The Official Datacad User`s Guide

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
How to Use This Book
Chapter
1
CAD Concepts
Reusability
Backing It All Up
3
4
6
6
7
8
9
9
10
11
12
Getting Started
15
About DataCAD
16
Why Use DataCAD?
What DataCAD Does Not Do
Metrics in DataCAD
New Features
The DOS Version versus the Windows Version
17
The Basics of CAD
Layers
Linetypes
Symbols
Architectural Functions
Copy
Move
Change
Stretch
Chapter 2
xv
xvii
18
20
21
22
System Requirements
Installation
Performance Enhancements
24
DataCAD Directory Tree
Configuration
Mice
29
Starting DataCAD
Windows Menu Options
Drawing File Options
Default Drawings
Starting with a Different Default Drawing
33
25
28
30
33
38
46
50
54
Contents
VI
Chapter 3
Settings and Display Options
59
Settings
Grids
60
72
76
87
88
Display
Other Settings
Display List:What Is It and How Does It Work?
Chapter
4
Tutorial
107
Tutorial: The Apartment
Lets Start
Draw Marks
Refresh
Walls
Linetypes
Offsetting Lines
Symbols
Hatching
Text
Mirror
Weld
Add a Roof
108
109
112
112
113
117
120
122
131
137
139
143
147
148
149
151
152
156
161
164
167
172
175
187
193
196
198
200
Basic Drawing
207
Drawing Lines
Drawing Arcs and Circles
208
221
Erasing
Undo and Redo
More Walls
Cleanup
Partial Erase
Cleaning Up L Intersections
Layers
Layer Colors
Adding Doors
Removing Doors
Identify
More Doors
Adding Windows
Isometric View
Counters and Closets
Chapter
5
Contents
VII
Using Toolbox Macros
237
239
240
255
257
261
263
268
271
272
273
277
277
279
281
292
295
301
304
314
330
332
341
Organizational Concepts
345
Drawing File Names
File Locations
Default Files
Layer Concepts
346
348
350
351
Printing and Plotting
363
What Is a Printer Driver?
365
365
366
366
367
370
374
378
384
More on Polylines
FreeHand
Simple and Complex Linetypes
Z-Heights and 21/2 D
Undo and Redo
Reference Point
Viewing Options
Online Calculator
Drawing Walls
Everything in Real Scale
Multiple Drawing Technique
External File Referencing (XREF)
Selection Methods
LyrSrch (Layer Search)
Text and Fonts
Text Scale
Editing Text
Keyboard Shortcuts
can Toolbars
Boundary
Identify
Measures
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Why Should I Care about Printer Drivers?
Configuring Your Plotter
Settings Saved with the Drawing
Printer/Plotter Settings
Line Weights and the PenTable
rint Settings
Printing with OwkLyout
Printing with MltLyout
VI.~I
Contents
1
Saving to a File
Batch Plotting
How to Print Saved Drawings
Troubleshooting TIps
386
388
389
393
396
408
41 J
Moving Things Around
419
EGAFS
Exporting Bitmaps
Importing Bitmaps
Sticky Back Macro
420
420
420
424
433
441
444
446
451
453
455
456
458
460
Editing
46]
Undo/Redo
Cliplt Macro
462
462
466
468
489
494
495
495
498
510
Creating Efficiencyand Order
517
3D GotoViews
518
521
Plot Preview
Adobe Acrobat File Format (.PDF)
Check Plots
Chapter 8
Input Mode
Move
Copy
Cut/Copy/Paste
Mirror
Change/Z Heights
Geometry
Rotate
Stretch
Stretch Point Macro
Chapter 9
Enlarge
Erase
Cleanup
Change
Layer Locking
Editing Multiple Entities
Linking Entities
Selection Sets
Chapter
10
HyprView (Hyper View)
Contents
IX
Chapter
11
Multi-ViewWindows
525
Multiple DCX Directories
Interface Customization
525
Basic Construction Drawings
527
How Many DC5 Files?
Sheet and Title Block Layout
Layering for Success
Walls
Curved Walls
Wall Attributes
Multi-LineWalls
528
Wall Styles: Saving and Loading
Walls That Are Not Walls
Cut Wall
Doors
Windows
Elevations
563
Reflected Ceiling Plans
Text and Notes
Importing Text
Importing Tables
Exporting Text
Dimensions
Linear Dimensions
Angular Dimensions
ArroStyl
Working with Rotated Plans
Site Plans
Toolbox Macros
Door and Window Labels
Chapter
12 Advanced Construction Drawings
526
531
536
538
556
558
561
569
569
572
584
595
604
608
608
611
614
615
616
635
637
637
641
641
642
645
Multi-Scale Plotting (MSP)
646
Part I: Basic MSP Concepts
647
Part II:Advanced
Multi-Scale Plotting Concepts
667
Part III: Printing and Plotting
689
Part IV: How to Stay out of Trouble
691
L
x
Contents
Chapter
13
External Reference Files (XREFs)
695
XREFExample
Insert a Reference File
Manipulating Reference Files
Transferring Reference Files
XREFsand AutoCAD Drawing Files
697
702
706
709
711
712
714
716
Templates and Symbols
717
What Is a Symbol?
Templates versus Symbols
Placing Symbols
The SymExp (Symbol Explode) Macro
Nested Symbols
Symbol Instancing
Relative and Absolute Paths
Locations of \TPLand \sYM Directories
CSIFormat or Not?
Creating Templates and Symbols
Building Details with Symbols
Symbol Reports
Symbol Shortcomings
Troubleshooting
718
719
722
735
736
737
738
743
744
748
760
762
771
773
3D Basics
775
Introduction
Overview
3D Viewing
GL Shader
776
777
780
795
3D Modeling
801
Introduction to the Geometric Primitives
802
812
817
820
821
Manage Reference Files
Orphans
XREFs,GNs, and MSPDetails
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
14
15
16
Creating Specialized Shapes Using the Primitives
Dropping a Polygon Mesh
Concept 4: Creating Voids
Concept 4: Creating Voids
Contents
XI
Concept 4: Creating Voids
Concept 5: The Right Hand Rule
Concept 6: CurvesDon't Existin 3D
Concept 7: The Clip Cube
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
17
18
822
825
828
831
30 Modeling Methods
837
The 20 Base Plan
The 3D Model
838
30 Toolbox Macros
855
AEC Modeler
857
839
3D Stairs
875
3D Tools
895
Touchup
909
19 Advanced Modeling Workshop
917
Exercise I-Complex Roof
Exercise 2-Pendentive Dome
918
Exercise 3-The Classic Sweep: A Stair Handrail
Exercise 3-The Classic Sweep: A Stair Handrail
Knife cuts and mitres
Variations
965
Exercise 4-Land
975
Forms: Four Methods
xercise 5-0rnate
Wrought Iron Railing
Exercise 6-Corinthian Column
Exercise 7-Arched Colonnade
Exercise8-Porte-cochere: RevSurf3
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
945
966
971
974
991
1000
1009
1019
30 Rendering
1033
Advanced 3D Workshop 10: Notes on Rendering
1034
Techno-Files
1041
File Recovery
The Semaphore (.$$$)File
Understanding CADFiles
Understanding CAD Files
Program Bugs
Speeding Up DataCAD
1042
1042
1047
1048
1054
1056
Contents
XII
Sample Macros
DCAL Resources
1057
1061
1062
1069
1072
1074
1075
Frequently Asked Questions
1077
A. How Do I Draw Things?
Q: External Reference Files (XREFs)
R: 3-Dimensional Questions
1078
1080
1081
1081
1082
1084
1085
1086
1086
1086
1087
1088
1089
1092
1094
1095
Customizing DataCAD
1097
Of Mice and. . . Well, Mice
DataCAD Applications Language (DCAL) Programming
Compiling Macros
Basics
Program Layout
Chapter 22
B. How Do I Edit and Move Things?
C. Dimensions
D. Customizing Things
E. Printing and Plotting
F: Hatching and Linetypes
G: Text and Fonts
H. Toolbox Macros and Add-Ons
J. Multi-Scale Plotting (MSP) and Clip Cubes (CCs)
K. Templates and Symbols
L. Importing and Exporting DWG and DXF Files
M. Techno Files
N. Miscellaneous Stuff
P When Things Don't Act Like They Should
Chapter 23
Customizing
the Graphical
Macros Drop-Down
User Interface
(GUI)
Menu
Customizing DataCAD with the DCADWIN.INI File
Color Adjustments
THE INI-OUTI Editor
Keyboard Shortcuts
Action Codes
Customizing the CTRLKey Shortcuts
Custom Icon Toolbars
Action String Codes
Internal Function Codes
1098
1106
1107
1116
1119
1123
1125
1133
1136
1143
1145
Contents
XIII
Custom Scales, Angles, and Distances
Converting AutoCAD Fonts to DataCAD
Creating Custom Fonts
The Productivity Pack
1148
1151
1153
1167
1186
1190
1193
1199
Third-Party Macros
1205
Free Macros from DataCAD LLC
Third-Party Macros
Macro Tabouret
1206
1214
1217
Converting File Formats
1223
Living in an AutoCAD World
Exporting DataCAD Drawings to the AutoCAD Format
Importing AutoCAD Drawings into DataCAD
Import and Export DXF Drawing Files
Exporting a DataCAD Drawing to DXF
Importing a DXF File to DataCAD
DXF/DWG Options
Recreating MSPLayouts in AutoCAD
1224
1225
1233
1238
1239
1241
1242
1246
Networking
1251
Networking Concepts
Hardware
Networking in Windows
Sharing
Mapping
Mapping Drives on a Workstation Server
Printers/Plotters on the Network
1252
1252
1253
1255
1256
1259
1260
Data CAD Resources
1267
Web Pages and Third-Party Support
Three More Web Pages
DataCAD Applications Language (DCAL)
1268
1274
1277
.KEYFile Examples
Graphic Toolbar Icons
Custom Linetypes
Custom Hatches
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Contents
XIV
Appendix
Linetypes
Hatches
Fonts
Extended Character Codes
Favorite Keyboard Macros
DWG/DXF Translation Files
1279
1279
1280
1285
1286
1288
1290
Index
1295
What's On the CD-ROM?
1323