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This page contains tips
and tricks that have been assembled from both Professional and Hobby users of
DesignCAD.
These help to demonstrate the power and versatility of the software
and the ingenuity of it's users.
Some topics covered are:
Drawing Tips
- Just a click near an entity will select it. Use gravity snap to select it
on a corner, end or handle. (midpoint on circles)
- To select multiple objects draw a selection window around then or hold down
SHIFT while clicking on them.
- Hold down CTRL to include things not fully encircled.
- Hit ENTER to 'Select Next' if you selected the wrong object in a stack.
- 'Polygon select' lets you define an odd shaped selection window.
- 'Edit->Section Copy' will select everything that is in the selection
window and cut off anything that extends outside [just for the copy, doesn't
cut the original]. This is good for 'Detail' extractions.
Submitted by: Lawrence
"Larry" Smith ("Lar")
Here's a very simple tip that everyone should appreciate. To increase the number of "Recent Files" at the bottom of the File menu follow these steps:
1] Before you open designcad locate the DesignCAD.ini file in the designcad directory. Make a backup of the file in case you mess up the original file.
2] Locate the line that starts with "NRecentFile" (no quotes)and change it to something like NRecentFile=15. Save and close the file.
3]When you next open designcad there will be no change in the number of files listed because only the original amount are currently registered. However, as you open more files the list will increase up to the amount specified.
Notes:
a] When the list reaches #9 the count will start again with #0. If you normally open files by typing the underlined number you will have to repeatedly type any of the repeated numbers until the file you want is highlighted, then press enter, to open files 10 and above.
b] I'm not sure if there is a limit. My count is set to 15.
- Symbols are nothing more than saved drawings
you bring into another drawing
- Drawings must be CLOSED to use as a symbol
- Drawings can be loaded as 'symbols', which can't
be edited.
- Drawings can be loaded as symbols by 'reference',
where changes to original symbol drawing updates the 'loaded by
reference' symbol.
- Drawings can be loaded as 'exploded' into basic
editable drawing entities. (See 'Merge Drawing')
- Drawings can be loaded as 'resizable', allowing
you to set points defining new size when loaded
- 'Load symbol' and 'Merge drawing' commands
can be put on a custom toolbox.
- 'Merge drawing' only works from a custom
toolbox and will load a symbol as 'exploded' and put it on the
current drawing layer. Very handy.
- 'Load Symbol' will only load onto your current layer and take on the
layer attributes if you have the symbol drawing saved on Layer 0.
- If you save a "selection"
(File->Save As->Selection Only) to use as a symbol:
- Open the file and move the part to Layer 0
- If the handle does
not align with absolute coordinate 0,0,0 you should move it to 0,0,0
(select all, set handle, hit 'M' and then Shift+', then Enter)
or set drawing handles (Point menu) and then save it..
- You can set up to 3 handles
to help position the symbol.
- Be sure to check the options you want on the load
symbol dialog.
- If you want the original layers intact with the drawing
, then save a copy for use as a symbol.
- Assign an "Attribute" to the symbol to build a material
list. (See tip on
blocks)
- Blocks and symbols insert based on 'Handles'
- To set handles on a block or other selection use CTRL+H and set 1-3
handles depending on if you want to insert/copy/move it as is , or want to
change size and angle.
- For symbols saved as files, the default handle is 0,0,0. So draw from, or
move the part to 0,0,(0).
- In 2d mode with rulers on screen, you can click on the cross at the
junction of the rulers and then click or gravity snap to the point where 0,0
needs to be.
- Second way: Under Points menu is 'Set Drawing Handles'. Set 1-3 points and
Save the drawing. (Hit ENTER after 1 or 2 points)
- The symbol will now load with those handles.
By 'Droll Troll'
Every printer has a minimum margin beyond which it won't print (it's got to
save a little bit of room for handling the paper). DesignCAD is reading those
minimum values from the printer driver, so when you set a margin too low,
DesignCAD puts it back to the minimum value reported by the driver.
Submitted by: 'Lar'
To
print to scale on any sheet size without losing any of the drawing you must
print to a scale that would fit that drawing onto that sheet.
To see what scale fits on the page best check the "Fit to Paper"
option in the print dialogue box. The program will calculate a scale but it
will be grayed (uneditable). Now uncheck "Fit to Paper". The value
won't change but now you will be able to edit it. Assuming you are familiar
with the decimal scale values you can then replace the "fitted"
value with the closest acceptable scale LOWER that the value in the box. For
example if the "fitted" value is 0.2752972986 change it to 0.25,
which is 1/4" scale.
If you don't know the decimal scale values you can try this trick:
1] After unchecking "Fit to paper" type "1/" in front of
the number (no quotes).
2] Press the Tab key (or click in another text field) and the program will do
the math. For example 1/0.2752972986 would equal 3.6324366606.
3] Change the new value to the nearest sensible scale denominator HIGHER than
the new value. For example, the nearest scale denominator over 3.6324366606 is
4 (1/4 scale).
4] Now type "1/" in front of the 4 and press Tab. The 1/4 will be
calculated to 0.25 and there is your scale.
Submitted by: 'Lar'
Use this simple formula to scale objects without bothering
yourself about figuring the scale value:
new size/current size
...that is: new size DIVIDED BY current size...
For example, if you have a box that represents a 2x4 piece of lumber that is
10 feet long and you want to change the length to 13.625 feet then Select the
box, call up the Scale command (S key) and type 13.625/10 in the X, Y or Z
text field that represents the length. Click in one of the other boxes if you
want to see the scale factor (13.625/10 = 1.3625) or just press Enter. The
length will be scaled from 10 feet to 13.625 feet.
You can use the Units command (U key) if you want to fit the 2x4 between 2
objects. Set points between the two objects. Copy (Ctrl+C) the value from the units box, Paste it (Ctrl+V) into
the Scale box then type in the remainder of the equation.
Submitted by: 'Lar'
Example: copy an object 1/5th the distance between two
existing points...
1] call up the Units command (U key) and gravity snap at the 2 points. The
distance will be displayed. Copy it (Ctrl+C). Press Enter or Cancel to end the
Units command.
2] Select the object to be copied and set the Handle where needed.
3] call up the Selection Copy command (N key) and Gravity Move to the first
point (put the mouse close to the first point, take your hand off the mouse so
you don't twitch and press the comma key).
4] Press the apostrophe key (') for Point Relative, check the "Last
Cursor Position" and Paste (Ctrl+V) the value copied from the Units
command into the necessary X, Y or Z text field.
5] Type "/5" (no quotes) behind the pasted value. Type a minus sign
in front of the pasted value if you are copying in a negative direction and
make sure the others text fields say 0.
6]Press Enter. The program will divide the pasted value by 5 and place a copy
of the object 1/5th of the overall distance away.
7]To calculate a factors like 2/5 type *2/5 after the value,
which means that the value is being multiplied by 2, then divided by 5.
- When working with complex objects, use the Group
command to keep all the
entities together in one "container" for easy copying
and moving.
- You can create several groups and put them all
in a block or symbol.
- The groups stay grouped when the block or symbol
is exploded.
- Say 'group' ten times, sounds funny ,no?. . . . .
. .ok, enough - people are staring.
- Set a pointmark wherever you want a handle or snap
point and group it with the object.
- A group can contain entities anywhere in the
drawing.
- Handy if a remote pointmark is part of the group
and used as a handle or rotation point.
- Use when an object depends on another for size or
position
- Grouped objects will:
- all scale and rotate together.
- all extrude and sweep together.
- all change line type and color together
- Set a hotkey for group and ungroup. I like Alt+G and
Ctrl+Alt+G.
- Group commands can go on a custom toolbox.
- Group command is accessible from the command line:
Select objects, hit spacebar and type "group"
- For cylinders and some other shapes, that are on the
x,y, or z axis, you can set a pointmark with a center of gravity snap
[use a different color], and then extend an ortho line [keyboard V and
H (or just H for older versions)] to the ends or sides with a plane
snap. [Gravity snap to the rim if the half-length is more than the
radius, and hit "enter"]. This can go in all 6 directions
from center. Place pointmarks with gravity snap and delete the lines
to clean things up. Group these with the solid if you need to move or
manipulate them.
- For just finding the center of an end of a cylinder
use the "Circle (3-Point)" command to make a circle on the
end of the cylinder. It requires 3 points on the outside rim of the
cylinder. Circles automatically let you select the center, you have an
instant cylinder center finder.
- Say that 10 times "Instant cylinder center
finder"
- Where you set the selection handle determines
the direction in which the entity will change scale. Set it at
the front lower right corner and the scaling operates towards
the top left and rear.
- Set handle in the center of gravity and the
scaling works in all directions from center.
- To scale both ways from a point on an edge, use the 'Midpoint'
snap to set the handle.
- Scaling works with both positive and negative
values.
- Use scaling to extend a solid beyond another solid or
plane for solid subtract operations.
- Opening a file and resaving it without doing any
changes to it removes the 'Undo' section and greatly reduces
the files size.
- Doing this and then using a zip utility will
get the file through e-mail much faster.
- Make sure the recipient has enough e-mail space
before sending large attachments.
- Use Drawing Wizard, Options or a saved workspace to set up drawing
parameters.
- Preplan if possible with centerlines and placeholders for parts,
sweeps, shafts, holes, extrusions.
- Use construction lines for baselines, levels and boundaries.
- Make notes in drawing on a 'Notes' layer with text block command.
- Draw parts as basic shapes fit in place. Then select and 'Save
as-> Save Selection Only' making a new file. Save in a defined
folder. Open that file and complete detailing of part. Set handles to
align back into drawing and load as symbol. Use Symbol Library to drag
and drop.
- Preset layers, or draw in colors and use Layer->Separate to put
each color on a different layer. Select each color with Info Box to
find assigned layer and then
name it.
- Use layer list options
to manage layers by content, status, name and ID
By Frank Mahony
- We
use DesignCAD to produce farm site plans, including combining GPS
data, aerial image & contours. We also include fences, waterways,
irrigation piping, water troughs, about 40 different layers in total.
We put all similar items on their own layer. These layers allow us to
vary the details we print. Plus they also allow us to use Basic-CAD to
run programs/macros - like the length of 50mm stock water pipe on the
farm.
To save having to enter the layer info each time we start a new
drawing, we have set up a base drawing, called base.dcd & included
layer names for all the layers we are interested in. We then open this
each time we start a new drawing, save it under the new client name
then proceed on with the farm plan.
All layers have been set up with default colours, so as soon as we
change the layer we are to operate on, the colour changes to the
desired one automatically, waterways = blue, trees = green, fences =
black etc. This can be done with line types, widths etc as well. We
have the layer toolbar on screen so we can easily change which layer
we want the info on
 Hidden
in Selection Edit and on the "Array" toolbox is a command
that resizes an entity uniformly in all directions. "ZOOM"
- This is different from Zoom commands for View. It modifies the
selection.
- This works in both 2D and 3D mode
- You can use formulas in the value field [34/22] [23+(4*12)]
- Zoom and Scale both consider the selection handle placement for
resizing.
- Zoom retains circles as circles. Scale turns circles into ellipses.
[See next tip]
- In DesignCAD if you scale a circle using the SCALE
command it automatically become an Ellipse.
- If you want to resize a
Circle and have it remain a circle then you need to edit the radius in
the INFO BOX rather than scaling the Circle.
- You can also use Selection Edit | Zoom. This will
preserve arcs and circles as arcs and circles, and you only have to
enter a single scale factor in the dialog box.
- The
last point option is grayed out because you'll notice that this option
is used while within a drawing command. It is unavailable in commands
that are used to manipulate and duplicate objects when ready drawn
entities are selected. In these commands you use reference point
instead.
- Type
how much you wish to offset from a convenient corner or center of your
object then select that corner or center point to use as the reference
point. Your objects will be offset at the specified distance from the
reference point.
- This works the same as if you are using last point,
only you are now
selecting what would have been the last point with reference point and
you'll see that this works the same way. Logically last point would
not be available on objects which have already been drawn because you
can select the object at any of its points. It's available when you
are drawing an object because you set a series of points for the
object in steps and you need the last point as reference to set the
next point. After it is drawn you no longer have a last point as
reference so you would have to set a reference point.
- You don't have to double-click or hit Enter to end a line and then
hit "V" to start another. Just hit "V" to end the
current line and start a new line command.
- This also works with curves. Just hit "C" to start a
curve, and again to end the curve and start a fresh one.
- Give an attribute definition to whatever block you want to
keep track of in a materials list.
- Go to Draw->Text->Attribute definition. The value
field is what shows up in the material list. See your help
file for details. Set a prompt if you want to be able to put in
different value when you insert a block. (Door 2, Door 3, etc)
- Insert the attribute definition into the entity where you want
it to be seen or choose "invisible".
- Select the definition along with the entity and use Tools->Block
Define to make a block.
- Now you can insert it, copy it, array it and the material list
will keep count.
- To save it as a 'symbol' file and have it use the attribute
definition for the material list, you must load it as a block.
- Assigning an "Attribute" to a symbol is separate
and will add to the list when loaded as a symbol.
- A symbol saved as a block can have both an "Attribute"
and an "Attribute Definition" and how you
load it into a drawing determines which one shows in the
material list.
- You can insert predefined materials from Instant Estimator
into the Attribute or Attribute Definition dialog
fields.
- Need a curve you can manipulate from the middle?
- Set the two end points for the curve and close the
command.
- Then use point mode and add a point in the middle ( the cursor
will turn to an arrow with a + sign)
- Now select the point and you can 'rubber' the curve.
- Add more points if necessary.
- In point mode, hold down the "Ctrl" key and draw a
bounding box around the point you want to move.
- This will select all the lines/curves intersecting the point.
You will have to offset the bounding box a little to prevent the
selection handle from covering the point.
- Now drag the cursor around the point to select all the nested
points, it will turn blue.
- Select the blue point and all the lines/curves will follow it to
the new location.
- Dragging the selection box around both ends of a line to select
the points (turning them blue) will maintain the length and angle
of that line while adjusting the selected lines connected to those
points
By Lee
DC is not going to output directly to cnc machine.
You make your drawing--preferably 3d unless the part is only 2 axis--anything
you want, use any origin you want. Most important thing you need to
concentrate on is "full size" and "good cad" with no leaks
or "phoney dimensions or line intersections". Keep the decimal
places of precision under Options/Options/General up to about 5-7 to hold good
mathematical accuracy with your drawing. Discuss the "holding for the
blank" with the machinist. Some newbies end up cutting off the tooling
clamps.
You will then export your DC file to dxf or iges (side note here is that
Mastercam 7.2 says it won't read dxf above ver10--use iges for 3d--If this
doesn't mean anything to you don't worry it's not for you). Discuss the file
export/import details with your CAM source. You may go through some trial and
retrial to get an exact file version for the CAM system.
Once you have your export file saved (preferably minus anything except a tool
path surface (no text or construction lines etc), the CAM program will import
(hopefully) to the CAM work screen. CAM systems can reset origin without any
concern for you. They work to Centerline of cutting tool. You then do the CAM
validating, tool paths, generate NC code for the machine, save the NC code
file (G-code most common). The output NC file is then what goes to the machine
control to cut the part. Run some tests with low cost materials to prove the
process file makes the part you want.
Submitted by: 'Lar'
- First create a Grid in the shape of a sprial by doing the following:
1] draw a horizontal line with the length being the radius of the
spiral...
2] select the line...
3]call up the Sweep command (Draw menu> Sweep; or press the 'W' key).
In the dialogue box click on 'Y-Axis'; set 'Number of Copies' to something
like 100 (experiment with this); in 'Span Angle' type in something like
'360*10' (the 10 represents the number of complete circles the spiral will
make - 360 is one complete circle. Experiment with this number); for
'Vertical Offset' type in the height you want the spiral to go; leave
everything else to zero...
4] snap onto one end of the line. A spiral Grid will be created.
Now, select the grid and do a 'Vector Concert' (Alt+E, S, V). This will
breakdown the grid into lines. With the new lines still selected
shift+click the spiraling outside line (left-click between two points),
which will de-select it. Press delete to get rid of all the still selected
lines and you will be left with your spiral line.
Takes a lot less time to do than to describe.
Submitted by: 'Lar'
- You can define "improper" solids and use them as groups. Here's a
trick to get a "group of Groups", which I have just named as a "":
1] Identify a number of Groups you want to be grouped together but still
be able to select as separate groups ("Sub Groups").
2] Create a single entity, such as a Point Mark or a Text identifier in a
strategic location. This would become the Solidified Group "header".
3] Select all the "Sub Groups" and the "header" and define them as a
solid.
Now, you can select any of the "Sub Groups" individually as normal but if
you click-select the header then the entire Solidified Solid is selected.
if you should Group Explode any of the Sub-Groups then clicking on any of
the exploded items will select the entire Solidified Group (hey, I gatta
find a shorter name).
There is also a slight hitch resulting from this condition:
Example-
1] draw a number of 2d boxes in plan, to represent something like columns
on a floor plan. Select them and group them.
2] Select the group and extrude them so that they all become solids.
Now, say you want to move the extruded columns and you click-select by one
of the original planes, you would only select the original group of planes
and you can move them away from the solid columns.
On the other hand, if you click-select by one of the extruded columns you
would only select that particular solid and you can move the entire solid
(with the original plane) away without moving the rest of the group of
planes.
The solutions to this are simple enough: just define all the columns as a
group or Group Explode the original planes.
Submitted by: prl
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Make a copy of the curve and using this
copy, use the segment command with the "Specify Distance" and "Set cutting
point and direction" options. This will cut the duplicate curve at the
specified distance which will allow you to set a reference point at the end.
Erase the duplicate curve(s) once you have the reference point.
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Some
quick basics: paperspace is a 'window' into your drawing file.
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There are
tools on the paperspace toolbox to draw 'viewports', they can be any shape.
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You can
have one or a dozen viewports.
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You can
make any closed line entity a viewport.
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You can
show or hide viewport outlines.
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Resizing
handles work great on viewports to size and place them in paperspace. Do this
with 'Draw outline Box' on.
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Each
viewport will start with the whole visible drawing in it.
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You can
pan, zoom, set focal point, etc to show all or part.
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The
'Light' icon (or the Info Box) lets you adjust light settings and set layers.
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The
'camera' icon lets you change view to Top, Side, Front, Isometric, etc.
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You can
have a viewport wireframe, hidden or shaded.
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To
include a 3D view or an image in a 2D drawing, put it on a separate layer.
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You can
paste a selection from another open drawing into a paperspace but it will not
be editable, and will not become part of the drawings modelspace.
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If you
fit a part to a viewport (Fit to viewframe icon) then you can use resizing
handles to adjust it to a known scale.
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You can
also use Info Box to set the exact viewport size.
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Info Box
icon on paperspace toolbox lets you set drawing view scale.
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Insert a
scale symbol in 'Edit layout' mode.
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Select 2
or more viewports and 'Edit->Selection Edit->Object Alignment will align them.
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Construction lines work in paperspace. So do dimensions, but . . .
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Put your
modelspace dimensions on separate layers for each 2D view (of a 3D model) so
they show properly. Turn off other layers.
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Viewports
and other entities can be grouped, but not defined as blocks.
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Viewports
can overlap each other. Use 'Display Order' to set what's on top of the other.
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Save
modified paperspace as new template, THEN go to Layout->Current Layout
Configuration and LOAD the new named template if it isn't already showing in
the Name field.
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DesignCAD
works in arbitrary units and you can dimension in any unit of measure you
want, as long as you use the suffix or prefix option in the dimension options
to accomplish it. Adding a suffix of cm or mm can easily be done when creating
new dimensions.
-
You may
need use the units command to redefine the actual size of the items in the
drawing. When you use units if there are dimensions in the drawing that are
not drawn as text but as actual dimensions then they will change in
relationship to the new units settings. If you know how long a certain line
would be in the new unit of measure just use the units command to define that
length and the whole drawing will adjust around that.
-
When you
dimension if you do not need dimensions that can be edited on the fly you can
use the draw as text option when placing the dimensions, which will give you
the correct measurements but store the dimensions not as a single dimension
entity but as text, lines, and arrows.
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If you
use these options and then have different dimensions set up so that they
appear on different layers, with out redrawing an entire drawing, you could
have your drawing dimensioned using inches, feet and inches, millimeters,
centimeters, or cubits...it would depend on what layers you had showing at the
time.
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Delete --
a new block definition is created, and the original entities are erased after
the block is defined. There are as yet no instances of the newly defined
block, so Purge at this point will remove it.
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Retain --
a new block definition is created, but the original entities are left intact
as unblocked objects; there are as yet no instances of the new block, so Purge
at this point would remove the new block definition.
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Convert
to Block -- a new block definition is created, and the selected objects are
converted into the first instance of the new block. Purge at this point should
NOT remove the new block definition.
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Blocks are an object that has
the full drawing information for the first occurrence, and then just
locations for the rest. They are placed 'by reference'.
-
This means that a drawing with
100 of the same block is not 100 times larger file size, may be only twice.
See 'Help|Drawing Info' to see this.
-
Exploding and then changing ANY
occurrence of a block, then redefining as a block using the SAME name, will
change ALL occurrences of that block.
-
It doesn't matter if you have
lots of unused blocks in the drawing as you go, but when you're done you can
'purge unused blocks' to reduce the file size.
-
You can save a blank drawing
with the blocks for easy reuse.
-
Load Symbol and Symbol Library
will insert a 'symbol' (which can be any DC drawing) as a block, so you can
put all your blocks separately in one folder for easy reuse. Use 'Save As
Symbol|Selection Only' to save these out of a current drawing. Set options
for symbol layers as necessary. They will retain their block identity.
-
The beauty of using the Symbol
Library is you can see the symbol/block (thumbnail) and then drag and drop
it into your drawing.
- Bearing coordinates are put
into the Point Polar Dialog in the Angle field.
- Set a point to begin the line, use hotkey ; for
Point Polar dialog.
- Enter Distance
- Enter Bearing as
minutes format: N 15d30m E or
N15d30mE
- Hit Enter
Troubleshooting
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Can't
load:
-
Atoglrp9.dll
-
ATIO9XAE.DLL
-
You get this message when you have ATI video drivers and DesignCAD 3D Max Plus isn't working
properly in shaded mode and program stops responding.
-
Close DesignCAD
-
Find: C\windows\system\Atoglrp9.dll
[or ATIO9XAE.DLL]
-
You can use search to find the file
-
Delete it (or you can rename it
Atoglrp9._dll) [or ATIO9XAE._DLL]
-
Restart DesignCAD
-
You may have to restart your computer
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