feature focus
Architecture • Parametrics – The Infer Constraints feature allows you to create constraints as you draw objects. Constraints are created based on the object snaps you use to draw objects. • External References – When you select an xref in a drawing, it will be highlighted in the External References palette. Xrefs selected in the External References palette, are also highlighted in the drawing while the cursor remains over the External References palette. • Scale Lists – A list of default scales can be stored in the Windows Registry, and then used to update the scales in a drawing to match the scales stored in the Windows Registry. • Linetypes with Text Alignment – Linetypes now support a ‘U’ rotation parameter that indicates to AutoCAD that the text or shape in a linetype should rotate so it remains upright.
each object in the list, it highlights the object in the drawing. Repeat the process to continue selecting other overlapping objects.
TRANSPARENCY OF A DIFFERENT KIND Transparency is a feature that has been on the wish list of many different people for along time. You can apply transparency to objects directly or by using the Transparency attribute of a layer. Hatches are where you will find transparency very helpful.
In addition to selecting overlapping objects with greater ease, AutoCAD 2011 offers some additional object selection changes. These additional object selection methods are:
You might use transparency to mask objects in your drawing or add a splash of color behind other objects without obscuring all objects. An example of when you might use transparency is for denoting an area of a floor plan that might be in a second phase of a project. Figure 2 shows how three overlapping filled circles appear with a transparency of 50% and without any transparency.
Figure 2- Objects with and without transparency.
SPECIFYING AN OBJECT SELECTION Selecting objects in AutoCAD is second nature for many of us and can be compared to tying your shoes; you do it without even thinking about what you are doing. It has been many releases since there have been improvements around object selections, I could be wrong but I think that the last major change was when Quick Select was introduced. One of the most frustrating tasks in AutoCAD for me has always been selecting overlapping objects. It ways seemed to come down to trial and error to select the right object. AutoCAD 2011 simplifies the process of selection cycling into a few easy steps. You enable selection cycling by clicking the Selection Cycling button on the status bar. Once enabled, an icon of two overlapping boxes appears next to the cursor when you pass over two or more overlapping objects. Click to display the Selection dialog box and select the object from the list you want to select (see Figure 3). As you rollover
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Figure 3- Selecting overlapping objects with Selection Cycling.
• Select Similar – Quick Select has been around for many releases now and it does a great job at allowing you to select objects based on type and property values. However, it does interrupt the drafting workflow a bit. The new SELECTSIMILAR command allows you to select objects that are similar by name and/or have similar property values. The Settings option of the command allows you to determine how similar objects need to be for them to be selected. • Isolate/Unisolate Objects – You can hide a set of selected objects or keep a set of objects displayed without having to manipulate the layers of your drawing. Once you are done, you can redisplay the hidden objects. You use the Isolate Objects button on the status bar for this. • Add Selected – Have you ever wanted to create a new circle or insert a block like the one in the current drawing without having to go start the specific command. The new ADDSELECTED command does not create a copy of an object, but starts the command used to create a new object like the one selected.
SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF THE NEW 3D ENHANCEMENTS Stop… I saw you start glancing past this section, thinking 3D is not for me. Well, you might say that today in your current job but companies are always looking for a competitive advantage to differentiate themselves from others in the market. AutoCAD 2011 builds upon the foundation that was start in AutoCAD 2007, and expanded with each new reFigure 4- Carton created using surface lease since then. In modeling. this latest release, AutoCAD 2011 introduces surface modeling that goes beyond 3D solids and meshes. While surfaces are not an entirely new concept in AutoCAD, how you create and modify surfaces are. You can create procedural surfaces like you could in previous releases with comspring_2010