AutoCAD 2004 Customization Tutorial: Managing
Tool Palettes
By Alireza Parsai,
May 21, 2003
Tool Palettes window is one of the new features in AutoCAD 2004.
With the help of Tool Palettes you have easily access to some of
your favorite blocks and/or hatch patterns. The following
tutorial helps you to use and manage the window effectively.
1.
Download
managetpw.dwg.
2.
Open the drawing file in AutoCAD 2004.
3. If
Tool Palettes window is not visible press Ctrl+3 to enable it
[Figure 1].
Figure 1 -
Click on image to enlarge
4.
Right-click on the Tool Palettes window title bar. Make sure
that Allow docking is selected.
5.
Drag the window to the right side of the screen to dock it
[Figure 2].
Figure 2
6.
Right-click on the Tool Palettes scroll bar. Deselect Allow
docking.
7.
Click Auto-hide icon [Figure 3].
Figure 3
8.
Move the mouse outside the Tool Palette area. The window
collapses to its title bar.
9.
Click the Auto-hide icon again to disable this feature.
10.
Invoke Zoom-extents. Part of the drawing will hide beneath the
Tool Palettes window.
11.
Click the Properties icon [Figure 4].
Figure 4
12. In
the shortcut menu select Transparency. The Transparency dialog
box appears [Figure 5].
Figure 5
13.
Deselect Turn off window transparency. Then drag the slider to
the right most point of slider bar.
14.
Click OK. The objects beneath the Tool Palettes window are now
visible.
15.
Click Properties. Select Transparency. Select Turn off window
transparency. Click OK to disable transparency.
16.
Invoke LAYER command.
17.
Freeze centerlines and dimensioning layers [Figure 6].
Click OK.
Figure 6
18.
Select Imperial Hatches palette. Right-click the palette
title. A shortcut menu appears [Figure 7].
Figure 7
19.
Select View Options. The View Options dialog box appears.
20.
Increase the image size.
21.
Select List View [Figure 8].
Figure 8
22.
Click OK.
23.
Click one of the solid hatch icons.
24.
Click in the proper location to cover the drawing with a solid
hatch pattern [Figure 9].
Figure 9 -
Click on image to enlarge
About the Author
Alireza Parsai is the founder of cadpanel.com. He is a
mechanical engineer with more than 12 years experience with
AutoCAD. Alireza is an Autodesk Authorized Author, the AutoCAD
consultant for Al Khawarizmi Institute, a contributing editor
for Augiworld magazine, a writer for CAD Digest, an instructor
for AUGI Training Program, and an elected speaker for Autodesk
University 2002. He has written 7 books in Farsi, 3 booklets in
English, and more than 30 articles for different magazines and
newsletters. You can reach him at
alireza.parsai@cadpanel.com or visit his website
www.cadpanel.com.
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