ANNOTATION MONITOR
Provides feedback regarding the state of associative annotations when using parametric dimensioning. This option is discussed in the “Advanced AutoCAD Workbook.”
UNITS
The Units tool allows you to change the display style of the Drawing Units. You can choose between Decimal, Architectural, Engineering, Fractional and Scientific. You can change the drawing unit display by clicking on the down
QUICK PROPERTIES
If ON, Quick Properties displays the properties of the object selected. If OFF the Quick Properties box will not appear. More on this in Lesson 12.
LOCK USER INTERFACE
The Lock User Interface tool allows you to lock or unlock toolbars, panels, windows and floating toolbars, panels and windows. Click on the down-arrow to select from 4 options.
ISOLATE OBJECTS
You can choose to isolate objects by keeping them visible on the screen, all other objects will be hidden. Or you can choose to hide objects. To isolate or hide objects, left click on the Isolate Objects tool button and select either Isolate Objects or Hide Objects from the list. To restore all hidden objects left click on the Isolate Objects tool button and select End Object isolation from the list.
GRAPHICS PERFORMANCE
The Graphics Performance tool examines your graphics card and 3D display driver and determines whether to use software acceleration or hardware acceleration. You can change the performance settings by right-clicking on the tool button and selecting Graphics Performance, then change any settings required in the dialog box.
CLEAN SCREEN
When Clean Screen is selected it will hide all tool palettes, windows and ribbons from the screen leaving you with a larger drawing area to work with. You can restore all the palettes, windows and ribbons by selecting the Clean screen tool button again.
KEYBOARD FUNCTION KEYS AND WHAT THEY ARE USED FOR.
| F1 | - | Opens the Help window. |
| F2 | - | Displays an Extended Command History list. |
| F3 | - | Turns the 2D Object Snaps on or off. |
| F4 | - | Turns the 3D Object Snaps on or off. |
| F5 | - | Toggles Isoplanes between Top, Right or Left. |
| F6 | - | Turns the Dynamic UCS on or off. |
| F7 | - | Turns the Grid on or off. |
| F8 | - | Turns Orthographic Mode on or off. |
| F9 | - | Turns Snap Mode on or off. |
| F10 | - | Turns Polar Tracking on or off. |
| F11 | - | Turns Object Snap Tracking on or off. |
| F12 | - | Turns Dynamic Input on or off. |
FLOATING COMMAND LINE
When you first start AutoCAD, and if the software has not been modified, the Command Line will be displayed at the bottom of the screen, as shown below.
This is where AutoCAD will prompt you for information and you will enter commands, values and select options. Basically this is how you communicate with AutoCAD.
You may “dock” the command line at the top or bottom of the AutoCAD window or let it float in the drawing area.
To move the command line, place the cursor on the left end grip, press the left mouse button and drag the command line to a desired location.
To “dock” the command line drag it to the top or bottom of the drawing area. It will snap to the edge. You can’t dock the command line to the sides.
You may also drag it below the drawing area as shown below.
Note: You may toggle the Command Line ON and OFF using Ctrl + 9.
COMMAND LINE
How to enter a command on the Command Line.
1. Type the first letter of a command, such as c for circle.
2. A list of commands that begin with the letter c will appear. Select the desired command from the list.
3. When you enter a command such as Circle, the prompt and options will be displayed on the command line.
4. The prompt for Circle command asks you to:
“Specify center point for circle” or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]:
The information within the [ ] brackets are options that you may select.
Clickable options are displayed in blue.
Options displayed in Black must be typed or selected from the option menu.
This will be discussed more in Lesson 2. Or for more advanced Command Line options, see Appendix-D.
FLOATING COMMAND LINE
Command and Prompt history
As you enter commands AutoCAD records them as “history”. You may display this history by pressing F2 or the up arrow at the right hand end of the command line.
Command Line tools
Recent commands tool displays recently selected commands.