Closed polyline. Display area (dynamic).

Do you want to display the area inside of a closed polyline?

1. Draw a polyline. Make sure it's closed.
2. Use the MTEXT command to make a textbox inside (or outside) of the polyline.
3. While editing the text, click on the right mouse-button.
4. Choose "insert field"



5. Field name: "Choose OBJECT".
6. Object type: Pick polyline. (button)
7. Click at the polyline.
8. Property: AREA

The text will display the area inside of the closed polyline. If you are editing the polyline the text will update. You might have to do the regen-command (RE).

You might also use a quickleader instead of the MTEXT. (The textfield on a quickleader is actually a MTEXT).

Change Properties

Do you want to change an objects properties by using a command?

Use the CHPROP command.
I think it is especially usefull if I want to move an object to a different layer.

Procedure:
CHPROP
Choose object. Enter.
LA (layer...)
Type the name of the destination layer.
Enter

Probably not a command you will use all the time, but it might be good to know about.

Things are running slow.. Autocad 2008. Slow paste?

This is a common problem especially for AutoCad 2008 users. It might also be a problem if you are using a file made with Autocad 2008 in a newer Autocad version.

If things seems to run slower than before, you might have a long list of annotation scales in your drawing.
This can slow things up quite a bit.

Trick:
Use Ctrl-C to copy some objects.
Paste with Ctrl-V.

If the paste procedure are running slow, than you will have to clean up your annotation scales.
This can be done manually, or you can simply download the application CLEANUPSCALES at the Autodesk Homepage.
I promise this will make your life much easier. :-)

AutoCad 2011. Escape key stopped working.

Some days ago my escape key stopped working while using Autocad 2011.
I tried to unselect some objects, but the escape key just did not react..

After a reboot it happend once again.

Solution:
I found out that this is a well known bug. Autodesk have made a hotfix that you will have to run to get rid of the problem. You can find the hotfix here at the Autodesk homepage.

AutoCad 2011. First impression..

I have been using Autocad 2011 for some weeks now, and I think it is time for me to share my first impressions about it.

First of all i must say I like some of the new features.

- More options for editing polylines.

- Isolate, and hide objects. I have been using this for a while in Civil 3D. (Good stuff).

- Add selected. Ex. Click at an arc. Use the add selected feature, and you can start drawing a new arc at the same layer and with the same properties as the arc you first clicked. Click at ex. a pline, and you can do the same thing. Really usefull.

- Select similar. It's back! It disappeard from Autocad in the 2007 version, but now it's back. Finally! It makes quick select look stupid. :-)

There is a lot of other new stuff like better 3D features, a lot of predefined materials and more. But i have not tried out these things yet.

This far I am happy about the new features... BUT!! There is one thing that I really don't like. Autocad 2011 seems to be demaning a lot more memory than both Autocad 2010 and Civil 3D 2010.
Fatal errors and "Autocad is running out of memory...." has been seen a lot lately.

So... 64 bits... here I come..... (soon.... hopefully...)

Shortcut (Move, rotate, scale)

Nice one here:

- Click at any object.
- Click once at one of the grip points (It should turn red).
- Press space --> The MOVE command is activated.
- Press space two times --> The ROTATE command is activated.
- Press space three times --> The SCALE command is activated.

It might sound a bit complicated, but try it. It will save you some time.
:-)

New in AutoCad 2011 - Isolate

One of the new commands in Autocad 2011 is the ISOLATEOBJECTS-command.
You can use this to isolate all selected objects. It actually hides all objects expect those you have selected, without freezing any layers.

You can also use the command HIDEOBJECTS. This will hide all selected objects.

To get the objects back, simply type UNISOLATEOBJECTS.

All of these commands also have a shortcut on the right mouse button menu.