The Ribbon

If you are interesting in testing the Ribbon in AutoCAD LT 2013 you can turn it on and off with the following commands.

Turn Ribbon On
Type RIBBON at the command line to turn the Ribbon on.

Keep in mind you can still have your regular toolbars visible (including the Wolski toolbars) while the ribbon is on.

Turn Ribbon Off
Type RIBBONCLOSE at the command to turn the Ribbon off.

Happy testing.

AutoCAD LT 2013 Deployment

This information outlines the procedure for installing and configuring AutoCAD LT 2013 to use the Wolski CAD System.

Install AutoCAD LT 2013 

• Install AutoCAD LT 2013 (with default settings)
• Install latest AutoCAD LT 2013 Service pack

Set Workspace

(needs to be completed when new users log on to a workstation for the first time)

• If you wish to disable the ribbon, press the Workspace switching button (lower right corner of screen). Set to AutoCAD LT Classic

Configure Wolski Paths

• Start the Options command (Shortcut: OP)
• Set to the File tab and set the following settings (in the support file search path getting the right order is important).

Import Palette Groups

• Start AutoCAD LT 2013
• Right Click on Tool Palette and select Customize Palettes...

Right Click in Palette Groups area and select Import...

• Browse to T:\AutoCAD\Wolski2013\PaletteGroups and select Details.xpg (repeat this step and select Symbols.xpg)
• Close Customize dialog box.

End of Document.

Stretch Command

If you need a little more assistance with the stretch command here is a video for you:

Resolve "Lines are non coplanar" Issue

To resolve the dreaded "Lines are non coplaner" issue using the fillet or trim command you need to convert all lines to have a "Z" coordinates of 0. Here are the steps:

• Select all objects in your drawing (hint: use Ctrl A).
• Start the Properties palette (hint: use Ctrl 1).
• Press Now we can filter out just the lines by pressing the QSelect button on the Properties palette:

• Set the object filter to Lines and press OK (this will filter out everything but the lines)

• Now in the Properties palette set the Start Z and End Z to 0



Now your lines should be flat and ready for trimming.

Shop Drawing Stamp Issue

In some PDFs the font within the Wolski shop drawing stamp may go wocky when inserted. This is can be fixed with the following procedure:

1. Close the problem PDF.
2. In Bluebeam go to File pulldown -> Create PDF -> From File and select the problem PDF
3. When prompted save the PDF to a different name.
4. The stamps should work in the new PDF.

Please note this will flatten any markups within the PDF.

Joe's Top Ten AutoCAD Tips

Tip #10

Concept: Save often access project folder

Procedure:  

• Navigate to Project folder in any file dialog box
• Right-click in folder area
• Select Add Current Folder

Tip #9

Control Button

Concept: Make good use of the Crtl button.

Procedure:  

• Cntl Tab – Toggles you through files within a program.
• Cntl 1 – Toggles Property Palette 
• Cntl 3 – Toggles Tool Palette
• Cntl Shift C – Copy with a basepoint 
• Cntl Z – Undo
• Cntl S – Save

Tip #8

Freezing Xref Layers

Concept: Freeze layers in an Xref by picking an object on the layer.

Procedure: 

• · Use Deep Freeze for Doors within Xref (in Wolski Toolbar)

Tip #7

Finding the Centre

Concept: Find the centre point between two points

Procedure:  

• Use Shift Right click and select Mid between 2 Points (tip: use with Tool Palette block insertions).

 Tip #6

Clip Xrefs

Concept: Clip Xrefs to keep your drawings clean.

Procedure:  

• Right-click on an Xref and select Clip Xref (tip: notice there is an Inverse option).

 Tip #5

Change Objects to Current Layer

Concept: Use with new detail layers to update drawings.

Procedure:  

• Set a layer current and then use the Change to Current Layer command to change objects to this layer. (hint use with new detail layers).

See other fancy Layer tools (like isolate layer) from Layer II toolbar

Tip #4

Block Editor

Concept: Edit a block rather than explode it.

Procedure:  

• Right-click on a block and Block Editor (hint: use with caution).

Tip #3

Keyboard Short-cuts

Concept: Increase your speed with keyboard short-cuts

Procedure:  

• Use shortcuts on left side of keyboard and use thumb on spacebar for Enter
• More details to follow....

Tip #2

Etransmit

Concept: Create transmittal packages.

Procedure:  

• At the command line type ETRANSMIT

Tip #1

Publish Drawing

Concept: Publish allows you to batch print drawings.

Procedure:  

• At the command line type PUBLISH

Customize Folders

Problem Setting Scales

In some drawings the following error message is displayed when you attempt to set a Wolski scale:

This error is caused by the presence of  an "annotative" MILL-i or STAN-i dimension style within the drawing.

To resolve this issue you must:

1. Set to an non-annotative Dimension Style
2. Purge MILL-i and STAN-i out of the drawing (or rename them to something else).
3. Run Scales tool again.

New Detail Layers

We have add some the following layers for detailing (these replace the 31-34 MILLWORK layers):

31_DETL_FINE (0.18mm)
31_DETL_THIN (0.25mm)
31_DETL_MED (0.35mm)
31_DELT_THCK (0.5mm)
31_DETL_WIDE (0.7mm)

• There is a new command on the Wolski Layer toolbar for quick access to these layers.

• Select the detail layer width...

• This layer will be created and set current.
• Now if you wish to change object to this layer press the Change to Current Layer button:

Resizing Blocks

Here is a great way to resize annotation blocks in your drawing if they are the wrong size (i.e. the drawing scale was set-up wrong).

• Right-click on a block and you will find a command near the bottom called Select Similar (when you press it all the blocks of that name will be selected).

• If your Properties Palette is not displayed press Ctrl 1 to display it.
  
• In your Properties palette set the Scale X, Scale Y, and Scale Z to the new scale number.

• Repeat for all appropriate blocks.

New Blocks Added to Palette

Hi, the following blocks were added to the Wolski Tool Palette.

Electrical:

• Card Reader
• Existing Data
• Unit Heater
• Push Button
• Bell
• Motion Sensor

Legends:

• Equipment Legend (with fields for Dimensions, Power Requirements and Remarks).

Scaling Text to New Size

There is a new Wolski tool for scaling text to the new size, here is the procedure:

• Set the proper scale with the Change Scale button.
• Press the Scale Text button on the Wolski Annotation toobar.

• Select the text that you wish to resize.
• The program will resize the text to the new size.

Reminder:
Dimension styles will automatically resize with the Change Scales button.

Loading Multileaders

The new multileaders should load properly in all newly created drawings. However in existing drawings you may see the following error:

To resolve this issue you simply have to reset your drawing scale by pressing the Wolski Change Scales button and setting a scale.

Open PDFs in Bluebeam

If you want PDFs to open in Bluebeam rather than within your Internet Browser you can accomplish this by changing a setting in Adobe Reader.

1. Open Adobe Reader and go to the Edit pulldown and then select Preferences

2. Then Select Internet and Uncheck Display PDF in Browser



Details, Details.

Hello, we have added a new section to the Wolski tool palette and you won't believe that you were able to live without it to this point.

The palette tab is called Detailing and it includes breaklines, wood and metal sectional studs, batt insulation and more. Check it out and let us know if there are additional items that you would like to see included.

Pen Assignments - Updates

The following update have been made to the Wolski Pen Assignments to add more "punch" to the drawings. 



The following adjustments were made to the Wolski.ctb file on the server (if you require the older settings they are saved to Wolski-Original.ctb).

Bluebeam Administrator

If you have an issue with Bluebeam, likely it can be resolved with the Bluebeam Administrator.

----------
"How do I start the Administrator?"
Start Button - > All Programs -> Bluebeam Software -> Bluebeam Administrator
Or from within Bluebeam PDF Revu:



----------

“I don’t know where Bluebeam is saving my PDFs”
Check out the Printer Options:



While you are at it double-check to make sure the Bluebeam Printer Monitor is running:



----------

“My PDFs are opening in Adobe not Bluebeam"
Set Bluebeam as the default viewer:

Offset to Current Layer

Here is a great tip for creating for wall lines from grid lines:

1. Draw grid lines on GRID layer
2. Set the WALL layer current.
3. Offset your wall line from the grids using the Offset to Current Layer option (this will create lines on the WALL layer).

So how do you set this magical offset option?

At the command line type OFFSET and then L (for Layer) and C (for Current) and then continue with your offset distance...

Same principle works for creating T-bar ceiling lines from wall lines, have fun!

Frustration with MText

Wow, editting a large piece of Mtext can be frustrating. When you click to edit Mtext, AutoCAD makes the text appear large....but this disables the zoom command. The only way to get to the bottom are the arrow keys on your keyboard.

Here is a tip from Chris Green if you can't stand this behavior.

Type at the command line: MTEXTFIXED and set to 1

Till next time.

Shop Drawing Workflow

This chart outlines the standard paperless shop drawing workflow:

Enjoy!

Door of the Week: Barn

Hi this week you get the new barn door.

Enjoy!