Materi Asli Komars

NEWVIEW (Command)
Creates a named view with no motion.

Find
Displays the New view / Shot Properties dialog box with the View Properties tab
active.
Related References
 Commands for ShowMotion
Related Concepts
 About Creating Preview Animations
+CONSTRAINTSETTINGS (Command)
Controls the tab that is displayed by default when the Constraint Settings dialog
box is invoked.
Tab Index Tab Displayed
0 Geometric tab
1 Dimensional tab
AutoConstrain tab
2
(Not available in AutoCAD LT)
Related References
 CONSTRAINTSETTINGS (Command)
 Commands for Parametric Drawing
 Commands for Geometric Constraints
Related Concepts
 About Displaying and Verifying Geometric Constraints
VIEWUPDATE (Command)
Updates drawing views that have become out-of-date because the source model
has changed.
Find
NOTE:This command is available only on 64-bit systems.
When Auto Update is off, out of date drawing views are highlighted by red
markers on the corners of the view’s border.
Once the command execution is completed, the "n view(s) updated successfully"
prompt is displayed.
The following prompts are displayed.
Select view to update
Specifies the view to update. This prompt is repeated until you press the
Enter key. Although an All option is not included within the prompt, you
can enter all to select all views within the current layout.
Related References
 Commands for Working with Model Documentation Drawing Views
Related Concepts
 About Model Documentation
3D Studio File Import Options Dialog Box
Imports a 3D Studio (3DS) file.
Lists available and selected 3D objects, saves 3D objects to layers, and handles
objects that use multiple materials.
List of Options
The following options are displayed.
Available Objects
Displays the names of all objects in the specified 3D Studio (3DS) file. You can
select up to 70 objects.
Object Name and Type
Displays the type and assigned name of each object.
Add All
Adds all of the objects in the Available Objects list to the Selected Objects
list.
Add
Adds the objects currently selected in the Available Objects list to the
Selected Objects list.
Selected Objects
Displays the selected 3D objects to import.
Object Name and Type
Displays the type and assigned name of each object.
Remove
Removes objects selected in the Selected Objects list and returns them to
the Available Objects list.
Remove All
Removes all objects from the Selected Objects list and returns them to
the Available Objects list.
Save to Layers
Controls how 3D objects are assigned to layers in the drawing.
By Object
Creates a layer for each object in the 3D Studio file and places the object
on that layer. The name of the layer is the same as the name of the
object.
By Material
Creates a layer for each material in the 3D Studio file and places objects
to which that material is attached on that layer. The name of the layer is
the same as the name of the material.
By Object Color
Creates a layer for each object color in the 3D Studio file. Each 3D object
is placed on the layer corresponding to its color. The name of the layer is
COLORnn, where nn is the color index of the object coming from the 3D
Studio file. If the 3D Studio file contains objects with no color, these
objects are placed on a layer called COLORNONE.
Single Layer
Creates a single layer called AVLAYER and places all objects on that layer.
Multiple Material Objects
When the application encounters a 3D object assigned multiple materials, it
determines how to handle the assignment.
Always Prompt
Displays the Material Assignment Alert dialog box, where you can select
one of the following options for each object with multiple materials.
 Split Object by Material. Splits the object into multiple objects,
one for each material.
 Assign First Material. Assigns the first material assigned to each
multiple-material object to the entire object.
 Select a Material. Assigns a material you specify to the entire
object.
Split by Material
Splits all objects with multiple materials into multiple objects, one for
each material. This preserves the material assignments that were made in
the 3D Studio file. It also increases the complexity of the drawing
geometry.
Assign First Material
Assigns the first material assigned to each multiple-material object to the
entire object. See the Autodesk 3ds Max documentation for an
explanation of how the first-assigned material is determined.
Don't Assign a Material
Assigns no material to each multiple-material object. This option loses all
material assignment information but preserves the 3D geometry. The
object reverts to the default material.
Related References
 3DSIN (Command)
Related Concepts
 About Importing Autodesk 3ds Max Files
3DALIGN (Command)
Aligns objects with other objects in 2D and 3D.
Find
Specify up to three points on the object to be aligned. Then specify up to three
corresponding points for the destination.

Select objects
Selects one or more objects to align.
Selected objects will be moved and rotated so that the base point and the
X and Y axes of the source object align in 3D space with the destination.
3DALIGN works with dynamic UCS (DUCS), so you can dynamically drag
the selected objects and align them with the face of a solid object.
Base point
Specifies a point to serve as a base point on the source object you want
to move into alignment with the destination base point.
Second point
Specifies a point on the source object’s X axis.
The second point specifies a new X axis direction within a plane parallel to
the XY plane of the current UCS.
Third point
Specifies a point on the object’s positive XY plane.
The third point sets the orientation of the X and Y axes of the source
object.
Continue
Skips forward to destination point specification prompts. Use this option
if the X and Y axes of the source should be parallel with the X and Y axes
of the current UCS.
Copy
Creates and aligns a copy of the source object instead of moving it.
First destination point
Defines the destination of the base point of the source object.
NOTE: If the destination is a plane on an existing solid object, you can
define the destination plane with a single point by turning on dynamic
UCS.
Second destination point
Specifies a new X axis direction for the destination within a plane parallel
to the XY plane of the current UCS.
Third destination point
Sets the orientation of the X and Y axes of the destination plane.
Exit
Specifies that the X and Y axes of the destination are parallel with the X
and Y axes of the current UCS.
Related References
 Commands for Moving and Rotating Objects
Related Concepts
 About Aligning Objects
3DARRAY (Command)
Creates nonassociative, 3D rectangular or polar arrays.
Find
3DARRAY functionality has been replaced with the enhanced ARRAY command,
which allows you to create associative or nonassociative, 2D or 3D, rectangular,
path, or polar arrays. 3DARRAY maintains legacy behavior.
For 3D rectangular arrays, in addition to columns and rows, you also specify the
number of levels in the Z direction. For 3D polar arrays, you specify the axis of
rotation with any two points in space.
The entire selection set is treated as a single element in the array.

Select objects
Select the objects to array.
Rectangular
Copies objects in a matrix of rows (X axis), columns (Y axis), and levels (Z axis). An
array must have at least two rows or two columns or two levels.
Positive values generate the array along the positive X, Y, and Z axes. Negative
values generate the array along the negative X, Y, and Z axes.
Number of rows (---)
Specifies the number of rows to repeat along the X axis.
Number of columns (|||)
Specifies the number of rows to repeat along the Y axis.
Number of levels (...)
Specifies the number of rows to repeat along the Z axis.
Distance between rows (---)
Specifies the distance between the base points of the items arrayed along
the X axis.
Distance between columns (|||)
the Y axis.
Distance between levels (...)
the Z axis
Polar
Copies objects about an axis of rotation. The specified angle determines how far
the objects are arrayed about the axis of rotation.
Number of items in the array

Specifies the number of arrayed items.
Angle to fill
Specifies the angle between the first and last item in the array. A negative
number produces a clockwise array rotation.
Rotate arrayed objects?
Controls whether items are rotated as they are arrayed.
 Yes. Rotates the items along the axis of rotation.
 No. Retains the same orientation for all objects in the array.
Center point of array
Specifies the center point of the arrayed objects.
Second point on axis of rotation
Specifies a second point that sets the direction of the axis of rotation
from the center point.
Related References
 Commands for Working with Arrays
Related Concepts
 About Arrays
3DCLIP (Command)
Opens the Adjust Clipping Planes window, where you can specify what portions
of a 3D model to display.
Find
The Adjust Clipping Planes window is displayed.
NOTE:Setting clipping planes is primarily a viewing option. Use the
SECTIONPLANE and LIVESECTION commands to create live sections, use the
SECTION command for static sections, and use the VIEWSECTION command to
generate associative 2D drawings from AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor 3D
models.
Related References
 Adjust Clipping Planes Window
 Commands for 3D Views
Related Concepts
 About Live Sectioning
 About Section Objects
GRAPHICSCONFIG (Command)
Sets hardware acceleration on or off and provides access to display performance
options.
Displays the Graphics Performance dialog box.
If you enter -GRAPHICSCONFIG at the Command prompt, more options are
displayed.
Related References
 Graphics Performance Dialog Box
 -GRAPHICSCONFIG (Command)
 System Tab (Options Dialog Box)
 Commands for Model Shading, Edge Effects, and Visual Effect
Performance
 Commands for Graphics System
 Graphics Performance (Status Bar Button)
Related Concepts
 About Backgrounds and Shadows
 About Graphics Performance Tuning
 About Memory Tuning
 About Evaluating and Improving Hardware Performance
 Hardware Acceleration Troubleshooting Reference
-GRAPHICSCONFIG (Command)
Sets hardware acceleration on or off and provides access to display performance
options on the command line.
Displays the graphic performance options on the command line. It also provides
access to advanced graphic options which are not available in the Graphics
Performance dialog box.
Acceleration
Specifies whether to use software or hardware acceleration in 3D.
Hardware
Specifies hardware acceleration. The hardware graphics card performs
most of the drawing tasks to increase performance.
 Smooth line display. Controls the status of the full screen anti-
aliasing effect. This option removes the jagged effect on the
display of diagonal lines and curved edges.
 Per-pixel lighting. Enables the computation of colors for individual
pixels. With this option turned on, the 3D objects and lighting
effects appear smoother in the viewport.
 Advanced material effects. Controls the status of the advanced
materials effect on-screen.
 Full shadow display. Enables the display of full shadows.
 Uncompressed textures. Increases the amount of video memory to
display better quality textures in drawings that contain materials
with images or have attached images.
NOTE: With this option on, the time it takes to load the images
may increase the first time that they are accessed and there is a
reduction in the quality of the images when they are displayed in
the viewport or plotted.
 High quality geometry. Creates high quality curves and
lineweights, and automatically turns on the Smooth line display
option.
Software
Specifies software acceleration. The software graphics system performs
all of the drawing tasks.
 Smooth line display. Controls the status of the full screen anti-
aliasing effect. This option removes the jagged effect on the
display of diagonal lines and curved edges.
 Exit. Ends the command.
Exit
Ends the command.
Adaptive Degradation
Turns off or minimizes display effects when performance drops below the
minimum acceptable speed (frames per second) that you specify.
Wireframe visual styles will reduce the number of vectors displayed;
other visual styles will degrade to the Shaded visual style.
General Options
Sets performance-related options that are not hardware dependent.
Smooth Faces
Smooths the facets in a polyface mesh object when displayed in the
viewport and in a rendering. This is useful when using objects that were
imported through 3DSIN or when using PFACE objects. Note that when
enabled, all objects in the drawing are made smooth. If you do not want
all objects to be smooth, recreate the model using a different object type.
Dynamic Tesselation
Sets the options that determine the smoothness of the objects in a
drawing. Objects are drawn using many short lines (or triangles when
drawing spheres). These lines are called tessellation lines. Objects in your
drawing appear smoother when you use more tessellation lines.
 Surface tesselation. Determines the amount of detail for surfaces
in your drawing. A higher setting provides more detail but uses
more tessellation lines and more memory.
 Curve tesselation. Determines the amount of detail for curves in
your drawing. A higher setting provides more detail but uses more
tessellation lines and more memory.
 Tesselations to cache. Configures your system according to
memory and performance requirements. The 3D cache always
stores at least one tessellation. When this option is set to 1, the
tessellation for all viewports is the same; some objects in the
drawing may be regenerated as you zoom in and out. Setting this
option to 2 or more is useful when you have more than one
viewport with different views. Increasing the number requires
more memory.
Discard Backfaces
Discards back faces when drawing objects. You cannot see the effect of
discarding back faces on some objects, such as spheres, because you
cannot see the back face even when it is present. The effect of discarding
back faces is visible on objects such as those that don't have a top.
Discarding back faces enhances performance.
Transparency Quality
Adjusts the transparency quality used when viewing or rendering a
model. The transparency quality used is dependent on if software or
hardware acceleration are used, or if a model is being rendered. The
default quality is Medium.
Software acceleration
 Low quality produces a screen-door effect to achieve transparency
without sacrificing speed.
 Medium quality uses a combination of the screen-door effect and
alpha blending.
 High quality uses simple alpha blending, which can cause graphical
artifacts to appear based on the current draw order.
Hardware acceleration
 Low quality uses simple alpha blending, which can cause graphical
artifacts to appear based on the current draw order.
 Medium quality uses a two-pass algorithm to draw all opaque
objects, followed by all transparent objects. The transparent
objects are drawn using simple alpha blending, which can cause
graphical artifacts to appear based on the current draw order. The
graphical artifacts are less noticeable due to the opaque objects
being drawn prior to the transparent objects.
 High quality improves on medium quality by sorting transparent
objects to decrease the appearance of graphical artifacts.
However, the sorting does not completely eliminate all graphical
artifacts.
Rendering
 Low quality disables the use of transparency for all materials, and
the materials are rendered as opaque instead.
 Medium quality enables transparency for materials, but the actual
material opacity used is the square root of the specified material
opacity.
 High quality enables transparency and the opacity assigned to a
material is mapped directly to the rendering engine.
NOTE:Materials must also be turned on for transparency to be visible.
Plot Emulation
Turns on or off the use of software emulation for unsupported hardware
effects during the plotting of a drawing with shaded viewports. The use of
software emulation happens when it is turned on, and hardware
acceleration is disabled or is enabled, but does not support Shadows.
Exit
Ends the command.
Related References
 GRAPHICSCONFIG (Command)
Performance
Related Concepts
3DCONVERSIONMODE (System Variable)
Used to convert material and light definitions to the current product release.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1
3DCONVERSIONMODE
Deviation Value
Value
No material or lighting conversion takes place when
0
the drawing is opened
Material and lighting conversion takes place
1
automatically
2 You are prompted to convert any materials or lighting
Related References
 Commands for Creating Lights in Your Drawings
 Commands for the Rendering Process
Related Concepts
 About the Conversion of Lights in Drawings From Earlier Releases
 About Updating Legacy Rendering Objects and Settings
3DCORBIT (Command)
Rotates the view in 3D space with continuous motion.
Find
You can view your entire drawing or select one or more objects before starting
the command.
Selecting one or more objects before starting this command limits the display to
those objects only.
While the command is active, right-click to display additional options from a
shortcut menu.
NOTE:Adaptive degradation has not been implemented for continuous orbit.
Large 3D models using 3D rendered visual styles can be choppy as a result.
Related References
Related Concepts
 About 3D Navigation Tools
3DDISTANCE (Command)
Starts the interactive 3D view and makes objects appear closer or farther away.
Find
When the command is active, the cursor appears as a line with one arrow
pointing up and another pointing down. Clicking and dragging in the current
viewport moves the position of the camera for the current view closer or farther
away from the objects. Drag upward to move the camera closer to the objects,
making them appear larger; drag downward to move the camera away from the
objects, making them appear smaller.
Related References
Related Concepts
3DDWF (Command)
Creates a 3D DWF or 3D DWFx file of your 3D model and displays it in the DWF
Viewer.
Find
The Export 3D DWF dialog box (a standard file selection dialog box) is displayed.
Under File Type, you can specify the 3D DWF (*.dwf) or 3D DWFx (*.dwfx) file
format. After you name and save the file, the DWF file viewer is launched and
your DWF file is displayed.
You can also change publishing settings from the 3D DWF Publish dialog box.
Related References
 3D DWF Publish Dialog Box
 Commands for Internet Collaboration
 Commands for Publishing 3D Drawings
Related Concepts
 About Publishing 3D DWF Files
 About Publishing Section Objects
 About DWF and DWFx Files
3DDWFPREC (System Variable)
Controls the precision of 3D DWF or 3D DWFx publishing.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Drawing
Initial value: 2
This system variable has a range from 1 to 6. Higher settings result in finer
precision.
3DDWFPREC ValueDeviation Value
1 1
2 0.5
3 0.2
4 0.1
5 0.01
6 0.001
NOTE:Setting a 3DDWFPREC value of 5 or 6 will create very large files or sheets in
a multi-sheet DWF or DWFx.
Related References
 Commands for Publishing 3D Drawings
Related Concepts
Undocumented Command or System Variable
This command or system variable is not documented in the Help system for one
of several reasons, including
 It is obsolete, but included in the product to maintain legacy script
compatibility
 It was included for testing purposes and has limited or no functionality
 It is a special case of a similar, documented command and is used in the
menu or the ribbon only
Use Search to find additional information about the feature in which you are
interested, and the documented commands and system variables associated
with it.
3D DWF Publish Dialog Box
Sets the options for publishing a 3D model to DWF or DWFX .
Sets which objects to publish, how they are organized in the viewer, and how
materials are handled.
These settings are accessed from within the Export 3D DWF dialog box.
List of Options
Objects to Publish
Specifies whether all model space objects or selected model space objects are
published to the DWF file.
All Model Space Objects
Publishes all model space objects to the 3D DWF or 3D DWFx file.
Selected Model Space Objects
Allows you to create a selection set of model space objects, including
external references, which are published to the 3D DWF or 3D DWFx file
after you click OK.
Select Objects
(Active only when Select Model Space Objects is enabled) Minimizes the
dialog boxes and lets you select objects in the drawing workspace. When
object selection is completed, press Enter and the 3D DWF or 3D DWFx
Publish dialog box reappears, reporting the number of objects selected
for publishing.
3D DWF Organization
Specifies how to group objects in the DWF or DWFx file for viewing in Autodesk ®
DWF ™ Viewer.
Group by Xref Hierarchy
Arranges objects by xref hierarchy in the viewer. If unselected, externally
referenced files are listed in the viewer like any other objects.
Options
Specifies how materials are handled
Publish with Materials
Specifies whether materials are published with the DWF file. Most
materials that you have assigned to your model will not be published to
the 3D DWF or 3D DWFx file. Materials with procedural maps and some
material properties will not export to the 3D DWF or 3D DWFx file. If your
material contains texture mapping, only the Diffuse Map gets published
along with its scale and orientation data. Including materials will not
significantly affect the size of your 3D DWF or 3D DWFx files.
Default=active.
NOTE: Materials that are not supported in 3D DWF or 3D DWFx include Bump,
Opacity, and Reflection mapping, as well as all forms of procedural materials,
which include Checker, Marble, Noise, Speckle, Tile, Waves and Wood.
Related References
 3DDWF (Command)
Related Concepts
 About Publishing Section Objects
 About DWF and DWFx Files
3DEDITBAR (Command)
Reshapes splines and NURBS surfaces, including their tangency properties.
Find
Several grips are available for moving a point and changing the magnitude and
direction of tangents at specific points on splines, and in the U, V , and W
directions on NURBS surfaces.
The 3D Edit Bar gizmo includes three grips:

 Triangle grip. Specifies the method for reshaping the selected object.
 Square grip. Reshapes the selected object by moving the base point or
changing the tangent direction at the base point. Use the three axes to
restrict the movement option to a specified axis. Similarly, the three
squares that touch the square grip restrict the movement option to the
specified planes.
 Tangent arrow grip. Changes the magnitude of the tangent at the base
point. For example, lengthening the tangent arrow grip flattens the
curvature of the surface at the point of tangency. The tangent arrow
points in the direction of one of the surface’s U, V, or W axes, depending
on the tangent direction specified in 3D Edit Bar Shortcut Menu.

Select a NURBS Surface or Curve to Edit
Specifies the object to be modified. Valid objects include lines, arcs,
circles, ellipses and elliptical arcs, polylines, helixes, splines, and NURBS
surfaces. Objects other than surfaces can be converted to splines.
Select Point on Curve or Select Point on NURBS Surface
Specifies a base point on the selected curve or NURBS surface. Changes to
the selected object are relative to this point.
Base Point
Specifies a new base point on the curve or NURBS surface.
Displacement
Specifies a new base point by projecting the absolute coordinates entered
onto the selected curve or surface, when possible.
Undo
Cancels the previous change without exiting the command.
Exit
Cancels the current operation and returns to the previous prompt, or it
exits the command.
Related References
 3D Edit Bar Shortcut Menu
 Commands for Surface Editing
Related Concepts
 About Modifying Splines
 About Editing NURBS Surfaces
3DFACE (Command)
Creates a three-sided or four-sided surface in 3D space.
Find
After entering the last two points for a 3D face, the command repeats
automatically using the these two points as the first two points of the next 3D
face. For example:

First point
Defines the start point for the 3D surface. After entering the first point,
enter the remaining points in a natural clockwise or counterclockwise
order to create a normal 3D face. If you locate all four points on the same
plane, a planar face is created that is similar to a region object. When you
shade or render the object, planar faces are filled.
Second point
Defines the second point for the 3D surface.
Third point
Defines the third point for the 3D surface.
Fourth point
Defines the fourth point for the 3D surface.
The Third point and Fourth point prompts are repeated until you press
Enter. Specify points 5 and 6 at these repeating prompts. When you finish
entering points, press Enter.
Invisible
Controls which edges of a 3D face are visible, allowing for accurate
modeling of objects with holes. Entering i or invisible before the first
point of an edge makes the edge invisible.
The invisible specification must precede any object snap modes, XYZ
filters, or coordinate input for that edge. You can create a 3D face in
which all edges are invisible. Such a face is a phantom; it does not appear
in wireframe presentations but can hide material in line drawings. 3D
faces do appear in shaded renderings.
You can combine 3D faces to model complex 3D surfaces.
Related References
 Commands for Creating a Custom Mesh (Legacy)
Related Concepts
 About Creating a Custom Mesh (Legacy)
 About Creating Meshes by Conversion
 About Face Normals and Removing Hidden Surfaces
 About Minimizing Intersecting and Coplanar Faces
3DFLY (Command)
Changes the 3D view in a drawing interactively to create the appearance of flying
through the model.
Find
NOTE: By default, the Animations panel is not displayed. With the Visualize tab
active, right click the ribbon and select which panels are displayed.
3DFLY activates a fly mode in the current viewport. You can leave the XY plane as
though you're flying through or around the model. On the keyboard, use arrow
keys or the following letters to determine the direction of your flight:
 W (forward)
 A (left)
 S (back)
 D (right)
 F (toggle between walk and flight)
By default, the Position Locator window opens and displays your position in the
drawing from a top view.
Related References
 Position Locator Window
 Commands for Preview Animations
Related Concepts
 About Walking and Flying Through a Drawing
3DFORBIT (Command)
Rotates the view in 3D space without constraining roll.
Find
3DFORBIT activates a 3D Free Orbit view in the current viewport.
The 3D Free Orbit view displays an arcball, which helps define the vantage point
of the orbit.
Moving your cursor over different parts of the arcball changes the cursor icon,
indicating the direction of the view rotation when you drag the cursor. Unlike
3DORBIT, 3DFORBIT does not constrain the orbit to a vertical or horizontal plane.
Select one of more objects before starting this command to limit the display to
those objects only.
shortcut menu.
For example, the Enable Orbit Auto Target option controls whether the objects
or the camera are rotated during the orbit. You cannot edit objects while the
3DFORBIT command is active.
Related References
 3D Free Orbit Cursor Icon Reference
 3D Orbit Shortcut Menu
Related Concepts
3DMESH (Command)
Creates a free-form polygon mesh.
The mesh density controls the number of facets, and is defined in terms of a
matrix of M and N vertices, similar to a grid consisting of columns and rows.
3DMESH is a legacy method for creating mesh, designed primarily for operation
under program control rather than by manual entry.
To take advantage of smoothing, creasing, and refinement capabilities, use the
MESH command.
Size of mesh in M direction
Sets the M direction value. Enter a value between 2 and 256.
Size of mesh in N direction
Sets the N direction value. Enter a value between 2 and 256.
M times N equals the number of vertices that you must specify.
Location for vertex (0, 0)

Sets the coordinate location of the vertex. Enter a 2D or 3D coordinate.
The location of each vertex in the mesh is defined by m and n, the row
and column indices of the vertex. Defining vertices begins with vertex
(0,0). You must supply the coordinate locations for each vertex in row m
before specifying vertices in row m + 1.
Vertices may be any distance from each other. The M and N orientation
of a mesh depends on the position of its vertices.
3DMESH polygon meshes are always open in both M and N directions.

You can close a mesh with PEDIT.
Related References
Related Concepts
 About Creating a Custom Mesh (Legacy)
3DMOVE (Command)
In a 3D view, displays the 3D Move gizmo to aid in moving 3D objects a specified
distance in a specified direction.
Find
With the 3D Move gizmo, you can move selected objects and subobjects freely or
constrain the movement to an axis or plane.
If the default gizmo (DEFAULTGIZMO) is 3D Move, the 3D Move gizmo is

displayed whenever you select an object in a view with a 3D visual style. If the
visual style is set to 2D Wireframe, the visual style changes to 3D Wireframe for
the duration of the command.
The 3D Move gizmo is displayed at the center of the selected 3D object or
objects by default. The 3D Move Gizmo shortcut menu offers options for
aligning, moving, or changing to another gizmo.
For example, you can also align the 3D Move gizmo with the plane of a face or
object by using the Align Gizmo With Object option on the shortcut menu. The
direction of the move operation is then constrained relative to this work plane.
Select objects
Selects the 3D objects you want to move. When you have selected the
objects, press Enter.
When you have selected an object, the gizmo is displayed. You can
constrain the movement by clicking one of the following locations on the
gizmo:
 Move along an axis. Click an axis to constrain the movement to
that axis.
 Move along a plane. Click the area between the axes to constrain
the movement to that plane.
Stretch point
When you are specifying the move using the gizmo, sets the new location
of the selected objects. Drag and click to move the objects dynamically.
Copy
When you are specifying the move using the gizmo, creates a copy of the
selected objects instead of moving them. You can make multiple copies
by continuing to specify locations.
Base point
Specifies the base point of the 3D objects you want to move.
 Second point. Specifies where the 3D object or objects will be
dragged. You can also move the cursor to indicate a direction and
then enter a distance.
Displacement
Specifies a relative distance and direction for the placement of the
selected 3D objects using coordinate values that you enter at the
command prompt.
Related References
 3D Move Gizmo Shortcut Menu
 Commands for Moving, Rotating, and Scaling 3D Objects
Related Concepts
 About Moving 3D Objects
 About Moving, Rotating, and Scaling 3D Subobjects
 About Moving, Rotating, and Scaling Faces on 3D Solids and Surfaces
 About Using 3D Gizmos
3DORBIT (Command)
Provides interactive viewing in 3D with the mouse. Right-click to display viewing
options.
Find
3DORBIT activates a 3D Orbit view in the current viewport, and the 3D Orbit
cursor icon appears. You cannot edit objects while 3DORBIT is active. If you drag
the cursor horizontally, the camera moves parallel to the XY plane of the world
coordinate system (WCS). If you drag the cursor vertically, the camera moves
along the Z axis. A small dark sphere displays temporarily, representing the
target point about which your view rotates.
shortcut menu. By default, selecting one or more objects before starting this
command limits the display to those objects only.
You can enter 3D orbit mode temporarily by pressing SHIFT and the mouse
wheel, and then moving the cursor.
Related References
 3D Orbit Shortcut Menu
 Commands for Working With 3D Models
Related Concepts
3DORBITCTR (Command)
Sets a specific center of rotation in 3D Orbit view.
Starts 3D Orbit view and uses a center of rotation that you specify, either with
your pointing device or by entering coordinates. If you specify a point outside the
current view, the specified point is ignored and the default center of rotation is
used instead.
3DORBITCTR overrides the Orbit Auto Target option, available from the shortcut
menu when the 3DORBIT command is active.
Related References
Related Concepts
compatibility
with it.
3DOSMODE (System Variable)
Sets running 3D object snaps.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 139
The setting is stored as a bitcode using the sum of the following values:
Shortcut
Value Description
Keys
1 Suppresses the current running 3D object snaps ZNON
2 Snaps to a vertex or a control vertex ZVER
4 Snaps to the midpoint on a face edge ZMID
8 Snaps to the center of a face ZCEN
16 Snaps to a spline or surface knot ZKNO
32 Snaps to a perpendicular face (planar faces only) ZPER
64 Snaps to an object nearest to a face ZNEA
128 Snaps to the closest point in point cloud PNOD
256 Snaps to the nearest point on a planar segment of a point cloud PNEA
512 Snaps perpendicular to a planar segment of a point cloud PPER
Snaps to the intersection of inferred lines for a sectioned point
1024 PINT
cloud, including extrapolated intersections
Snaps to the inferred edge of two planar segments in a point
2048 PEDGE
cloud
Snaps perpendicular to the inferred edge of two planar
4096 PPEDGE
segments in a point cloud
Snaps to the inferred intersection (corner) of three planar
8192 PCOR
segments in a point cloud
16384Snaps to the centerline of a cylindrical segment in a point cloud PCL
To specify more than one running object snap, enter the sum of their values. For
example, entering 6 specifies the Vertex (bitcode 2) and the Midpoint on a face
edge (bitcode 4) object snaps.
NOTE:When running 3D object snaps are turned off using the 3D Object Snap
button on the status bar, a bitcode of 1 is added to the value of 3DOSMODE. This
additional value suppresses running 3D object snap settings without losing them.
Related References
 Commands for Object Snaps in 3D
Related Concepts
 About Using Object Snaps in 3D
Related Information
 About System Variables and Bitcodes
3DOSNAP (Command)
Sets the object snap modes for 3D objects.
Displays the 3D Object Snap tab of the Drafting Settings dialog box. You can also
set the 3D object snap settings with the 3DOSMODE system variable.
NOTE: Because 3D object snaps can slow performance, select only the object
snaps you need.
Related References
 -3DOSNAP (Command)
 3D Object Snap Tab (Drafting Settings Dialog Box)
 Commands for Object Snap
 3D Object Snap (Status Bar Button)
Related Concepts
-3DOSNAP (Command)
Uses command prompts to set running object snap modes for 3D objects.
Enter list of object snap modes
Specify one or more object snap modes by entering the first four
characters of the name. If you enter more than one, separate the names
with commas.
 ZVERtex. Snaps to a vertex or a control vertex.
 ZMIDpoint. Snaps to the midpoint on a face edge.
 ZCENter. Snaps to the center of a face.
 ZKNOt. Snaps to a spline knot.
 ZPERpendicular. Snaps to a perpendicular face (planar faces only).
 ZNEAr. Snaps to an object nearest to face.
 ZNONe. Turns off all 3D object snaps.
Related References
 3DOSNAP (Command)
 Commands for Object Snap
Related Concepts
3DPAN (Command)
When a drawing is in a Perspective view, starts the interactive 3D view and
enables you to drag the view horizontally and vertically.
Find
Moves in the direction that you drag. You can drag the view vertically,
horizontally, or diagonally.
Related References
Related Concepts
3DPAN (Command)
When a drawing is in a Perspective view, starts the interactive 3D view and
enables you to drag the view horizontally and vertically.
Find
Moves in the direction that you drag. You can drag the view vertically,
horizontally, or diagonally.
Related References
Related Concepts
3DPOLY (Command)
Creates a 3D polyline.
Find
A 3D polyline is a connected sequence of straight line segments created as a
single object. 3D polylines can be non-coplanar; however, they cannot include
arc segments.

Start point of polyline
Specifies the first point in the 3d polyline.
Endpoint of line
Draws a straight line from the previous point to the specified new point.
The prompt is repeated until you press Enter to end the command.
Undo
Deletes the last line created. You can continue drawing from the previous
point.
Close
Draws a closing line from the endpoint back to the first point, and then
ends the command. To be closed, a 3D polyline must contain at least two
lines.
Related References
 Commands for Curved Geometric Objects
Related Concepts
 About Curved Objects
 About Polylines
3DPRINT (Command)
Sends a 3D model to Autodesk Print Studio.
Find
After you select objects to print, the following are displayed:
 3D Print Options dialog box
 Autodesk Print Studio
Print Studio is a tool provided with the Autodesk Spark technology and the
EMBER 3D printer. Use Autodesk Print Studio to help ensure that each of your 3D
printing jobs is successful. Print Studio provides you the tools to prepare your
models for specific printers and materials. For more information about Print
Studio, see the Print Studio Help.
For 64-bit systems, you can download Print Studio from within the command or
go to the Autodesk Spark website (http://spark.autodesk.com).
Related Tasks
 To Use Print Studio
Related References
 3D Print Options Dialog Box
 Create STL File Dialog Box
 Commands for Printing 3D Models
Related Concepts
 About Printing 3D Models
3DPRINTSERVICE (Command)
Sends a 3D model to a 3D printing service.
Find
After you select objects to print, the following are displayed:
 3D Print Options dialog box
 Create STL File dialog box
 The Autodesk 3D printing website, where you can select a print vendor
Select solids or watertight meshes
Select the 3D solids or watertight meshes to be printed. A watertight
mesh is a mesh object with no gaps.
As you select solids or watertight meshes, note the following:
 Blocks that contain solids or watertight meshes must be scaled
uniformly.
 Only solids and watertight meshes within selected blocks and
xrefs are included in the output (STL) file. All other geometry is
discarded.
 Watertight meshes are converted to 3D solids based on the
current value of the SMOOTHMESHCONVERT system variable.
(Values of 0 and 1 create smoothed solids. Values of 2 and 3
create faceted solids.) 3DPRINTSERVICE does not optimize, or
merge, coplanar faces during this conversion.
Related Tasks
 To Send a 3D Model to a 3D Printing Service
Related References
 3D Print Options Dialog Box
 Create STL File Dialog Box
 Commands for Printing 3D Models
Related Concepts
 About Printing 3D Models
3DROTATE (Command)
In a 3D view, displays the 3D Rotate gizmo to aid in revolving 3D objects around a
base point.
Find
With the 3D Rotate gizmo, you can drag to rotate selected objects and
subobjects freely or constrain the rotation to an axis.
If the visual style setting is 2D Wireframe, the visual style changes to 3D

Wireframe for the duration of the command.
The 3D Rotate gizmo is displayed at the center of the selected object or objects
by default. You can adjust the axis of rotation by using the shortcut menu to
change the location of the gizmo.
When the 3D Rotate gizmo is displayed, the 3D Rotate Gizmo shortcut menu
offers options for aligning, moving, or changing to another gizmo.
Select objects
Specifies the objects that you want to rotate.
Base point
Sets the center point of the rotation.
Pick a rotation axis
On the 3D Scale gizmo, specifies the axis of rotation. Move the mouse
until the axis path you want to select turns yellow, then click to select it.
Specify angle start point or type an angle
Sets the relative start point of the rotation. You can also enter an angle
value.
Specify angle end point
Rotates the object about the specified axis. Click to end the rotation.
Related References
 3D Rotate Gizmo Shortcut Menu
Related Concepts
 About Rotating 3D Objects
3DSCALE (Command)
In a 3D view, displays the 3D Scale gizmo to aid in resizing 3D objects.
Find
With the 3D Scale gizmo, you can resize selected objects and subobjects along an
axis or plane, or resize the objects uniformly.
The 3D Scale Gizmo shortcut menu offers options for aligning, moving, or
changing to another gizmo.
Select objects
Specifies the objects to be scaled.
Specify base point
Specifies the base point for the scaling.
Pick a scale axis or plane
Specifies whether the object is scaled uniformly or only along a specific
axis or plane. You have the following choices:
 Scale uniformly. Click the area closest to the vertex of the 3D Scale
gizmo. The interior region of all axes of the gizmo is highlighted.
 Constrain the scale to a plane. Click between the parallel lines

between the axes that define the plane. This option is only
available for meshes, not solids or surfaces.
 Constrain the scale to an axis. Click the axis. This option is only
available for meshes, not solids or surfaces.
Specify scale factor

Specifies the amount of change. Drag to dynamically modify the size of
the selected objects or enter a scale value. For example, enter 2 to
double the size of the selection.
Copy
Creates and scales a copy of the selected objects.
Reference
Sets a scale based on a ratio.
 Reference length. Sets the relative amount that represents the
current size in the scale ratio.
 New Length. Sets the relative value used to calculate the new size.
For example, if the reference length is 1 and the new length is 3,
the size of the selected objects is tripled.
 Points. Specifies the relative value used to calculate the new size
based on two points that you specify.
Related References
 3D Scale Gizmo Shortcut Menu
Related Concepts
 About Scaling 3D Objects
3DSELECTIONMODE (System Variable)
Controls the selection precedence of both visually and physically overlapping
objects when using 3D visual styles.
Type: Integer
Saved
Registry
in:
Initial
1
value:
0 Use legacy 3D selection precedence.
Use line-of-sight 3D selection precedence for selecting 3D solids and
1 surfaces. Also, a defining object is given selection precedence over the
associated surface.
3DSELECTIONMODE has no effect when selecting 3D solids if they are displayed
as 2D or 3D wireframes.
Related References
 Commands for Selecting Objects
Related Concepts
 About Selecting Subobjects
 About Selecting Objects Based on Shared Properties
3DSIN (Command)
Imports a 3ds Max (3DS) file.
Find
Data that can be imported from a 3ds Max file includes meshes, materials,
mappings, lights, and cameras. Procedural materials, smoothing groups, and
keyframe data cannot be imported. For importing lights and materials, use the
CONVERTOLDLIGHTS and CONVERTOLDMATERIALS commands.
You choose a file to import in the 3D Studio File Import dialog box (a standard file
selection dialog box) and then change import settings in the 3D Studio File
Import Options dialog box.
Related References
 3D Studio File Import Options Dialog Box
 Commands for Importing 3ds Max Files
Related Concepts
 About Importing Autodesk 3ds Max Files
compatibility
with it.
3DSWIVEL (Command)
Changes the target of the view in the direction that you drag.
Find
Simulates panning with a camera in the direction that you drag. The target of the
view changes. You can swivel the view along the XY plane or along the Z axis.
Related References
Related Concepts
compatibility
with it.
3DWALK (Command)
Changes the 3D view in a drawing interactively to create the appearance of
walking through the model.
Find
NOTE:By default, the Animations panel is not displayed. With the Visualize tab
active, right click the ribbon and select which panels are displayed.
3DWALK activates a walk mode in the current viewport. Use the Position Locator
window to track position in the drawing. You can
 Control direction of walk: On the keyboard, use the four arrow keys or
the W (forward), A (left), S (back), and D (right) keys.
 Control direction of view: Drag the mouse in the direction you want to
look.
 Toggle between 3D Walk and 3D Fly: Press F.
Use the shortcut menu to access 3D Walk settings.
Related References
 Position Locator Window
 Animations Panel (Visualize tab)
 Animation Settings Dialog Box
Related Concepts
Position Locator Window
Displays the top-view position of a 3D model when in a walk or fly navigation.
By default, this window is automatically displayed during a 3d walk-through or

fly-through. Change the settings or drag the indicators in this window to
reposition the in the viewpoint in the drawing area.
You can turn the window on and off on the shortcut menu that is available when
3DWALK or 3DFLY are active.
List of Options
Zoom In
Zooms in to the display in the Position Locator window.
Zoom Out
Zooms out from the display in the Position Locator window.
Zoom Extents
Zooms to the extents of the display in the Position Locator window.
Preview
Displays your current location in the model. You can drag the position
indicator to change your position. You can also drag the target indicator
to change the direction of the view.
Position Indicator Color
Sets the color of the dot that shows your current position.
Position Indicator Size
Sets the size of the indicator. You can choose Small, Medium, or Large.
Position Indicator Blink
Turns the blinking effect on or off.
Position Z
Specifies the Z coordinate for the position indicator. You can modify the
setting by entering a new value.
Target Indicator
Displays an indicator that shows the target of the view.
Target Indicator Color
Sets the color of the target indicator.
Target Z
Specifies the Z coordinate for the target position indicator. You can
modify the setting by specifying a point in the drawing area or entering a
new value.
Preview Transparency
Sets the transparency of the preview window. You can choose a value
from 0 to 95.
Preview Visual Style
Sets the visual style of the preview.
Related References
 3DWALK (Command)
 3DFLY (Command)
Related Concepts
3DZOOM (Command)
Zooms in and out in a perspective view.
Find
Zooming in a perspective view simulates moving the camera closer to the target
or farther away. Objects appear closer or farther away, but the position of the
camera does not change.
The following prompts are displayed only in a perspective view.
All
Zooms to display the entire drawing.
Extents
Zooms to display the drawing extents and results in the largest possible
display of all the objects
Window
Zooms to display an area specified by two points of a rectangular
window.
Previous
Zooms to display the previous view.
Object
Zooms to display one or more selected objects as large as possible and in
the center of the view.
Real time
Using the pointing device, zooms interactively.
Related References
Related Concepts
3DZOOM (Command)
Zooms in and out in a perspective view.
Find
Zooming in a perspective view simulates moving the camera closer to the target
or farther away. Objects appear closer or farther away, but the position of the
camera does not change.
The following prompts are displayed only in a perspective view.
All
Zooms to display the entire drawing.
Extents
Zooms to display the drawing extents and results in the largest possible
display of all the objects
Window
Zooms to display an area specified by two points of a rectangular
window.
Previous
Zooms to display the previous view.
Object
Zooms to display one or more selected objects as large as possible and in
the center of the view.
Real time
Using the pointing device, zooms interactively.
Related References
Related Concepts
ABOUT (Command)
Displays information about your product.
Copyright information and product information is displayed. Product information
includes the version number and service pack, serial number, license type and
expiration date, and the text of the license agreement. You can save the product
information as a text file.
Related Concepts
 About Drawings and Templates
About Publishing
Publishing provides a streamlined alternative to plotting multiple drawings by
providing compressed representations of drawings in a file that is easy to view
and distribute.
An electronic drawing set is the digital equivalent of a set of plotted drawings.
You create an electronic drawing set by publishing drawings to a DWF, DWFx, or
PDF file.
You can publish an entire sheet set from the Sheet Set Manager. With one click,
you can create an electronic drawing set by publishing the sheet set to a single,
multi-sheet DWF, DWFx, or PDF file.
You can create a paper drawing set by publishing the sheet set to the plotter
named in each sheet's page setup.
Using the Publish dialog box, you can assemble a collection of drawings to
publish and save the list as a Drawing Set Descriptions (DSD) file. You can
customize this collection of drawings for a specific user, and you can add and
remove sheets as a project evolves. Once you've created a list of drawing sheets
in the Publish dialog box, you can publish the drawings to any of the following:
 The plotter named in each sheet's page setup (including drawings that
you want to plot to file)
 A single, multi-sheet DWF or DWFx file containing both 2D and 3D
content
 A single, multi-sheet PDF file containing 2D content
 Multiple single-sheet DWF or DWFx files containing both 2D and 3D
content
 Multiple single-sheet PDF files containing 2D content
Using 3D DWF publishing, you can create and publish DWF files of your 3D
models and view them with Autodesk Design Review.
Publishing for Autodesk Design Review
Publishing an electronic drawing set as a DWF or DWFx file saves time and
increases productivity by providing accurate, compressed representations of
drawings in a file that is easy to distribute and view. This also maintains the
integrity of your original drawings.
DWF files, when published, are created in a vector-based format (except for
inserted raster image content), ensuring that precision is maintained.
DWFx files are created using Microsoft’s XPS format. DWFx files are ZIP files and
contain metadata. This metadata can be viewed only by Autodesk Design
Review.
You can view and print general graphics in Autodesk Design Review or in Internet
Explorer 7. Rich DWFx metadata can only be viewed in Autodesk Design Review.
You can view or plot DWF or DWFx files using Autodesk Design Review. DWF or
DWFx files can be distributed using e-mail, FTP sites, project websites, or CDs.
You can specify which block-related properties and attributes you want to make
available to Autodesk Design Review users. For example, you can publish a DWF
file or DWFx file for a plumbing contractor that contains block attribute
information about the plumbing fixtures specified in your drawing data. And,
from the same set of sheets, you can include only the block attribute data about
light fixtures for an electrical contractor.
By default, jobs that are published are processed in the background, so that you
can return immediately to your drawing. Only one job that you have published
can be processed in the background at a time. While a job is being processed in
the background, you can check its status by placing the cursor over the plotter
icon on the right side of the status bar. You can also view details about all
completed jobs that you have plotted or published from the current session.
Related Tasks
 To Publish Sheets in a Sheet Set in Reverse Order
 To Modify a Sheet Set for Publishing Using the Publish Dialog Box
 To Change the Page Setup of One or More Sheets in a Drawing Set for
Publishing
 To Include a Plot Stamp on Published Sheets
 To Copy Sheets in a Drawing Set for Publishing
Related References
 Commands for Publishing Settings
About Annotation Scale
Annotation scale is used to determine text height or the overall scale of an
annotation object.
The approach used to calculate an annotation scale depends on whether the
object is placed in model space or on a layout.
In Model Space
When annotation objects are created in model space, the following must be
considered:
 Drawing or plot scale if plotting from model space.
 Viewport scale of a layout viewport if plotting from a paper space layout.
The text height or scale of an annotation object in model space can be set to a
fixed text height or be controlled by assigning the object an annotation scale.
Annotation objects assigned a fixed text height or object scale remain
proportionate in size to the current plot or viewport scale.
If the annotative property of an annotation object is enabled, the text height or
scale of the annotation object adjusts based on the current drawing annotation
or layout viewport scale with the result that it will remain at the same size
automatically.
Directly on a Layout
Annotation objects created in paper space on a layout should be created at full
size because layouts are commonly plotted at a 1:1 scale. For example, text
created with a height of 1/8” in paper space will be output at 1/8” unless a scale
other than 1:1 is used to plot the layout.
Related Tasks
 To Calculate the Fixed Height for Text Objects in Model Space
Related References
 Commands for Annotation Scaling
Related Concepts
 About Annotation Objects
 About Calculating the Scale of Annotation Objects in Model Space
About Arrays
You can create copies of selected objects to be arranged in a pattern called an
array.
After you select the objects that you want to duplicate, which are called the
source objects, you choose the arrangement pattern. There are three types of
arrays:
 Rectangular
 Path
 Polar
Here's what these arrays might look like when applied to arranging display
tables:
Each element of the array is called an array item, which can be composed of
several objects. You can also specify a block to be the source object of an array.
NOTE: With a path array, you also need a line, polyline, 3D polyline, spline, helix,
arc, circle, or ellipse to serve as the path.
Associative and Non-Associative Arrays
You can choose whether an array by default is associative and non-associative in
an option in the ARRAY command.
 Associative arrays have the advantage that they can be easily modified
later. Array items are contained in a single array object, similar to a block.
You can change the number of these items and their spacing in an
associative array. You can edit the array properties, such as the spacing or
number of items using either the grips on the array or the Properties
palette.
 Non-associative arrays become independent objects after you exit the
ARRAY command.
Modify the Items in an Associative Array
With associative arrays, you can perform edits directly using grips, with grip
menu options that appear when you hover over a grip, or by using the
ARRAYEDIT command from the contextual tab or at the Command prompt. For
example, here are the primary controls for a rectangular array of chairs. Path
arrays and polar arrays have similar controls.
After an associative array is created, you can still modify the items in the array as
follows:
 Edit a source item of the array. All instances of the source item will be
updated automatically.
 Remove one or more items in the array.
 Replace one or more items in the array with selected objects. You can
also add or delete objects associated with the array item.
In the example, the first column of display tables was replaced by a shorter
version, and two of the tables in the top row were deleted.
Even after these changes, the array remains associative, and the spacing and
angles between the items can still be changed dynamically in a single operation.
TIP:If you need to convert an associative array to individual objects, simply use
the EXPLODE command on the array.
Related Tasks
 To Work With Rectangular Arrays
 To Work With Path Arrays
 To Work With Polar Arrays
 To Limit the Size of Arrays
Related References
 Commands for Working with Arrays
About Collaborating With Design Feed
The Design Feed palette provides a way of adding comments and images to a
drawing, which you can then share with colleagues, clients, and consultants
online through Autodesk A360.
The design feed posts are available in a drawing whether you access them on the
desktop, on the web, or with a mobile device.
Create a Design Feed Post

When you want to create a post, use the Design Feed palette to comment via a
text message, to which you can also attach an image. As an option, you can
associate your post with a specified location or a rectangular area within the
drawing. In the example below, post 2 was associated to a location and post 3
was associated with a specified area.
You can click the bubble to find the palette entry, or the palette entry to find the
bubble. The settings button on the Design Feed palette lets you control the
display of these bubbles.
When you store a drawing in your online A360 account, the associated design
feed data and any associated images are stored securely in A360.
Collaborate Online
You can tag colleagues, clients, and consultants, also called connections, to notify
them of your design feed posts. Notifications will be sent to them by email and
will also appear within AutoCAD. Using A360, the people that you have
authorized can view the drawing and its associated posts, and the people that
you have tagged can post replies. Your Design Feed palette is automatically
updated several times a minute.
When you no longer need the questions and comments in a post, you can resolve
the post, which hides it. The person who created the post can also delete it.
NOTE:If you create a post in a drawing, and your drawing changes have not yet
been synced to A360, then someone else who is working on your drawing in
AutoCAD at the same time will see your post but not your drawing updates.
Support for Local Drawings
As an alternative to storing drawing files in your A360 account, you can store
them locally on your computer's hard drive. In this case, the design feed data for
these drawings are still stored in A360, but the association to the design feed
data is maintained by a unique design feed ID, a link that is embedded in your
drawing to your design feed data.
Your colleagues, clients, and consultants can access your local drawing files and
associated design feeds, provided they meet the following conditions:
 They have an A360 account.
 You invited them to access the drawing, assigning them a permission
level.
 They can access the drawing file on your local hard drive, most likely
through a server.
If your company uses a network, it might be more convenient to manage your
drawing files through a server rather than through individual computers. In this
case, anyone with an A360 account and who has access to the server can access
the design feed associated with each drawing. Unlike saving drawings in your
A360 account, authorized access to the drawings is managed only by the
permissions set by the server.
IMPORTANT:If you subsequently save a local drawing to your A360 account, the
design feed data for that drawing will be automatically cleared by default. The
intent of this feature is to enable you to start fresh, once you transfer your
drawing file to your A360 account for collaboration.
Duplicating Drawing Files That Contain Embedded Design Feed IDs
A360 is designed primarily to facilitate sharing your drawing files online and
collaborating with design feed. When you take an action that creates a copy of a
drawing file, you should be aware of the following results:
 If you use email, eTransmit, FTP, a USB drive, or some other method to
send a copy of a drawing file to the people with whom you want to share
your drawing, they will have unrestricted access to the design feed data
for that drawing file from that point forward. However, the copied
drawing file will not be synced with any changes that you might make
later on.
 If you use Save As or eTransmit, you can choose whether to clear or to
retain the design feed data. If you choose to retain the design feed data,
the content is branched, which means that the design feed content is
preserved, but maintained separately from the original design feed. As a
result, any changes to the design feed in one copy of the drawing will not
appear in the other drawing.
 If you copy a drawing file in the operating system or by emailing it, the
design feed data remains the same for both drawings. Both of the local
drawing files will contain the same embedded design feed ID. As a result,
any changes to the design feed in one version of the drawing will also
appear in the other. In most circumstances, duplicate embedded design
feed IDs in several drawings is undesirable. For example, if you plan to
make copies of a drawing at various stages in the design process, and you
want to freeze the design feed content at each stage, it is strongly
recommended that you use Save As rather than the operating system to
copy the drawing file.
IMPORTANT:It is strongly recommended that you do not make or distribute
copies of drawings that include embedded design feed IDs. Instead, use A360 or
network permissions to share and control access to your drawings.
NOTE:To learn more about using the A360, sign in to your A360 account and click
the Community, Feedback, and Help buttons in the upper-right corner of the
browser window.
Related Tasks
 To Get Started With Design Feed
 To Reply to a Design Feed Post
 To Work With Design Feed Posts
 To Set Design Feed Options
Related References
 Commands for Collaborating With Design Feed
About Working With Point Clouds
A point cloud is a large collection of points acquired by 3D laser scanners or other
technologies to create 3D representations of existing structures.
Point cloud files support the design process by providing real-world context
where you can recreate the referenced objects or insert additional models. Once
a point cloud is attached to a drawing, you can use it as a guideline for drawing,
change its display, or apply a color stylization to distinguish different features.
Using Autodesk® ReCap™ to Create and Segment Point Clouds From Scan Files
Point clouds are derived from raw data scanned from physical objects such as
building exteriors and interiors, process plants, topographies, and manufactured
items. After you collect the raw data, it must be converted to readable point
cloud files. Autodesk ReCap converts raw scan data to scan files (RCS files), and
project files (RCP files) that reference multiple RCS files. Both these formats can
be attached to an AutoCAD drawing.
Segmenting Point Data in a Point Cloud
ReCap also segments the point data, which is a process of identifying groups of
points in a point cloud that represent planar and cylindrical surfaces. AutoCAD
can create 2D geometry from these point cloud segments.
Attaching a Point Cloud to a Drawing
Attaching an RCS or RCP file to a drawing is much like attaching any other
external reference (xref). If the unit of measurement in the attached point cloud
differs from the units in the target drawing, the point cloud is automatically
scaled based on the unit type in the target drawing.
NOTE:Point clouds are not supported on 32-bit systems. To work with point
clouds, you need a 64-bit system, and hardware acceleration must be turned on.
Displaying Point Clouds
You can change the display settings for point clouds to simplify the display and
improve performance. You can also apply color stylizations to visually represent
the point cloud data.
 Modify point cloud density and point size. Yu can manage program
performance and visual noise by increasing or decreasing the number of
visible points and point size.
 Apply color stylization. Color stylization helps you analyze features within
the point cloud. You can retain the original scan colors or stylize the point
cloud based on object color, normals (point orientation), intensity,
elevation, or LAS classification data.
Cropping Point Clouds
You can crop rectangular, polygonal, or circular areas to show only relevant
portions of the point cloud.
Creating Geometry from Segmented Point Clouds

There are several types of geometry that you can infer from a segmented point
cloud.
 You can extract the line corresponding to the edge between two planar
segments in a point cloud.
 You can extract the point object at the intersection between three planar
segments in a point cloud.
 You can extract the centerline of a detected cylindrical segment in a point
cloud.
 You can section a point cloud and extract 2D geometry from point cloud
segments.
Extract 2D Geometry from a Sectioned Point Cloud
Sectioning a point cloud provides another way for you to extract the geometry
from it. The PCEXTRACTSECTION command identifies the underlying 2D
geometry in the point cloud and creates a 2D line drawing. By default, the
geometry is created on a plane coincident with the section plane.
You can define the geometry that you want to extract, the layer on which it is
created on, the color of the resulting 2D lines or polylines, the width of the
polylines, and the tolerance settings.
Performing Standard Editing Operations for Point Clouds
 You can cut, copy, paste, move, scale, rotate, and erase point clouds.
 You can change general properties such as color and layer in the
Properties palette. Yo can also modify the insertion point, rotation, and
scale; lock and unlock the point cloud; show or hide cropped areas; and
choose a color stylization and color scheme.
NOTE:The MIRROR3D command copies and moves a point cloud, but does not
mirror it. You cannot explode a point cloud.
Navigating Around Point Clouds
Several tools are available for navigating around point clouds.
 You can use the Point Cloud Manager to display or hide separate regions
(RCS files) within a point cloud project (RCP file). Double-click a scan in
the Point Cloud Manager to view the point cloud from the vantage point
of the camera location for the scan. You can also use the 3DSWIVEL or
3DWALK commands to change your viewing direction.
 Use the 3DORBIT command in conjunction with the ORBITAUTOTARGET
system variable to set a target point when orbiting about a point cloud.
 The 3DORBIT , 3DSWIVEL , and 3DWALK commands are available
from the Display panel of the Point Cloud contextual tab:
 Use the Object option of the UCS command to align the UCS with the
nearest point on a point cloud or one of its planar segments (if the point
cloud includes segmentation data from Autodesk ReCap).
Related Tasks
 To Attach a Point Cloud to a Drawing
 To Hide and Show the Point Cloud Bounding Box
 To Work With Point Cloud Level of Detail and Point Size
 To Work With Cropping Point Clouds
 To Work With Point Cloud Scans and Regions
 To Work With Inferring Geometry From Point Clouds
 To Geolocate a Point Cloud on a Map
 To Work With Object Snaps for Point Clouds
 To Work With Point Cloud Visual Effects
 To Save a Cropped Point Cloud State
Related References
 Commands for Working With Point Clouds
Related Concepts
 About Point Cloud Color Stylization and Visual Effects
ABOUT (Command)
Displays information about your product.
Copyright information and product information is displayed. Product information
includes the version number and service pack, serial number, license type and
expiration date, and the text of the license agreement. You can save the product
information as a text file.
Related Concepts
 About Drawings and Templates
About Editing with Grips
You can reshape, move, or manipulate objects in other ways using different
types of grips and grip modes.
Objects with Multi-Functional Grips
The following objects have multi-functional grips that offer object-specific and, in
some cases, grip-specific options:
 2D objects: Lines, polylines, arcs, elliptical arcs, splines, and hatch objects.

Annotation objects: Dimension objects and multileaders.
 3D solids: 3D faces, edges, and vertices.
Important Notes
 Grips are not displayed on objects that are on locked layers.
 When you select multiple objects that share coincident grips, you can edit
these objects using grip modes; however, any object- or grip-specific
options are not available.
Tips for Stretching with Grips
 When you select more than one grip on an object to stretch it, the shape
of the object is kept intact between the selected grips. To select more
than one grip, press and hold the Shift key, and then select the
appropriate grips.
 Grips on text, block references, midpoints of lines, centers of circles, and
point objects move the object rather than stretching it.
 When a 2D object lies on a plane other than the current UCS, the object is
stretched on the plane on which it was created, not on the plane of the
current UCS.
 If you select a quadrant grip to stretch a circle or ellipse and then specify
a distance at the Command prompt for the new radius—rather than
moving the grip—this distance is measured from the center of the circle,
not the selected grip.
Limit the Display of Grips to Improve Performance
You can limit the maximum number of objects that display grips. For example,
when a drawing contains hatch objects or polylines with many grips, selecting
these objects can take a long time. The GRIPOBJLIMIT system variable suppresses
the display of grips when the initial selection set includes more than the specified
number of objects. If you add objects to the current selection set, the limit does
not apply.
Related Tasks
 To Edit Objects Using Grips
 To Toggle Grips
 To Toggle Grips in Blocks
Related References
 Methods for Editing Objects: Reference
 Commands for Editing with Grips
About Entering Commands in the Command Window
Commands are the instructions that tell the program what to do.
There are many ways to initiate a command:
 Make a selection on a ribbon, toolbar, or menu.
 Enter a command in a dynamic input tooltip.
 Enter a command in the command window.
 Drag a custom command from a tool palette.
The dockable, resizable command window accepts commands and system
variables and displays prompts that help you complete a command sequence
(including commands that were initiated at another location such as the ribbon).
Respond to Command Prompts

After you enter a command, you may see a series of prompts displayed at the
command line. For example, after you enter PLINE and specify the first prompt,
the following prompt is displayed:
PLINE Specify next point or [Arc Halfwidth Length Undo Width]:
In this case, the default is to specify the next point. You can either enter X,Y
coordinate values or click a location in the drawing area.
To choose a different option, click the option. If you prefer to use the keyboard,
specify the option by entering the capitalized, colored letter. You can enter
uppercase or lowercase letters. For example, to choose the Width option, type w
and press Enter.
Sometimes the default option (including the current value) is displayed after the
angle-bracketed options:
POLYGON Enter number of sides <4>:
In this case, you can press Enter to retain the current setting (4). If you want to
change the setting, type another number and press Enter.
NOTE:When you click a ribbon option to start commands that change property
settings such as color, layer, lineweight, dimension style, and multileader style,
the command line prompts are hidden. This reduces the display of unnecessary
text.
Display Suggested Commands and System Variables
By default, the name of a command or system variable is automatically
completed as you type it. A suggestion list of commands and system variables
that use the same letters is also displayed. You can control the settings for these
features in the Input Search Options dialog box.
If the automatic completion features are turned off, type a letter on the
command line and press the Tab key to cycle through all the commands and
system variables that begin with that letter. Press Enter or Spacebar to start the
command or system variable.
Enter Command Aliases
Some commands have abbreviated names, or command aliases, that you can
enter at the command line. For example, instead of entering circle to start the
CIRCLE command, you can type c and press Enter. The command Suggestion List
(if displayed) indicates the alias in front of the command name:
C (CIRCLE)
Command aliases are defined in the acad.pgp or acadlt.pgpfile.
Interrupt a Command with Another Command or System Variable
Many commands can be used transparently. That is, they can be entered on the
command line while you use another command. Commands that do not select
objects, create new objects, or end the drawing session usually can be used in
this way.
To use a command transparently, enter an apostrophe (') before entering the
command at any prompt. On the command line, double angle brackets (>>)
precede prompts that are displayed for transparent commands. After you
complete the transparent command, the original command resumes. In the
following example, you turn on the grid and set it to one-unit intervals in the
middle of the LINE command.
Command: line
Specify first point: 'grid
>>Specify grid spacing (X) or
[ON/OFF/Snap/Major/aDaptive/Limits/Follow/Aspect] <0.5000>: 1
Resuming LINE command
Specify first point:
Changes made in dialog boxes that you have opened transparently cannot take
effect until the interrupted command has been completed. Similarly, if you reset
a system variable transparently, the new value cannot take effect until you start
the next command.
Aids for Entering Commands
The program offers several ways to remember which commands to use:
 Automatic completion. Completes name of a command or system variable
as you type it.
 Command line suggestion list. Displays a list of commands or system
variables that match or contain the letters you have typed. The order of
this list changes as you use the program, so that the commands you use
most frequently are displayed at the top of the list. The program also
offers suggestions for misspelled entries.
 Automatic correction. Commands that you frequently misspell. The
program automatically adds words that you misspell and correct a
specified number of times to the AutoCorrectUserDB.pgp file. You can
also update this text file manually.
 Command cycling. Cycles through commands you have already used in
the current session when you press the Arrow keys. An arrow button on
the left end of the command line also displays this list.
You can change the settings for these options from the command line
Customization button or shortcut menu.
Related Tasks
 To Work With Entering Commands
 To Work With Opening Command Windows
Related References
 Commands for Working With the Application Window
Related Concepts
 About Searching for Commands
 About Navigating and Editing in the Command Windows
 About Switching Between Dialog Boxes and the Command Line
 About Using Dynamic Input Tooltips
About Evaluating and Improving Hardware Performance
Hardware performance plays a key role in your experience with the AutoCAD-
based product.
AutoCAD-based products utilize hardware acceleration to improve performance
by reducing the time it takes to perform graphical operations. When hardware
acceleration is enabled, many graphical related operations utilize the GPU of the
installed graphics card instead of utilizing your computer's CPU. It is
recommended to enable hardware acceleration on your computer, no matter if
you are working with 2D drawings or 3D models. Graphical operations that can
be improved with hardware acceleration are
 Zooming, panning, and orbiting in a 2D drawing or 3D model
 Regenerating the display of an open drawing
 Displaying materials and lighting in a viewport on-screen
 Rendering a 3D model
Hardware acceleration can be improved by updating the graphics driver for your
computer to one that has been certified for use with the AutoCAD-based
product. Autodesk tests and certifies system and graphics hardware, and
hardware drivers for AutoCAD-based products. For additional information on
certified hardware, visit http://www.autodesk.com/autocad-graphicscard to see
a listing of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and a database of which systems
and graphics drivers have been certified or recommended for AutoCAD-based
products.
If you are evaluating new hardware, you can see which systems have been tested
and certified from the Certified Hardware resource page. While certified
hardware does not guarantee a particular system or hardware will meet your
particular needs, it does reflect that the hardware supports the advanced
features in the latest release.
Related Tasks
 To Work With Graphics Performance Tuning
Related References
 Graphics Performance Dialog Box
Related Concepts
 About Improving Windows Performance
About Improving Windows Performance
Microsoft Windows 7 and later provide a number of features that allow you to
improve your computer’s performance.
You can use the following Windows features to improve the performance of your
computer:
 Performance Information and Tools
 Windows Experience Index
 ReadyBoost
 Disk Cleanup
If performance of your AutoCAD-based product seems to be slow, consider doing
the following:
 Disable Windows Aero, transparency used for application windows, if you
are using Windows 7.
 Make sure the latest Service Pack for your AutoCAD-based product is
installed.
 Make sure you are running the latest certified driver for your AutoCAD-
based product.
 Consider reducing the number of graphics cache files or their size that
your AutoCAD-based product creates and maintains. (CACHEMAXFILES
and CACHEMAXTOTALSIZE system variables)
For additional information, display the Windows Help and Support viewer to
learn how to use the previously mentioned Windows related features, and about
other settings that might improve the performance of your computer.
Related References
Related Concepts
About Managing Files With Autodesk Vault
Autodesk© Vault gives you more power to manage files and track changes.
Versioned copies of master files are maintained, allowing you to easily revert to
earlier versions of files.
For more information, refer to the Autodesk Vault Help system.
Commands for All Autodesk Vault Editions
Command Description
vltgetgotoworkspaceLaunches the local working folder for Vault files.
vltlogin Log into the vault.
vltlogout Log out of the vault.
vltopen Open a file from the vault.
Check file in for the first time or check a file back into the
vltcheckin
vault.
Check a folder into the vault for the first time or check a
vltimport
folder back into the vault.
Checks a file out of the vault.
NOTE:This command only performs a quick check out, so
vltcheckout only the latest version of the latest revision is retrieved. To
get a particular revision, click Get Revision on the Vault
ribbon.
vltundocheckout Undoes a file checkout.
vltattach Attaches a file to the vault.
vltrefresh Updates the selected file(s) with the properties in the vault.
Launches the Vault Options dialog, where you can configure
vltoptions
your settings for the Vault add-in.
Commands for Autodesk Vault Workgroup, Collaboration, and Professional
Command Description
vltgetlatestpropertiesUpdates file properties.
Insert a vault revision table and thereafter apply vault data
vltrevblock
to it.
Changes the lifecycle state of the file to another valid state
vltchangestate
in the lifecycle.
vltgetrevision Retrieves a specific revision of the file from the vault.
Changes the file's revision to the next appropriate
vltrevise
increment in the revision scheme.
vltchangecategory Changes the category assigned to a file.
Grants ownership of the selected file to the current
workgroup.
vltmanageownership
NOTE:This command is available in Vault Workgroup and
Vault Professional.
Commands for Using Sheet Sets with Autodesk Vault
Command Description
vltopensheetsetOpen a sheet set from the Vault.
vltsavetodst Converts vaulted sheet set data to a DST file.
NOTE: A DST file created by the VLTSAVETODST command will
always overwrite the local copy prior to backing up the local
copy as a *.dst.bak.
Related Tasks
 To Access Subscription Information
Related References
 Commands for Working With External Databases
About Model Documentation
The model documentation feature generates associative 2D drawings from
AutoCAD and Inventor 3D models, and non-associative 2D drawings from 3D
models produced by several non-Autodesk products.
NOTE:Model documentation is available only on 64-bit systems.
The basic building block of a model documentation 2D drawing is the drawing
view object.
A drawing view is a rectangular object that contains a 2D projection of the 3D

model. The border of the drawing view is visible only when you select the view or
when you move the cursor over it. Although the drawing view border resides on
the current layer, it does not print. The view geometry is always visible, and is
created on a pre-defined set of layers. Since the view geometry is associative
with the source 3D model, you cannot select view geometry to modify them.
However, you can change the appearance of view geometry by modifying the
properties of the layers view geometry is drawn on.
The first view you place on a drawing is a base view. Base views are drawing
views that are derived directly from the 3D model.
Once a base view is placed in a layout, you can generate projected views from it.
Unlike a base view, projected views are not directly derived off the 3D model.
Instead, they are derived from a base view (or another projected view that
already exists in a layout). The projected views maintain a parent-child
relationship with the view it was generated from. The settings of a child view are
derived from the parent. If required, you can override these settings.
You can also generate section views and detail views from any existing drawing
view. A section view is a projected view that shows the interior details of a
model. A detail view is a projected view that magnifies a selected portion of a
model.
Once you create the views, you can attach notes, dimensions, symbols, and other
annotations to the view geometry.
Drawing view objects are filtered out from all copy commands, but they can be
moved, rotated or erased like any other object.
Limitations
Drawing views created by a newer version of AutoCAD cannot be edited by an
older version of AutoCAD. For example, drawing views created by AutoCAD 2014
cannot be edited in AutoCAD 2013, even though both versions of AutoCAD save
to the same (AutoCAD 2013) file format. You cannot edit any drawing view
properties, add new drawing views or update any drawing views in that drawing
file.
Related Tasks
 To Create Drawing Views from Inventor Models
 To Create Drawing Views from AutoCAD 3D Models
 To Create a Projected View
 To Specify the Thread Style for Drawing Views
 To Specify Preview Style for Drawing Views
 To Specify the Projection Angle for Drawing Views
Related References
 Drawing View Component Reference
 Drawing View Layer Reference
Related Concepts
 About Base Views
 About Projected Views
 About Section Views
 About Detail Views
About the Start tab
The Start tab is displayed by default at startup, providing easy access to a variety
of initial actions, including access to drawing template files, recently opened
drawings and sheet sets, and online and learning options.
The Start tab contains the following pages:
Create Page
The following sections are displayed:
Get Started
Access common methods to start a file.
Start New Drawing
Creates a new drawing from the default drawing template file. You
specify the default drawing template file from the Options dialog box,
Files tab, Templates, Default Template File Name for QNEW setting.
When a default drawing template file is set to None or is not specified,
the new drawing is based on the most recently used drawing template
file.
Templates
Lists all the available drawing template files.
Open Files
The Select File dialog box is displayed.
Open a Sheet Set
The Open Sheet Set dialog box is displayed.
Get More Templates Online
Download additional drawing template files when available.
Explore Sample Drawings
Access the installed sample files.
Recent Documents
View the most recently used files. You can keep a file listed by clicking the push
pin button. A pinned document is displayed at the top of the list until you turn
off the push pin button. You can choose between image, image and text or text
only as the display options.
Notifications
Displays all notifications with regards to product updates, hardware acceleration,
trial period, and about the offline help file information. A notification badge is
displayed at the bottom of the page when there are two or more new
notifications.
Connect
Sign in to A360 and access the online services.
Feedback: Access to the online form to provide feedback and any improvements
you would like to see.
Learn Page
The Learn page provides access to learning resources such as videos, tips and
other relevant online content or services if available. For every new content
update, a notification badge is displayed at the bottom of the page.
NOTE:If no internet connection is available, the Learn page is not displayed.
Related Tasks
 To Start a New Drawing
 To Open Drawings
 To Work With the Recent Documents List in the Start tab
Related References
 STARTMODE (System Variable)
 GOTOSTART (Command)
 Commands for Working With the File Tabs
 Commands for Starting Drawings
About Setting Geographic Location
Inserting geographic location information to a drawing file makes points within
the drawing correspond to geographic locations on the surface of the Earth.
Geographic location information in a drawing file is built around an entity known
as the geographic marker. The geographic marker points to a reference point in
model space that corresponds to a location on the surface of the earth of known
latitude and longitude. The program also captures the direction of the north at
this location. Based on this information the program can derive the geographic
coordinates of all other points in the drawing file.
Typically a geographic location is defined by its coordinates (for example,

latitude, longitude, and elevation) and the coordinate system (for example, WGS
84) used to define the coordinates. Moreover, the coordinates of a location can
differ from one GIS coordinate system to another. Hence, when you specify the
geographic location of the geographic marker, the system also captures the
details of the GIS coordinate system.
Typically CAD drawings are unitless and are drawn at 1:1 scale. You are free to
decide the linear unit a drawing unit represents. GIS systems, on the other hand,
allow the coordinate system to decide the linear units. In order to map CAD
coordinates to GIS coordinates, the system needs to interpret CAD drawing units
in terms of linear units. The system uses the setting stored in the INSUNITS
system variable as the default linear measurement of a drawing unit. However,
when you insert geographic location information, you have the option of
specifying a different linear measurement (for a drawing unit).
After you insert a geographic marker in a drawing, you can:
 Make the program automatically determine the angle of sunlight when
you perform sun and sky simulation (photometric studies).
 Insert a map from an online maps service in a viewport.
 Perform environment studies.
 Use position markers to mark geographic locations and record related
notes.
 Locate yourself on the map in real-time on systems that support location
sensing.
 Export to AutoCAD Map 3D, and expect the model to position itself
automatically.
 Import raster files that contain geographic location information and
expect them to position themselves automatically (This requires AutoCAD
Raster Design).
NOTE:The geographic marker cannot be selected, but you can control its visibility
using the GEOMARKERVISIBILITY system variable.
You can remove geographic location information from a drawing file using the
GEOREMOVE command. The geographic marker and GIS coordinate system are
removed from the drawing file. However, position markers continue to remain in
the drawing file.
Related Tasks
 To Set Geographic Location by Specifying Latitude and Longitude
 To Set Geographic Location from a GIS File
 To Set Geographic Location from a Map
 To Remove Geographic Location Information from a Drawing File
 To Hide or Display the Geographic Marker
 To Edit the Geographic Location
 To Change the Latitude and Longitude of the Geographic Marker
 To Change the North Direction at the Geographic Marker
 To Reposition the Geographic Marker
Related References
 Commands for Working with Geographic Locations
Related Concepts
 FAQ: How can I see the latitude and longitude of the cursor?
 About the Online Map
 About Tracking Your Position in the Drawing Area
 About Attaching or Inserting Drawing Files with Geographic Data
 About GIS Coordinate Systems
 About Position Markers
 About Sun and Sky Simulation
About SteeringWheels
SteeringWheels are tracking menus that are divided into different sections
known as wedges. Each wedge represents a single navigation tool.
SteeringWheels, also known as wheels, can save you time by combining many of
the common navigation tools into a single interface. Wheels are task specific
from which you can navigate and orient a model in different views.
The following illustrations show the different wheels available:
2D Navigation Wheel
Full Navigation View Object Wheel (Basic Tour Building Wheel (Basic
Wheel Wheel) Wheel)
Mini Full Navigation WheelMini View Object WheelMini Tour Building Wheel
Display and Use Wheels
Pressing and dragging on a wedge of a wheel is the primary mode of interaction.
After a wheel is displayed, click one of the wedges and hold down the button on
the pointing device to activate the navigation tool. Drag to reorient the current
view. Releasing the button returns you to the wheel.
Appearance of the Wheels
You can control the appearance of the wheels by switching between the
different styles of wheels that are available, or by adjusting the size and opacity.
Wheels (except the 2D Navigation wheel) are available in two different styles: big
and mini.
The size of a wheel controls how large or small the wedges and labels appear on
the wheel; the opacity level controls the visibility of the objects in the model
behind the wheel.
Wheel Tooltips, Tool Messages, and Tool Cursor Text
Tooltips are displayed for each button on a wheel as the cursor is moved over
them. The tooltips appear below the wheel and identify what action will be
performed if the wedge or button is clicked.
Similar to tooltips, tool messages and cursor text are displayed when you use one
of the navigation tools from a wheel. Tool messages are displayed when a
navigation tool is active; they provide basic instructions about using the tool.
Tool cursor text displays the name of the active navigation tool near the cursor.
Disabling tool messages and cursor text only affects the messages that are
displayed when using the mini wheels or the big Full Navigation wheel.
Related Tasks
 To Display a Wheel
 To Close a Wheel
 To Work With SteeringWheel Settings
Related References
 Commands for SteeringWheels
Related Concepts
 About the Wheel Menu
 About the 2D Navigation Wheel
About Syncing Your Customized Application Settings Online
Custom application settings and files can be stored as part of your Autodesk
A360 account and accessed remotely.
Storing your customized application settings online provides a way for you to
work on different computers using your preferred settings.
You can control which custom settings are stored with your Autodesk A360
account. For example, you might want to maintain separate settings from your
Options dialog box on different computers. Your custom settings are
automatically updated with Autodesk A360 at intervals controlled by the
ONLINESYNCTIME system variable.
NOTE:Initially, the update interval is set to 300 minutes, so you might want to
change the setting temporarily to a smaller value if you need the update sooner.
Related References
 Commands for Using Autodesk A360
 Migrating and Transferring Custom Settings Comparison
Related Concepts
 About Working With Drawings Using Autodesk A360
About Conferring with Clients and Colleagues Online
You can convey, edit, and manage AutoCAD views and drawings online through
Autodesk A360 from any computer with a web browser and internet access.
Depending on your circumstances and the how restrictive you want to keep your
design data, there are two features that you can choose to employ:
 The Autodesk A360 Viewer provides access limited to views of your
design with few requirements on the part of your recipients.
 AutoCAD 360 provides a greater control of access privileges, but requires
that your recipients create and access an Autodesk A360 account.
Use the Autodesk A360 Viewer
The Share Design Views feature provides a fast method of conveying only the
views of a DWG file without releasing the DWG file itself.
When you use the Share Design View feature, the saved version of your current
drawing is uploaded to an anonymous, temporary location in Autodesk A360.
This location is accessible only through a link that you share.
 When the upload is complete, you will receive a notification with a link
for viewing the design. You can email or post this link to one or more
recipients.
 The recipient can view your design in their web browser without having
an A360 account, installing any software, or being able to retain a copy of
your DWG file. Supported web browsers include Chrome, Firefox, and
other browsers that support WebGL 3D graphics.
 From the A360 Viewer, you and your recipient can navigate the views,
measure objects, check properties, turn layers on and off, perform live
reviews, and send messages.
Rescinding Design View Access
After you finish reviewing your design with a client or colleague, we recommend
that you promptly rescind access to it by deleting the design from its anonymous
A360 location. There are two primary reasons for this recommendation:
 Revision control. You will want to make sure that a client or colleague
won't inadvertently access an obsolete version of your design.
 Design security. Because access to the views in your design is through a
link that can be forwarded or posted, you will want to make sure that the
link is accessible only for a limited amount of time. This reduces the
possibility that access to your design can proliferate without your
permission.
IMPORTANT:From the A360 Viewer, you can rescind access to your shared design
views at any time by deleting your uploaded design file from A360. However, you
will have to save your email notification or bookmark the A360 link to it.
Otherwise, the link will remain valid for 30 days.
If you're concerned that the recipient might forward the design view link, use
Autodesk A360 online sharing instead, in which you control file access and
permission levels.
Use AutoCAD® 360
Once you and your clients and colleagues open Autodesk A360 accounts, you can
share drawings and other files online with them. With A360, access is controlled
in two ways:
 You can designate who can access each of your uploaded files
 You can grant their permission levels
Depending on the permissions that you grant them, your clients and colleagues
will be able to view, edit, or download a shared drawing with AutoCAD 360
without having to install any software. They can also download other shared
files, such as PDF, ZIP, and raster images.
After sharing your online drawing, you can use AutoCAD 360 to collaborate with
designated clients and colleagues in real time by inviting them to view and edit
the drawing. With AutoCAD 360, multiple users can work on the same drawing
file online. Any changes to your local AutoCAD drawings are synchronized with
the online copies that you have stored in Autodesk A360.
For additional information and access to AutoCAD 360 tutorials, visit the
Autodesk website.
Related Tasks
 To Share Your Designs Using Autodesk A360
 To Open and Edit Drawings using AutoCAD 360
 To View and Edit Files Using AutoCAD 360
Related References
 Commands for Using AutoCAD 360
Related Concepts
Related Information
About Conferring with Clients and Colleagues Online
You can convey, edit, and manage AutoCAD views and drawings online through
Autodesk A360 from any computer with a web browser and internet access.
Depending on your circumstances and the how restrictive you want to keep your
design data, there are two features that you can choose to employ:
 The Autodesk A360 Viewer provides access limited to views of your
design with few requirements on the part of your recipients.
 AutoCAD 360 provides a greater control of access privileges, but requires
that your recipients create and access an Autodesk A360 account.
Use the Autodesk A360 Viewer
The Share Design Views feature provides a fast method of conveying only the
views of a DWG file without releasing the DWG file itself.
When you use the Share Design View feature, the saved version of your current
drawing is uploaded to an anonymous, temporary location in Autodesk A360.
This location is accessible only through a link that you share.
 When the upload is complete, you will receive a notification with a link
for viewing the design. You can email or post this link to one or more
recipients.
 The recipient can view your design in their web browser without having
an A360 account, installing any software, or being able to retain a copy of
your DWG file. Supported web browsers include Chrome, Firefox, and
other browsers that support WebGL 3D graphics.
 From the A360 Viewer, you and your recipient can navigate the views,
measure objects, check properties, turn layers on and off, perform live
reviews, and send messages.
Rescinding Design View Access
After you finish reviewing your design with a client or colleague, we recommend
that you promptly rescind access to it by deleting the design from its anonymous
A360 location. There are two primary reasons for this recommendation:
 Revision control. You will want to make sure that a client or colleague
won't inadvertently access an obsolete version of your design.
 Design security. Because access to the views in your design is through a
link that can be forwarded or posted, you will want to make sure that the
link is accessible only for a limited amount of time. This reduces the
possibility that access to your design can proliferate without your
permission.
IMPORTANT:From the A360 Viewer, you can rescind access to your shared design
views at any time by deleting your uploaded design file from A360. However, you
will have to save your email notification or bookmark the A360 link to it.
Otherwise, the link will remain valid for 30 days.
If you're concerned that the recipient might forward the design view link, use
Autodesk A360 online sharing instead, in which you control file access and
permission levels.
Use AutoCAD® 360
Once you and your clients and colleagues open Autodesk A360 accounts, you can
share drawings and other files online with them. With A360, access is controlled
in two ways:
 You can designate who can access each of your uploaded files
 You can grant their permission levels
Depending on the permissions that you grant them, your clients and colleagues
will be able to view, edit, or download a shared drawing with AutoCAD 360
without having to install any software. They can also download other shared
files, such as PDF, ZIP, and raster images.
After sharing your online drawing, you can use AutoCAD 360 to collaborate with
designated clients and colleagues in real time by inviting them to view and edit
the drawing. With AutoCAD 360, multiple users can work on the same drawing
file online. Any changes to your local AutoCAD drawings are synchronized with
the online copies that you have stored in Autodesk A360.
For additional information and access to AutoCAD 360 tutorials, visit the
Autodesk website.
Related Tasks
 To Share Your Designs Using Autodesk A360
 To Open and Edit Drawings using AutoCAD 360
 To View and Edit Files Using AutoCAD 360
Related References
 Commands for Using AutoCAD 360
Related Concepts
Related Information
About the ViewCube
The ViewCube is a navigation tool that is displayed when you are working in 2D
model space or 3D visual style. With ViewCube, you can switch between
standard and isometric views.
The ViewCube is a persistent, clickable and draggable interface that you use to
switch between standard and isometric views of your model. When you display
the ViewCube, it is shown in one of the corners of the drawing area over the
model in an inactive state. The ViewCube tool provides visual feedback about the
current viewpoint of the model as view changes occur. When the cursor is
positioned over the ViewCube tool, it becomes active. You can drag or click the
ViewCube, switch to one of the available preset views, roll the current view, or
change to the Home view of the model.
Edge Corner Face

Control the Appearance of ViewCube
The ViewCube is displayed in one of two states: inactive and active. When
inactive, it appears partially transparent by default so that it does not obscure
the view of the model. When active, it is opaque and may obscure the view of
the objects in the current view of the model.
In addition to controlling the inactive opacity level of the ViewCube, you can also
control the following properties for the ViewCube:
 Size
 Position
 Display of the UCS menu
 Default orientation
 Compass display
Using the Compass
The compass is displayed below the ViewCube and indicates which direction
North is defined for the model. You can click a cardinal direction letter on the
compass to rotate the model, or you can click and drag the compass ring to
interactively rotate the model around the pivot point.
Related Tasks
 To Work With ViewCube Display Options
Related References
 Commands for Controlling the ViewCube
Related Concepts
 About the ViewCube Menu
 About Reorienting the View
 About the ViewCube Home View
 About the ViewCube UCS Menu
About Working With Drawings Using Autodesk A360
Autodesk A360 is a set of secure online servers that you can use to store,
retrieve, organize, and share drawings and other documents.
Features and Benefits
After you create an Autodesk account, you can access the capabilities and
features available through A360.
 Secure offsite storage

Saving drawings to A360 is similar to storing them on a secure,
maintained network drive.
 Remote access
If you work both in the office and at home or at a remote facility, you can
access your design documents in A360 without having to copy and
transport them with a laptop or USB flash drive.
 Custom settings sync
Your customized workspaces, tool palettes, hatches, drawing template
files, and settings are automatically used when you open AutoCAD
drawings on a different computer.
 Mobile devices
You and your colleagues and clients can use AutoCAD 360 to view, edit,
and share the drawings in A360 using popular phone and tablet devices.
 Review and Collaboration
With A360, you can grant levels of access to the people that you work
with, either individually or in groups, to specified drawing files or folders.
You can grant them viewing or editing privileges, and they can use
AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, or AutoCAD 360 to access the files. With Design
Feed, you and your contacts can create and reply to posts to share
comments and collaborate on design decisions.
 Online software and services
You can run rendering, analysis, and document management software
using A360 resources rather than using your local computer.
NOTE: To learn more about using A360, sign in to your Autodesk account and
click the Community, Feedback, and Help buttons in the upper-right corner of
the browser window.
Related Tasks
 To Upload Design Documents to Autodesk A360
 To Access Your Documents on Autodesk A360
Related References
Related Concepts
 About Conferring with Clients and Colleagues Online
 About Syncing Your Customized Application Settings Online
About Working With Drawings Using Autodesk A360
Autodesk A360 is a set of secure online servers that you can use to store,
retrieve, organize, and share drawings and other documents.
Features and Benefits
After you create an Autodesk account, you can access the capabilities and
features available through A360.
 Secure offsite storage

Saving drawings to A360 is similar to storing them on a secure,
maintained network drive.
 Remote access
If you work both in the office and at home or at a remote facility, you can
access your design documents in A360 without having to copy and
transport them with a laptop or USB flash drive.
 Custom settings sync
Your customized workspaces, tool palettes, hatches, drawing template
files, and settings are automatically used when you open AutoCAD
drawings on a different computer.
 Mobile devices
You and your colleagues and clients can use AutoCAD 360 to view, edit,
and share the drawings in A360 using popular phone and tablet devices.
 Review and Collaboration
With A360, you can grant levels of access to the people that you work
with, either individually or in groups, to specified drawing files or folders.
You can grant them viewing or editing privileges, and they can use
AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, or AutoCAD 360 to access the files. With Design
Feed, you and your contacts can create and reply to posts to share
comments and collaborate on design decisions.
 Online software and services
You can run rendering, analysis, and document management software
using A360 resources rather than using your local computer.
NOTE: To learn more about using A360, sign in to your Autodesk account and
click the Community, Feedback, and Help buttons in the upper-right corner of
the browser window.
Related Tasks
 To Upload Design Documents to Autodesk A360
 To Access Your Documents on Autodesk A360
Related References
Related Concepts
 About Conferring with Clients and Colleagues Online
 About Syncing Your Customized Application Settings Online
abs (AutoLISP)
Returns the absolute value of a number
Supported Platforms: Windows and Mac OS
Signature
(abs number)
number
Type: Integer or Real
A numeric value.
Return Values
The absolute value of the number argument.
Examples
(abs 100)
100
(abs -100)
100
(abs -99.25)
99.25
Related References
 minusp (AutoLISP)
Related Concepts
 Arithmetic Functions Reference (AutoLISP)
3Dconnexion Settings Dialog Box
Controls the settings of 3Dconnexion navigation tools.
Controls the settings for 3Dconnexion navigation tools which are available from
the navigation bar. Customize the speed and movements of the 3Dconnexion 3D
mouse to manipulate the current view. These settings (except Keep Scene
Upright) are in synchronization with the 3Dconnexion Control Panel settings of
the 3Dconnexion 3D mouse driver.
List of Options
Sensitivity
Controls the sensitivity of the 3Dconnexion 3D mouse controller cap.
Keep Scene Upright
Specifies whether the viewpoint of the model can be turned upside-down
while navigating.
Pan/Zoom
Controls pan and zoom navigation. When this option is disabled, you can
only rotate the model around the X, Y, and Z axes.
Tilt/Spin/Roll
Controls the rotation of the model around the X,Y, and Z axes. When this
option is disabled, you can only pan and zoom.
Restore Defaults
Restores the default settings of the 3Dconnexion Settings dialog box.
Related References
 NAVBAR (Command)
Related Concepts
 About the Navigation Bar
acad_colordlg (AutoLISP)
Displays the standard AutoCAD color selection dialog box
Supported Platforms: Windows only
Signature
(acad_colordlg colornum [flag])
colornum
Type: Integer
An integer in the range 0-256 (inclusive), specifying the AutoCAD color
number to display as the initial default.
A colornum value of 0 defaults to ByBlock, and a value of 256 defaults to
ByLayer.
flag
Type: T or nil
If set to nil, disables the ByLayer and ByBlock buttons. Omitting the flag
argument or setting it to a non-nil value enables the ByLayer and ByBlock
buttons.
Return Values
Type: Integer or nil
The user-selected color number; otherwise nil, if the user cancels the dialog box.
Examples
Prompt the user to select a color, and default to green if none is selected:
(acad_colordlg 3)
Related References
 acad_truecolorcli (AutoLISP)
 acad_truecolordlg (AutoLISP)
Related Concepts
 Query and Command Functions Reference (AutoLISP)
acad_helpdlg (AutoLISP)
Invokes the help facility (obsolete)
Signature
(acad_helpdlg helpfile topic)
helpfile
Type: String
The path and file name of the help file to open.
topic
Type: String
The name of the topic to display in the help file.
Return Values
Type: String or nil
Returns the file name of the help file if it is found; otherwise, nil is returned if the
file is not found.
Remarks
This externally defined function has been replaced by the built-in help function.
It is provided for compatibility with earlier releases of AutoCAD.
Related References
 help (AutoLISP)
 setfunhelp (AutoLISP)
Related Concepts
 Query and Command Functions Reference (AutoLISP)
About Lighting
Default Lighting
When there are no lights in a scene, the scene is rendered with default lighting.
Default lighting is derived from one or two distant light sources that follow the
viewpoint as you orbit around the model. All faces in the model are illuminated
so that they are visually discernible. You can adjust the exposure of the rendered
image, but you do not need to create or place lights yourself.
When you place user-defined lights or enable sunlight, you can optionally disable
default lighting. Default lighting is set per viewport, and it is recommended to
disable default lighting when user-defined lights are placed in a scene.
Photometric Lighting
You add lights to give a scene a natural and realistic appearance. Lighting
enhances the clarity and three-dimensionality of a scene. Photometric lights use
photometric (light energy) values that enable you to define lights more
accurately as they would be in the real world. You can create lights with various
distribution and color characteristics, or import specific photometric files
available from lighting manufacturers.
Photometric lights can use an Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) photometric
data file format published by lighting manufacturers. By using the IES data files
published by a manufacturer, you can visualize commercially available lighting in
your model. Then you can experiment with different fixtures, and by varying the
light intensity and color temperature, you can design a lighting system that
produces the results you want.
Sun and Sky

The sun is a special light available as part of the photometric workflow and is
similar to a distant light. The angle of the sun is defined by the geographic
location that you specify for the model and by the date and time of day that you
specify. The intensity and color emitted by the sun can be adjusted to reflect
different times of day and atmospheric conditions. The sun and sky are the
primary sources of natural illumination. With sun and sky simulation, you can
adjust their properties and enable sky illumination (through the sky background
feature). The sky background feature adds soft, subtle lighting effects caused by
the lighting interactions between the sun and the atmosphere.
Standard Lighting
For more creative control over lighting, you can use standard lights to illuminate
your model. You can create point lights, spotlights, and distant lights to achieve
the effects you want. You can move or rotate lights with grip editing, turn them
on or off, and change properties such as color and intensity. The effects of
changes are visible in the viewport in real-time.
Spotlights and point lights are each represented by glyphs (symbols used to
indicate the position and direction of the light). Distant lights are not
represented by glyphs in the drawing because they do not have a discrete
position and affect the entire scene. You can turn the display of light glyphs on or
off while you work, and specify whether light glyphs should be plotted. By
default, light glyphs are not plotted.
NOTE:Starting with AutoCAD 2016-based products, all standard lights are
calculated as photometric lights. It is recommended to update all standard lights
in a scene to photometric lights.
Luminary Assemblies
Light fixtures can be represented by luminary assemblies. A luminary assembly is
created by embedding photometric lights in blocks that also contain geometry.
Self-illuminating materials are often assigned to the geometry of a luminary
assembly to give the appearance that the objects in the assembly are glowing.
Related Tasks
 To Work With Lighting Settings
 To Create a Point Light in Photometric Workflow
 To Create a Point Light or Spotlight Tool
Related References
 Commands for Creating Lights in Your Drawings
Related Concepts
 About Choosing Natural or Artificial Light
 About Point Lights
acad_strlsort (AutoLISP)
Sorts a list of strings in alphabetical order
Signature
(acad_strlsort list)
list
Type: List
The list of strings to be sorted.
Return Values
Type: List or nil
The list in alphabetical order. If the list is invalid or if there is not enough memory
to do the sort, acad_strlsort returns nil.
Examples
Sort a list of abbreviated month names:
(setq mos '("Jan" "Feb" "Mar" "Apr" "May" "Jun" "Jul" "Aug" "Sep" "Oct" "Nov"
"Dec"))
("Jan" "Feb" "Mar" "Apr" "May" "Jun" "Jul" "Aug" "Sep" "Oct" "Nov" "Dec")
(acad_strlsort mos)
("Apr" "Aug" "Dec" "Feb" "Jan" "Jul" "Jun" "Mar" "May" "Nov" "Oct" "Sep")
Related References
 vl-sort-i (AutoLISP)
 vl-sort (AutoLISP)
Related Concepts
 List Manipulation Functions Reference (AutoLISP)
About Using Visual Styles
Visual styles control the display of edges, lighting, and shading.
Control the effect of a visual style by changing its properties. When you apply a
visual style or change its settings, the associated viewport is automatically
updated to reflect those changes.
The Visual Styles Manager displays all styles available in the drawing. Settings for
the selected style are displayed in the panel below the sample images.
From the ribbon, you can change some frequently used settings or open the
Visual Styles Manager.
The following predefined visual styles are supplied with the product:
 2D Wireframe. Displays objects using lines and curves to represent the
boundaries.
 Conceptual. Displays objects using smooth shading and the Gooch face
style. The Gooch face style transitions between cool and warm colors,
rather than dark and light. The effect is less realistic, but it can make the
details of the model easier to see.
 Hidden. Displays objects using wireframe representation and hides lines
representing back faces.
 Realistic. Displays objects using smooth shading and materials.
 Shaded. Displays objects using smooth shading.
 Shaded with Edges. Displays objects using smooth shading and visible
edges.
 Shades of Gray. Displays objects using smooth shading and
monochromatic shades of gray.
 Sketchy. Displays objects with a hand-sketched effect by using the Line
Extensions and Jitter edge modifiers.
 Wireframe. Displays objects using lines and curves to represent the
boundaries.
 X-ray. Displays objects with partial transparency.
In shaded visual styles, faces are lit by two distant light sources that follow the
viewpoint as you move around the model. This default lighting is designed to
illuminate all faces in the model so that they are visually discernable. Default
lighting is available only when other lights, including the sun, are off.
Select a visual style and change its settings at any time. The changes are reflected
in the viewports to which the visual style is applied. Any changes you make to
the current visual style are saved in the drawing.
Related Tasks
 To Work With Visual Styles
 To Work With Adaptive Degradation
Related References
Performance
Related Concepts
 About Shading, Highlighting and Coloring Faces
 About Controlling the Display of Edges
Workflow Settings Editor (Autodesk 3ds Max)
(AutoCAD Suite only) Customizes workflow settings that prepare your drawing to
be opened and rendered in Autodesk 3ds Max.
Access Methods
Application menu Suite Workflows Select a 3ds Max workflow

Settings
WORKFLOW
The settings in this version of the Workflow Settings Editor are available for all
workflows that send documents to 3ds Max for rendering.
List of Options
The following options are available.
File Linking
Sets the behavior for links between the source and target documents.
With file linking, links or references are established between the design data
associated with objects in the source file and the object in the target file. This
link can be updated, modified or replaced. When the source file changes,
modifications to properties such as materials or textures can be updated in the
target file.
Changes in the target file do not affect the source.
Show the Workflow Complete Dialog
Displays a dialog box that indicates that the workflow process has been
completed.
Target Scene
Specifies whether to select a 3ds Max scene for each workflow instance,
or whether the workflow always targets a new or an active scene.
 Ask User. When you run this workflow, displays a dialog box that
prompts you to select a new or existing scene as a target.
 Always. Specifies which type of scene will always be targeted in
this workflow. You can specify that the default is always a new or
an existing scene.
Existing Link Found with Target Scene
Specifies how existing links to the source drawing are handled by the
workflow.
 Ask User. When you run this workflow, displays a dialog box
where you can select whether to reload, detach and recreate, or
keep and recreate existing links to the source drawing.
 Always. Specifies how links to the source drawing are always
handled in this workflow.
o Reload the Source File. Always reloads any links to the
source drawing that are found in the target scene.
o Detach and Create a New Link. Always detaches and
recreates any links to the source drawing that are found in
the target scene. Use this option to remove any edits (such
as materials applications or modifiers) that have been
applied to the linked objects.
o Keep and Add a New Link Instance. Always retains links to
the source drawing and adds a new link to the same file.
Materials
Specifies how the workflow handles materials assignments.
 Use Max Scene Material Definitions. Gives preference to the 3ds
Max material definition if a material with the same name is
imported.
 Keep Current Max Scene Material Assignments on Reload. Retains
materials assignments made in 3ds Max, even when the linked
source is reloaded.
Transform and Scale
Use 3ds Max System Units
Ignore any scaling in the source drawing and use the default 3ds Max
units setting.
Rescale Source Drawing
Assigns real-world scaling, such as meters, to the units used in the source
drawing and scales the drawing based on Target Max Scene unit settings.
Model Unit
(Available only if Rescale Source Drawing is selected) Specifies the real-
world unit scale to apply to the AutoCAD unit. For example, you can
specify that an AutoCAD unit equals one inch or one millimeter.
Create Helper Object at Drawing's Origin
Provides a method for moving the imported drawing within the 3ds Max
scene by creating a dummy helper object that serves as a handle.
NOTE:This setting is off by default to prevent problems that can occur
when the objects in the source drawing are a long way from the world
origin. In this case, Zoom Extents may cause the view to zoom out too far
to see anything at all, because the extents include your drawing and the
helper placed at the world origin within the view.
Convert AutoCAD Primitives
Create a New Max Object for Each
Specifies how converted AutoCAD objects are grouped and organized in
3ds Max.
 Layer, Blocks as Node Hierarchy. Groups selected AutoCAD
primitive objects by layers, and then by blocks within those layers.
 Layer, Blocks as Node Hierarchy, Split by Material. Groups each
AutoCAD primitive object by layers, and then by blocks within
those layers. Objects with the same material assignments are
grouped.
 Entity, Blocks as Node Hierarchy. Groups each AutoCAD primitive
object, then by blocks withn those groups.
 Layer. Specifies that all objects on the same layer become a single
3ds Max object.
 Color. Specifies that all objects of the same color become a single
3ds Max object.
 Color and Material. Specifies that all objects that share the same
color and material become a single 3ds Max object
 Entity. Specifies that each source object becomes an individual
3ds Max objects.
NOTE:This option can result in a large number of 3ds Max objects
and creates very large files. It is not recommended for very
complex drawings, especially if you expect to use them for
interactive presentations.
 One Object. Groups all source objects as a single object. This
option results in good performance within viewport displays, but
provides limited editing capabilities.
Level of Detail
Specifies how the workflow handles level of detail, which affects the smoothness
of the objects.
Presets
Sets the level of detail that determines how drawing features are
displayed in 3ds Max. Higher levels of detail result in slower transfers to
3ds Max and longer rendering times. Options range from Teacup Scale
Model, High Detail to City or Terrain Scale Model, Low Detail.
Maximum 3D Solid Surface Deviation
Displays the smoothness values of the solid objects in 3ds Max, based on
the Presets selection. Lower numbers indicate more faces and smoother
objects. You can change this setting only if the Custom preset is selected.
Spline Curve Steps
Displays the number of nodes, or splits, for spline curves, based on the
Presets selection. Higher numbers result in smoother curves. You can
change this setting only if the Custom preset is selected.
Geometry
Use the Extrude Modifier to Represent Thickness
When you turn on this option, 3ds Max applies an Extrude modifier to all
spline objects that had thickness in AutoCAD. This setting is not on by
default for static renderings, but may be useful for some editing or
animation tasks.
Weld Nearby Surfaces
Merges vertices that are within the range specified in the Closer Than
option.
Closer Than
(Available only if Weld Nearby Surfaces is selected.) Sets how close
adjacent vertices need to be in order to be merged. You can specify the
distance by dragging the slider or entering a value.
Auto-smooth Adjacent Faces
Causes adjacent faces to be smoothed or sharpened at a specific angle.
Angle
(Available only if Auto-smooth Adjacent Faces is selected). Sets the angle
value for smoothing or sharpening adjacent faces. For example, if the
Angle value is 15 degrees, angles of 15 degrees or greater are smoothed,
and angles of less than 15 degrees remain sharp.
Unify Normals of Adjacent Faces
Sets the normal alignment of adjacent faces to be the same.
For example, if the faces are part of a sphere with the majority pointing
outward and a few that are created facing inward, these few are flipped
so that all of the sphere's faces point outward
Fill (Cap) Closed Splines
Fills closed areas within 2D objects.
Texture Mapping
Sets whether mapping coordinates are applied to all imported objects,
including those that do not have assigned materials.
 No Mapping Coordinates. Specifies that object coordinates are not
mapped. When this option is selected, objects do not display
material textures, but can display properties such as color.
 Generate Coordinates for All Objects. 3ds Max checks every object
for coordinate maps, and adds mapping if necessary. This process
is time consuming but necessary for texture maps to be displayed
on objects that may not have had mapping coordinates applied in
AutoCAD.
Layer Filtering
Skip All Frozen Layers
Does not produce links to source file objects that are on frozen layers.
Skip All Hidden Layers
Does not produce links to source file objects that are on hidden layers.
Include by Type
Specifies which object types are imported.
Lights
Includes light properties, including photometric lights, in the import.
Views and Cameras
Includes views and camera properties in the import.
Sun and Sky Lighting
Includes sun and sky lighting properties in the import.
Points
Includes point objects in the import (not commonly used).
UCSs (grids)
Includes user coordinate systems in the import (not commonly used).
Hatches
includes hatch objects in the import (not commonly used).
External References (xrefs)
Includes all external references attached to the source drawing in the
import.
Spline Rendering
Generate Mapping Coordinates
Maps coordinates for splines to enable the display of textures.
Use Real-world Texture Map Size
Uses real-world units when defining the scale of material textures. This
option helps you troubleshoot why a texture is too large or too small.
Auto-smooth renderable splines
Automatically smooths or creases splines at a specified angle.
Angle
(Available only when Auto-smooth Renderable Splines is selected.
)Specifies the angle at which auto-smoothing goes into effect for splines.
Enable in the Renderer
Provides a way to enhance 2D objects such as splines, polylines, and lines, to give
them the appearance of 3D objects when rendered. To view them in the
viewport, you must also select Enable in Viewport.
This option and its related settings are available only when Spline Rendering is
also selected.
Cross section
Specifies the shape of the cross section that will be swept along the
spline, polyline or line path during rendering. This feature can be used to
create a handrail or fence. The settings in this section change, depending
on whether you select the circle or the rectangle.
 Circle. Uses a circle profile to sweep 2D splines, polylines, and
lines.
 Rectangle. Uses a rectangle profile to sweep 2D splines, polylines,
and lines.
Thickness
(Available only for circle cross sections) Specifies the diameter of the
profile circle.
Sides
(Available only for circle cross sections) Sets the number of sides for the
circular profile. For example, 5 sides results in a pentagonal profile.
Higher values result in smoother profiles.
Angle
(Available only for circle cross sections) Sets the rotation of the circular
profile about the spline.
Length
(Available only for rectangle cross sections) Sets the length of the
rectangular cross section profile.
Width
(Available only for rectangle cross sections) Sets the width of the
Aspect
(Available only for rectangle cross sections) Sets the aspect ratio of the
rectangle based on length over width. You adjust the Length and Width
settings when you change the Aspect value.
Angle
(Available only for rectangle cross sections) Affects the alignment of the
rectangular profile by setting its angle of rotation about the spline path.
Enable in the Viewport
Provides a way to enhance 2D objects such as splines, polylines, and lines, to give
them the appearance of 3D objects when viewed in the viewport. To affect the
rendering result, you must also select Enable in Renderer.
This option and its related settings are available only when Spline Rendering is
also selected.
Use the Renderer Settings Shown Above
Uses the Enable in the Renderer Settings for the viewport display. When
this option is selected the other settings in this section are disabled.
Cross section
Specifies the shape of the cross section that will be swept along the
spline, polyline or line path during rendering. This feature can be used to
create a handrail or fence. The settings in this section change, depending
on whether you select the circle or the rectangle.
 Circle. Uses a circle profile to sweep 2D splines, polylines, and
lines.
 Rectangle. Uses a rectangle profile to sweep 2D splines, polylines,
and lines.
Thickness
(Available only for circle cross sections) Specifies the diameter of the
profile circle.
Sides
(Available only for circle cross sections) Sets the number of sides for the
circular profile. For example, 5 sides results in a pentagonal profile.
Higher values result in smoother profiles.
Angle
(Available only for circle cross sections) Sets the rotation of the circular
profile about the spline.
Length
(Available only for rectangle cross sections) Sets the length of the
Width
(Available only for rectangle cross sections) Sets the width of the
Aspect
(Available only for rectangle cross sections) Sets the aspect ratio of the
rectangle based on length over width. You adjust the Length and Width
settings when you change the Aspect value.
Angle
(Available only for rectangle cross sections) Affects the alignment of the
rectangular profile by setting its angle of rotation about the spline path.
Display the Introduction Screen
When this option is enabled, an introduction screen is displayed when the
workflow is run. This screen describes what the workflow does and provides
access to the Settings or Run options. You can select this setting to turn on the
display of the introduction screen if you have disabled it.
NOTE:User-created workflows do not display an introduction screen.
Related References
 WORKFLOW (Command)
 Workflow Manager
 Workflow Settings Editor (Autodesk Showcase)
Related Concepts
 About AutoCAD Suite Workflows
ACADINFO (Express Tool)
Creates a file that stores information about your AutoCAD installation and
current setup.
With this tool, you create a text file, acadinfo.txt, in which you can view the
following information:
 General Information including user name, computer name, and platform
 File loading information such as a list of currently loaded ARX applications
that is useful for troubleshooting
 System variable settings that are useful for comparing the settings on two
installations.
Files
acadinfo.lsp, acadinfo.txt
Related References
 Express Tool Reference
Related Concepts
 About AutoCAD Express Tools
ACADLSPASDOC (System Variable)
Controls whether the acad.lsp file is loaded into every drawing or just the first
drawing opened in a session.
Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 0
0 Loads acad.lsp into just the first drawing opened in a session
1 Loads acad.lsp into every drawing opened
Related References
 Commands for Customization
Related Concepts
 About AutoLISP Applications
acad-pop-dbmod (AutoLISP)
Restores the value of the DBMOD system variable to the value that was most
recently stored with acad-push-dbmod
Prerequisites: The AcApp ObjectARX application must be loaded before the
function can be called, which is loaded by default.
Signature
(acad-pop-dbmod)
No arguments.
Return Values
Type: T or nil
Returns T if successful; otherwise, if the stack is empty, returns nil.
Remarks
This function pops the current value of the DBMOD system variable off an
internal stack.
This function is used with acad-push-dbmod to control the DBMOD system
variable. The DBMOD system variable tracks changes to a drawing and triggers
save-drawing queries.
Related References
 acad-push-dbmod (AutoLISP)
ACADPREFIX (System Variable)
Lists the Support File Search paths specified in the Options dialog box, Files tab.
(Read-only)
Type: String
Saved in: Not-saved
Initial value: Varies
The Support File Search paths are stored in the ACAD operating system
environmental variable. In addition to the Options dialog box, you can use the
AutoLISP functions, getenv and setenv, to access these search paths. For
example, from within an AutoLISP routine or from the Command prompt, you
can use (getenv "ACAD") to list the Support File Search paths.
Related References
 Commands for Opening Drawings
Related Concepts
 About Setting Up the Drawing Area
acad-push-dbmod (AutoLISP)
Stores the current value of the DBMOD system variable
Prerequisites: The AcApp ObjectARX application must be loaded before the
function can be called, which is loaded by default.
Signature
(acad-push-dbmod)
No arguments.
Return Values
Type: T
Always returns T.
Remarks
This function is used with acad-pop-dbmod to control the DBMOD system
variable. You can use this function to change a drawing without changing the
DBMOD system variable. The DBMOD system variable tracks changes to a
drawing and triggers save-drawing queries.
This function pushes the current value of the DBMOD system variable onto an
internal stack. To use acad-push-dbmod and acad-pop-dbmod, precede
operations with acad-push-dbmod and then use acad-pop-dbmod to restore the
original value of the DBMOD system variable.
Examples
The following example shows how to store the modification status of a drawing,
change the status, and then restore the original status.
(acad-push-dbmod)
(setq new_line '((0 . "LINE") (100 . "AcDbEntity") (8 . "0")
(100 . "AcDbLine") (10 1.0 2.0 0.0) (11 2.0 1.0 0.0)
(210 0.0 0.0 1.0)))
(entmake new_line) ; Set DBMOD to flag 1
(command "._color" "2") ; Set DBMOD to flag 4
(command "._-vports" "_SI") ; Set DBMOD to flag 8
(command "._vpoint" "0,0,1") ; Set DBMOD to flag 16
(acad-pop-dbmod) ; Set DBMOD to original value
Related References
 acad-pop-dbmod (AutoLISP)
ACADVER (System Variable)
Stores the AutoCAD version number.
(Read-only)
Type: String
Saved in: Not-saved
This variable differs from the DXF file $ACADVER header variable, which contains
the drawing database level number.
Related Concepts
 About Setting Up the Drawing Area
WBLOCK (Command)
Saves selected objects or converts a block to a specified drawing file.
Find
The Write Block dialog box is displayed.
Entering -wblock at the Command prompt displays a standard file selection
dialog box in which to specify a name for the new drawing file, followed by
command prompts. If FILEDIA is set to 0, the standard file selection dialog box is
suppressed.
Related References
 Write Block Dialog Box
 -WBLOCK (Command)
 Commands for Basic Blocks
 Commands for Saving Drawings
Related Concepts
 About Defining Blocks
 About Modifying Block Definitions
About Displaying the Classic Menu Bar
You can display pull-down menus as an alternative to or simultaneously with the
ribbon.
You may choose to use menus to:
 Access a more complete list of commands and options
 Have available more drawing space at the top of the application window
 Select descriptive words from a menu instead of icons from he ribbon or
a toolbar
The menu bar can be enabled from Quick Access toolbar drop-down or by using
the CUI to customize the user interface.
Related Tasks
 To Display a Shortcut Menu
 To Work With Customizing Right-click Behavior
 To Display the Menu Bar
Related References
 Commands for Working With the Application Window
Related Concepts
 About Shortcut Menus
To Use the AccXES Optimized System Printer Driver (XES)
How to use the AccXES optimized system printer driver.
1. Download the current version of the XES AccXES optimized system printer
driver (version 5.01 or later).
2. Install the AccXES optimized system printer driver as a system printer
driver.
3. Open a drawing.
4. Click Application menu Print.
5. Select one of the following plotters:
o AccXES 8830
o AccXES 8825
o AccXES 8855
Do not confuse these plotters with XES 88xx.pc3 configurations, which
are the older HDI driver configurations. When you have selected the
correct XES AccXES optimized driver, the following is shown as part of the
plotter name in the Plot and Page Setup dialog boxes in the
Printer/Plotter area under Plotter:
Optimized Driver – by XESystems, Inc.
If you do not want the HDI driver plotter configuration files for your XES
printers (XES 88xx.pc3 files) to be included in the Plotter drop-down list,
use the Plotter Manager to delete them.
Related References
 Commands for Driver Custom Properties References
Related Concepts
 About XES Synergix 8825/8830/8855 Driver Custom Properties
 About Using the AccXES Optimized System Printer Driver (XES)
 About Settings for the AccXES Optimized Printer (XES)
 XES Driver Troubleshooting Reference
AccXES Configuration Dialog Box
Controls override settings for Xerox wide format printers.
Summary
If Override Device Settings is selected on the Xerox Wide Format HDI Driver
dialog box, you can specify custom settings in this dialog box.
The tabs in this dialog box vary depending on the firmware version you selected
in the previous dialog box. If you are not sure of the version of firmware in your
Xerox Wide Format Print System, see your system administrator for help.
Related References
 Commands for Driver Custom Properties References
Related Concepts
 Labels Tab (AccXES Configuration Dialog Box)
 Options Tab (AccXES Configuration Dialog Box)
 Raster Stamp Tab (AccXes Configuration Dialog Box)
 Advanced Tab (AccXES Configuration Dialog Box)
 Xerox Wide Format HDI Driver Dialog Box
 About Supported Printers (Xerox)
 To Access Settings for Xerox Wide Format Plotter Configuration
acdimenableupdate (AutoLISP)
Controls the automatic updating of associative dimensions
Signature
(acdimenableupdate flag)
flag
Type: T or nil
Controls the automatic updating of associative dimensions when
geometry is modified.
T -- Enable automatic updating of associative dimensions when the
geometry is modified.
nil -- Associative dimensions are not updated (even if the geometry is
modified) until the DIMREGEN command is used.
Return Values
Type: nil
Always returns nil.
Remarks
The acdimenableupdate function is intended for developers who are editing
geometry and don't want the dimension to be updated until after the edits are
complete.
Examples
Disable the automatic update of associative dimensions in the drawing:
(acdimenableupdate nil)
Enable the automatic update of associative dimensions in the drawing:
(acdimenableupdate T)
acet-layerp-mark (AutoLISP)
Places beginning and ending marks for Layer Previous recording
Signature
(acet-layerp-mark [status])
status
Type: T or nil
T -- sets a begin mark
nil -- sets an end mark, clearing the begin mark
Return Values
Type: T or nil
T if a begin mark is in effect; otherwise nil.
If status is omitted, acet-layerp-mark returns the current mark status for layer
settings.
Remarks
The acet-layerp-mark function allows you to group multiple layer commands into
a single transaction so that they can be undone by issuing the AutoCAD LAYERP
command a single time. The LAYERPMODE setting must be On in order to set
marks.
Examples
The following code changes layer 0 to blue, and then makes several additional
layer changes between a set of begin and end marks. If you issue the AutoCAD
LAYERP command after running this code, layer 0 reverts to blue.
(defun TestLayerP ()
;; Turn LAYERPMODE on, if it is not already
(if (not (acet-layerp-mode))
(acet-layerp-mode T)
)
;; Set layer 0 to the color blue

(command "._layer" "_color" "blue" "0" "")
;; Set a begin mark

(acet-layerp-mark T)
;; Issue a series of layer commands, and then set an end mark

(command "._layer" "_color" "green" "0" "")
(command "._layer" "_thaw" "*" "")
(command "._layer" "_unlock" "*" "")
(command "._layer" "_ltype" "hidden" "0" "")
(command "._layer" "_color" "red" "0" "")
;; Set an end mark

(acet-layerp-mark nil)
(princ)
)
Related References
 acet-layerp-mode (AutoLISP)
acet-layerp-mode (AutoLISP)
Queries and sets the LAYERPMODE setting
Signature
(acet-layerp-mode [status])
status
Type: T or nil
T - Turns LAYERPMODE on, enabling layer-change tracking
nil - Turns LAYERPMODE off
If this argument is not present, acet-layerp-mode returns the current
status of LAYERPMODE.
Return Values
Type: T or nil
T if current status of LAYERPMODE is on; nil if LAYERPMODE is off.
Examples
Check the current status of LAYERPMODE:
(acet-layerp-mode)
T
Turn LAYERPMODE off:
(acet-layerp-mode nil)
nil
Check the current status of LAYERPMODE:
(acet-layerp-mode)
nil
Related References
 acet-layerp-mark (AutoLISP)
acet-laytrans (AutoLISP)
Translates drawing layers to standards defined in another drawing or standards
file
Signature
(acet-laytrans filename [settings])
filename
Type: String
A string specifying a file containing layer mappings to be used for
translation.
settings
Type: Integer
A bit-coded integer specifying Layer Translator processing options. The
bits can be added together in any combination to form a value between 0
and 15. If the settings argument is omitted, a value of 15 (all options
selected) is assumed. The bit values are as follows:
0 -- No options
1 -- Force entity color to BYLAYER
2 -- Force entity linetype to BYLAYER
4 -- Translate objects in blocks
8 -- Write transaction log
Return Values
Type: T or nil
T if translation is successful; otherwise nil.
Examples
The following command translates the current drawing using layer mappings
saved in LayMap.dwg. No transaction log will be produced, but all other
processing options will be in effect.
(acet-laytrans "c:/my documents/cad drawings/LayMap.dwg" 7)
T
acet-ms-to-ps (AutoLISP)
Converts a real value from model space units to paper space units
Prerequisites: The AcSpaceTrans ObjectARX application must be loaded before
the function can be called, (arxload "acspacetrans.arx").
Signature
(acet-ms-to-ps [value] [viewport])
value
Type: Real
Value to be converted.
viewport
Type: Ename (entity name)
A viewport entity name.
Return Values
Type: Real or nil
The converted real value on success; nil on failure.
Remarks
If both the value and viewport arguments are specified, the value is converted to
paper space units using the specified viewport. No user input is required.
If only the value argument is specified, the current viewport is assumed and no
user input is required. However, if the current space is model space, there is no
current viewport and the function will fail (returning nil). If paper space is the
current space, the function will either prompt for a viewport if more than one
viewport exists in the current paper space layout, or use the single existing
viewport.
If no arguments are specified, the function prompts for a value and converts it if
possible.
Examples
None
Related References
 acet-ps-to-ms (AutoLISP)
acet-ps-to-ms (AutoLISP)
Converts a real value from paper space units to model space units
Prerequisites: The AcSpaceTrans ObjectARX application must be loaded before
the function can be called, (arxload "acspacetrans.arx").
Signature
(acet-ps-to-ms [value] [viewport])
value
Type: Real
Value to be converted.
viewport
Type: Ename (entity name)
A viewport entity name.
Return Values
Type: Real or nil
The converted real value on success; nil on failure.
Remarks
If both the value and viewport arguments are specified, the value is converted to
model space units using the specified viewport. No user input is required.
If only the value argument is specified, the current viewport is assumed and no
user input is required. However, if the current space is model space, there is no
current viewport and the function will fail (returning nil). If paper space is the
current space, the function will either prompt for a viewport if more than one
viewport exists in the layout, or use the single existing viewport.
If no arguments are specified, the function prompts for a value and converts it if
possible.
Examples
None
Related References
 acet-ms-to-ps (AutoLISP)
About Linetype Definitions
Linetypes are defined in one or more linetype definition files that have a .lin file
extension.
The linetype name and definition determine the particular dash-dot sequence,
the relative lengths of dashes and blank spaces, and the characteristics of any
included text or shapes. You can use the linetypes as they are, modify them, or
create your own custom linetypes.
The following is an example of a linetype definition. The numbers represent the
lengths of dashes and spaces, and the 0 represents a dot.
*BORDER,Border __ __ . __ __ . __ __ . __ __ . __ __ .
A,.5,-.25,.5,-.25,0,-.25
A LIN file can contain definitions of many simple and complex linetypes. You can
add new linetype definitions to an existing LIN file or you can create new
definitions by editing a LIN file using a text editor.
After you create or modify a linetype, you must load the linetype into your
current drawing before you can use it.
Related References
Related Concepts
 About Simple Custom Linetypes
 About Text in Custom Linetypes
 About Shapes in Custom Linetypes
 About Customization
About Hatch Pattern Definitions and Custom Hatch
Patterns
Hatch patterns are defined in one or more definition files that have a .pat file
extension. You can use the hatch patterns as they are, modify them, or create
your own custom hatch patterns.
Regardless of where a definition is stored, a custom hatch pattern has the same
structure. It has a header line with a name, which begins with an asterisk and is
no more than 31 characters long, and an optional description.
*pattern-name, description
a pattern definition also has one or more line descriptors of the following format:
angle, x-origin,y-origin, delta-x,delta-y,dash-1,dash-2, …
The standard hatch pattern ANSI31 looks like:
and is defined as follows:

*ANSI31, ANSI Iron, Brick, Stone masonry
45, 0,0, 0,.125
The pattern name on the first line, *ANSI31, is followed by a description: ANSI
Iron, Brick, Stone masonry. This simple pattern definition specifies a line drawn
at an angle of 45 degrees, the first line of the family of hatch lines is to pass
through the drawing origin (0,0), and that the spacing between hatch lines of the
family is to be 0.125 drawing units.
Hatch pattern definitions follow these rules:
 Each line in a pattern definition can contain up to 80 characters. You can
include letters, numbers, and the special characters underline (_), hyphen
(-), and dollar sign ($). However, you must begin a pattern definition with
a letter or number, not a special character.
 Blank lines and text to the right of a semicolon are ignored.
 Each pattern line is considered to be the first member of a line family,
created by applying the delta offsets in both directions to generate an
infinite family of parallel lines.
 The delta-x value indicates the displacement between members of the
family in the direction of the line. It is used only for dashed lines.
 The delta-y value indicates the spacing between members of the family;
that is, it is measured perpendicular to the lines.
 A line is considered to be of infinite length. A dash pattern is
superimposed on the line.
NOTE:A blank line must be placed after the last hatch pattern definition in a PAT
file. If a blank line is not placed after the last hatch pattern definition, the last
hatch pattern definition will not be accessible when using the hatch pattern file.
The process of hatching consists of expanding each line in the pattern definition
to its infinite family of parallel lines. All selected objects are checked for
intersections with any of these lines; any intersections cause the hatch lines to
be turned on and off as governed by the hatching style. Each family of hatch lines
is generated parallel to an initial line with an absolute origin to guarantee proper
alignment.
If you create a very dense hatch pattern, the program may reject the hatch and
display a message indicating that the hatch scale is too small or its dash length
too short. Change the maximum number of hatch lines by setting the MaxHatch
environment variable to a whole number between 00 and 10000000 (ten
million):
 In AutoCAD LT, use SETENV and enter a valid number.
 In non-LT products, use the AutoLISP expression (setenv "MaxHatch" "n")
where n is a valid number.
NOTE:In either case, when changing the value of MaxHatch, you must enter
MaxHatch with the capitalization as shown.
Related Tasks
 To Create a Hatch Pattern with Multiple Lines
 To Create a Hatch Pattern with Dashed Lines
Related References
Related Concepts
 About Hatch Patterns With Multiple Lines
 About Hatch Patterns with Dashed Lines
About Customizing the Status Bar with MODEMACRO
The status bar can provide important information without interrupting the work
flow. You can use the MODEMACRO system variable to display, in the status bar,
most data known to the application. With its calculation, decision, and editing
facilities you can compose the status bar to your precise specifications.
NOTE:The MODEMACRO system variable is not supported on Mac OS.
The calculated value of the MODEMACRO system variable controls the user-
defined area on the status bar, leftmost section. As the value of the
MODEMACRO system variable changes, the controls on the status bar move to
the right. The maximum number of characters displayed on the status bar in the
user-defined area is 240. Beyond 240 characters, the text displayed in the status
bar is truncated
If you set MODEMACRO to the null string by entering a period (.), the standard
status bar is displayed. Its value is not saved.
Related References
Related Concepts
 About MODEMACRO Values
 About DIESEL and Status Bar Customization
About Slides
A slide is a snapshot of a drawing. Although it contains a picture of the drawing
at a given instant, it is not a drawing file.
You cannot import a slide file into the current drawing, nor can you edit or print
a slide. You can only view it.
You can use slide files in the following ways:
 For making presentations within the application
 For viewing a snapshot of a drawing while working on a different drawing
 For creating menus of image tiles within a dialog box
You create a slide by saving the current view in slide format. A slide created in
model space shows only the current viewport. A slide created in paper space
shows all visible viewports and their contents. Slides show only what was visible.
They do not show objects on layers that were turned off or frozen or objects in
viewports that were turned off.
When you view a slide file, it temporarily replaces objects on the screen. You can
draw on top of it, but when you change the view (by redrawing, panning, or
zooming), the slide file disappears, and only what you drew and any preexisting
objects are displayed.
You can display slides one by one or use a script to display slides in sequence.
Slides also can be used in custom image tile menus. For example, if you create
scripts that insert blocks containing mechanical parts you use frequently, you can
design a custom image tile menu that displays a slide of each part. When you
click the slide image in the tile menu, the block is inserted into the drawing.
Multiple slides can be organized into a slide library. Slide library files are used for
creating custom image tile menus and for combining several slide files for
convenient file management.
You cannot edit the contents of a slide. You must change the original drawing
and remake the slide. If you use a low-resolution graphics monitor when creating
a slide file and later upgrade to a high-resolution monitor, you can still view the
slide. However, the slide does not take full advantage of the new monitor until
you remake the slide file from the original drawing.
Viewing Slides
You can view slides individually using VSLIDE. To view a series of slides for a
presentation, use a script file.
Be careful about using editing commands while you view a slide, which looks like
an ordinary drawing. Editing commands affect the current drawing underneath
the slide but not the slide itself.
Some commands may force redrawing, which removes the slide from display.
Slide Libraries
You can create slide libraries from individual slide files using the SLIDELIB utility.
After you have set up a slide library, you can view slides by specifying the name
of the slide library and the slide.
Do not delete the original slides after creating the slide library. The SLIDELIB
utility cannot update a slide library once it is created. If you want to add or
delete a slide, update the slide list file and remake the library with the SLIDELIB
utility. When you remake the slide library, all the slide files that you intend to
include must be available.
Related Tasks
 To Make a Slide
 To View a Slide
 To Create a Slide Library
 To View a Slide in a Slide Library
Related References
 SLIDELIB Utility Reference
 Commands for Scripts and Slides
Programming Interfaces Reference
In addition to accessing commands from the Command prompt and user
interface, the program provides application programming interfaces (APIs) that
can be used to control drawings and modify the drawing database.
The programming interfaces that the program supports are:
Windows and Mac OS
 AutoLISP ®
 ObjectARX™
Windows only
 ActiveX ® Automation
 Managed .NET
 VBA (Visual Basic ® for Applications)
 Visual LISP™
 JavaScript
The type of interface you use depends on your application needs and
programming experience.
Related References
Related Concepts
 About Customizing AutoCAD With ActiveX Automation
 About Customizing AutoCAD With VBA
 About AutoLISP Applications
 About .NET Managed Applications
 About ObjectARX Applications
About Compiling Shape and Font Files
You can define, create, and compile shape and font files to use custom symbols
and text fonts in your drawings.
Shapes are objects that you use like blocks. Blocks are more versatile and easier
to use and insert than shapes. However, shapes are more efficient for the
program to store and draw. User-defined shapes are helpful when you must
insert a simple part many times and when speed is important.
Use the LOAD command to load a compiled shape (SHX) file containing the shape
definition. Then you use the SHAPE command to insert shapes from the file into
your drawing. You can specify the scale and rotation to use for each shape as you
insert it. SHP fonts are a special type of shape file, and are defined in the same
way as shape files.
Compile Shape/Font Files
You enter the description of shapes in a specially formatted text file with a file
extension of .shp. You use a text editor or word processor that enables you to
save in ASCII format to create the shape definition (SHP) file, and then you
compile the file with the COMPILE command. Compiling a shape definition file
generates a compiled shape file (SHX) with the same name as the shape
definition file.
If the shape definition file defines a font, you use the STYLE command to define a
text style. Then, you add text to a drawing to use the characters defined in the
compiled shape file. If the shape definition file defines shapes, you use the LOAD
command to load the shape file into the drawing. Use the SHAPE command to
insert the specified shapes into the drawing.
Compile PostScript Fonts
A Type 1 PostScript font must first compile it into a shape file before it can be
used in the program. The COMPILE command accepts both SHP and PFB files as
input and generates an SHX file.
The program cannot compile and load every Type 1 font. The PostScript font
facilities in AutoCAD-based programs are intended to process a subset of Adobe
fonts. If you receive an error while compiling a PostScript font, the resulting SHX
file (if one is generated) may not load into the program.
For more information on the Adobe Type 1 font format, refer to Adobe Type1
Font Format Version 1.1. When you have purchased and installed these fonts,
you can begin using them with the program.
NOTE:Make sure you understand any copyright that accompanies the PostScript
fonts you use. The same copyright restrictions generally apply to the SHX form of
fonts you have compiled.
Related Tasks
 To Compile a Shape or Font File
Related References
Related Concepts
 About Shape Descriptions
compatibility
with it.
ACISIN (Command)
Imports an ACIS (SAT) file and creates 3D solid, body, or region objects.
Find
The Select ACIS File box is displayed. After you select an SAT (ASCII) ACIS file to
import, the objects are imported into the drawing.
NOTE: ACISIN imports SAT files up to ACIS version 7.0.
Related References
 Commands for Importing and Exporting ACIS SAT Files
Related Concepts
 About Importing and Exporting ACIS SAT Files
ACISOUT (Command)
Exports 3D solid, region, or body objects to an ACIS file.
Exported files are saved in SAT (ASCII) format.
The following prompt is displayed.
Select objects
Select 3D solids, regions, or legacy body objects to export. (Other types of
objects are ignored.)
When the Create ACIS File dialog box is displayed, specify a name and
location for the file.
Related References
 Commands for Importing and Exporting ACIS SAT Files
Related Concepts
 About Importing and Exporting ACIS SAT Files
LAYWALK (Command)
Displays objects on selected layers and hides objects on all other layers.
Find
The LayerWalk dialog box is displayed.
Displays a dialog box with a list of all layers in the drawing. For drawings with a
large number of layers, you can filter the list of layers that are displayed in the
dialog box.Use this command to review the objects on each layer and to purge
unreferenced layers.
By default, the effect is temporary and layers are restored when you close the
dialog box.
Related References
 LayerWalk Dialog Box
 Commands for Layers
Related Concepts
 About Layers
DIGITALSIGN (Command)
Attaches a digital signature to a drawing, which is removed if an unauthorized
change is made.
If a valid digital ID is available on your system, the Attach Digital Signatures dialog
box is displayed.
Related References
 Digital Signatures Dialog Box (Command)
 Commands for Protecting and Signing Drawings
Related Concepts
 About Digital Signatures For Drawings
 About Digital Signatures for Executable Files
 About Adding Time Stamps to Digital Signatures
View Options Dialog Box
This dialog box specifies how to anchor the view geometry , and how to display
Inventor Reference Parts.
List of Options
View Justification
Specifies how to anchor a view, when the view grows or shrinks due to an update
operation.
If a view is “centered”, the view grows/shrinks about its center. This is typically
used for views at the center of a layout.
If a view is “fixed”, unchanged model geometry remains in the same location as it
was prior to the model change. This option is often preferred as less "shifting"
occurs. However, this could result in the view overlapping the drawing border
and title block.
NOTE:
Orthogonal projected views inherit the parent view justification setting by
default. This is because an alignment constraint exists between parent views and
projected views. In such a case, View Justification is not available for projected
views. However, if the alignment constraint is broken, View Justification becomes
available.
Inventor Reference Parts
Line Style
Specifies the line type to use for reference parts (parts that are placed in
the model to add context to it).
If you choose the “As Reference” option, the line type is derived from the
layer Reference Layer. This uses the phantom line type by default.
If you choose the "As Parts" option, the line type is derived from the
standard layers used for all other parts.
If you choose the “Off” option, all reference parts become invisible.
Hidden line calculation

Specifies how hidden lines are calculated.
If you choose the “Separate” option, hidden lines for reference lines are
calculated separately from other parts.
If you choose the combined option, hidden lines for reference parts are
calculated together with all other parts.
Related References
 VIEWEDIT (Command)
Related Concepts
 About Base Views
 About Projected Views
ACTBASEPOINT (Command)
Inserts a base point or base point prompt in an action macro.
Find
As you record an action macro, you can use this command to insert a prompt for
base point input. During playback, the macro pauses to display the prompt and
does not continue until a point is specified.
Subsequent actions in a macro are located relative to each basepoint. The base
point can serve as a pause for user input or can be converted to an absolute
coordinate location.
In the Action Tree window, the base point pause is represented by the following
icon:
You can change the listed base point value to an absolute value by right-clicking
the icon and clearing the Pause for User Input checkmark. You can also insert a
new base by point right-clicking an action macro or the command node in the
Action tree.
NOTE: When you play back the action macro (with a base point inserted) in a
version older than AutoCAD 2010, an error message is displayed and the action
macro is removed from the location of available action macros.
Base point
Specify a point to serve as a base point during the action macro playback.
Related References
Related Concepts
 About Playing Back an Action Macro
action_tile (AutoLISP/DCL)
Assigns an action to evaluate when the user selects the specified tile in a dialog
box
Signature
(action_tile key action-expression)
key
Type: String
Names the tile that triggers the action (specified as its key attribute). This
argument is case-sensitive.
action-expression
Type: String
Expression evaluated when the tile is selected.
Return Values
Type: T or nil
T if the key was found; otherwise it returns nil.
Remarks
The action assigned by action_tile supersedes the dialog box's default action
(assigned by new_dialog) or the tile's action attribute, if these are specified. The
expression can refer to the tile's current value as $value, its name as $key, its
application-specific data (as set by client_data_tile) as $data, its callback reason
as $reason, and its image coordinates (if the tile is an image button) as $x and $y.
NOTE:You cannot call the AutoLISP command function from the action_tile
function.
Examples
If edit1 is a text box, the action expression in the following action_tile call is
evaluated when the user exits the text box:
(action_tile "edit1" "(setq ns $value)")
Related References
 get_attr (AutoLISP/DCL)
 get_tile (AutoLISP/DCL)
 mode_tile (AutoLISP/DCL)
 set_tile (AutoLISP/DCL)
Related Concepts
 About Action Expressions (DCL)
 About Action Expressions and Callbacks (DCL)
 Tile- and Attribute-Handling Functions Reference (AutoLISP/DCL)
 Programmable Dialog Box Function Synopsis (AutoLISP/DCL)
Action Macro Dialog Box
Saves or cancels a recorded action macro.
You can save or rename the current action macro and define its playback
behavior. Display of this dialog box can be suppressed by clearing the Prompt for
Action Macro Name setting in the Action Recorder Preferences dialog box.
List of Options
Action Macro Command Name
Specifies a name for the current action macro. You can enter a new name
to replace the displayed default name.
File Name
Displays the file name for the current action macro.
Folder Path
Displays the location where the current action macro file is stored.
Description
Specifies a description for the current action macro. The description is
displayed in a tooltip when the cursor hovers over the top node of the
action macro in the Action tree.
More Options
Controls the display of additional options in the Action Macro dialog box.
Restore Pre-Playback View
Defines how the view that was in effect prior to the playback of an action
macro is restored.
 When Pausing for User Input. Restores the view prior to the
playback of an action macro when a request for user input occurs.
 Once Playback Finishes. Restores the view prior to the playback of
an action macro when playback is complete.
Check for Inconsistencies When Playback Begins
Specifies if the action macro should be scanned for inconsistencies
between the current drawing state and the drawing state when the
macro was recorded.
Related References
 ACTSTOP (Command)
 Action Recorder Preferences Dialog Box
Related Concepts
Action Node Icon Reference
When an action macro is recorded, each action or input in the action macro file is
represented by a node in the Action Tree.
The following table lists the icon for each of the actions and input values that can
appear in the Action Tree.
Icon Action Node Name Description
Pause for User Input A pause for input will be made during playback.
User Text Message A user message will be displayed during playback.
A request to specify a base point will be made

Insert Base Point
during playback.
A node that contains all recorded input for a
Command
command.
The top-level node that contains all the actions
Action Macro
associated with the action macro.
Absolute Coordinate The absolute coordinate values of the point
Point acquired during recording.
Relative Coordinate The relative coordinate values based on the
Point previous coordinate values in the action macro.
Prompt A prompt or keyword interaction. This action node
Interaction/Keyword cannot be changed to request user input.
Angle An angle value.
Distance A distance value.
Real (Double) A real, double-precision numeric value.
Integer An integer numeric value.
String A text string value.
Scale Factor A scaling value.
Color A color value.
The final selection set that is used by a command. It

Selection Results
contains a node for each sub-selection.
Macro-created object A selection set that contains only the objects that
Selection have been created within the current action macro.
The existing selection set will be replaced by the
Use Pick First Selection objects selected before the start of the playback for
the action macro.
Request User Input
A request for an object selection.
(Selection)
Indicates that a change was made with the
Properties Palettes
Properties or Quick Properties palette.
A property change made with the Properties or
Property
Quick Properties palette.
A selection made with an object filter applied using
Object Filtering either the Properties or Quick Properties palette. It
indicates which object filter type was used.
A node that contains the recorded dialog box that
Modal Dialog
will be displayed during playback.
View Change A view change occurred that was not explicitly
(Observation Change) made by a command or a change in coordinates.
A UCS change occurred that was not explicitly made
UCS Change
by a command or a change in coordinates.
Related Tasks
 To Work with the Action Recorder
Related References
Related Concepts
 About Action Macros
 About Recording User Interface Elements
Action Recorder Preferences Dialog Box
Customizes the settings used for the Action Recorder.

List of Options
The following options are available.
Expand on Playback
Expands the Action Tree window whenever playback starts.
Expand on Recording
Expands the Action Tree window whenever recording starts.
Prompt for Action Macro Name
When recording is ended, opens the Action Macro dialog box, where you
can assign a name and description to the macro.
Related References
 ACTRECORD (Command)
Related Concepts
About AutoCAD Express Tools
AutoCAD Express Tools is a collection of productivity tools that extend the power
of AutoCAD.
Overview
These tools are provided as a courtesy to you, but are unsupported. Autodesk
does not assume any responsibility for their successful operation. If you have any
questions about the AutoCAD Express tools, please post them on an AutoCAD
discussion forum on http://forums.autodesk.com/.
Access Methods
You can access most of the Autodesk Express Tools from the Express Tools tab on
the ribbon. The ones that are not on the ribbon can be started from the
Command window with the exception of DUMPSHX, which is started from the
operating system command prompt.
Related Tasks
 To Work With Express Tools
Related References
 Express Tool Reference
ACTMANAGER (Command)
Manages action macro files.
Find
The Action Macro Manager is displayed.
Use the Action Macro Manager to copy, rename, modify, or delete action macro
files.
Related References
 Action Macro Manager
Related Concepts
ACTPATH (System Variable)
Specifies the additional paths to load action macros from for playback.
Type: String
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: ""
More than one path can be specified by separating each path with a semicolon.
Related References
 Commands for Action Macros
Related Concepts
ACTRECORD (Command)
Starts the recording an action macro.
Find
The sequence of commands you enter is captured in a script from the time you
start recording until you stop.
The Action Recorder Preferences dialog box controls the behavior of the Action
Recorder panel when you play back or record an action macro.
Related References
Related Concepts
ACTRECORDERSTATE (System Variable)
Specifies the current state of the Action Recorder.
(Read-only)
Type: Integer
Saved in: Not-saved
Initial
0
value:
0 Action Recorder is idle
Action Recorder is active; an action macro is currently being
1
recorded
Action Recorder is active; an action macro is currently being played
2
back
Related References
Related Concepts
ACTRECPATH (System Variable)
Specifies the path used to store new action macros.
Type: String
Saved in: Registry
Related References
Related Concepts
ACTSTOP (Command)
Stops the Action Recorder and provides the option of saving the recorded actions
to an action macro file.
Find
Use this command to stop the recording or playback of an action macro. When
the recording of an action macro is stopped, the recorded actions are saved to an
action macro file.
By default, Action Macro dialog box is displayed. (Display of this dialog box can
be suppressed by clearing the Prompt for Action Macro Name setting in the
Action Recorder Preferences dialog box.)
Related References
 Action Macro Dialog Box
 -ACTSTOP (Command)
Related Concepts
-ACTSTOP (Command)
Stops the Action Recorder and, from the command line, provides the option of
saving the recorded actions to an action macro file
Name
Enter a name for the action macro.
Description
Specifies a description for the current action macro.
Settings
Defines the behavior of the action macro during playback. Enter Yes or No to
change the settings.
Restore the original view before a request for input
Restores the view prior to the playback of an action macro when a
request for user input occurs.
Restore the original view after playback is complete
Restores the view prior to the playback of an action macro when playback
is complete
Prompt during playback if inconsistencies are found
Specifies if the action macro should be scanned for inconsistencies
between the current drawing state and the drawing state when the
macro was recorded.
Exit
Stops and saves the action macro recording with the specified name.
Related References
 ACTSTOP (Command)
Related Concepts
ACTUI (System Variable)
Controls the behavior of the Action Recorder panel when recording and playing
back macros.
Type: Bitcode
Saved in: Registry
Initial
6
value:
No changes to the Action Recorder panel occur when recording or
0
playing back an action macro
1 Action Recorder panel is expanded during playback
2 Action Recorder panel is expanded during recording
When recording is finished, prompt for a name and description for the
4
action macro
Related References
Related Concepts
Related Information
ACTUSERINPUT (Command)
Pauses for user input in an action macro.
Find
The next recorded action is set to pause for user input when the action macro is
played back.
You can insert a pause for user input by selecting the value node in the Action
Tree that you want to pause and provide input for during playback.
The icon in the Action Tree indicates the presence of a user input pause. The
image differs, depending on whether the input is a coordinate, a measurement,
or a numeric value.
Related References
Related Concepts
ACTUSERMESSAGE (Command)
Inserts a user message into an action macro.
Find
The Insert User Message dialog box is displayed.
The message you enter is displayed in a dialog box when the action macro is
played back. The macro continues when the dialog box is dismissed.
Related References
 -ACTUSERMESSAGE (Command)
Related Concepts
-ACTUSERMESSAGE (Command)
From the command line, inserts a user message into an action macro.
The message you enter is displayed in a dialog box when the action macro is
played back. The macro continues when the dialog box is dismissed.
Message to play during playback
Enter a maximum of 256 characters for the user message.
Related References
 ACTUSERMESSAGE (Command)
Related Concepts
To Work With Adaptive Degradation
Adaptive degradation is a way to manage graphics performance by maintaining a
minimum number of frames per second.
With adaptive degradation on, if performance goes below the number of frames
per second (FPS) that you specify, effects are turned off or turned down until
performance returns to an acceptable level. Wireframe visual styles will reduce
the number of vectors displayed; other visual styles will degrade to the Shaded
visual style.
Toggle Adaptive Degradation
1. At the Command prompt, enter -GRAPHICSCONFIG.
2. Enter a for adaptive degradation, and specify ON or OFF.
Set the Performance Level for Adaptive Degradation
1. At the Command prompt, enter -GRAPHICSCONFIG.
2. Enter a for adaptive degradation, and specify ON.
3. Enter a number of frames per second to maintain before the graphics are
reduced in quality.
Related Tasks
 To Work With Graphics Performance Tuning
Related References
Performance
Related Concepts
 About Using Visual Styles
Graphics Performance Dialog Box
These settings control hardware acceleration, effects available through your

system's graphics card, and software performance settings.
Some advanced graphic performance settings are only accessible if you enter -
GRAPHICSCONFIG on the command line.
List of Options
Hardware Setup
Displays the graphics hardware information such as the video card, driver
version, and the current virtual device.
Effects Settings
Sets the options for hardware acceleration.
Hardware Acceleration
Enables the use of hardware acceleration and provides control to all
effects settings available for the current driver. When off, only the
Smooth Line Display option is enabled.
High Quality Geometry (for capable devices)
Creates high quality curves and lineweights, and automatically turns on
the Smooth Line Display option.
NOTE:This option is only available for DirectX 11 (or later) virtual devices.
Smooth Line Display
Controls the status of the full screen anti-aliasing effect. This option
removes the jagged effect on the display of diagonal lines and curved
edges. When the High Quality Geometry (for capable devices) option is
turned on, the Smooth Line Display option is always on. Otherwise, you
can manually turn it on or off.
Advanced Material Effects
Controls the status of the advanced materials effect on-screen.
Full Shadow Display
Enables shadows to be displayed in the viewport.
Per-Pixel Lighting (Phong)
Enables the computation of colors for individual pixels. With this option
turned on, the 3D objects and lighting effects appear smoother in the
viewport.
Uncompressed Textures
Increases the amount of video memory to display better quality textures
in drawings that contain materials with images or have attached images.
NOTE:It is recommended that you do not use any type of remote access
application, such as NetMeeting, Remote Desktop, or any other windows
emulating software in conjunction with hardware acceleration. Most
remote access applications do not support hardware acceleration, and as
a result, can cause general display failure and instability. Prior to using a
remote access application with an AutoCAD-based product, check with
the software vendor to see if it supports hardware acceleration and if not,
disable hardware acceleration prior to starting the remote access
software or use the /NOHARDWARE command line switch to start an
AutoCAD-based product in Software mode.
Restore Defaults
Resets the values to the defaults based on the Graphics Performance’s
evaluation of the graphics card.
Tuner Log
Displays the tuner log which reads your system and decides whether to
use software or hardware implementation for features that support both.
Features that work with your system are turned on, and features that
might not work with your system are turned off. A log file displays the
results, including information about your graphics card.
Related References
 GRAPHICSCONFIG (Command)
Related Concepts
ADCCLOSE (Command)
Closes DesignCenter.
Closes the DesignCenter ™ window.
Related References
 Commands for DesignCenter
Related Concepts
 About Locating DesignCenter Content
ADCENTER (Command)
Manages and inserts content such as blocks, xrefs, and hatch patterns.
Find
The DesignCenter window is displayed.
Related References
 DesignCenter Window
 Search Dialog Box (DesignCenter)
 Commands for Working With External References
Related Concepts
 About Adding Content With DesignCenter
 About DesignCenter
DesignCenter Window
When you click the Folders tab or the Open Drawings tab, the following two
panes are displayed from which you can manage drawing content:
 Content area (right pane)
 Tree view (left pane)
Use the buttons in the toolbar at the top of DesignCenter for display and access
options. Autodesk Seek is a button that opens your browser to the Autodesk
Seek home page, where you can access online design content from
manufacturers and other sources.
List of Options
Content Area
Displays the content of the "container" currently selected in the tree view in the
left pane. A container is a network, computer, disk, folder, file, or web address
(URL) containing information accessible by DesignCenter. Depending on the
container selected in tree view, the content area typically displays the following:
 Folders containing drawings or other files
 Drawings
 Named objects contained in drawings (named objects include blocks,
xrefs, layouts, layers, dimension styles, table styles, multileader styles,
and text styles)
 Images or icons representing blocks or hatch patterns
 Web-based content
 Custom content developed by third-party applications
You can insert content into a drawing or a tool palette by dragging it from the
content area or by using the shortcut menu.
Tree View
Displays files on your computer and network drives, a list of open drawings, and
a history of the last locations you accessed. Select an item in the tree view to
display its contents in the content area.
Use the Toggle Tree View button ( ) in the toolbar to open or close the tree
view.
Folders tab
Displays the hierarchy of files and folders on your computer and network
drives, including My Computer and Network Neighborhood.
You can use ADCNAVIGATE to navigate to a specific file name, directory
location, or network path in the DesignCenter tree view.
Open Drawings tab
Displays all drawings open in the current work session, including drawings
that are minimized.
History tab
Displays a list of the files that you opened most recently in DesignCenter.
With the history displayed, right-click a file to display information about
the file or to delete the file from the History list.
DesignCenter Toolbar
Load
Displays the Load dialog box (a standard file selection dialog box). Use
Load to navigate to files on local and network drives or on the Web, and
then to select content to load in the content area.
Back
Returns to the most recent location in the history list.

Forward
Returns to the next later location in the history list.

Up
Displays the contents of the container one level above the current
container.
Search
Displays the Search dialog box, where you can specify search criteria to
locate drawings, blocks, and non-graphical objects within drawings.
Search also displays custom content saved on your desktop (not available
in AutoCAD LT).
Favorites
Displays the contents of the Favorites folder in the content area. The
Favorites folder contains shortcuts to items you access often. You can add
items to Favorites either by right-clicking the content area or right-
clicking an item in the tree view, and then clicking Add to Favorites. To
delete an item from Favorites, use the Organize Favorites option on the
shortcut menu and then use the Refresh option on the shortcut menu.
NOTE:The DesignCenter folder is automatically added to Favorites. This
folder contains drawings with discipline-specific blocks that you can insert
in drawings.
Home
Returns DesignCenter to your home folder. On installation, the home

folder is set to ...SampleDesignCenter. Change the home folder using the
shortcut menu in the tree view.
Tree View Toggle
Displays and hides the tree view. Hide the tree view if you need more
space in your drawing area. When the tree view is hidden, you can use
the content area to navigate to containers and to load content.
The Tree View Toggle button is not available while you're using the
History list in the tree view.
Preview
Displays and hides a preview of the selected item in a pane below the
content area. If there is no preview image saved with the selected item,
the Preview area is empty.
Description
Displays and hides a text description of the selected item in a pane below
the content area. If a preview image is also displayed, the description is
displayed below it. If there is no description saved with the selected item,
the Description area is empty.
Views
Provides different display formats for the content that is loaded in the
content area. You can select a view from the Views list or click the Views
button repeatedly to cycle through the display formats. The default view
varies for the type of content currently loaded in the content area.
 Large Icon. Displays the names of the loaded content in large icon
format.
 Small Icon. Displays the names of the loaded content in small icon
format.
 List View. Displays the names of the loaded content in a list.
 Detail View. Displays additional information about the loaded
content. You can sort the items by name, size, type, and other
properties, depending on the type of content that is loaded in the
content area.
Autodesk Seek Button
Opens a web browser and displays the Autodesk Seek (SEEK) home page.
Product design information available on Autodesk Seek depends on what
content providers, both corporate partners and individual contributors,
publish to Autodesk Seek (SHAREWITHSEEK). Such content could include
3D models, 2D drawings, specifications, brochures, or descriptions of
products or components.
Related References
 ADCENTER (Command)
 Search Dialog Box (DesignCenter)
Related Concepts
 About Adding Content With DesignCenter
ADCNAVIGATE (Command)
Loads a specified drawing file, folder, or network path in the DesignCenter
Folders tab.
ADCNAVIGATE supports networked computers in the same workgroup or
mapped drive letter. UNC paths are not supported.
Enter pathname
At the prompt, you can enter a path in any of the following formats:
 Folder path: c:\project files\electrical
 Folder path and a file name: x:\project files\electrical\circuit2.dwg
 Not supported - UNC (universal naming convention) \\network
path: \server1\campus_project\
Related References
 ADCENTER (Command)
Related Concepts
ADCSTATE (System Variable)
Indicates whether the DesignCenter window is open or closed.
(Read-only)
Type: Integer
Saved in: Not-saved
For developers who need to determine status through AutoLISP.
0Closed
1Open
Related References
Related Concepts
+ (add) (AutoLISP)
Returns the sum of all numbers
Signature
(+ [number number ...])
number
A numeric value.
Return Values
The result of the addition. If you supply only one number argument, this function
returns the result of adding it to zero. If you supply no arguments, the function
returns 0.
Examples
(+ 1 2)
3
(+ 1 2 3 4.5)
10.5
(+ 1 2 3 4.0)
10.0
Related References
 - (subtract) (AutoLISP)
Related Concepts
 Arithmetic Functions Reference (AutoLISP)
 About Number Handling (AutoLISP)
add_list (AutoLISP/DCL)
Adds or modifies a string in the currently active dialog box list
Signature
(add_list str)
str
Type: String
Value to be assigned to the list.
Return Values
Type: String or nil
Returns the string added to the list, if successful; otherwise nil.
Remarks
Before using add_list, you must open the list and initialize it with a call to
start_list. Depending on the operation specified in start_list, the string is either
added to the current list or replaces the current list item.
Examples
Assuming the currently active DCL file has a popup_list or list_box with a key of
longlist, the following code fragment initializes the list and adds to it the text
strings in llist.
(setq llist '("first line" "second line" "third line"))
(start_list "longlist")
(mapcar 'add_list llist)
(end_list)
After the list has been defined, the following code fragment changes the text in
the second line to "2nd line".
(start_list "longlist" 1 0)
(add_list "2nd line")
(end_list)
Related References
 end_list (AutoLISP/DCL)
 start_list (AutoLISP/DCL)
Related Concepts
 List Box and Pop-Up List-Handling Functions Reference (AutoLISP/DCL)
 Programmable Dialog Box Function Synopsis (AutoLISP/DCL)
Add Actions Dialog Box
Adds actions to a parameter or parameter set in the Block Authoring Palettes in
the Block Editor.
List of Options
Action Object to Add
Specifies the action to add to the parameter or parameter set.
Action Object List
Lists the actions associated with the selected parameter or parameter
set.
Add
Adds the action specified in the Action Object to Add box to the
parameter or parameter set.
Delete
Deletes the selected action from the parameter or parameter set.
Related References
 TOOLPALETTES (Command)
 Commands for Tool Palettes
Add-a-Plot-Style-Table Wizard
Adds new plot style tables.
Plot style tables contain and define plot styles, which can be assigned to objects.
When complete, the wizard produces an STB or CTB file depending on the type of
table you are creating. You can edit these files in the Plot Style Table Editor. To
use your new plot style table, the selected options on the Plot and Publish tab of
the Options dialog box must be appropriate for the type of plot style table
(named or color-dependent) you created.
You can create a plot style table from scratch, use an existing plot style table as a
starting point, or use settings from a PCP, PC2, or CFG file.
You can create either a named plot style table or a color-dependent plot style
table. With a named plot style table, you can add and define plot styles as you
like; the file name has the extension .stb. A color-dependent plot style table
creates 255 plot styles based on color; the file name has the extension .ctb. You
can specify whether you want to use a plot style table for new drawings or for
pre-AutoCAD 2000 drawings when they are saved in a later format.
Related References
 Plot Style Table Editor
 STYLESMANAGER (Command)
 Commands for Print or Plot Settings
Related Concepts
 About Plot Styles
About Adding Content to a Leader
Leaders can contain multiline text or blocks to label parts of your drawing.
Leaders Containing Multiline Text
Leaders can contain multiline text as content. Text can be inserted by default
when creating a leader style. Text style, color, height, and alignment can be
applied and modified in leader annotations. You can also offset a multiline text
object by specifying a landing gap distance in the current leader style.
You can create annotative multileaders with text as content. The text content
will be scaled according to the specified scale representation. Width,
justification, attachment, and rotation settings for text content can be different
depending on the specified scale representation. Actual text content cannot
change with the scale representation.
There are several options for placing multiline text as content in a leader object.
Top of top line
Middle of top line
Bottom of top line
Underline top line
Middle of text
Middle of bottom line
Bottom of bottom line

Underline bottom line
Underline all text
Leaders Containing Blocks

Multileaders can contain blocks as content by applying a multileader style that
references a block in your drawing.
NOTE:
Annotative blocks cannot be used as either content or arrowheads in multileader
objects.
Blocks can be connected to a multileader by attaching the landing to a selected
insertion point on the block. You can also connect a multileader to a center point
on the selected block.
You can create annotative multileaders with blocks as content. The block content
will be scaled according to the specified scale representation. Any attributes
within the block content will not change with the scale representation. Non-
annotative multileader objects can be scaled using the MLEADERSCALE system
variable.
Related Tasks
 To Collect Multiple Notes to be Attached to a Single Landing
 To Create a Landing Line With Multiple Segments
 To Define a Leader Style
 To Apply a Leader Style to an Existing Leader
Related References
 Commands for Creating Leaders
Related Concepts
 About Leader Styles
About Adding Creases to Meshes
Add creases to sharpen mesh edges.
You can add creases to mesh objects that have a smoothing level of 1 or higher.
Add Creases to Different Subobjects

The result of creasing differs, depending on what type of subobject you select.
 Edge. The selected edge is sharpened. The adjacent faces are deformed
to accommodate the new crease angle.
 Face. The selected face is flattened and all edges that bound that face are
sharpened. Adjacent faces are deformed to accommodate the new shape
of the face.
 Vertex. The point of the vertex and all intersecting edges are sharpened.
Adjacent faces are deformed to accommodate the new vertex angle.
Assign a Crease Value to the Edge
As you apply a crease, you set a crease value that determines how the crease is
affected by smoothing. A value of Always ensures that the crease is always
retained, even when the mesh is repeatedly smoothed. Higher crease values
ensure that the crease is retained through several smoothing processes. (During
smoothing, the assigned crease value is decreased by the value of the original
level of smoothing.)
You can add a crease to a mesh that has not been smoothed. However, the effect
is not visible unless you smooth the object.
Remove a Crease
You can restore a crease to a smoothed state that corresponds to the smoothing
level for the object. If you remove a crease that is adjacent to other creased
subobjects, their contours are adjusted.
Related Tasks
 To Work With Changing Mesh Object Smoothness
 To Work With Setting Mesh Density
 To Work With Refining Mesh Faces and Objects
 To Work With Mesh Creases
Related References
 Commands for Mesh Editing
Related Concepts
 About Changing Mesh Smoothness Levels
 About Refining Mesh Objects or Subobjects
Add Custom Property Dialog Box
Adds a custom property to the drawing file.
List of Options
Custom Property Name
Specifies a unique name for the custom property. The name can contain
up to 255 characters. The following characters are not permitted: asterisk
(*), equal sign (=), less-than and greater-than signs (< >), slash (/),
backslash (), quotation marks ("), reverse quote (`), pipe sign (|), colon (:),
and semicolon (;).
Value
Specifies a value for the property. The value can be left blank.
Related References
 DWGPROPS (Command)
 Custom Tab (Drawing Properties Dialog Box)
Related Concepts
 About Drawing Properties
Add Distance or Angle Value Dialog Box
Adds distance or angle values to a parameter's value set in a dynamic block
definition.
List of Options
Distances or Angle to Add
Specifies values (separated by commas) to add to the value set.
Distances or Angles List (Unlabeled)
Lists the distances or angles defined for the value set.
Add
Adds the values specified in the Distances or Angle to Add box.
Delete
Deletes the selected value.
Related Tasks
 To Add or Remove Values for a Parameter Value Set
Related References
 PROPERTIES (Command)
 Properties Palette
About Imprinting Facets on Faces
Subdivide faces into additional facets on 3D solids and surfaces by imprinting
other objects, such as arcs and circles on them.
With the IMPRINT command, you can add a new facet to a 3D solid by imprinting
a coplanar object that overlaps a face. Imprinting provides additional edges that
you can use to reshape the 3D object.
For example, if a circle overlaps the face of a box, you can imprint it on the solid.
You can delete or retain the original object when you imprint it.
Objects that can be imprinted on 3D solids include arcs, circles, lines, 2D and 3D
polylines, ellipses, splines, regions, bodies, and other 3D solids.
Edit Imprinted Objects
You can edit imprinted objects and subobjects in many of the same ways that
you can edit other faces. For example, you can Ctrl+click to select a new edge
and drag it to a new location, or you can use PRESSPULL on the facet.
The following limitations exist for imprinted objects:
 You can move the edges of the imprinted face only within the plane of a
face.
 You might be unable to move, rotate, or scale some subobjects.
 Imprinted edges and faces might be lost when some subobjects are
moved, rotated, or scaled.
Subobjects with editing limitations include
 Faces with imprinted edges or faces
 Edges or vertices with adjacent faces that contain imprinted edges or
faces
Related Tasks
 To Imprint a 3D Solid
Related References
 Commands for Editing Subobjects
Add Folder Options Dialog Box
Specifies the folders to be used for data extraction.
Drawings in the selected folders are monitored for data changes.

List of Options
Folder
Displays the path to the specified folder.
Folder Button
Click the [...] button to select the folder in a standard file selection dialog
box.
Options
Automatically Include New Drawings Added in this Folder to the Data Extraction
Includes new drawings to the data extraction when they are added to the
folder. The New Drawings Found dialog box displays when new drawings
are added. When this option is selected, the specified folders are “live.”
When this option is not selected, the folders are “static.”
Include Subfolders
Includes drawings in subfolders of selected folders in the data extraction
process.
Utilize a Wild-card Character to Select Drawings
Activates a text entry field where you can enter search criteria using wild-
card characters to select specific drawings.
Wild-Card field
Enter wild-card characters. Valid characters are ACR_Commands
ACR_Sysvars body.xml chunkingACR.ksh chunkingACR.xsl current.xml files
header.xml tmp.xml utf.xml ? .
Related References
 DATAEXTRACTION (Command)
Related Concepts
 About Selecting Sources for Data Extraction
 About Data Extraction
Add Folder Options Dialog Box
Specifies the folders to be used for data extraction.
Drawings in the selected folders are monitored for data changes.

List of Options
Folder
Displays the path to the specified folder.
Folder Button
Click the [...] button to select the folder in a standard file selection dialog
box.
Options
Automatically Include New Drawings Added in this Folder to the Data Extraction
Includes new drawings to the data extraction when they are added to the
folder. The New Drawings Found dialog box displays when new drawings
are added. When this option is selected, the specified folders are “live.”
When this option is not selected, the folders are “static.”
Include Subfolders
Includes drawings in subfolders of selected folders in the data extraction
process.
Utilize a Wild-card Character to Select Drawings
Activates a text entry field where you can enter search criteria using wild-
card characters to select specific drawings.
Wild-Card field
Enter wild-card characters. Valid characters are ACR_Commands
ACR_Sysvars body.xml chunkingACR.ksh chunkingACR.xsl current.xml files
header.xml tmp.xml utf.xml ? .
Related References
 DATAEXTRACTION (Command)
Related Concepts
 About Selecting Sources for Data Extraction
 About Data Extraction
Add/Modify FTP Locations Dialog Box
Defines the FTP sites that you can browse within standard file selection dialog
boxes.
To browse the sites that you add, select FTP from the Places list in the standard
file selection dialog box.
To access the Add/Modify FTP Locations dialog box, in a standard file selection
dialog box, choose Tools Add/Modify FTP Locations.
List of Options
Name of FTP Site
Specifies the site name for the FTP location (for example, ftp.autodesk.com).
Log On As
Specifies whether to log on to the FTP site anonymously or with a specific user
name.
Anonymous
Logs you on to the FTP site as an anonymous user. If the FTP site does not
allow anonymous logons, select User and enter a valid user name.
User
Logs you on to the FTP site using the specified user name.
Password
Specifies the password to use to log on to the FTP site.
Add
Adds a new FTP site to the list of FTP locations available from the standard file
selection dialog box.
Modify
Modifies the selected FTP site to use the specified site name, logon name, and
password.
Remove
Removes the selected FTP site from the list of FTP locations available from the
standard file selection dialog box.
FTP Sites
Lists the FTP sites that are available from the Places list in all standard file
selection dialog boxes.
URL
Displays the URL for the selected FTP site.
Related References
 Standard File Selection Dialog Boxes
 OPEN (Command)

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NEWVIEW (Command)

Creates a named view with no motion.

The following prompts are displayed.

The entire selection set is treated as a single element in the array.

Number of items in the array

The 3D Edit Bar gizmo includes three grips:

The following prompts are displayed.

The following prompts are displayed.

Location for vertex (0, 0)

3DMESH polygon meshes are always open in both M and N directions.

If the default gizmo (DEFAULTGIZMO) is 3D Move, the 3D Move gizmo is

The following prompts are displayed.

If the visual style setting is 2D Wireframe, the visual style changes to 3D

 Constrain the scale to a plane. Click between the parallel lines

Specify scale factor

By default, this window is automatically displayed during a 3d walk-through or

Create a Design Feed Post

Creating Geometry from Segmented Point Clouds

Respond to Command Prompts

A drawing view is a rectangular object that contains a 2D projection of the 3D

Typically a geographic location is defined by its coordinates (for example,

Edge Corner Face

 Secure offsite storage

 Secure offsite storage

Sun and Sky

Application menu Suite Workflows Select a 3ds Max workflow

;; Set layer 0 to the color blue

;; Set a begin mark

;; Issue a series of layer commands, and then set an end mark

;; Set an end mark

and is defined as follows:

Hidden line calculation

User Text Message A user message will be displayed during playback.

A request to specify a base point will be made

Distance A distance value.

Real (Double) A real, double-precision numeric value.

Integer An integer numeric value.

String A text string value.

Scale Factor A scaling value.

Color A color value.

The final selection set that is used by a command. It

Customizes the settings used for the Action Recorder.

These settings control hardware acceleration, effects available through your

Returns to the most recent location in the history list.

Returns to the next later location in the history list.

Returns DesignCenter to your home folder. On installation, the home

Top of top line

Middle of top line

Bottom of top line

Underline top line

Middle of bottom line

Bottom of bottom line

Underline all text

Leaders Containing Blocks

Add Creases to Different Subobjects

Drawings in the selected folders are monitored for data changes.

Drawings in the selected folders are monitored for data changes.

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