auto Trim.

Use a system variable.

Set the SURFACEAUTOTRIM system variable to 1 to automatically trim projec-
tions from three-dimensional entities.

2 Do one of the following to choose Project Geometry ( ):

• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Project Geometry (in Curves).
• On the menu, choose Modify > 3D Operations > Project Geometry.
• Type projectgeometry and then press Enter.
3 Select the entities that you want to project, and press Enter when done.
4 Select the surface, solid, or region onto which you want the selected entities to be
projected, then press Enter.
5 Specify the direction by choosing one of the following:
• View — Creates a projection based on the current view.
• UCS — Creates a projection along the z-axis of the current UCS.
• Points — Creates a projection along a path between a start and end point that
you specify.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 767

Editing three-dimensional surfaces

You can edit three-dimensional surface entities in several ways, including: offset, fil-
let, trim, and extend. Each surface editing method can also be used with regions.

Offsetting surfaces
You can create a parallel surface at a specified distance from a source surface. Alter-
nately, the source entity can be a region.

To offset a surface
1 Do one of the following to choose Offset ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Offset (in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Surfaces > Offset.
• On the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Offset tool.
• Type surfoffset and then press Enter.
2 Select the surfaces that you want to offset.
3 To change the direction for offsetting the source entities, choose Flip direction.
4 To offset the source entities in both directions, choose Both sides.
5 To create a solid instead of a surface which uses the offset distance as a thickness
value, choose Solid.
6 To connect multiple offset surfaces if the source entities are connected, choose
Connect, then choose Yes to keep adjacent edges connected or No otherwise.
7 To use an expression to specify the offset distance, choose Expression.
8 Specify the distance between the source entity and the offset surface, then press
Enter to offset.
768 CHAPTER 15

Filleting surfaces
You can create a surface that fillets an area between two existing surfaces. The newly
created surface has a constant radius and is tangent to the original surfaces. Alter-
nately, the two existing entities can be regions.

To fillet a surface
1 Do one of the following to choose Fillet ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Fillet (in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Surfaces > Fillet.
• On the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Fillet tool.
• Type surffillet and then press Enter.
2 Select the first surface.
3 To specify the fillet radius, choose Radius and enter a value.
4 To specify a trim option, choose Trim surface, and then choose Yes to trim the
original surfaces or regions to meet the edges of the fillet surface, or choose No to
keep the original surfaces or regions intact.
5 Select the second surface, then press Enter to fillet.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 769

Trimming surfaces
You can trim three-dimensional surfaces (and regions) where they meet the edges of
cutting entities such as curves, surfaces, and regions. The curves that can be used as
cutting entities include lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, 2D polylines, 2D spline-fit
polylines, 2D curve-fit polylines, 3D polylines, 3D spline-fit polylines, splines, and
helixes.

To trim a surface
1 Do one of the following to choose Trim ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Trim (in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Surfaces > Trim.
• On the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Trim tool.
• Type surftrim and then press Enter.
2 (Optional) To specify whether to trim cutting entities so that they meet the edge of
the trimmed surface, choose Extend and then choose Yes or No.
3 (Optional) To determine how the cutting geometry is projected onto the surface,
choose PROjection direction, and then choose one of the following:
• Automatic — Projects the trimming geometry automatically: in the view
direction when trimming a surface in a plan or parallel view (e.g., the default
Top, Front, or Right view); in a direction perpendicular to the curve plane when
trimming a surface with a planar curve in an angled parallel or perspective view,
and in a direction parallel to the z-direction of the current UCS when trimming
a surface with a 3D curve in an angled, parallel, or perspective view.
• View — Projects the trimming geometry based on the current view.
• Ucs — Projects the trimming geometry along the z-axis of the current UCS.
• None — Trims the surface only if the trimming geometry lies on the surface.
4 Select the surface you want to trim.
5 Select the curves, surfaces, and regions to use as trimming boundaries.
6 Pick the areas that you want to remove from trimmed surfaces, then press Enter
when done.
770 CHAPTER 15

Extending surfaces
You can lengthen a three-dimensional surface to a specified distance. The extension
can be created either as part of the original surface or as a second surface entity adja-
cent to the original surface. You can also choose whether the extension continues the
original surface shape or is independent of the vector of adjacent edges.

To extend a surface
1 Do one of the following to choose Extend ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Extend (in Surfaces).
• On the menu, choose Draw > Surfaces > Extend.
• On the Draw 3D Surfaces toolbar, click the Extend tool.
• Type surfextend and then press Enter.
2 Select the edges of the surfaces you want to extend.
3 Choose Modes and specify one of the following to determine the shape of the
extension:
• Extend — Extends the surface so that the new extension surface mimics and
continues the shape of the original surface.
• Stretch — Extends the surface without trying to mimic and continue its shape,
independent of the vector of adjacent edges.
4 Specify the length of the extension.
5 Choose one of the following:
• Merge — Creates an extension surface as a continuation of the original surface
with no seam.
• Append — Creates an extension surface as a new surface entity adjacent to the
original surface.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 771

Editing three-dimensional solids

You can edit three-dimensional solids in several unique ways, including: chamfer, fil-
let, section, and slice. You can also modify individual faces and edges of solids, as
well as imprint, separate, shell, and check solids.
You can edit three-dimensional ACIS solids, including: boxes, cones, cylinders,
dishes, domes, pyramids, spheres, tori, and wedges.

Chamfering and filleting solids

You can chamfer or fillet a three-dimensional solid much like you chamfer or fillet a
two-dimensional entity.

To chamfer a solid
1 Do one of the following to choose Chamfer ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Chamfer (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Chamfer.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool.
• Type chamfer and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the base surface to chamfer. (One of two surfaces adjacent to
the selected edge will be highlighted.)
3 Do one of the following:
• To select a different surface, type n and press Enter.
• To use the current surface, press Enter.
4 Specify the base surface distance (measured from the selected edge to the base
surface).
5 Specify the adjacent surface distance (measured from the selected edge to the
adjacent surface).
6 Do one of the following:
• Specify the edges to chamfer.
• To select all edges around the base surface, type l and press Enter.
772 CHAPTER 15

To fillet a solid
1 Do one of the following to choose Fillet ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Edit > Fillet (in Modify).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Fillet.
• On the Modify toolbar, click the Fillet tool.
• Type fillet and then press Enter.
2 Select the edge of the solid to fillet.
3 Specify the fillet radius.
4 Select additional edges to fillet, and press Enter to fillet.

Sectioning and slicing solids

You can section or slice a three-dimensional solid, region, or body (typically a sheet).
When you section a solid, you obtain an “inside view” by creating a cross-section
through the solid as a region or block. When you section a region or body, the result-
ing intersections are curves.
When you slice a solid, region, or body, you create a new entity by cutting the origi-
nal entity and removing a specific side.

To section an entity
1 Do one of the following to choose Section ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Section (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Section.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Section tool.
• Type section and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to cross-section.
3 Do one of the following:
• Specify three points to define the cross-section plane. (The first point defines the
origin, while the second point defines the x-axis and the third point defines the
y-axis.)
• Type o and press Enter to select an entity that defines the cross-sectional plane.
• Specify an axis by typing the appropriate letter and pressing Enter.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 773

To slice an entity
1 Do one of the following to choose Slice ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Slice (in Solids).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Solids > Slice.
• On the Draw 3D Solids toolbar, click the Slice tool.
• Type slice and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities to slice.
3 Do one of the following:
• Specify three points to define the cross-section plane. (The first point defines the
origin, while the second point defines the x-axis and the third point defines the
y-axis.)
• Type o and press Enter to select an entity that defines the cross-sectional plane.
• Specify an axis by typing the appropriate letter and pressing Enter.
4 Specify which side to retain, or type b to retain both sides.

Modifying faces
You can edit three-dimension solids by extruding, moving, rotating, offsetting, taper-
ing, deleting, or copying individual faces. You can also change the color of individual
faces.

Extruding solid faces

To extrude a solid face
1 Do one of the following to choose Extrude Face ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Extrude Face (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Extrude Face.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Extrude Face tool.
2 Select the entity with the face you want to extrude.
3 Select the face(s) to extrude, and press Enter.
4 Do one of the following:
• Specify the height of extrusion.
• Type p and press Enter to select a path for extrusion.
5 If you specified a height, specify a taper angle.
774 CHAPTER 15

Select the entity to extrude, and then specify the The resulting entity with the face extruded to
face(s) to extrude (A), and the height of position (B).
extrusion or path.

Moving solid faces

To move a solid face
1 Do one of the following to choose Move Face ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Move Face (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Move Face.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Move Face tool.
2 Select the entity with the face you want to move.
3 Select the face(s) to move, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify an end point.

A B

Select the entity, and then specify the The resulting entity with the face moved
face(s) to move (A), the base point (B), to the new position.
and the end point (C).
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 775

Rotating solid faces

To rotate a solid face
1 Do one of the following to choose Rotate Face ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Rotate Face (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Rotate Face.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Rotate Face tool.
2 Select the entity with the face you want to rotate.
3 Select the face(s) to rotate, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify another point on the rotation axis.
6 Specify the rotation angle.

Select the entity, and then specify the face(s) to The resulting entity with the face rotated to position
rotate (A), the base point (B), a second point on (D).
the rotation axis (C), and a rotation angle.

Offsetting solid faces

To offset a solid face
1 Do one of the following to choose Offset Face ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Offset Face (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Offset Face.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Offset Face tool.
2 Select the entity with the face you want to offset.
3 Select the face(s) to offset, and press Enter.
4 Specify an offset distance.
776 CHAPTER 15

Select the entity, and then specify the face(s) to The resulting entity with the face offset to position
offset (A) and the distance to offset. (B).

Tapering solid faces

To taper a solid face
1 Do one of the following to choose Taper Face ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Taper Face (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Taper Faces.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Taper Face tool.
2 Select the entity with the face you want to taper.
3 Select the face(s) to taper, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify another point along the axis.
6 Specify a taper angle.

Select the entity, and then specify the face(s) to The resulting entity with the face tapered to position
taper (A), a base point, a second point along the (D).
taper axis, and a taper angle.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 777

Deleting solid faces

To delete a solid face
1 Do one of the following to choose Delete Face ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Delete Face (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Delete Face.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Delete Face tool.
2 Select the entity with the face you want to delete.
3 Select the face(s) to delete, and press Enter.

Select the entity, and then specify the face(s) to The resulting entity with the face deleted.
delete (A).

Copying solid faces

To copy a solid face
1 Do one of the following to choose Copy Face ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Copy Face (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Copy Face.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Copy Face tool.
2 Select the entity with the face you want to copy.
3 Select the face(s) to copy, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify an end point.
778 CHAPTER 15

Select the entity, and then specify the face(s) to The resulting entity with the face copied.
copy (A), the base point (B), and the end point
(C).

Coloring solid faces

To color a face
1 Do one of the following to choose Color Face ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Color Face (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Color Face.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Color Face tool.
2 Select the entity with the face you want to color.
3 Select the face(s) to color, and press Enter.
4 Specify a color.

Select the entity, and then specify the face(s) to The resulting entity with the face colored.
color (A).
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 779

Modifying edges
In addition to modifying faces of solids, you can modify individual edges. You can
copy individual edges or change the color of individual edges.

To copy an edge
1 Do one of the following to choose Copy Edge ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Copy Edge (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Copy Edge.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Copy Edge tool.
2 Select the entity with the edge you want to copy.
3 Select the edge(s) to copy, and press Enter.
4 Specify a base point.
5 Specify an end point.

Select the entity, and then specify the edge(s) to The resulting entity with the edge copied.
copy (A), the base point (B), and the end point
(C).
To color an edge
1 Do one of the following to choose Color Edge ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Color Edge (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Color Edge.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Color Edge tool.
2 Select the entity with the edge you want to color.
3 Select the edge(s) to color, and press Enter.
4 Specify a color.
780 CHAPTER 15

Imprinting solids
You can modify the face of a solid by imprinting another entity on it. For example,
you can imprint a line, arc, or polyline onto the face of a box.

To imprint a solid entity

1 Do one of the following to choose Imprint ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Imprint (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Imprint.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Imprint tool.
2 Select the solid entity you want to imprint.
3 Select the entity you want to imprint on the solid.

Separating solids
You can separate solids that have been combined. After you separate them, they are
separated into individual solids.

To separate solids
1 Do one of the following to choose Separate ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Separate (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Separate.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Separate tool.
2 Select the solid you want to separate.

Shelling solids
You can create a shell or a hollow thin wall from your 3D solid entity. IntelliCAD
offsets existing faces to create new faces.

To shell a solid
1 Do one of the following to choose Shell ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Shell (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Shell.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Shell tool.
2 Select the entity you want to shell.
3 Remove any faces you don’t want to include.
4 Specify an offset distance.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 781

Select the entity, and then select faces to The resulting shelled entity.
remove (A) and (B), then specify an offset
distance.

Cleaning solids
You can remove redundant edges or vertices from solids when they are not needed.

To clean a solid
1 Do one of the following to choose Clean ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Clean (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Clean.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Clean tool.
2 Select the entity you want to clean.

Checking solids
You can check whether a selected entity is a valid three dimensional ACIS solid. If it
is a valid 3D solid, you can modify the entity using the 3D solid editing commands; if
not, you cannot edit the entity using these commands.

To check a solid
1 Do one of the following to choose Check ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Check (in Solid Editing).
• On the menu, choose Modify > Solid Editing > Check.
• On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Check tool.
2 Select the entities to check.
782 CHAPTER 15

Hiding, shading, and rendering

As you create three-dimensional entities, the program displays both wireframe and
surface models in wireframe view, which makes it difficult to visualize your three-
dimensional models. To better visualize the model, you can remove all the lines that
are hidden behind other entities or surfaces when seen from the current viewpoint.
Shading goes a step further by removing hidden lines and then assigning flat colors to
the visible surfaces, making them appear solid. Shaded images are useful when you
want to quickly visualize your model as a solid entity, though they lack depth and
definition.
Rendering provides an even more realistic image of your model, complete with light
sources, shadows, surface material properties, and reflections, giving your model a
photo-realistic look. As shown in the following illustrations, when you render a
model, the program removes hidden lines and then shades the surfaces as though they
were illuminated from imaginary light sources.

Wire-frame model. Hidden-line image. Shaded image. Rendered image.

Understanding dynamic and static hiding, shading, and rendering

IntelliCAD includes two ways to hide, shade, and render drawings, each with its own
advantages:
• Dynamic visual styles — Drawings display a hidden-line, shadowed, or rendered
view in real time while you draw and edit. You can add materials, lights, and a
background to the drawing, and their effects also display dynamically. Visual
styles are based on the OpenGL and OpenGL ES graphics devices.
• Static images — Static hidden-line, shadowed, and rendered images are created
for the current view. While not dynamic, you can create static images using more
options than visual styles, such as sun shadows, reflections, refactoring, and the
ability to edit materials. Static images are based on DaVinci rendering.

Using dynamic visual styles for hiding, shading, and rendering

Visual styles can change the display of a drawing in real-time as you draw and edit a
drawing. As you work, you can also add materials to entities, lighting to the scene,
and a background to the current view, all of which display with visual styles that
support rendering, such as Realistic and Shaded.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 783

Visual styles can be managed using the Explorer. For more details, see “Working
with visual styles” on page 340.

Displaying a drawing with a visual style

You can choose from a variety of styles according to your needs. For example, if
you’re just starting a new drawing, you might want to view it using a wireframe
mode, which looks similar to a model made out of wire and displays faster than more
complex visual styles. Then as your drawing advances, you can switch to a more
detailed visual style.
The following visual styles are available:
• 2D Wireframe — Drawing displays in two dimensions with all lines drawn at the
edge of entities.
• Conceptual — Drawing displays in three dimensions with surfaces shaded in con-
ceptual colors.
• Hidden — Drawing displays in three dimensions with all lines drawn at the edge
of entities except those behind surfaces.
• Realistic — Drawing displays in three dimensions with surfaces filled with
assigned materials.
• Shaded — Drawing displays in three dimensions with surfaces shaded.
• Shaded with Edges — Drawing displays in three dimensions with surfaces shaded
and lines drawn at the edge of surfaces.
• Shades of Gray — Drawing displays in three dimensions with surfaces shaded in
monochromatic shades of gray.
• Sketchy — Drawing displays in two and three dimensions with a freehand sketch
effect.
• Wireframe — Drawing displays in three dimensions with all lines drawn at the
edge of entities.
• X-ray — Drawing displays in three dimensions with surfaces partially transparent.
The more detail that displays on the screen, the greater the impact on performance.

To change the visual style

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose View and in Visual Styles, make your selection.
• On the menu, choose View > Visual Styles, then make your selection.
• On the View toolbar, click your selection.
• Type vscurrent, press Enter, then make your selection.
784 CHAPTER 15

Adding materials that display with visual styles

Materials that display with visual styles are managed using the Explore Materials
command. After you import materials to the drawing, you can assign them to entities
and layers, and their effects are seen using the Realistic visual style.
Use the Realistic visual style to display materials assigned to entities.
For more details about using the Materials Explorer, see “Working with materials” on
page 364.

Adding lighting effects that display with visual styles

IntelliCAD applies default lighting to all models when the drawing is displayed using
Realistic, Shaded, Shaded with Edges, and Shades of Gray visual styles.
If you want to create a specific lighting scene, you can add your own lights that spec-
ify the placement of lights, light color, and light intensity to determine how your
drawing or scene is lit. Lights can be placed either outside the field of view or inside
to illuminate different areas of the scene.
There are several ways to add custom lighting to your drawing:
• Point Light command A point light shines light from its location in all directions.
Point lights are entities in a drawing and their effects appear for shaded or ren-
dered visual styles in IntelliCAD and in third-party software such as Artisan Ren-
derer.
• Spot Light command A spot light shines light in the shape of a cone from its loca-
tion towards the direction you specify. Spot lights are entities in drawings and
their effects appear for shaded or rendered visual styles in IntelliCAD and in third-
party software such as Artisan Renderer.

To create a point light

1 Do one of the following to choose Point Light ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Point Light (in Lights).
• On the menu, choose View > Lights > Point Light.
• Type pointlight and then press Enter.
2 If default lighting is currently turned on, IntelliCAD prompts you to turn it off so
you can see the effect of your new lights. Click Yes to turn off default lighting.
3 Enter the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of where to place the point light, or click the
location in the drawing.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 785

To create a spot light

1 Do one of the following to choose Spot Light ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Spot Light (in Lights).
• On the menu, choose View > Lights > Spot Light.
• Type spotlight and then press Enter.
2 If default lighting is currently turned on, IntelliCAD prompts you to turn it off so
you can see the effect of your new lights. Click Yes to turn off default lighting.
3 Enter the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of where to place the spot light, or click the
location in the drawing.
4 Then enter the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the location you want to shine light, or
click the location in the drawing.

Edit point lights and spot lights.

You can move and copy point lights and spot lights in your drawing, just as you
would any other entity. To specify settings for the point or spot light, such as color
and attenuation, right-click the light, choose Properties, and make your selections in
the Properties pane. And when you select a spot light, grips display allowing you to
change the light and target location, cone size, and fall-off size.

Lights of older file formats can be updated to the current format.

If you open a drawing that contains lights that were created in an older format, type
CONVERTOLDLIGHTS at the command prompt to update them to the current for-
mat.

Adding a background that displays with visual styles

Backgrounds display for the current view when using any visual style except 2D
Wireframe. You can choose a solid-color, gradient, or image background.
Backgrounds can also be assigned to named views and displayed with the same visual
styles. For more details, see “Setting the background for a named view” on page 702
in this chapter.

To set the background for the current view

1 Do one of the following to choose Background ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Background (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Background.
• Type background and then press Enter.
786 CHAPTER 15

2 Choose one of the following:

• Solid
• Gradient
• Image
3 In the Background dialog box, make your selections. Click [?] to see details about
each option.
4 Click OK.

Creating static hidden-line, shaded, and rendered images

Creating hidden-line images

Creating a hidden-line image of your drawing removes all the lines that are hidden
behind other surfaces when seen from your vantage point. When you remove hidden
lines or shade a model, the program treats the entities differently, depending on how
you created them. Wireframe models always appear transparent, because they have
no surfaces. Surface models appear filled, with surfaces applied to all visible sides.
You can also control the hidden-line view on an entity-by-entity basis by showing
and hiding edges of selected 3D faces, meshes, and polyface meshes.

To create a hidden-line image

• Type hide and then press Enter.

Use a visual style.

Choosing View > Visual Styles > Hidden is similar to using the Hide command. For
more details, see “Displaying a drawing with a visual style” on page 783.

Before creating a hidden-line image. After removing hidden lines.

To hide edges of 3D faces, meshes, and polyface meshes
1 Do one of the following to choose Hide Edges ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Hide Edges (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Hide Edges.
• Type hideedges and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities with edges that you want to hide, then press Enter when done.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 787

Individual edges can be hidden for 3D faces.

The Hide Edges command hides all edges of selected entities, but if you are working
with 3D faces, you can also use the Edge command to hide individual edges.

To show edges of 3D faces, meshes, and polyface meshes

1 Do one of the following to choose Show Edges ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Draw 3D > Show Edges (in Meshes).
• On the menu, choose Draw > 3D Meshes > Show Edges.
• Type showedges and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities with edges that you want to show, then press Enter when done.

Individual edges can be displayed for 3D faces.

The Show Edges command shows all edges of selected entities, but if you are working
with 3D faces, you can also use the Edge command to show individual edges.

Creating shaded images

Creating a shaded image of your drawing removes hidden lines and then applies
shading to the visible surfaces based on their entity color. Because they are intended
to provide a quick visualization, shaded images do not have a light source and use
continuous colors across surfaces, causing them to appear flat and unrealistic.

To create a shaded image

• Type shade and then press Enter.
To control the appearance of the shaded image, choose Tools > Drawing Settings,
and then click the 3D Settings tab and select the options you want. You can shade the
surfaces and edges of the model in four ways:
• Faces shaded; edges not highlighted.
• Faces shaded; edges highlighted in the background color.
• Faces filled in the background color; edges drawn using the entity color (similar to
a hidden-line view).
• Faces filled using the entity color; edges highlighted in the background color.

Use a visual style.

Choosing a shaded visual style (View > Visual Styles) is similar to using the Shade
command. For more details, see “Displaying a drawing with a visual style” on page
783.
788 CHAPTER 15

Creating photo-realistic rendered images

Creating a rendered image of your drawing removes hidden lines and then shades the
surface as though it were illuminated from multiple light sources.
Full rendering creates a photo-realistic image of your model, complete with light
sources, shadows, surface material properties, and reflections. You can illuminate
your image with spotlights, distant lighting to simulate sunshine, and ambient light. If
you choose not to customize the light sources, the program generates default light
sources for you.
Rays from these imaginary light sources are traced as they reflect off and refract
through the surfaces of the model, a process called ray tracing. Ray tracing deter-
mines where shadows fall and how reflections on shiny materials such as metal and
glass appear. You can modify the reflective properties of the materials that make up
your model to control how the light rays reflect off its surfaces.
Full rendering automatically creates a base on which your model is displayed, if you
don’t already have one, so it does not appear suspended in space. A background is
also automatically added to the image. A background such as a cloudy sky or an
imported raster graphic such as a stone wall can also be added behind the image,
making it even more realistic.

To create a quickly rendered image

Do one of the following to choose Render ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Render Settings (in Rendering).
• On the menu, choose View > Rendering > Render.
• On the Rendering toolbar, click the Render tool.
• Type render and then press Enter.

To create a fully rendered image

Do one of the following to choose Full Render ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Render Settings (in Rendering).
• On the menu, choose View > Rendering > Full Render.
• On the Rendering toolbar, click the Full Render tool.
• Type fullrender and then press Enter.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 789

Fully rendered image.

Use a visual style.

Choosing the Realistic visual style (View > Visual Styles) is similar to using the ren-
der commands. For more details, see “Displaying a drawing with a visual style” on
page 783.

Creating custom rendered images

Before you use the Full Render command to create a rendered image of a drawing,
you can apply materials, a background, and lighting (including shadows) to
customize your drawing:
• Materials Specify materials for different surfaces and define how the materials
map to those surfaces. Predefined materials are available in the materials library,
which can be customized further using the built-in editor. You can choose to use
procedural or bitmap materials.
• Backgrounds Specify the background or backdrop for a rendered image. Several
predefined backgrounds are available. By default, no background is used and it
appears black. The background is an infinite, planar surface and reflects off of any
reflective surfaces in your model. The background is not affected by lighting how-
ever, so no shadows or highlights are seen on the background.
790 CHAPTER 15

• Lighting Specify the placement of lights, light color, and light intensity to deter-
mine how your drawing or scene is lit, including shadows and reflections in the
scene. Lights can be placed either outside the field of view or inside to illuminate
different areas of the scene. Several predefined lighting controls are available,
including ambient lighting, diffuse lighting, specular reflections, specular high-
lights, and transparency.

To apply materials, backgrounds, and lighting

1 Do one of the following to choose Materials ( ), Backgrounds ( ),
or Lighting ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Materials, Backgrounds, or Lighting (in
Rendering).
• On the menu, choose View > Rendering, and then choose Materials,
Backgrounds, or Lighting.
• On the Rendering toolbar, click the Materials, Backgrounds, or Lighting tool.
• Type materials, backgrounds, or lighting and then press Enter.
2 Make your selections.

You can specify additional rendering options.

Choose View > Rendering > Render Settings. For more information about creating
custom rendered images, click Help in any of the Render dialog boxes.

Saving a rendered image

You can save a rendered image to a different format — either a bitmap (.bmp), JPEG
(.jpg), TIFF (.tif), TrueVision TGA (.tga), or Portable Network Graphic (.png). If you
want to print the rendered image, you can print the saved image from another
graphics program.
To save a rendered image of your drawing
1 Create a rendered image of the drawing.
2 Do one of the following to choose Render Settings ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Render Settings (in Rendering).
• On the menu, choose View > Rendering > Render Settings.
• On the Rendering toolbar, click the Render Settings tool.
• Type setrender and then press Enter.
3 On the Rendering tab, click Save Last Image.
4 Enter a file name and path.
5 In Save As Type, choose the file format.
6 Click Save.
 DRAWING IN THREE DIMENSIONS 791

Rendering in Artisan Renderer

Similar to the Full Render command in IntelliCAD, Artisan Renderer allows you to
create a photo-realistic image of your model. However, many users prefer using Arti-
san Renderer to speed up the design process with access to a wide range of pre-set
materials and lighting setups, along with the ability to create custom realistic materi-
als.
For more details about Artisan Renderer, choose Help > Help in Artisan Renderer.

To create a rendered image in Artisan Renderer

1 Save the drawing.
2 Do one of the following to choose Artisan Render ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Artisan (in Rendering).
• On the menu, choose View > Rendering > Artisan.
• On the Artisan Rendering toolbar, click the Artisan tool.
• Type artisan and then press Enter.
3 If the Artisan Settings dialog box displays, choose from the following options:
• Units Select the units.
• Language Select the language. To use the operating system language, choose
Use System Locale.
• Facet resolution Set the resolution of shaded three dimensional entities and
faces when exporting to Artisan Renderer.
• Smoothing angle Set the angle of smoothing applied to crease edges when
exporting to Artisan Renderer.
• Show on Startup Choose to display the Artisan Settings dialog each time you
use the Artisan or Artisan Sync command in IntelliCAD.
4 Click OK.
Artisan Renderer opens and displays your model for you to add materials and
other effects. For more details about using Artisan Renderer, choose Help > Help
in Artisan Renderer.
792 CHAPTER 15

To synchronize your latest model with Artisan Renderer

1 Save the drawing.
2 Do one of the following to choose Artisan Sync ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose View > Artisan Sync (in Rendering).
• On the menu, choose View > Rendering > Artisan Sync.
• On the Artisan Rendering toolbar, click the Artisan Sync tool.
• Type artisan-sync and then press Enter.
Artisan Renderer is updated with the latest model from IntelliCAD, which is help-
ful if you’re working in IntelliCAD and Artisan Renderer at the same time and you
change the model in IntelliCAD.
 16

Working with other programs and

computers

IntelliCAD offers great flexibility in its capability to be used with other programs.
You can include an IntelliCAD drawing in a Microsoft® Word document or insert a
Microsoft® Excel spreadsheet containing a parts list into an IntelliCAD drawing. To
include IntelliCAD drawings in other programs and documents from other programs
in IntelliCAD drawings, you either link or embed them. You can also save Intelli-
CAD drawings in other file formats that can be used directly with other programs or
send IntelliCAD drawings to coworkers via e-mail.
This section explains how to:
• Save and view snapshots.
• Use object linking and embedding.
• Export IntelliCAD drawings to other file formats.
• Convert one or more drawings to other file formats.
• Use IntelliCAD data on other computers.
• Use IntelliCAD with the Internet.

Topics in this chapter

Saving and viewing snapshots ......................................................................... 794
Using data from other programs in IntelliCAD drawings ................................... 796
Using IntelliCAD data in other programs .......................................................... 811
Converting files ................................................................................................. 821
Using IntelliCAD data on other computers........................................................ 825
Using IntelliCAD with the Internet..................................................................... 832
Working with digital signatures ......................................................................... 834
794 CHAPTER 16

Saving and viewing snapshots

You can save snapshots of a drawing to view later. A snapshot saves the current
drawing in either .emf, .wmf, or .sld files exactly as it appears on the screen. A snap-
shot is not a drawing file. You cannot edit or print the snapshot; you can only view it.
You can use snapshots in the following ways:
• Add slide (.sld) files to image tile menus.
• Make presentations by showing snapshots of your drawings.
• Reference a snapshot of a drawing while working on a different drawing.
• Present a number of snapshots as a slide show by using scripts.

For details about using slide (.sld) files with image tile menus, see “Customizing
image tile menus” on page 839.

Creating snapshots
You create a snapshot by saving the current view as a snapshot. A snapshot does not
include any entities on layers that are not currently visible. The contents of the snap-
shot also depend on the current drawing space. In model space, the snapshot shows
only the current viewport. In paper space, the snapshot contains all visible viewports.
If you are creating a slide (.sld) file to use in an image tile menu, make sure the image
fills the screen before you create the snapshot. Image tiles display with a 3:2 ratio in
image tile menus.

To create a snapshot
1 Display the drawing exactly as you want to capture it as a snapshot.
2 Do one of the following to choose Make Snapshot ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Make Snapshot (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Make Snapshot.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Make Snapshot tool.
• Type msnapshot and then press Enter.
3 In the dialog box that displays, specify the name of the snapshot file you want to
create.
4 From the Files Of Types list, choose either .emf, .wmf, or .sld.
5 Click Save.

The current drawing remains on the screen, and the snapshot is saved to the directory
that you specify. Slide (.sld) files that are used in image tile menus should be located
in the program’s installation folder.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 795

Viewing snapshots
You can view previously saved snapshots, and you can also view snapshots created
using AutoCAD.
When you view a snapshot, it temporarily replaces the current drawing with the exter-
nal snapshot file. When you refresh the display of the current drawing (by redrawing,
panning, zooming, minimizing, maximizing, or tiling), the snapshot image disap-
pears, and you are returned to the current drawing.

To view a snapshot
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > View Snapshot (in Manage).
• Choose Tools > View Snapshot.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the View Snapshot tool ( ).
• Type vsnapshot and then press Enter.
2 In the dialog box that displays, specify the name of the snapshot file you want to
view.
3 Click Open.
IntelliCAD displays the snapshot in the current drawing window.
796 CHAPTER 16

Using data from other programs in IntelliCAD drawings

You can include data from other programs in IntelliCAD drawings by using either
embedding or linking. The method you choose depends on the type of object or file
you want to include in your IntelliCAD drawing and what you want to do with it after
it is there.

Embedding objects into drawings

Embed an object into your IntelliCAD drawing when you want to keep all the data
you work with in one file or if you want to transfer the file to other computers. You
can embed data from programs that support object linking and embedding.
For example, if you want to distribute data about a department’s computer equipment
along with an IntelliCAD drawing of the department’s floor plan, you can embed a
Microsoft® Excel spreadsheet into the floor plan.
When you embed data from another program, IntelliCAD becomes the container for
that data. The object embedded in the IntelliCAD drawing becomes part of the
IntelliCAD file. When you edit the data, you open its program from within the
IntelliCAD drawing.
Any changes you make to the embedded data exist only in the IntelliCAD drawing, so
it is not necessary to keep that data in a separate file. If the data does exist in a sepa-
rate file, the original file does not change when you modify the embedded object in
IntelliCAD. Also, changes to the original file do not affect the embedded object in the
IntelliCAD drawing.

To embed another program’s object into an IntelliCAD drawing

1 Open the file that contains the data you want.
2 In the file, select the data you want to embed in the IntelliCAD drawing.
3 Choose that program’s command to place data on the Clipboard.
Usually, you choose Edit > Copy.
4 In the IntelliCAD window, display the drawing in which you want to embed the
object.
5 Do one of the following to choose Paste ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Home > Paste (in Clipboard) or choose Edit > Paste (in
Modify)
• On the menu, choose Edit > Paste.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Paste tool.
• Type paste and then press Enter.
The data on the Clipboard is pasted into the drawing as an embedded object. The
object appears in the center of the view, but you can select and move it by moving
the cursor.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 797

To embed an object from an existing file within IntelliCAD

1 Do one of the following to choose OLE Object ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > OLE Object (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > OLE Object.
• Type insertobj and then press Enter.
2 In the Insert Object dialog box, click Create From File.
3 Specify the file by doing one of the following:
• Type a path and file name in the File box.
• Click Browse to select a file.
4 Select Display As Icon if you want that program’s icon to appear in the drawing
instead of the data.
5 Click OK.
The first page of the file appears in the IntelliCAD drawing, unless you chose to
display it as an icon. You can select the object and drag to reposition it.

To create a new embedded object from within IntelliCAD

1 Do one of the following to choose OLE Object ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > OLE Object (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > OLE Object.
• Type insertobj and then press Enter.
2 In the Insert Object dialog box, click Create New.
3 From the Object Type list, select the type of object you want to create, and then
click OK.
The program for creating that object opens within IntelliCAD. If the program is
compatible with ActiveX, it opens in place (within the other program) in the
IntelliCAD drawing; otherwise, the program opens in its full window.
4 Create the object in the other program.
5 If the program is running within the other document (in place), click anywhere
outside the embedded object to close the program.
If the program is running in its full window, choose File > Exit.

Linking objects to drawings

If another program supports ActiveX, you can link its data to IntelliCAD drawings.
Use linking when you want to include the same data in many files. When you update
the data, all links to other files reflect the changes.
For example, if you created your company logo in an ActiveX-compatible drawing
program, and you want to include it in the title block of every drawing you create
with IntelliCAD, you can link it to each IntelliCAD drawing. When you change the
original logo in the drawing program, the IntelliCAD drawing updates automatically.
798 CHAPTER 16

When you link data from another program, the IntelliCAD drawing stores only a ref-
erence to the location of the file in which you created the data. You link data from a
saved file, so IntelliCAD can find the data and display it.
Because linking adds only a reference to a file, the data does not significantly
increase the file size of the IntelliCAD drawing. However, links require some mainte-
nance. If you move any of the linked files, you need to update the links. In addition, if
you want to transport linked data, you must include all linked files.
You can update a linked object automatically every time you open the drawing, or
you can do so only when you specify. Anytime a link is updated, changes made to the
object in its original file also appear in the IntelliCAD drawing, and the changes also
appear in the original file if they were made through IntelliCAD.

To link a file to an IntelliCAD drawing

1 Save the original file.
Because a link consists of a reference to the original file, you must save the file
before you can link to it.
2 In the original file, select the data you want in the IntelliCAD drawing.
3 Choose that program’s command to place data on the Clipboard.
Usually, you choose Edit > Copy.
4 Display the IntelliCAD drawing to which you want to link the file.
5 In IntelliCAD, choose Edit > Paste Special.
6 In the Paste Special dialog box, select Paste Link.
7 Click OK.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 799

To create a linked object from within IntelliCAD

1 Display the IntelliCAD drawing in which you want to display the linked object.
2 Do one of the following to choose OLE Object ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > OLE Object (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > OLE Object
• Type insertobj and then press Enter.
3 In the Insert Object dialog box, click Create From File.
4 Specify the file by doing one of the following:
• Type a path and file name in the File box.
• Click Browse to select the file using a file dialog box.
5 Select the Link check box.
6 Select Display As Icon if you want that program’s icon to appear in the drawing
instead of the data.
7 Click OK.
The first page appears in the IntelliCAD drawing, unless you chose to display it as
an icon. To reposition the object, select and drag it.

Editing an embedded or linked object from within IntelliCAD

You can modify an embedded or linked object in its original program from within
IntelliCAD. When you modify an embedded object, you change the object only in
IntelliCAD, not its original file (if you pasted the object from an existing file). When
you modify a linked file, however, you open and change the original file.
Most programs include a submenu of actions you can perform on an embedded or
linked ActiveX object. Usually, the commands for editing ActiveX objects are Edit
and Open. If the object is embedded and its program supports in-place editing, the
Edit command opens the object in place. The Open command opens the object in the
full program window. In IntelliCAD, this command appears at the bottom of the Edit
menu.

To edit an embedded or linked object

• In the IntelliCAD drawing, double-click the object.
If the object is embedded and the program in which you created the object supports
in-place editing, the object opens in place.
If the object is linked, or if its program does not support in-place editing, the other
program opens in its full window and displays the object.
800 CHAPTER 16

Importing files created in other formats

You can import files that have the following formats:
• ACIS format — Three-dimensional Spatial Technologies ACIS solids saved as an
.sat file.
• DWF format — Autodesk® Design Web Format (used with .dwf files) is used
to distribute a drawing for others to view in a Web browser, review, and edit. The
DWF format uses the .dwf file extension.
• DWT format — Drawing templates contain predefined settings that you can reuse
when you create new drawings. Drawing templates use the .dwt file extension.
• DXF format — Autodesk Drawing Exchange Format is an ASCII description of a
drawing file with a .dxf file extension.
• DXB format — Autodesk Drawing Exchange Format is a binary description of a
drawing file with a .dxb file extension.
• DGN format — Drawing files used with Bentley Microstation. The DGN for-
mat uses the .dgn file extension.
• DAE format — Collada files are an interactive three-dimensional graphics file for-
mat used by 3D graphics applications (three-dimensional entities are exported,
including ACIS entities). Collada files use the .dae file extension.
• FMB format — Facet Model Binary data used by IntelliCAD to store facet model
mesh data.
• IFC format — Drawing files in the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) format used
for building and construction data.
• IGES format — Model data in the IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification)
format as an .iges or .igs file.
• Map files — Map files are .shp, .sdf and .sqlite shapefiles that store geometric
location and attribute information of geographic features.
• OBJ format — Model data in OBJ (Wavefront Technologies object) format as an
.obj file.
• PDF format — Model data used with Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® and Adobe®
Acrobat.
• STEP format — Model data in the STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product)
format as an .step, .ste or .stp file.
• STL format — Model data in an STL (Stereolithography) format as an .stl file,
which is common when working with 3D printers.
• TXT or CSV format — Point data located in a text or comma-separated value for-
mat file can be imported as point entities, vertices of a polyline, or vertices of a
spline.
• XLS format — Data in a table from an .xls or .xlsx Microsoft Excel file.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 801

Importing a DXF, DWF, DWT, or DAE format file

Importing .dxf files, two-dimensional .dwf files, .dwt, and .dae files is similar to
opening a standard drawing file.

To import a DXF, DWF, DWT, or DAE format file

1 Do one of the following to choose Import ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Import, or choose
Insert > Import.
• On the menu, choose File > Import > Import.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Open tool.
• Type import and then press Enter.
2 Choose the folder that contains the drawing.
3 In Files of Type, choose the type of drawing you want to import.
4 Choose the file you want to open.
5 Click Open.

Importing a DGN format file

When importing a .dgn file, you specify which model of the .dgn file to import and
you can also specify how to convert external references and shapes from the file.

To import a DGN format file

1 Do one of the following to choose Import ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > DGN In, or choose
Insert > DGN In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > DGN In.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Open tool.
• Type dgnimport and then press Enter.
2 Do any of the following, or press Enter to continue without making changes to the
import settings:
• Choose Xref to specify how to convert external references from the imported
.dgn file, then choose whether to omit external references, retain external refer-
ences, merge external references to blocks, or create DGN underlays from
external references.
• Choose Dgshape to specify how to convert shapes from the .dgn file, then
choose whether to convert shapes to polylines, regions, or polyface meshes.
The Import DGN Drawing dialog box displays.
3 Choose the .dgn file to import, then click Open.
4 Enter the name of the model you want to import from the .dgn file, then press
Enter.
802 CHAPTER 16

Importing a DXB format file

A DXB format file is a drawing file used for building and construction data.

To import a DXB format file

1 Do one of the following to choose DXB In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > DXB In, or choose
Insert > DXB In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > DXB In or Insert > Drawing Exchange
Binary.
• Type dxbin and then press Enter.
2 Choose the file you want to open.
3 Click Open.

Importing a PDF format file or underlay

A PDF format file can contain two- and three-dimensional model data. The format is
used to distribute models that can be viewed with Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® and
Adobe® Acrobat.
You can import content from either a .pdf file or a .pdf underlay that already exists in
your drawing.

To import content from a .pdf file

1 Do one of the following to choose PDF In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > PDF In, or choose
Insert > PDF In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > PDF In.
• Type pdfin and then press Enter.
2 Choose File, then press Enter.
3 Choose the file you want to open, then click Open.
4 In the Import PDF from File dialog box, make your selections.
5 Click OK.
6 Specify the insertion point by clicking in the drawing area or entering coordinates.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 803

To import content from a PDF underlay

1 Do one of the following to choose PDF In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > PDF In, or choose
Insert > PDF In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > PDF In.
• Type pdfin and then press Enter.
2 In the drawing, select the frame of the PDF underlay you want to import.
The PDFFRAME system variable must be set to 1 or 2 to select its frame.
3 Specify the portion of the underlay to import:
• Rectangular area — Specify two diagonal corners of the rectangular area to
import.
• Polygonal area — Choose Polygonal, then pick at least three points to define the
polygonal area to import.
• Entire area — Choose All to import all data contained in the .pdf underlay.
4 Choose Settings to specify more options, then in the Import PDF from Underlay
dialog box, make your selections, and click OK when done.
The dialog box that displays is similar to the Import PDF from File dialog box.
5 Choose what to do with the underlay:
• Keep — Keep the .pdf underlay unchanged.
• Detach — Remove the .pdf underlay from the drawing.
• Unload — Hide the .pdf underlay temporarily.
804 CHAPTER 16

A W

B V
U
T

S
R
Q
P

O
N

L
K

C DE F G H I J
A Displays the path and filename of the .pdf file to import. M Select how to create layers.
B Enter the number of the page to import from the specified file. N Mark to import gradient fills and save them as .png files.
C Mark to retain lineweight properties of imported entities. O Mark to save raster images as .png files and attach them.
D Mark to interpret entities that resemble arcs, circles, and ellipses P Mark to import text entities that use TrueType fonts. Then choose
as such within a tolerance. whether the resulting text entities are multiline text or geometry
E Mark to use RGB colors during the import. If unmarked, colors (polylines and solid-filled hatches).
from the palette are used. Q Mark to import all solid-filled areas. Available only when Vector
F Mark to enable clipping. If marked, you can also enable clipping at Geometry is selected.
the border of the page. R Mark to import text entities that use invalid TrueType fonts as
G Mark to keep transparency of geometric data unchanged. polylines and solid-filled hatches.
H Mark to import two-dimensional solid entities as solid-filled S Mark to import vector geometry (such as linear paths, Bezier
hatches. curves, and solid-filled areas) as polylines and two-dimensional
solids. If unmarked, it is imported as solid-filled hatches.
I Mark to combine contiguous line and arc segments into a polyline.
T Enter the scale factor for the imported .pdf content.
J Mark to import the .pdf content as a block.
U Enter the rotation angle for the imported .pdf content.
K Mark to combine text entities that use the same font and are
located on the same line into a single text entity. V Select to specify the insertion point for the .pdf content directly in
the drawing.
L Mark to import text entities that use Type3 fonts as entities that
use TrueType fonts. W Click to select a .pdf file to import.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 805

Importing an IFC format file

An IFC format file typically contains a 3D model of a building that can be used for
visualization, design, analysis, and to generate building construction documents.
Importing an .ifc file creates separate entities for each item in the file and converts
those items to AEC entities where possible, depending on your selections.

IFC format files can be inspected and checked for errors.

Choose AEC > IFC Validate (in IFC Tools), specify the .ifc file you want to check,
choose the validations to perform, then click Validate.

To import an IFC format file

1 Do one of the following to choose IFC In:
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > IFC In ( ), Insert >
IFC In (in Import), or AEC > IFC In (in IFC Tools).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > IFC In.
• Type ifcimport and then press Enter.
2 Choose the file you want to import.
3 Click Open.
4 In the IFC Import Options dialog box that displays, mark the elements you want to
import from the .ifc file. For details about each option, click [?].
5 When finished selection import options, click OK.
6 Select an insertion point in the drawing.
7 Enter the scale or specify the drawing units type in which to insert the .ifc file,
then press Enter.
8 Enter the rotation to use for the insertion, then press Enter.
806 CHAPTER 16

Importing an ACIS format file

An ACIS format file contains three-dimensional solids, regions, or bodies that are
saved as an ASCII .sat file.

To import an ACIS format file

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > ACIS In, or choose
Insert > ACIS In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > ACIS In.
• Type acisin, and then press Enter.
2 Choose the directory containing the .sat file.
3 Choose the .sat file you want to open.
4 Click Open.

Importing an IGES format file

The IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification) format is an exchange format
that typically contains 3D surfaces saved in an .iges or .igs file. IGES data is imported
as meshes, or it is imported as three-dimensional solids if your program version sup-
ports the Spatial® ACIS® modeler.

To import an IGES format file

1 Do one of the following to choose IGES In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > IGES In, or choose
Insert > IGES In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > IGES In.
• Type igesimport and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .iges or .igs file you want to import.
3 Click Open.
Processing begins. When the selected file is ready to be imported a balloon mes-
sage displays in the status bar.
4 Click the file name in the balloon message to complete the import.
5 Zoom to extents to see the imported entities.

Importing a STEP format file

STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product) is an ISO standard exchange format
that typically contains 3D objects saved in an .step, .ste, or .stp file. STEP data is
imported as meshes, or it is imported as three-dimensional solids if your program ver-
sion supports the Spatial® ACIS® modeler.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 807

To import an STEP format file

1 Do one of the following to choose STEP In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > STEP In, or choose
Insert > STEP In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > STEP In.
• Type stepimport and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .step, .ste, or .stp file you want to import.
3 Click Open.
Processing begins. When the selected file is ready to be imported a balloon mes-
sage displays in the status bar.
4 Click the file name in the balloon message to complete the import.
5 Zoom to extents to see the imported entities.

Importing an OBJ format file

OBJ (Wavefront Technologies object) is a format that is typically used in three-
dimensional modelers and for three-dimensional printing. It contains geometry such
as points, lines, texture vertices, faces, curves, and surfaces.
OBJ model data is imported as mesh entities.

To import an OBJ format file

1 Do one of the following to choose OBJ In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > OBJ In, or choose
Insert > OBJ In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > OBJ In.
• Type objin and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .obj file you want to import.
3 Click Open.
Processing begins.
4 Zoom to extents to see the imported entities.

Importing an FMB format file

FMB (Facet Model Binary) is a format that stores facet model mesh data. FMB data
is imported as facet model mesh entities.
808 CHAPTER 16

To import an FMB format file

1 Do one of the following to choose FMB In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > FMB In, or choose
Insert > FMB In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > FMB In.
• Type fmbin and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .fmb file you want to import.
3 Click Open.
Processing begins.
4 Zoom to extents to see the imported entities.

Importing an STL format file

The STL (Stereolithography) format typically contains 3D solids and meshes for
working with 3D printers. STL format files are saved in .stl files.

To import an STL format file

1 Do one of the following to choose STL In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button > Import > STL In, or choose
Insert > STL In (in Import).
• On the menu, choose File > Import > STL In.
• Type stlin and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .stl file you want to import.
3 Click Open.
Processing begins.
4 Zoom to extents to see the imported entities.

Importing a TXT or CSV format file containing points

Point data in a text or comma-separated file can be imported as point entities, vertices
of a polyline, or vertices of a spline.
If you import the point data as point entities, the appearance of the imported points is
determined by the PDMODE system variable.
The following is an example of point data in a .csv file:
1.1,2.2,3.3

5.5,6.6,7.7

The first line of a file can include a text description (e.g., column titles), but all other
lines should contain at least three numbers representing x-, y- and z-coordinates.
Commas, semicolons, tabs, and spaces can be used to separate values.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 809

If you import point data as polylines or splines, blank lines in the file indicate the end
of one entity and the beginning of the next.

To import a TXT or CSV file containing points

1 Do one of the following to choose Import Points ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Import Points (in Data); Express Tools > Import
Points (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Import Points or Express Tools > Tools > Import
Points.
• Type impoint and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .txt or .csv file that contains the points you want to import.
3 Click Open.
4 Choose one of the following:
• Points Choose Points to import points as point entities. Then press Enter to use
the default point size or enter a new value. The point size is stored in the
PDSIZE system variable.
• Polyline Choose Polyline to import points as polyline vertices. Then choose Yes
to import points as vertices of a closed polyline or No to import them as vertices
of an open polyline.
• Spline Choose Spline to import points as spline vertices. Then choose Yes to
import points as vertices of a closed spline or No to import them as vertices of
an open spline.

Importing an XLS format file

Data can be imported from an .xls or .xlsx file created using Microsoft Excel or
another spreadsheet program. The imported data fills a new table that is created auto-
matically during import, and the new table is formatted automatically to match the
format of the original spreadsheet.

To import an XLS format file

1 Do one of the following to choose XLS In ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > XLS In (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > XLS In.
• Type xlsimport and then press Enter.
2 Choose the .xls or .xlsx file that contains the data you want to import.
3 Click Open.
4 If the specified file contains more than one sheet, enter the name of the sheet to
import. If necessary, type ? and press Enter to see a list of sheet names.
5 Specify the insertion point for the upper-left corner of the table.
810 CHAPTER 16

Importing a map file

You can import .shp, .sdf, and .sqlite map files that store geometric location and attri-
bute information of geographic features. You can also import map data from Postgr-
eSQL, MySQL, and WFS servers.
Note that .shp files are different from shape definition files you can create with the
Make Shape command. For more details about shape definition files, see “Using
shape files” on page 865.

To import a map file

1 Do one of the following to choose Map Import ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Map Import (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Map Import.
• Type mapimport and then press Enter.
2 Choose SDF, SQLITE, or SHP, depending on the map file you want to import.

Use a shortcut to import .shp files.

Type shpimport to import .shp files.

3 In the dialog box that displays, select the file, then click Open.
4 Specify the name of the input layer with data that you want to import, then press
Enter.
5 Specify the name of the table to import data from, then press Enter.
6 Specify the coordinate system for the imported map data. If a coordinate system
was already assigned to the current drawing by typing adesetcrdsys in the com-
mand bar, the imported map data is converted to the coordinate system of the
drawing.
7 Enter coordinate system: Specify the coordinate system for the imported map data.
If a coordinate system was assigned to the current drawing, the imported map data
is converted to the coordinate system of the drawing.
8 Choose Yes to import non-geometry data from the source file, or choose No to
only import geometry.
9 Specify the target layer in the drawing for imported data, then press Enter.
10 Choose Yes to import three-dimensional geometry data in three dimensions, or
choose No to convert it to two dimensions.
11 Choose Yes to import polygons as closed polylines, or choose No to import as
polygons.
 WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 811

To import data from a PostgreSQL, MySQL, and WFS server

1 Do one of the following to choose Map Import ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Map Import (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Map Import.
• Type mapimport and then press Enter.
2 Choose POSTGRESQL, MYSQL, or WFS, depending on the type of server you
want to connect to.
3 Follow the prompts, which vary according to the server.

Using IntelliCAD data in other programs

You can use any of the following methods to include IntelliCAD data in a document
created in another program:
• Embedding
• Linking
• Dragging
• Exporting
• E-mailing

The method you choose depends on the capabilities of the other program and how
you want to work with the IntelliCAD data after you’ve placed it in the other
document.

Each method except exporting uses ActiveX to integrate data from different programs.
With ActiveX, you can open IntelliCAD drawings from within the other program to
modify the IntelliCAD drawings.

Embedding drawings
When you embed an IntelliCAD drawing, it becomes part of the other program’s doc-
ument file. When you edit the drawing, you edit only the version that is embedded in
the other document.
Embedding is useful when you don’t want to maintain a link to the IntelliCAD draw-
ing for the data you include in the other document. Edits made to the new drawing do
not affect the original drawing. To transfer the file to other computers, you can trans-
fer all the data in one file, but embedded objects increase the file size.
812 CHAPTER 16

From within a document in a program that supports ActiveX, such as Microsoft®

Word, you can either create a new embedded IntelliCAD drawing or embed an exist-
ing IntelliCAD drawing.

To create an IntelliCAD drawing in another document

1 In the document, choose Insert > Object (or the equivalent command for that
program).
2 In the dialog box, click the options for creating a new file.
3 Under Object Type, choose IntelliCAD Drawing, and then click OK.
4 Create the IntelliCAD drawing.
5 If IntelliCAD is running in its own window, choose File > Exit.
If IntelliCAD is running within the other document (in place), click somewhere in
the document outside the IntelliCAD drawing to close IntelliCAD.
6 To edit the IntelliCAD drawing from within the document, double-click the
drawing.

You can also embed an existing IntelliCAD drawing from within another document.
Follow step 1 in the preceding procedure, and then click the option for creating an
object from an existing file.

To embed selected IntelliCAD entities

1 In IntelliCAD, select the entities you want to embed.
2 Choose Edit > Copy (or press Ctrl+C).
3 Open the document in which you want to embed the entities.
4 Choose Edit > Paste (or the equivalent command).

To embed an entire IntelliCAD drawing

1 Open the document in which you want to embed the drawing.
2 Do one of the following to choose OLE Object ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > OLE Object (in Data).
• On the menu, choose Insert > OLE Object
• Type insertobj and then press Enter.
3 Click Create From File.
4 Click Browse, and then choose the file you want to embed.
5 Click Insert, and then click OK.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 813

Editing an embedded IntelliCAD object in place

In many ActiveX-compatible programs you can edit an embedded IntelliCAD object
without leaving the program (or container application). This is called in-place editing.
A different set of IntelliCAD menus and toolbars temporarily replaces most of the
menus and controls in the active window while you edit the IntelliCAD object.

To edit an embedded IntelliCAD object in place

1 In the container application, double-click the embedded IntelliCAD object.
A different set of IntelliCAD menus and controls appears.
2 Edit the IntelliCAD drawing.
3 Click anywhere outside the drawing window to exit the in-place editing controls.

Linking drawings
When you link an IntelliCAD drawing to another document, the other document con-
tains only a reference to the IntelliCAD drawing file, rather than the actual drawing.
You link data in a saved IntelliCAD file so that the other program can find the data
and display it.
Linking works well when you want to include the same IntelliCAD data in more than
one document. When you update the data, you need update it in only one location.
The versions that are linked to other documents reflect the changes automatically.
Linking an IntelliCAD file to another document does not increase the file size the
way embedding an IntelliCAD object does. However, links require more
maintenance. To transport the data, you must make sure to transfer all linked files to
the other computer.

To link an IntelliCAD file to another document

1 Open the drawing you want to link.

Because a link is a reference to a file, the referenced file must be saved on a local or
remote disk.
If you haven’t saved the drawing you want to link, choose File > Save.

2 In the other program, open the document in which you want to include the
IntelliCAD drawing.
3 Choose that program’s command for inserting objects.
In Microsoft® Office programs, choose Insert > Object. In the Object dialog box,
click the Create From File tab. Specify the name of the drawing file you want to
link. Select the Link To File check box, and then click OK.
The drawing appears in the document, with a link to the original IntelliCAD file.
814 CHAPTER 16

Dragging IntelliCAD drawings into other programs

If the other program in which you want to include IntelliCAD drawings is compatible
with ActiveX, an alternative to pasting drawings with menu commands is to drag
drawing file icons from Windows Explorer into the other document. Dragging and
dropping drawings does not use the Clipboard, so data on the Clipboard is not
affected.
When you drag an IntelliCAD drawing file from Windows Explorer, you link or
embed the entire drawing in the other document. When you drag the file, the cursor
changes in response to the action you take.

How the cursor changes

Cursor appearance Action

Drag to embed the selected file to the other

document.

Cannot drop drawings in that document.

For easy drag-and-dropping, position the application windows side by side.

Before you drag a drawing, position the Windows Explorer window and the other
program’s window so you can see the file icon and the document in which you want
to drop it.

To drag and embed drawings into another document

• Select the icon for the drawing file, and then drag the drawing into the document.

Exporting drawings
You can save or export IntelliCAD drawings in a number of different formats for use
with other programs. When you save a drawing in a different format, the program
saves all the entities in the drawing to the new file. Or, you can choose which entities
are included in the new file.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 815

File formats that can be exported

The following table describes the file formats that can be exported.

Export formats
Format File extension Details
Bitmap .bmp Graphics file
Collaborative Design Activity .dae Interactive three-dimensional graphics file
(Collada) format used by 3D graphics applications
(three-dimensional entities are exported,
including ACIS entities)
Comma-Separated Values .csv Text file that stores table data without
formatting
Design Drawing .dgn Distribute your drawing to others for review,
editing, and markup using other CAD
programs such as Bentley® Microstation®
Design Web Format .dwf Distribute your drawing to others for using with
Autodesk® software and tools
Enhanced Windows Metafile .emf Graphics file
Facet Model Binary .fmb Facet model data file
Industry Foundation Classes .ifc Distribute your drawing to others for review,
editing, and markup in other BIM applications
Portable Document Format .pdf Distribute your drawing in 2D or 3D to others
for using with Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® and
Adobe® Acrobat
Scalable Vector Graphics .svg Graphics file and Web development language
Stereolithography .stl Graphics file used for prototyping and 3D
printing three-dimensional models
Wavefront Technologies .obj File used for 3D modeling and 3D printing
Object Format
Windows Metafile .wmf Graphics file

You can also export ACIS solids, regions, and surfaces to an ASCII file (*.sat) that
you can use in other programs.
816 CHAPTER 16

Exporting to a BMP, EMF, WMF, DAE, or SVG format file

Exporting to a file is similar to saving a standard file.

To export a drawing to a .bmp, .emf, .wmf, .dae, or .svg file

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > Export, or
choose Output > Export (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > Export.
• Type export and then press Enter.
2 In the Export Drawing As File dialog box, under Save As Type, choose the file
format.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.
5 If the selection prompt box displays, choose the entity-selection method, and then
create the selection set.
6 When you have finished selecting entities, press Enter.

Exporting to an STL format file

You can export three-dimensional solids to an STL (Stereolithography) file with an
.stl extension. The STL format is commonly used when working with 3D printers.

To export to an STL format file

1 Do one of the following to choose STL Out ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > STL Out or
Output > STL Out (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > STL Out.
• Type stlout and then press Enter.
2 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
3 Click Save.
4 Choose the entity-selection method, and then create a selection set that contains
the entities you want to export.
5 Choose Yes to export to a binary .stl file. Choose No to export to an ASCII .stl
file.
6 Zoom to extents to see the imported entities.
 WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 817

Exporting to a PDF format file

PDF format files allow you to distribute your drawing to others for viewing in
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®, which is free software that users can download. PDF files
can also be viewed, reviewed, and edited in Adobe® Acrobat.
You can export drawings to two-dimensional and three-dimensional PDF files.

To export a drawing to a .pdf file

1 Do one of the following to choose PDF Out ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > PDF Out, or
choose Output > PDF Out (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > PDF Out.
• Type pdfexport and then press Enter.
2 In Save As Type, choose Portable Document Format (pdf).
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.
5 Mark the layouts and/or the model to export.
6 Select the page setup you want to assign to each layout or the model when
exported.
7 Select the layer state you want to assign to each layout or the model when
exported.
8 To create a 3D .pdf file instead of 2D, mark Include Layer Information and then
mark Create 3D PDF File.
9 Choose additional options for how you want to export to the .pdf file. Click [?] to
see details about each option.
10 Click Export.

You can also print and publish to .pdf files.

If instead of exporting you need to print to a .pdf file, you can print or publish directly
to a .pdf file. One advantage of publishing is that you can print from multiple draw-
ings to a single .pdf file. For details about printing to .pdf, see “Selecting a printer or
plotter” on page 607. For details about publishing to .pdf, see “Publishing a sheet
list to the printer named in page setup” on page 646.
818 CHAPTER 16

Exporting to a DWF format file

DWF format files allow you to publish your drawings so they can be viewed on the
Internet using a Web browser. IntelliCAD exports your drawing to a Design Web
Format (.dwf) file, which can be viewed in a Web browser if Autodesk Design
Review is also installed on the computer. Design Review is a free tool from
Autodesk.
You can export your drawing to a 2D .dwf file or a 3D .dwf file. 2D .dwf files have
smaller file sizes, but cannot be viewed in three dimensions. 3D .dwf files can be
viewed in three dimensions using the Autodesk® Design Review, but have larger file
sizes.

To export a drawing to a .dwf file

1 Do one of the following to choose DWF Out ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > DWF Out,
or choose Output > DWF Out (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > DWF Out.
• Type dwfout and then press Enter.
2 In Save As Type, choose Design Web Format (dwf).
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.
5 Choose the entity-selection method, and then create a selection set that contains
the entities you want to export.
6 Choose how you want to export:
• DWF File Version — Choose the file version you want. Version 4.2 can export
entities on the Model tab only (no layouts). Version 5.5 can export the current
layout only. Version 6.0 can export the current layout or all layouts.
• DWF File Format — Choose the desired file format. Compressed binary files
have a smaller file size than uncompressed binary files (both are 2D .dwf files).
ASCII files have the largest file size for 2D .dwf files, but 3D .dwf files have
larger file sized and can be viewed in three dimensions.
• Layout to Export — Choose whether to export the current layout only, or all
layouts in the drawing.
7 Click OK.
8 When you have finished selecting entities, press Enter.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 819

Exporting to a DGN format file

DGN format files allow you to distribute your drawing to others for review, editing,
and markup using other CAD programs such as Bentley® Microstation®. Files are
exported to DGN version 8 files.

To export a drawing to a .dgn file

1 Do one of the following to choose DGN Out ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > DGN Out,
or choose Output > DGN Out (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > DGN Out.
• Type dgnexport and then press Enter.
2 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
3 Click Save.
4 At the prompt, choose a master unit for the .dgn file such as kilometers or feet.
5 At the prompt, choose a sub unit for the .dgn file such as inches or mils.
The drawing is exported.

Exporting to an IFC format file

The IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) format is used for exchanging building and
construction data. It typically contains a 3D model of a building that can be used for
visualization, design, analysis, and to generate building construction documents.
You can export AEC entities, .ifc underlays, and .rvt underlays to an IFC format file.

To export a drawing to an IFC format file

1 Do one of the following to choose IFC Out ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > IFC Out,
Output > IFC Out (in Export), or AEC > IFC Out (in IFC Tools).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > IFC Out.
• Type ifcexport and then press Enter.
2 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
3 Click Save.
4 In the IFC Export Options dialog box, make your selections. Click [?] for more
details about each option.
5 Click OK.

IFC format files can be inspected and checked for errors.

Choose AEC > IFC Validate (in IFC Tools), specify the .ifc file you want to check,
choose the validations to perform, then click Validate.
820 CHAPTER 16

Exporting to a CSV format file

Table data can be exported from a drawing to the Comma Separated Values (CSV)
format. The resulting .csv file contains table contents only without formatting.

To export a table to a CSV format file

1 Do one of the following to choose CSV Out ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > CSV Out, or
choose Output > CSV Out (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > CSV Out.
• Type tableexport and then press Enter.
2 Select the table you want to export.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.

Exporting to an OBJ format file

The Wavefront Technologies OBJ format is commonly used for three-dimensional
models and three-dimensional printing. It stores information about geometry such as
points, lines, texture vertices, faces, curves, and surfaces.
Color and texture information is exported to a companion .mtl (Material Template
Library) file format which is referenced from within the .obj file.

To export a drawing to an OBJ format file

1 Do one of the following to choose OBJ Out ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > OBJ Out, or
choose Output > OBJ Out (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > OBJ Out.
• Type objout and then press Enter.
2 Select the entities you want to export.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.

Exporting to an FMB format file

Facet model entities can be exported from a drawing to the Facet Modeler Binary
(FMB) format. The .fmb file that is created stores facet model data that can be shared
with other CAD programs.
 WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 821

To export facet model entities to an FMB format file

1 Do one of the following to choose OBJ Out ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > FMB Out,
or choose Output > FMB Out (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > FMB Out.
• Type fmbout and then press Enter.
2 Select the facet model entities you want to export.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.

Exporting to an ACIS format file

You can export ACIS entities such as surfaces, regions, and solids to an ACIS format
file in ASCII (SAT) format.

To export an ACIS format file

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Export > ACIS Out,
or choose Output > ACIS Out (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > Export > ACIS Out.
• Type acisout and then press Enter.
2 Select the ACIS entities you want to save.
3 Specify the name of the file you want to create.
4 Click Save.

Converting files
You can convert CAD drawings to other file versions and formats. You can also con-
vert BIM files from the RVT/RFA format to the IFC format.

Converting drawings to other file versions and formats

Several types of CAD drawings can be converted to other file versions and formats.
You can convert a batch of drawings in a folder or specify a single drawing to con-
vert.
The following formats can be converted from and converted to:
• Autodesk DWG format — Autodesk Drawing Format is a drawing with a .dwg
file extension.
822 CHAPTER 16

• Autodesk DXF format — Autodesk Drawing Exchange Format is an ASCII

description of a drawing file with a .dxf file extension.
• DGN format — Drawing files used with Bentley Microstation. The DGN for-
mat uses the .dgn file extension.

To convert a single drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose IntelliCAD Converter ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Drawing Utilities >
IntelliCAD Converter, or choose Tools > IntelliCAD Converter (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose File > IntelliCAD Converter.
• Type intelliconvert and then press Enter.
2 Choose Single file, then click Next.
3 Select an input file. Click [...] to browse to the location.
4 Name an output file. Click [...] to browse to the location.
5 In Convert to version, select the file format and version for the output file.
6 If you are converting to a .dgn file, select any of the following:
• Master unit — Assigns the selected master unit to the output .dgn file.
• Sub unit — Assigns the selected sub unit to the output .dgn file.
• Bind external references when possible — Makes external references a
permanent part of the .dgn file, similar to a block, if external references are
found in the input drawing.
7 If you have more files to convert, mark Convert more files.
8 Click Finish.

A log file is created automatically if converting to a .dgn file and errors occur.
The file <output_dgnfilename>.log is saved in the same folder where the output .dgn
file is created.
 WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 823

To convert a batch of drawings

1 Do one of the following to choose IntelliCAD Converter ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Drawing Utilities >
IntelliCAD Converter, or choose Tools > IntelliCAD Converter (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose File > IntelliCAD Converter.
• Type intelliconvert and then press Enter.
2 Choose Multiple files, then click Next.
3 Specify the input files by doing the following:
• Enter an input folder. Click [...] to browse to the location.
• To include files located in subfolders within the input folder, mark Process
subfolders.
• Choose which files to include: .dwg, .dxf, and .dgn.
4 Click Next.
5 Review the list of files that are found, then click Next to proceed using all of the
named files. You can also click Back to specify different files.
6 Enter an output folder. Click [...] to browse to the location.
7 Mark Convert, then select the output format and file version.
8 To audit and fix files during the conversion, mark Audit files and fix errors. You
can also choose to save audit log files, which will also be saved in the output
folder.
9 Select what to do, if while processing, files with the same name are found in the
output folder:
• Replace existing — Replaces existing files with the new files. To make a
backup copy of the existing file before it is overwritten, mark Create backup
files (*.bak), and backup files will be created in the same output folder.
• Skip existing — Skips adding a new file if an existing file is found with the same
name.
• Add suffix to output files — Adds the specified suffix to all new files created in
the output folder.
10 If you are converting to a .dgn file, select any of the following:
• Master unit — Assigns the selected master unit to the output .dgn file.
• Sub unit — Assigns the selected sub unit to the output .dgn file.
• Bind external references when possible — Makes external references a
permanent part of the .dgn file, similar to a block, if external references are
found in the input drawing.
11 Click Next.
New files are generated based on your specifications.
824 CHAPTER 16

A log file is created automatically if converting to a .dgn file and errors occur.
The file <output_dgnfilename>.log is saved in the output folder that was specified for
batch file conversion.

Converting BIM files

In addition to using BIM data in your drawings, you can convert a BIM file from the
Autodesk RVT/RFA format directly to the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) format.

To convert an .rvt/.rfa file to an .ifc file

1 Do one of the following to choose RVT to IFC ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Drawing Utilities >
RVT to IFC, or choose AEC > RVT to IFC (in IFC Tools).
• On the menu, choose AEC > IFC Tools > RVT to IFC.
• Type rvt2ifc and then press Enter.
2 In the Select Reference File dialog box that opens, choose the .rvt or .rfa file that
you want to convert.
3 Click Open.
4 In the Save IFC As dialog box that opens next, specify the location and filename
of the .ifc file to create.
5 Click Save.
 WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 825

Using IntelliCAD data on other computers

Within IntelliCAD there are two ways to move drawings and related files to another
computer:
• Create a package that contains all related drawings and files. This option uses the
eTransmit command and is best for moving multiple drawings or a drawing that
has supporting files such as external reference files and font files.
• Send a drawing through e-mail from IntelliCAD. This option uses the Send Mail
command and is best for moving single drawings.

Packaging drawings and files for use on another computer

Use the eTransmit command to package together drawings and their related files,
such as external references, materials from Explore Materials, and fonts. The result-
ing package can be a self-extracting .exe file, a .zip file, or a separate folder that con-
tains the files.
The eTransmit command uses transmittal setups to define how packages are created,
with options for filenaming, password control, whether to include fonts, and more.
The default transmittal setup is named Standard, which you can modify. Or you can
create new transmittal setups.

Creating a package that contains drawings and related files

To package drawings and their related files
1 Do one of the following to choose eTransmit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then Publish > eTransmit, or
choose Output > eTransmit (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > eTransmit.
• Type etransmit and then press Enter.
2 Review the available files in the list. The files display in either hierarchical format
(click the File Tree tab) or in a table (click the File Table tab).
3 Mark the files to include in the package; unmark the files to exclude from the
package.
4 To include files that are not listed, click Add Files, navigate to and select the
desired files, then click Open.
5 In Select a Transmittal Setup, choose the transmittal setup that defines how you
want the package to be created. The transmittal setup specifies the package file-
type (.exe, .zip, or folder), filenaming, and more.
6 To view or create a transmittal setup, click Transmittal Setups. For more details,
see “Working with transmittal setups” on page 827 in this chapter.
826 CHAPTER 16

7 Optionally enter notes to include in the transmittal report.

8 Click OK.
The package is created.

A
B

G
E

F
A Click to view files in a hierarchy. G Displays a preview of the file selected in the list.
B Click to view files in a table. H Click to view, create, and modify transmittal setups.
C Mark the files to include in the package; unmark files I Displays a description of the selected transmittal
to exclude. setup.
D Click to add files to the list. J Select the transmittal setup that defines the options
E Enter details to include in the package report. you want to use when creating the package.
F Click to view the report that will be included in the
package.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 827

Working with transmittal setups

Each time you create a package using the eTransmit command, you choose a trans-
mittal setup to define how the package is created. Each transmittal setup defines the
type of package that will be created (.exe, .zip, or folder), filenaming, password con-
trol, whether to include font files, and more.
You can create, modify, and delete transmittal setups. Creating more than one trans-
mittal setup is especially helpful if you often need to package files for different recip-
ients with different requirements.

To create or modify a transmittal setup

1 Do one of the following to choose eTransmit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then Publish > eTransmit, or
choose Output > eTransmit (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > eTransmit.
• Type etransmit and then press Enter.
2 Click Transmittal Setups.
3 Do one of the following:
• To create a transmittal setup, click New, enter a name, in Based On select a
transmittal setup that has the settings closest to the one you want to create, then
click Continue.
• To modify an existing transmittal setup, select it from the list, then click Modify.
The Modify Transmittal Setup dialog box displays.
4 In Transmittal Package Type, select the type of package to create when using this
transmittal setup. All files can be contained in a new folder, a self-extracting .exe
file, or a .zip file.
5 In File Format, select the file format for files packaged with this transmittal setup.
Files in the package can keep their existing file format, or they can all be con-
verted to the same file format.
6 In Transmittal File Folder, enter the default location where this transmittal setup
will save packages when they are created. You can type a location, select a recent
location from the list, or click [...] to select a folder.
7 In Transmittal File Name, select how to name .exe and .zip packages that are cre-
ated with this transmittal setup. (Available for EXE and ZIP package types.) The
following options are available:
• Prompt for a filename — Allows you to enter a filename each time you create a
package using this transmittal setup. The prompt displays after clicking OK in
the Create Transmittal dialog box.
• Overwrite if necessary — Uses the same filename that you enter each time you
create a package using this transmittal setup, and overwrites existing files of the
same name. Enter the filename in the field that becomes available.
828 CHAPTER 16

• Increment filename if necessary — Uses the same filename that you enter each
time you create a package using this transmittal setup, and increments the
filename if an existing file exists with the same name. Enter the filename in the
field that becomes available.
8 In Path Options, select one of the following:
• Place all files in one folder — Saves all files in one folder when files are
unpackaged.
• Keep files and folders as is — Saves all files in the original folder structure,
which is recreated on the destination computer when files are unpackaged. This
can help with file linking when the files are used on another computer.
9 Use any of the following options to further define the transmittal setup settings:
• Transmittal Setup Description — Enter an optional description for the trans-
mittal setup. The description will display when you select this transmittal setup
in the Create Transmittal dialog box.
• Send E-mail with Transmittal — Select to send the package as an email
attachment; the default email application will open after the package is created.
• Set Print Options to Default — Select to remove local printer settings from the
package if they will not be applicable on other systems.
• Bind External References — Select to bind or insert all .dwg file external refer-
ences in the package. Binding makes external references a permanent part of the
original drawing file, similar to a block.
• Prompt for Password — Select to add password protection when the package is
created and prompt for the password when it is unpackaged. Applies only to
packages created as .exe or .zip files.
• Purge Drawings — Select to purge all drawings when the package is created.
• Include Fonts — Select to add associated font files (for example, TTF, SHX) in
the package.
• Include Unloaded File References — Select to include in the package any
unloaded external references, including images and underlays; unloaded files
are listed in the Create Transmittal dialog box.
 WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 829

M
A L

B K

C J
I
D

H
E
G

A Select the type of package the transmittal setup will G Select to include any unloaded external references in
create. the package.
B Select a file format option. H Select to include font files in the package.
C Specify the default folder location where to save I Select to purge all drawings when the package is
packages. Enter the location, select it, or click [...]. created.
D Select how to name packages. (Available for EXE J Select to protect the package with a password.
and ZIP package types.) K Select to bind or insert all .dwg file external
E Select folder options to use when unpackaging files. references in the package.
F Enter a description of the transmittal setup. L Select to remove local printer settings from the
package.
M Select to send the package as an email attachment.
830 CHAPTER 16

To rename a transmittal setup

1 Do one of the following to choose eTransmit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then Publish > eTransmit, or
choose Output > eTransmit (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > eTransmit.
• Type etransmit and then press Enter.
2 Click Transmittal Setups.
3 Select the transmittal setup you want to rename.
4 Click rename.
5 Enter the new name, then press Enter.

To delete a transmittal setup

1 Do one of the following to choose eTransmit ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then Publish > eTransmit, or
choose Output > eTransmit (in Export).
• On the menu, choose File > eTransmit.
• Type etransmit and then press Enter.
2 Click Transmittal Setups.
3 Select the transmittal setup you want to delete.
4 Click Delete, then confirm the deletion.

Sending a drawing through e-mail

You can send an IntelliCAD drawing to another user via e-mail. IntelliCAD is com-
patible with e-mail programs that support the Messaging Application Program Inter-
face (MAPI) protocol.

To include a drawing file in an e-mail message

1 While the drawing file is open, do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then Publish > Send Mail.
• On the menu, choose File > Send Mail.
• Type mail and then press Enter.
If your mail program is not already running, it starts; a new e-mail message con-
taining the IntelliCAD icon and file name appears.
2 Address the e-mail, type a message, and send the e-mail message as you would
any other message.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 831

To view an IntelliCAD file sent by e-mail

• Open the e-mail message, and then double-click the IntelliCAD icon.
IntelliCAD software must be installed on the computer used to open drawings
from e-mail.

Use the eTransmit command for e-mail if the drawing has supporting files.
If the drawing is dependent on files such as external references or font files, use the
eTransmit command to combine the files in a single package and send it by e-mail.
When creating the package, use a transmittal setup with the Send Mail with Transmit-
tal option turned on. For more details, see “Packaging drawings and files for use on
another computer” on page 825 in this chapter.
832 CHAPTER 16

Using IntelliCAD with the Internet

You can use IntelliCAD to access the Internet and exchange drawing information and
perform other tasks, including:
• Add hyperlinks to a drawing.
• Publish drawings to the Internet.
• Drag drawings (.dwg files) directly from a Web site into IntelliCAD.
• Access the Internet during a drawing session.

Adding hyperlinks to a drawing

In your IntelliCAD drawings, you can include hyperlinks, which are pointers that
take you to another location, such as a Web address or a file on a particular computer.
You can attach a hyperlink to any entity in your drawing. Then, when you select that
entity, you can open the link and jump to the specific Web address or file location.
You can create absolute hyperlinks, which store the full path to a file, or relative
hyperlinks, which store a partial path relative to a base folder or a Uniform Resource
Locator (URL).

To create a hyperlink
1 Type hyperlink and then press Enter.
2 Select an entity or entities that you would like to associate with a hyperlink; then
press Enter to display the Edit Hyperlink dialog box.
3 Do one of the following:
• Click Browse to specify a file.
• In the Link to File or URL box, type a Web address.
4 If you want to use a common path for all hyperlinks in the drawing, mark Use rel-
ative path for hyperlinks. Relative paths are most useful for local files, providing
flexibility if you move files to a different folder; you can change multiple hyper-
link paths at once, rather than change them all individually.
5 Click OK.

The HYPERLINKBASE system variable defines the relative path used for all hyperlinks in
the current drawing.
To use the default drawing path, leave the value blank by entering a period (“.”).

To remove a hyperlink
1 Type hyperlink and then press Enter.
2 Select an entity or entities with a hyperlink; then press Enter to display the Edit
Hyperlink dialog box.
3 Click Remove Link.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 833

4 Click OK to close the Edit Hyperlink dialog box.

To access a hyperlink
• Hover the mouse over an entity with a hyperlink, then press Ctrl + click.
To change display options for hyperlinks
1 Type hyperlinkoptions and then press Enter.
2 To display a cursor, tooltip, and shortcut menu for hyperlinks, choose Yes, and
then press Enter. Or choose No to turn off the display.

Publishing drawings to the Internet

You can publish your drawings so they can be viewed on the Internet using a Web
browser. IntelliCAD exports your drawing to a Design Web Format (.dwf) file, which
can be viewed in a Web browser if Design Review is also installed on the computer.
Design Review is a free tool from Autodesk®.
For details about creating a DWF file, see “Click Export.” on page 817 in this chap-
ter.

Inserting drawings from a Web site

Some Web sites are configured to allow you to drag drawings from the Web site
directly into your drawing. You can drag-and-drop drawings from any Web site that
supports the Autodesk® i-drop technology.

To insert a drawing from a Web site

1 Open your Web browser.
2 Navigate to a Web site that supports Autodesk® i-drop.
3 Position the Web browser and IntelliCAD windows so they are both visible.
4 Click the drawing in your Web browser and drag it to your drawing in IntelliCAD.
The drawing file is downloaded and inserted into your drawing in IntelliCAD.

Accessing the IntelliCAD Web site during a drawing session

In addition to using hyperlinks to access the Internet, you can access a company Web
site at any time. At the Web site, you can obtain company information as well as
product information and news.

To access the IntelliCAD Web site

1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Help > IntelliCAD on the Web.
• On the menu, choose Help > IntelliCAD on the Web.
• Type onweb and then press Enter.
2 Navigate to the section of your choice on the IntelliCAD Web site.
834 CHAPTER 16

Working with digital signatures

Attaching a digital signature to your drawing allows you to sign the drawing and
authenticate the signature. First you obtain a digital certificate from a third-party ven-
dor or a self-signed digital certificate, then you can simply attach it to your standard
drawings (.dwg files), drawing templates (.dwt files), and Design Web Format XPS
files (.dwfx files).
Additionally, if you’re working with a drawing that has a digital signature from
someone else, you can validate the signature.

Attaching digital signatures

Before you can digitally sign a drawing, you need to obtain a digital certificate from a
third-party vendor or generate a self-signed digital certificate, then import it to your
computer.
After you install your digital signature, you’re ready to attach it to one or more files.
You can attach digital signatures to the current drawing using the Add Digital Signa-
tures command or to a set of .dwg, .dwt, and .dwfx files using Attach Digital Signa-
tures on the Windows Start menu.

To attach a digital signature to the current drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Add Digital Signatures ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then Drawing Utilities > Add
Digital Signatures.
• On the menu, choose File > Add Digital Signatures.
• Type digitalsign and then press Enter.
2 Select Attach Digital Signature After Saving Drawing.
3 Select a digital signature from the list of digital signatures that are available on
your computer.
4 In Comment, add information about the selected digital certificate if needed.
5 In Time Stamp, choose a time server to add a time stamp to the drawing.
6 Click OK.
WORKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMPUTERS 835

To attach a digital signature to multiple .dwg, .dwt, and .dwfx files

1 From the Windows Start menu, choose the program folder where IntelliCAD is
installed, then choose Attach Digital Signatures.
2 Select a digital signature from the list of digital signatures that are available on
your computer.
3 Add files to be digitally signed by doing any of the following:
• Click Add File, select the .dwg, .dwt, and .dwfx files you want to digitally sign,
then click Open.
• Click Add Folder, select a folder that contains the files you want to digitally
sign, then click OK. All .dwg, .dwt, and .dwfx files in the folder are added to the
list.
4 In Comment, add information about the selected digital certificate if needed.
5 In Time Stamp, choose a time server to add a time stamp to the drawings.
6 Click Attach.

Validating a digital signature

If you’re working with a drawing that has a digital signature from someone else, you
can validate the signature.

To validate an open drawing’s digital signature

1 Do one of the following to choose Validate Digital Signatures ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then Drawing Utilities > Validate
Digital Signatures.
• On the menu, choose File > Validate Digital Signatures.
• Type digvalidate and then press Enter.
2 Check the status of the digital signature:
• Valid — The digital signature is verified by the certificate authority and no
changes have been made to the drawing since it was digitally signed.
• Invalid — The current drawing has been modified since it was digitally signed,
the certificate has been revoked by the certificate authority, or the drawing has
become corrupted.
• Not found — A digital signature is not attached to the current drawing.
3 Click View Base Signature to view detailed information about the digital signature
attached to the drawing. (Unavailable if there is no digital signature attached.)
836 CHAPTER 16

4 If the drawing has external references attached, do any of the following:

• Mark View Xref Drawings to display the list of all external references attached
to the current drawing.
• Select an external reference and click View Xref Signature to view detailed
information about its digital signature. (Unavailable if there is no digital
signature attached to the selected external reference.)
5 Click OK.
 17

Customizing IntelliCAD

You can customize IntelliCAD in a number of ways. For example, you can change
the appearance of many aspects of the program and modify the existing menus and
toolbars or create new ones. This section explains how to:
• Set the program’s preferences.
• Customize the user interface, including tool palettes, menus, toolbars, and the
Quick Properties pane.
• Customize keyboard shortcuts, aliases, double-click actions, and image tile menus
for frequently used commands.
• Customize entities.
• Create and use scripts.
• Use add-on programs with IntelliCAD.
• Use additional pointing devices such as a 3D mouse and digitizer tablet.
• Reset the program to its default settings.

Topics in this chapter

Setting and changing options............................................................................ 838
Customizing tool palettes .................................................................................. 889
Customizing menus........................................................................................... 894
Customizing the ribbon ..................................................................................... 904
Customizing toolbars......................................................................................... 916
Customizing the keyboard, aliases, double-click actions, and image tile menus ....
924
Customizing the Quick Properties pane............................................................ 939
Working with user interface customization files................................................. 941
Customizing entities .......................................................................................... 960
Creating and replaying scripts........................................................................... 965
Programming IntelliCAD....................................................................................970
Using specialized pointing devices.................................................................... 980
838 CHAPTER 17

Setting and changing options

You can change many of the options that control the program’s behavior and appear-
ance, such as setting the experience level, specifying file paths and default files, con-
figuring display features, and configuring how certain features work.

Changing the options on the Files tab

You can specify folder locations for various file types such as those used for
drawings, fonts, and menus in the Options dialog box on the Files tab. You can even
specify multiple folders for some types of files. In addition, you can change the
names of the default system files that are used for functions such as font mapping and
error logging.

Specifying folder locations

You can specify paths to your program directories for drawings, fonts, help, external
references, customization files, menus, tool palettes, hatch patterns, blocks, print style
tables, print output files, temporary files, templates, color books, and more. The pro-
gram searches folders for support files in the following order:
• The IntelliCAD program folder.
• The current drawing folder.
• The Windows search path.
• The search path specified in the Options dialog box.

You can enter multiple paths for most items.

If, for example, the Drawing Locations item has more than one directory associated
with it, click Add to specify additional paths. You can also separate multiple paths
with a semicolon if typing them. The program searches the folders in the order in
which they are listed.

To specify folder locations

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Files tab.
3 To add a folder location:
• Select a category or existing path where you want to add a folder location, then
click Add.
• Type the path, or click Browse to locate and select the folder you want.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 839

4 To modify a folder location:

• Select the path you want to modify.
• Click the path again.
• Type the path, or click Browse to locate and select the folder you want.
5 To remove a folder location:
• Select the path you want to remove.
• Click Remove.
6 To move a folder location up or down in the search order for a category that con-
tains more than one folder location:
• Select the path you want to reposition in the search order.
• Click Up, or click Down.
7 To reset a category to use the default folder locations assigned by the program:
• Select the category that contains the paths you want to reset.
• Click Reset.
8 When you have finished, click OK.

Changing default system files

You can change the default system files, including the log file, default template, alter-
nate font, and font mapping file.

To change a default system file

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Files tab.
3 In the lower half of the dialog box, under Program Files, do the following:
• Click the file name for the default system file you want to change.
• Type a new file name, or click Browse to locate and select the folder you want.
4 When you have finished, click OK.
840 CHAPTER 17

Changing the options on the Display tab

In the Options dialog box, the Display tab contains settings for displaying the main
window, layouts, command bar, and cursor. You can also use the Display tab to
control settings that affect display resolution, display performance, and the fading of
certain entities.

Setting display options for the main window

The main program window can be customized in many ways to best accommodate
your work style. For example, hiding infrequently used window elements can help
increase drawing space in the main window.

To set display options for the main window

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 In Theme, select the look you want for all interface elements such as the ribbon,
panes, toolbars, etc.
4 Click Colors to determine the colors of the main window. For more details, see
“Setting colors of the main window and other program elements” on page 841 in
this chapter.
5 In Language, click [...] to set the language used to show options throughout the
program. For more details, see “Setting the language” on page 844 in this chapter.
6 Click File Tab Settings and select options for displaying drawings on tabs in the
main window:
• Display File Tabs Mark to display each drawing as its own tab in the program
window. If unmarked, drawings display as separate windows.
• Tab Style Select a style in which to display the tabs.
• Display Close Button Mark to display an [X] on the active tab for closing the
drawing.
• Display Icons Mark to display an icon on each tab.
• Display at Top of Drawing Area Mark to position the file tabs at the top of
drawings. If unmarked, file tabs are positioned at the bottom of drawings.
7 Mark Display Scroll Bars if you want to display scroll bars on the right side and
bottom of the IntelliCAD window or viewport. When unmarked, scroll bars do not
display, which can improve performance and can also be helpful if you only use
the Pan command to scroll drawings.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 841

8 Mark Show Tooltips to display tooltips when the cursor hovers over the ribbon,
toolbars, and other user interface elements.
9 Mark Display Drawing Window Controls to display controls in the upper-right
corner of the drawing area that allow you to minimize, maximize, and restore a
drawing window.
10 Mark High-Contrast Grayscale Buttons to display all icons in the user interface in
high-contrast grayscale instead of color.
11 Mark Display Prompt Boxes with Transparency to turn on the display of prompt
boxes, and then enter the percentage of transparency to apply to prompt boxes
when they display. Prompt boxes display options for commands and are the same
as those displayed in the command bar. Turning prompt boxes off may save screen
space and may minimize mouse clicks.
12 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting colors of the main window and other program elements

You can control the color of many aspects of the main drawing window, such as
background color, crosshairs color, and more. You can also control the color of items
that display in paper space, the block editor, and the command bar.

To set colors of the main drawing window and other program elements
1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click Colors.
4 In Context, select the area that contains items for which you want to specify col-
ors: Model space, Paper space, Block editor, or Command bar.
5 In Items, select the item for which you want to specify a color.
6 In Colors, select a color or choose Select Color for more options.
7 Click On/Off to show or hide the item (available only if the selected item can be
turned off).
8 When you have finished, click Apply & Close.
9 Click OK.
842 CHAPTER 17

A J
I

B
H
G
F

C
E
D

A Select an area of the drawing window. G Click to restore color defaults for the currently
B Select an item for which to change color. selected context.
C Displays an example of the current color H Click to restore the color default for the currently
selections. selected item.
D Click to save the current color settings in a color I Click to show or hide the selected item (available
scheme file. only if the item can be turned off).
E Click to select a color scheme file and load it. J Select a color for the currently selected item.
Choose Select Color for more color options.
F Click to restore color defaults for all contexts and
items.

To save and open color schemes

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click Colors.
4 Make any adjustments before you save the settings.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 843

5 Click Save to save the current color selections as a color scheme file.
6 Click Load to select a color scheme (.xml or .clr file) and load it.
7 Click Apply & Close.
8 Click OK.

Color schemes are an easy way to reuse favorite color settings.

If you work on more than one computer, save a color scheme to a file and load the file
on another computer.

To restore colors to their defaults

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click Colors.
4 Do one of the following:
• Reset a single item — Select the item you want to revert to the default color,
then click Current Item.
• Reset all items in a context — Select the context, then click Current Context. All
items in the current context will be reverted to their default colors.
• Reset all colors — Click All Colors. All items in all contexts will be reverted to
their default colors.
5 Click Apply & Close.
6 Click OK.
844 CHAPTER 17

Setting the language

You can determine which language is used to show options throughout the program.
The list of available languages depends on which languages were installed on your
computer. If the desired language doesn't appear in the list, repair or re-install the
application with customized settings for the desired language.

To set the language

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 In Language, click [...].
4 In Language Selection Method, choose one of the following options:
• Manual selection Uses the language selected in the Installed Languages list.
• Automatically match regional settings Matches the language set for the
geographical region
• Automatically match system locale Matches the language set for the operating
system.
5 Click OK.
6 When you have finished, click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 845

A
G
B

C
D
E

A Displays the language set for the geographical E Select to automatically match the language set
region. for the operating system.
B Displays the language set for the operating F Displays a list of languages installed for
system. IntelliCAD. Click the desired language in the list;
C Select to choose the desired language from the available only if the manual selection method is
list of installed languages. chosen.
D Select to automatically match the language set G Click to open the operating system's dialog box
for the geographical region. for setting language options.
846 CHAPTER 17

Setting display options for layouts

You can control whether Layout tabs display in the main window and also whether
they show the printable area and a paper sheet.

To set display options for layouts

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Mark Show Model and Layout Tabs to display the Model tab and Layout tabs in
the main window. When unmarked, the tabs do not display, which can be helpful
if you only work on the Model tab or if you use the command bar and status bar to
switch between tabs.
4 Mark Show Printable Area to display a dashed line that indicates the printable area
on Layout tabs. The printable area is defined by the printer selected for the layout
and any custom margins. When unmarked, the dashed line does not display.
5 Mark Show Paper Sheet in Paper Space to display a bounded sheet of paper for
Layout tabs. When unmarked, the paper sheet does not display.
6 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting how the command bar works

The command bar is a dockable window in which you type IntelliCAD commands
and view prompts and other program messages. To display the command bar, use the
Command Bar command. To customize how the command bar works, change the
options on the Display tab.

To set how the command bar works

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 In Command Lines to Track, enter the desired number of previous command and
command prompts that are tracked in the command bar. The default value is 256.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 847

You can also display the commands in the Prompt History window by pressing
F2. To close the window, press F2 again.
4 To select font options for displaying the command bar, click Fonts, then select the
font, font style, and font size. Then click OK.
5 Mark Enable AutoComplete to suggest command names automatically when typ-
ing commands in the command bar. For more details about AutoComplete, see
“Customizing how suggestions display in the command bar” on page 847 in this
chapter.
6 Mark Use Up/Down Arrows for Command History Navigation if you want to
scroll the command history text (instead of panning) when using the Up and Down
arrows on the keyboard. This can be a convenient way to review and even repeat
previous commands. If unchecked, using the keyboard arrows pans your view of
the drawing.

Use alternate keyboard shortcuts.

For panning, you can use Alt+arrow keys.

7 When you have finished, click OK.

Colors of command bar items can be customized.

To change the color of various parts of the command bar, see “Setting colors of the
main window and other program elements” on page 841.

Customizing how suggestions display in the command bar

When you type in the command bar, IntelliCAD suggests names of matching com-
mands as you type. The suggested names appear in an AutoComplete window that
automatically opens when you type and closes when you activate a command.
Using AutoComplete is an efficient way to select commands, and it is also a conve-
nient way to view a list of related commands. For example, if you type "LA" in the
command bar to work with layers, all layer-related commands that begin with "LA"
display in the AutoComplete window.
In addition to command names, suggestions can include names of external com-
mands, system variables, aliases, and LISP functions. Each name displays with a col-
ored icon that indicates its type:
• Red — IntelliCAD command
• Green — External command
• Yellow — System variable
• Blue — LISP function
848 CHAPTER 17

To customize how suggestions display in the command bar

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Mark Enable AutoComplete to turn on automatic suggestions of names as you
type in the command bar.
4 Click AutoComplete Settings.

Use a shortcut.
You can open the AutoComplete Settings dialog box directly from the command
bar. Right-click the command bar and choose AutoComplete Settings or type
INPUTSEARCHOPTIONS and then press Enter.

5 In AutoComplete Delay, enter the number of milliseconds to wait between key-

strokes before displaying the AutoComplete window. The higher the number, the
longer the delay allowed between keystrokes (the AutoComplete window displays
less frequently).

Fast typists usually increase the timeout setting.

If the AutoComplete window often conflicts with your typing in the command bar,
try setting the number of milliseconds to 1,000 or more.

6 In Minimum Length of Text, enter the number of letters to be typed in the com-
mand bar before displaying the AutoComplete window.
7 In Transparency, enter the percentage of transparency, between 0 and 50, in which
to display the AutoComplete window. The higher the number, the more transpar-
ent the window is. Enter zero for an opaque window.
8 In Suggestions List Limit, enter the number of items that can be displayed in the
AutoComplete window.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 849

9 Determine how selection works:

• Mark Use Recent Commands to search for and automatically select a recently
used command, when possible.
• Mark Show Suggestions in Command Line to pre-fill the command line with the
name as you scroll the list. If turned off, the name does not pre-fill in the
command line, however, you can still select the desired name in the AutoCom-
plete window by clicking it or pressing CTRL + Enter.
• Mark Cycle Selection if you want to allow Arrow key scrolling from the end to
beginning (and vice versa) in the list.
• Mark Mouse-Over Selection to allow selection by hovering the mouse, and not
clicking it, over the desired name.
10 Mark Show Command Icons to display icons, if available, for each command in
the list.
11 Mark Use Command Line Colors to display the AutoComplete window using the
same background and text colors that are selected for the command bar. For more
details about selecting command bar colors, see “Setting colors of the main win-
dow and other program elements” on page 841 in this chapter.
12 Mark which items to include in the list of suggested names: aliases, external com-
mands, system variables, and/or LISP functions. If selected, LISP functions dis-
play when you enter a parenthesis, “(“, when first typing.
13 Click OK.
14 Click OK.
850 CHAPTER 17

A
M
B
L
C K
D J
E
F
G
H
I

A Enter the number of milliseconds to wait G Click to allow selection by hovering the mouse
between keystrokes before displaying the over a desired name.
AutoComplete window. H Click to show or hide icons for commands.
B Enter the minimum number of letters to be typed I Click to use the same colors in the
before displaying the AutoComplete window. AutoComplete window as specified for the
C Enter the percentage of transparency in which to command bar.
display the AutoComplete window. J Click to include LISP function names.
D Click to search for and automatically select a K Click to include system variable names.
recently used command.
L Click to include external command names.
E Click to pre-fill the command line with the full
name as you scroll the list. M Click to include alias names.
F Click to allow Arrow key scrolling from the end of
the list to the beginning (and vice versa).
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 851

Setting options for display resolution and performance

Display resolution and performance can be controlled using several options on the
Display tab of the Options dialog box.

To set options for display resolution and performance

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Choose display resolution options:
• Arc and Circle Smoothness Enter a resolution value for circles, arcs, splines,
and arc segments of polylines in the current viewport.
• Segments in a Polyline Curve Enter the number of line segments to be generated
when turning a polyline into a spline-fit polyline using the Spline option of the
Edit Polyline command.
• Rendered Entity Smoothness Enter a value for the resolution of shaded three-
dimensional entities or entities with hidden lines removed.
• Contour Lines per Surface Enter the number of contour lines that display for
each curved surface of a 3D solid.
4 Choose display performance options:
• Pan and Zoom with Raster and OLE Mark to display images and OLE entities
during real-time pan and zoom. When unmarked, only the frames of images and
OLE entities display.
• Highlight Raster Image Frame Only Mark to highlight only frames when images
are selected. When unmarked, entire images are highlighted during selection.
• Apply Solid Fill Mark to create hatches, 2D solids (created with the Plane
command), and wide polylines with a fill.
• Show Text Boundary Frame Only Mark to display rectangular boxes in place of
characters when creating text entities.
• Draw True Silhouettes for Solids and Surfaces Mark to display silhouette edges
of 3D solids in a 2D and 3D Wireframe visual style.
5 When you have finished, click OK.
852 CHAPTER 17

Customizing display options for high resolution monitors or for switching

between monitors
IntelliCAD is designed to run at the proper size on a variety of monitors with differ-
ent display resolutions. However, if you switch between monitors that have different
resolutions, or if you’re using a monitor with 4K or higher resolution, you might need
to set certain options manually.
These custom options are system variables available at the command prompt, not in
the Options dialog box.

To set display options for 4K monitors or for switching between monitors

1 Type any of the following system variable names and change their settings:
• 3DORBITCTRSPHERESIZE — Controls the size of the small orbit sphere that
displays at the rotation point when using the Constrained Orbit (3DORBIT),
Continuous Orbit (3DCORBIT), and Free Orbit (3DFORBIT) commands. Enter
a number from 1 to 20.
• APERTURE — Controls the entity snap selection area in pixels. Enter a number
from 1 to 10.
• BLIPSIZE — Controls the blip marker size in pixels. A blip is the plus sign (+)
that appears temporarily when you specify a point on the screen. Enter a number
from 1 to 255.
• GRIPSIZE — Controls the size of the box (in pixels) used to display grips. Enter
a number from 1 to 255.
• PDSIZE — Controls the point display size. The default value (0) specifies a point
size 5% of the screen size. A value greater than 0 specifies the absolute size, and
a value less than 0 specifies a percentage size.
• PICKBOX — Controls the target height for entity selection in pixels. Enter a
number from 0 to 50.
• SNAPSIZE — Controls the entity snap marker size in pixels. An entity snap
marker is a temporary glyph that appears when using entity snapping and
indicates the current snap location. Enter a number from 1 to 20.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 853

Setting how the pointer displays

The pointer can display as a crosshairs instead of the default arrow cursor. If the
pointer displays as a crosshairs, you can determine its size and other options.

To set how the pointer displays

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click Cursor Settings to determine how the pointer displays:
• Display Cursor as Crosshairs Mark to always display the pointer as the
crosshairs (instead of the default arrow cursor with a selection pick box). If
unmarked, all subsequent options are unavailable.
• Crosshairs Size Enter a value or move the slider to specify the crosshairs size
as a percentage of the screen. Depending on your graphics device, a large
percentage can negatively affect display performance.
• Display Gunsight Crosshairs Mark to display the cursor as the gunsight
crosshairs instead of the regular crosshairs. You can also control this setting by
clicking Gunsight Crosshairs On/Off in the status bar.
• Invert Colors to Contrast Underlying Entities Mark to invert the cursor colors
(using a logical XOR) as the cursor moves over entities of a similar color so that
the cursor is still visible. You can also control this setting by clicking XOR
Cursor On/Off in the status bar.
4 Click OK.
5 Click OK.
854 CHAPTER 17

Controlling whether certain entities display faded

You can customize whether the following entities display faded:
• .dwg external references
• entities located on locked layers
• entities of external references that are not currently being edited when editing in
place

To control where fading is applied and the fade percentage

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Click Fade Control Settings to determine the fading percentage for entities and
externally referenced files:
• Xref Display Enter a value or move the slider to specify the fade percentage
applied to .dwg file external references.
• Entities on Locked Layers Enter a value or move the slider to specify the fade
percentage applied to entities that are located on locked layers.

Use a shortcut.
On the Home ribbon tab, choose Locked Layer Fade Control (in Layers), type the
percentage, then press Enter.

• In-place Edit and Annotation Representations Enter a value or move the slider
to specify the fade percentage applied when editing an external reference in
place. Fading is applied to the entities of the external reference that are not
currently being edited.
4 Click OK.
5 Click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 855

Changing the options on the Open and Save tab

In the Options dialog box, the Open and Save tab contains settings that apply when
opening and saving drawings, including saving drawings automatically, backing up
files, recovering files automatically when opening them, using digital signatures,
working with external references, and using runtime extension applications.

Customizing how drawings are saved

You can control the default file format that you want to display in the Save Drawing
As dialog box. For example, if you use the Save As command to save most of your
drawings in a legacy file format, you can select that file format as the default so you
don’t have to select it each time you save a drawing using the Save As command.
This setting has no effect on saving existing or new drawings using commands other
than Save As — IntelliCAD always saves existing drawings in their current file for-
mat and saves new drawings with the most current file format.
You can also enable incremental saving, which saves only the changed parts of draw-
ings instead of re-saving the entire drawing (a full save). This option makes saving
drawings, especially large drawings with only a few changes, much faster.
Other options you can control are whether a thumbnail preview image is saved for
each drawing and whether annotation entities assigned annotative scales are saved to
separate layers for each scale.

To customize how drawings are saved

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Open and Save tab.
3 In Save As, select the default drawing format that displays when using the Save
As command. You can always specify a different format in the Save Drawing As
dialog box.
4 To specify that annotation entities assigned annotative scales are saved to separate
layers for each scale that is used, mark Maintain Visual Fidelity for Annotative
Entities. This setting applies only when drawings are saved to AutoCAD 2007 or
earlier file formats.
5 To specify whether a thumbnail preview image is saved in drawings, do the fol-
lowing:
• Click Thumbnail Preview Settings.
• To save a thumbnail preview image with drawings, mark Save a Thumbnail
Preview Image.
• Click OK.
856 CHAPTER 17

6 In Incremental Save Percentage, specify what percentage of the drawing file to

allocate as blank space for incremental saves. When drawing changes exceed the
allocated empty space, a full save is performed the next time a save operation is
required. To disable incremental saves, enter 0.

Incremental saves are much faster than a full save but also increase file sizes.
Higher values reduce the number of full saves and increase performance, but also
increase the size of the drawing file.

7 When you have finished, click OK.

Customizing file safety

To avoid losing data in the event of a power failure or other system error, save your
drawing files often. You also can configure the program to periodically save your
drawings automatically. When autosave is enabled, the program creates a copy of
your drawing. The file is saved in the Temporary Files Location folder specified on
the Files tab of the Options dialog box, with the file extension specified in the File
Extension box (by default, .SV$).
In addition to autosave options, you can also specify file safety options for file back-
ups, log files, and digital signatures.

To customize file safety

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Open and Save tab.
3 To save your drawings automatically, do the following:
• Mark Autosave Every.
• In Minutes, enter the frequency that you want to save drawings, which deter-
mines the interval between automatic saves. The program restarts the interval
timer whenever you save a drawing file. Do not use too brief a time if you often
work with large drawings because it can take a minute or more to save a very
large drawing.
• To optionally view the folder where temporary files are located, click [...] to
open the folder in Windows Explorer.
• In File Extension for Temporary Files, enter the file extension to use for the
temporary files created during automatic save. The default is .SV$.
4 To save a backup drawing with a .bak file extension every time a drawing is saved,
mark Create Backup Copy with Each Save.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 857

5 In When Drawings Close, choose what to do with autosave and backup files when
the program or drawings close.
6 To specify that the contents of the command history window are saved to a log
file, mark Maintain a Log File.
7 To attach or detach a digital signature when saving drawings, do the following:
• Click Digital Signatures.
• To attach a digital signature, select a digital ID (certificate) in the list, then mark
Attach Digital Signature after Saving Drawing. To detach a digital signature,
unmark the check box. For more details about working with digital signatures,
see “Working with digital signatures” on page 834.
• Click OK when done.
8 If you want to display a digital signature status when a drawing with a valid digital
signature is opened, mark Display Digital Signature Information.
9 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting options for opening drawings

To quickly open drawings, many users choose from a list of recently used files on the
File menu and from the Recent Documents list on the Application button or Start
Page (if your program version supports them). To display a shorter or longer list of
recently used files, specify a different number on the Open and Save tab of the
Options dialog box.
Another option when opening files is to display the drive and folder location of draw-
ings in the program’s title bar. Turning this option on can be helpful if you work with
drawings of the same filename but located in different drives or folders.
Additionally, you can set up IntelliCAD to open drawings automatically using the
Recover command, for example, if you are a new IntelliCAD user and your original
drawings were created using different CAD software and those drawings regularly
contain errors or damaged data. The program can automatically check all drawings
for errors when drawings are opened, and attempt recovery, as needed. Note that this
option affects performance.
Viewing warning messages when opening drawings allows you to know which files
are being fixed by IntelliCAD and what errors have occurred; however, you can also
choose to hide the warnings.

To set options for opening drawings

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Open and Save tab.
858 CHAPTER 17

3 In Number of Recently Used Files, specify the number of recently used drawing
files to list on the File menu and in the Recent Documents list on the Application
button or Start Page (if your program version supports them).
4 To display the drive and folder location of the drawing in the program title bar in
addition to the file name, mark Display Full Path in Title. When unmarked (the
default), only the file name displays in the program title bar.
5 If you want the program to run the Recover command automatically each time you
open a drawing, mark Open Drawings using Recover.
6 If you marked Open Drawings using Recover and you want to hide warnings when
errors are found in a drawing, mark Hide Warnings when Opening Drawings
using Recover. Errors are still logged in an ASCII file with an .adt extension.
7 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting options for drawings with external references

Several options determine how external references work in the program, including
notification settings for modified or missing external references, whether changes are
saved on layers that are dependent on external references, and in-place editing for the
current drawing if it is attached as an external reference in another drawing.

To set options for drawings with external references

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Open and Save tab.
3 To specify notification settings for modified or missing external references,
choose one of the following in Modified and Missing Xref Notifications:
• None Notifications are turned off.
• Status bar icon Displays the Manage Xrefs icon in the status bar if an external
reference is attached to the current drawing. If an attached external reference is
modified or missing, the Manage Xrefs icon displays with a red exclamation
mark (!).
• Status bar icon and balloon message Displays the Manage Xrefs icon and a
balloon message in the status bar if an external reference attached to the current
drawing is missing or modified. Notifications also display in the Events Log
dialog box.
4 To save changes to external reference layer settings in the current drawing, mark
Keep Changes to Xref Layer. If unmarked, changes to external reference layer set-
tings are not saved and affect the current session only.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 859

5 To allow in-place editing of the current drawing when attached to another drawing
as an external reference, mark Allow Other Users to Refedit Current Drawing.
6 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting options for runtime extension applications

You can customize how runtime extension applications are loaded and how proxy
entities display when opening a drawing that contains custom entities requiring a
missing runtime extension application.
Runtime extension applications include .irx, .arx, .dbx, and .crx files.

To set options for runtime extension applications

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Open and Save tab.
3 To specify how runtime extension applications are demand loaded, choose one of
the following in Demand Load Runtime Extension Apps:
• Disable load on demand Demand loading is turned off.
• Custom entity detect The source application is demand loaded when opening a
drawing that contains custom entities created with the application.
• Command invoke The source application is demand loaded when starting one of
the application's commands.
• Custom entity detect and command invoke The source application is demand
loaded when either opening a drawing with custom entities or starting one of the
application's commands.
4 To specify how you want proxy entities displayed in the drawing, choose one of
the following in Proxy Images for Custom Entities:
• Do not show proxy graphics Proxy entities do not display.
• Show proxy graphics Images display for proxy entities.
• Show proxy bounding box Only a bounding box displays for proxy entities.
5 To display a notice when a proxy is created, mark Show Proxy Information Dialog
Box.
6 When you have finished, click OK.
860 CHAPTER 17

Changing the options on the Print and Publish tab

In the Options dialog box on the Print and Publish tab, you can determine several
print settings, including the default printer for new drawings, headers, footers, printer
configuration files (PC3 files), and print styles that change the appearance of your
printed drawing without modifying the actual entities in your drawing.

Setting the default printer for new drawings

A default printer, or output device, is assigned to all new drawings. Select the device
you use most often when printing drawings. Later, if needed, you can assign a differ-
ent printer for any existing drawing.

To set the default printer for new drawings

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Printer
Options, or choose Tools > Options (in Manage) and then click the Print and
Publish tab.
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options then click the Print and Publish tab or
choose File > Printer Options.
• Type printoptions and press Enter; or type options, press Enter, then click the
Print and Publish tab.
2 In Default Output Device, select a default printer to assign to new drawings.
3 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting up printer configuration files

Printer configuration files (PC3 files) store the printer information you use for spe-
cific drawings or layouts. You can add, modify, and delete PC3 files.
For more details about printer configuration files, see “Using printer configuration
files” on page 653.

To set up printer configuration files

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Printer
Options, or choose Tools > Options (in Manage) and then click the Print and
Publish tab.
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options then click the Print and Publish tab or
choose File > Printer Options.
• Type printoptions and press Enter; or type options, press Enter, then click the
Print and Publish tab.
2 Click Add or Configure Printers.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 861

3 To create a new PC3 file, do the following:

• Click Add.
• In the Add Printer Configuration File dialog box, select the desired printer for
the new PC3 file.
• Click Continue.
• Select the options you want for the PC3 file. If you don't select any custom
options, a PC3 file will not be created.
• Click OK.
4 To modify a PC3 file, do the following:
• Select the desired file in the list.
• Click Modify.
• Select the options you want for the PC3 file.
• Click OK.
5 To delete a PC3 file, select the desired file in the list and click Delete.
6 Click OK.
7 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting background print and publish options

Print and publish jobs can be processed in the background while other program tasks
take priority. Use the Print and Publish tab of the Options dialog box to choose the
options you use most often, and then later if needed, you can turn background print-
ing on or off for individual print and publish jobs.

To set background print and publish options

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Printer
Options, or choose Tools > Options (in Manage) and then click the Print and
Publish tab.
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options then click the Print and Publish tab or
choose File > Printer Options.
• Type printoptions and press Enter; or type options, press Enter, then click the
Print and Publish tab.
2 To turn on background processing for print jobs, mark Enable Background Print
when Printing.
3 To turn on background processing for publish jobs, mark Enable Background
Print when Publishing.
4 When you have finished, click OK.
862 CHAPTER 17

Setting automatic publishing options

When drawings are saved or closed, they can be automatically published with settings
you specify.

To set automatic publishing options

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Printer
Options, or choose Tools > Options (in Manage) and then click the Print and
Publish tab.
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options then click the Printing tab or choose
File > Printer Options.
• Type options, press Enter, then click the Printing tab.
2 Click Automatic Publish Settings to specify settings that are used when automati-
cally publishing drawings. For more details about these settings, see “Publishing a
sheet list automatically” on page 695.
3 To turn on automatic publishing when you save or close drawings, mark Auto-
matic Publish on Save or Close.
4 When you have finished, click OK.

You can also set up automatic publishing options using the Auto Publish command.
For more details, see “Publishing a sheet list automatically” on page 695.

Choosing what happens to the layout paper size when the print device
changes
You can determine what paper size is used if while printing a layout you choose a dif-
ferent print device.

To choose what happens to the layout paper size when the print device changes
1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Printer
Options, or choose Tools > Options (in Manage) and then click the Print and
Publish tab.
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options then click the Print and Publish tab or
choose File > Printer Options.
• Type printoptions and press Enter; or type options, press Enter, then click the
Print and Publish tab.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 863

2 Choose one of the following:

• Keep the Layout Paper Size if Possible Uses the paper size specified in the Page
Setup dialog box. If the selected output device doesn't support this paper size,
the following setting is applied.
• Use the Print Device Paper Size Use the paper size specified in the printer
default settings if the output device is a system printer. Otherwise the paper size
specified in the printer configuration file (PC3) is used.
3 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting OLE print quality

Print quality can be determined specifically for OLE objects in drawings. The higher
the OLE print quality setting, the slower the printing of drawings that contain OLE
objects.

To set OLE print quality

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Printer
Options, or choose Tools > Options (in Manage) and then click the Print and
Publish tab.
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options then click the Print and Publish tab or
choose File > Printer Options.
• Type printoptions and press Enter; or type options, press Enter, then click the
Print and Publish tab.
2 In OLE print quality, choose one of the following:
• Monochrome Shades of black and best for black text and spreadsheets.
• Low graphics Low print quality and best for color text and charts.
• High graphics High print quality and best for images and photographs.
• Automatically select Print quality is assigned automatically based on the type of
linked object.
3 When you have finished, click OK.

Specifying a header and footer

You can include information such as a date and time stamp, your name and company
name, or other information that you want to appear at the top or bottom of drawings
when you print them.
Header and footer settings are set globally for all drawings, although they don’t have
to be included with each drawing you print. When printing and publishing later, mark
or unmark Print Stamp On accordingly.
Additionally, header and footer details can be stored in a print stamp settings (.pss)
file that you can save and load as needed.
864 CHAPTER 17

To specify a header and footer for all drawings

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Printer
Options, or choose Tools > Options (in Manage) and then click the Print and
Publish tab.
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options then click the Print and Publish tab or
choose File > Printer Options.
• Type printoptions and press Enter; or type options, press Enter, then click the
Print and Publish tab.
2 Click Print Stamp Settings.
3 If you want to start with or use the header, footer, and settings from a print stamp
settings (.pss) file, click Load, specify the file, then click Open.
4 Type the content for the header and footer, or select an optional automatic field
from the lists.
To align text to the left, middle, or right in a header or footer, separate the text
with commas.
5 Click Advanced.
6 Customize settings for any of the following:
• Orientation Select Horizontal to place the header and footer on the top and
bottom of the drawing. Select Vertical to rotate the header and footer 90 degrees
on the left and right of the drawing.
• Print Upside Down Mark to rotate the print stamp upside down.
• X Offset Enter the distance to offset the header and footer from the edge of the
printable area in the x-direction.
• Y Offset Enter the distance to offset the header and footer from the edge of the
printable area in the y-direction.
• Offset Relative To Select whether to measure the offset from the edge of the
paper or the printable area.
• Font Select the font for the header and footer text.
• Height Select the height for the header and footer text.
• Color Select the color for the header and footer text in the Color dialog box that
opens.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 865

• Units Select Inches or Millimeters as the unit of measure for the print stamp X
Offset, Y Offset, and Height.
• Add Print Event into Log File Select to include print stamp information in the
print log file.
7 Click OK.
8 If you want to save the header, footer, and settings in a print stamp settings (.pss)
file, click Save As, enter a name for the file, then click Save.
9 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting default print styles

Default print style settings affect only specific drawings: new drawings created with-
out a template and older drawings when opened (older drawings that were created
before print styles were available, for example, before AutoCAD 2000). Drawings
that are currently opened are not affected.
For more details about print styles and print style tables, see “Using print styles” on
page 659.

To set default print style settings for new drawings

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Print > Printer
Options, or choose Tools > Options (in Manage) and then click the Print and
Publish tab.
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options then click the Print and Publish tab or
choose File > Printer Options.
• Type printoptions and press Enter; or type options, press Enter, then click the
Print and Publish tab.
2 Click Print Style Table Settings.
3 Select to use color-dependent or named print style tables for new drawings created
without a template.
4 Select a default print style table to use with new drawings.
5 For named print style tables, select both the print style to assign to layer zero and
to new entities. For color-dependent tables, the print style is BYCOLOR and is not
selectable.
6 Click OK.
7 When you have finished, click OK.
866 CHAPTER 17

Changing the options on the System tab

In the Options dialog box on the System tab, you can determine settings that affect
how the program works such as graphics device settings, when the drawing regener-
ates, how messages and balloon notifications display, error reporting, and more.

Customizing general system settings

General system settings allow you to customize how the system displays messages
and balloon notifications, reports errors, loads LISP, and more.

To customize general system settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the System tab.
3 If you don’t use a 3D mouse and want to learn more about using one with Intelli-
CAD, click 3Dconnexion.com. If you already use a 3D mouse from 3Dconnexion,
the driver version displays in Driver Name.
4 To reactivate any messages that were previously set to not display again, click
Restore Hidden Messages and do the following:
• (Optional) In Search, enter text to search the list for the message you want to
display again.
• In the list that displays all hidden messages, mark the messages that you want to
display in the program.
• Click OK.
5 To choose options for balloon notifications, click Balloon Notifications and
choose from the following options:
• Enable Balloon Notifications Mark to turn on the display of balloon
notifications.
• Enable Balloon Notification Sound Mark to specify that the display of balloon
notifications is accompanied by a sound.
• Number of Seconds Balloon Notification Displays Enter the duration in seconds
that balloon notifications display before they become hidden.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 867

6 If you automatically load LISP routines using an icad.lsp file located in the same
folder as icad.exe, choose when the file is loaded:
• Load icad.lsp Once When Starting a Session Choose to load the icad.lsp file
when the program starts.
• Load icad.lsp When Opening Each Drawing Choose to load the icad.lsp file
when opening each drawing.
For more details, see “Loading custom applications automatically when Intelli-
CAD starts” on page 977 in this chapter.
7 When you have finished, click OK.

Customizing graphics device options

Depending on your computer and its available graphics devices, IntelliCAD automat-
ically determines the best settings for displaying and rendering drawings. In some
cases however, users may want to customize certain settings themselves. For exam-
ple, switching between graphics devices can sometimes resolve performance issues
when using specific graphics cards.

To set graphics device options

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the System tab.
3 Click Graphics Performance.

Use a shortcut.
In the status bar, right-click Switch Graphics Device and choose Settings to open
the Graphics Performance dialog box. Or type graphicsconfig.

4 In Graphics Device, choose which graphics device to use:

• Advanced (OpenGL ES) Select for high-end graphics cards. This graphics
device is recommended for best 3D rendering quality as it supports advanced
visual styles and high quality transparency. Note that it can decrease
performance.
• Intermediate (OpenGL) Select for mid-level graphics cards. This graphics
device is recommended for best performance when working with 2D and 3D
wireframe visual styles.
• Basic (Software) Select for entry-level graphics cards that do not support
OpenGL.
868 CHAPTER 17

Use a shortcut.
In the status bar, click Switch Graphics Device to switch to the next graphics
device in the list.

5 To turn on line smoothing (anti-aliasing) for entities displayed with two-dimen-

sional visual styles, mark Line Smoothing for 2D Visual Styles. Turning on this
option improves display quality but can decrease performance. This option is
available only for an advanced or intermediate graphics device.
6 To turn on line smoothing (multi-sampling anti-aliasing) for entities displayed
using three-dimensional visual styles, mark Line Smoothing for 3D Visual Styles.
Turning on this option improves display quality but can decrease performance.
This option is available only for an advanced graphics device.
7 Click OK.
8 Click OK.

Customizing how drawings regenerate

Drawings can regenerate automatically as you work whenever it is needed and can
also regenerate when you switch between Model and Layout tabs.
Because regeneration recalculates the screen location of all entities and therefore can
slow performance, you may want to turn off automatic regeneration or customize it to
best match your needs.

To customize how drawings regenerate

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the System tab.
3 Choose whether to regenerate drawings automatically or manually:
• Automatic Regen Automatic regeneration is turned on. Drawings are automati-
cally regenerated whenever required.
• Manual Regen Automatic regeneration is turned off. To regenerate a drawing,
run the Regen command.
• Manual Regen with Balloon Notification Automatic regeneration is turned off.
Whenever regeneration is required, a balloon with the corresponding notifi-
cation displays.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 869

4 Choose how you want to regenerate drawings when switching between Model and
Layout tabs:
• Regen when Switching Layouts The drawing is regenerated each time you switch
between tabs.
• Cache Model Tab and Last Layout Regeneration is suppressed when you switch
between the Model tab and the last current Layout tab. When you switch
between all other tabs, the drawing is regenerated.
• Cache Model Tab and All Layouts The drawing is regenerated only the first time
you switch to each tab, and for the rest of the session regenerations are
suppressed.
5 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting error reporting options

Error reporting occurs when IntelliCAD encounters a crash issue. You can specify
whether error reporting occurs and whether a full report is generated. It is recom-
mended to generate the full report only if requested for troubleshooting purposes. The
completed report of crash data can be up to 100MB in size, and while it contains help-
ful information for troubleshooting issues, is more likely to fail during transmission
due to its file size.

To set error reporting options

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the System tab.
3 Choose options for error reporting:
• Disable Error Reporting Mark to turn off error reporting when a crash issue is
encountered while running the program.
• Generate Full Report Mark to generate a full error report when a crash issue is
encountered while running the program. The complete report of crash data can
be helpful for troubleshooting purposes but due to its file size up to 100MB may
fail during transmission. This option is available only when Disable Error
Reporting is unmarked.
4 When you have finished, click OK.
870 CHAPTER 17

Disabling VBA CommonProject macros

Each time you start IntelliCAD, macros are automatically loaded for the Visual Basic
Application (VBA) CommonProject. If you do not plan to use VBA, disabling the
macros may improve performance. In addition, disabling the macros can enhance
security if you are running IntelliCAD at a low security level.

To disable VBA CommonProject macros

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the System tab.
3 To turn off the usage of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), mark Disable VBA
CommonProject Macros on Startup.
4 When you have finished, click OK.

Changing the options on the User Preferences tab

In the Options dialog box, on the User Preferences tab, you can specify preferences
for how you work in the program, including how the mouse works, insertion scale,
when fields update automatically, the priority of coordinate data entry, lineweight set-
tings, and more.

Setting general user preference options

You can choose the settings that best match how you work in the program, including
insertion scale, when fields update automatically, experience level, the priority of
coordinate data entry, undo and redo settings, and more.

To set general user preference options

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the User Preferences tab.
3 Choose the insertion scales that are used when inserting blocks, external refer-
ences, and images (applies when the INSUNITS system variable is set to 0):
• Source content units Choose the default units used for source content. If set to
Undefined, inserted content is not scaled.
• Target drawing units Choose the default units used for the target drawing. If set
to Undefined, the drawing is not scaled.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 871

4 To turn on the display of hyperlink tooltips, mark Display Hyperlink Tooltip.

5 Choose options for fields:
• Display background of fields Mark to display fields with a gray background. If
unmarked, fields display with the same background as text entities.
• Field Update Settings Click to specify when fields are updated. In the dialog that
displays, choose whether to update fields automatically when opening, saving,
printing, transmitting, and regenerating drawings. Click OK when done.
6 In Experience Level, choose the difficulty level for the ribbon (if available in your
program version), menus, and toolbars based on your level of experience with
CAD (computer-aided design). The default value is set during installation.
The Customize User Interface command determines which ribbon, toolbar, and
menu items display for each experience level.
7 Choose one of the following for the priority of coordinate data entry:
• Running entity snap Entity snaps override coordinates entered at the command
prompt.
• Keyboard entry Coordinates entered at the command prompt override running
entity snaps.
• Keyboard entry except scripts Coordinates entered at the command prompt
override running entity snaps, except in scripts.
8 To specify that newly created dimensions are associative, mark Make New
Dimensions Associative.
9 Choose options for undoing and redoing operations:
• Combine Zoom and Pan Commands Mark to combine multiple consecutive
zoom and pan operations into a single undo action.
• Combine Layer Property Changes Mark to combine multiple layer operations
into a single undo action.
10 To manage the list of scales available for layout viewports, page layouts, and
printing, click Default Scale List. For more details about customizing the scale
list, see “Customizing the scales list” on page 64.
11 To learn where to set the default application for opening drawing files, click Set
File Association to display a system message.
12 When you have finished, click OK.

Customizing how the mouse works

Mouse actions can be customized to best accommodate your work style. For exam-
ple, you may prefer to repeat a recent command when right-clicking the mouse if you
do not use shortcut menus.
872 CHAPTER 17

A 3Dconnexion mouse is set up differently.

For more details, see “Using a specialized mouse for CAD” on page 980 in this
chapter.

To set mouse options

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the User Preferences tab.
3 Click Mouse Settings.
4 Mark Reverse Mouse Wheel Zoom Direction if you want to reverse the zoom
direction of the mouse wheel, that is, spin the wheel forward to zoom out and spin
it backward to zoom in. This can be especially helpful if you use the mouse with
your left hand. When unmarked (the default), you spin the mouse wheel forward
to zoom in and spin it backward to zoom out.
5 Mark Use Mouse Wheel to Scroll Ribbon Tabs if you want the ability to scroll rib-
bon tabs using the mouse wheel when the mouse hovers over the ribbon.
6 To set the action to take when you right-click the mouse in a drawing, choose from
the following options:
• Without entities selected To repeat the previously used command if you right-
click when entities are not selected, choose Repeat Last Command. To display
a shortcut menu if you right-click when entities are not selected, select Show
Shortcut Menu.
• With entities selected To repeat the previously used command if you right-click
when entities are selected, choose Repeat Last Command. To display a shortcut
menu that displays options specific to the selected entities if you right-click,
select Show Shortcut Menu. You can right-click anywhere in the drawing with
entities selected and the shortcut menu for the selected entities will display.
7 Click OK.
8 When you have finished, click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 873

Customizing lineweight settings

You can set lineweight options for working in the program, including the current lin-
eweight, lineweight units, the Default lineweight, and lineweight display scale. You
can also speechify whether lineweights display in the current drawing.

To customize lineweight settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the User Preferences tab.
3 Click Lineweight Settings.
4 Choose from the following options:
• Lineweights Select a lineweight for new entities. The default is BYLAYER. The
name of the current lineweight displays below the list.
• Units for listing Select whether to use millimeters or inches for lineweight
measurements.
• Display lineweights Mark to display lineweights in the current drawing. This
does not affect whether lineweights print.
• Default Select the lineweight assigned to layers that use the Default lineweight.
For example, if you choose .09 millimeters, entities on layers assigned the
Default lineweight display and print using the .09 millimeter lineweight (as long
as the entities are assigned the BYLAYER lineweight).
• Adjust display scale Move the slider to the scale you want for displaying
lineweights. The default is 1.0. The display scale affects how lineweights appear
on your screen, not how they appear when printed.
5 Click OK.
6 When you have finished, click OK.
874 CHAPTER 17

Changing the options on the Drafting tab

In the Options dialog box, on the Drafting tab, you can control how entity snaps
work, including AutoSnap. AutoSnap markers are a visual aid to help you see and use
entity snaps more efficiently.
For more details about using entity snaps, see “Using entity snaps” on page 94.

To change the options on the Drafting tab

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Drafting tab.
3 Choose options for what to snap to:
• Ignore hatch entities Mark to turn off entity snapping to hatch entities.
• Ignore dimension extension lines Mark to turn off entity snapping to dimension
extension lines.
4 Choose options for AutoSnap:
• AutoSnap marker size Move the slider to specify the size of the snap marker.
• Marker Mark to display snap markers, which are special visual aids that display
when the cursor moves over snap points.
• Magnet Mark to automatically lock the cursor to the nearest snap point.
• Display AutoSnap tooltip Mark to display snap tooltips which indicate what
type of snap is active.
• Display AutoSnap aperture box Mark to display the aperture box on the cursor.
Entities found within the aperture box are available for selection, making it
easier to find and select entity snap points.
• Display snap markers in all viewports Mark to display snap markers in all
viewports. When turned off, snap markers display only in the current viewport.
• Colors Click to select the color of snap markers in the dialog box that displays.
• Aperture size Move the slider to specify the size of the entity snap target box in
pixels. The aperture size determines the distance between the cursor and entities
where the magnet becomes active and locks to the snap point.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 875

5 Choose options for AutoTrack:

• Display polar tracking vector Mark to display guides on the screen automati-
cally at specified angle increments when polar tracking is on.
• Display full-screen tracking vector Mark to display full-screen entity snap
tracking paths.
• Display AutoTrack tooltip Mark to display tooltips for polar tracking and entity
snap tracking.
6 Choose an option for snapping to files that are attached to drawings:
• All snaps off Select to turn off snapping to all underlays.
• All snaps on Select to turn on snapping to all underlays.
• Snaps vary Select to turn on snapping only for those types of underlays that you
choose. You can choose any of the following: PDF, DWF, DGN, IFC, and RVT
(which includes RFA).
7 To customize settings for dynamic input tooltips, click Drafting Tooltip Settings
and make your selections. Click [?] in the dialog box for details about each option.
8 When you have finished, click OK.

Changing the options on the 3D Modeling tab

In the Options dialog box, on the 3D Modeling tab, you can customize settings for
working in three dimensions, such as defaults for creating and modifying three-
dimensional entities, visual aids that display in viewports, and navigation in three
dimensions.

Customizing general 3D modeling settings

There are several general settings you can customize for working in three dimensions,
including the default thickness and elevation assigned to new entities, polyline curve
type when using the Edit Polyline command, and whether a plan view is generated
when changing the UCS.

To customize general 3D modeling settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the 3D Modeling tab.
3 In Thickness, enter a value for the default thickness of new entities.
876 CHAPTER 17

4 In Elevation, enter a value for the default elevation of new entities relative to the
current UCS.
5 In Polyline Curve Type, choose the fit method to be applied to polylines modified
by the Fit and Spline options of the Edit Polyline command: quadratic B-splines,
cubic B-splines, or Bezier curves.
6 To generate a plan view in the current viewport when changing the UCS, mark
Show Plan View when Changing UCS.
7 When you have finished, click OK.

Customizing settings for drawing and editing 3D entities

You can customize the m- and n-direction mesh densities, whether source entities are
deleted or retained when creating three dimensional entities, the number of isolines
on surfaces, and the maximum number of point cloud points.

To customize settings for drawing and editing 3D entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the 3D Modeling tab.
3 In M-direction Mesh Density, enter a value for the M-direction density of meshes
created with the Coons Surface and Revolved Surface commands. This setting
also controls the number of tabulation lines in meshes created with the Ruled Sur-
face and Extruded Surface commands.
4 In N-direction Mesh Density, enter a value for the N-density of meshes created
with the Coons Surface and Revolved Surface commands.
5 In Deletion Control while Creating 3D Entities, choose the setting to control
whether geometry used to create other entities is deleted or retained.
6 In Isolines on Surfaces, enter the number of isolines that display on surface enti-
ties in the U and V directions.
7 In Maximum Point Cloud Points per Drawing, enter a number or move the slider
to specify the maximum number of points that can be displayed for all point
clouds attached to the drawing.
8 When you have finished, click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 877

Controlling the display of three-dimensional visual aids

Depending on whether you typically work with 2D or 3D models, you may want to
turn on or off the display of the view cube, UCS icon, and menus for views and visual
styles.

To control the display of three-dimensional visual aids

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the 3D Modeling tab.
3 To display the view cube for the 2D Wireframe visual style, mark 2D Wireframe
Visual Style.
4 To display the view cube for all visual styles other than 2D Wireframe, mark All
Other Visual Styles.
5 To turn on the display of the UCS icon in the current viewport, mark Display the
UCS Icon in the Current Viewport.
6 To display the menus for views and visual styles in the upper-left corner of each
viewport, mark Display the Viewport Controls.
7 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting options for 3D navigation and cursor input

You can control options for the mouse wheel direction, 3D Walk and 3D Fly com-
mands, view cube, view transitions, and z-coordinate entry when using dynamic
input.

To set options for 3D navigation and cursor input

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the 3D Modeling tab.
3 To zoom out when you spin the mouse wheel forward and zoom in when you spin
it backward, mark Reverse Mouse Wheel Zoom Direction. Reversing the mouse
wheel zoom direction may be helpful if you use a mouse with your left hand.
878 CHAPTER 17

4 Click Walk and Fly to specify navigation settings for the 3D Walk and 3D Fly
commands. For more details, see “Walking and flying through a drawing” on page
708.
5 Click View Cube to customize display settings for the view cube. For more
details, see “Changing view cube settings” on page 706.
6 Click View Transitions to customize the following settings for smooth view tran-
sitions, then click OK when done:
• Pan and Zoom Mark to use smooth view transitions when panning and zooming
a drawing.
• View Rotation Mark to use smooth view transitions when changing the view
angle.
• Scripts Mark to use smooth view transitions when a script is running.
• Transition Speed Set the duration of smooth view transitions by moving the
slider or entering the value in milliseconds.
• Performance Set the performance of smooth view transitions by specifying the
minimum speed in frames per second.
7 To display a field for the z-coordinate when using dynamic input, mark Show Z
Field for Pointer Input.
8 When you have finished, click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 879

Changing the options on the Selection tab

In the Options dialog box, on the Selection tab, you can customize entity selection
modes, pick box and grip size, grip display, and selection preview.
If you want to change how selection cycling works, allowing you to cycle through
overlapping entities for selection under the cursor, use the Drawing Settings com-
mand. For more details, see “Setting up selection cycling” on page 92.

Customizing general selection settings

On the Selection tab of the Options dialog, you can customize general selection set-
tings such as the pick box size, selection windowing, selection effect color, entity
selection limits, and more.

To customize general selection settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Selection tab.
3 To change the size of the pickbox, move the Pickbox Size slider to set the target
height in pixels for entity selection.
4 Mark Noun/Verb Selection if you want to allow selection of entities before a com-
mand is started. Note that not all commands support noun/verb selection.
5 Mark Use Shift to Add to Selection if you want to specify that subsequent selec-
tions replace the current selection set. To add newly selected entities to the current
selection set, use the Shift key.
6 Mark Entity Grouping if you want to select all entities in a group when one entity
is selected in the group.
7 Mark Associative Hatch if you want to include boundary entities in the selection
set when an associative hatch is selected.
8 To select entities using a selection window, mark Implied Windowing. When the
selection window is drawn from left to right, entities that are entirely inside the
window frame are selected. When the selection window is drawn from right to
880 CHAPTER 17

left, entities within and crossing the window frame are selected. When unmarked,
picking a point in a drawing doesn't initiate a selection window.
9 If Implied Windowing is turned on, choose one of the following in Window Selec-
tion Method:
• Click and click Pick a point to start the selection window, then pick a second
point to complete the selection window.
• Press and drag Press and drag the mouse to create a selection window.
• Both — Automatic detection Use either method to create a selection window.
10 To specify the color to use for highlighting selected entities, in Selection Effect
Color, choose a color or choose Select Color for additional colors.
11 To change the maximum number of entities that can be edited at one time in vari-
ous areas of the program, enter new values for the following:
• Properties and Quick Properties panes — Enter the maximum number of entities
in Entity Limit for Properties Panes.
• Property controls on the ribbon (if supported) and toolbars — Click Contextual
Tab States, enter the maximum number of entities, then click OK.
Higher values can be helpful when changing a property on hundreds or thousands
of entities but can also impact performance.
12 When you have finished, click OK.

Customizing the display of grips

The display of grips can be customized with tips and menus, for blocks and groups,
and with an entity selection limit.
Grip options are also available using the Drawing Settings command. For more
details, including how to use grips, see “Using grips” on page 407.

To customize the display of grips

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Selection tab.
3 To change the size of grips, move the Grip Size slider to set the size of the grip
box in pixels.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 881

4 To specify color settings for grips, click Grip Colors and choose from the follow-
ing options:
• Unselected grip color Select the color for unselected grips.
• Selected grip color Select the color for selected grips.
• Hover grip color Select the color for unselected grips that display when the
pointer hovers over them.
• Restore Defaults Click to restore the default colors of all types of grips.
5 To display grips for selected entities, mark Show Grips.
6 To display grip tips when the cursor pauses over custom entities that support them,
mark Show Grip Tips. This option is available only if Show Grips is marked.
7 To display grip menus when the mouse pauses over a grip that has an associated
menu (for example, a polyline grip), mark Show Group Menus. This option is
available only if Show Grips is marked.
8 To display a single set of advanced grips for all selected entities, mark Advanced
Selection Set Grips. These grips can be helpful for schematic drawings where pre-
cise scale or sizing is not required. This option is available only if Show Grips is
marked.
9 To specify the type of grips to display for blocks, choose one of the following in
Block Grips (available only if Show Grips is marked):
• Insertion point grip Enables a single grip that displays at the insertion point of
the block.
• Grips within blocks Enables grips for each entity within the block.
• Advanced grips Enables a set of advanced grips to move, rotate and scale the
whole block. Use side grips for non-uniform scaling; use corner grips for
uniform scaling.
10 To specify the type of grips to display for groups, choose one of the following in
Group Grips (available only if Show Grips is marked):
• Grips within groups Enables grips for each entity within the group.
• Center point grip Displays a single grip at the center of the group.
• Center point grip and bounding box Displays a single grip at the center of the
group and a bounding box.
• Advanced grips Enables a set of advanced grips to move, rotate and scale the
whole group.
11 In Entity Selection Limit for Display of Grips, specify the maximum number of
entities that display with grips when selected. When the selection set exceeds the
specified limit, the display of grips is suppressed.
12 When you have finished, click OK.
882 CHAPTER 17

Customizing selection preview settings

Selection preview highlights an entity as your cursor hovers over geometry, indicat-
ing which entity will be selected if you pick a point. You can determine when selec-
tion is previewed and the display options associated with it.

To customize selection preview settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Selection tab.
3 Choose when to use selection preview:
• When a command is active Mark to turn on selection preview when a command
prompts to select entities.
• When no command is active Mark to turn on selection preview when no
command is active.
4 To specify color settings for the selection window, click Visual Effect Settings
and choose from the following options:
• Indicate selection area Mark to turn on the display of visual effects for the
selection area.
• Window selection color Choose the color of the selection area during window
selection.
• Crossing selection color Choose the color of the selection area during crossing
selection, or choose Select Color for additional colors.
• Selection area opacity Enter a value or move the slider to specify the level of
opacity of the selection area. The lower the number, the more transparent the
selection area is.
• Window selection frame color Choose the color to apply to the frame of the
selection area during window selection.
• Crossing selection frame color Choose the color to apply to the frame of the
selection area during crossing selection.
• Exclude Mark the entities that you want to exclude from selection preview.
5 To display a preview of how entities will be modified when using editing com-
mands such as Extend, Offset, Trim, etc., mark Command Preview.
6 When you have finished, click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 883

Changing the options on the Profiles tab

IntelliCAD allows you to customize the settings that control your drawing environ-
ment, and then save and restore those settings in a profile. For example, if you prefer
working with custom menus and toolbars, you can save these settings as your own
profile.
Profiles can be helpful if you have multiple users with different preferences, or if you
are a single user who works on various projects that require unique settings. You can
even export your profile and bring it with you when you work on a different com-
puter.

Understanding the settings saved in profiles

Profiles save many settings that control the drawing environment. Once you start
using a profile, it automatically tracks and stores changes that you make to your
drawing environment.
Some settings are saved immediately, but some require that you exit IntelliCAD and
then start IntelliCAD again. This is because profiles save settings from your com-
puter’s registry and some settings are only saved to the registry when you exit Intelli-
CAD.

Settings saved in profiles

Setting Location When saved
Toolbar settings Tools > Customize, Toolbars tab Exit and restart of IntelliCAD
Menu settings Tools > Customize, Menus tab Immediately
Keyboard settings Tools > Customize, Keyboard tab Immediately
Alias settings Tools > Customize, Aliases tab Immediately
Window elements on/off View > Display > Command Bar Exit and restart of IntelliCAD
status and their various View > Display > Model and
settings Layout Tabs
View > Display > Prompt History
Window
View > Display > Scroll Bars
View > Status Bar
Tablet configurations Tools > Tablet Immediately
User paths Tools > Options, Paths/Files tab Immediately
System variables Typed in command bar Varies — some saved immediately
and some upon exit and restart of
IntelliCAD
884 CHAPTER 17

Creating profiles
Create profiles if you want to save your custom drawing environment settings. This
can be helpful if you have two or more drawing environments that you use regularly.
When you create a new profile, the current drawing environment settings are auto-
matically saved with the new profile.

To create a profile
1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Click Add.
4 Enter a name, a description (optional), and then click OK.
5 In the Options dialog box, click OK.
6 Make changes to your drawing environment.
IntelliCAD automatically saves the settings to the new profile.

Some cases require you to exit and restart IntelliCAD before settings are saved with the
profile.
This is because profiles save settings from your computer’s registry and some set-
tings, such as toolbar settings, are only saved to the registry when you exit Intelli-
CAD.

Loading a profile
While you work in IntelliCAD, you can load the custom settings of any profile. The
current profile when you exit IntelliCAD is automatically loaded when you start
IntelliCAD again.

To load a profile
1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the desired profile.
4 Click Set Current.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 885

Restoring the default profile settings

At any time you can return to the default drawing environment settings that were
installed with IntelliCAD.
If the Default profile is unchanged, simply load it to restore the default settings. If the
Default profile is deleted or changed, reset an existing profile (one that you no longer
need) to replace its contents with the default settings.

To restore default settings using an unchanged Default profile

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the Default profile.
4 Click Set Current.

To restore default settings without using the Default profile

Resetting a profile erases all of the profile’s custom settings.

Do this only if you are certain you no longer need the selected profile.

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):

• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select a profile that you no longer need; all of it’s custom settings will be erased.
If necessary, create or copy a profile to use for restoring the default settings.
4 Click Reset.
886 CHAPTER 17

Managing profiles
Once you start using profiles, you may need to rename, copy, or delete them. Copy-
ing a profile is a quick way to create a new profile based on an existing profile.

To rename a profile
1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the profile you want to rename.
4 Click Rename.
5 Make any necessary changes to the name or description, and then click OK.

To copy a profile
1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the profile you want to copy.
4 Click Copy.
5 Enter a new name, a description (optional), and then click OK.

To delete a profile
1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the profile you want to delete.
4 Click Delete.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 887

Working with profiles on multiple computers

If you use multiple computers and you like to work with our own drawing environ-
ment settings, save time by bringing your profile with you.
On your computer, export your profile to an .arg file. Bring the file with you to the
other computer using a disk, E-mail, network, or some other method. When you start
working at another computer, simply open and load your profile instead of recreating
your preferred drawing environment.

To export a profile to a file

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Select the profile to export.
4 Click Export.
5 Specify a location and name for the exported file, and then click Save.

To open a profile from a file

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Profiles tab.
3 Click Import.
4 Locate and select the profile (.arg file), and then click Open.
5 Make any necessary changes to the name or description, and then click OK.
6 (Optional) To load the imported profile, select it, and then click Set Current.
888 CHAPTER 17

Changing the options on the Clipboard tab

You can control what formats are supported when copying content to the clipboard
from IntelliCAD.
Copying all supported formats to the clipboard impacts performance—it is recom-
mended to select only the necessary formats.

To change the options on the Clipboard tab

1 Do one of the following to choose Options ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose the Application button then choose Options, or choose
Tools > Options (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Options.
• Type options and then press Enter.
2 Click the Clipboard tab.
3 Select the options you want:
• Automatically detect installed versions Mark to use the format of the drawing
for storing information when copying to the clipboard.
• Autodesk® AutoCAD® Formats Select the Autodesk® DWG™ format versions
in which you want information to be stored on the clipboard. The formats are
available for selection only if Automatically Detect Installed Versions is not
marked.
• Generate OLE Formats Select to copy EMF, BMP, embedded object, and linked
object formats to the clipboard.
4 When you have finished, click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 889

Customizing tool palettes

Tool palettes contain commands and blocks that are organized for easy access while
working in drawings. Each tool palette is customizable according to your needs: add
new palettes, delete existing palettes, and change the order in which they display on
the pane. You can also control the transparency applied to the display of any palette,
which is helpful if you want to view parts of a drawing that would otherwise be hid-
den by opaque tool palettes.
For details about displaying and positioning tool palettes, see “Displaying and hiding
the Tool Palettes pane” on page 26.

Creating tool palettes and adding commands and blocks

Each tool palette that you create can contain any combination of tools that either run a
command or insert a block.

To create a new tool palette

1 Right-click the name of an existing tool palette.
2 Choose New Palette.
3 Type the name of the new palette, then press Enter.

To add a command to a tool palette

1 On a tool palette, right-click an existing command tool and choose Copy.
2 Right-click the tool area of the desired palette and choose Paste.
3 Right-click the pasted command and choose Properties to change its settings:
• Name Enter the name of the command. This name displays in the tool palette.
• Description Type a one-sentence description of the tool.
• Command Name Enter the command carried out when the tool is selected,
which can contain a macro (one or more commands and their options), such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
• General Select the color, layer, linetype, linetype scale, lineweight, text style,
and dimension style to apply when using the command. Choose Use Current to
use the current property.
4 Click OK.
890 CHAPTER 17

Use a shortcut.
Right-click a tool palette and choose Customize Commands or type quickcui. Then
drag and drop commands from the list of commands to the tool palette.

Or, drag an entity (for example, a line) from the drawing to the tool palette, which
adds the corresponding entity-creation command (for example, the Line command) to
the tool palette.

To add a block to a tool palette

1 Open a drawing that contains blocks, or if necessary create and insert a block. For
details, see “Working with blocks” on page 556.
2 Save the drawing. For details, see “Saving your drawing” on page 111.
3 Select the block in the drawing and drag-and-drop it to the desired tool palette.
4 Right-click the new tool and choose Properties to customize it.

Use a shortcut.
From Windows File Explorer, drag a .dwg file to a tool palette to add it as a block to
the tool palette.

Modifying tool palettes

The Tool Palettes pane can contain multiple palettes. You can rename, reorder, and
delete tool palettes, and you can also change the transparency in which they display.

To change the name of a tool palette

1 Right click the name of the tool palette you want to rename.
2 Choose Rename Palette.
3 Type a new name, then press Enter.

To change the order in which tool palettes display

1 Right click the name of the tool palette.
2 Choose Move Up or Move Down.

To delete a tool palette

1 Right-click the name of the tool palette you want to delete.
2 Choose Delete Palette.
3 Click Yes to confirm the deletion or No to cancel.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 891

To change the transparency of tool palettes

1 Right-click the Tool Palette pane title bar.
2 Choose Transparency.
3 Select the desired options:
• General Move the slider to specify the transparency in which panes display in
the program. The lower the number, the more transparent the pane is.
• Rollover Move the slider to specify the transparency in which panes display
when the mouse moves over them. The lower the number, the more transparent
the pane is. The transparency for mouse rollover cannot be less than the general
transparency.
• Preview Click to see a preview in the program of the mouse rollover trans-
parency. You might need to move the Transparency dialog box to see a pane.
• Apply settings to all palettes Mark this check box to apply selected transparency
options to the display of all panes in the program, including any custom panes.
• Disable transparency for all palettes Mark this check box to turn off trans-
parency options for all panes in the program, including any custom panes.
4 Click OK.

Modifying the tools on a tool palette

Individual tools on a tool palette can be modified in several ways: reorder the display
of tools, change the image that displays for any tool, and settings such as name, com-
mand or block that is assigned, and more. You can also delete tools from any palette.

To change the name of a tool

1 Right-click the tool you want to rename, then choose Rename.
2 Type a new name, then press Enter.

To reorder tools on a tool palette

1 Click and drag a tool to move it up or down.

To add a separator between tools

1 Right-click the tool below where you want to add a separator.
2 Choose Insert Separator.

To delete a tool or separator from a tool palette

1 Right-click the tool or separator you want to delete, then choose Delete.
892 CHAPTER 17

To specify an image to display for a tool

1 Right-click a tool, then choose Image.
2 Do one of the following to select the image you want to display on the tool palette
for the tool:
• Select the desired image in the Tool Image dialog box. This adds the image by
resource ID.
• Click Browse to load a .dll external resource file that contains bitmap resources,
a .bmp file, or a .png file. The loaded images must be 32x32 pixels.
3 When you have finished, click OK.

To change the settings of a tool on a tool palette

1 Right-click the tool and choose Properties.
2 Customize the name and description of the tool:
• Name Enter the name of the tool. This name displays in the tool palette.
• Description Type a one-sentence description of the tool.
3 If the tool is a command, you can customize these options:
• Command Name Enter the command carried out when the tool is selected,
which can contain a macro (one or more commands and their options), such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
• General Select the color, layer, linetype, linetype scale, lineweight, text style,
and dimension style to apply when using the command. Choose Use Current to
use the current property.
If the tool is a block, you can customize these options:
• Name Enter the name of the block to insert when using this tool.
• Source File Enter the filename and path of the drawing that contains the source
block.
• Scale Enter the x-, y-, and z-scale of the block.
• Rotation Enter the rotation of the block.
• Prompt Rotation Choose Yes to prompt for the block rotation value when
inserting the block using this tool, or choose No.
• Explode Choose Yes to allow blocks inserted with this tool to be exploded, or
choose No.
• General Select the color, layer, linetype, linetype scale, lineweight, text style,
and dimension style to apply when inserting the block. Choose Use Current to
use the current property.
4 Click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 893

Working with groups of tool palettes

The Tool Palettes pane displays one group of palettes at a time. If you don’t create
palette groups, all palettes display on the pane. If you organize palettes into groups,
you can easily switch the palettes that display on the Tool Palettes pane, simply make
a group current to view its palettes on the Tool Palettes pane.
Palettes can be organized into groups. which can be used to quickly switch between
groups of palettes.

Working with tool palette files

Tool palettes can be exchanged between computers by importing and exporting them
as .xtp files. Tool palette groups can be imported and exported as .xpg files.

To export a tool palette to a file

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize:
• Type customize and then press Enter.
• Right-click anywhere on a tool palette and choose Customize Palettes.
2 Right-click the palette you want to save.
3 Choose Export.
4 Enter a name for the tool palette file (.xtp file), then click Save.

To export all tool palettes to a file

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize:
• Type customize and then press Enter.
• Right-click anywhere on a tool palette and choose Customize Palettes.
2 Right-click a palette group.
3 Choose Export All.
4 Enter a name for the tool palette group file (.xpg file), then click Save.

To import a tool palette file

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize:
• Type customize and then press Enter.
• Right-click anywhere on a tool palette and choose Customize Palettes.
2 Right-click a palette or a palette group.
3 Choose Import.
4 Select the tool palette file (.xtp file) or tool palette group file (.xpg file) to load,
then click Open.
894 CHAPTER 17

Customizing menus
You can customize a current menu and save your changes as a file. Menus files can
also be loaded. Loadable menu file formats can be any of the following: IntelliCAD
(*.icm files), Customizations (.cui files), and AutoCAD (*.mnu, *.mns files).

Understanding menu compatibility

CUI format menu files are created by newer versions of AutoCAD. MNU format files
are menu files created by all AutoCAD releases, and MNS format files are included
in AutoCAD Releases 13, 14, and 2000. IntelliCAD reads all file formats, even when
menu macros include AutoLISP code. This feature allows you to continue using your
existing AutoCAD menus.
IntelliCAD supports all sections of CUI format files required for customization.
For MNU and MNS format file compatibility, see the following table.

IntelliCAD support of specific sections in AutoCAD MNU and MNS format files
Menu section Definition IntelliCAD support
***POP0 Cursor menu Supported
***POPn Pull-down menus Supported
***AUXn Auxiliary menus Not supported
***BUTTONn Button menus Supported
***ICON Icon menus Not supported
***SCREEN Screen menus Not supported
***TABLETn Tablet menus Supported

To see how IntelliCAD reads AutoCAD menu source files

1 Type menu and then press Enter.
2 Under Files Of Type, select AutoCAD Menu File (mnu).
3 In the Open Menu dialog box, go to the AutoCAD Support folder and select the
Acad.mnu file (or Acad.mns for Releases 13, 14, and 2000).
4 To load the AutoCAD menu file into IntelliCAD, click Open.
The IntelliCAD menu bar now looks identical to the AutoCAD menu bar.
5 To see how it works, choose a few commands from the menu bar, such as File >
Open or Draw > Line.
6 To restore IntelliCAD to its default user interface, choose Tools > Options, click
the Profiles tab, and then click Reset.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 895

Creating new menus and adding commands

You can create a new menu by inserting a menu item at the top level of the Menus
list. Then you can add commands to the new menu item. You can also add submenus
and modify existing menu names and commands by adding, deleting, and rearranging
them.

Bullet colors indicate whether a command is available at the current experience level.
A green bullet in front of a menu item or command indicates that the menu item or
command is available; a red bullet in front of a menu item or command indicates that
the menu item or command is not available for you to use at the experience level you
have set. To change the experience level for an item, use the property in the Proper-
ties area. To change your experience level for the user interface, choose
Tools > Options, then the User Preferences tab.
896 CHAPTER 17

A
B
O

C N

D
M
E
L
F
K

G J

A Click to restore the default customization or restore from a backup. I Click to select an image file or .dll that contains the image to assign to
B Click to save the customization. the currently selected button. If you load an image file or .dll file, you
can click Default to reset the images that display in the Images list to
C Select a menu, submenu, or a menu’s command. the images that were installed with the program.
D Click to show or hide the Command List area. J Select an image for the selected small or large button.
E Click to create a new command. K Displays the full path and filename of the .dll, .bmp, .png, or .ico file
F Type a command name for which to filter the command list. that was loaded when you clicked Browse.
G Displays the list of commands and which source menu group they L Select which button you want to customize: small or large.
belong to. Select a command to change its button images in Button M Click to show or hide the Button Image area.
Image or its properties in Properties. Drag and drop a command to the
Current Customization. Right-click for more options. N Displays properties assigned to the selected menu item in Current
Customization or the selected command in Command List. Enter a
H Click to hide the Properties and Button Image areas. new value or click [...] to select more options for each property.
O Click to show or hide the Properties area.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 897

To create a new menu

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Menus in the list. The menus that display
on the menu bar in the user interface are shown in the list with a plus sign (+) next
to each name.
4 Right-click the menu name located below the location of the new menu.
5 Choose Insert Menu Item.
6 Type a name for the new pull-down menu, and then press Enter.
7 Add a command to the menu (see next). To see the new menu, you must add a
command to it.
8 Click OK.

To add a command and customize a menu

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Menus in the list.
4 Expand a menu name to show the menu sub-items and commands that display on
each menu.
5 From the Command List, drag a command to where you want it located in the Cur-
rent Customization list.
6 To further customize a menu, right-click an item located below where you want to
add a new item, and choose one of the following:
• Insert Menu Item Inserts a command above your selection. Enter the name as
you want it to appear on the menu in the user interfaces, then press Enter. In
Properties, enter the command name for the menu item in Command Name.
• Insert Menu Sub-Item Inserts a sub-menu above your selection. Enter the name
of the sub-menu as you want it to appear in the user interface, then press Enter.
898 CHAPTER 17

• Insert Spacer Inserts a line above your selection that visually separates groups
of commands on the menu.
• Insert Context Menu Inserts a menu that appears when you right-click the mouse
in the user interface.
• Insert Context Menu Sub-Item Inserts a sub-menu to the selected context menu.
Enter the name of the sub-menu as you want it to appear in the user interface,
then press Enter.
7 Click OK.

Setting custom images for commands on a menu

You can customize the image that appears for each command on a menu by selecting
a different image available with the program or by loading a custom image from a
.bmp, .png, or .ico file. Images can also be loaded from a .dll external resource file
that contains bitmap resources.
Because you can configure the menu to display either large or small images and to
display either in color or monochrome, create four different images for each com-
mand. Create custom images using the following dimensions:
• Small images: 16 x 16 pixels.
• Large images: 32 x 32 pixels.
For best results, images should be 32-bit ARGB format with an alpha transparent
background.

Images that do not match these dimensions are stretched or reduced by the program to fit
the specified size.
The resulting images may not appear as originally intended.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 899

To customize the images for commands on a menu

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Menus in the list.
4 Expand a menu name to show the menu sub-items and commands that display on
each menu, then select a command.
5 In the Button Image area, in Button Size, click the button image you want to
change: Small or Large.
If High-Contrast Grayscale Buttons is marked on the Display tab in the Options
dialog box, the available button images are black and white. Black and white icons
are used for high contrast which is used by color blind users or others with visual
impairments. See Section 508 compliance.
6 Do one of the following:
• In Images, select the desired image from the display of available images.
• Click Browse to load a .dll external resource file that contains bitmap resources,
a .bmp file, a .png file, or an .ico file. The loaded images must be 16x16 pixels
for small icons and 32x32 pixels for large icons.
7 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting properties of menu items

You can specify properties for each item on a menu, including the name as it appears
on the menu, its , and more.

To customize the properties of menu items

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Menus in the list.
4 Expand a menu name to show the menu sub-items and commands that display on
each menu, then select a menu item.
900 CHAPTER 17

The properties available for customization vary according to the menu item you select.
The Properties area of the Customize User Interface dialog box displays only
those properties that are appropriate for the menu item you select. For example,
settings are available for commands, not menu names.

5 In Name, enter the name that you want to display in the user interface.
You can specify an access key by including an ampersand (&) immediately pre-
ceding the letter you want to use as the access key. Be sure not to assign the same
access key to more than one menu or command within a menu. For example, if
you add a command named Quick Line to the Insert menu, including an amper-
sand immediately preceding the letter Q causes that letter to appear underlined in
the menu. You can then select that command by displaying the menu and pressing
the Alt+Q keys.
6 In Command Name, enter the name of the command to carry out when the menu
item is selected in the user interface.
Command Name may contain a macro (one or more commands and their options),
such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
7 In Description, type a one-sentence description of the item. The string appears on
the status line for menu items.
8 In Visibility, click [...] to make your selections for the menu item:
• Experience Level Select the user levels when the item will be visible: Beginner,
Intermediate, or Advanced. Items appear only at the experience level you
specify. For example, if you choose Advanced, the item does not appear if the
user selects the Beginner or Intermediate level using the Tools > Options
command; but if you select Intermediate without also selecting Advanced, the
item will appear only when you set the experience level to Intermediate.
Selecting all three options sets the item to appear at all user levels.
• MDI Window Select the number of drawing windows that must be open for this
item to appear. If you want the item to appear only when at least one window is
open, select At Least One Open. If you want the item to appear when no
windows are open, select No Windows Open. Checking both options means that
the item always appears.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 901

• ActiveX In-Place Activation Select the type of ActiveX editing with which the
item is to appear. If you want the item to appear during embedded server editing,
select Server, Embedded. If you want the item to appear during in-place server
editing, select Server, In-place. If you want the ribbon item to appear during
container editing, select Container.
• Document Type Select whether the item displays when different types of
documents (or drawings) are open.
• Make Item Hidden Mark to hide the item in the user interface. The next time you
open the Customize User Interface dialog box, this item is marked with a red
circle.
9 In Entities Context, click [...] to define whether the menu item displays in an
entity’s context menu. Choose from the following:
• Customize the context menu on a per-entity basis by selecting or deselecting
entities. Checking the box next to an entity causes the selected menu item to
appear on the context menu for that particular entity.
• If you do not want the menu item to appear in the context menu when only one
entity is selected, select Exclude if Single Entity is Selected.
• If you do not want the menu item to appear in the context menu when more than
one entity is selected, select Exclude if Multiple Entities are Selected.
10 If of the menu item can be controlled by a system variable, specify any of the fol-
lowing:
• Grayed-State Variable Enter the system variable name and value that controls
whether this command displays in the user interface as grayed out. When the
specified system variable is off, the button is grayed-out or appears off. For
example, the Zoom In command’s grayed state variable is VIEWMODE = 1
(perspective view = on).
• Checked-State Variable Enter the system variable name and value that controls
whether this command displays in the user interface as pressed in. When the
specified system variable is on, the command’s button appears pressed in. For
example, the Set Center Snap command’s pressed state variable is OSMODE =
4 (center snap = on).
• Hidden-State Variable Enter the system variable name that controls whether this
command is hidden in the user interface. When the specified system variable is
on, the item is hidden. For example, some commands that require an additional
license have a hidden-state variable.
Enter the system variable name, an ampersand, then the value, with no spaces. For
example: "OSMODE&4".
11 When you have finished, click OK.
902 CHAPTER 17

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Renaming menu items

To rename a menu item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the menu item you want to rename.
4 Choose Rename.
5 Type a new name for the menu item by typing over the highlighted name, and then
press Enter.
6 Click OK.

Copying and pasting menu items

To copy and paste a menu item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the menu item you want to copy.
4 Choose Copy.
5 Right-click the menu item located above where you want to locate the copy, then
click Paste.
6 Click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 903

Deleting menu items

To delete a menu item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the menu item you want to delete.
4 Choose Delete.
5 In the Confirmation dialog box, click Yes to delete the menu item.
6 Click OK.

Some menu items have sub-items below them.

Deleting a menu item that has sub-items below it in the Menu Tree also deletes all of
those sub-items.
904 CHAPTER 17

Customizing the ribbon

For versions of IntelliCAD that include a ribbon, several areas contain commands:
• Application button — Located in the upper left corner and contains file-related
commands, such as New, Open, Import, Export, and more.
• Quick Access toolbar — Located to the right of the Application button and con-
tains common commands.
• Ribbon — Located below the Application button and runs horizontally at the top
of the drawing window. The main ribbon consist of tabs that contain related com-
mands grouped together, for example, on the tabs named Home, Edit, Draw, etc.
Each tab has panels that contain sub-categories of commands within a tab, for
example Draw, Modify, and Layers on the Home tab.
• Contextual ribbon states — Located temporarily when working with certain enti-
ties: multiline text, raster images, and external references.

All of these areas can be customized with the exception of contextual ribbon states,
which are built-in to IntelliCAD.
Ribbon settings are saved automatically in a .cui file. The CUI format is the newest
user interface format and also supports all legacy user interface elements such as
menus, toolbars, tablet, etc. The CUI format is the only menu format the supports the
ribbon interface, so if you are creating a menu file that will support the ribbon, use the
CUI format.

Creating and customizing ribbon tabs and child panels

You can create a new ribbon tab by inserting a tab at the top level of the Ribbon list.
Then you can add panels, or groups, to the new ribbon tab and add commands. You
can also modify existing names and commands by adding, deleting, and rearranging
them.

Bullet colors indicate whether a command is available at the current experience level.
A green bullet in front of a ribbon item or command indicates that the item is avail-
able; a red bullet indicates that the item is not available for you to use at the experi-
ence level you have set. To change the experience level for an item, use the property
in the Properties area. To change your experience level for the user interface, use the
Options command on the Tools menu.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 905

A
B
O

C
N

D
M
E
L
F K

G
J

A Click to restore the default customization or restore from a backup. I Click to select an image file or .dll that contains the image to assign to
B Click to save the customization. the currently selected button. If you load an image file or .dll file, you
can click Default to reset the images that display in Images list to the
C Select a ribbon tab, panel, or a ribbon’s command. images that were installed with the program.
D Click to show or hide the Command List area. J Select an image for the selected small or large button.
E Click to create a new command. K Displays the full path and filename of the .dll, .bmp, .png, or .ico file
F Type a command name for which to filter the command list. that was loaded when you clicked Browse.
G Displays the list of commands and which source menu group they L Select which button you want to customize: small or large.
belong to. Select a command to change its button images in Button M Click to show or hide the Button Image area.
Image or its properties in Properties. Drag and drop a command to the
Current Customization. Right-click for more options. N Displays properties assigned to the selected ribbon item in Current
Customization or the selected command in Command List. Enter a
H Click to hide the Properties and Button Image areas. new value or click [...] to select more options for each property.
O Click to show or hide the Properties area.
906 CHAPTER 17

To create a new ribbon tab

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Ribbon in the list. The tabs that display on
the ribbon in the user interface are shown in the list with a plus sign (+) next to
each name.
3 Right-click the ribbon tab name located below the location of the new ribbon tab.
4 Choose Insert Tab.
5 Type a name for the new tab, and then press Enter.
6 Add a panel and command to the ribbon tab (see next). To see the new ribbon tab,
you must add a panel and command to it.
7 Click OK.

To customize a ribbon tab

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Ribbon in the list.
4 Expand a ribbon tab then its panels to show the commands that display on each
ribbon tab.
5 From the Command List, drag a command to where you want it located in the Cur-
rent Customization list.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 907

6 To further customize a ribbon tab, right-click an item located below where you
want to add a new item, and choose one of the following:
• Insert Tab Inserts a new tab for the ribbon. Enter the name of the tab, then press
Enter. The tab is inserted in the list above your selection.
• Insert Panel and Insert Child Panel Inserts an area on the ribbon tab used to
group related commands. Enter the name of the panel which displays below the
group of commands on the tab, then press Enter. The panel is inserted in the list
above your selection, or for child panels, nested in the list under your selection
in the list.
• Insert Row and Insert Child Row Inserts a row to a panel. Each panel can have
one or more rows, which is a group of buttons aligned horizontally. The row is
inserted in the list above your selection, or for child rows, nested in the list
below your selection. Note that a set of panel rows can be broken into two parts
(visible and collapsed) using the <PanelBreaker> element (right-click and
choose Insert Panel Breaker).
• Insert Command Button and Insert Child Command Button Inserts a command
button that runs a command when clicked in the user interface. The command
button is inserted in the list above your selection, or for child command buttons,
nested in the list below your selection.
• Insert Menu Button and Insert Child Menu Button Inserts a menu name that
when clicked on the ribbon displays additional command buttons. The menu is
inserted in the list above your selection, or for child menu buttons, nested in the
list below your selection.
• Insert Row Panel and Insert Child Row Panel Inserts a group of rows that display
on a panel. The row panel is inserted in the list above your selection, or for child
row panels, nested in the list below your selection.
• Insert Control and Insert Child Control Inserts a standard control for selecting
layers, colors, linetypes, lineweights, dimension styles, text styles, and print
styles. The control is inserted in the list above your selection, or for child
controls, nested in the list below your selection.
• Insert Separator and Insert Child Separator Inserts a line that appears vertically
on the ribbon to separate groups of commands. The separator is inserted in the
list above your selection, or for child separators, nested in the list below your
selection.
• Insert Split Button and Insert Child Split Button Inserts a button that when
clicked on the ribbon displays additional command buttons. For example, you
might want the Array and 3D Array commands grouped together on a split
button. The command button that displays by default on the ribbon is the last one
used. The split button is inserted in the list above your selection, or for child split
buttons, nested in the list below your selection.
7 Click OK.
908 CHAPTER 17

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Creating and customizing quick access toolbars

You can create a new ribbon tab by inserting a tab at the top level of the Ribbon list.
Then you can add panels, or groups, to the new ribbon tab and add commands. You
can also modify existing names and commands by adding, deleting, and rearranging
them.

To create a new quick access toolbar

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Quick Access Toolbars in the list. The tabs
that display on the ribbon in the user interface are shown in the list with a plus sign
(+) next to each name.
3 Right-click a quick access toolbar name and then choose Insert Quick Access
Toolbar. The new quick access toolbar will be inserted above your selection in the
list.
4 Type a name for the new quick access toolbar, and then press Enter.
5 Add a command to the quick access toolbar (see next). To see the new quick
access toolbar, you must add a command to it.
6 Click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 909

To customize a quick access toolbar

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Quick Access Toolbars in the list.
4 Expand a quick access toolbar to show the commands that it displays.
5 Do one of the following to add a command to the quick access toolbar:
• From the Command List, drag a command to where you want it located in the
Current Customization list.
• Right-click a command in the Quick Access Toolbar list and choose Insert
Command Button. Type the name, and then press Enter. Then in Properties,
enter the command name for the item in Command Name.
6 Click OK.

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Creating and customizing application buttons

You can create a new application button and modify an existing one. You can also
modify existing names and commands by adding, deleting, and rearranging them.

To create a new application button

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Application Buttons in the list.
3 Right-click an application button in the list, then choose Insert Application Button.
The new application button will be inserted above your selection in the list.
4 Type the application button name, and then press Enter
5 Add a command to the application button (see next). To see the new application
button, you must add a command to it.
6 Click OK.
910 CHAPTER 17

To customize an application button

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Application Buttons in the list.
4 Expand an application button to show the commands that it displays.
5 From the Command List, drag a command to where you want it located in the Cur-
rent Customization list.
6 To further customize an application button, right-click an item located below
where you want to add a new item, and choose one of the following:
• Insert Command Button Inserts an item that runs a command when clicked in
the user interface. The command is inserted in the list above your selection.
• Insert Menu Button Inserts a menu item that opens a sub-menu when clicked in
the user interface. The menu is inserted in the list above your selection.
• Insert Separator Inserts a line in the user interface that visually separates groups
of commands.
• Insert Child Command Button Inserts an item that runs a command when
clicked in the user interface. The command is nested under your selection in the
list. This option displays for menu buttons (not command buttons).
• Insert Child Separator Inserts a line in the user interface that visually separates
groups of commands. The separator is nested under your selection in the list.
This option displays for menu buttons (not command buttons).
7 Click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 911

Setting custom images for commands on the ribbon

You can customize the image that appears for each command on the ribbon by select-
ing a different image available with the program or by loading a custom image from a
.bmp, .png, or .ico file. Images can also be loaded from a .dll external resource file
that contains bitmap resources.
Because you can configure the ribbon to display either large or small images and to
display either in color or monochrome, create four different images for each com-
mand. Create custom images using the following dimensions:
• Small images: 16 x 16 pixels.
• Large images: 32 x 32 pixels.
For best results, images should be 32-bit ARGB format with an alpha transparent
background.

Images that do not match these dimensions are stretched or reduced by the program to fit
the specified size.
The resulting images may not appear as originally intended.

To customize the images for commands on the ribbon

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Ribbon in the list.
4 Expand a ribbon tab name and panel names to show the commands that display on
each ribbon tab, then select a command.
5 In the Button Image area, in Bitmap Size, click the button image you want to
change: Small or Large.
If High-Contrast Grayscale Buttons is marked on the Display tab in the Options
dialog box, the available button images are black and white. Black and white icons
are used for high contrast which is used by color blind users or others with visual
impairments. See Section 508 compliance.
6 Do one of the following:
• In Images, select the desired image from the display of available images.
• Click Browse to load a .dll external resource file that contains bitmap resources,
a .bmp file, a .png file, or an .ico file. The loaded images must be 16x16 pixels
for small icons and 32x32 pixels for large icons.
7 When you have finished, click OK.
912 CHAPTER 17

Setting properties of ribbon items

You can specify properties for each item on the ribbon, including the name as it
appears on the ribbon, its corresponding command, and more.

To customize the properties of ribbon items

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Ribbon in the list.
4 Expand a ribbon tab name and panel name to show the commands that display on
each ribbon tab, then select a ribbon item.

The properties available for customization vary according to the ribbon item you
select.
The Properties area of the Customize User Interface dialog box displays only
those properties that are appropriate for the ribbon item you select. For example,
settings are available for commands, not ribbon panel names.

5 In Name, enter the name that you want to display in the ribbon.
6 In Command Name, enter the name of the command to carry out when the ribbon
item is selected in the user interface.
Command Name may contain a macro (one or more commands and their options),
such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
7 In Description, type a one-sentence description of the item. The string appears on
the status line for ribbon items.
8 In Visibility, click [...] to make your selections for the ribbon item:
• Experience Level Select the user levels when the item will be visible: Beginner,
Intermediate, or Advanced. Items appear only at the experience level you
specify. For example, if you choose Advanced, the item does not appear if the
user selects the Beginner or Intermediate level using the Tools > Options
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 913

command; but if you select Intermediate without also selecting Advanced, the
item will appear only when you set the experience level to Intermediate.
Selecting all three options sets the item to appear at all user levels.
• MDI Window Select the number of drawing windows that must be open for this
item to appear. If you want the item to appear only when at least one window is
open, select At Least One Open. If you want the item to appear when no
windows are open, select No Windows Open. Checking both options means that
the item always appears.
• ActiveX In-Place Activation Select the type of ActiveX editing with which the
item is to appear. If you want the item to appear during embedded server editing,
select Server, Embedded. If you want the item to appear during in-place server
editing, select Server, In-place. If you want the item to appear during container
editing, select Container.
• Document Type Select whether the item displays when different types of
documents (or drawings) are open.
• Make Item Hidden Mark to hide the item in the user interface. The next time you
open the Customize User Interface dialog box, this item is marked with a red
circle.
914 CHAPTER 17

9 In Entities Content, click [...] to define whether the ribbon item displays in an
entity’s context menu. Choose from the following:
• Customize the context menu on a per-entity basis by selecting or deselecting
entities. Checking the box next to an entity causes the selected ribbon item to
appear on the context menu for that particular entity.
• If you do not want the ribbon item to appear in the context menu when only one
entity is selected, select Exclude if Single Entity is Selected.
• If you do not want the ribbon item to appear in the context menu when more than
one entity is selected, select Exclude if Multiple Entities are Selected.
10 If the ribbon item can be controlled by a system variable, specify any of the fol-
lowing:
• Grayed-State Variable Enter the system variable name and value that controls
whether this command displays in the user interface as grayed out. When the
specified system variable is off, the button is grayed-out or appears off. For
example, the Zoom In command’s grayed state variable is VIEWMODE = 1
(perspective view = on).
• Checked-State Variable Enter the system variable name and value that controls
whether this command displays in the user interface as pressed in. When the
specified system variable is on, the command’s button appears pressed in. For
example, the Set Center Snap command’s pressed state variable is OSMODE =
4 (center snap = on).
• Hidden-State Variable Enter the system variable name that controls whether this
command is hidden in the user interface. When the specified system variable is
on, the item is hidden. For example, some commands that require an additional
license have a hidden-state variable.
Enter the system variable name, an ampersand, then the value, with no spaces. For
example: “OSMODE&4”.
11 When you have finished, click OK.

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 915

Renaming ribbon items

To rename a ribbon item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the ribbon item you want to rename.
4 Choose Rename.
5 Type a new name for the ribbon item by typing over the highlighted name, and
then press Enter.
6 Click OK.

Copying and pasting ribbon items

To copy and paste a ribbon item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the ribbon item you want to copy.
4 Choose Copy.
5 Right-click the ribbon item located above where you want to locate the copy.
6 Choose Paste.
7 Click OK.
916 CHAPTER 17

Deleting ribbon items

To delete a ribbon item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the ribbon item you want to delete.
4 Choose Delete.
5 In the Confirmation dialog box, click Yes to delete the ribbon item.
6 Click OK.

Some ribbon items have sub-items below them.

Deleting a ribbon item that has sub-items below it also deletes all of those sub-items.

Customizing toolbars
IntelliCAD provides toolbars so that you can access frequently used commands.
When a toolbar is turned on, it is always available, or on top, and in the same location
so it is easy to find and use. However, toolbars occupy drawing display space and
reduce the area available for working in drawings.
You can customize these toolbars by adding or removing tools or by rearranging the
organization of tools. You can also create custom toolbars.

Creating and customizing toolbars

You can create a new toolbar using the Customize UI command, then you can add
tools to the new toolbar. You can also add, delete, or modify tools on any existing
toolbar.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 917

A
B
O

C
N

D
E M
L
F K

G
J

A Click to restore the default customization or restore from a backup. I Click to select an image file or .dll that contains the image to assign to
B Click to save the customization. the currently selected button. If you load an image file or .dll file, you
can click Default to reset the images that display in the Images list to
C Select a toolbar or a toolbar command. the images that were installed with the program.
D Click to show or hide the Command List area. J Select an image for the selected small or large button.
E Click to create a new command. K Displays the full path and filename of the .dll, .bmp, .png, or .ico file
F Type a command name for which to filter the command list. that was loaded when you clicked Browse.
G Displays the list of commands and which source menu group they L Select which button you want to customize: small or large.
belong to. Select a command to change its button images in Button M Click to show or hide the Button Image area.
Image or its properties in Properties. Drag and drop a command to the
Current Customization. Right-click for more options. N Displays properties assigned to the selected toolbar item in Current
Customization or the selected command in Command List. Enter a
H Click to hide the Properties and Button Image areas. new value or click [...] to select more options for each property.
O Click to show or hide the Properties area.
918 CHAPTER 17

To create a new toolbar

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Toolbars in the list. The toolbars are shown
in the list with a plus sign (+) next to each name.
4 Right-click a toolbar name located below the location of the new toolbar.
5 Choose Insert Toolbar.
6 Type a name for the new toolbar, and then press Enter.
7 Add a command to the toolbar (see next). To see the new toolbar in the user inter-
face, you must add a command to it.
8 Click OK.

To add a command to a toolbar

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Toolbars in the list.
4 Expand a toolbar name to show the commands that display on each toolbar.
5 From the Command List, drag a command to where you want it located in the Cur-
rent Customization list.
6 To further customize a toolbar, right-click an item located below where you want
to add a new item, and choose one of the following:
• Insert Button Inserts a toolbar button that runs a command when clicked in the
user interface. The toolbar button is inserted in the list above your selection.
• Insert Sub-Item Inserts a toolbar button if you right-clicked a toolbar name in
the list. If you right-clicked an item in the list located on a toolbar, inserts a
toolbar button nested in the list under your selection, and the selection becomes
the parent command on a flyout.

Toolbar flyouts are a way to organize related tools and conserve space on
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 919

toolbars. A flyout is indicated by a small triangle in the lower right corner of a

tool. When you click a flyout tool, a set of additional tools displays. The flyout
tool you select then becomes the default tool on the toolbar.
• Insert Spacer Inserts a line that appears vertically on the toolbar to separate
groups of commands. The separator is inserted in the list above your selection.
7 Click OK.

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Setting custom images for commands on a toolbar

You can customize the image that appears for each command on a toolbar by select-
ing a different image available with the program or by loading a custom image from a
.bmp, .png, or .ico file. Images can also be loaded from a .dll external resource file
that contains bitmap resources.
Because you can configure toolbars to display either large or small tools and to dis-
play tools either in color or monochrome, create four different images for each tool.
Create custom images using the following dimensions:
• Small images: 16 x 16 pixels.
• Large images: 32 x 32 pixels.
For best results, images should be 32-bit ARGB format with an alpha transparent
background.

Images that do not match these dimensions are stretched or reduced by the program to fit
the specified size.
The resulting tools may not appear as originally intended.
920 CHAPTER 17

To customize the images for commands on a toolbar

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Toolbars in the list.
4 Expand a toolbar name to show the commands that display on each toolbar, then
select a command.
5 In the Button Image area, in Button Size, click the button image you want to
change: Small or Large.
If High-Contrast Grayscale Buttons is marked on the Display tab in the Options
dialog box, the available button images are black and white. Black and white icons
are used for high contrast which is used by color blind users or others with visual
impairments. See Section 508 compliance.
6 Do one of the following:
• In Images, select the desired image from the display of available images.
• Click Browse to load a .dll external resource file that contains bitmap resources,
a .bmp file, a .png file, or an .ico file. The loaded images must be 16x16 pixels
for small icons and 32x32 pixels for large icons.
7 When you have finished, click OK.

Setting properties of toolbar items

You can specify properties for each item on a toolbar, including the name as it
appears on a tooltip, a tool’s , and more.

To customize the properties of toolbar items

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Toolbars in the list.
4 Expand a toolbar name to show the commands that display on each toolbar, then
select a toolbar item.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 921

The properties available for customization vary according to the toolbar item you
select.
The Properties area of the Customize User Interface dialog box displays only
those properties that are appropriate for the toolbar item you select. For example,
settings are available for commands, not toolbar names.

5 In Name, enter the name that you want to display when you hover over a toolbar.
6 In Command Name, enter the name of the command to carry out when the toolbar
item is selected in the user interface.
Command Name may contain a macro (one or more commands and their options),
such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
7 In Description, type a one-sentence description of the item. The string appears on
the status line for toolbar items.
8 In , click [...] to make your selections for the toolbar item:
• Experience Level Select the user levels when the item will be visible: Beginner,
Intermediate, and/or Advanced. Items appear only at the experience level you
specify. For example, if you choose Advanced, the item does not appear if the
user selects the Beginner or Intermediate level using the Tools > Options
command; but if you select Intermediate without also selecting Advanced, the
item will appear only when you set the experience level to Intermediate.
Selecting all three options sets the item to appear at all user levels.
• MDI Window Select the number of drawing windows that must be open for this
item to appear. If you want the item to appear only when at least one window is
open, select At Least One Open. If you want the item to appear when no
windows are open, select No Windows Open. Checking both options means that
the item always appears.
922 CHAPTER 17

• ActiveX In-Place Activation Select the type of ActiveX editing with which the
item is to appear. If you want the item to appear during embedded server editing,
select Server, Embedded. If you want the item to appear during in-place server
editing, select Server, In-place. If you want the item to appear during container
editing, select Container.
• Document Type Select whether the item displays when different types of
documents (or drawings) are open.
• Make Item Hidden Mark to hide the item in the user interface. The next time you
open the Customize User Interface dialog box, this item is marked with a red
circle.
9 In Entities Content, click [...] to define whether the toolbar item displays in an
entity’s context menu. Choose from the following:
• Customize the context menu on a per-entity basis by selecting or deselecting
entities. Checking the box next to an entity causes the selected toolbar item to
appear on the context menu for that particular entity.
• If you do not want the toolbar item to appear in the context menu when only one
entity is selected, select Exclude if Single Entity is Selected.
• If you do not want the toolbar item to appear in the context menu when more
than one entity is selected, select Exclude if Multiple Entities are Selected.
10 If the toolbar item can be controlled by a system variable, specify any of the fol-
lowing:
• Grayed-State Variable Enter the system variable name and value that controls
whether this command displays in the user interface as grayed out. When the
specified system variable is off, the button is grayed-out or appears off. For
example, the Zoom In command’s grayed state variable is VIEWMODE = 1
(perspective view = on).
• Checked-State Variable Enter the system variable name and value that controls
whether this command displays in the user interface as pressed in. When the
specified system variable is on, the command’s button appears pressed in. For
example, the Set Center Snap command’s pressed state variable is OSMODE =
4 (center snap = on).
• Hidden-State Variable Enter the system variable name that controls whether this
command is hidden in the user interface. When the specified system variable is
on, the item is hidden. For example, some commands that require an additional
license have a hidden-state variable.
Enter the system variable name, an ampersand, then the value, with no spaces. For
example: “OSMODE&4”.
11 When you have finished, click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 923

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Renaming toolbar items

To rename a toolbar item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the toolbar item you want to rename.
4 Choose Rename.
5 Type a new name for the toolbar item by typing over the highlighted name, and
then press Enter.
6 Click OK.

You can also rename toolbars using the Toolbars command.

Choose View > Toolbars to open the Select Toolbars dialog box. Select the toolbar
you want to rename, then click Rename and type the new name.

Copying and pasting toolbar items

To copy and paste a toolbar item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the toolbar item you want to copy.
4 Choose Copy.
5 Right-click the toolbar item located above where you want to locate the copy.
6 Choose Paste.
7 Click OK.
924 CHAPTER 17

Deleting toolbar items

To delete a toolbar item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the toolbar item you want to delete.
4 Choose Delete.
5 In the Confirmation dialog box, click Yes to delete the toolbar item.
6 Click OK.

Customizing the keyboard, aliases, double-click actions, and image tile

menus
Customizing the keyboard
IntelliCAD provides keyboard shortcuts so you can access frequently used com-
mands. You can customize these shortcuts and add new shortcuts using the Custom-
ize UI command.

Creating and customizing keyboard shortcuts

You can assign macros to special keys and certain combinations of keys to create a
keyboard shortcut. A macro consists of one or more commands that are displayed on
the status bar as follows:
• A single command, such as QSAVE.
• A command with options, such as ARC;\A;\\.
• More than one command, such as ^C^C^CZOOM;E;QSAVE;QPRINT.
Keyboard shortcuts are more powerful than aliases. An alias lets you abbreviate a sin-
gle command name; a keyboard shortcut contains one or more macros. To activate a
macro, you press the shortcut key; you do not need to press Enter as you do with an
alias. A shortcut consists of the following keys:
• The function and the cursor control keys, as well as alphanumeric keys pressed in
combination with the Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys. The Shift key must be used in con-
junction with the Ctrl, Alt, and/or function keys.
• Alphanumeric keys are those labeled A through Z and 1 though 0.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 925

• The cursor keys are the up, down, left, and right arrows and the Page Up, Page
Down, Home, End, Insert, and Delete keys.
• The function keys are those labeled F1 through F12.

A
B
J

I
C

D
E
F

A Click to restore the default customization or restore from a backup. G Displays the list of commands and which source menu group they
B Click to save the customization. belong to. Select a command to change its button images in Button
Image or its properties in Properties. Right-click for more options.
C Select a keyboard shortcut.
H Click to hide the Properties and Button Image areas.
D Click to show or hide the Command List area.
I Displays properties assigned to the selected keyboard shortcut in
E Click to create a new command. Current Customization or the selected command in Command List.
F Type a command name for which to filter the command list. Enter a new value or click [...] if available to select more options for
each property.
J Click to show or hide the Properties area.
926 CHAPTER 17

To create a keyboard shortcut

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Keyboard Shortcuts in the list.
4 Right-click a shortcut name located above where you want to add the new key-
board shortcut in the list.
5 Choose Insert Accelerator.
6 In the Keyboard Shortcut Keys dialog box, press the keyboard combination you
want to add, for example, press Alt+A.
7 Click OK.
8 In Command Name, enter the name of the command to carry out when the key-
board combination is pressed in the user interface.
Command Name may contain a macro (one or more commands and their options),
such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
9 In Description, type a one-sentence description of the item.
10 To save your changes and close the dialog box, click OK.

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Setting properties of keyboard shortcuts

You can specify properties for each keyboard shortcut, including the associated com-
mand, description, and key combination.

To customize the properties of keyboard shortcuts

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Keyboard Shortcuts in the list.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 927

4 Select a keyboard shortcut.

5 In Command Name, enter the name of the command to carry out when the key-
board shortcut is pressed in the user interface.
Command Name may contain a macro (one or more commands and their options),
such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
6 In Description, type a one-sentence description of the item.
7 To specify a new key combination, do the following;
• In Key(s), press [...].
• Press a new key combination.
• Click OK.
8 When you have finished, click OK.

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Copying and pasting keyboard shortcuts

To copy and paste a keyboard shortcut
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the keyboard shortcut you want to
copy.
4 Choose Copy.
5 Right-click the keyboard shortcut located above where you want to locate the
copy.
6 Choose Paste.
7 Click OK.
928 CHAPTER 17

Deleting keyboard shortcuts

To delete a keyboard shortcut item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the keyboard shortcut you want to
delete.
4 Choose Delete.
5 In the Confirmation dialog box, click Yes to delete the keyboard shortcut.
6 Click OK.

Customizing aliases
IntelliCAD provides aliases for many commands. You can use aliases to issue fre-
quently used commands by entering one or two letters rather than the entire command
name.
The program also uses aliases to maintain command-name compatibility with
AutoCAD. You can use the same aliases and keyboard shortcuts used by AutoCAD.
In addition, IntelliCAD has enhanced several AutoCAD commands. For example,
IntelliCAD added two useful options to the rectangle command: you can draw a
rectangle as a square, and you can rotate a rectangle at an angle.
You can customize aliases and add new aliases using the Customize UI command, as
described in this section. Another method is to use the Customize Aliases command;
for more information about it, click [?] after typing aliasedit.

Creating aliases
To create a new command alias, you first define the alias and then assign it one of the
available IntelliCAD commands.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 929

A
B
J

D
E
F

A Click to restore the default customization or restore from a backup. G Displays the list of commands and which source menu group they
B Click to save the customization. belong to. Select a command to change its button images in Button
Image or its properties in Properties. Right-click for more options.
C Select an alias.
H Click to hide the Properties and Button Image areas.
D Click to show or hide the Command List area.
I Displays properties assigned to the selected alias in Current
E Click to create a new command. Customization or the selected command in Command List. Enter a
F Type a command name for which to filter the command list. new value or click [...] if available to select more options for each
property.
J Click to show or hide the Properties area.
930 CHAPTER 17

To create a new alias

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Aliases in the list.
4 Right-click an alias name located below where you want to add the new alias in
the list.
5 Choose Insert Alias.
6 Type the new alias, then press Enter.
7 In Command Name, enter the name of the command to carry out when the alias is
entered in the user interface.
Command Name may contain a macro (one or more commands and their options),
such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
8 In Description, type a one-sentence description of the item.
9 To save your changes and close the dialog box, click OK.

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Setting properties of aliases

You can specify properties for each alias, including the associated command and
description.

To customize the properties of aliases

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Aliases in the list.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 931

4 Select an alias.
5 In Name, enter a new name for the alias.
6 In Command Name, enter the name of the command to carry out when the alias
name is entered in the user interface.
Command Name may contain a macro (one or more commands and their options),
such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
7 In Description, type a one-sentence description of the item.
8 When you have finished, click OK.

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Copying and pasting an alias item

To copy and paste an alias item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the alias you want to copy.
4 Choose Copy.
5 Right-click the alias located above where you want to locate the copy.
6 Choose Paste.
7 Click OK.
932 CHAPTER 17

Deleting an alias item

To delete an existing alias item
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the alias you want to delete.
4 Choose Delete.
5 In the Confirmation dialog box, click Yes to delete the alias.
6 Click OK.

Customizing double-click actions

Double-click actions allow you to start a command when double-clicking a specific
entity. For example, because of a double-click action, you can double-click a block
to start the Block Editor command.
If an entity does not have a double-click action assigned to it, double-clicking the
entity opens the Quick Properties pane.

Creating double-click actions

To create a new double-click action, you first name it and then assign it and entity
type and one of the available IntelliCAD commands.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 933

A
B
J

D
E
F

A Click to restore the default customization or restore from a backup. G Displays the list of commands and which source menu group they
B Click to save the customization. belong to. Select a command to change its button images in Button
Image or its properties in Properties. Right-click for more options.
C Select a double-click action.
H Click to hide the Properties and Button Image areas.
D Click to show or hide the Command List area.
I Displays properties assigned to the selected double-click action in
E Click to create a new command. Current Customization or the selected command in Command List.
F Type a command name for which to filter the command list. Enter a new value or click [...] if available to select more options for
each property.
J Click to show or hide the Properties area.
934 CHAPTER 17

To create a new double-click action

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Double-Click Actions in the list.
4 Right-click a double-click action located above where you want to add the new
double-click action in the list.
5 Choose New.
6 Type the name of the new double-click action, then press Enter.
7 In Command Name, enter the name of the command to carry out when double-
clicking in the drawing. For example, MTEDIT starts the Multiline Text Editor.
Command Name may contain a macro (one or more commands and their options),
such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
8 In Description, optionally type a one-sentence description of the double-click
action.
9 In Entity Type, type the name of the entity type that when double-clicked, starts
the command. For example, if you enter MTEXT, the action starts the command
when you double-click multiline text.
10 To save your changes and close the dialog box, click OK.

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.

Setting properties of double-click actions

You can specify properties for each double-click action, including the associated
command and description.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 935

To customize the properties of double-click actions

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select either a workspace or a customization
file (for example, ICAD), then expand Double-Click Actions in the list.
4 Select a double-click action.
5 In Name, enter a new name for the double-click action.
6 In Command Name, enter the name of the command to carry out when double-
clicking in the drawing. For example, MTEDIT starts the Multiline Text Editor.
Command Name may contain a macro (one or more commands and their options),
such as:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;MSNAPSHOT
For details about special characters used in macros, see “Using macros in .cui
files” on page 956 in this chapter.
7 In Description, optionally type a one-sentence description of the double-click
action.
8 In DXF name, type the name of the entity type that when double-clicked, starts the
command. For example, if you enter MTEXT, the action starts the command when
you double-click multiline text.
9 When you have finished, click OK.

You can reset the user interface to be the same as when the program was first installed.
Use the Options command, click the Profiles tab, then click Reset.
936 CHAPTER 17

Copying and pasting a double-click action

To copy and paste a double-click action
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the double-click action you want to
copy.
4 Choose Copy.
5 Right-click the double-click action located above where you want to locate the
copy.
6 Choose Paste.
7 Click OK.

Deleting a double-click action

To delete a double-click action
1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization list, right-click the double-click action you want to
delete.
4 Choose Delete.
5 In the Confirmation dialog box, click Yes to delete the double-click action.
6 Click OK,
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 937

Customizing image tile menus

Image tile menus are used to create custom dialog boxes that contain lists and images
of frequently-used blocks or commands. A legacy user interface, image tile menus are
used most commonly by third-party programs to display the contents of block librar-
ies and to make it easy to insert blocks in drawings. They can be added to any existing
menu, toolbar, or ribbon tab (if supported by your program version).
Image tile menus display images from slide (.sld) files that are created with the Make
Snapshot command. For details about creating .sld files, see “Creating snapshots” on
page 794.
To create a new user interface for inserting blocks or running commands, it is recom-
mended to use tool palettes instead. For more details, see “Starting commands using
tool palettes” on page 35. For more details, see Starting commands using tool pal-
ettes.

To create an image tile menu

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select a customization file (for example,
ICAD), then right-click Image Tile Menus in the list.
4 Choose New Image Tile Menu.
5 Type the name of the new image tile menu, then press Enter.
6 Do the following for each command you want to add to the image tile menu:
• Drag a command from the Command List to the new image tile menu.
• In the Properties area for the command, in Slide Label, enter the name of the
slide (.sld) file, without the file extension, that you want to associate with the
command. For details about creating .sld files, see “Creating snapshots” on page
794.
• Place the .sld file in the program’s installation folder.
7 Click OK.
938 CHAPTER 17

To add an image tile menu to the user interface

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select the image tile menu you want to add to
the user interface.
4 In the Properties area, copy the alias that was assigned automatically to the image
tile menu, for example IMG3001.
5 In the Current Customization area, select a customization file (for example,
ICAD), then right-click where you want to add the image tile menu, and create a
new item. For example, to add the image tile menu to a menu, right-click the com-
mand located below where you want to add the image tile menu, then choose
Insert Menu Item.
6 Enter the name as you want it to appear in the user interface, then press Enter.
7 In the Properties area, enter the following for the Command Name, where
IMG3001 is the alias of the image tile menu:
$I=IMG3001 $I=*
8 Click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 939

Customizing the Quick Properties pane

The Quick Properties pane opens and closes dynamically, allowing you to access
entity-specific properties when you need them without crowding available screen
space as with the Properties pane. It displays automatically when double-clicking an
entity, if the entity does not have a double-click action assigned to it, and it optionally
displays when using any selection method and a command is not active. For details
about using the Quick Properties pane and changing its behavior, see “Modifying
entity properties by using the Quick Properties pane” on page 414.
The Quick Properties pane generally doesn’t display all properties of an entity, and
the available properties is easily customizable for each entity type.

To customize the contents of the Quick Properties pane

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, select Quick Properties.
4 To specify the entity types for which the Quick Properties pane displays, do the
following in the Quick Properties area:
• Click( ). The Edit Entity Type List dialog box displays.
• Mark the entity types for which you want the Quick Properties pane to display.
Your selections using the Drawing Settings command affect whether the Quick
Properties pane displays for unmarked entity types. For more details, see
“Modifying entity properties by using the Quick Properties pane” on page 414.
• Click OK.
5 To specify the properties that display in the Quick Properties pane, do the follow-
ing for each entity type:
• Select an entity type.
• Mark the properties you want included in the Quick Properties pane.

You can change the properties available to choose from in the list.
Click General to temporarily display only the general properties for the selected
entity type, then optionally click Reset Overrides to restore the display of hidden
properties. Right-click the list of properties and choose Show Advanced Proper-
ties to show all available properties.

6 Click OK.
940 CHAPTER 17

A
B
J

C
I

G
F
E

A Click to restore the default customization or restore from a backup. G Click to restore the display of hidden properties. Available only if
B Click to save the current customization. General was previously clicked.
C Select to customize the contents of the Quick Properties pane. H Select the entity type for which you want to customize quick properties.
D Click to specify the entity types for which the Quick Properties pane I Select each property you want included in the Quick Properties pane
displays. for the selected entity type.
E Click to hide the Quick Properties area. J Click to show or hide the Quick Properties area.
F Click to display only the general properties for the selected entity type.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 941

Working with user interface customization files

Many users customize areas of the IntelliCAD main window such as the menus and
toolbars using the Customize UI (CUI) command. These settings are saved in a .cui/
.cuix file, which is an XML format file that contains settings for the following:
• Ribbon
• Workspaces
• Menus
• Toolbars
• Keyboard accelerators
• Aliases
• Double-click actions

You can save and load .cui/.cuix files, restore them, copy settings between .cui files,
and even manually edit a .cui/.cuix file.
IntelliCAD works with other legacy file types too that are used to customize the user
interface. You can also load AutoCAD menus and toolbars (*.mnu, *.mns), Intelli-
CAD menus and toolbars (*.icm), IntelliCAD aliases (*.ica), AutoCAD aliases
(*.pgp), and IntelliCAD keyboard shortcuts (*.ick).
Tool palettes are part of the user interface and they can be customized too, but they
are not saved in customization files. To customize tool palettes, see “Customizing
tool palettes” on page 889 in this chapter.

Saving customization files

IntelliCAD automatically saves any customizations you make to the following:
• Ribbon
• Workspaces
• Menus
• Toolbars
• Keyboard accelerators
• Aliases
• Double-click actions

Your changes are saved automatically in a .cui/.cuix file. If desired, you can save the
settings to a new .cui/.cuix file.
942 CHAPTER 17

To save customization settings to a new customization file

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Transfer tab.
3 On the right, click Save As.
4 Enter a name for the .cui/.cuix file.
5 Click Save.
6 Click OK.

Loading customization files

You can replace the current customization file with a different one or you can extend
the current customization file with additional items like custom menus. The program
loads full customizations (*.cui, *.cuix), AutoCAD menus and toolbars (*.mnu,
*.mns), IntelliCAD menus and toolbars (*.icm), IntelliCAD aliases (*.ica), AutoCAD
aliases (*.pgp), and IntelliCAD keyboard shortcuts (*.ick).
Loading a menu, alias, or keyboard shortcut file replaces only those items in the user
interface.
You can also restore customization settings by loading the default customization file
from when the program was installed or by loading a backup customization file.

To load a customization file

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Transfer tab.
3 On the left, click Open.
4 From the Files Of Type list, choose the file type you want to load.
5 Select the desired file.
6 Click Open.
7 Click OK.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 943

To restore the default customization file

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, click Restore From ( ).
4 Choose Default Customization.
5 Click Yes to restore the default customization file or No to cancel.
6 Click OK.

You can also reset user interface changes from the command prompt.
To reverse all user interface changes made with the Customize User Interface com-
mand and reset the user interface customization to the default, type resetui to start the
Reset User Interface command.

To restore a backup customization file

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Customize tab.
3 In the Current Customization area, click Restore From ( ).
4 Choose Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Annual Backup.
5 Click Yes to restore the backup customization file or No to cancel.
6 Click OK.
944 CHAPTER 17

Creating a new .cui file and copying settings

Use the Customize UI command to quickly create a new .cui/.cuix file and copy set-
tings from one customization file to another. You choose which settings to copy,
from a single command to all settings in a file.

To create a new .cui/.cuix file and copy settings

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Transfer tab.
3 On the right, click New.
4 On the left, click Open and select the customization file that contains the settings
you want to copy.
5 Drag and drop settings between the two files.
6 Click OK when done.

Customizing a .cui file using an editor

A .cui file is an XML file format, which can be edited using any ASCII or Unicode
text editor. However, it is best to edit .cui files using an XML editor such as Visual
Studio or Notepad++. If you are developing with IntelliCAD, you already have
Visual Studio.
Use caution when manually editing a .cui file and use the following tips about the for-
mat of the file:
• Content of .cui/.cuix files is case-sensitive. For example, the following is correct;
no errors will be shown but ID attribute will be ignored:
<ToolTip id="123">Help</ToolTip>

The following is also correct; ID will be equal to 123:

<ToolTip ID="123">Help</ToolTip>

• Content of .cui files contains special symbols, similar to an .xml file: & (amper-
sand), ' (quote), and more. Replace these special symbols with corresponding
escape sequence or use XML CDATA structure instead. For example, the follow-
ing is not correct:
<ToolTip id="123">&Help</ToolTip>

Correct:
<ToolTip ID="123">&amp;Help</ToolTip>

Not correct:
<Command>'_HELP</Command>
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 945

Correct:
<Command><![CDATA['_HELP]]></Command>

• Properties of several entity types can be described in both node-style and attribute-
style. For example, the following two toolbar buttons are the same:
<ToolbarButton UID="unique-id" IsSeparator="true

="CUI_LEV_ALL,CUI_MDI_OPN,CUI_OLE_SEM"

Entity="RCM_ENT_ACS,RCM_ENT_MUL"/>

<ToolbarButton UID="unique-id">

<IsSeparator>true</IsSeparator>

<>CUI_LEV_ALL,CUI_MDI_OPN,CUI_OLE_SEM</>

<Entity>RCM_ENT_ACS,RCM_ENT_MUL</Entity>

</ToolbarButton>

To customize a .cui/.cuix file using an editor

1 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and then press Enter.
2 Click the Menus tab, then click Export.
3 Specify the directory and file name you want to use to save the menu file.
4 In Save as Type, select CUI Customizations file (.cui).
5 Click Save, then Close.
6 In any ASCII or Unicode text editor, open the .cui file and make changes accord-
ing to the following format.
There are many editors, but if you are developing with IntelliCAD, you already
have Visual Studio, which is a good XML editor for .cui files.
946 CHAPTER 17

Understanding versioning of a .cui file

Each .cui file has a node that controls versioning:
<FileVersion MajorVersion="1" MinorVersion="2" UserVersion="0"
IncrementalVersion="91"/>

• IncrementalVersion Must be incremented with any change in the Icad.cui file.

• UserVersion Incremented automatically when a user customizes IntelliCAD. In
the default Icad.cui file, this must be always equal to 0 and never edited manually.
• MinorVersion Must be incremented with a change or creation of a versioned entity
(PopMenu, Toolbar, MenuMacro->Macro, ...).
• MajorVersion Must be incremented with the following:
• Change of Icad.cui file schema (for example, added/deleted sections or added
new type of entities).
• Deletion of a versioned entity.
• Change of UID attribute of an existing versioned entity or change of Name
attribute in case of a Workspace entity.
If MajorVersion is incremented, the user's .cui file will be replaced with an
updated .cui file.

The .cui file also contains versioned entities: Workspace, MenuMacro->Macro, Pop-
Menu, Toolbar, AppButton, QuickAccessToolbar, RibbonPanelSource, and
RibbonTabSource. Each versioned entity also has a node:
<ModifiedRev MinorVersion="2"/>

After a versioned entity is modified or created, FileVersion->MinorVersion must be

incremented, and then the result must be assigned to ModifiedRev->MinorVersion of
the modified entity.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 947

Understanding the format of a .cui file

A .cui file can contain settings for the following areas of the IntelliCAD main win-
dow:
• Ribbon
• Workspaces
• Menus
• Toolbars
• Keyboard accelerators
• Command aliases

CUI file format

Values
Item (Default Value) Required? Description
FileVersion
MajorVersion 4 byte integer Yes Major version of the .cui file. For details, see “Understanding
versioning of a .cui file” on page 946 in this chapter.
MinorVersion 4 byte integer Yes Minor version of the .cui file. For details, see “Understanding
versioning of a .cui file” on page 946 in this chapter.
IncrementalVersion 4 byte integer Yes Incremental version of the .cui file. For details, see “Understanding
versioning of a .cui file” on page 946 in this chapter.
UserVersion 4 byte integer Yes User version of the .cui file. For details, see “Understanding
versioning of a .cui file” on page 946 in this chapter.
AppButton The application button.
UID Text Yes ID of an AppButton. Unique among all UIDs.
LargeImage Text("0") No Image resource ID of AppButton’s icon or path to local image file.
LargeImageHighContrast Text("0") No Image resource ID of AppButton’s high contrast icon or path to
local file.
Name Text("") No Name or tooltip of an AppButton.
AppButtonItem Regular command button or separator line.
UID Text Yes ID of an AppButtonItem. Unique among all UIDs.
MenuMacroID Text Yes/No ID of referenced MenuMacro. Not required in case of separator
button. Required in all other cases.
IsSeparator true/false(false) No Determines whether an item is a separator line or regular
command button.
AppButtonPopItem Sub-menu that contains a set of AppButtonItem items.
UID Text Yes ID of an AppButtonPopItem. Unique among all UIDs.
LargeImage Text("0") No Image resource ID of AppButtonPopItem's icon or path to local
image file.
LargeImageHighContrast Text("0") No Image resource ID of AppButtonPopItem 's high contrast icon or
path to local image file.
948 CHAPTER 17

CUI file format

Values
Item (Default Value) Required? Description
Name Text("") No Name or tooltip of an AppButtonPopItem.
QuickAccessToolbar The Quick Access Toolbar.
UID Text Yes ID of a Quick Access toolbar. Unique among all UIDs.
QuickAccessToolbarStandardItem Regular command button.
UID Text Yes ID of a QuickAccessToolbarStandardItem. Unique among all
UIDs.
MenuMacroID Text Yes ID of referenced MenuMacro.
Workspace Consists of the following sections: WSPopRoot, WSToolbarRoot,
and WSRibbonRoot.
DefaultWorkspace true/false (false) No Whether a workspace is selected by default.
Name Text Yes Name of workspace.
WSPop In-workspace declaration of a pop-menu.
Display 0/1 (0) No Whether to display (1) or not to display (0) pop-menu in the
MenuBar.
pUID Text Yes UID of a referenced pop-menu. Unique among all UIDs.
WSToolbar In-workspace declaration of a toolbar.
Display 0/1 (0) No Whether to display (1) or not to display (0) a toolbar.
pUID Text Yes UID of a referenced toolbar. Unique among all UIDs.
ToolbarOrient top/left/bottom/right No Toolbar orientation.
(float)
rows 4 byte integer (1) No Number of button rows for a toolbar.
xval 4 byte integer (0) No X-coordinate of a toolbar (relative in case of docked toolbar).
yval 4 byte integer (0) No Y-coordinate of a toolbar (relative in case of docked toolbar).

WSRibbonTabSourceReference In-workspace declaration of a ribbon tab. Consists of a set of

WSRibbonPanelSourceReference items.
Show true/false (false) No Whether to show or not to show a ribbon tab.
TabId Text Yes UID of a referenced ribbon tab.
WSRibbonPanelSourceReference In-workspace declaration of a ribbon panel.
Show true/false (false) No Whether to show or not to show a ribbon panel.
PanelId Text Yes UID of a referenced ribbon panel.
RibbonPanelSource Ribbon panel definition. Consists of a set of RibbonRow items.
UID Text Yes ID of a RibbonPanelSource. Unique among all UIDs.
Name Text Yes Name of a RibbonPanelSource.

RibbonSplitButton Ribbon button with sub-items. Consists of RibbonCommandButton

items.
UID Text Yes ID of a RibbonSplitButton. Unique among all UIDs.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 949

CUI file format

Values
Item (Default Value) Required? Description
ButtonStyle LargeWithText/ No Style of a button.
SmallWithoutText/
SmallWithText
(SmallWithoutText)
RibbonCommandButton Regular command button.
UID Text Yes ID of a RibbonCommandButton. Unique among all UIDs.
MenuMacroID Text Yes ID of referenced MenuMacro.
ButtonStyle LargeWithText/ No Style of a button.
SmallWithoutText/
SmallWithText
(SmallWithoutText)
RibbonSeparator Ribbon Separator element.
UID Text Yes ID of a RibbonSeparator. Unique among all UIDs.
SeparatorStyle Line/Spacer No Separator style can be either a line or a spacer.
(Spacer)
RibbonControl Ribbon control. Can be of one of these predefined types: color,
linetype, lineweight, layer, print style, text style, or dimension style.
UID rbnctrl-layer/ Yes Unique among all UIDs. Any other UID is not allowed.
rbnctrl-color/
rbnctrl-linetype/
rbnctrl-lineweight/
rbnctrl-printstyle/
rbnctrl-textstyle/
rbnctrl-dimstyle
RibbonTabSource Ribbon tab definition. Consists of a set of
RibbonPanelSourceReference items.
UID Text Yes ID of a RibbonTabSource. Unique among all UIDs.
Name Text Yes Name of a RibbonTabSource.
MenuAccelerator
UID Text Yes ID of a MenuAccelerator. Unique among all UIDs.
MenuAccelerator.Accelerator
KeyCombo.AccelChar Text ("") Yes Virtual key code. Use letters, digits ("A", "B", "C", ... , "1", "2", "3",
... , "0"), functional key codes ("F1", "F2", "F3", ..., "F16"), Num-
pad key codes ("NUM1", "NUM2", "NUM3", ..., "NUM0", "NUM*",
"NUM+", "NUM-", "NUMDEL", "NUM/"), some other key codes
("BACKSPACE", "PAUSE", "PAGEUP", "PAGEDOWN",
"LEFTARROW", "UPARROW", "RIGHTARROW",
"DOWNARROW", "INS", "DEL", "END", "HOME")
KeyCombo.accKeys Text ("") Yes if Accelerator modifier. Following combinations are allowed:
previous "CTRL", "ALT", "SHIFT", "CTRL+ALT", "ALT+CTRL",
is letter or "SHIFT+CTRL", "CTRL+SHIFT", "ALT+SHIFT", "SHIFT+ALT",
digit "CTRL+ALT+SHIFT", "CTRL+SHIFT+ALT", "ALT+SHIFT+CTRL",
"ALT+CTRL+SHIFT", "SHIFT+CTRL+ALT", "SHIFT+ALT+CTRL"
MenuItem.MacroRef.MenuMacroID Text ("") No ID of a macro to be bound to this accelerator
950 CHAPTER 17

CUI file format

Values
Item (Default Value) Required? Description
MenuAlias
UID Text Yes ID of a MenuAlias. Unique among all UIDs.
Name Text Yes Name of an alias.
Command Text Yes Command that is to be called for the alias.
MenuGroup
Name Text ("ICAD") No Name of a menu group.
MenuMacro
UID Text Yes ID of a MenuMacro. Unique among all UIDs.
Macro.Name.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of macro name. Used to extract localized text.
Macro.Name Text ("") No Default macro name.
Macro.ToolTip.ID 4 byte integer No Text resource id of macro tooltip. Used to extract localized text.
Macro.ToolTip Text Yes Default macro tooltip.
Macro.HelpString.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of macro help string. Used to extract localized
text.
Macro.HelpString Text Yes Default macro help string.
Macro.Command Text Yes Command of a macro.
Macro.SmallImage 4 byte integer (0) No Image resource id of small icon or path to local image file.
Macro.LargeImage 4 byte integer (0) No Image resource id of large icon or path to local image file.
Macro.SmallImageHighContrast 4 byte integer (0) No Image resource id of small high contrast icon or path to local
image file.
Macro.LargeImageHighContrast 4 byte integer (0) No Image resource id of large high contrast icon or path to local
image file.
Macro.AcadToolbarConversion Text ("") No Used to extract MenuMacro icon.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 951

CUI file format

Values
Item (Default Value) Required? Description
Macro. Text No Determines the of MenuMacro, constructed as a comma-
(CUI_DEFAULT) separated concatenation of the following values, calculated with a
logical OR applied to all values:
Value Description
CUI_DOC_DWG .dwg document
CUI_DOC_DGN .dgn document
CUI_DOC_ALL All types of documents
CUI_DOC_STP Start Page document
CUI_LEV_BEG User level: Beginner
CUI_LEV_INT User level: Intermediate
CUI_LEV_EXP User level: Expert
CUI_LEV_ALL User level: Any
CUI_MDI_OPN MDI Window: At least one open
CUI_MDI_CLS MDI Window: No MDI windows
CUI_MDI_ALL MDI Window: Either MDI state
CUI_OLE_SEM OLE: Server, embedded
CUI_OLE_SIP OLE: Server, in-place
CUI_OLE_CLI OLE: Client
CUI_OLE_ALL OLE: Any OLE state
CUI_VIS_ALL CUI_LEV_ALL,CUI_MDI_ALL,CUI_OLE_ALL
CUI_SPL_RCM Context (right-click) menu only
CUI_SPL_HIDE Hide this menu or button
CUI_SPL_OSNAP Temporary osnap mode (shift right click when
command is active)
CUI_SPL_CTRL Button is a control]
CUI_SPL_NOENT Ignore all entity flags]
CUI_DEFAULT Default :

CUI_LEV_ALL,CUI_MDI_OPN,CUI_MDI_CLS,
CUI_OLE_CLI
952 CHAPTER 17

CUI file format

Values
Item (Default Value) Required? Description
Macro.Entity Text No Determines the entity of Menu.Macro, constructed as a comma-
(RCM_ENT_ALL) separated concatenation of the following values, calculated with a
Note that this item controls of right- logical OR applied to all values:
click menus, which are designed to Entity
display only when certain entities are Value Description
in the right-click selection set. This RCM_ENT_PNT Point
item is only used when Macro. RCM_ENT_LIN Line
includes CUI.SPL.RCM.
RCM_ENT_RAY Ray
RCM_ENT_XLN XLine
RCM_ENT_ARC Arc
RCM_ENT_CIR Circle
RCM_ENT_ELL Ellipse
RCM_ENT_SHP Shape
RCM_ENT_TRC Trace
RCM_ENT_SLD Solid
RCM_ENT_3DF 3D Face
RCM_ENT_3DS 3D Solid
RCM_ENT_2DP 2D Polyline
RCM_ENT_3DP 3D Polyline
RCM_ENT_PFM Polyface Mesh
RCM_ENT_3DM 3D Mesh
RCM_ENT_PLN All types of polylines:
RCM_ENT_2DP,RCM_ENT_3DP,
RCM_ENT_PFM,RCM_ENT_3DM
RCM_ENT_TXT Text
RCM_ENT_INS Insert
RCM_ENT_ATD AttDef
RCM_ENT_DIM Dimension
RCM_ENT_LDR Leader
RCM_ENT_TOL Tolerance
RCM_ENT_SPL Spline
RCM_ENT_MTX Mtext
RCM_ENT_MLN Mline
RCM_ENT_GRP Group
RCM_ENT_IMG Image
RCM_ENT_VPT Viewport
RCM_ENT_HAT Hatch
RCM_ENT_RGN Region
RCM_ENT_BDY Body
RCM_ENT_XRF Xreferences
RCM_ENT_GMI Geographic Map Image
RCM_ENT_ACS All ACIS entities: RCM_ENT_3DS,
RCM_ENT_RGN,RCM_ENT_BDY
RCM_ENT_ALL Any entity
RCM_ENT_SGL Hide this item if a single entity is selected
RCM_ENT_MUL Hide this item if multiple entities are selected
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 953

CUI file format

Values
Item (Default Value) Required? Description
Macro.Entity (continued) Text No Continued:
(RCM_ENT_ALL) Entity
Value Description
RCM_ENT_MLR Multileader
RCM_ENT_REF Refedit
RCM_ENT_BIM IFC or RVT Underlay
RCM_ENT_BED BEdit
RCM_ENT_BEL Building Elevation Line
RCM_ENT_BSL Building Section Line
RCM_ENT_2DS 2D Section or Elevation
RCM_ENT_TBL Table
RCM_ENT_ARR All array entities: RCM_ENT_ARR_POL,
RCM_ENT_ARR_PAT,
RCM_ENT_ARR_REC)
RCM_ENT_ARR_POL ARRAY Polar Array
RCM_ENT_ARR_PAT ARRAY Path Array
RCM_ENT_ARR_REC ARRAY Rectangular Array
Macro.CheckedExpression Text ("") No Controls whether the button or menu item is in checked state
based on value of the system variable.
Macro.GreyedOutExpression Text ("") No Controls whether the button or menu item is grayed-out (disabled)
based on the value of the system variable.
Macro.HideExpression Text ("") No Controls whether the button or menu item is visible based on
value of the system variable.
DoubleClickAction
UID Text Yes ID of a DoubleClickAction. Unique among all UIDs.
DxfName Text Yes DXF name of an entity type to be bound to this double-click action.
MenuItem.MacroRef.MenuMacroID Text ("") No ID of a macro to be bound to this double-click action.
PopMenu
UID Text Yes ID of a PopMenu. Unique among all UIDs.
Alias Text Yes Language independent tear-off-name, usually "POPNN" where
NN is a number.
Name.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of popup menu name. Used to extract localized
menu name.
Name Text Yes Default popup menu name.
PopMenuItem
IsSeparator true/false (false) No Defines whether the menu item is a separator.
NameRef.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of menu item name. Used to extract localized
menu item name.
NameRef Text ("") No Default menu item name.
MenuItem.MacroRef.MenuMacroID Text ("") No Id of a macro to be bound to this menu item.
PopMenuRef
954 CHAPTER 17

CUI file format

Values
Item (Default Value) Required? Description
pUID Text Yes ID of a popup menu to be bound to this menu item as a sub-menu.
Unique among all UIDs.
ToolTip.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of menu item tooltip. Used to extract localized
text.
ToolTip Text Yes Default menu item tooltip.
HelpString.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of menu item help string. Used to extract
localized text.
HelpString Text Yes Default menu item help string.
Text No Determines the of PopMenuRef, constructed as a comma-
(CUI_DEFAULT) separated concatenation of values, calculated with a logical OR
applied to all values. For details about available values, see
“Value Description” on page 951 in this chapter.
Entity Text No Determines the entity of PopMenuRef, constructed as a comma-
(RCM_ENT_ALL) separated concatenation of the values and calculated with a
logical OR applied to all values. For details about available values,
see “Entity Value Description” on page 952 in this chapter.
CheckedExpression Text ("") No Controls whether the button or menu item is in checked state
based on value of the system variable.
GreyedOutExpression Text ("") No Controls whether the button or menu item is grayed-out (disabled)
based on the value of the system variable.
HideExpression Text ("") No Controls whether the button or menu item is visible based on
value of the system variable.
Toolbar
UID Text Yes ID of a Toolbar. Unique among all UIDs.
ToolbarOrient float/top/left/right/ No Specifies toolbar orientation.
bottom (float)
ToolbarVisible hide/show (hide) No Specifies whether to show or hide toolbar.
rows 4 byte integer (1) No Number of button rows for a toolbar.
xval 4 byte integer (0) No X coordinate of a floating toolbar and zero-based position index of
a docked toolbar.
yval 4 byte integer (0) No Y coordinate of a floating toolbar and zero-based position index of
a docking row for a docked toolbar.
Name Text Yes Name of a toolbar.
UseOwnIcon true/false (false) No Specifies whether to use single icon when toolbar is used as
flyout.
ToolbarButton
UID Text Yes ID of a ToolbarButton. Unique among all UIDs.
IsSeparator true/false (false) No Defines whether the button is a separator.
NameRef.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of button name. Used to extract localized button
tooltip.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 955

CUI file format

Values
Item (Default Value) Required? Description
NameRef Text ("") No Default button name and tooltip.
MenuItem.MacroRef.MenuMacroID Text ("") No ID of a macro to be bound to this button.
ToolbarFlyout
pTargetId 8 byte integer Yes ID of a popup menu to be bound to this item as a fly-out.
ToolTip.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of tooltip. Used to extract localized text.
ToolTip Yes Default fly-out tooltip.
HelpString.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of help string. Used to extract localized text.
HelpString Text Yes Default fly-out help string.
SmallImage 4 byte integer (0) No Image resource id of small icon, or path to local image file.
LargeImage 4 byte integer (0) No Image resource id of large icon.
SmallImageHighContrast 4 byte integer (0) No Image resource id of small high contrast icon.
LargeImageHighContrast 4 byte integer (0) No Image resource id of large high contrast icon.
AcadToolbarConversion Text ("") No Used to extract fly-out icon.
Text No Determines the of the fly-out, constructed as a comma-separated
(CUI_DEFAULT) concatenation of values, calculated with a logical OR applied to all
values. For details about available values, see “Value Description”
on page 951 in this chapter.
Entity Text No Determines the entity of the fly-out, constructed as a comma-
(RCM_ENT_ALL) separated concatenation of the values and calculated with a
logical OR applied to all values. For details about available values,
see “Entity Value Description” on page 952 in this chapter.
CheckedExpression Text ("") No Controls whether the button or menu item is in the checked state
based on the value of the system variable.
GreyedOutExpression Text ("") No Controls whether the button or menu item is grayed-out (disabled)
based on the value of the system variable.
HideExpression Text ("") No Controls whether the button or menu item is visible based on
value of the system variable.
ToolbarControl
UID tlbctrl-color/ Yes ID of an AppButton. Unique among all UIDs. Any other UID is not
tlbctrl-linetype/ allowed.
tlbctrl-lineweight/
tlbctrl-printstyle/
tlbctrl-textstyle/
tlbctrl-
dimensionstyle
HelpString.ID 4 byte integer (0) No Text resource id of help string. Used to extract localized text.
HelpString Text Yes Default control help string.
Text No Determines the of the toolbar, constructed as a comma-separated
(CUI_DEFAULT) concatenation of the values, calculated with a logical OR applied
to all values. For details about available values, see “Value
Description” on page 951 in this chapter.
956 CHAPTER 17

Using macros in .cui files

Macros in .cui files can run commands with custom options for tool palettes, menus,
the ribbon (for versions that have a ribbon), toolbars, keyboard shortcuts, and aliases.
For example:
^C^C^CZOOM;E;QSAVE;QPRINT
This example zooms to extents, saves the file, and then prints the file.
You can add macros to .cui files manually using a text editor and also in the Proper-
ties area of the Customize dialog box. For example, to add a macro to a menu item,
see “Setting properties of menu items” on page 899 in this chapter.
The following table describes special characters that can be included in macros that
are used in .cui files.

Character Description
; Equivalent to pressing the Enter key. For example, adding ; or ^M
^M advances to the next prompt:
_DRAWORDER;_BACK
_DRAWORDER^M_BACK
^C Equivalent to pressing the Esc key. Adding three ^C (Ctrl+C) characters
before a command cancels any active commands or dialog boxes. For
example:
^C^C^C_LINE
Note that ^C is ignored if used outside of a command; it doesn't clear the
selection.
^ Equivalent to pressing the Ctrl key. Adding a carrot before a character
runs the equivalent shortcut, for example, to toggle entity snapping on or
off:
^B
^^ Suppresses the display of all prompts and input for the subsequent
command.
^Q Suppresses the display of all prompts and input for all subsequent
commands.
blank space Equivalent to entering a space, for example, a blank space between
commands is the same as pressing the Spacebar or the Enter key.
. Accesses the original or default command if it was undefined using the
Undefine command. For example:
.LINE
_ Uses the default English translation for subsequent commands and
options. This allows the macro to run on all languages. For example:
_ARC
- Runs the command line version of the command instead of the dialog box
version. This is useful when running commands in scripts. For example:
-BOUNDARY
’ Runs the command transparently, i.e., within a running command. For
example:
_LINE;\_’COLOR
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 957

Character Description
* Repeats the subsequent command or entire macro until another command
is run or the user cancels it. For example:
*CIRCLE
=* Displays the current top-level user interface item.
$ Starts a DIESEL routine. For example:
$M=$(getvar,cmdnames)
@ Inputs the coordinates of the previously specified point. For example:
_CIRCLE;@_DIAMETER3
^B Turns snaps on or off by toggling the SNAPMODE system variable. For
example:
^B_CIRCLE;
^F Forces a cancel. Can be used outside of a command to clear a selection.
^E Sets the isometric plane to the next option (Top, Right, or Left) by setting
the SNAPISOPAIR system variable. Equivalent to F5 and Ctrl+E.
^G Turns the reference grid on or off by toggling the GRIDMODE system
variable. Equivalent to F7 and Ctrl+G.
^O Turns orthogonal mode on or off by toggling the ORTHOMODE system
variable. Equivalent to F8 and Ctrl+L.
^P Turns menu echo mode on or off by setting the MENUECHO system
variable.
^T Turns tablet mode on or off by toggling the TABMODE system variable.
^V Activates the next viewport which affects the CVPORT system variable.
958 CHAPTER 17

Creating customized toolbar files manually

With IntelliCAD, the easiest way to share toolbars is to create a new .cui file using
the Customize UI command and share that file with other IntelliCAD users. For more
details, see “Creating a new .cui file and copying settings” on page 944 in this chap-
ter.
You can also manually create toolbars that you can share by creating or modifying an
.mnu file manually.

To manually create a toolbar that you can share

1 Open any ASCII or Unicode text editor.
2 Use the following toolbar syntax to type the toolbar definitions:
***MENUGROUP=group_name

***TOOLBARS
**toolbar_name
ID_toolbar_name [_Toolbar ("toolbar_name", orient, visible, xval, yval,
rows)]
ID_button_name [_Button ("button_name", id_small, id_large)]command

***HELPSTRINGS
ID_button_name [help_string]

Toolbar syntax and explanations

Item Explanation
group_name Menu group name.
toolbar_name Toolbar name.
orient Orientation. Select Floating, Top, Bottom, Left, and Right (not case
sensitive).
visible . Select Show or Hide (not case sensitive).
xval x coordinate, designated in pixels from left edge of screen. Suggested
value: 200.
yval y coordinate, designated in pixels from top edge of screen. Suggested
value: 200.
rows Number of rows
button_name Tool name. Appears as a ToolTip when user places cursor over button.
id_small Name of small (16 x 16 pixels) icon bitmap (BMP) file. This file must be
located in the folder specified on the Tools > Options > Files tab in Support
Paths > CUI Locations > User CUI Location or in Support Paths > Menu
Locations.
id_large Name of large (32 x 32 pixels) icon bitmap (BMP) file. This file must be
located in the folder specified on the Tools > Options > Files tab in Support
Paths > CUI Locations > User CUI Location or in Support Paths > Menu
Locations.
command Command string (Example: ^C^C_LINE).
help_string Help string. Appears in the status bar when cursor passes over the button.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 959

3 Save the file to the IntelliCAD folder with a *.mnu extension.

Example Toolbar File Contents

***MENUGROUP=example

***TOOLBARS
**NewDraw
ID_ NewDraw [_Toolbar("NewDraw ", _Bottom, _Show, 200, 200, 1)]
ID_Line_0 [_Button("Line", Iline.bmp, IL_line.bmp)]^C^C_line
ID_Hatch [_Button("Hatch", Ihatch.bmp, IL_hatch.bmp)]^C^C_hatch
ID_Dtext [_Button("Dtext", Idtext.bmp, IL_dtext.bmp)]^C^C_dtext
ID__0 [_Button("Circle Rad", Icirad.bmp, IL_cirad.bmp)]^C^Ccircle;
ID_Erase [_Button("Erase", Ierase.bmp, IL_erase.bmp)]^C^Cerase;

***HELPSTRINGS
ID_Line_0 [Creates straight line segments]
ID_Hatch [Fills an enclosed area with a nonassociative hatch pattern]
ID_Dtext [Displays text on screen as it is entered]
ID__0 [Allows user to draw a circle with a radius value]
ID_Erase [Removes objects from a drawing]

To open the file on another computer

1 Copy the toolbar (.mnu) file and all related custom bitmap (*.bmp) files to the
IntelliCAD folder on the other computer.
2 Open IntelliCAD.
3 Do one of the following to choose Customize UI ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Customize UI (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Customize UI.
• Type cui and press Enter.
4 Click the Transfer tab.
5 On the left, click Open.
6 Select the new toolbar file, then click Open.
7 Click OK.
960 CHAPTER 17

Customizing entities
IntelliCAD provides ways to customize entities beyond common formats, dimen-
sions, and layers. Further customization includes using custom audio notes and using
custom shape files.

Working with audio notes

In IntelliCAD you can record and attach audio notes, which are sound clips attached
to entities and available for playback at any time. For example, audio notes in a fac-
tory floor plan can describe maintenance activities for specific areas of the factory
and employees can play the audio notes to hear instructions.
When you include audio notes in your drawing, they are saved in the drawing file —
not in a separate audio file. Note that this can increase the file size of your drawing.
Audio notes created from an existing *.wav file are also saved in the drawing file and
the separate *.wav file remains unchanged.
You can play audio notes in IntelliCAD only.

Attaching audio notes

Audio notes can be created from existing *.wav files. You can also record an audio
note using any microphone that works with your computer. Many computers have a
built-in microphone. If you do not have a microphone and you record an audio note,
the audio note will contain no sound.
An audio note icon displays on entities that have attached audio notes. The icon is for
display only and cannot be selected.

To record and attach an audio note to entities

1 Do one of the following to choose Audio Note ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Audio Note (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Audio Note.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Audio Note tool.
• Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired entities, and then press Enter.
3 Choose Record.
4 Click Record to begin the audio note, and then speak into the microphone.
5 Click Stop to end the audio note.
6 To test the audio note, click Test, and then use Pause and Stop in the Test Audio
Note area.
7 If necessary, you can record the audio note again. This overwrites the previous
audio note for the entities you selected in Step 2.
8 Click Attach.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 961

You can modify an audio note after you attach it to an entity.

Select the entity and re-record the audio note using the previous steps.

To attach an audio note to entities using a .wav file

1 Do one of the following to choose Audio Note ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Audio Note (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Audio Note.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Audio Note tool.
• Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select the desired entities, and then press Enter.
3 Choose Attach.
4 Select the desired *.wav file, and then click Open.

Selecting audio notes

Audio notes themselves cannot be selected. Instead, you select the entity that corre-
sponds to the desired audio note.
An audio note icon displays on entities that have attached audio notes. The icon is for
display only and cannot be selected.

An audio note icon displays on an entity, signifying that an audio note

is attached to the entity.

To select audio notes

1 Do one of the following to choose Audio Note ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Audio Note (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Audio Note.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Audio Note tool.
• Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity that is attached to the desired audio note, and then press Enter.
You cannot select the audio note icon that displays on the entity.
3 Choose an option to continue working with audio notes.
962 CHAPTER 17

Playing audio notes

To play audio notes
1 Do one of the following to choose Audio Note ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Audio Note (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Audio Note.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Audio Note tool.
• Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select the entity that has the audio note you want to play, and then press Enter.
3 Choose Playback.
4 In the Playback dialog box, do the following:
• Click Play to begin playback.
• To pause the audio note temporarily, click Pause and then click Resume to
continue.
• Click Stop to end playback.
5 Click OK.

Deleting audio notes

You can remove audio notes from selected entities. In some cases, you may want to
remove extra audio notes to reduce the drawing file size.
When you remove an audio note from an entity, the audio note is removed perma-
nently and cannot be recovered. However, if the audio note was created using an
existing *.wav file, that *.wav file is not removed.

To delete audio notes

1 Do one of the following to choose Audio Note ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Audio Note (in Manage).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Audio Note.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Audio Note tool.
• Type audionote and then press Enter.
2 Select entities that have the audio notes you want to delete, and then press Enter.
3 Choose Delete.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 963

Using shape files

Shapes are entities that generally define drawing symbols. They are similar to blocks
but are faster to store and manage in drawings.
Shapes are created from lines, polylines, arcs, circles, and ellipses and are stored in
two types of files:
• Shape (.shp) file — Stores shape definitions in ASCII format, which is helpful for
viewing and modifying shape definitions (using a text editor such as Microsoft®
Notepad).
• Compiled shape (.shx) file — Stores shapes in a binary format that can be loaded
and used to insert shapes in drawings.

To create a shape (.shp) file from entities in the drawing

1 Draw a shape using lines, polylines, arcs, circles, and ellipses.
2 Do one of the following to choose Make Shape ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Make Shape (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Tools > Make Shape.
• Type mkshape and then press Enter.
3 In the Select Shape File dialog box, enter a file name for the shape (.shp) file.
4 To automatically generate a compiled shape (.shx) file from the saved shape (.shp)
file, mark Automatically Create SHX File. If unmarked, use the Compile to SHX
command later to create a corresponding .shx file.
5 Click Save.
If you choose to overwrite an existing shape (.shp) file, the newly created shape
definition is added to the contents of the existing file and the rest of the file
remains unchanged. If the existing shape file already contains a shape definition
with the same name, that shape definition is overwritten.
6 Specify the name for the shape definition, then press Enter.
7 Enter the resolution value for the shape, then press Enter.
8 Specify the insertion point for the shape.
9 Select the entities that you want to define the shape, then press Enter when done.
964 CHAPTER 17

To create a compiled shape (.shx) file manually that can be used for inserting
shapes in drawings
1 Do one of the following to choose Compile to SHX ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Compile to SHX (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Tools > Compile to SHX.
• Type compile and then press Enter.
2 In the Select Shape File dialog box, select a shape (.shp) file that you want to com-
pile.
3 Click Open.
The compiled .shx file is assigned the name of the original .shp file.

To load a compiled shape file

1 Do one of the following to choose Load Shape ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Load Shape (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Tools > Load Shape.
• Type load and then press Enter.
2 In the Load Shape File dialog box, select a compiled shape (.shx) file.
3 Click OK.

To insert a shape in a drawing

1 Do one of the following to choose Insert Shape ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Express Tools > Insert Shape (in Tools).
• On the menu, choose Express Tools > Tools > Insert Shape.
• Type shape and then press Enter.
2 Type a shape name and press Enter.
3 Specify an insertion point.
4 Specify a height.
5 Specify a rotation angle.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 965

Creating and replaying scripts

IntelliCAD can record anything you type on the keyboard and any points you select
in a drawing. You can save all of these actions to a script file (with the *.scr exten-
sion) and then repeat them by replaying the script. You can use scripts for succes-
sively repeating commands, showing snapshots in a slide show, or batch printing.
You can also load and run script files created for use with AutoCAD.
A script is a form of text file that contains one line of text or other data for each
action. IntelliCAD includes a Script Recorder that records both command line entries
and screen picks you make with your mouse. For example, when you type a com-
mand and press Enter, it is recorded on a line in the script file. When you select a
point in a drawing, the coordinate of that point is recorded on a line in the script file.
You can also create script files outside IntelliCAD using a text editor (such as Micro-
soft® Notepad or Microsoft® WordPad) or a word-processing program (such as
Microsoft® Word) that saves the file in ASCII format. The file type and extension
must be .scr.

Recording scripts
After you activate the Script Recorder, every keyboard entry you make and any
points you select in a drawing are recorded until you stop the Script Recorder. You
can play back your script at any time.

CAUTION
The Script Recorder does not record your use of toolbars, menus, or dialog boxes.
Using these elements while recording a script causes unpredictable results.

To record a script
1 Do one of the following to choose Record Script ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Record Script (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Record Actions > Record Script.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Record Script tool.
• Type recscript and then press Enter.
2 Specify the name of the script file you want to create.
3 Click Save.
4 Type commands on the keyboard.
The Script Recorder records all keyboard entries and all points you select in the
drawing, saving everything to the script file.
966 CHAPTER 17

To stop recording
1 Do one of the following to choose Stop Recording ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Stop Recording (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Record Actions > Stop Recording.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Stop Recording tool.
• Type stopscript and then press Enter.

Replaying scripts
There are a number of ways you can replay scripts:
• Choose the Run Script command in IntelliCAD.
• Drag and drop the script file from Windows Explorer or the desktop onto the Intel-
liCAD drawing window.
• Run IntelliCAD with the script at startup using the Command Prompt.
To play a script in IntelliCAD
1 Do one of the following to choose ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Run Script (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Record Actions > Run Script.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Run Script tool.
• Type script and then press Enter.
2 In the Run Script dialog box, specify the name of the script file you want to run.
3 Click Open.
The program immediately runs the script, performing all the actions originally
recorded.

To start IntelliCAD and play a script using the Command Prompt

1 Open the Command Prompt window.
2 Type the following, where filename.scr is the name of the script, including the
path to the .scr file:
icad.exe /b D:\temp\filename.scr
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 967

Modifying scripts
To append to a script
1 Do one of the following to choose Record Script ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Record Script (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Record Actions > Record Script.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Record Script tool.
• Type rescript and then press Enter.
2 In the Record Script dialog box, select the Append To Script check box.
3 Select the existing script file to append.
4 Click Save.
5 Click Yes to the prompt asking whether you want to replace the existing script.
6 Repeat the procedure to enter additional commands and steps.

Customizing script files using a text editor

The easiest way to create or customize a script file manually is to record and save a
script in IntelliCAD that approximates the commands and actions you want, then cus-
tomize the script as necessary using a text editor. In addition to IntelliCAD com-
mands, it is also common to include standard LISP functions and commands in script
files.
Be sure to save the script file in ASCII format with an .scr file extension.

Understanding script syntax

The following table describes the syntax to use in script files when calling commands
and specifying actions. For example, script files can contain comments; any line that
begins with a semicolon is considered a comment, and the program ignores these
lines when replaying the script.

Script syntax
Character Description
; Semicolons indicate comments. Any text after a semicolon on the
same line is ignored.
blank space Spaces and new, empty lines in scripts are the equivalent of pressing
the Enter key.
_ Underscores before a command or keyword run the English name of
the subsequent command, not a localized version in a different
language.

For example, a script with the syntax _CIRCLE can be used in other
language versions of the program without replacing every occurrence
of the command name CIRCLE.
968 CHAPTER 17

Script syntax
Character Description
. Periods before commands run the original, standard version of the
subsequent command. This ensures that a redefined version of a
command is not run.
- Dashes before commands run the command line version of the
command. For example, LAYER runs the dialog box version of the
command, and -LAYER runs the command line version where all input
can be entered via the script.
’ Apostrophes before commands run the command transparently, i.e.,
within another command. For example, with the LINE command
running, change the current color without interrupting the command by
typing 'COLOR.

The following is text from a sample script:

; Draw a circle (this is a comment)

_.CIRCLE 0,0,0 _DIAMETER 3

The following shows the same script but with @ representing the location of spaces
for clarity:
; Draw a circle (this is a comment)

_.CIRCLE@0,0,0@_DIAMETER@3@

The spaces are critical, representing the Enter key and moving the command to a new
option or exiting the command. The space after the number 3 (the circle diameter)
represents the user pressing Enter to submit the diameter to complete the command.
A new blank line could also have been used in the script file and produced the same
result as using a space.

Using common commands and system variables

The following table describes commands and system variables that are commonly
used in scripts.

Common commands and system variables used in scripts

Character Description
’DELAY Pauses the script for a specified number of milliseconds.
FILEDIA Turns off dialog boxes, which forces the input to the command line
where the script can provide filenames and other information.
’GRAPHSCR Switches from the drawing area to the text window.
MENUECHO Turns off command prompts.
OSMODE Turns snap settings on or off to make sure selected points are at the
correct location.
PICKBOX Adjusts the size of the entity selection pickbox to help accurately select
entities in the drawing.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 969

Common commands and system variables used in scripts

Character Description
RESUME Continues a script after a break or interruption.
RSCRIPT Repeats a script.
’TEXTSCR Switches from the text window to the drawing area.

The following is a sample script that opens a drawing file without displaying a dialog
box:
; Open a file

_.FILEDIA 0

_.OPEN C:\\Temp\\My File.dwg

; Reset FILEDIA

_.FILEDIA 1

Running IntelliCAD with command line options

Scripts can start IntelliCAD with or without custom options. These custom options
can also be called when starting IntelliCAD from the operating system’s Command
Prompt window.

Command line options for customizing the start of IntelliCAD

Character Description
? Displays the list of available options.
Nologo Prevents the splash screen from displaying during startup.
P profilename Specifies an overriding profile name.
S path1;... Specifies the full path to an overriding support path.
T templatename Creates a new drawing using the specified template.
B scriptname Specifies the full path to the script to run automatically after startup.
Ld applicationname Loads a third-party application automatically after startup.

To start IntelliCAD from the Windows Command Prompt using command line
options
1 Open the Windows Command Prompt.
2 Run IntelliCAD with any of the available options, for example, the following
starts IntelliCAD and automatically runs a script:
icad.exe /b filename.scr

IntelliCAD also supports several standard operating system command line options,
such as /RegServer and /UnregServer.
970 CHAPTER 17

Running custom applications from a script

Scripts can include lines that run LISP routines and entire SDS and IRX applications.

To run a custom application from a script

• Add a line in your script, where filename is the name of your custom application:
; Runs a LISP routine

load "D:\\Temp\\filename.lsp"

; Runs an SDS application

xload "D:/temp/filename.dll"

; Runs an IRX application

arxload "D:/temp/filename.irx"

Programming IntelliCAD
Another way you can customize IntelliCAD is to add custom programs written in any
of several programming languages that run within IntelliCAD, including the follow-
ing: IRX, ARX, CRX, DBX, TX, .NET, LISP, SDS, DCL, VBA, and DIESEL.
In IntelliCAD, you can run many programs originally created for use with AutoCAD.
Specifically, you can use programs written entirely in AutoLISP with no modifica-
tion. In addition, you can run many ADS programs originally written for use with
AutoCAD after first recompiling them using the IntelliCAD run-time libraries. Many
AutoCAD third-party programs are compatible with IntelliCAD.

Use the online Help.

For information about programming for IntelliCAD, see the online Help for the Intel-
liCAD Developer’s Reference.

Using runtime extension applications

Runtime extension interfaces are available for developers to create custom entities
and applications. Runtime extension applications include IRX, ARX, CRX, DBX,
and TX.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 971

To load a runtime extension custom application

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Load Application (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Load Application.
• Type appload and then press Enter.
• Drag and drop the IRX, ARX, CRX, DBX, or TX file into IntelliCAD.
2 In the Load Application Files dialog box, click Add File.
3 Select the IRX, ARX, CRX, DBX, or TX file that you want to load, and then click
Open.
4 Click OK.

To run a runtime extension custom application

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Load Application (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Load Application.
• Type appload and then press Enter.
2 In the Load Application Files dialog box, choose the routine you want to run
(make sure that it is the only one selected), and then click Load.

Runtime extension applications can also be run automatically when the program starts.
You can add runtime extension application files to a startup suite or use a script. For
details, see “Loading custom applications automatically when IntelliCAD starts” on
page 977 in this chapter.

For more information

• See the sample IRX, ARX, CRX, DBX, and TX applications.
• Read the online documentation available in the Developer Reference of Intelli-
CAD Help.
972 CHAPTER 17

Using .NET applications

IntelliCAD supports the .NET programming language in two ways:
• .NET Classic — More closely matches the .NET interface used by AutoCAD.
• .NET based on COM — Initial .NET interface supported by IntelliCAD.
To prepare a .NET custom application
1 In the .NET application, inherit the IICadPlugin interface that is defined in Intelli-
CAD as:
public interface IIcadPlugin

void PluginLoaded(object sender, EventArgs e);

void PluginUnLoading(object sender, EventArgs e);

Where PluginLoaded() is called on plug-in load, the sender argument is a

COM Interop model class IntelliCAD.Application for working with (storing it as a
class member), and PluginUnLoading()is called right before the plug-in is
unloaded.

To load a .NET custom application

1 Type netload and then press Enter.
2 In the Open an Assembly dialog box, select the .NET .dll file that you want to
load, and then click Open.

.NET custom applications can also be run automatically when the program starts.
You can add .dll files for .NET to a startup suite or use a script. For details, see
“Loading custom applications automatically when IntelliCAD starts” on page 977 in
this chapter.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 973

Using LISP routines

IntelliCAD supports the LISP programming language and is compatible with
AutoLISP, the implementation of the LISP language in AutoCAD. This means that
you can load and run any AutoLISP program written for use with AutoCAD.

To load a LISP routine

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Load Application (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Load Application.
• Type appload and then press Enter.
• Drag and drop the LISP file into IntelliCAD.
2 In the Load Application Files dialog box, click Add File.
3 Select the LISP file that you want to load, and then click Open.
4 Click OK.

Load LISP routines from the command bar.

In the command bar, type (load “d:/path/routine.lsp”), making sure to include the
parentheses and the quotation marks, where d:/path is the drive and path where the
LISP routine is located on your computer, and routine.lsp is the LISP routine file
name.

To run a LISP routine

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Load Application (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Load Application.
• Type appload and then press Enter.
2 In the Load Application Files dialog box, choose the routine you want to run
(make sure that it is the only one selected), and then click Load.

Some LISP routines are created in such a way that you can run them by simply typing
the name of the routine, or by typing a keyword, directly in the command bar. If noth-
ing happens when you attempt to run the LISP routine from within the Load Applica-
tion Files dialog box, turn on the display of the command bar or Prompt History
window by choosing View > Display > Command Bar or View > Display > Prompt
History Window, and look for an entry that is similar to the following:
Loading D:\path\routine.lsp

C:KEYWORD
974 CHAPTER 17

where D:\path\routine.lsp is the complete drive, path, and file name of the LISP rou-
tine. You may need to scroll back several lines in the command bar or Prompt History
window to find the lines indicating where the LISP routine was loaded. You can run
the LISP routine by typing the name of the routine or keyword appearing after the C
drive designation.
For example, if you loaded a LISP routine named drawbox.lsp and see the designa-
tion C:DRAWBOX in the command bar or Prompt History window, you can run the
LISP routine by typing drawbox in the command bar.

LISP routines can also be run automatically when the program starts.
You can add .lsp and .mnl files to a startup suite or use a script. For details, see
“Loading custom applications automatically when IntelliCAD starts” on page 977 in
this chapter.

Using SDS applications

To write AutoCAD applications in C or C++, Autodesk® uses the ADS (AutoCAD
Development System). This is an API (applications programming interface) that pro-
vides a library to access AutoCAD-specific functions and drawing data.
The equivalent in IntelliCAD is called SDS™, the Solutions Development System™.
SDS is a C/C++ language interface compatible with the ADS interface in AutoCAD.
Like scripts and AutoLISP, you can run your existing ADS applications in
IntelliCAD. Simply recompile the source code using the SDS libraries provided on
the IntelliCAD CD-ROM, or, if you use an AutoCAD program written by a third-
party vendor, contact that vendor for the IntelliCAD version.
IntelliCAD provides the Sds.H file, which redefines ADS function names to their
SDS equivalents. SDS supports the AutoCAD dialog control language (DCL), which
is used by ADS to define the look of a dialog box. You can use all DCL files unmod-
ified within SDS.

Understanding SDS compatibility

The primary difference between ADS and SDS is that all SDS functions have an sds_
prefix, and ADS functions have a variety of prefixes, such as ads_, acad_, and acrx_.
The exception is dialog-related SDS functions, which have a dlg_ prefix. IntelliCAD
accepts either prefix. Other differences include the additional SDS functions listed in
the following table.

SDS functions with no ADS equivalent

SDS function name Description
sds_grclear Clears all graphics from the drawing window; similar to the LISP
(grclear) function.
sds_name_clear Clears the entity name or selection set.
sds_name_equal Verifies whether two entity names or selection sets are equal.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 975

SDS functions with no ADS equivalent

SDS function name Description
sds_name_nil Verifies whether the entity name or selection set has been
cleared.
sds_name_set Copies one entity name or selection set to another drawing.
sds_pmtssget Similar to the ads_ssget function, but allows you to display a
prompt appropriate for the specific command, rather than the
generic “Select object” prompt.
sds_point_set Copies a point from one variable to another.
sds_progresspercent Displays the percentage done in a progress bar.
sds_progressstart Starts the progress bar.
sds_progressstop Ends the progress bar.
sds_readaliasfile Loads the PGP file into IntelliCAD.
sds_sendmessage Sends a message to the IntelliCAD command line.
sds_swapscreen Flips the off-screen device context to the display.

Some ADS functions are not supported in SDS, including: ads_arxload,

ads_arxloaded, ads_arxunload, ads_ssgetx, ads_ssGetKwordCallbackPtr,
ads_ssGetOtherCallbackPtr, adsw_acadMainWnd, and adsw_acadDocWnd.

SDS custom applications can be run automatically when the program starts.
You can add .dll files for SDS to a startup suite or use a script. For details, see
“Loading custom applications automatically when IntelliCAD starts” on page 977 in
this chapter.

For more information

• Read the online documentation for SDS functions.
• See the \IntelliCAD\Api\Sds folder, which contains the SDS include, header, and
library files.
• See the \IntelliCAD\Api\Dcl folder, which contains the core DCL files.

Using DDE applications

IntelliCAD supports the DDE API, which allows you to execute IntelliCAD com-
mands at the command line from an external application. IntelliCAD includes a sam-
ple command-line application that reads a script file and sends it to IntelliCAD for
step-by-step execution.
976 CHAPTER 17

To see a sample of DDE script execution

1 Compile the source code of the DDESample project. The sample application is
located at:
Source\IntelliCAD\api\DDE\Samples\DDESample
2 Run IntelliCAD.
3 Run the DDESample application with the sample script file that is included in the
VC project.
IntelliCAD shows the results.

Using DCL with IntelliCAD

IntelliCAD completely supports the AutoCAD DCL (dialog control language). DCL
is used by AutoLISP functions to define the look of dialog boxes. You can use all
DCL files unmodified within IntelliCAD.

Using VBA
IntelliCAD can be customized using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) through an
integrated interface within IntelliCAD. IntelliCAD features a broad range of objects,
giving you the power to write your own custom applications that can run within Intel-
liCAD.

To load a VBA project

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Load VBA Project (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Visual Basic for Applications > Load VBA
Project.
• Type vbiload and then press Enter.
2 Locate and select the Visual Basic project file (.vbi file) to load, then click Open.

To run a VBA macro

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Run VBA Macro (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Visual Basic for Applications > Run VBA Macro.
• Type vbarun and then press Enter.
2 In the Run IntelliCAD VBA Macro dialog box, enter the name of an existing VBA
macro, and then click Run.
You can also create, delete, and edit VBA macros from this dialog box.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 977

To edit a VBA macro

Advanced experience level
1 Do one of the following:
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > VBA Editor (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Visual Basic for Applications > VBA Editor.
• On the Tools toolbar, choose VBA Editor.
• Type vba and then press Enter.
2 Use the Visual Basic Editor to write or debug VBA macros.

For more information

• Read the online documentation for VBA, available from the editor Help menu and
from the IntelliCAD Help menu.
• Many publications are available that explain how to program in VBA.

Using DIESEL with IntelliCAD

IntelliCAD supports AutoCAD DIESEL (Direct Interactively Evaluated String
Expression Language). DIESEL is a separate interpretive programming language that
allows you to customize the following:
• Status bar
• Menus
• LISP functions
For more information
• Read the online documentation for DIESEL, available from the IntelliCAD Help.
• Several publications and tutorials are available online that explain how to use
DIESEL.

Loading custom applications automatically when IntelliCAD

starts
If you have custom applications that you want loaded each time the program starts,
you can add those applications to a startup suite in IntelliCAD or use an external
script.

Using a startup suite to load applications automatically

A startup suite is a list of custom application files that load each time IntelliCAD
starts. The applications are loaded in the order they appear in the list.
978 CHAPTER 17

To load an application from a startup suite when IntelliCAD starts

1 Do one of the following to choose Load Application ( ):
• On the ribbon, choose Tools > Load Application (in Applications).
• On the menu, choose Tools > Load Application.
• Type appload and then press Enter.
2 Click Startup Suite.
3 Click Add ( ).
4 Select the application file you want automatically loaded when IntelliCAD starts.
5 Click Open.
6 If necessary, click Move Up ( ) or Move Down ( ) to reorder the startup
suite list.
7 Click OK.
8 Click OK again.

Using a script to load applications automatically

Custom applications can be referenced in an external script, and then loaded each
time IntelliCAD starts. Each application type has its own script requirements.

To run a runtime extension custom application from a script when IntelliCAD

starts
1 Create an ASCII file named icad.rx that contains the path to the IRX, ARX, CRX,
DBX, and TX files on each line of the file.
2 Place icad.rx in the same folder as icad.exe.
3 Run IntelliCAD.

To load a .NET Classic custom application from a script when IntelliCAD starts
1 Create an ASCII file named icad.net that contains the path to a .NET plug-in file
on each line of the file.
2 Place icad.net in the same folder as icad.exe.
3 Run IntelliCAD.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 979

To load a LISP routine from a script when IntelliCAD starts

1 Create an ASCII file that contains the path to a LISP routine on each line of the
file. Example file content:
(load "C:\\Users\\Documents\\username\\lisp routines\\areap.lsp")

2 Save the file with one of the following names:

• ICAD.LSP — Automatically loads the referenced LISP routines when Intel-
liCAD starts.
• ICADDOC.LSP — Automatically loads the referenced LISP routines when
creating or opening each drawing file.

Icad.lsp can be loaded when opening each drawing instead of on program startup.
Use the Options command, click the System tab, and choose Load icad.lsp when
Opening Each Drawing.

3 Place the .lsp file in the same folder as icad.exe.

4 Run IntelliCAD.

All drawings can share the same LISP environment.

To make all drawings share the same LISP environment (variables, functions, etc.),
set the LISPINIT system variable to 2.

To load an SDS custom application from a script when IntelliCAD starts

1 Create an ASCII file named icad.sds that contains the path to the .dll files on each
line of the file.
2 Place icad.sds in the same folder as icad.exe.
3 Run IntelliCAD.
980 CHAPTER 17

Using specialized pointing devices

In addition to traditional mouse pointers, IntelliCAD can also be used with a special-
ized mouse for CAD drawing and a digitizer tablet.

Using a specialized mouse for CAD

IntelliCAD works with specialized input devices from 3Dconnexion to streamline the
CAD workflow and improve control and efficiency while drawing and navigating in
two or three dimensions. Simply connect your mouse from 3Dconnexion to your
computer, and it will automatically set up for your version of IntelliCAD.
IntelliCAD supports the following devices from 3Dconnexion:
• SpaceMouse — For details, see 3Dconnexion’s SpaceMouse 3DxWare documen-
tation online at docs.intellicad.org.
• CadMouse — For details, see 3Dconnexion’s CadMouse 3DxWare documenta-
tion at docs.intellicad.org.

Using a digitizer tablet

IntelliCAD supports tablets compatible with the TabletWorks driver and has its own
tablet overlay. For instructions on installing the tablet driver and using the buttons on
your pointing device, refer to your hardware documentation.
Three options are available with the Tablet command:
• Configure Maps the tablet overlay to the tablet itself. Configure the tablet if you
plan to select IntelliCAD tools from the tablet overlay.
• Calibrate Maps points on the tablet, in absolute coordinates, to points on a draw-
ing. Calibrate the tablet if you intend to digitize points. This process is convenient
for tracing paper drawings.
• Tablet ON/OFF Turns tablet calibration (digitizer mode) on and off. Use this to
switch between tool selection and digitizer input. To use the tablet for tool selec-
tion, tablet mode must be turned off.

Configuring the tablet

Before you begin to configure the tablet, slip the tablet overlay underneath the tab-
let’s plastic cover, and align it in accordance with the directions for your tablet. If
your tablet does not have a plastic cover, align the overlay holes with the pegs on
your tablet.
IntelliCAD provides a default configuration for tablets measuring 12" by 12". If you
choose to accept the default, be sure to verify that the commands in the grid are acti-
vated correctly. If the default alignment does not work for your tablet, you’ll need to
begin the configuration process again and align the tablet yourself.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 981

To configure the tablet for menu input

1 Do one of the following:
• On the menu, choose Tools > Tablet > Configure.
• Type tablet, choose Configure, and then press Enter.
2 In response to the prompt to align the tablet, do one of the following:
• If your tablet is 12" by 12", choose No to accept the default alignment and
conclude the configuration process.
• To align the tablet yourself, choose Yes, and then continue with step 3.
3 Click the tablet pointer on the upper left alignment point of the overlay ().
4 Click the tablet pointer on the lower left alignment point of the overlay ().
5 Click the tablet pointer on the lower right alignment point of the overlay ().
6 Click the tablet pointer on the lower left alignment point of the Workspace area of
the overlay ().
7 Click the tablet pointer on the upper right alignment of the Workspace area of the
overlay ().

2 3

Click points in the order shown to configure your tablet for menu input.

To turn tablet mode on or off

1 Do one of the following:
• Choose Tools > Tablet > Tablet On (or Tablet Off).
• Type tablet, choose On or Off, and then press Enter.
• Press the F4 key to toggle tablet mode on or off.
• On the status bar, double-click TABLET to turn tablet mode on or off.
982 CHAPTER 17

Calibrating the tablet

You must specify at least two points for tablet calibration. However, the more points
you specify, the more accurate the transformation between the tablet and the screen
points. Specifying additional points is particularly useful if you plan to trace a paper
drawing that is not orthogonal, such as an aerial photograph.

Understanding transformation types

Depending on the number of points specified, you have a choice of transformation
types to use, along with the type recommended for IntelliCAD.
Transformation refers to the calculation of the points on the screen that correspond to
points you digitize on the tablet.
• Orthogonal Preserves all angles between lines, preserves all relative distances,
and, in general, preserves shapes. If you specify only two points, an orthogonal
transformation is automatically generated. The orthogonal transformation type
yields the most precise mapping between the digitized points on the tablet and the
corresponding points on the screen.
• Affine Preserves parallel lines, but not necessarily the angles between intersecting
lines. If you specified three points, IntelliCAD can no longer represent this map-
ping as an exact orthogonal transformation. Therefore, you have a choice of an
exact affine transformation or a “best fit” orthogonal transformation.
• Projective Does not preserve parallel lines or angles. If you specify exactly four
points, you have a choice of an exact projective transformation or a “best fit”
orthogonal or affine transformation.

Recommended and “best fit” transformation types

Transformation type
Number of points specified recommended “Best fit” (approximate)
2 Orthogonal None
3 Affine Orthogonal
4 Projective Orthogonal, Affine
5-10 None Orthogonal, Affine
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 983

Choose the recommended type unless you know it will not be appropriate for what
you are digitizing. The most appropriate type is not always the one with the least
error; for example, you might digitize three points and select the orthogonal transfor-
mation, even though the affine transformation would yield a closer representation of
your calibration entries.

2 3

2 3

1 4 1 4

Digitizing by selecting points (1, 2, 3, and 4) on the tablet. Corresponding screen coordinates:
1 Coordinate specification X0, Y0, Z0
2 Coordinate specification X0, Y5, Z0
3 Coordinate specification X5, Y5, Z0
4 Coordinate specification X5, Y0, Z0

Screen result of orthogonal transformation after Screen result of affine transformation Screen result of projective transformation after
tracing polyline on tablet. after tracing polyline on tablet. tracing polyline on tablet.
984 CHAPTER 17

To calibrate your tablet for digitizing points

1 Do one of the following:
• Choose Tools > Tablet > Calibrate.
• Type tablet, choose Calibrate, and then press Enter.
2 Click a point on the tablet to define as the first calibration point.
3 Specify a point within the IntelliCAD drawing window to correspond to the point
you digitized on the tablet, or enter coordinate values in the command bar.
4 Click a point on the tablet to define as the second calibration point.
Specify a point within the IntelliCAD drawing window to correspond to the point
you digitized on the tablet, or enter coordinate values in the command bar. To
specify more than the two points required, click a point on the tablet to define as
the third calibration point. You can enter up to 10 points.
5 Choose the transformation type, and then press Enter.

Customizing the tablet interface

You can customize the digitizer tablet interface by using the LISP commands
integrated with IntelliCAD, even if you are not familiar with LISP. For instructions,
see “Customizing the Tablet Interface” in the IntelliCAD online Help.
 CUSTOMIZING INTELLICAD 985

Restoring IntelliCAD to its default settings

The Restore Default Settings tool backs up program settings and files and then
restores them to their original state as they were when IntelliCAD was installed.
Restoring the default settings can be helpful if the program isn’t working as expected.
For example, if linetypes or print styles are no longer correct, restoring the default
settings may help.
IntelliCAD can back up and restore IntelliCAD’s registry settings, Documents folder,
and AppData folder, and can back up (but not restore) custom files that automatically
load when IntelliCAD starts.
Restoring the default program settings is different than resetting the user interface,
which include menus, the ribbon (if your program supports it), toolbars, keyboard
shortcuts, aliases, and double-click actions. For details about resetting the user inter-
face, see “Loading customization files” on page 942 in this chapter.

To restore and back up IntelliCAD default settings

1 Close IntelliCAD, if it is open.
2 From the Windows Start menu, choose Restore Default Settings where IntelliCAD
appears in the program list.
3 In Backup To, choose one of the following:
• Zip archive Compresses and saves the files in a single .zip file.
• Folder (set of files) Saves individual files in a folder.
4 Click [...] to specify the location of the backup.
5 Select any of the following:
• Registry IntelliCAD’s registry settings include the paths to folders where many
settings are stored. You can unmark this option only if Backup Only is marked.
• Documents folder IntelliCAD’s Documents folder contains linetypes, print
styles, printer configuration (.pc3) files, textures, and more.
• AppData folder IntelliCAD’s AppData folder contains color book files, backup
drawing files, spelling libraries, and templates.
• Autoloading files Custom applications that automatically load are located in the
IntelliCAD installation folder, for example, icaddoc.lsp, icad.irx, icad.net, and
icad.sds. These files can be backed up but cannot be restored.
6 To create a backup without restoring any settings, mark Backup Only.
7 Click Start.
The status displays in the Restore Status dialog box.
8 To view the backup files, click Open Folder.
9 When finished, click Exit.
986 CHAPTER 17

B F
C
D
E

A Select whether to backup all files to a zip file or a E Mark to include custom application files that
folder. automatically load at program startup.
B Mark to include registry settings. This option is F Mark to create only a backup and not restore any
available only if Backup Only is marked. default settings.
C Mark to include IntelliCAD’s Documents folder. G Click to select the location where the backup will
D Mark to include IntelliCAD’s AppData folder. be saved.
 Appendix

Understanding AutoCAD compatibility

IntelliCAD was designed to interface with AutoCAD as seamlessly as possible. There

are, however, some differences for which those accustomed to working in AutoCAD
may need to adjust. This appendix provides information specifically for that audi-
ence.

Topics in this chapter

Using enhanced AutoCAD commands in IntelliCAD ........................................ 988
Using additional selection sets ......................................................................... 989
Using additional IntelliCAD commands............................................................. 990
Supporting AutoCAD customization ................................................................. 993
Understanding menu compatibility.................................................................... 994
Importing and exporting customization files ..................................................... 995
Programming IntelliCAD ................................................................................... 996
IntelliCAD and AutoCAD list of terms ............................................................... 998
988 APPENDIX

Using enhanced AutoCAD commands in IntelliCAD

IntelliCAD enhances several AutoCAD commands by providing more options. For
example, if you hold down the Shift key, IntelliCAD is placed temporarily in orthog-
onal mode, which you will find to be a useful feature for drawing at right angles. The
following table lists examples of other commands with enhanced options.

Enhanced IntelliCAD commands

Enhanced
Command option name Explanation
circle Arc Converts an arc to a circle.
donut 2point Determines the outside diameter of a donut by
two pick points.
donut 3point Determines the outside diameter of a donut by
three pick points.
donut RadTanTan Determines the outside diameter of a donut by
tangent points.
line Angle Draws a line by angle, followed by a length.
line Length Draws a line by a length, followed by an angle.
msnapshot (mslide) and EMF Saves and views screen images in enhanced
vsnapshot (vslide) metafile format.
msnapshot (mslide) and WMF Saves and views screen images in Windows
vsnapshot (vslide) metafile format.
parallel (offset) Both sides Copies an entity parallel on both sides.
plane (solid) Rectangle Draws a rectangular solid at any angle.
plane (solid) Square Draws a square solid at any angle.
plane (solid) Triangle Draws an equilateral solid at any angle.
rectangle Square Draws a square rectangle.
rectangle Rotated Draws a rotated rectangle.
 APPENDIX 989

Using additional selection sets

IntelliCAD has additional selection-set options not found in AutoCAD. In particular,
in the circle selection set, the Crossing Circle (CC), Outside Circle (OC), and Win-
dow Circle (WC) options select all entities relative to the same distance (radius) of a
central pick point.
The following table lists and describes the additional selection sets in IntelliCAD.

Additional selection set options

Selection mode Description
CC Crossing Circle: Selects all entities within and crossing a circular area.
D Selection method: Displays the Drawing Settings dialog box.
O Outside Window: Selects all entities outside a rectangular area; this is the
inverse of the Crossing Window option.
OC Outside Circle: Selects all entities outside a circular area.
OP Outside Polygon: Selects all entities outside a polygonal area; this is the
inverse of the CP (Crossing Polygon) and WP (Window Polygon) options.
Filter Filter: Selects according to properties, such as color, layer, linetype,
lineweight, block, thickness, linetype scale, entity type, etc.
WC Window Circle: Selects all entities within a circular area.
990 APPENDIX

Using additional IntelliCAD commands

Although you can use the AutoCAD command structure with IntelliCAD, the pro-
gram has its own set of commands. IntelliCAD has numerous command names not
found in AutoCAD, although many of these commands have an equivalent function
in AutoCAD. When you type the AutoCAD equivalent, the IntelliCAD alias system
activates the correct command.
For example, the AutoCAD offset command is mapped to the IntelliCAD parallel
command. You can type either offset or parallel in the command bar, or you can
choose Modify > Parallel.
The following table lists optional IntelliCAD command names that you can use in
place of AutoCAD command names to perform the equivalent AutoCAD function.

Command differences in IntelliCAD

IntelliCAD AutoCAD Action in IntelliCAD
audionote No equivalent Creates and plays audio notes
attached to entities.
cmdbar No equivalent Positions the command window.
coordinate Ctrl+D or F6 Changes the display of
coordinates on the status line.
copyedata No equivalent Copies extended entity data from
one entity to another.
customize toolbar Displays the Customize dialog
box.
deledata No equivalent Deletes extended entity data from
an entity.
delete erase Removes entities from the
drawing.
dimension dim Switches to dimension mode.
editedata No equivalent Edits extended entity data found in
an entity.
editlen lengthen Changes the length of open
entities.
editpline pedit Edits polylines and polymeshes.
entprop ddmodify and ddchprop Displays the Entity Properties
dialog box.
esnap -osnap Sets entity snaps from the
command line.
expblocks ddinsert Displays Explorer - Blocks.
expdimstyles ddim Displays Explorer - Dimension
Styles.
expfonts style Displays Explorer - Styles.
 APPENDIX 991

Command differences in IntelliCAD (continued)

IntelliCAD AutoCAD Action in IntelliCAD
explayers layer Displays Explorer - Layers.
explorer ddrename Displays Explorer.
expltypes linetype Displays Explorer - Linetypes.
expucs dducs Displays Explorer - UCS.
expviews ddview Displays Explorer - Views.
face 3dface Draws three-dimensional faces
with three or four vertices.
flatten No equivalent Sets thickness to zero at user-
specified elevation.
font -style Displays the Text Style dialog box.
freehand sketch Allows freehand sketching.
idpoint id Returns the x-, y-, and z-
coordinates of a picked point.
infline xline Draws a line of infinite length.
join pedit join Joins lines and arcs.
laymcur ai_molc Sets the current layer based on
the selected entity’s layer.
mesh 3dmesh Draws a surface mesh.
moveedata No equivalent Moves extended entity data from
one entity to another.
msnapshot mslide Makes an SLD, EMF, or WMF file
of the current view.
orthogonal ortho Toggles orthogonal mode.
parallel offset Copies an entity by a parallel
offset distance.
plane solid Draws a two-dimensional solid
plane.
pmthist F2 Switches between the Prompt
History window and the graphics
screen.
polyline pline Draws a polyline.
ppreview preview Previews the print.
print plot Prints the drawing.
printstyle plotstyle Assigns a print style.
psetup No equivalent Displays the Print Setup dialog
box.
qprint No equivalent Quickly prints the current viewport
(window) with no options.
992 APPENDIX

Command differences in IntelliCAD (continued)

IntelliCAD AutoCAD Action in IntelliCAD
reassocapp No equivalent Reassociates extended entity data
with an application.
recscript No equivalent Starts the Script Recorder.
rtrot 3dorbit Rotates the view of entities.
rtrotx No equivalent Rotates the view of entities while
maintaining the x-axis.
rtroty No equivalent Rotates the view of entities while
maintaining the y-axis.
rtrotz 3dorbit Rotates the view of entities while
maintaining the z-axis.
saveall No equivalent Saves all currently open drawings.
setcolor color Displays the Color dialog box.
setdim ddim Displays the Dimension Styles
Manager dialog box.
setesnap osnap Displays the Drawing Settings
dialog box with the Coordinate
Input tab displayed.
settings No equivalent Displays the Drawing Settings
dialog box.
setucs dducs Displays the User Coordinate
Systems dialog box.
setvpoint No equivalent Displays the Preset Viewpoints
dialog box.
stopscript No equivalent Stops running the script.
tipofday No equivalent Displays the Tip of the Day.
undelete oops Restores the last deleted entity.
vba vbaide Opens the Visual Basic
Applications editor.
viewctl ddvpoint Sets the three-dimensional
viewing direction via an interactive
dialog box.
viewpoint vpoint Sets the three-dimensional
viewing direction via the command
line.
vsnapshot vslide Displays an SLD, EMF, or WMF
file in the current viewport.
 APPENDIX 993

Supporting AutoCAD customization

IntellICAD supports AutoCAD .cui/.cuix files which are used to control the follow-
ing aspects of the IntelliCAD user interface:
• Workspaces
• Menus
• Toolbars
• Ribbon, contextual ribbon states
• Quick Access toolbar
• Application button menu
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Aliases
• Double-click actions

Although IntelliCAD primarily utilizes .cui/.cuix files to control the user interface,
IntelliCAD's Customize UI command also supports importing and exporting a variety
of AutoCAD and IntelliCAD legacy interface file formats:
• MNU, MNS and ICM — Legacy file formats for storing menus.
• PGP and ICA — Legacy file formats for storing command aliases.
• ICK — Legacy file format for storing keyboard shortcuts
In addition to file formats that control the user interface, IntelliCAD supports a vari-
ety of additional external files supported by AutoCAD:
• LIN — Linetype file that contains linetype definitions, including complex line-
types with shapes and text.
• PAT — Pattern file that contains definitions for hatch patterns.
• MLN — Multiline pattern file.
• DWT — Drawing template file.
• BAK — Drawing backup file.
• FMP — Font mapping file.
• UNT — Unit translation file used by the LISP (cvunit) function.
• CFG — Graphics configuration file.
• ATC — Tool palette catalog.
• SHX, TFT — Font files.
• SHP — Shape file.
• ACB — Color book file.
• CHM — Help file.
994 APPENDIX

• SLD — Slide file.

• STB — Standard named print style tables used for printing.
• CTB — Color defined print style tables used for printing.
• PC3 — Printer configuration file used for printing.
• DST — Drawing sheet set file used to describe the file set used by the Sheet Set
Manager command.
• DSD — Drawing set description file that describes a set of drawings to be used by
the Publish command.
• ICO, BMP, PNG — Image files supported for icons in the user interface.
• JPG, PGN — Image files supported for materials.
• LSP — IntelliCAD provides a LISP interpreter, however, not all methods are fully
supported. Note that IntelliCAD cannot load and run FAS compiled LISP code.

Understanding menu compatibility

MNU files are menu files created by all AutoCAD releases, and MNS files are
included in AutoCAD Releases 13, 14, and 2000. IntelliCAD reads both file formats,
even when menu macros include AutoLISP code. This feature allows you to continue
using your existing AutoCAD menus

IntelliCAD support of specific sections in AutoCAD MNU and MNS files

Menu section Definition IntelliCAD support
***POP0 Cursor menu Supported
***POPn Pull-down menus Supported
***AUXn Auxiliary menus Not supported
***BUTTONn Button menus Not supported
***ICON Icon menus Not supported
***SCREEN Screen menus Not supported
***TABLETn Tablet menus Not supported
 APPENDIX 995

Importing and exporting customization files

You can continue using aliases and menu files from AutoCAD by importing the
appropriate file. You can import AutoCAD customization files and export IntelliCAD
formats using the Customize dialog box. All of the files listed in the following table
are in ASCII format, which means you can view and edit them with a text editor, such
as Notepad.

Customizing files
Customization Import file formats Export file formats
Aliases PGP: AutoCAD aliases PGP: AutoCAD aliases
ICA: IntelliCAD aliases
Keyboard ICK: IntelliCAD keyboard ICK: IntelliCAD keyboard
Menus MNU: All AutoCAD menus ICM: IntelliCAD menu
MNS: AutoCAD R13, R14 and 2000
menus
ICM: IntelliCAD menu
Toolbars MNU: All AutoCAD menus None

TIP Use the Customize UI command to customize the user interface. For more infor-
mation, see “Working with user interface customization files” on page 941.
996 APPENDIX

Programming IntelliCAD
IntelliCAD supports several AutoCAD application programming interfaces (APIs),
but not all of the AutoCAD APIs are available in IntelliCAD. The following table
summarizes the AutoCAD APIs IntelliCAD supports.

IntelliCAD support of the AutoCAD programming interface

AutoCAD programming interface IntelliCAD support
Scripts (SCR files) Supported
AutoLISP (LSP files) Partially supported
Dialog Control Language (DCL files) Supported
AutoCAD Development System (ADS) Supported; source code must be
recompiled
Visual Basic Applications (VBA) Supported, depending on your version
of IntelliCAD
Direct Interactively Evaluated String Expression Supported
Language (Diesel)
AutoCAD SQL Interface (ASI) Not supported
Autodesk® Threaded Language Application System Not needed
Toolkit (Atlast)
AutoCAD Runtime Extension (ARx) IRX Runtime Extension, custom
objects supported

Understanding AutoLISP compatibility

IntelliCAD adds LISP functionality that you will find useful. The following table lists
functions that are unique to IntelliCAD LISP.

Additional IntelliCAD LISP functions

Unique LISP function Definition
(log10) Returns log base 10.
(lpad) Pads a text string with spaces to the left.
(rpad) Pads a text string with spaces to the right.
(tan) Returns the tangent.
(trim) Trims spaces from a string.
 APPENDIX 997

Not all IntelliCAD LISP functions are completely compatible with AutoLISP func-
tions. The following table identifies IntelliCAD LISP functions that are partially
compatible with AutoLISP functions.

Partially compatible LISP functions

LISP function Description
(menucmd) Supports P0 (cursor menu), P1 through P16 (the pull-down menus), M
(diesel expressions), and I (image tile menus), but does not support A
(aux menus), B (button menus), S (screen menu, obsolete), or T
(tablet menus).
(print1) Does not support Unicode characters, such as \U+00B0 (the degree
symbol) and M+Nxxxx (multi-byte Unicode sequences).
(ssget) and (ssadd) Supports additional selection modes:
CC = Crossing Circle
O = Outside
OC = Outside Circle
OP = Outside Polygon
PO = POint
PRO = Properties

In addition, IntelliCAD LISP does not support all AutoLISP functions. The following
areas are not supported by IntelliCAD LISP:
• (acdimenableupdate), (acet-attsync), (acet-layerpmode), (acet-layerp-mark),
(acet-laytrans), (acet-ms-to-ps), (acet-ps-to-ms), (defun-q), (defun-q-list-ref),
(defun-q-list-set), (entmakex), (initdia), (namedobjdict), (ssnamex), and (tablet)
• ARX-related functions that run ARX applications
• (dict)-related functions
• SQL-related functions that link AutoCAD entities with external database records.
These functions start with ase_, for example, (ase_lsunite) and (ase_docmp)
998 APPENDIX

IntelliCAD and AutoCAD list of terms

List of terms
IntelliCAD term Meaning for AutoCAD users
command bar command prompt area
edit length lengthen
entity object
entity snap object snap
entity snap precision aperture
fixed attribute constant attribute
follow continue
freehand sketch
hidden attribute invisible attribute
infinite line XLine
insert draw
orthogonal ortho
parallel offset
plane solid (2D)
predefined attribute preset attribute
print plot
print style plot style
prompt box context menu
Prompt History window text screen
reference grid grid
point snap node snap
snapshot slide (SLD)
validate attribute verify attribute
 Glossary

2D Two-dimensional locations defined by x- and y-coordinates.

3D Three-dimensional locations defined by x-, y-, and z-coordinates.
3D solids Three-dimensional ACIS entity.

absolute coordinates Coordinates defined in relation to the origin point of the cur-
rent user coordinate system. See also coordinate system, coordinates, origin, rela-
tive coordinates, user coordinate system, and World Coordinate System.
ActiveX A mechanism for exchanging information between different programs
whereby a copy of a source document is embedded or a pointer to a source document
is linked to a target document. See also embed and link.
acute angles Angles of fewer than 90 degrees.
alias An abbreviation or alternative word for an IntelliCAD command.
aligned dimension A dimension aligned parallel to an entity or measuring the dis-
tance between two points at any angle.
angle The difference in direction between two nonparallel linear entities, measured
in degrees or radians.
angular dimension A dimension measuring the angle between two lines or sub-
tended by an arc.
angular unit The unit of measurement for angles. Angular units can be measured in
decimal degrees, degrees/minutes/seconds, grads, and radians.
annotation Any text, dimensions, tolerances, or notes added to a drawing.
ANSI Acronym for American National Standards Institute. In the context of text, a
standard character set defined by ANSI used in computer-aided drafting.
arc A segment of a circle or ellipse.
area Measurement of a planar region or the calculated space within an entity.
array Multiple copies of selected entities in a circular or rectangular pattern.
ASCII Acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a com-
monly used system for assigning numbers to printable alphanumeric characters,
punctuation, and symbols.
1000 GLOSSARY

attribute A component of a block containing specific text or numeric information.

You can copy the information contained in an attribute from the drawing to an exter-
nal database.
attribute definition An entity composed of a name, prompt for information, display
characteristics, and default text that, when incorporated into a block, creates an attri-
bute when the block is inserted into a drawing.
attribute name Text that identifies an attribute within a block.
attribute text The text containing an attribute’s information within a block.

B-spline curve See spline.

base point A point on an entity that serves as its reference or insertion point. A
point of reference when specifying relative distances.
baseline The line on which text characters appear to sit. The descenders of individ-
ual characters drop below the baseline.
baseline dimension Multiple parallel dimensions measured from the same baseline
origin.
bind To convert an externally referenced drawing into a standard block definition.
blips Temporary screen markers displayed in a drawing when you select a point.
Also called marker blips.
block One or more entities grouped together to create a single entity. See also
nested block.
block definition The name, base point, and entities grouped together when creating
a block.
boundary A selected area bounded by a single closed entity or by multiple entities
that intersect.
BYBLOCK A property whereby an entity inherits the color, linetype, lineweight, or
print style of any block that contains it.
BYLAYER A property whereby an entity inherits the color, linetype, lineweight, or
print style of its associated layer.

CAD Acronym for computer-aided design.

Cartesian coordinates Coordinates defined using three perpendicular axes (x, y,
and z) to define locations in three-dimensional space. See also cylindrical coordi-
nates, polar coordinates, and spherical coordinates.
center line A line used to indicate the center of a circle or an arc, usually consisting
of a center mark and lines extending slightly beyond the diameter of the circle or the
arc.
center mark A cross marking the center of a circle or an arc.
 GLOSSARY 1001

chamfer A beveled edge between two lines.

chord A line connecting two points on a circle or an arc.
circumference The measurement of the distance around a circle.
closed A condition whereby the start point and endpoint of an entity are the same.
color-dependent print style table A collection of print styles that determine how
entities print according to their assigned color. See print style table.
comma-delimited Data that is separated by a comma to represent the end of a field.
command bar A dockable window in which you type IntelliCAD commands and
view prompts and other program messages.
cone A three-dimensional entity where a vertex exists above or below the circular
shape and where a surface has been applied between the vertex and the circular shape.
contiguous Connected, unbroken, or uninterrupted. Entities that share the same
endpoint.
continued dimension A dimension measured from the previous extension line of
an existing dimension, resulting in two or more dimensions positioned end to end.
control vertex A point used to define a spline.
Coons patch A surface interpolated among three or four boundary curves.
coordinate filter A function that extracts individual x-, y-, and z-coordinate values
from different points to create a new composite point.
coordinate system A system of points that represents the drawing space in relation
to an origin (0,0,0) and a set of axes that intersect at the origin. In two dimensions, the
x- and y-axes represent horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. In three
dimensions, the z-axis represents locations above and below the two-dimensional xy
plane. Locations in the drawing can be represented using two-dimensional and three-
dimensional rectangular (Cartesian) coordinates, two-dimensional polar coordinates,
three-dimensional polar (cylindrical) coordinates, and three-dimensional spherical
coordinates. See also polar coordinates, relative coordinates, spherical coordi-
nates, user coordinate system, and World Coordinate System.
coordinates A set of values that determines a location in two-dimensional or three-
dimensional space. See also absolute coordinates, Cartesian coordinates, polar
coordinates, relative coordinates, and spherical coordinates.
coplanar Lying within the same plane.
crosshairs A cursor that consists of two or three lines that intersect at the cursor
location.
crosshatch To fill an area with a pattern of evenly spaced perpendicular lines. See
also hatch.
1002 GLOSSARY

crossing circle An entity-selection method that selects entities contained within or

crossing the boundary of a circular selection window.
crossing polygon An entity-selection method that selects entities contained within
or crossing the boundary of a polygon selection window.
crossing window An entity-selection method that selects entities contained within
or crossing the boundary of a rectangular selection window.
cube A boxed, three-dimensional, geometric shape where length, width, and height
are equal.
cursor The insertion-point symbol on the screen. The appearance of the cursor
changes based on the current task.
curve A smooth, continuous path made up of linear and arc segments. Curve types
include arcs, splines, circles, and ellipses.
cylindrical coordinates Coordinates describing a point in three-dimensional space
based on its distance from the origin, its angle in the xy plane, and its z-coordinate
value. See also polar coordinates and spherical coordinates.

datum-line dimensioning See ordinate dimension.

default An initial or predefined setting.
detach To remove an external reference from a drawing. See also external refer-
ence.
diameter The distance across a circle or sphere.
digitizer tablet A hardware input device that incorporates an electronic pad and a
hand-held pointer similar to a mouse. A digitizer tablet serves two purposes: (1) You
can select tools from paper representations attached to the pad (called an overlay),
providing access to all tools at once while freeing your screen space; and (2) you can
input digital points into the computer that correspond to points on a paper drawing,
photograph, or blueprint attached to the pad.
dimension A measurement, as in height or width. In the context of drafting, a set of
lines, arrowheads, and text used to indicate a measurement.
dimension style A named group of dimension variable settings that determines the
appearance of the dimension. You can save multiple dimension styles for reuse.
dimension text The measurement value. Dimension text can include prefixes, suf-
fixes, tolerances, and other annotations.
dimension text rotation The angle in degrees between the x-axis and the dimen-
sion text baseline.
dimension tolerance A value specifying the allowed variation of a dimension (+ or
– n).
dish The lower half of a sphere. See also dome.
 GLOSSARY 1003

displacement point The point to which a base, or reference, point will be relocated
when moving or copying entities.
distance The measure of space between two points.
dock To position a toolbar or the command bar at the edge of the drawing window,
where it locks into place. See also float.
dome The upper half of a sphere. See also dish.
donut A filled circle or flat ring created as a polyline.
drawing extents See extents.
drawing limits See limits.
drawing unit The linear measurement system used in a drawing. The user deter-
mines what a drawing unit represents, such as one inch, one centimeter, one foot, or
one meter.
DWF Acronym for Autodesk Design Web Format, a file format for viewing two-
dimensional or three-dimensional drawings in a Web browser and distributing for
review using free Autodesk® software and tools.
.dwg A standard file extension used by CAD programs to store drawing files of the
DWG format.
.dwt A standard format used by CAD programs to store drawing templates, which
are drawings that contain predefined settings that you can use when creating a new
drawing. See also template.
DXF Acronym for Drawing Exchange Format, a standard ASCII or binary file for-
mat for importing and exporting files between most CAD programs.

elevation The z value measured from the xy plane. Positive values are above the xy
plane; negative values are below the xy plane.
embed A technique for exchanging information between different programs
whereby a copy of the source document is stored in the target document. See also
ActiveX and link.
EMF Acronym for Enhanced Metafile, a file format with the type and extension of
.emf. It is a native internal file format of Windows 98. EMF supports both raster and
vector information and 24-bit RGB color. Most Windows-based programs support
this format.
endpoint The point at which a line or curve ends.
entity Any single basic item in a drawing. Entities include arcs, attributes, blocks,
circles, dimensions, ellipses, elliptical arcs, infinite lines, lines, polylines, rays, and
text.
entity data Any of a variety of additional information, such as text, numbers, and
distances, that can be attached to drawing entities.
1004 GLOSSARY

entity snap A technique for accurately locating and specifying key geometric points
on entities, such as endpoints and midpoints of lines, and center points and tangents
of arcs and circles.
entity snap override To disable or change an entity snap mode for a single input.
See also entity snap and running entity snap.
Esnap See entity snap.
explode The conversion of a complex entity into its basic entities.
extension lines Lines extending away from an entity being dimensioned so that
you can place the dimension line away from the entity. Also called projection lines.
extents The smallest rectangle that can contain all the entities in a drawing. Infinite
lines and rays do not affect a drawing’s extents. See also limits.
external reference A drawing that is linked to another drawing.
extrude The process of converting a two-dimensional entity into a three-dimen-
sional entity by stretching (extruding) the two-dimensional entity along a straight
path. Changing the thickness of a two-dimensional entity effectively extrudes it along
its z-axis. See also tabulated surface.

face A planar surface defined by three or four points.

fence An entity-selection method that selects entities crossing a multisegmented
line.
fillet An arc that smoothly connects the end of one line to another.
fit point A point used to define a spline.
float To position a toolbar or the command bar away from the edges of the drawing
window where it can be moved independently. See also dock.
freeze To suppress the display of, and ignore the entities on, a specified layer when
regenerating a drawing, thus accelerating the display of the drawing. See also thaw.

grid An adjustable, regularly spaced pattern of dots on the screen, used as an aid in
drawing and aligning entities. The grid is not printed.
grip A small square displayed at key positions on an entity when the entity is
selected that can be used to modify the entity by clicking and dragging.

halfwidth The distance from the center of a wide polyline to its edge.
hatch To fill a selected area either with lines, crosshatching, or a hatch pattern. See
also crosshatch.
hatch pattern A pattern, often representing a material such as steel, wood, or sand,
for filling selected areas.
 GLOSSARY 1005

hidden-line removal A visualization technique in which all lines that are hidden
behind other entities or surfaces from your viewpoint are clipped or removed, giving
the image the appearance of a solid entity.
horizontal dimension A linear dimension measuring a horizontal distance.

infinite line A line extending infinitely in both directions.

insertion point The point where you place an entity into a particular space. A refer-
ence point by which an entity is inserted in a drawing.
intersection The point where two entities meet or cross.
isometric drawing A drawing aligned with an isometric plane.
isometric plane One of three planes representing the left, right, or top sides of an
implied three-dimensional, orthogonal entity. Snap and grid points are aligned with
the plane to constrain drawings.

layer The computer equivalent of overlays used in manual drafting. A tool by which
drawing components can be organized into related sets, such as plumbing, framing,
and electrical systems of a house, each being drawn on its own layer.
layout Similar to a sheet of paper, a representation of how a drawing will look when
printed.
layout viewport A window in a Layout tab (paper space) that displays all or a por-
tion of a drawing’s model space entities. See also paper space and model space.
leader A line leading from a feature of a drawing to an annotation.
limits The user-defined boundary of a drawing, defined by its lower left and upper
right corner coordinates. See also extents.
limits tolerance Dimension text in which the measured dimension is replaced by
the largest and smallest dimensions allowed, with the upper limit displayed above the
lower limit. See also tolerance and variance tolerance.
linetype The appearance of a line, defined as a solid (continuous) line or as a pattern
of dashes, dots, and blank spaces.
lineweight The width of a line, defined in millimeters or inches.
link A technique for exchanging information between different programs whereby
the target document maintains a pointer to the original source document. Any
changes to the source document are reflected in all target documents containing links
to the source. See also ActiveX and embed.
LISP Acronym for List Processing Language, a computer language invented in the
late 1950s by John McCarthy for use in artificial intelligence. Because it is inter-
preted rather than compiled, and is relatively straightforward, it is a convenient lan-
guage for users to write routines to extend the set of commands and functionality of
IntelliCAD.
1006 GLOSSARY

lock Prevents unauthorized access to drawing layers.

M direction In a polygon mesh, the direction from the first to the second row. See
also N direction.
macro In menus and toolbars, several commands grouped together as one. Also
Visual Basic for Applications code.
major axis The longest distance across an ellipse, from one end to the other. See
also minor axis.
marker blips Temporary screen markers displayed in a drawing when you select a
point. Also called blips.
MDI Acronym for multiple-document interface. See multiple-document interface.
mesh A set of connected polygon faces approximating a curved surface.
minor axis The shortest distance across an ellipse, from one side to the other. See
also major axis.
mirror To create a reverse-image copy of selected entities by reflecting the entities
symmetrically about a line or plane.
model space The primary drawing area in which you create entities. See also paper
space.
multiple-document interface The ability to view and work with different drawings
simultaneously.

N direction In a polygon mesh, the direction from the first to the second column.
See also M direction.
named print style table A collection of print styles that determine how entities
print according to the print styles you create and assign to entities and layers. See
print style table.
named view A saved view that can be recalled at a later time by specifying its name.
nested block A block contained as part of the definition of another block. See also
block.
nonassociative hatch A hatch that is not associated with or linked to an entity.

oblique Geometric lines or planes that are not parallel or perpendicular.

offset See parallel.
OLE Acronym for Object Linking and Embedding. See ActiveX.
ordinate dimension A measurement of the horizontal (x-ordinate) or vertical (y-
ordinate) distance from an established reference base point or datum.
 GLOSSARY 1007

origin The intersection point of the coordinate system axes. In a Cartesian coordi-
nate system, the origin is the point at which the x-, y-, and z-axes intersect (the 0,0,0
coordinate).
orthogonal Having perpendicular slopes or tangents at the point of intersection.
orthogonal mode (ortho) A drawing mode in which the entity creation is con-
strained to parallel the horizontal and vertical axes relative to the current snap angle.
orthographic projection A drafting technique by which a three-dimensional item
is described in two dimensions by showing it from various directions, most com-
monly front, top, and side views.
outside circle An entity-selection method that selects entities falling completely
outside a circular selection window.
outside polygon An entity-selection method that selects entities falling completely
outside a polygon selection window.
outside window An entity-selection method that selects entities falling completely
outside a rectangular selection window.

pan To shift the displayed view of a drawing without changing the magnification.
See also zoom.
paper space A two-dimensional work area similar to a sheet of paper, in which you
can arrange different views of your model as layout viewports. See also model space.
parallel Two or more coplanar lines that never intersect one another.
parallel dimension See baseline dimension.
PDF Acronym for Portable Document Format. PDF files can be viewed using
Adobe® Acrobat Reader, which is free software that users can download; they can
also be viewed, reviewed, and edited using Adobe® Acrobat.
perimeter The distance around the boundary of an entity.
perpendicular Entities at right angles to one another.
planar Entities whose extents are situated entirely within a plane.
plane Two-dimensional surface.
plan view A view of the drawing from above, looking down the z-axis perpendicular
to the xy plane of the current UCS.
point A location in space specified by its x-, y-, and z-coordinates. A drawing entity
consisting of a single x,y,z-coordinate location and represented by one of several
symbols.
point filter See coordinate filter.
polar array Multiple copies of selected entities in a circular pattern.
1008 GLOSSARY

polar coordinates Coordinates describing a two-dimensional point on a two-

dimensional plane based on the point’s distance from the origin and its angle in the
plane. See also Cartesian coordinates, coordinates, cylindrical coordinates, rela-
tive coordinates, and spherical coordinates.
polygon A closed single entity with three or more sides.
polyline A drawing entity composed of one or more connected line or arc segments
treated as a single entity.
print style A collection of settings, including color, pen width, linetype, and line-
weight, that determine how a drawing looks when it is printed. See print style table.
print style table A collection of print styles that you can assign to the Model tab or
to a Layout tab. Print style tables change how a drawing looks when you print it with-
out modifying the actual entities. See print style.
profile File that contains your preferred drawing environment settings.
projection lines See extension lines.
prompt box A list of options displayed when a command or tool provides several
choices.
Prompt History window A window containing a history of the most recent com-
mands and prompts issued since you started the current session of IntelliCAD.

quadrant One-fourth of a circle, arc, or ellipse entity. In the context of entity snaps,
the option that snaps to points on a circle, arc, or ellipse at each quadrant.

radial dimension A dimension that measures the radius of a circle or arc.

radian A unit of angular measurement; 360 degrees equals 6.283185 or 2pi radians.
radius The distance from the center of a circle or sphere to its periphery.
ray A line that starts at a designated point and runs infinitely.
ray tracing A visualization technique in which rays from imaginary light sources
are traced as they refract off the surfaces of a model, determining where shadows fall
and how reflections on shiny materials such as metal and glass appear.
rectangle A four-sided, closed entity whereby opposite sides are equal in length.
rectangular array Multiple copies of selected entities in a rectangular pattern con-
sisting of a specified number of columns and rows.
redo To reverse the effect of previous undo commands. See also undo.
redraw To quickly update or refresh the drawing screen display. See also regener-
ate.
regenerate To update or refresh the drawing screen display by recalculating the
drawing from its database. See also redraw.
 GLOSSARY 1009

region A two-dimensional closed, surfaced, planar boundary.

relative coordinates Coordinates expressed in relation to a previous coordinate.
See also absolute coordinates.
render A visualization technique in which all surfaces of a model are shaded as
though they were illuminated from an imaginary light source located behind you as
you face the screen. Rendered images are photo-realistic, having depth, shadow,
reflection, and texture.
revolve Creating a three-dimensional surface entity by rotating a two-dimensional
profile around an axis.
right-hand rule A visual aid for remembering the relative directions of the positive
x-, y-, and z-axes of a Cartesian coordinate system and the positive rotation direction
about an axis.
rotate To change the orientation of an entity, without modifying it, by repositioning
it equidistant from, but at a new angle with respect to, a point or axis.
rotation angle The angle by which an entity is displaced from its original location
when rotating it about a point or axis.
rubber-band line A ghosted image line that stretches dynamically on the screen
with the movement of the cursor. The line extends between a fixed point and the cur-
sor position to provide dynamic feedback.
ruled surface A three-dimensional polygon mesh that approximates a smooth sur-
face between two entities.
running entity snap Setting an entity snap so that it continues for subsequent selec-
tions. See also entity snap and entity snap override.

scale To resize an entity. To draw according to the proportions of an entity.

script A set of commands stored in an ASCII script file and replayed in sequence by
running the script.
SDS Acronym for Solutions Development System, a C programming interface for
developing specialized programs to run inside IntelliCAD.
segment Any part of an entity bounded by two points.
selection set One or more drawing entities selected on which one can operate as a
single unit.
shade To fill planar entities with solid colors for easier visualization.
snap angle The angle around which the snap grid is rotated.
snap grid An invisible grid that locks entity creation to a specified alignment and
snap increment when Snap is enabled.
snap resolution The spacing between points on the snap grid.
1010 GLOSSARY

snapshot A raster representation of the current view of one’s drawing.

spherical coordinates Coordinates describing a point in three-dimensional space
based on its distance from the origin, its angle in the xy plane, and its angle up from
the xy plane. See also Cartesian coordinates, coordinates, cylindrical coordinates,
and polar coordinates.
spline A curve generated along the path of three or more control points. The curve
passes through the start point and endpoint, but does not necessarily pass through the
intermediate control points.
status bar The bar at the bottom of the IntelliCAD window that displays informa-
tion about the selected command or tool as well as the cursor coordinates, the name of
the current layer, mode settings, and other information about drawing settings.
surface model A three-dimensional model consisting of both edges and the sur-
faces between those edges. See also wire-frame model.
surface of revolution A three-dimensional polygon mesh that approximates the
surface generated by rotating a two-dimensional profile around an axis.
SVG An acronym for Scalable Vector Graphic, which is a file format for working
with interactive graphics, including a Web development language.
system variable A setting or value that stores operating environment and command
information (such as the drawing limits or global linetype scale factor).

tabulated surface A three-dimensional polygon mesh that approximates the sur-

face generated by extruding a curve along a vector. See also extrude.
tangent A line that passes through a single point on a curve.
template A drawing with preset layers, linetypes, and other settings (and entities)
that can be used as the basis for creating a new drawing. Templates are saved with a
.dwt file extension.
text style A named, saved collection of format settings that determines the appear-
ance of text.
thaw To redisplay a layer that was frozen. See also freeze.
thickness An entity’s depth, as measured along its z-axis. The distance an entity is
extruded above or below its elevation. See also elevation and extrude.
through point In creating a parallel entity, a point through which the new entity
passes.
tolerance Dimension text indicating how much the actual dimension of a manufac-
tured component can vary from the specified dimension. See also limits tolerance
and variance tolerance.
tolerance command A command that creates a feature-control frame used in
mechanical geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.
 GLOSSARY 1011

toolbar A collection of tools arranged on a palette that can be moved and resized
anywhere on the screen.
torus A donut-shaped, three-dimensional entity.
transparent command A command started while another command is already
active. You can use a command transparently by preceding it with an apostrophe.
true color Colors defined using 24-bit color. There are more than 16 million true
colors from which you can choose.

UCS Acronym for user coordinate system. See user coordinate system.
UCS icon A user coordinate system icon that shows the orientation of the coordinate
axes, the location of the coordinate system origin, and the viewing direction relative
to the xy plane.
undo To reverse the effect of previous commands. See also redo.
unit See drawing unit.
unlock Free access to layers in a drawing that would be otherwise locked, thus pro-
hibiting them from being viewed or edited by another user.
user coordinate system A Cartesian coordinate system with origins and orienta-
tion defined by the user. See also World Coordinate System.

variance tolerance Dimension text in which a plus/minus value is appended to the

specified dimension to indicate how much the actual dimension of a manufactured
component can vary from the specified dimension. See also limits tolerance and tol-
erance.
VBA Acronym for Visual Basic for Applications, a macro programming language
embedded in programs that allows the user to customize the program.
vector A means of describing a displacement using magnitude and orientation. For
example, you can create a line entity, or move an entity, by specifying an initial point,
a direction, and a distance.
vertex The point of intersection of the sides of an angle. The start points or end-
points of a line or arc segment in a polyline.
vertical dimension A linear dimension measuring a vertical distance.
view A representation of a drawing or portion of a drawing from a specific view-
point in three-dimensional space.
viewpoint A location in three-dimensional space for viewing one’s drafting.
viewport A window that displays all or a portion of a drawing’s model space entities
while in model space on the Model tab. See also model space and paper space.
viewport configuration A named arrangement of windows that can be saved and
restored.
1012 GLOSSARY

WCS Acronym for World Coordinate System. See World Coordinate System.
wedge A three-dimensional entity that resembles a box divided along one side from
one corner to the opposite corner; for example, a doorstop or a ramp.
window circle An entity-selection method that selects entities contained entirely
within a circular selection window.
window inside An entity-selection method that selects entities contained entirely
within a rectangular selection window.
window polygon An entity-selection method that selects entities contained entirely
within a polygon selection window.
wipeout An entity that displays with the current background color, so the details
behind it do not display or print.
wire-frame model A three-dimensional model consisting of lines and curves that
define the edges of a three-dimensional entity. See also surface model.
WMF Acronym for Windows metafile, a format containing vector and color informa-
tion to render entities.
World Coordinate System The fixed Cartesian coordinate system used as the basis
for defining other coordinate systems. See also user coordinate system.

xref See external reference.

zoom To increase or decrease the magnification of the display of a drawing. See also
pan.
 Index
- (hyphen characters) 247, 630, 632 freehand sketches 139
infinite lines 130
Symbols lines 116
_ (underscore characters) 247, 630, 632 planes 165
, (commas) 264 point entities 127
. (period characters) 265 polygons 146
.dwg files polylines 140
creating 46 rays 129
defined 1003 rectangles and squares 144
exporting IntelliCAD files as 814–830 splines 159
IntelliCAD compatibility with 3 3D Array command or tool (3darray) 760, 761
opening 47 3D DWF files 818
saving 111 3D Mirror command or tool (mirror3d) 762
.NET applications 972 3D Rotate command or tool 759
.xls files 600 3D solids 716
@ (at symbols) 453 3Dconnexion input devices 980
& (ampersand character) 900 3dfly command 708
% (percent signs) 489, 490 3-dimensional coordinate systems 263
° (degree symbols) 489, 490 defined 999
± (plus or minus signs) 489, 490 specifying locations with 262
< (angle brackets) 261, 263, 264 3-dimensional drawings
$ (dollar signs) 247, 630, 632 compared to isometric 2-dimensional drawings 84
Numerics coordinate system icons 257
coordinate systems 256, 262
0 layer 280
defined 999
2D DWF files 818
point filters 266
2-dimensional drawings
setting viewpoints 698–716
2-dimensional coordinate systems 259
snapping to entity intersections 103–104
coordinate systems 256
user coordinate systems 267
defined 999
wire-frame and surface models 716
isometric drawings 84
3-dimensional entities
point filters 265
3D solids 716
polar coordinates 261
See also 3-dimensional entity types; entities
2-dimensional entities
aligning 763–766
See also 2-dimensional entity types; entities
arraying copies of entities 760–762
arraying in columns or rows 436
creating network surfaces 745
extruding to create 3-dimensional entities 716–719
creating planar surfaces 745
2-dimensional entity types
creating regions 744
arcs 121
editing 758–766, 771–781
circles 117
hiding lines in drawings 782
construction lines 132
mirroring 762–763
donuts 143
rotating entities 759
ellipses 125
shading surfaces 787
elliptical arcs 126
thickness and elevation 716–721
1014

3-dimensional entity types intersecting 753

boxes 729 pyramids 733
cones 731 regions 744
cylinders 735 revolving 747
dishes 738 spheres 737
domes 739 subtracting 752
edge-defined Coons surface patch meshes 728 tetrahedrons 733
extruded surface meshes 724 tori 740
faces 721 wedges 730
network surfaces 745 acisin command 806, 807, 808, 816
pipes 742, 743 acisout command 821
polyface meshes 723 ActiveX
pyramids 733 defined 999
rectangular meshes 722 dragging drawings into other applications 814
regions 744 editing linked or embedded objects 799, 813
revolved surface meshes 726–728 linking drawings to other applications 813
ruled surface meshes 724 linking objects to drawings 797–799
spheres 737 sharing drawing information and data 11
surfaces 745 acute angles 999
tori 740, 746, 748, 749, 750 Add Leader Lines command or tool (aimmleaderadd)
wedges 730 199
wire-frame 782 Add To Set selection method 393
3dwalk command 708 adding
3-Point Arc tool 121 aliases for commands 930
4K display issues 852 areas of entities 376
commands to menus 894, 897, 899, 911, 912, 920,
A 926, 930, 964
absolute coordinates commands to ribbon 906, 909, 910
See also coordinate systems; user coordinate sys- commands to the ribbon 904
tems (UCS); World Coordinate System (WCS) double-click actions for commands 934
defined 999 entities to selection sets 392
specifying locations with 259, 262 hyperlinks 832
absolute size of point entities 127 image tile menus for commands 937, 938
access keys for commands 900 keyboard shortcuts for commands 924
accuracy layouts for printing 625
drawing unit display 60 tools to toolbars 918
IntelliCAD compared to manual drafting 7–8 ADS programs 3, 4, 970
precise point locations with entity snaps 377 ADT files 50
ACIS solids advanced experience level
boxes 729 changing level 3, 36
combining 751, 752 aliases for commands
cones 731 creating 930
cylinders 736 defined 999
defined 999 deleting 932
dishes 738 align command 763, 764, 765
domes 739 Align command or tool (align) 763, 764, 765
extruding 746, 748, 749, 750 Align Multileader command or tool (mleaderalign) 200
 1015

Aligned command or tool (dimaligned) 514 Angular command or tool (dimangular) 517
aligned dimensions angular dimensions 517, 518
creating 514 creating 517
defined 999 defined 999
illustrated 510 formatting dimension unit display 544
aligning coordinate systems angular drawing units 999
with current view 269 angularity tolerance symbol 548
with entities 267 annotation scaling 241
aligning entities 763 adding the current scale to entities 241
aligning marker blocks on entities 372, 373 assigning scales automatically 67, 241
aligning multileaders 200 blocks 351
aligning text dimension styles 542
on dimension lines 540 linetype scaling setup 55
options 542 modifying scales assigned to entities 242
alternate dimension units, controlling 546 purging the scales list 66
alternate font setting up 64
setting the default file 839 styles (dimension, text, multileader) 66
alternate text editor 503 text styles 321, 484
ambient light 788 turning on an off 240
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) defined annotations
999 adding in paper space 626
American Standard Code for Information Interchange adding to geographic maps 620
(ASCII) defined 999 creating as dimension text 522
ampersand characters 900 defined 999
angle brackets 261, 263, 264 ANSI character sets 505
angle drawing method aperture for entity snaps 95
construction lines 132 apostrophes 37
infinite lines 130, 134 app command modifier 37, 103, 104
rays 129 Apparent Intersection Snap command (apparent) 103
angles appending scripts 967
angle direction and base settings 60 appload command 971, 972, 973, 978
calculating angle between points 377–384 Arc command (arc) 121
defined 999 Arc command or tool (dimarc) 518
displaying instead of coordinates 258 arc dimensions 518
drawing unit settings 60, 1003 creating 518
specifying for arcs 121, 123, 149 Arc Start-Center-Angle tool 121
specifying for chamfering 469 Arc Start-Center-End tool 122
specifying for dimension lines 517 architectural
specifying for grid 83 drawing scale ratios 62
specifying for lines 116 drawing units 58
specifying for rotated entities 438–441 arcs
specifying for text styles 321 adding lines to 116
specifying locations by 261 angle dimensions for 517
specifying text angle in text styles 320, 324, 328, center marks 512
334, 342, 363 converting donuts into arc entities 165
spherical and cylindrical coordinates 263 converting polyline segments to arcs 148
zero angle settings 60 converting to circles 120
1016

defined 999 editing definitions 575

diameter dimensions for 519 extracting values 577–578
direction of 126 fixed or variable values 573
drawing methods 121 flags 573
elliptical arcs 126 invisible data 573
extending to boundaries 444 names 1000
joining 454, 464–465 overview 573–574
measured dimensions for 518 snapping to insertion points 101
measuring and marking off intervals 370–373 text 1000
moving with grips 437 updating values for 576, 580
polyline drawing methods 150 visible or hidden 573
radius dimensions for 519 Audio Note command or tool (audionote) 960, 961, 962
Area command or tool (area) 373, 999 audio note icon 961
calculating areas 373 audio notes
ARG files (profiles) 887 attaching 960
arranging windows 244 deleting 962
See also views and viewports overview 960
Array command or tool (array) 436 playing 962
arraying entities 429, 430, 760, 999 selecting 961
arrows and arrowheads 511, 538–542 Audit command (audit) 50
Artisan command or tool (artisan) 791 AutoCAD
Artisan Renderer command name compatibility 928
creating a rendered image 791 exporting IntelliCAD files as AutoCAD files 814–
overview 791 830
synchronize with IntelliCAD 792 font compatibility 322
Artisan Sync command or tool (artisan-sync) 792 IntelliCAD compatibility 3, 987
ASCII loading .cui files 904
AutoCAD files. See DXF files loading menu files 894, 942
defined 999 script files 965
text files 577 AutoCAD Development System programs (ADS) 3, 4,
assembling master drawings 581 970
assigning aliases to commands 928, 932 AutoComplete command 31
associative dimensions 511 AutoLISP programs 3, 4, 973–974
at symbol 453 automatically
Attach Drawing tool (Blocks toolbar) 348 assigning annotation scales 67
attaching changing code pages 505
attributes to blocks 575 loading .NET applications 978
external references 582 loading LISP routines 978, 979
raster images 606 loading profiles 884
attachment points 480 loading SDS applications 979
See also insertion points loading TX/IRX applications 978
attributes publishing drawings 695
after exploding blocks 456 reloading external references 587
attaching to blocks 575 saving drawings 856
data in 556 automating IntelliCAD functions 856
defined 347, 1000 autopublish command 695
definitions 573–575 AutoSave 856
 1017

axes marker blips 253, 1006

in coordinate systems 256, 259 turning on or off 253
in ellipse drawing methods 125 block command 558, 567, 568
in elliptical arc drawing methods 126 Block command (Explorer) 350, 359
rotating entities around 759 Block command or tool (ddinsert) 564
Block toolbar 348
B blocks
background 788, 789 See also Xref Manager command or tool (xrm)
background color 841 annotative 351
Backgrounds command or tool (backgrounds) 790 as interval markers 370
backward text 484 attributes 556–573
base 788 Blocks list in Explorer 347
base points BYBLOCK property 52–54
See also origin points clipping 590
defined 1000 copying to other drawings 275
for copying entities 422 creating 350, 557–564
for entities to be moved 436 creating multileaders 197
for scaling entities 442 definitions 573–575
for stretching entities 442 deleting in Explorer 276
baseline displaying properties 385
of text 1000 editing definitions 575, 576, 580
offset in dimensions 535 entity storage in files 581
text alignment 487 exploding 456, 564, 570
Baseline command or tool (dimbaseline) 515 external references 581–592
baseline dimensions inserting 352, 558, 560–562, 564–565
adding to linear dimensions 512 inserting drawings as 353
angular baseline dimensions 517 insertion points 101, 348, 353, 558, 560–562,
creating 515 564–565
defined 1000 instances of 564, 567, 568
illustrated 510 listing 347
basing drawings on templates 46–47 multiple instances of 556, 560, 561, 562
basing layouts on templates 630 names in extracted attribute file fields 577
beginner experience level nesting 556
changing level 3, 36 number of occurrences 349
explained 3 overview 347, 556
best fit for dimension text and arrows 542 redefining and updating 556, 567, 568
beveled edges on entities 469–473 reusing blocks and drawings 10
binding external references 589, 1000 rotation angle and scale 562, 564, 565
bisect drawing method (infinite lines or rays) 129 saving 557–564
BL notation in extracted attribute file fields 577 saving as drawing files 354, 560, 561, 562
black-and-white search path for files 838
printing 664 selection filter 398
tool icons 898, 911, 919 snapping to insertion points 101
blipmode command 253 BMP files 898, 911, 919
blips bodies
defined 1000 slicing and sectioning 772
displaying current settings 386 borders on drawings 626
1018

borders on images 612 callout lines. See leaders in dimensions

borders on viewports Cartesian coordinates
as available in each view 8 See also cylindrical coordinates; polar coordinates;
setting as invisible 634 spherical coordinates
bottom-aligned text 487 2-dimensional coordinate systems 259
boundaries 3-dimensional coordinate systems 262
extending entities to 444–447 absolute and relative coordinates 259
setting for paragraph text 480 defined 1000
trimming or clipping entities to 447–450 overview 7
xref clipping 590 understanding coordinate systems 256, 258
Box command or tool (box) 729 Cascade command 244, 277
Break at Point command or tool (breakatpoint) 453 CDF files 577
Break command or tool (break) 452 center command 98
breaking entities into pieces center lines
exploding blocks 570 defined 1000
exploding into components 456 for circles and arcs 512
splitting into two parts 451 center marks
brightness of images 608 defined 1000
B-Spline curves. See splines for circles and arcs 512
buttons. See toolbars and tools formatting 535–540
BYBLOCK property center points of entities
after exploding 456 arcs 149
colors 52–53 circles 117
creating blocks from entities on different layers 556 dishes 738
defined 1000 domes 739
linetypes 53–54, 308–310 ellipses 125
lineweights 55 elliptical arcs 126
print styles 57 polygons 146
BYLAYER property snapping to 94, 97, 98
colors 296 spheres 735
creating blocks from entities on different layers 556 center points of views 238
defined 1000 Center Snap command (center) 98, 102
linetypes 53, 297–321 center-aligned text 487
lineweights 55 Center-Diameter circle method 117
Center-Radius circle method 117
C chain dimensions. See continued dimensions
C character Chamfer command or tool (chamfer) 473
closing entities 261 changing
in extracted attribute file fields 577 workspaces 34
CAD defined 1000 character sets for text display 505
CadMouse 980 character string fields in extracted attribute file fields 577
calculating areas 373 check spelling 498
calculations checking
area and perimeter 373 damaged files 50
distances and angles 377–384 damaged files when opening 857
in IntelliCAD and manual drafting 11 solids 781
scale factors and printed size 62–67 chords in arcs 121, 149, 1001
 1019

Circle Center-Radius tool 117, 118, 119 color-dependent print style tables
Circle command (circle) 117 changing a drawing’s table type 668
circle diameter symbol 489, 490 comparing with named tables 660
Circle Radius-Tangent tool 119, 120 converting to named 669
circles copying, renaming, deleting 668
See also donuts 1003 creating 664
center marks 512 default settings 865
creating from arcs 120 defined 659
diameter dimensions 520 modifying 665
measuring and marking off intervals 370 colors
moving with grips 437 applying shading 787–790
radius dimensions 520 changing in entity properties 412
circular color books 74
arrays of entities. See polar arrays of entities creating blocks from entities on different layers 556
runout tolerance symbol 548 current settings 386
circularity tolerance symbol 548 default layer color 279
circumferences, defined 1001 dimension lines 536
cleaning solids 781 dimension text 541
Clear Entity Snaps command or tool (none) 94, 105 displaying information about entities 384
Clipboard displaying information about xrefs and blocks 385
copying entities into other drawings 424 grip color 408
embedding objects into drawings 796 index colors 71
embedding objects into other applications 814 layer settings 277, 296–297
linking drawings into other applications 813 mapping during printing 659
clipping multiline text 481
entities 447 overriding layer color 297
external references 590 print styles 665
layout viewports 638 selecting entities by color 393
raster images 613 solid faces 778
Clone command or tool (clone or addselected) 426 working with 71
closed (entities), defined 1001 columns of entities. See arraying entities; rectangular ar-
closing rays of entities
polylines 148, 463 combining entities
prompt boxes 33 chamfering and filleting 469
splines 160, 161 finding area of combined entities 375–377
coaxiality tolerance symbol 548 joining 454, 464
codepage command 505 lines and arcs in polylines 149
Collect Multileader command or tool (mleadercollect) solids 751, 753, 754, 766
200 combining zooming and panning actions 238
collecting multileaders 200 Comma Delimited Format files 577, 1001
color books command bar
creating 75, 78 Command Bar command 30
current entity color 52 defined 1001
loading 79 displaying or hiding 30
selecting a color 74 moving 23, 30
Color dialog box 71, 73, 74 navigating with arrow keys 847
starting commands with 36
1020

using AutoComplete 31 layouts 625

command strings for keyboard shortcuts 924 print settings 641
commands connecting entities
active commands 35 chamfering and filleting 469
adding to menus 897, 899, 911, 912, 920, 926, 930 joining 454, 464
adding to ribbon 906, 909, 910 constraining drawing
aliases 928–965 to drawing limits 69
AutoCAD command name compatibility 928 to right angles 85, 86
deleting from menus 902, 903 construction lines
deleting from ribbon 916 drawing 132
displaying shortcut menus 23 construction lines. See infinite lines
double-click actions 932–936 construction planes. See user coordinate systems (UCS)
ending 35 contiguous (entities), defined 1001
experience levels 900, 913, 921 Continue command or tool (dimcontinue) 516
information in status bar 32 continued dimensions
keyboard shortcuts for 39, 924–928 adding to linear dimensions 512
loading custom programs 973 angular continued dimensions 517
modifying commands 37 creating 517
mouse shortcuts for 39 defined 1001
nesting several commands 37 illustrated 510
prompt boxes 33 CONTINUOUS linetype 53, 55, 308
renaming 902, 915, 923 contrast of images 608
repeating 36 control codes for text 489, 490
Script Recorder 40 control points 159
starting 36 control vertices 1001
starting with double-click actions 935 convertctb command 670
tracking history 38, 847 converting
commenting 2-dimensional entities to three dimensions 716
scripts 967 code pages 505
company names on printouts 865 color-dependent print style tables 669
complex entities donut sides to arc entities 165
See also types of entities (polylines; rectangles; do- drawing’s print style table type 668
nuts; and so on) entities into components 456
defined 143 entities to other linetypes before deleting 276
exploding into components 456 entities to other text styles before deleting 276
complex hatch patterns 215 entities to polylines 462
complex linetypes (Explorer) 313 line text to paragraph text 494
composite solids 751, 753, 766 plane sides to line entities 166
composite tolerances 547, 549 polygon sides to line entities 148
compressing or expanding text 484, 487 polyline segments to curves 463–464
concentric entities. See donuts; tori polyline segments to entities 148
concentricity tolerance symbol 548 rectangle sides to line entities 144
Cone command or tool (cone) 731, 732 converting arcs to circles 120
cones 731, 1001 convertpstyles command 668, 669
configuring Coons Surface command or tool (edgesurf) 728
code pages 505 Coons surface patch meshes 728, 1001
IntelliCAD 837 coordinate filters (point filters) 265, 1001
 1021

coordinate systems parallel copies 427–429

2-dimensional coordinate systems 259 to other drawings 248, 424
3-dimensional coordinate systems 262 to other spaces 425, 437
absolute and relative coordinates 259 copying objects
Cartesian coordinates 7, 256, 259, 1000 embedding IntelliCAD data into other applications
copying to use in other drawings 275 811–813
cylindrical coordinates 264, 1002 embedding objects into drawings 796
defined 1001 linking drawings to other applications 813
deleting in Explorer 276 linking objects to drawings 797
icons for 257 corner points
listing 344–345 of planes 165
point filters 265, 267 of rectangles 144
polar coordinates 258, 261, 1008 correcting mistakes 40
preset user coordinate systems 269 Create Block command or tool (block) 558, 567, 568
right-hand rule 262 Create Snapshot dialog box 794
spherical coordinates 263, 1010 creating
user coordinate systems 257, 267, 638 audio notes 960
World Coordinate System 257, 269, 344, 715, 1012 blocks 353
Coordinate Systems list in Explorer 268, 344 color books 75, 78
coordinates files in different formats 685, 815
See also coordinate systems hyperlinks 832
defined 1001 layout viewports 633
displaying for entities 384 named views 700
finding point coordinates 259 print style tables 664
in ordinate dimensions 521 printed drawings 623
of drawing limits 69, 258 profiles 884
viewpoints in three-dimensional drawings 698 workspaces 34
coplanar (entities), defined 1001 cropping
Copy command or tool (copy or copyclip) 422, 430 entities (trimming) 447, 469–473
Copy command or tool (Explorer) 275 external references 590
copyclip command 424 raster images 613
copying crosshairs
layers to other drawings 275 defined 1001
layouts 630 entity snap target box 94
print style tables 668 crosshatching 215, 1001
profiles 886 See also hatch patterns and hatching
ribbon items 915, 923, 927, 931 Crossing Circle selection method 393, 1002
settings to other drawings 275 Crossing Polygon selection method 393, 441, 1002
solid faces 777 Crossing Window selection method 393, 395, 441, 1002
supported formats 888 CTB files
text in Prompt History window 38 assigning 663
copying drawings changing a drawing’s table type 668
dragging into other applications 814 compared with STB files 660
with external references for distribution 589 converting to STB files 669
copying entities 421–436 creating 664
arrays of entities 429, 430, 760–762 default settings 865
mirroring entities 429, 762–763 defined 659
1022

modifying 665 hatch patterns 215

cubes 729–730, 1002 keyboard shortcuts 924–928
CUI files (ribbon files) 904 menus 894
current annotation scale print settings 641
customizing the scales list 64 program settings 838–894
setting with automatic annotation scaling 67 ribbon 904–916
current editing session timer 388 running custom programs 970–974
current settings scripts for 965, 970
layers 290 templates 46
linetypes 309 toolbars and tools 23, 916
lineweights 55 Cut command or tool (cutclip) 424, 425, 437
loading profiles 884 cutting entities
materials 366 moving to other drawings 248
multileader style 202 pasting in other drawings 424
multiline style 155 Cylinder command or tool (cylinder) 736
print styles 57 cylinders 462, 735
text styles 320, 325, 334, 343 cylindrical coordinates 264, 1002
three-dimensional elevation and thickness 718 See also polar coordinates; spherical coordinates
tools 274 259
user coordinate systems 346
Current tool (Explorer) 320, 325, 328, 334, 343, 346 D
cursors data
coordinate information in status bar 32 attaching to blocks. See attributes
current position in coordinate systems 258 attaching to drawings 11
defined 1002 data extraction 389
entity snap cursor decoration 874 data fields for extracted attribute files 577–578
fly-over snap cursors 106, 874 data links 600
magnifying glass cursor 235 databases
curves. See also arcs; circles; ellipses; splines for drawing data 230
curving polyline segments 463 using information in drawings 11
Customize UI command (cui) datalink command 600
customizing aliases 928–932 datalinkupdate command 605
customizing double-click actions 932–936 dates
customizing keyboard shortcuts 924–928 date stamps on printouts 865
customizing menus 894 tracking time spent on drawings 388
customizing ribbon 904–916 ddattdef command 573
customizing toolbars and tools 916, 924 ddatte command 576, 580
customizing ddattext command 578
IntelliCAD 41 ddedit command 491, 498, 575
Quick Access toolbar 24, 26, 27, 889, 890, 892 ddgrips command 408
ribbon 24 ddinsert command 564
text editor 503 decimal
user interface using workspaces 33 degrees in angular units 60
customizing IntelliCAD options drawing units 60
aliases 928–932 decurving polyline segments 463
coordinate systems 267 default profile 885
double-click actions 932–936
 1023

defaults layouts 632

arc direction 126 lines in 3-dimensional entities 782–788
code pages 505 multileader styles 203
colors 279 multiline styles 156
defined 1002 page setups 645
drawing environment (profiles) 885 print style tables 668
elevation 716 profiles 886
entity colors 52 segments of polylines 148
icad.dwt template 22 settings 276
layers 276 solid faces 777
linetypes 53, 279, 297 xref clipping 592
lineweights 55, 253, 299 delta distances, calculating 377
print style table settings 865 density of mesh surfaces 724, 725, 727, 728
print styles 57, 301 descenders on text characters 487
text styles 484 deselecting entities 407
thickness 716 Design Web Format
values for attributes 573 exporting 595, 800, 818, 819
Define Attributes importing 595, 800
command or tool (ddattdef) 573 opening files 47
dialog box 573 detaching external references 1002
defining See also Xref Manager command or tool (xrm)
complex linetypes 313–317 Details tool (Block toolbar) 348
dimension styles 533 dgnattach command 597
keyboard shortcuts 924 Diameter command or tool (dimdiameter) 520
linetypes 312–321 diameter dimensions
lineweights 55, 253 creating 520
print settings 641 defined 1002
text styles 322 illustrated 510
user coordinate systems 267, 345 diameters
definition points 512 circles 520
degree symbols 489, 490 donuts 163
Delete command or tool (delete) 421 diametral dimensions 519
Delete command or tool (Explorer) 276 DIESEL programs 977
deleting dimaligned command 514
aliases 932 dimangular command 517
audio notes 962 dimarc command 518, 519
clipping boundary 591 dimbaseline command 515
commands from menus 902, 903 dimcontinue command 516
commands from ribbon 916 dimdiameter command 520
dimension styles 535 dimedit command
double-click actions 936 obliquing dimensions 529
elements in Explorer 276–277 replacing dimension text with new text 531
entities 421 restoring dimension text to home position 531, 532
external references 586 rotating dimension text 530
freehand sketches 140 Dimension Break command or tool (dimbreak) 527, 528
hyperlinks 832 Dimension Break command or tool (dimspace) 526
images 616
1024

dimension lines 540 diameter dimensions 520

See also dimension text; dimensions and dimension dimension styles defined 510, 533–548
styles; extension line dimension variables 533, 1002
aligning text on 540 dimensions defined 1002
defined 510, 1002 extension lines 511
Dimension Style command 533 in paper space 523
dimension styles leaders and annotations 512, 522
annotative 542 line colors 536
Dimension Styles (Explorer) 329 line formats 535
Dimension Styles command or tool (setdim) linear dimensions 512–517
arrows and arrowheads 538, 543 obliquing 529
baseline dimension offset 515 ordinate dimensions 521
creating, renaming, or deleting dimension styles 533 overview 510–512
dimension line colors 536 radius dimensions 520
formatting and positioning dimension text 540, 542 renaming styles 534
rounding off numbers 544 spacing dimension lines 526
Dimension Styles dialog box types of dimensions 510
Arrows tab 538–542 units and rounding 544–548
Format tab 542 dimleader command 202, 522, 525
Lines tab 535 dimlinear command 513
Text tab 540 dimordinate command 521
Units tab 544–548 dimradius command 520
dimension text dimtedit command 531
aligning on lines 540 directory paths for files 838
defined 526, 1002 Dish command or tool (dish) 738, 1002
formatting and positioning text 531, 532, 535, 540, disk space requirements for IntelliCAD 20
542–544 displacement points
overview 511 defined 1003
replacing dimension text with new text 531 for copying entities 422
restoring dimension text to home position 531 for moving entities 436
dimension tolerance for stretching entities 441
controlling 551 displaying
dimension units, alternate 546 annotative entities 240
dimensions audio note icons 961
associative 511 command bar 30
exploded 511 commands with AutoComplete
non-associative 511 turning on
dimensions and dimension styles AutoComplete at the command
See also dimension text
aligned dimensions 514
bar 31
angular dimensions 517–518 drawing information 384
arc dimensions 518–519 embedded files as icons 797
arrows and arrowheads 538 entire drawings 239
baseline dimensions 515 geographic locations 618
breaking 527, 528 layers 291–294
creating dimensions 512–526 lineweights 253
creating or deleting styles 533 lists of text styles 485
 1025

memory-intensive display elements 250 editing 462

menus 28 filled or outlined 165
Model and Layout tabs 629, 846 dots
multiple views of drawings. See also views and in linetypes 312
viewports 244 point entities 127
online Help 42 double-click actions 932
point entities 127 doughnuts. See donuts 1003
Prompt History window 38 draft quality images 611
properties information 385 drafting manually compared to IntelliCAD 5–13
reference grid 79 dragging
ribbon 24, 26 drawings from the Internet 833
rotated views 233, 704 drawings into other applications 814
scroll bars 840 moving entities with grips 437
shortcut menus 23 new tools to toolbars 918
snapshots 795 Draw Freehand tool 139
text 505 Draw Order command or tool (draworder) 439, 440
text as boxes 250 Draw Orthogonal tool 85, 86, 88
toolbars 29 Draw Point command (point) 127
ToolTips 29 Draw toolbar 29
warning messages 857 drawing code page 505
xref clipping boundaries 592 drawing entities
Distance command or tool (distance) 377 3-dimensional faces 721
Distance-Angle chamfer method 469–471 arcs 121
Distance-Distance chamfer method 469 boxes 729
distances cylinders 735
calculating between points 377 dishes 738
defined 1003 domes 739, 740
displaying instead of coordinates 258 donuts 163
specifying in chamfering 469 edge-defined Coons surface patch meshes 728
specifying locations by 261 ellipses 125
spherical and cylindrical coordinates 263, 264 elliptical arcs 126
distant lighting 788 extruded surface meshes 725
Divide command (divide) 370, 372 freehand sketching 139
dividing display into multiple views. See views and view- hatching entities 215
ports helices 162, 743
dividing entities into equal segments 370 lines 116
docking multilines 151
defined 1003 pipes 742
toolbars and command bar 23–32 planes 165
dollar signs 247, 630, 632 point entities 127
Dome command or tool (dome) 739, 740, 1003 polyface meshes 723
Donut command or tool (donut) 163 polygons 146
donuts polylines 148
3-dimensional donuts (tori) 740, 746, 748, 749, 750 pyramids 733
converting sides to arc entities 165 rays 129
defined 1003 rectangles 144
drawing 163 rectangular meshes 722
1026

rendering 788, 791 entity snap target box 94

revision clouds 193 grid rotation 83
revolved surface meshes 726 grid settings 79
ruled surface meshes 724 isometric snap and grid 84
shading 787, 1009 mesh surface settings 724
spheres 737, 738 orthogonal setting 85, 86
splines 159 snap angle settings 83
squares 144 snap spacing settings 82
tori 740, 741 Drawing Settings dialog box - Display tab
traces 158 coordinate display in status bar 258
wedges 730 grip display options 408
wipeouts 191 highlighting entities 411
drawing environment settings 870, 875, 883–887 highlighting settings 252
Drawing Exchange Format files 577, 814–830, 1003 Marker Blips display 253
Drawing Settings command or tool (dsettings) Quick Text feature 252
Blips display 253 Drawing Settings dialog box - Drawing Units tab 58
coordinate display in status bar 258 Drawing Settings dialog box - Dynamic Input tab 88
drawing limits 68–79 Drawing Settings dialog box - Entity Creation tab
drawing units 58–62 entity color settings 52
elevation and thickness settings 718 freehand sketch settings 140
entity snap target box 94 linetype scale settings 54
freehand sketch settings 139 linetype settings 53
grid rotation 83 lineweight settings 56
grid settings 79–85 point entity display 127
grip display options 408 print style settings 57
highlighting entities 411 text height settings 67–68
highlighting settings 252 Drawing Settings dialog box - Entity Modification tab
isometric snap and grid 84 469–471
linetype scale settings 54–58 Drawing Status command (status) 386
linetype settings 53 drawing units
lineweight settings 55 angular units 60–62
mesh surface settings 724, 725 linear units 58
orthogonal setting 85 real-world units and 58
point entity display 127 relationship to printed units 647
polar tracking setting 86, 88, 92, 108, 109 rounding in dimension display 544
Quick Text feature 251 scale factors and 62
shaded surface settings 787 text height and 67
snap angle settings 83 drawings
snap spacing settings 82 See also 2-dimensional drawings; 3-dimensional
text height settings 67 drawings
Drawing Settings dialog box - 3D Settings tab 3-dimensional and isometric drawings compared 84
elevation and thickness settings 718 adding audio notes 960
mesh surface settings 725 annotations, borders, and title blocks 626
shaded surface settings 787 blocks 353, 354, 564–573
Drawing Settings dialog box - Coordinate Input tab code pages 505
drawing limits 69, 258 copying entities to other drawings 248, 424
entity snap settings 94 copying settings to other drawings 275
 1027

creating new drawings 22, 46 isometric snap and grid 84

damaged files 49 linetype scale 54
default template 839 linetypes 53
displaying entire drawings 239 lineweights 56
displaying information about 384–388 orthogonal mode 85, 86, 88, 92, 108, 109
drawing limits 63, 68, 239, 386, 1003 point entity display 127
drawing units 58 print styles 57
embedding or linking into other applications 811– shaded surfaces 787
814 snap angles 83
etransmitting 825 snap spacing 82
exporting 814 text height 67
extents 129, 231, 239, 1004 dtext command
external references 10, 347, 356, 359, 581 adding text to drawings 478
grid settings 79–82 setting text style 485
isometric snap and grid 84 specifying alignment 479, 487, 488, 489, 490, 494
layer settings 51 dual monitors 852
layout viewports 633 duplicating entities 421
linetype settings 53, 55 DWF files
master and component drawings 581 defined 1003
moving around in 231 exporting 818, 819
multiple drawings 3, 248 importing 595, 800
opening 47 opening 47
orientation 646 dwfattach command 596
orthogonal setting 85, 86, 88 DWG format
paper size 646 supported copy formats 888
passwords 112 DWGCODEPAGE 505
printing 673, 685 DWT files
redrawing and regenerating 230 defined 1003
reusability 5, 8, 10, 275 importing 800
saving 43 opening 47
scale factors 62–67 saving 112
search path for files 838 DXF files 577, 595, 800, 802, 821, 822, 1003
sending through e-mail 830 defined 1003
snap settings 94 DXX files 577
tracking time spent on drawings 388 dynamic
views 235 panning 233
writing sketches into drawings 139 zooming 237
drivers for printers 647 dynamic input, turning on 88
dsettings command Dynamic View Control
dimension styles 544 command or tool (viewctl) 709
drawing limits 68 dialog box 709
drawing units 60 dynamically rotating viewpoints in 3-dimensional draw-
elevation and thickness 717–719 ings 709
entity snap target box 95
freehand sketches 140 E
grid settings 80, 83 edgesurf command 728
highlighting 411
1028

Edit Attributes breaking and joining 451–455, 464

command or tool (ddatte) 576, 580 chamfering and filleting 469
Edit Block Attributes changing properties 412
dialog box 576, 580 copying and pasting to other drawings 421
Edit Dimension Text command or tool (dimedit) 531 curving and decurving 463
Edit Length command or tool (editlen) 450 cutting to Clipboard 424, 425, 437
Edit Polyline command or tool (editpline) deleting 420, 421
curving and decurving 464 dividing 372
joining 465 editing length 450
moving polyline vertices 466 elevation and thickness settings 719
opening and closing 463 exploding into components 456, 570
tapering polyline segments 468 extending to boundaries 444
width and tapering 465 grouping 458–462
Edit Text command or tool (ddedit) in model space 633
changing text properties 491 measuring 371
editing attribute definitions 575 mirroring 429, 762–763
editing text 491 moving 436
editing moving polyline vertices 467
color book files 75, 78 offset entities 427
layout viewports 638 polylines 462
linked or embedded objects 799 rotating 438, 759
polylines 462–468 scaling 442
print style tables 665 selecting before editing 392
settings, single-click (Explorer) 321 stretching 441
sheet lists 688 tapering polyline segments 466, 468
VBA programs 977 trimming 447
editing drawings vertices 466–468
blocks 350 width of polylines 465
embedded IntelliCAD objects in other applications with grips 407
813 editing text
in model space 633 alignment settings 487
IntelliCAD compared to manual drafting 11 alternate text editor 503
keyboard shortcuts 924 changing character sets 505
layers 275, 276, 279, 290, 296 changing text properties 491
linetypes 298, 306, 310, 312 editing attribute definitions 575
lineweights 299, 300 find and replace 492
linking objects to drawings 797 formatting 491
materials 366 moving dimension text 531
print styles 301, 302 replacing dimension text with new text 531
text styles 322–344, 484 restoring dimension text to home position 531
user coordinate systems 335, 344 rotating dimension text 530
views 337 spelling 498
editing entities text style settings 484
3-dimensional entities 758–766, 767, 771–781 unicode characters 504
aligning 763–766 editlen command 450
arraying 429, 430, 760, 761 editpline command
attribute definitions 575 curving and decurving 464
 1029

joining 465 entities

moving polyline vertices 467 See also types of entities (lines; rays; arcs; and so on)
opening and closing 463 1003
tapering polyline segments 466, 468 3-dimensional entities 716–728
width 465 area and perimeter 373
elapsed-time timer 388 arraying copies of entities 429, 430, 760
electronically mailing files 830 attaching audio notes 960
elements pane in Explorer 273, 274 attributes 573–578
Elevation command or tool (elev) 717 blocks 347, 350, 556–573
elevation in 3-dimensional entities 716 breaking and joining 451, 464
defined 1003 chamfering and filleting 469
entering coordinates 266 color settings 296
setting default elevation 717, 718 complex entities 143
Ellipse Axis-Axis tool 125 copying or duplicating 421
Ellipse command (ellipse) 125 defined 1003
ellipses deleting 420, 421
drawing methods 125 displaying information about 384
moving with grips 437 editing in viewports 633
Elliptical Arc Axis-Axis tool 126 elevation and thickness 716
Elliptical Arc command (ellipse) 126 embedding into other applications 811
e-mailing files 830 grips 409–412
embedding linetypes 297
See also ActiveX; linking lineweights 299
defined 1003 measuring and marking off intervals 370
editing embedded objects 799, 813 moving and rotating 436–441, 758
IntelliCAD objects into other applications 811 on deleted layers 276
objects into IntelliCAD drawings 796–799 polylines 462
EMF files print styles 301
defined 1003 printing 623
exporting IntelliCAD files as 814 properties 412
snapshot files 794 resizing 441–450
end arrows 538 selecting 291, 392, 512, 513
ending simple entities 148
commands 35 text as 480
points for moving entities. See displacement points viewing in 3D drawings 698–716
script recording 966 zooming 236
Endpoint Snap command (endpoint) 97 Entity Data defined 1003
endpoints of entities Entity Properties dialog box
defined 1003 changing entity properties 418
line entities 116 editing attribute definitions 575
methods of drawing arcs 121, 149 elevation and thickness settings 718
snapping to 94, 97 overriding layer color 297
engineering drawing overriding layer linetype 298
scale ratios 62 overriding layer lineweight 299
units 60 overriding layer print style 301
Enhanced Metafiles. See EMF files entity selection methods 393
enlarging or reducing view of drawings 235
1030

entity snap erasing

See also entity snap tools eraser tool 140
angle and base point 83 freehand sketches 140
aperture 95 segments of polylines 148
command modifiers 37 error reporting 869
controlling separately in multiple views 244 ESNAP setting in status bar 94
current settings 94, 386 Esnap. See entity snap
defined 1004 ETRACK setting in status bar 109
definition point locations 512 etransmit drawings 825
finding point coordinates with 259, 377 exiting IntelliCAD 43
fly-over snapping 106, 874, 888 expanding or compressing text 484
isometric snap and grid 84 expblocks command
model space from paper space 628 creating and saving blocks 350
one-time entity snaps 37, 94 inserting blocks 352
origin 83 inserting drawings as blocks 353
override 1004 inserting external references 356, 359
overview 7 listing blocks 347, 355, 357, 364, 365, 366, 367
positioning ordinate points 521 saving blocks as separate drawings 354
running entity snaps 94 experience levels
snap resolution defined 1009 changing level 3, 36
spacing 82 explained 3
status bar information 32, 94 setting for menus or commands 900, 913, 921
target box 94 expfonts command
turning off settings 105 See also Explore Text Styles command or tool 1010
entity snap tools creating new text styles 322, 484
Apparent Intersection Snap 103 current text style 320, 325, 334, 343
Center Snap 94, 98 editing text styles 324, 363
Clear Entity Snaps 94, 105 explayers command
Endpoint Snap 94, 97 copying and pasting layers to other drawings 275
Extension Snap 102 creating and naming layers 279
illustrated 94 current layer settings 51, 290
Insertion Node Snap 94 deleting layers 276
Insertion Point Snap 101 displaying list of layers 277
Intersection Snap 94 hiding or freezing layers 292
Midpoint Snap 94, 97 layer color settings 297
Nearest Snap 94 layer linetype settings 297
Node Snap 94, 101 layer lineweight settings 299
overview 94 layer print settings 295, 296
Parallel Snap 102, 108 layer print style settings 301
Perpendicular Snap 94, 99 locking and unlocking layers 294
Quadrant Snap 94, 100 Explode Attributes command or tool (burst) 457
Tangent Snap 94, 99 Explode command or tool (explode)
entprop command converting donut sides to arc entities 165
changing entity properties 412, 414 converting plane sides to line entities 166
layout viewports 638 converting polygon sides to line entities 148
setting elevation and thickness 718 converting polyline segments to entities 148
erase command. See Delete command or tool (delete) converting rectangle sides to line entities 144
 1031

exploding blocks 570 deleting elements 276

exploding entities into components 456 Dimension Styles 329–331
Explode Text command or tool (txtexp) 457 Layers element 277
exploded dimensions 511 Layouts element 347, 361
exploded hatching 215 Multiline Styles element 317, 332, 340
Explore Blocks command or tool (expblocks) overview 272–275
creating and saving blocks 350, 359 purge tool 277
inserting blocks 352 single-click editing 321
inserting drawings as blocks 353 Text Styles element (text styles) 321, 326–344
listing blocks 349 tools 106, 274
saving blocks as separate drawings 354 Views element 335–361
Explore Coordinate Systems command or tool (expucs) Explorer command or tool (explayers) 272
344 expltypes command
Explore Layers command or tool (explayers) 272 creating new complex linetypes 313
copying layers to other drawings 275 creating new linetypes 312
creating and naming layers 280, 366 current linetype 310
current layer settings 51, 290 listing linetypes 309
deleting layers 276 loading additional linetypes 310
displaying list of layers 278 renaming linetypes 317
hiding or freezing layers 292 expmaterials command
layer color settings 297 assigning materials 366
layer linetype settings 297 current material 366
layer lineweight settings 299 expmleaderstyles command 332, 333, 334
layer print settings 295, 296 expmlinestyles command 318, 319, 320
layer print style settings 301 Export command or tool (export) 816, 817, 818, 819
locking and unlocking layers 294 exporting
opening Explorer 272 drawings 814
Explore Layouts command or tool (explayouts) layer states 307
listing views 361 layouts to model space 631
Explore Linetypes command or tool (expltypes) multiline styles 157
creating new linetypes 312, 313 profiles 887
current linetype 306, 310 expstyles command 321
listing linetypes 309 See also Explore Text Styles command or tool
renaming linetypes 317 exptablestyles command 326, 327, 328
Explore Text Styles command or tool (expstyles) expucs command 344
creating new styles 484 See also Explore Coordinate Systems command or
creating new text styles 323, 362 tool
current text style 325 expviews command 335, 337, 361
editing text styles 324, 363 See also Explore Views command or tool
listing text styles 322 expvstyles command 340, 342, 343
Explore Views command or tool (expviews) Extend command or tool (extend)
listing views 336 extending to boundaries 444, 491
saving and naming views 700, 702, 704, 715 extending to implied boundaries 445
Explorer extending
Blocks list 347–357 Apparent Intersection Snap 103
Coordinate Systems element 268, 335, 344 dimensions 535
copying elements to other drawings 275 entities to meet boundaries 444
1032

extension command 102 for raster images 616

extension lines file size
adding dimensions by selecting origins 512, 513 blocks and 556
adding dimensions by specifying lines 512 external references and 581
arrows and arrowheads 538 linked and embedded objects and 798, 813
defined 511, 1004 files
formatting 535 aliases 928
obliquing 529 audio 961
Extension Snap command (extension) 102 basing on templates 46
extension snaps 37, 103 creating 46
extents damaged 49, 857
See also limits default Save As format 855
defined 1004 embedding into drawings 797
displaying entire drawings 239 embedding into other applications 811, 813
rays and 129 etransmitting 825
scroll bar indicators 231 exiting 43
external references exporting 685, 815
displaying properties 385 external references 356, 359, 581
Extract Attributes command or tool (ddattext) 578 extracted attribute data 573, 577
extracting attribute data 573, 577–578 fonts 322
Extruded Surface command or tool (tabsurf) 725 importing 595, 800
extruding inserting as blocks 564
3-dimensional entities 720, 1004 linking drawings into other applications 813
solid faces 773 opening 47
surface meshes 724 passwords 112
previewing before printing 671
F print style tables 659
Face command or tool (face) 721 printing drawings 673
faces 721, 787, 1004 profiles 870, 875, 883
facet resolution 791 publishing drawings 685
fade of images 608 raster images 606
feature control frames 548 saving 43
fence saving blocks as drawings 560, 561, 562
defined 1004 search paths 838
extending entities with 446 sending through e-mail 830
illustrated 396 shapes 963
trimming or clipping entities with 449, 450 Fill command or tool (fill)
Fence selection method 393 filled or outlined lines on entities 144, 148, 165
field command 496 turning fill display on or off 250
fields in extracted attribute files 577 Fillet command or tool (fillet) 473
file formats filleting
default Save As format 855 defined 469, 1004
exporting 814 methods 473
importing 595, 600, 800 filling entities
IntelliCAD and AutoCAD files 3 displaying current settings 386
file paths donut lines 165
for external references 587 hatching 215
 1033

planes 165 freehand sketches

polygon lines 148 drawing and inserting 139
polyline lines 148 erasing 140
rectangle lines 144 setting as polylines or lines 140
turning off display to improve performance 250 Freeze/Thaw tool (Explorer) 292, 293
filtering entities during selection 397 freezing layers 277, 292, 293, 1004
Find and Replace command or tool (find) 492, 494, 495 Full Render command or tool (fullrender) 788
find command 492 full-size drawings 62
finding point coordinates 259
finding text 492 G
fit point 1004 gaps in linetypes 312
Fit Tolerance values for splines 159 gcenter command 98
fitting geo command 617
text and arrowheads on dimensions 542 geographic locations
viewports to screen 634 adding to drawing 617
fixed display settings 619
attribute values 573 position markers 620
coordinate systems 257 removing 619, 622
flatness tolerance symbols 548 geographic maps
flipping entities (creating mirror images) 429, 762 capturing areas 620
flipping printed page 641, 646, 665 updating images 621
floating toolbars and command bar 23, 35, 1004 geomap command 619
floating viewports geomapimage command 620
scale factor 636 geomapimagesetmaptype command 621
flyouts on tools 36 geomapimagesetresolution command 621
font map geomapimmageupdate command 621
setting the default file 839 geomarkposition command 620
fonts 321 Geometric Center Snap command (gcenter) 98
AutoCAD fonts 322 Geometric Tolerance dialog box 550
character sets 505 geometric tolerances 548
defined 322 geometry, overlaying reference geometry 583
font files 484 georemove command 619, 622
in paragraphs 481 global linetype scale 54
in text styles 485 greeking text (Quick Text feature) 251
search path for files 838 grid settings
footers and headers on printouts 865 changing settings 79
forcing text to fit 487, 542 controlling separately in multiple views 244
form tolerance symbols 548–549 displaying current settings 386
formatting lines in dimensions 535 grid defined 1004
formatting text GRID setting in status bar 80
dimension text 540–544 isometric snap and grid 81, 84
text styles 484, 485 rotating grid 81, 83
fractional drawing units 58 grips
frames of images 612 color and size 408
frames of wipeouts 192 editing entities with 407
Free Orbit command (rtrot) 233 moving entities with 437
Freehand command (freehand) 139 resizing dimensions with 530
1034

resizing entities with 442 scroll bars 840

scaling entities with 442–444 toolbars 29
selecting entities with 409 ToolTips 29
stretching entities with 442 warning messages 857
turning on or off 408 wipeout frames 192
grouped entities. See blocks xref clipping boundaries 592
grouping entities 458–462 hierarchical viewing, external references 584
high quality images 611
H high resolution displays 852
hand cursor (Pan tool) 232 highlight command 252
hand method to determine coordinates 262, 263 highlighting entities
handles (entity grips). See grips edges of shaded entities 787
hardware requirements for IntelliCAD 20 turning highlighting on or off 411
hatch boundaries 215 when selected 252
Hatch command or tool (hatch) 215 horizontal
hatch patterns and hatching grid spacing 79–82
adding to entities 215 text orientation 484
IntelliCAD compatibility with AutoCAD files 3 horizontal dimensions
search path for files 838 creating 512
headers and footers on printouts 865 defined 1005
height of named views 336 illustrated 510
height of text. See text height horizontal drawing method
helices construction lines 132, 134
drawing 162 infinite lines 130
Help rays 129
assistance for IntelliCAD 13 hyperlink command 832
displaying online Help 42 hyphens 247, 630, 632
search path for files 838
hidden I
attributes 573 icad print style tables 664
edges on 3-dimensional polyface meshes 723 icad.dwt template 22, 46
lines 786 icad.fnt font 484
hidden-line removal, defined 1005 icad.lin file 310
Hide command or tool (hide) 786 icad.pat library file 215
Hide Entities command or tool (hideobjects) 420 ICM files (IntelliCAD menu files) 894, 942
hiding icons
command bar 30 audio notes 961
entities 420 coordinate system 257
entities using wipeouts 191 displaying embedded files as 797
image frames 612 large tools 30, 898, 911, 919
layers 291, 295 ID Coordinates command or tool (idpoint) 259
lines in 3-dimensional entities 786 idpoint command 259
menus 28 i-drop feature 833
Model and Layout tabs 629, 846 IFC files
Prompt History window 38 exporting 819
reference grid 80 importing 805
ribbon 24, 26 IFC Out command or tool (ifcexport) 819
 1035

ifcattach command 599 Insert External file Blocks tool (Block toolbar) 348, 353
image command 608, 615, 616 Insert Object dialog box 797, 799
image tile menus 937, 938 Insert tool (Block toolbar) 348, 353
imageattach command 606 inserting
imageframe command 612 blocks 564
imagequality command 611 drawings from a Web site 833
images hatch patterns 215
attaching 606 hyperlinks 832
changing paths 616 menu items 895
clipping 613 menu sub-items 897, 899, 911, 912, 920, 926, 930
creating of maps 620 objects 797, 799
deleting 616 raster images 606
modifying 608 ribbon items 904
unloading and loading 615 ribbon sub-items 906, 909, 910
Images tool (Block toolbar) 348 text 478
implied boundaries tolerances 550
extending entities to 445 inserting dimensions
trimming or clipping entities with 448 aligned 514
impoint command 809 angular 517
importing baseline 515
files 595, 800 continued 516
layer states 307 diameter 520
multiline styles 157 horizontal or vertical 513
profiles 887 in paper space 523
imprinting solids 780 leaders on 522
improving performance obliqued 529
hatch pattern memory requirements 215 ordinate 521
memory-intensive display elements 250 radius 520
included angles in arcs 121, 123, 149 inserting drawings into other drawings. See Xref Manag-
index colors er command or tool (xrm)
current entity color 52 insertion command 101
selecting 71 Insertion Point Snap command (insertion) 101
selecting for layers 297 insertion points
Infinite Line command or tool (infline) 130, 133, 134, attachment points 491
135, 136, 137, 138 base points for drawings 386
infinite lines for blocks 350, 352, 557, 558, 562, 565, 567
defined 1005 for external references 583
drawing 130 for text 478, 480, 485, 491
filleting entities 475 in attribute definitions 573, 574
infline command 130, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138 in extracted attribute file fields 577
Inquiry toolbar tools snapping to 101
coordinates 259 insertobj command 797, 799
distances 377 installing IntelliCAD 21
drawing status 386 int command modifier 37
listing entity info 384 intermediate experience level
time variables 388 changing 3, 900, 913, 921
Insert Block dialog box 353, 565 explained 3
1036

Internet dishes 738

e-mailing drawings 830 domes 739
hyperlinks for 832 spheres 737
opening drawings from 833 layer states
publishing drawings to 833 creating 304
intersection of 3-dimensional entities displaying 307
defined 1005 importing and exporting 307
intersecting solids 753 layers
snapping to 103 assigning materials to 366
Intersection Snap command (intersection) 103 blocks with entities from different layers 556
intervals on entities, marking off 370 BYLAYER property 52–57
invisible data. See attributes changing for text entities 491
invisible edges colors and linetypes 52–54, 296–301
of raster images 612 colors, linetypes, lineweights, and print styles 278
on 3-dimensional faces 720, 721 copying to other drawings 275–276
on 3-dimensional polyface meshes 723 creating and naming 279, 290
invisible layers 277, 279, 291 current layer settings 51, 290, 386
Isolate Entities command or tool (isolateobjects) 420 defined 1005
isolating entities 420 deleting in Explorer 276
isometric drawings displaying layer information 384
defined 1005 displaying layer information for xrefs and blocks
enabling snap and grid settings 81 385
isometric planes freezing and thawing 292, 293
defined 1005 hidden and visible 277, 278, 291, 295
illustrated 84 in entity properties 418
setting current plane 81 Layers dialog box 297, 298, 299, 300
Layers element in Explorer 275, 277
J locking and unlocking 278, 294
Join command or tool (join) 454 overview 6–7, 277–330
joining print settings 295, 296
combining solids 751, 752 printing and nonprinting 277, 291, 295
entities 454, 464, 469 renaming 280
justification selecting entities by layer 393
attribute text 574 setting properties to ByLayer 418
dimension line text 541 status bar information 32
K transparent overlays 6
layerstate command
keyboard shortcuts
apply settings 306
adding or deleting 926
creating 304
customizing 924
displaying 307
KML and KMZ files 617
displaying Layer State Manager 303
L importing and exporting 307
Last Entity In Drawing selection method 393 layout command 630
later states Layout tabs
applying 306 displaying 629, 846
latitude lines print options 641
reordering 632
 1037

layout viewports length of lines

changing size 638 in freehand sketches 139
clipping 638 specifying before drawing 116
creating 633 lengthening entities 441
creating dimensions in 523 lengthening or shortening entities. See resizing entities
defined 1005 levels of entities in arrays 760
invisible borders on 634 levels of precision. See accuracy
locking 638 libraries
maximizing 635 of hatch patterns 215
minimizing 636 of linetype 308, 310
modifying 638 light sources 782, 784, 785, 787, 790
scale factor 636 Lighting command or tool (lighting) 790
selecting 638 lights 784, 785
turning on and off 635 limits
UCS per viewport 638 See also extents
layouts defined 1005
command or tool (layout) 628 displaying entire drawings 239
copying 630 displaying limits for drawings 386
creating from templates 630 drawing limits for printing 649
defined 1005 setting 63, 68
deleting 632 limits tolerance. See tolerances
displaying information for entities 384 lin files (linetype libraries) 310
exporting to model space 631 Line command or tool (line) 116
lineweights 650, 651, 652 Linear command or tool (dimlinear) 513
listing and saving layouts 361 linear dimensions
maximum number 629 aligned 514
model space and paper space defined 627 baseline 515
page setup 361 continued 516
print area and origin 647 creating 512
print options 641 formatting dimension unit display 545
printing 673 illustrated 510
publishing 685 rounding in 544
renaming 632 linear drawing units 58–60
reordering 632 lines
saving as templates 631 adding to arcs 116
scale factor 647 colors in dimensions 536
viewing list of 632 construction lines 132
Layouts list in Explorer 361 converting complex entity sides to 144, 148, 166
Leader command or tool (dimleader) 202, 522, 525 dimensioning angles between lines 518
leader format of multileader styles 204, 206 drawing lines 116
leaders in dimensions extending to boundaries 444
creating 522, 525 filled or outlined on complex entities 144, 148
defined 512, 1005 formats in dimensions 535
leading zeros in dimensions 545 freehand sketches as 140
least material condition (LMC) 549 hiding in 3D entities 786–788
left-aligned text 487 in hatching 215, 261
in polylines 148
1038

infinite lines 130 defined 1005

joining 454, 464 drawings into other applications 813
measuring and marking off intervals 370 editing linked objects 799
moving with grips 437 external reference files 581–592
of text See text entities objects into drawings 797–799
profile tolerance symbols 548 raster images 606
width 145 LISP programs
linetype scale calculating coordinates in rectangular meshes 722
changing global 54 defined 1005
setting current 53 IntelliCAD compatibility 4
linetype scales running programs 973–974
setting up 55 List Entity Info command or tool (list) 384
linetypes List Processing Language. See LISP Programs
changing in entity properties 412 listening to audio notes 962
compatibility with AutoCAD files 3 listing
copying to other drawings 274 blocks and external references 347, 355, 357, 364,
creating new linetypes 312 365, 366, 367
current settings 53, 386 external references 584
default linetypes 279 fonts and text styles 321, 329, 485
defined 1005 hatch patterns 215, 216, 221, 226
deleting in Explorer 276 layers 278
displaying information about entities 384 linetypes 309
displaying information about xrefs and blocks 385 materials 366
drawing scale factor and 62 named views 335, 361
global scale settings 54 print style tables 668
layer settings 277, 297 user coordinate systems 344
library files 310 LMC (least material condition) 549
linetype scale settings 54 Load Application Files dialog box 971, 972, 973
loading additional linetypes 310 load command 964, 973
overriding for entities 298, 309 Load LISP or SDS Application command (appload) 971,
overview 308–309 973
print styles 665 loading
setting up scaling 55 .NET programs 972
status bar information 32 additional linetypes 310
Linetypes element (Explorer) 310, 312 code pages 505
lineweights color books 79
current settings 55 default drawing environment settings 885
defined 1005 LISP programs 971, 973
displaying 253 menu files 942
layer settings 299 profiles 884
overriding for entities 299 raster images 615
print settings 650, 651, 652 location tolerance symbols 548
print styles 665 locations in drawings
scale factor 254 absolute and relative coordinates 259, 263
set default 254 coordinate systems 256
linking display order 439
See also ActiveX; embedding displaying entity coordinates 384
 1039

finding point coordinates 259 measuring and marking entities 370

moving and rotating entities 438–441 memory requirements
obtaining precise point locations 377 for IntelliCAD 20
Lock/Unlock command tool (Explorer) 294 hatch pattern requirements 215
locking layers 278, 294, 1006 memory-intensive display elements 250
locking layout viewports 638 menu files
log file customizing menus 894
setting the default file 839 IntelliCAD compatibility with AutoCAD files 3
loading 942
M Menu Item command 897
M or N direction Menu Sub-Item command 897, 899, 911, 912, 920, 926,
defined 1006 930
in rectangular meshes 722 menus
in surface meshes 724, 725, 726, 728 adding commands 897, 899, 911, 912, 920, 926,
macros 956, 976, 1006 930
See also scripts as part of workspaces 33
magnification of drawings changing experience levels 3, 36, 900, 913, 921
See also scale factors creating new menus 897
magnifying views 5 customizing 894
methods 235 deleting commands from 902, 903
zooming and panning in 3-dimensional drawings displaying and hiding 28
710 displaying with ribbon 25
magnifying glass cursor 235 menu bar illustrated 23
major axes 1006 renaming commands 902
Make Oblique command or tool (dimedit) 529 search path for files 838
Make Snapshot command or tool (msnapshot) 794 starting commands with 36
manual drafting compared to IntelliCAD 5 Mesh command or tool (mesh) 722
MAPI protocol 830 mesh surfaces. See surface meshes
mapimport command 810, 811 Messaging Application Program Interface (MAPI) 830
maps middle-aligned text 487
adding geolocations 617 midpoint of two points 37
display settings 618 Midpoint Snap command (midpoint) 97
removing 619, 622 midpoints of entities 94, 97
margins on drawings. See extents; limits Minimize Viewport command or tool (vpmin) 247, 636
marker blips. See blips minor axes 1006
marker blocks 370 Mirror command or tool (mirror) 429
markers, adding to geographic maps 620 mirror3D command 762
marking off interval on entities 370 mirroring entities 429, 1006
master drawings from component drawings 581 mistakes, correcting 40
material condition symbols 549 MMC (maximum material condition) 549
materials 789 MNS files (AutoCAD menu files) 894, 942
Materials command or tool (materials) 790 MNU files (AutoCAD menu files) 894, 942
Maximize Viewport command or tool (vpmax) 246, 635 model space
maximum material condition (MMC) 549 See also paper space
MDI (multiple-document interface) 3, 248, 1006 copying entities to/from 425, 437
Measure command or tool (measure) 370, 372 defined 1006
measurement lines. See dimensions and dimension styles displaying information for entities 384
1040

overview 8, 626 format of leader structure 206

print options 641 format of leaders 204
snap from paper space 628 renaming 203
switching to 628, 629 setting current 202
switching to paper space 628 Multileader Styles element in Explorer 332
viewport scale factor 636 Multileader Styles Manager command or tool (mleader-
Model tab style) 201
cannot delete 632 multileaders
displaying 629, 846 add leader lines 199
displaying information for entities 384 aligning 200
model space and paper space defined 626 collecting 200
print options 641 creating 196
printing from 624, 673 removing leader lines 199
publishing 685 styles 201
viewports illustrated 626 Multiline command or tool (mline) 151
Modify toolbar 29 multiline styles 318
modifying. See editing Multiline Styles command or tool (mlstyle)
monochrome print style tables 664 assigning to multiline 155
mouse from 3Dconnexion 980 creating 153
mouse shortcuts 39 deleting 156
mouse wheel direction 872 exporting 157
Move command or tool (move) 436 importing 157
moving modifying 154
around in drawings 231 renaming 156
external reference files 587 setting current 155
profiles 887 Multiline Styles element in Explorer 318
prompt boxes 33 multiline text
raster image files 615 creating multileaders 196
toolbars and command bar 23 multilines
moving entities drawing 151
dimension text 531 justification and scale 152
move command 436–438 styles 153
solid faces 774 multiple commands
to other drawings 248 modifying commands 37
to other layers before layer deletion 276 nesting several commands 37
vertices in polylines 467 repeating commands 36
with grips 407 using while commands are active 35
msnapshot command 794 multiple copies
mtext command 480, 503 of entities 422
mtexted command 503 of external references 583
mtp command modifier 37 of layouts 630
Multileader command or tool (mleader) 196 multiple drawings 3, 248
multileader styles 332 multiple monitors 852
assigning 203 multiple views
creating 201 See views and viewports
deleting 203 multiple-document interface (MDI) 3, 248, 1006
format of content 208 mview command 635
 1041

N Object command (insertobj) 797, 799

N direction. See M or N direction object linking and embedding. See Active X
N symbol in extracted attribute file fields 577 oblique angle
named print style tables in dimension lines 529
changing a drawing’s table type 668 in text styles 322, 324, 363, 484, 491
comparing with color-dependent tables 660 offline maps 620
converting to 669 Offset command or tool (offset) 427
copying, renaming, deleting 668 offset copies of entities. See parallel entities
creating 664 offset entities 427
default settings 865 offsetting
defined 659 baseline dimensions 515
modifying 665 solid faces 775
setting current print style 57 text on dimension lines 541
named text styles 484 OLE. See Active X
See also text styles On/Off tool (Explorer) 291
named views 700, 1006 online Help 13, 42
See also views and viewports onweb command 833
navvcube command 705 oops command 560
Nearest Snap command (nearest) 96 Open command or tool (open) 47
negative coordinate locations 256 Open Drawing dialog box 48
nested opening
blocks 556, 1006 color books 75, 78
commands 37 damaged files 49
external reference files 583 drawings from a Web site 833
nested blocks drawings using Recover 857
See also blocks existing drawings 47
network surfaces 745 external references 585
New command (newwiz) 46 files in other formats 595, 800
new drawings 46 files sent through e-mail 831
new features 14 IntelliCAD 22
New Item tool 106, 268, 274 polylines 463
newwiz command 46 profile files 887
node command 101 templates for printed layouts 630
Node Snap command (node) 101 operating system code page 505
non-associative dimensions 511 Options command (config) 838, 839, 840, 841, 842,
nonassociative hatches 1006 843, 844, 846, 848, 851, 853, 854, 860, 861, 862,
none command 105 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 872, 874,
See also Clear Entity Snaps command or tool 888
non-ISO linetypes 666 options, setting or changing 838
nparallel command 102, 108 Ordinate command or tool (dimordinate) 521
numbers, rounding 544–548 ordinate dimensions
numeric fields in extracted attribute file fields 577 creating 521
defined 1006
O illustrated 510
OBJ files organizing information
exporting 820 color books 75, 78
OBJ Out command or tool (objout) 820, 821 for printing 623
1042

on layers 6, 277 P
with blocks 556 page setups
orientation deleting 645
of page 646 publishing to 688
of text 321 Pan command or tool (pan) 232
of view 244, 245, 783 panels on ribbon 906, 909, 910
printing upside down 641, 646, 665 panning
tolerance symbols 548 See also zooming in or out
origin points defined 1007
adding dimensions by selecting origins 512, 513 in 3-dimensional drawings 710
compared to viewpoints in 3-dimensional drawings in viewports 628
698–716 methods 232
defined 1007 viewing drawings by 5
displaying distances in ordinate dimensions 521 paper sheet color 841
of coordinate systems 267, 345 paper size 646
of extension lines 512 paper space
of print areas 650 See also model space
of snap and grid 83 copying or resizing viewports. See model space
specifying locations by 261 copying entities to/from 425, 437
ORTHO setting in status bar 85 defined 1007
orthogonal mode dimensions 523
defined 1007 displaying information for entities 384
displaying current settings 386 editing method 633
overview 7 layout viewports 633
turning on 81, 85 overview 8, 626
orthogonal projection 1007 print options 641
osnap command. See entity snap printing from 361, 625
outlined elements in Explorer 273, 274 scale factor 636
outlining snap from 628
donut lines 165 switching to 628
image frames 612 paragraph text
planes 166 aligning 479, 487, 488, 489, 490, 494
polygon lines 148 converting from line text 494
polyline lines 148 creating 480
rectangle lines 144 parallel
turning off fill display to improve performance 251 dimensions. See baseline dimensions
wire-frame models 716 drawing method, infinite lines and rays 129
output files of extracted attribute data 578 parallel entities
Outside Circle selection method 393, 1007 defined 1007
Outside Polygon selection method 393, 1007 filleting parallel lines 475
Outside Window selection method 393, 1007 parallel copies of entities 427
overlaying external references 583 Parallel Snap 102, 108
overlays. See layers Parallel Snap command (parallel) 102, 108
overscoring text 489, 490 parallelism tolerance symbols 548
partial coordinates 265
passwords for drawings 113
 1043

Paste command or tool Plan View command or tool (plan) 715

Explorer 275 planar entities
pasteclip command 425 converting to 3D 717
Paste command or tool (Explorer) 106, 274 defined 1007
Paste Special command and dialog box 798 planar surfaces 745
pasting planar tops for pyramids 734, 735
embedded objects into drawings 796 Plane command or tool (plane) 165
entities into other drawings 248, 424 planes
layers into other drawings 275 3-dimensional faces 721
linked objects into drawings 798 converting sides to lines 166
settings into other drawings 274 defined 1007
text 482 drawing 165
text in Prompt History window 38 isometric planes 84
patch meshes 728 playing
paths for files audio notes 962
color books 79 scripts 965–970
external references 587 pline command. See Polyline command or tool (polyline)
raster images 616 1008
search paths 838 plotters
patterned printing drawings 673
lines. See linetypes publishing drawings 685
PDF selecting 647
publishing to 691, 693 plotting. See printing drawings
PDF files 817 plus or minus signs 489, 490
pdfattach command 596 pmspace command 628
pen assignments 659–670 point command 127
pen numbers 665 point filters (coordinate filters) 265, 1001
pencil tool 139 Point Light command or tool (pointlight) 784
percent signs 489, 490 Point Selection method 393
performance issues. See improving performance Point Snap 101
perimeters 1007 Point tool 127
calculating areas 373 pointcloudattach command 597
perpendicular distances from origin points 521 points
perpendicular entities See also base points; displacement points; endpoints
defined 1007 of entities; insertion points; midpoints of entities;
infinite lines 130 origin points; start points of entities
rays 129 changing point entity appearance 127
snapping to 94, 99 defined 1007, 1008
Perpendicular Snap command (perpendicular) 99 drawing point entities 127
perpendicularity tolerance symbols 548 finding point coordinates 259
pface command 723 interval marker point entities 370
photo-realistic 782, 788 parallel copies passing through points 428
pipes 742, 743 point locations in coordinate systems 256
plan view snapping parallel 102, 108
coordinate system icons 257 snapping to point entities 101
defined 1007 polar
displaying 3-dimensional drawings 715 arrays of entities 432, 760–762, 1007
1044

coordinates 259, 261 positioning

See also coordinate systems text on dimension lines 540
POLAR setting in status bar 86 positioning dimensions
polar tracking, turning on 86 aligned dimensions 514
Polyface Mesh command or tool (pface) 723 angular dimensions 517
polyface meshes 723 arc dimensions 518, 519
Polygon command (polygon) 146 baseline dimensions 515
polygon meshes diameter dimensions 520
edge-defined Coons surface patch meshes 728 dimension text 530
extruded surface meshes 724 horizontal or vertical dimensions 513
revolved surface meshes 726 leaders and annotations 522, 525
ruled surface meshes 724 radius dimensions 520
Polygon, Center-Side tool 147 text and arrowhead positioning 542
Polygon, Center-Vertex tool 146 positioning entities 436
polygons See also insertion points
See also polygon meshes 1008 blocks 564
calculating area and perimeter 373 moving entities 407
clipped images 613 positive coordinate locations 256
converting sides to lines 148 ppreview command 671
defined 1008 precision. See accuracy
drawing 146 preferences command. See config command
editing 462 prefixes on dimension text 545
using as selection windows 395 presentations 794
Polyline command or tool (polyline) 148 Preset Viewpoints
polylines command or tool (setvpoint) 698, 699
chamfering 471 dialog box 699
converting entities to polylines 462 previewing
converting segments to entities 148 block images 348
curving and decurving 463 files before opening 48, 112, 242
defined 1008 print jobs 671
donuts 163 Previous Selection selection method 393
drawing 148 print area 649, 650
editing 462 print command 673
editing vertices 466 Print command or tool (print) 673
extending to boundaries 444 Print dialog box 650
filleting entities 473 Print Preview command or tool (ppreview) 671
freehand sketches as 139 Print Style Table Editor dialog box 667
joining 464 print style tables
measuring and marking off intervals 370 assigning 663
opening and closing 148, 463 changing drawing’s type 668
polygons 146 comparing types 660
rectangles 144 copying, renaming, deleting 668
tapering 148, 444 creating 664
width 148, 465 default settings 865
position markers 620 explained 659
position tolerance symbols 548 getting started with 661
modifying 665
 1045

search paths 838 projected tolerances 547, 549

turning off 670 projection lines. See extension lines
print styles prompt boxes
changing in entity properties 418 choosing command options 33
default settings 865 defined 1008
explained 659 turning off 33, 841
layer settings 301 Prompt History window
modifying 665 defined 1008
setting current 57 displaying drawing information 384
printers navigating with arrow keys 847
printing drawings 673 tracking history 38, 847
publishing drawings 685 prompts in status bar 573
selecting 647, 653 Properties command or tool (entprop)
printing changing entity properties 243, 412, 419, 636
customizing the scales list 64 changing viewport properties 638
printing drawings Explorer 106, 274, 297, 298, 299, 300, 324, 363
default print style settings 865 setting elevation and thickness 719
drawing limits 649 properties, selection by 397, 402, 405
getting started 624 properties, setting to ByLayer 418
headers and footers 865 proxies
layer control 295, 296 selecting 398
layout viewports 633 publish command 685, 689, 691, 693
lineweights 650, 651, 652 Publish command or tool (publish) 685
paper size and orientation 646 publishing drawings
paper space 8 automatically 695
plotter drivers 647 publishing sheet lists 685
previewing before printing 671 to the Internet 833
print styles 659–670 pull-down menus 895
printing and nonprinting layers 277, 291, 295 purge tool 277
printing drawings 673 purging 66
rendered drawings 790 Pyramid command or tool (pyramid) 733, 734, 735
scale factors 62, 647 pyramids
selecting printer 647 drawing 733
setting the scale 647 editing 462
upside down 641, 646, 665
profile tolerance symbols 548 Q
profiles 870, 883–887 qtext command 251
copying 886 quadrant points of entities 100, 1008
creating 884 Quadrant Snap command (quadrant) 100
deleting 886 quadrilateral filled planes 165
explained 883 quality of images 611
exporting 887 Quick Select selection method 393
importing 887 Quick Text feature 251
loading 884 quitting IntelliCAD 43
renaming 886 R
profiles for revolved surface meshes 726–728
radial dimensions 510, 512, 519
programming IntelliCAD 970–977
1046

radians 1008 rectangular

radii of entities arrays of entities 430, 433, 435, 760, 1008
arc 121 boxes 729
arcs 149 clipped images 613
circles 117, 118 filled planes 165
cylinders 735 Redo tool 40
defined 1008 redoing actions 40, 1008
dishes 738 See also undoing actions
domes 739 redrawing screen 230, 1008
filleting entities 473 See also regenerating drawings 230
pipes 742, 743 reducing or enlarging view of drawings 235
spheres 737 reference
tori 740, 746, 748, 749, 750 geometry 583
Radius command or tool (dimradius) 520 grid. See grid settings
radius dimensions 520, 1008 Reference Grid tool 80
Radius-Tangent-Tangent circle method 117 reflections 788
RAM requirements. See memory requirements refreshing screen 230
raster images regardless of feature size (RFS) condition 549
attaching 606 Regen command or tool (regen) 230, 251
changing paths 616 regenall command 230
clipping 613 regenerating drawings
deleting 616 See also redrawing screen 1008, 1009
modifying 608 after editing text styles 324
unloading and loading 615 after enabling Quick Text 251
Ray command or tool (ray) 129 compared to redrawing 230
ray tracing 788 defined 1008, 1009
defined 1008 Region command or tool (region) 744
rays regions 744
defined 1008 slicing and sectioning 772
drawing 129 relative coordinates
extending to boundaries 444 See also absolute coordinates; user coordinate sys-
filleting 475 tems (UCS); World Coordinate System (WCS)
read-only files 48 1009
Real-Time Pan command (rtpan) 233 3-dimensional coordinate systems 262
Real-Time Zoom command (rtzoom) 236, 237, 238, 239 defined 1009
Record Script command or tool (recscript) 965, 967 point filters 265
recording audio notes 960 polar coordinates 261
recording scripts 40, 965 spherical and cylindrical coordinates 263
Recover command (recover) 49 relinking external reference files 587
Rectangle command or tool (rectangle) 144 reloading
rectangles external reference drawings 356, 359, 582, 587
converting sides to lines 144 raster images 615
defined 1008 Remove Leader Lines command or tool (aimmleaderre-
drawing 144 move) 199
editing 462 removing the current scale from entities 241
squares 144 removing. See deleting
Rename Command (Explorer) 280
 1047

renaming named views 338, 702, 703

attribute definitions 575 previous view of drawing 238, 247
blocks 350, 359 restricting. See constraining drawing
commands in menus 902 reusing information 5
dimension styles 534 copying settings into other drawings 275
layers 280 drawing environment settings 870, 875, 883
layouts 632 IntelliCAD compared to manual drafting 8
linetypes 317 layouts 630
multileader styles 203 reusing entire blocks and drawings 10
multiline styles 156 Reverse command or tool (reverse) 441
print style tables 668 Revision Cloud command or tool (revcloud) 193
profiles 886 revision clouds
ribbon items 915, 923 custom settings 194
Render command or tool (render) 784, 785, 786, 787, drawing 193
788, 791, 792 drawing using existing entities 194
rendering 3-dimensional entities 782 editing 194
reordering Revolved Surface command or tool (revsurf) 726, 727
entities 439 revolved surface meshes 726, 1009
Layout tabs 632 revolving solids 747
repeating commands 36 RFS (regardless of feature size condition) 549
replacing dimension text with new text 531 ribbon
replacing text 492 adding panels and commands 906, 909, 910
reporting data 389 as part of workspaces 33
Reposition Dimension Text command or tool (dimedit) copying items 915, 923, 927, 931
531 creating new ribbon tabs 906, 908, 909
resetting timer 388 customizing 24, 904
resizing deleting commands from 916
layout viewports 638 displaying and hiding 24, 26
lineweights during printing 650 displaying with menus 28
toolbars 29 minimizing 25
viewports 638 renaming items 915, 923
resizing entities starting commands with 35
arrowheads 539 ribbon files
changing length 450 customizing ribbon 904–916
extending to boundaries 444 right-aligned text 479, 487, 488, 489, 490, 494
scaling 442 right-click menus 23, 872
stretching 441–442 right-click shortcuts 39
trimming or clipping 447 right-hand rule to determine coordinates 262, 1009
resolution Rotate command or tool (rotate) 438
map image 621 Rotate Dimension Text command or tool (dimedit) 530
Restore Text Position command or tool (dimedit) 531, rotating
532 3-dimensional entities 759
restoring angles in attribute text 574
changed blocks to originals 568 angles in elliptical arc drawing methods 126
default drawing environment settings 885 blocks 350, 352, 562, 564–565
deleted entities 421 coordinate systems 267
dimension text to home position 531 creating 3D arrays 761
1048

dimension text 530 in other formats 814

dimensions. See aligned dimensions layouts as templates 631
entities 438, 758, 1009 named views 337
grid 83 new complex linetypes 313–317
images 608 new linetypes 312–317
printed page 641, 646, 665 passwords with drawings 113
solid faces 775 profile settings 883
text 478, 486, 491 sketches as part of drawings 139
viewpoints in 3-dimensional drawings 709 snapshots 794
views 233, 704 tracking last save time 388
visualizing rotation direction 262 user coordinate system 257, 267, 268
rotation points viewport configuration 247
defined 1009 Scale command or tool (scale) 443
specifying 438 scale factor
rounding corners on entities. See filleting lineweights 254
rounding numbers in dimension display 544 scale factors
roundness tolerance symbols 548 blocks 350, 352, 564
rows and columns of entities. See rectangular arrays of drawing to scale 5–6
entities drawing units 58
rtrot command 234, 714, 715 floating viewports 636
rubber-band lines 1009 in dimensions 545
Ruled Surface command or tool (rulesurf) 724 linetype scale 54
ruled surface meshes 724, 1009 magnifying view by precise scale factor 238
running printing lineweights 650
entity snaps 94, 1009 printing to scale 647
IntelliCAD 22 scaling entities 442
VBA programs 976 understanding drawing scale factors 62
runout tolerance symbols 548 viewports 636
scale lists
S customizing 64
SAT files scales list 66
importing 800 purging 66
Save As command or tool (saveas) 112 scaling. See resizing entities; scale factors
Save Block dialog box 354 scientific drawing units 60
Save Block to Disk screen display
command or tool (wblock) 560, 561, 562 customizing 840
tool (Block toolbar) 348 magnifying 5
Save command or tool (save) 43, 111 redrawing and regenerating 230
Save/Restore View command or tool (view) 337, 700 turning off memory-intensive display elements 250
saving screenshots (snapshots) 794
attributes 573 Script Recorder 40
blocks 350 script syntax 967
blocks as drawing files 560, 561, 562 scripts defined 1009
blocks as separate drawing files 354 scroll bars 231
color books 75, 78 displaying 840
default Save As format 855 SDF files (Space Delineated Format) 577
drawings 43 SDS programs 4, 41, 1009
 1049

search paths for files 587, 838 renaming dimension styles 534
searching text 492 rounding off numbers 544
sectioning solids 772 text positioning 540, 543
security for drawings 113 settings
segmented dimension lines. See continued dimensions arrows and arrowheads 538
segments Artisan Renderer 791
converting polyline segments into curves 463 blips display 253
defined 1009 blocks and external references 347, 348, 353, 354,
editing in polylines 148 355, 357, 364, 365, 366, 367
measuring and marking off intervals on entities 370 colors 296
Select All Entities selection method 393 coordinate systems 273, 344
Select Color command 297 default drawing environment 885
Select Font dialog box 485 default print style table options 865
Select Layer by Entity command or tool (setlayer) 291 dimension styles 153, 154, 190, 191, 201, 533
Select Similar command or tool (selectsimilar) 404, 405 distances and angles display 258
Select Toolbars dialog box 29–30 drawing environment 870, 875, 883
selecting entities elevation and thickness 716–721
adding or removing entities from sets 407 entity snap 94
by block name 398 fills 250
by filter 397 grip display options 408
by properties 397, 402, 405 highlighting 411
by proxy 398 layers 51, 274–301
by type 399 linetypes 274
by value 403 lineweights 253, 299
highlighting 252, 411 materials 366
matching specific properties 393 mesh surfaces 724
quick select 402, 405 multileader styles 332
selection methods 392 multiline styles 318
to copy or duplicate 422, 426, 430 Quick Text display 251
to delete 420, 421 setting layers by selecting entities 291
with audio notes 961 shaded surfaces 787
selection table styles 326
sets 392, 1009 text styles 273, 321, 484
windows 393 user coordinate systems 267
Selection modes 392 views 273, 335, 337, 361
semicolon 967 visual styles 340
separating solids 780 Settings pane in Explorer 273
Set Z All command (setz) 50 setucs command 268, 269
setbylayer command 419 setvpoint command 698, 699
setdim command 329 Shade command or tool (shade) 787
arrows and arrowheads 538, 540, 542 shaded image 787
baseline dimension offset 515 shading surfaces of 3-dimensional entities 787, 1009
blocks and external references 273 shadows 784, 788, 790
creating dimension styles 533 shape command 964
deleting dimension styles 535 sheet lists
dimension line colors 536 creating 685
formatting dimension text 540 modifying 688
1050

publishing automatically 695 snap

shelling solids 780 angle 1009
shortcut menus 872 grids 1009
shortcuts model space from paper space 628
adding access keys to commands 900 resolution 1009
customizing keyboard shortcuts 924 settings. See entity snap
displaying shortcut menus 23 tool 82
entity snaps menu 94 SNAP setting in status bar 82
keyboard 39 snapshots
using the mouse 39 defined 1010
shortening entities 441 saving 794
shortening or lengthening entities. See resizing entities solid
SHP files (fonts) 322 boxes 729
SHX files (fonts) 322 composites 751
sides of entities cones 731
editing polygons 148 cylinders 736
editing polylines 148 dishes 738
editing rectangles 144 domes 739
maximum number for polygons 146 extruding solids 746, 748, 749, 750
specifying to draw polygons 148 filled planes 165
simple entities 115 fills 250
See also types of entities (lines; rays; arcs; and so on) pyramids 733
simulating regions 744
3-dimensional drawings 84 revolving solids 747
paper output on screen. See paper space spheres 737
size tetrahedrons 733
of files. See file size tori 740
of grips 408 wedges 730
of printed drawings 63–67 Solutions Development System (SDS) 4, 41, 1009
of text. See text height sound clips 960
size of entities Space Delimited Format files 577
displaying size information 384 SpaceMouse 980
point entities 127 spacing
resizing. See resizing entities for entity snap 82
sketch command. See freehand command 139 in reference grid 80
sketching freehand entities 139 special characters 489, 490
slanted speed of processing. See improving performance
dimensions. See aligned dimensions Spelling command or tool (spell) 496, 497, 498
text. See obliquing angle spelling of text 498
SLD files (snapshots) 794 Sphere command or tool (sphere) 737, 738
slicing solids 773 spheres, drawing 737
slide spherical coordinates 263, 1010
files 794 See also coordinates
shows 794 Spline command or tool (spline) 159
small tool icons 30 splines
smoothing angle 791 closing entities 160, 161
drawing 159
 1051

fit tolerance 159 straightness tolerance symbols 548

splitting entities 451 Stretch command or tool (stretch) 441
Spot Light (spotlight) 785 stretching
spotlights 788 entities 407, 441
squares 145 text 487
stacking entities in arrays 760 style command (Explorer) 323, 362
standard styles
multileader style 332 annotative 66
multiline style 318 dimension styles 533
table style 326 multileader styles 201
text style 321, 484 multiline styles 153
Standard toolbar 29 print styles 659
start arrows 538 text styles 484
start points of entities stylesmanager command
line entities 116 copying print style tables 668
methods of drawing arcs 121, 149 deleting print style tables 668
starting modifying print style tables 666
direction of arcs 121 new print style tables 664
IntelliCAD 22 renaming print style tables 668
new drawings with templates 22, 46 subtended angles 517
points for moving entities. See base points Subtract From Set selection method 393
script recording 965 subtracting areas of combined entities 376–377
starting commands subtracting solids 752
from command bar 36 suffixes on dimension text 545
from menus 36 surface
from the ribbon 35 material properties 788
from tool palettes 35 of revolution 1010
from toolbars 36 profile tolerance symbols 548
status bar shading 787
assistance with IntelliCAD functions 13 surface meshes
displaying cursor position 258 density 724, 725, 727, 728
illustrated 23, 32 edge-defined Coons surface patch meshes 728
prompts for commands 894 extruded mesh surfaces 724
viewing model space and paper space 628 polyface meshes 723
status command 386 rectangular meshes 722
status of drawings, displaying 50, 386 revolved surface meshes 726
STB files ruled surface meshes 724
assigning 663 surface models
changing a drawing’s table type 668 See also wire-frame models
compared with CTB files 660 defined 716
converting to 669 removing lines and applying shading 782–788
creating 664 SVG files
default settings 865 defined 1010
defined 659 switching between model space and paper space 628
modifying 665 switching between monitors 852
Stop Recording command or tool (stopscript) 966 symbols
straightening curves in polylines 463 datum reference letters 550
1052

material condition symbols 549, 550 text

special characters in text 489, 490 for multileaders 196
symmetry tolerance 548 text annotations 522
tolerance 548, 550 Text command or tool (dtext)
synchronizing drawing in Artisan Renderer 792 adding text entities 478
syntax setting text style 485
macros in .cui files 956 specifying alignment 487
scripts 967 text editor 503
SYSCODEPAGE 505 text entities
system requirements for IntelliCAD 20 See also text height; text in attributes; text on dimen-
system variables 1010 sion lines
adding text to drawings 478
T alignment 487
table styles 326 alternate text editor 503
Table Styles element in Explorer 326 attachment points 485, 491
tables, mapping print settings 659 backward or upside-down text 484
tabsurf command 725 changing properties 491
tabulated surfaces 1010 character sets 505
Tangent Arc tool 124 code page 505
tangent command 99 color 491
tangent entities 1010 compressing or expanding 487
drawing arcs tangent to an arc or line 124 control codes and special characters 489, 490
drawing circles tangent to entities 119, 120 converting line text to paragraph text 494
drawing donuts tangent to entities 164 editing text 491
snapping to 94, 99 fields 496
tangent points on splines 160, 161 find and replace 492
Tangent Snap command (tangent) 99 fitting between two points 487
tapered polylines 148, 468 insertion points 101, 478, 485
after joining 464 layer settings 491
changing width 465 obliquing 484
results of extending 444 paragraph text 480
tapering solid faces 776 Quick Text feature 251
target box for entity snaps 94 rotation angle 478
templates short lines of text 478
basing new drawings on 46 spelling 498
default icad.dwt template 22 text styles 484
defined 1010 turning off display to improve performance 252
for extracted attribute files 577–578 width 484
for printed layouts 630 text files
importing 800 templates for extracted attribute files 577
opening new drawings with 22 text height
saving from layouts 631 calculating for different scale factors 62
setting default template 839 changing height 324, 363
temporary files search path 838 drawing scale factor and 62
terrain models 722 in dimension styles 541
tetrahedrons 733 printed drawings and 62
short lines of text 478
 1053

specifying 67, 486, 491 Tile Horizontally command 244

text styles 484 Tile Vertically command 244
text in attributes 574, 575 tiling windows 244
text on dimension lines tilting. See obliquing angle
colors 541 time stamps on printouts 865
formatting and positioning 540, 542 Time Variables command or tool (time) 388
illustrated 510 timers
moving text 531 for AutoSave 856
prefixes or suffixes 545 tracking drawing sessions 388
replacing with new text 531 title blocks
restoring to home position 531 adding in paper space 626
rotating 530 as available in each view 8
specifying text styles in dimension styles 541 Tolerance command or tool (tolerance) 550
text size. See text height tolerances
text styles adding geometric tolerances to drawings 548
annotative 321, 484 composite tolerances 549
applying 485 datum reference letters 550–551
attribute text 574 defined 1010
changing styles 491 in Geometric Tolerances dialog box 550
compatibility with AutoCAD files 3 limits tolerance 1010
copying to other drawings 275 material condition symbols 547, 549
creating new styles 322, 484 projected tolerances 549
current text style 320, 325, 334, 343 symbols, defined 548
deleting in Explorer 276 tolerance commands 1010
editing attribute definitions 575 variance tolerance 1010
editing styles 322 tool palettes
listing available styles 485 starting commands from 35
overview 321 toolbar
vertical, upside-down, or backward text 322 customizing Quick Access toolbar 24, 26, 27, 889,
Text Styles dialog box 485 890, 892
Text Styles element in Explorer 321 toolbars and tools
text-based data. See attributes as part of workspaces 33
thawing layers 292, 293, 1010 compared to manual drafting 6
Thickness command or tool (thickness) 716 creating new toolbars 918
thickness in 3-dimensional entities 1010 customizing tools and toolbars 23, 916
See also elevation in 3-dimensional entities defined 1011
changing in entity properties 412 displaying and hiding toolbars 29
default thickness 716 docking or floating toolbars 29
three-dimensional drawings. See 3-dimensional drawings entity snaps tools 94
three-dimensional entities. See 3-dimensional entities Explorer tools 106, 274
three-point flyouts 36, 919
arc method 121 illustrated 23
through points 428, 1010 large tool icons 30, 898, 911, 919
thumbnails of blocks 348 size and color of tools 29
thumbnails of drawings 47 starting commands from 36
tick marks on dimension lines 538 triangles on tools 919
tiers of dimensions. See baseline dimensions
1054

ToolTips orthogonal setting 85

adding to tools 916 polar tracking setting 86, 88, 92, 108, 109
assistance with IntelliCAD tools 13 print style tables 670
turning on or off 29 prompt boxes 33, 841
top-aligned text 487 reference grid 80
tori 740, 746, 748, 749, 750, 1011 snap settings 82
total runout tolerance symbols 548 solid fill display 250
Trace command (trace) 158 text display 251
tracking wipeout frames 192
command history 38, 847 xref clipping boundaries 592
last files used 48 turning off
number of entities 347 AutoComplete at the command bar 31
trailing zeros in dimensions 545 two-dimensional
transferring drawings to other people 589 drawings. See 2-dimensional drawings 259
transmitting drawings 825 entities. See 2-dimensional entities 259
transparent two-point circle method 117
commands 1011 txt2mtxt command 494
images 609 typing commands
overlays. See layers aliases 928
triangles on tools 919 entity snap commands 94, 97
triangular filled planes 165 in command bar 36
Trim command or tool (trim) 447 to load custom programs 973
trimming
external references 590 U
printed drawings 649 UCS. See user coordinate systems (UCS) 267
trimming entities undelete command (undelete) 421, 558
chamfering 469 underscore characters 247, 630, 632
filleting 473 underscoring text 489, 490
troubleshooting undoing actions 40
drawing disappears from paper space 628 See also redoing actions
lineweight display 253 Unicode characters 504
profile settings not saved 884 uniform width for polylines 465
setting layout viewport borders as invisible 634 unisolating entities 420
text display 505 units. See drawing units
wipeout display 191 unloading
true colors external references 586
current entity color 52 print style tables 670
selecting for layers 297 raster images 615
turning features on and off unlocking layers 294, 1011
annotation scaling 240 updatefield command 497
turning features on or off updating
AutoSave 856 all instances of blocks 556, 567, 568
blips 253 attribute values 576, 580
entity snaps 105 block definitions 567, 568
grips 408 drawing in Artisan Renderer 792
highlighting 252, 411 drawings inserted as blocks 353
image frames 612 external references 581, 587
 1055

file paths for external references 587

file paths for raster images 616
upside-down printing 641, 646, 665
upside-down text 484, 491
user coordinate systems (UCS)
See also coordinates, World Coordinate System (WCS)
command (Explorer) 268, 345
command or tool (setucs) 267
current UCS 346
defined 257, 1011
defining per layout viewport 638
defining systems 267, 345
dialog box 267
listing 344
plan views of drawings 715
preset user coordinate systems 269
user levels. See experience levels

V
validated attribute values 574
values
editing attribute values 576, 580
extracting attribute values 577
variable attribute values 573
variables
dimension variables 533
system variables 1010
variance tolerance
See also tolerances
variations in geometry. See tolerances
vba command 977
VBA macros command (vbarun) 976
VBA programs 4, 1011
vbarun command 976
vectors 1011
vertical
drawing method (construction lines) 134
drawing method (infinite lines) 130
drawing method (rays) 129
grid spacing 80
orientation for text 484
text orientation 324, 363
vertical dimensions
creating 513–514
defined 1011
illustrated 510
1056 CHAPTER

vertical drawing method

construction lines 132
vertices
chamfering 471
defined 1011
drawing polygons 146
editing polyline vertices 466
filleting 474–475
View command (Explorer) 337
View Cube command (navvcube) 704
View Snapshot
command or tool (vsnapshot) 795
dialog box 795
snapshots 795
viewing
See also views and viewports; windows 1011
3-dimensional drawings 698
command bar 30
drawing thumbnails 47
dynamic view controls 709
external references 584
hiding lines in 3-dimensional entities 786
layout viewports 635
list of layouts 632
locked layers 294
Model and Layout tabs 846
panning drawings 232
plan view 715
print jobs before printing 671
print style tables 665
Prompt History window 38
redrawing screen 230
regenerating drawings 230
rotating the view 233
scroll bars 840
shading on entities 787
text 505
thawed layers 292, 293
ToolTips 29
turning layers on 291
using the view cube 704
viewpoints in 3-dimensional drawings 698
workspaces 34
zooming 235
viewpoints in 3-dimensional drawings 1011
viewports
maximizing 246
 1057

minimizing 247
views and viewports
See also model space; paper space 1011
arranging windows 244
changing properties 338, 638
copying views to other drawings 106, 274
creating layout viewports 633
deleting views in Explorer 276
displaying entire drawings 239
height and width of views 700
invisible borders on layout viewports 634
layout viewports overview 633
listing named views 335–337, 700
moving around in viewports 231
multiple views 244
orientation of viewports 245, 783
restoring named views 338, 703
restoring previous view of drawing 238
saving view configuration 247, 337, 700
scale factor 636
switching between model and paper space 628
turning on and off 635
viewport configuration defined 1011
viewports defined 626, 1011
views defined 1011
zooming and panning 633
visibility of layers 277, 279, 291
visible
attributes 573
grid. See grid settings
Visual Basic Editor command (vba) 977
Visual Basic for Applications 4
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) 4, 976, 1011
visual styles 340
Visual Styles element in Explorer 340
visualizing coordinate systems 262

W
walkflysettings command 708
warnings when opening drawings 857
WAV files 960
wblock command 560, 561, 562
WCS. See Word Coordinate System (WCS)
Web sites
accessing IntelliCAD 833
hyperlinks for 832
opening files from 833
1058 CHAPTER

publishing drawings for 833

Wedge command or tool (wedge) 730
wedges 730, 1012
what’s new 14
width
after creating regions 744
after exploding 456
after joining 464
changing the polyline width 465
lineweight settings 55
of donuts 164
of fields in extracted attribute files 577
of lines 145
of polylines 148, 468
printing lineweights 650, 651, 652
width of text
in text styles 322, 324, 363, 484
specifying 491
Window Circle selection method 393
Window Polygon selection method 393, 395
Window-Inside selection method 393, 394
Windows
metafiles. See WMF files
windows
See also views and viewports 1011
arranging 244
cascading 244
displaying entire drawings 239
listing and saving named views 700
main IntelliCAD window 23
model space and paper space defined 626
moving around in 231
multiple views 244
opening new windows 244
saving arrangements 247
selection windows 393
tiling 244
unique numbers 244
Windows Clipboard
See Clipboard
embedding objects into drawings 796
embedding objects into other applications 811, 832
linking drawings into other applications 813
Wipeout command or tool (wipeout) 191
wipeouts 191–193
wire-frame models
See also surface models
 1059

defined 716, 1012

removing lines and applying shading 786
witness lines. See extension lines
WMF files
defined 1012
snapshots 794
workspaces 33
World Coordinate System (WCS)
defined 1012
overview 257
plan views of drawings 715
selecting 269
working with coordinate systems 344
World tool (Explorer) 106, 274
Write, Then Resume option (freehand command) 139
writing sketches into drawings 139

X
x-axis
in coordinate systems 256
xclip command
deleting 592
polyline clipping boundaries 591
rectangular clipping boundaries 591
turning xref clipping on and off 592
Xlines 130
See also infinite lines
xlsimport command 809
x-ordinate dimensions 521
Xplode command or tool (xplode) 457
Xref Manager command or tool (xrm) 581, 582
attaching or detaching external references 583
binding external references 589
changing file paths 587
clipping 590
defined 347, 1004
inserting drawings as 356, 359
nesting 583
overlaying 583
overview 581
reloading or updating 587
reusing entire blocks and drawings 10
xrm command
See also Xref Manager command or tool (xrm)
attaching external references 583
binding external path names 589
clipping boundaries 590
1060 CHAPTER

detaching external references 586

moving or changing the path name 588
opening external references 585
reloading or uploading external references 587
search path for files 838
searching for external references 588
unloading external references 586
viewing external references 585

Y
y-axis
in coordinate systems 256
y-ordinate dimensions 521

Z
z-axis
in coordinate systems 256
z-coordinates in elevation 716, 719
zero angle settings 60
Zoom All tool 239
Zoom Center tool 239
Zoom command (alignspace) 637
Zoom command (zoom) 235, 636
Zoom In command or tool (zoom) 235, 238
Zoom Left tool 238
Zoom Out tool 235
Zoom Previous tool 238
zooming in or out
aligning viewports 637
changing mouse wheel zoom direction 872
changing viewport scale factor 636
defined 1012
in 3-dimensional drawings 710
in print preview window 672
in viewports 633
overview 235
viewing drawings 5
zooming methods 235