tailoring
AutoCAD 2004

the customizing e-book by ralph grabowski

 

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Table of Contents
-Tailoring AutoCAD 2004

About the Author
- Ralph Grabowski

Recent Updates

12 November 2004
eBook updated with clearer font, and page count reduced.

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16 April 2004
Tailoring AutoCAD 2004 eBook press release sent out.

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14 April 2004
Tailoring AutoCAD 2004 eBook announced to customers.

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12 April 2004
Tailoring AutoCAD 2004 Web page created.

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Sample Pages

Click thumbnail for full-size view.

Chapter 1

 

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 Chapter 2

 

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Chapter 3

 

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Chapter 4

 

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Chapter 5

 

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Chapter 6

 

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Chapter 7

 

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Chapter 8

 

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Chapter 9

 

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Chapter 10

 

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Chapter 11

 

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Chapter 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Tailoring AutoCAD 2004 is our most popular e-book, and is updated for AutoCAD 2004 by Ralph Grabowski. 

The 186-page e-book has now been updated for AutoCAD 2004, and boasts being the first book released for the latest AutoCAD. The e-book has expanded with this additional material:

  • Features unique to AutoCAD 2004.
  • Creating and applying CAD standards drawings.
  • Customizng the ToolPalettes.
  • Customization with specific Express Tools.
  • Interactive acad.pgp editor.
  • Importing and exporting layers.
  • Creating linetypes from objects in the drawing.
  • Using the the CleanScreenOn and FullScreen commands to maximize the drawing area.
  • Transparent command prompt window.
  • Shortcut keystrokes new to 2004.
  • Creating hatch patterns from images, blocks, xrefs, and wipeouts.
  • Creating shapes from any object in the drawing.
  • The XML-like .xtp file format documented.

The book features

  • More tips.
  • Updated for AutoCAD 2004.
  • 2004 icon marking new items.
  • All illustrations in full color.
  • Formatted for printing on standard 8.5x11 paper.
  • Margins designed for three-hole punching. 

Also available:

Tailoring AutoCAD for AutoCAD Release 13 through 2002.
Tailoring AutoCAD 2004 Workbook edition for classroom use.

ordering the book

To order the 186-page Tailoring AutoCAD 2004 e-book:

  • Web Download Price: Sent to you by email in Acrobat PDF format: US$18.65 (3.0MB download).
  • On CD in Acrobat PDF format: US$23.65 (incl. shipping). 
  • Add US$25 for CD delivery by FedEx.

PayPal
You may make payment in US$, Euro, Yen, British pounds, CDN$, and othe currencies (converted to US$).

Check or Money Order

  • US funds drawn on a bank with its address in the USA.
  • Canadian funds drawn on a bank in Canada (incl. GST).
  • British funds drawn on a bank in Great Britain.

By Mail
You may mail payment to:

      "Tailoring AutoCAD 2004"
      upFront.eZine Publishing, Ltd.
      34486 Donlyn Avenue
      Abbotsford BC
      V2S 4W7     Canada

feedback

I welcome your feedback for correcting and improving the text. Send your email to grabowski@telus.net  

table of contents

chapter 1: introduction to customizing.

.The Many Ways of Customization.
Shortcut Tips. Tip #1: Placing Arcs. Tip #2: Placing Text. Tip #3: Replacing Text. Tip #4: Using PostScript Fonts. Tip #5: Template Drawings. Tip #6: Fast Custom Drawing Sheets. Tip #7: Collapsing Multilines. Tip #8: Changing Layers. Tip #9: Quick Trim. Tip #10: Get the Big Picture. Tip #11: Install Express Tools  2004. Which Customization?.

chapter 2: Customizing the Environment.

Starting AutoCAD. Tutorial: Using Command-line Switches. /b Switch. /c Switch. /nologo Switch. /p Switch. /r Switch. /s Switch. /t Switch. /v Switch.
Changing Window and Layout Elements. Tutorial: Changing Screen Colors. UCS Icon. Command Line Font & Transparency. Keyboard Shortcuts.
Toolbars and Command Line. Menus and Tablet.
Tutorial: Setting and Restoring Profiles.
Tutorial: Support File Paths. Search Path Options. Support File & Working Support File Search Paths . Device Driver File Search Path. Project Files Search Path. Menu, Help, and Miscellaneous File Names. Text Editor, Dictionary, and Font File Names. Print File, Spooler, and Prolog Section Names. Printer and Plot Support Files. Automatic Save File Location. Color Book Locations. Data Sources Location. Drawing Template Settings. Tool Palettes File Location. Log File Location. Temporary Drawing File Location. Temporary External Reference File Location. Texture Maps Search Path. i-drop Associated File Location.
Setting Templates for New Drawings.  Tutorial: Specifying the Template File. Tutorial: Creating Your Own Template File. Tutorial: Importing Layers 2004.
Drafting and Selection Preferences. AutoSnap Settings. Grips Settings.

chapter 3: Command Aliases

Shortcut Keys. Shortcuts New to AutoCAD 2004. AutoCAD’s Default Accelerator Keys. Tutorial: Defining Shortcut Keys.
The.pgp File — Aliases. Alias Format. Alias Rules. Aliases Defined by Autodesk. Creating New Aliases. Tutorial: Alias Creation by Dialog Box. Tutorial: Alias Creation by Hand.

chapter 4: Toolbar Macros

Customizing Toolbars. Rearranging Toolbars. Tutorial: Dragging Toolbars. Tutorial: Toggling Toolbars. Tutorial: Changing Toolbar Buttons. Tutorial: Changing Button Size. Tutorial: Drawing Icons.
Tutorial: Writing Toolbar Macros. Simple Macros. Advanced Macros. Toolbar Macros Are No Panacea.

chapter 5: Menu Macros

Loading (and Unloading) Menu Files. Loading Menu Groups. Loading Menu Bar Items. Menu File Types.
Your First Menu. Tutorial: A Single-Command Menu. Section Labels.
Menu Metacharacters. Shortcut Menu Aliases.
Your Second Menu. Tutorial: Loading.mnu a Second Time. Adding More Menu Macros. Adding Options to Commands. Using Coordinates in Macros. Making Macros “Official”. Canceling a Previous Command: ^C. Adding Keyboard Shortcuts: &. Separating Macros Visually: --. Adding Submenus: ->. Right-Justified Text: \t. Grayed-out Item: ~. Adding a Checkmark: !.. Waiting for User Input: \. Providing Input to the User: ^H. Writing Really Long Macros: +. Repeating Commands.
Toolbars, Accelerator Keys, Image Tiles, Tablet Overlays, and the Screen Menu. Toolbar Customization. Custom Shortcut Keys. Image Tiles. Tablet Menus. Screen Menu.

chapter 6: linetypes

Commands Affecting Linetypes. System Variables that Affect Linetypes. The Special Case of Polylines.
Customizing Linetypes. Tutorial: Making Linetypes with -Linetype Command. Tutorial: Testing the New Linetype. Tutorial: Making Linetypes with MkLType 2004. Tutorial: Making Linetypes with a Text Editor.
Simple (1D) Linetype Format. Line1: Header. Line 2: Data.
Complex (2D) Linetype Format. Text. Text Style. Text Scale Factor. Text Rotation Angle. Text Orientation. Text Offset Distance. Embedding a Shape. 3D Linetypes.
Tutorial: Attempting a Parallel Linetype. Alternatives to the Parallel Linetype.

chapter 7: Hatch Patterns

Where Do Hatch Patterns Come From? Associative and Non-associative Patterns. Hatch Patterns and Gradient Fills.
Creating Custom Hatch Patterns. Tutorial: Creating Patterns with Hatch. Tutorial: Creating Patterns with BHatch. Tutorial: Creating Patterns with SuperHatch.
Understanding the acad.pat File. Comment and Header Lines. The Hatch Data. Tips on Creating Pattern Codes.
Adding Custom Patterns to the Palette.

chapter 8: Shapes & Fonts

About Shape Files. Tutorial: Creating Shapes.
The Shape File Format. Header Fields. Definition Lines. Vector Codes. Instruction Codes. 0/000: End of Shape. 1/001: Draw Mode. 2/002: Move Mode. 3/003: Reduced Scale. 4/004: Enlarged Scale. 5/005: Save (Push). 6/006: Recall (Pop). 7/007: Subshape. 8/008: X,y Distance. 9/009: X,y Distances. 10/00A: Octant Arc. 11/ 00B: Fractional Arc. 12/00C: Bulge Arc. 13/00D: Polyarc. 14/00E: Flag Vertical Text Flag.

chapter 9: Script Files

What are Scripts? Script Files. Drawbacks to Scripts. Strictly Command-Line Oriented.
Script Commands and Modifiers. Script. RScript. Resume. Delay. Special Characters. (space). ; (semicolon). ' (apostrophe). * (asterisk). Backspace. Esc.

chapter 10: Diesel Expressions

The History of Diesel. What Diesel Does. Brief Listing of Diesel Functions. Math Functions. Logical Functions. Conversion Functions. String Functions. System Functions.
Jumping Into Diesel. Diesel Error Messages. $?. $(func)??. $(func,??). $(++). Debugging Diesel.
Diesel Programming Tips.
Diesel in Menus. Reusing Toggle Code.
Diesel in AutoLISP. Via the setvar Function. Concatenate Two Diesel Strings. Via the MenuCmd Function.

chapter 11: AutoLISP Programming

The History of AutoLISP.
The AutoLISP Programming Language. Simple AutoLISP: Adding Two Numbers.
AutoLISP in Commands. Remembering the Result: SetQ.
AutoLISP Functions. Math Functions. Geometric Functions. Conditional Functions. String and Conversion Functions. External Command Functions. Accessing System Variables. GetXXX Functions. Selection Set Functions. Object Manipulation Functions. Advanced AutoLISP Functions.
Writing a Simple AutoLISP Program. Why Write a Program?. The Id Command. The Plan of Attack. Obtaining the Coordinates. Placing the Text. Putting Them Together. An Alternative to LISP Programming.
Writing a Simple AutoLISP Program, Cont’d. Sprucing Up the Code. Conquering Feature Bloat. Wishlist Item #1: Naming the Program. Wishlist Item #2: Saving the Program. Wishlist Item #3: Automatically Loading the Program. Wishlist #4: Using Car and Cdr.
Saving Data to a File. The Three Steps. Step 1: Open the File. Step 2: Write Data to the File. Step 3: Close the File. Putting It Together. Wishlist #5: Layers. Wishlist #6: Text Style.
Tips in Using AutoLISP. Tip #1: Use an ASCII Text Editor. Tip #2: Loading LSP Code into AutoCAD. Tip #3: Toggling System Variables. Tip #4: Be Neat and Tidy. Tip #5: Suppress That nil. Tip #6: Read-Write-Append File. Tip # 7: Quotation Marks as Quotation Marks. Tip # 8: Keep Variables to Six Characters. Tip #9: Tabs and Quotation Marks.

new chapter
chapter 12: CAD Management.

CAD Standards. Tutorial: Create the Standards Drawing. Linetype Standards. Layer Standards. Dimension Style Standards. Text Style Standards. Tutorial: Save the Standards Drawing. Tutorial: Apply the Standards. Tutorial: Check the Standards.
Employing Tool Palettes and DesignCenter. DesignCenter. Tool Palettes. Tab Customization. Icon Customization. Palette Customization. Titlebar Customization.
XTP File Format. XML Metacharacters. Tool Palettes XTP. XTP Section 1: Header. XTP Section 2: Tool Data. XTP Section 3: Palette Data.

 no appendices

about the author

Ralph Grabowski has authored and co-authored 50+ books on CAD management, ArchiCAD, AutoCAD, Generic CADD, IntelliCAD, MicroStation, TurboCAD, VDraft, Visio, HTML, and VRML. He is the editor of two e-newsletters, upFront.eZine and IMAGINiT.eZine .

Mr Grabowski received his B.A.Sc ('80) degree in civil engineering from the University of British Columbia. He currently works and lives in the beautiful Central Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, Canada.

You can visit his Web site at www.upfrontezine.com .

C  opyright 2003 by upFront.eZine Publishing, Ltd. All rights reserved worldwide.