Design Software Tips

The tips are designed for use with AutoCAD, but note that the concepts can be applied to many other programs.

As you draw, avoid actions that work for you but might not make sense to another user. Always be mindful of the next CAD operator who is going to work with your file.
It's never a good idea to work up your borders and title blocks in your model space. This is a troublesome and burnt-out concept best left in the past. No need to draw, scale, etc., in your model space in an effort to create a page setup. Your time would be better spent working up (or using) a standard title block and Xref-ing it into your projects. You'll never have to draw a title block/border again.
On your Layout tabs: When you begin setting up your layout, it's best to start by creating a viewport that "Fits" the page. The only real purpose for doing so is to define your maximum viewing area. After creating the Fit viewport, use 1" (2.5cm) lines at 45deg to flag the four corners of your viewport. This will give you some visual space around the page and create an osnap reference to the limits of the page. Now that you have flagged your layout space, delete the viewport, put the flag lines on your Defpoints layer, and Xref your border/title block into the layout and place it as needed.

Double-click the mouse wheel to perform a Zoom Extents.
Control+0 (zero) hides all toolbars and tool palettes. Repeat to restore.
Use the Zoom / Object option to zoom to a single or group of objects.
To force an update of all associative dimensions, use the Dimregen command.
Use the UCS / E option to select an Entity to align the UCS.
Double-click on a viewport to maximize it (just as you would using the Vpmax command).
The status bar (which sits above the Command line and displays dynamic coordinates and other details) if it is gone, then simply pressing the Control key toggles it on (and off)."

<CRAB point of contact is Jim Ayres P. E., Design Systems Engineer - 360.664.3299