AutoCAD

Create Layer Overrides to Create Plot Variations

Recently, a reader asked how to plot a drawing in black & white except for text.

Insert Data from an Excel Worksheet

A reader asked how he could display data that was linked to an Excel spreadsheet.

Edit Block Attribute Properties with BATTMAN

After you create a block with attributes and give the attributes specific values, you can edit block attribute properties with the Block Attribute Manager – the BATTMAN command.

Change the Color of Almost Any AutoCAD Screen Feature

A reader told me he was having problems with his 3DCLIP command after upgrading to AutoCAD 2013.

Synchronize Backups and Create a Quick PDF with the AUTOPUBLISH Command

The AUTOPUBLISH command is a way to quickly publish to a DWF, DWFx, or PDF file.

Create Mass Output with the PUBLISH Command

The PUBLISH command creates the multi-page DWF, DWFx, or PDF files. You can also use the command to batch plot to a plotter. This command gives you a lot of flexibility to choose which drawings to output.

Label the Scale of Individual Viewports

A reader asked me how to label the scale of individual viewports when they have different scales.

Create a Thumbnail for Opening a Drawing

Do you have old drawings that don’t show thumbnails when you select them in the Select File dialog box? Even though this drawing says it was last modified in 2010, it was created much earlier. It’s probably at least 15 years old.

Autodesk 360 is a New Cloud-Based Workflow for AutoCAD Drawings

Autodesk 360 is a cloud-based online service is used primarily for storing and reviewing drawing files on the go. There is also AutoCAD WS, which is a web app that lets you edit DWG files online, including on mobile devices.

Use a Standards File to Bring an AutoCAD Drawing Into Line

All AutoCAD professionals have to deal with standards. But when a drawing is worked on by multiple people and revised over months or even years, standards can deteriorate quickly.