Lynn Allen's Blog

Sneak Peak at the Autodesk University 2013 Course Schedule!

Shhhhhhhh...even though registration for Autodesk University 2013 hasn't officially opened yet - the AU Blog has kindly posted a spreadsheet of the classes we can look forward to!  If you're like me and can't wait to see what tasty morsels will be served at this year's premier training event - then be sure to take a look!

Note:  It's a great big spreadsheet...not nearly as easy to work with as it will be when registration goes live - but it is definitely a sneak peak!  Check it out!

Are you going to be joining me at this year's AU?  I can hardly wait!

 

Awesome new DIMCONTINUEMODE in AutoCAD 2014

We've all been there - we add on a baseline dimension only to realize that we forgot to switch to the dimension style of the original base dimension.  Ugh!  Why doesn't AutoCAD just know that we always want continued and baseline dimensions to use the same style as the base?  AutoCAD 2014 to the rescue! (all you drafting teachers can now relax at the atrocity of it all!)

The system variable DIMCONTINUEMODE has been added to AutoCAD 2014 to correct just such atrocities (and besides...we don't have quite enough system variables in AutoCAD).  When DIMCONTINUEMODE is set to 1 - which is (thankfully) the default - baseline and continued dimensions will follow along with all the style of the base dimension.  As it should be!

Cool everyday features in AutoCAD 2014

While it's always the big features that get all the attention when a new release of AutoCAD comes out - it's the everyday features that often provide the biggest bang for your buck!  Let me give you a couple of examples:

1.  Now you can use the control key to easily reverse direction when drawing an arc.    
 AutoCAD just loves to draw arcs counter clockwise - doesn't it? Now you can help AutoCAD kick the CCW habit by simply holding down the control key.

2.  With AutoCAD 2014 you can FINALLY fillet an open polyline to itself. Hoorah!

3. Blocks with attributes - now display the dialog by default.
Essentially - the system variable ATTDIA is set to 1 (as it should be)

4.Single line text maintains the last justification setting!
You know what I'm talking about here...you use the Center justification for DTEXT and it resorts right back to Starting point (left justified) the next time you execute the DTEXT command (or TEXT for that matter).  AutoCAD 2014 will remember the last justification and set it as the default for the next time you use single line text.

So there are a few cool AutoCAD 2014 features...more to come soon!