The Mad Cadder

Open AutoCAD faster - Diable the Digital Signature Validation Options

If you find that it takes a long time for AutoCAD or any other Autodesk application to load you may want to look at the following:

1. On your desktop, right-click on any Autodesk Icon (i.e.: AutoCAD) and pick "Enable/Disable Digital Signature Icon".
2. In the "Signature Validation Options" dialogue box, uncheck "Display digital signatures and display special icons".
3. Restart your computer.

What does this do? Well, Autodesk applications loads a shell extension which determines if a file is digitally signed by displaying a specific icon. To determine whether a file is digitally signed, the shell extension looks into each drawing file before displaying it. If a folder contains many drawings, like your template folder, it will take longer to open.

Note: If you are using AutoCAD LT, the above steps may not work. In that case, you can do the following steps:

1. Use Windows Explorer and navigate to c:\winnt\systems32 or c:\windows\system32 (depends on WIN 2000 or XP).
2. Locate the "AcSignOpt.exe" file and double-click it.
3. Uncheck the box in the middle of the dialogue box.
4. Restart your computer.

RENAME Command - An Oldie but a Goodie

Guess what the RENAME command does. It renames objects! The question is, "What does it rename"? Well the command will rename:

• Blocks
• Dimension Styles
• Layers
• Linetypes
• Table Styles
• Text Styles
• UCS
• Viewports
• Views

It is very simple to use. On the command line type RENAME. In the Rename dialogue box select an item in the left panel, then pick the name of the object. At the bottom of the dialogue box type in the new name of the object.

This command has been around since the beginning but, it is often overlooked or forgotten. It may seem simple but it can be very useful.

Zoom MTEXT and set a fixed visible height

Have you ever noticed that the size of the text in the MTEXT editor is  sometimes too large or too small to read. You can zoom in and out in the MTEXT editor and then set the visible text size to be legible with a simple a system variable.

Zoom in and out text:

1. Double-click on a piece of MTEXT.

2. Hold down the CTRL button on the keyboard.

3. Turn the wheel on your mouse towards or away from your body.

Set Visible Height:

1. On the command line type MTEXTFIXED

2. Set the system variable to <1>.

The MTEXTFIXED system variable is set to 0 by default. That is why this visible height of text in the MTEXT editor varies depending on the amount you have zoomed into the drawing. After using the Zoom in and out function with the CTRL key and mouse wheel, you then set the MTEXTFIXED variable to 1. This will ensure that the MTEXT Editor displays the text at a legible size.

PLEASE NOTE: Zooming in and out in the MTEXT Editor does not change the physical size of the font in the drawing. It only re-sizes the font size in the Editor for viewing purposes only!

Prevent other users from Customizing your toolbars and palettes.

Let me tell you a tale of horror.....

One day "Bob" sits down in front of his computer eager and ready to begin designing a major project. Bob launches AutoCAD 2005 and to his astonishment, his toolbars look different. They are located properly on the screen but his favourite buttons are missing. Bob quickly checks the PROFILE loaded but it is his. What happened? Oh no, his tool palettes have been rearranged and some commands are also missing. Bob is getting a little worried and irate. He asks around the office if anyone was using his computer. He found out that his co-worker Mary used it earlier. Bob asked Mary, "Did you remove or customize my buttons and tool palettes?" Mary answered "Yes I did, and I got rid of the ones I don't use!" That was the last time anyone ever saw Bob.

To prevent users from messing around with your buttons or palettes, use the TBCUSTOMIZE system variable. This variable will not allow a user to access the CUSTOMIZE dialogue box.

On the command line type "TBCUSTOMIZE"

Variables:
0 - prevent customization
1- allows customization

To test it out, type CUSTOMIZE on the command line.

Don't be a Bob!

Creating Sub-Categories in Block Symbols Dialogue Box

When placing devices like receptacles, light fixtures or a mechanical schematic symbols in Autodesk Building Systems 2005, you choose the object from within a dialogue box. For example, the Add Schematic Symbol or Add Device Dialogue Box. To open these dialogue boxes, choose a command in a tool palettes like "Add Device" or "Add Schematic Symbol". In the dialogue box there is a drop-down list that contains multiple categories for the discipline. Choose a category like "Receptacles" or "3-Way Valves - Ortho Only".

You will notice that all the symbols are placed under a Sub-Category called "All". To create your own sub-category use the following steps:

For example, we are going to add a sub-category in the Receptacles category of the Add Devices dialogue box.

1. Open the ADD Devices dialogue box.

2. Choose RECEPTACLES under category.

3. Right-click on the empty white space under the receptacles symbols.

4. Choose “New Category”

5. Name the category.

6. Drag and Drop the symbols from under "All" onto the new sub-category title.

There you go!