AutoCAD 2004 Customization Tutorial: Using
Shapes
By Alireza Parsai,
June 10, 2003
You can insert shapes as symbols in your drawing files. You can
also use them to define text fonts and/or linetypes. Shapes are
defined with special text files called shape files. The
extension file name for a shape file is SHP. Figure 1 shows a
sample shape file in a Notepad window. You may use Notepad or
another text editor for creating and modifying shape files.
Figure 1 - Click on image to
enlarge
In this tutorial you will learn how to load and
compile an existing shape file. Furthermore you will inset the
shapes in a drawing. In some future tutorials I show you how to
create shape files.
1.
Download the following shape file. Figure 2 shows the shapes
that are defined with this file.
►
custom.shp
Figure 2 - Click on image to
enlarge
2. In
AutoCAD, start a new drawing.
3.
Invoke COMPILE command. The command creates a compiled shape
file (SHX) based on an SHP file. The Select Shape or Font
File dialog box appears [Figure 3].
Figure 3 - Click on image to
enlarge
4.
Locate and then open "custom.shp".
5. The
compiled file (i.e. "custom.shx") will be created. Press F2 to
view the message in Text window [Figure 4].
Figure 4 - Click on image to
enlarge
6.
Press F2 to close the Text window.
7. To
be able to use the shape you should load the shape file into
your drawing. Invoke LOAD command. The Select Shape File
dialog box appears [Figure 5].
Figure 5 - Click on image to
enlarge
8.
Locate and open "custom.shx". The file is loaded and shapes are
now available.
9.
Invoke SHAPE command.
10. At
first prompt enter "plant" as the shape name:
Enter shape name
or [?]: plant
8
11.
Specify the insertion point for shape:
Specify insertion
point: 0,0
8
12.
Specify the height (scale factor) for the current insertion of
the shape:
Specify height
<1.0000>: 1
8
13.
Specify the rotation angle:
Specify rotation
angle <0>: 0
8
14.
Invoke Zoom-extents to view the inserted shape.
15.
Invoke SHAPE.
16.
Type ? and then press Enter twice. The list of available shapes
appears in Text window [Figure 6].
Figure 6 - Click on image to
enlarge
17.
Press F2 to close the Text window.
18.
Insert other shapes with various settings.
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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