I A CAD 2000: Understanding The Active Assistant

INTRODUCING AUTOCAD 2000I
AutoCAD 2000i is the latest version of AutoCAD, and while it looks quite
different from it’s predecessor, the differences are, in most cases, just skin
deep. There are many enhancements in 2000i like the new internet
functions and greater speed, but most of the other changes are less
dramatic. This document is intended give you a better idea of the changes
you can expect to find in 2000i and to easy any anxiety you may have over
the newest version of AutoCAD.
When you first start 2000i, you notice two new windows after the
screen splash. These windows are the Active Assistant and AutoCAD
Today. Let’s start by taking a closer look at the Active Assistant.
! If you’re using Mastering AutoCAD 2000 to learn AutoCAD,

read through this document to become familiar with the
differences between 2000 and 2000i, then close both the
Active Assistant and the AutoCAD Today window and
proceed with the regular tutorial. You’ll find that, aside from
the Active Assistant and AutoCAD Today, AutoCAD 2000
and 2000i are nearly identical. Pay close attention to the
changes in the object selection and Properties dialog
differences described later in this document.
Understanding the Active

Assistant
The Active Assistant is a dynamic help system that offers explanations of
commands and functions that you are currently using. For example, if you
click the Line tool in the Draw toolbar to the left of the screen, the Active
Assistant will display an explanation of the line tool as shown in Figure x.1.
While the Active Assistant can be helpful to new users, it can be an
annoyance to experienced users.
Copyright © 2000 George Omura P.O. Box 6357, Albany, CA 94706-1815 World rights reserved.
Figure x.1: The Active Assistant window
You can turn off the Active Assistant by taking the following steps.
1. Right-click on the Active Assistant icon in the system tray that is
usually located in the bottom right corner of your screen.
2. Select the Settings from the right-click menu. You’ll see the
Active Assistant Settings dialog.
3. Turn off the Show on Start option and the Hover Help option at
the top of the dialog, then select the On Demand radio button in
the Activation group.
4. Go ahead and close the dialog.
From now on, the Active Assistant will only open when you right-
click the Active Assistant icon in the system tray and select Show Active
Assistance from the Right-click menu.
Getting Familiar with AutoCAD

Today
The AutoCAD Today window is perhaps the biggest and most obvious
change in 2000i. Among other things, it replaces the functions of the
Startup dialog in AutoCAD 2000 which helps you open existing files or
create new ones (see Figure x.2). If you’re already familiar with AutoCAD
2000, you’ll see that the AutoCAD Today window includes quite a bit more
than just the tools for managing files. Figure x.3 shows the three main
components of the AutoCAD Today window.
Figure x.2: The startup dialog of AutoCAD 2000
Figure x.3: The AutoCAD Today window
" If you’ve just started AutoCAD 2000i for the first time, the
AutoCAD Today window will show an introductory page
that shows you the contents of the windows. Once you
click the Continue button in the lower right corner, the
window changes to a page similar to Figure x.3.
The My Drawings group acts as a replacement for the Startup dialog

of AutoCAD 2000 and it offers many new tools that make it a lot easier to
locate and organize drawing files. If you’re in a workgroup situation, the
Bulletin Board group offers a message area where CAD managers or
project leaders can post messages to project team members. The Bottom
half of the window shows the PointA web site where you can get up to date
information on AutoCAD. It is your “live link” to World Wide Web while
you work in AutoCAD. Each part of the AutoCAD Today window offers a
lot features. Let’s take a closer look at each part.
Working with the My Drawings Group

AutoCAD 2000I replaces the old Drawing Setup dialog with the My
Drawings group of the AutoCAD Today window. In this group, you’ll see
three tabs offering different ways to create new drawings or accessing
existing ones. These tabs duplicate the functions found in the Drawing
Setup dialog of 2000, though they work in a different way. Let’s start by
looking at the Open Drawings tab.
Opening Existing Files with AutoCAD Today

Typically, you’ll see the Open Drawings tab first as shown in Figure x.4.
This tab offers a typical Windows History list of files that have been
recently opened. It duplicates the Open a Drawing tool in the Startup dialog
of AutoCAD 2000. The file list you see in the Open Drawing tab is the
same as the list you see at the bottom of the File option on the AutoCAD
menu bar. When you select a file from the list, you see a thumbnail of the
file to the right of the list as shown in Figure x.4. You can use the
thumbnail to locate a file visually, then double click the file name to open
it.
Figure x.4: The open drawing tab of the My Drawings
group.
In addition, you can view the history list in a number of different

ways. The Select how to begin drop down list offers four ways to display
the list of files. They are:
• Most Recently Used
• History (Date)
• History (File Name)
• History (Location)
Figure x.5 shows the Most Recently Used list. The History by Date
list is helpful to see a greater range of files. It shows not only individual file
names, but also the previous history in weeks as shown in Figure x.5.
Figure x.5: The Open Drawing tab showing the History
(Date) option selected.
You can see the current day listed at the top with the weekly listings
below it. If you click on the right-pointing arrow in the week listing, the list
expands to show the drawings that were edited in that week. The up and
down scroll arrows to the right of the list let you navigate the list should it
become longer than will fit in the window. The History (File Name) options
lists the drawings in alphabetical order, grouping files by their first letter.
The History (Location) groups files by their location on your computer,
network or World Wide Web (see Figure x.6).
Figure x.6: The History (File Name) and History (Location)
options in the Open Drawing tab.
Creating New Files with AutoCAD Today

In the first view of the Create New Drawing tab (see figure x.7), you see a
list of drawing templates that are basically drawing that have been set up
for different drafting styles. You also have the option to create a drawing
from scratch or to use a drawing Wizard to set up a drawing. If you’re
already familiar with AutoCAD 2000, you’ll see that the Create New Files
tab replaces three of the Startup Dialog tools:
• Template
• Start from Scratch
• Wizards
Instead of using tool buttons, the AutoCAD Today’s Create New
Files tab uses the Select How to Begin drop down list (See Figure x.8).
Figure x.7: The Create Drawings tab
Figure x.8: The Select How to Begin drop down list.
Just as with the Open Existing Drawing tab, the Template options
under the Create New Files tab are organized into alphabetical divisions.
The Start from Scratch option offers two items: English and Metric.
These are the same options you’ll find in the Start from Scratch tool of the
AutoCAD 2000 Startup dialog as shown in Figure x.9.
Figure x.9: The Start from Scratch options in both the
AutoCAD 2000 Startup dialog and the AutoCAD 2000i
AutoCAD Today dialog.
The Wizard option offers also offers two options: Advanced Setup
and Quick Setup, and as with the Start from Scratch option, these Wizard
options are the same as those found in the Startup dialog of AutoCAD 2000
under the Use a Wizard tool (see Figure x.10).
Figure x.10: The Wizard option in both AutoCAD 2000
Startup dialog and the AutoCAD 2000i AutoCAD Today
dialog.
Editing the AutoCAD 2000i Symbols Library

AutoCAD 2000 introduced the Design Center as a tool to help you organize
your files and symbols library. To help you get started with your own
symbols library, the Design Center includes several drawings that contain
symbols you can use right away. AutoCAD 2000i extends the functionality
of your symbols library by offering a way to quickly access those symbols
right from the AutoCAD Today dialog.
When you select the Symbols Library tab of the AutoCAD Today
dialog, you see a listing of the available symbols library files in the Design
Center folder under the AutoCAD 2000I samples folder (See Figure x.11).
Figure x.11: The Symbols Library tab of the AutoCAD
Today dialog.
From here, you can double click on the listed file to open it and edit
the symbols contained therein. This gives you quick access to symbol
resources.
The list you see in the Symbols Library tab is one that was created
by Autodesk and is not set in stone. In fact, the whole idea of the Symbols
Library tab and the Design Center is to allow you to work the way you
want with the symbols you are most used to using.
" For a complete tutorial on the Design Center, see page

1186 in Mastering AutoCAD 2000 and page 1304 in
Mastering AutoCAD 2000 Premium Edition. You’ll also
want to know about the Catalog page of the PointA web
site. It offers symbols that you can easily download and
insert into an open drawing. PointA is described in a
following section entitled “Working with the Autodesk
PointA Group”.
Using the AutoCAD Today Bulletin Board

Often the simplest of tools can make an enormous difference in the
workflow of a project. The Bulletin Board in AutoCAD Today dialog is a
space that lets you post messages to anyone set up to receive them. You can
post word-processed document, HTML and graphics, then set up the
Bulletin Board group of AutoCAD Today to automatically retrieve those
documents when AutoCAD starts up.
By default, it displays a message explaining the purpose of the
bulletin board as shown in Figure x.x. By clicking the Edit button in the
upper right corner of the Bulletin Board, you can select a specific document
to be displayed in the bulletin board space. Here are the steps to display a
file:
1. Click the Edit button in the upper-right corner of the Bulletin
Board.
2. At the http://PointA dialog, click the Browse button.
3. At the Choose File dialog, locate and select a file that you want
to display in the Bulletin board.
4. Once you’ve selected a file, the file name and directory path will
be displayed in the Enter Path to the Local Server list box.
5. Click the Save Path button to accept the file or URL. The
document you select appears in the Bulletin Board.
! You may also enter a web page URL in the Enter Path to
the Local Server input box in step 2.
Through the Bulletin Board, project updates, schedules, or other

messages can be “broadcast” to team members and updated frequently so
that everyone stays informed within your workgroup.
Working with the Autodesk PointA Group

You’ve seen how the AutoCAD Today window lets you set up a new
drawing or open an existing drawing in a way similar to AutoCAD 2000’s
Drawing Setup dialog. But the most significant feature of AutoCAD Today
is its PointA group at the bottom of the window. This is your link to
Autodesk via the internet.
PointA is Autodesk’s web site for AutoCAD users. It offers a wide
variety of features aimed at helping you get the most from AutoCAD.
PointA keeps you up to date regarding AutoCAD news and events. You can
quickly get industry specific information, locate and download symbols,
find parts catalogs on-line and much more. The PointA group even checks
your AutoCAD and tells you whether it has the latest patches in the
Highlights frame (see Figure x.12).
Figure x.12: The PointA group of the AutoCAD Today window.
As of this writing, the PointA web site contains the following

options in it’s navigation bar:
• News and Views
• Project Center
• Industry Resources
• Catalogs
• Productivity Center
There is also the Highlights frame that collects the highlights from
the various pages of the sight into one place. At the bottom of the PointA
page is a set of options that help you navigate the PointA site. Let’s take a
look at each of the options in the navigation bar.
News and Views

The News and Views option sends you to a page that contains a variety of
links to new sites. There are also links to industry-specific news such as
AEC and building construction related news groups.
Project Center
The Project Center page offers links to sites that can help you manage
projects and collaborate with others. You’ll find Buzzsaw.com, one of the
leading project hosting systems. Buzzsaw.com is a web site that allows you
to share project data with others involved in a design and construction
project.
Industry Resources
The Industry Resources page gives you access to a wide range of links that
can help you keep abreast of your particular profession, be it architecture,
construction, mechanical engineering or mapping. You will also find links
to AutoCAD specific sites where you’ll find tips on using AutoCAD,
macros to help simplify common applications, and AutoCAD related
shareware. You’ll even find an on-line calculator for converting units.
Catalogs
PointA’s Catalog page is perhaps one of the coolest parts of AutoCAD
2000i. This page lets you download symbols into your AutoCAD drawing
by simply locating the symbol on the page, then dragging and dropping it
into your open file. You’ll find both 2D and 3D symbols to choose from.
Productivity Center
If you find you’re in need of a tutorial for an AutoCAD feature you’re not
familiar with, or that you’d like to expand your general knowledge of
AutoCAD, the Productivity Center can help. This page offers links to books
and on-line documents designed to help you learn more about AutoCAD.
You’ll find basic how too books to VBA and Autolisp training material.
You’ll also find discussion groups where you can share problems and find
solutions to specific AutoCAD questions. You’ll even find software that
can ease your work with AutoCAD, such as a file manager extension that
lets you view drawing files directly from the Windows Explorer.
Changes in Object Selection,
Properties Dialog Box, and the
UCS Icon
You’ve learned about the two most obvious changes in AutoCAD 2000i.
Now let's look at a few changes that are not so obvious.
In AutoCAD 2000i, creating objects works the same way as in
AutoCAD 2000; you select a draw tool then start selecting points or enter
distance and direction through the keyboard (see “Specifying Distances
with Coordinates” on page 54 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000). There are
differences, however, in the way you select objects, open the Properties
dialog box, and the UCS Icon. These differences are not earth shattering,
but they can be confusing. Let’s start with a look at the way objects are
selected in 2000i.
Using the Shift Key for Multiple Selections in

2000i
In AutoCAD 2000, you can select objects by clicking on them with the
selection cursor, as described on page 67 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000. To
select multiple object in 2000, you simply continue to click on additional
objects. AutoCAD 2000i acts in a slightly different way. To select multiple
objects, you must hold down the Shift key while clicking on objects,
otherwise AutoCAD will drop the previously selected object and only
select the object you just clicked on.
This Shift-select method of selecting objects is actually a standard
method used in most graphics programs so AutoCAD 2000i is finally
conforming to standards. While this is a small change, it can create a lot of
confusion to the first time user, or to someone used to the default selection
method presented in AutoCAD 2000. In fact, you can change the way
AutoCAD 2000i selects objects back to the way they are selected in
AutoCAD 2000 by changing one setting in the Options dialog.
1. Choose Tools > Options.
2. At the Options dialog, turn off the Use Shift to Add to selection
option in the Selection Modes group of the Selection tab.
3. Click OK.
Likewise, you can change AutoCAD 2000 to behave like 2000i by
turning on the Use Shift to add selection option.
Opening the Properties Dialog in 2000i

One of the first things you’ll notice when using 2000i is that the Properties
dialog box (see Understanding Object Properties on Page 193 of Mastering
AutoCAD 2000) automatically opens when you double-click on an object.
In AutoCAD 2000, you had to right-click on an object then select
Properties from the right-click menu to accomplish this (you can still do
this as well in 2000i).
Differences in the UCS Icon

One other difference you’ll see between AutoCAD 2000 and 2000I is the
UCS Icon. In 2000, the UCS Icon looks like the one on the left side of
Figure x.13 while the UCS Icon in 2000I looks like the on on the right side.
Figure x.13: The UCS Icon from AutoCAD 2000 and 2000i.
They both serve the same purpose, that is, they show you the
orientation of the X and Y coordinates. You can make changes to the UCS
Icon in AutoCAD 2000I using the Properties option in the UCSicon
command. Here are the steps to open the UCSicon properties dialog:
1. Choose View > Display > UCS Icon > Properties…. You may
also enter Ucsicon(cr)P(cr). The UCS Icon dialog appears.
2. If you want the old fashioned UCS Icon, select 2D from the UCS
Icon Style group.
Now you’re ready to take the

plunge
You’ve been shown the major differences between AutoCAD 2000 and
AutoCAD 2000i. There are may other new features in 2000i such as new
dialog boxes for the Array and Purge tools, but you’ve seen the most
important differences that may be stumbling blocks in your exploration of
AutoCAD 2000i.
In the following sections, you’ll learn about the other changes in
2000i that will impact your use of Mastering AutoCAD 2000. These new
features are listed in the order in which they appear in Mastering AutoCAD
2000 so that you can more easily track the differences between 2000 and
2000i as you work through the book.
Revised Tools in AutoCAD 2000i

Many of the existing features in AutoCAD 2000 have been enhanced in
2000i. This section offers a survey of those enhancements. The most visible
changes are in the Array, Purge, and Layer Setting tools and commands.
Other changes, in the Chamfer, fillet, and Trim/Extend command are less
visible, but are important, especially if you’ve created macros or Autolisp
routines.
Backward Compatibility
AutoCAD 2000i drawing files are fully backward compatible with 2000
files.
Grip Clearing
You can now clear grip display and grip selections by pressing the escape
key once instead of twice. You can find a description of grips on page 80 of
Mastering AutoCAD 2000 in a section entitled “Editing with Grips”.
Chamfer and Fillet
In prior versions of AutoCAD, you had to specify a chamfer or fillet size
then reissue the command to perform the actual chamfer or fillet. Now you
can specify a chamfer distance or fillet radius, then proceed to perform the
chamfer or fillet without reissuing the command. The Fillet command is
described on page 256 under “Cleaning Up the Line Work”.
Trim and Extend

Both the Trim and Extend commands will perform both functions. For
example, to trim an object using the Extend command, issue the Extend
command, select the object to which you wish to trim, then shift-click the
end of the object you wish to trim. The shift key acts like a switch that
changes the command from Trim to Extend and vice versa. You are
introduced to the Trim tool in “Trimming an Object” on page 124 and to
the Extend tool on page 653.
Properties Dialog Selection Tools

The Properties dialog box now offers two additional selection tools that let
you control how objects are selected while using the Properties dialog (See
Figure x.14).
Figure x.14: Two new buttons in the Properties dialog let

you control the way AutoCAD selects objects.
The functions of these two new buttons are as follows.

• Select Object clears the current selection set and lets you select
other objects.
• Change value of Pickadd Sysvar changes the way AutoCAD
selects objects. When you click this button, the button icon
changes from a number 1 sign to a plus sign. Clicking the button
again change the icon back to a number 1. With the plus sign
icon showing, the Pickadd system variable is changed to 1 which
allows you to click on multiple objects to select them without
using the shift key. This is the default Pickadd setting for earlier
versions of AutoCAD.
Array Dialog
The Array tool now offers a dialog box to help simplify the creation of
arrayed copies. In Mastering AutoCAD 2000, you are introduced to the
Array command in chapter 5 on page 235. You can use the following steps
in place of the steps shown on pages 235 and 236 for circular copies. Begin
at step 3 at the bottom of page 235.
3. Click Array on the Modify toolbar or type AR(cr). The Array
dialog box appears.
4. At the Array dialog box, click the Select Objects button.
The dialog box temporarily disappears allowing you to select

objects.
5. type L(cr) to select the last object drawn, or you can click on the
object you want to array, then press (cr) to confirm your
selection. The Array dialog appears again.
6. Click the Polar Array radio button at the top of the dialog to tell
AutoCAD you want a circular array.
7. Click the Pick Center Point button in the dialog. The dialog will
temporarily disappear again.
8. Pick the point that represents the center of the circular array. In
the gas burner exercise, use the center osnap to select the center
of the circle.
9. In the Array Dialog, enter 8 in the Total Number of Items input
box and use 360 for the Angle to fill input box.
! The Pick angle to fill button will let you select an angle in
the drawing.
10. Make sure the Rotate item as copied check box in the lower
left corner of the dialog is turned on, then click the Preview
button. AutoCAD shows you the results of your array settings
plus a dialog that offers Accept, Modify, and Cancel.
11. Click Accept. The circular array appears in the drawing.

In step 11, you could have selected the Modify option to return to
the Array dialog to change settings before committing to a final array
pattern, or you could click Cancel to cancel the whole process.
Now continue with the exercise to create a rectangular array. On
page 238 of Mastering AutoCAD, you proceed to copy the single burner
you created earlier to form the four burners of a range top. The following
steps replace the steps shown on page 238 starting from step 3.
3. Click the Array tool on the Modify toolbar again, or type AR(cr).
4. Click the Select Object tool in the upper-right corner of the Array
dialog. The dialog temporarily disappears. Go ahead and select
the entire burner including the lines and circle. When you have
selected everything, press (cr) to confirm your selection.
5. At the Array dialog, select the Rectangular Array radio button at
the top of the dialog.
6. Change the Row input box to 2 and the Column input box to 2
also.
7. Change the Row offset value to 14 (35.5 for metric users) and the
Column offset value to 16 (or 40.6 for metric users).
8. Click OK. Your screen will look like Figure 5.4 in the book.
You may have noticed a few additional tools in the Offset distance
and direction group of the Array dialog. These tools shown in Figure x.15
let you indicate the row and column distances for the rectangular array
using your mouse. The combined row and column button lets you indicate
the row and column distance by placing an array cell graphically in the
drawing as shown in Figure 5.5 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000. You can also
indicate either a row or column distance graphically using the row or
column tools.
Figure x.15: The Offset distance and direction tools.
Purge Dialog
As you work in a file, start to generate layers, blocks, dimension styles and
line types. Often these drawing components fall out of use and become
“excess baggage” in a drawing. The Purge command allows you trim this
“excess baggage” from your drawing, though in the past, it has always been
a rather cumbersome command to use (see “Selectively Removing Unused
Elements” on page 285 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000).
AutoCAD 2000i now offers the Purge Dialog which greatly
simplifies the Purge process. The following steps show you how the new
Purge dialog works.
1. At the Command prompt, enter Purge(cr). The Purge dialog
appears (see Figure x.16). You’ll see a listing of drawing
components that can be purged. If the drawing contains any of
the types of components listed, you’ll see a plus sign to the left of
the component name. For example, Figure x.16 shows plus signs
next to the Blocks and Layers listing.
Figure x.16: The Purge dialog from a drawing that

contains blocks and layers.
2. Click the plus sign of the component you wish to purge. The list
will expand to show the names of the items under the component
category. For example, if your drawing contains blocks, and you
click the plus sign next to the block listing, you’ll see a listing of
the blocks in your drawing.
3. Select the name of the component or components you wish to
purge. You can Ctrl-click individual names or shift click to select
a group of names.
4. Once the components are selected, click the Purge button.
Alternately, you can click the Purge All button to purge all of the
unused components in your drawing.
! One very important option now available in the Purge

dialog is the Purge Nested option at the bottom of the
dialog. In the past, the Purge command did not purge
nested blocks that are blocks within blocks. The Purge
Nested option will automatically purge all unused blocks
included those nested within other blocks.
Enhanced Polyline Editing

You can now edit multiple polylines using the Pedit command or the Edit
Polyline tool. To do so, first issue Pedit command by typing Pedit(cr) at the
command prompt or by selecting the Edit Polyline tool from the Modify II
toolbar. At the Pedit command prompt, enter M(cr) for the Multiple option.
You can then select multiple polylines for editing. For a complete
description of polyline editing, see “Editing Polylines” which starts on page
723.
! Another key feature of AutoCAD 2000i is it’s ability to join

several line segments into a single polyline without the
requirement of having the line segments touching each
other exactly end to end. For this reason, you can
disregard the warning at the bottom of page 724 of
Mastering AutoCAD 2000 regarding the endpoints of
polylines.
Layout Tab Switching Without Regen
The Layout tabs were introduced with AutoCAD 2000. Layout tabs greatly
improve your ability to control printing and plotting of your drawings. With
AutoCAD 2000I, you can now switch between multiple layout tabs without
causing a regen. This can save a great deal of time, especially on large,
complex drawings. See “WYSIWYG Plotting Using Layout Tabs” on page
370 of Mastering AutoCAD for more on layout tabs. To conserve memory
requirements, you can turn this feature off in the Systems tab of the Options
dialog (Tools > Options). You’ll find the relevant settings in the Layout
Regen Options group.
True Color Plot Style

A new color option has been added in the Plot Style dialog box. The True
Color option found in the Color option of the Properties group offers the
True Color dialog box (see Editing and “Using Plot Style Tables” on page
382 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000).
This dialog lets you assign any RGB color to one of the standard
AutoCAD colors. You are no longer limited by the older 256 color palette.
To get to this dialog, open the Form View tab of the Plot Style Table Editor
(see page 395 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000) then open the Color drop
down list in the Properties group. Select True Color from the bottom of the
list.
Enhanced Shademode
The Shademode command now offers better rendering of shaded views.
See “Using Shaded Mode with Your 3D Model” on page 828 of Mastering
AutoCAD 2000.
Transparent 3Dorbit
The 3D Orbit tool can now be used transparently while in the middle of
another command such as Move or Copy. For more on the 3D Orbit tool,
see “Viewing Your Model in Perspective” on page 902 of Mastering
AutoCAD 2000.
Saved Layer Settings

Perhaps one of the more powerful tools added to AutoCAD 2000i is one
that has always been available as a Bonus or Express tool. The Save Layer
State option in the Layer Properties Manager dialog lets you save several
layer settings in a drawing. This can save an enormous amount of time
resetting layers for different types of drawings. If you’ve used the Layer
Manager Bonus or Express tool in earlier versions of AutoCAD, you’re
already familiar with the function of the Save Layer State option. See
“Saving and Recalling Layer Settings” on page 1164 of Mastering
AutoCAD 2000 Premium Edition or page 1046 of the standard edition of
Mastering AutoCAD 2000.
The Save Layer State option takes a “snapshot” of your current layer
settings and saves them for quick recall at any time. You can, for example,
turn layers on and off to set up the drawing for a reflected ceiling plan
view, and then save the layer settings using the Save layer State option.
You may then go on to add furniture, power and signal, and HVAC data to
the drawing with new layers for each type of data. Later, when you need to
modify the ceiling information, you can recall the layer setting to view just
the ceiling data. The following steps show you how to use the Save layer
State option:
1. Click the Layers tool in the Object Properties toolbar.
2. At the Layer Properties Manager dialog, click the Save State…
button.
The Save Layer States dialog appears.
3. Enter a unique name for the current layer state in the New Layer
State Name input box.
4. Select the layer settings you want to save with this new layer
state in the Layer State group and the Layer Properties group,
then click OK.
5. Click OK at the Layer Properties Manager dialog.
Once you’ve saved a layer state, you can recall it at any time using
the Restore States button in the Layer Properties Manager dialog.
1. Open the Layer Properties Manager by clicking the Layers tool
in the Object Properties toolbar.
2. Click the Restore State button in the Layer Properties Manager.
The Layer State Manager dialog appears.
If you’ve used the Layer manager Bonus or Express tool, this dialog
should be familiar. You can restore a layer state by selecting its name from
the list box and clicking Restore. As you can see from the dialog, you can
also edit, rename, delete, import or export layer states. The Export option
lest you save a file containing the layer state. You can then use the Import
option of the Layer State Manager in another file to import the layer state.
New Tools and Commands in 2000i

The preceding material is intended to help readers of Mastering AutoCAD
2000 understand the differences between AutoCAD 2000 and AutoCAD
2000i. In this section, you’ll look at tools and commands that are
completely new in 2000i. These are things that won’t affect your use of
Mastering AutoCAD 2000, but that you’ll want to know about just the
same.
! This section is under construction. Check our web site at

www.omura.com frequently for the latest updates to this
document.
Full Drawing Path in title bar

The full drawing file name and path to the drawing location is now shown
in the drawing window title bar.
Multiprocessor Support
If you use a multiprocessor computer and Windows 2000 or NT, you’ll find
that many of AutoCAD functions are quicker. 2000I is already faster than
it’s predecessor, but with a multiprocessor system, you can realize gains in
speed for file operations, regens, object property changes and other editing
functions.
Closeall command
If you have several drawing files open and you want to close all of them at
once to end your session, you can now use the Closeall command. Type
Closeall(cr) at the command prompt or choose Window > Close All from
the menu bar.
I-drop and drag from Internet Browsers
I-drop is an ActiveX control that enables you to drag and drop web content
into your AutoCAD drawings. The content can be drawing files, Xref, or
image files.
Drag and Drop Hatch

You can now use the AutoCAD Design Center to locate and place hatch
patterns in your drawing. Open the Design Center in AutoCAD, then use
the Desktop tool to open the desktop view in the left panel of Design Center
window.
Use the Desktop view to locate an AutoCAD .PAT file such as the
Acad.PAT file found in the Support folder of the AutoCAD 2000i folder.
Double click on the .PAT file to view the patterns available, then click and
drag the pattern from the DesignCenter into an object in your drawing. (see
“Managing Your Drawings with the DesignCenter” On page 1186 of
Mastering AutoCAD and 1304 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000 Premium
Edition).
Transporting Project Files with eTransmit

An AutoCAD file can be dependant on several external files that are not
part of the drawing file. In earlier versions of AutoCAD, users would
frequently have problems with missing fonts, xrefs and other resources
when receiving files from other clients or consultants. AutoCAD 2000i
solves this problem with eTransmit. This new tool allows you automatically
package a drawing file or set of drawing files with their associated resource
files including Xref files and fonts. If you’ve use the Pack’n Go Bonus or
Express tool of earlier versions of AutoCAD then you are already familiar
with the concept of eTransmit (see “Keeping Your Xref Files Together with
Pack’n Go” on page 1066 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000 or 1184 of
Mastering AutoCAD 2000 Premium Edition).
To use eTransmit, type etransmit(cr) at the command prompt, or
choose File > eTransmit from the menu bar.
Publishing to the Web

If you’ve got your own web site, you can take advantage of AutoCAD
2000I’s Publish to Web tool to quickly post drawings and image files. This
tool streamlines your ability to make your drawings available to a wider
audience. The Publish to Web tool automatically generates a DWF file
from your current drawing then adds it to a web page based on a set of page
templates (see Sharing Drawings on the World Wide Web” on page 1201 of
Mastering AutoCAD 2000 or page 1319 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000
Premium Edition). You can also include drawing or image files in your
page.
Publish to Web can be started by typing publishtoweb(cr) at the
command prompt or by selecting File > Publish to Web from the menu bar.
This starts the Publish to Web wizard which steps you through the process
of creating a web page.
Meet Now
Meet Now is an collaborative workgroup tool that allows several people to
work on a single AutoCAD session across a network or over the internet. It
is based on Microsoft’s NetMeeting application.
You can start Meet Now by typing Meetnow(cr) at the command
prompt or by selecting Tools > Meet Now from the AutoCAD menu bar.
Updating Hyperlinks
AutoCAD 2000I adds some new functionality to it’s Hyperlink feature.
You can still add hyperlinks to objects in the same way as described on
page 1212 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000 (page 1330 of Mastering
AutoCAD 2000 Premium Edition) but the Insert Hyperlink dialog now has
a new look and some additional options (see Figure x.17).
Figure x.17: AutoCAD 2000i Insert Hyperlink dialog.
To add a link to an object, you choose Insert > Hyperlink from the
menu bar. The dialog you see in Figure x.17 appears. Let’s take a moment
to study the new Insert Hyperlink dialog.
To specify a file or web sit to link to, you can either enter a file name
or web site URL in the Type the file or web page name input box, or use the
Or select from list area of the dialog. The Or select from list area offers a
list box and three button options to the left of the list box. When you select
one of the buttons, the list box changes to offer the options related to the
selected button. The following describes the function of each of these
buttons.
Recent files displays a list of recently edited AutoCAD files as
shown in Figure x.17. You can then link the object to a file in the list
by clicking on the file name.
Browsed Pages displays a list of web sites that you have recently
visited using your Microsoft Internet Explorer browser.
Inserted Links displays a list of recently inserted links including
files or web sites.
You can also use the three buttons to the right of the list box to
locate specific files, web sites, or saved views within the current drawing.
The File button opens the Browse the Web dialog box that lets you locate
and select a file from your computer, local area network, or even from an
FTP site (see Figure x.18).
Figure x.18. The Browse the Web dialog for locating files
The buttons in the left-hand column let you select the location of
your file search. You may also select a location using the file navigation
tools at the top of the dialog box.
The Web Page… button in the Insert Hyperlink dialog opens a
simplified web browser that lets you locate a web page for linking (see
figure x.19).
Figure x.19: The Browse the Web dialog for locating web
pages.
In this dialog, you can use the standard methods for going to web
pages such as using the Look in drop down list to select recently visited
pages or entering a web page URL in the Name of URL input box . The
page is then displayed in the main window of the dialog.
Finally, the Target… button in the Insert Hyperlink dialog opens the
Select in Document dialog which shows a listing of saved views within the
current drawing as shown in Figure x.20.
Figure x.20: the Select Place in Document dialog.
Views are subdivided by layout tab. At the top is the model space
tab listing and below that are other layout tab listings. If the current
drawing contains saved views, you’ll see a plus sign next to the layout tab
name. You can then click the plus sign to view the listing of the views in
that layout.
At the very top of the Insert Hyperlink dialog, you have an input box
labeled Text to display. When a hyperlink is added to an object in
AutoCAD, AutoCAD will display a hyperlink icon whenever the cursor
passes over the object. You can also include a descriptive text that will
display along with the icon by entering a description in the Text to display
input box.
By default, the text is the name of the hyperlinked item that you select from
the many sources available. You can then change the text to suite your
needs and to offer a better description of the link.
Finally, there is a column of option to the far left of the Insert
Hyperlink dialog labeled Link to.
The top button, Existing File or Web Page, displays the options
discussed so far in this section. The other two buttons change the
appearance of the Insert Hyperlink dialog to offer some different but
familiar options.
The View of This Drawing button changes the dialog to show just the
views that are available in the current drawing. This option performs the
same function as the Target… button described earlier (see Figure x.21).
Figure x.21: The Insert Hyperlink dialog with the View of
This Drawing button selected.
The E-mail Address button changes the Insert Hyperlink dialog to

allow you to link an e-mail address to an object. When you hyperlink an e-
mail address to an object, a click on the object will open your default e-mail
application allowing you to send a message to the address (see Figure x.22).
Figure x.22: The Insert Hyperlink dialog with the E-mail
Address button selected.
You still have the Text to display option at the top, but now you see
options for indicating an e-mail address and a subject. A Recently used e-
mail addresses list box is also included that lets you select an address from
a list.
Once you’ve added a hyperlink to an object you can easily modify
the link by taking the following steps.
1. double-click on the object with the Hyperlink.
2. In the Object Properties dialog, click Hyperlink.
3. Click the ellipses button that appears at the far right of the
Hyperlink listing in the Object Properties dialog. The Insert
Hyperlink dialog appears.
4. Edit the settings in the Insert Hyperlink dialog then click OK.
Inserting Red Marks from Volo View
Technical drawings, like written material, must undergo several rounds of
edits before they are considered complete. The process of correcting errors
in a drawing is called red lining since a red pen is often used to draw
attention to the errors. Red lining has appeared as a feature of a number of
AutoCAD drawing viewers. If you have Autodesk’s Volo View product,
you can view AutoCAD drawings and add red line right on your computer.
Volo View stores red line data in a file with the .RML file extension.
Prior to AutoCAD 2000I, you had to have a copy of Volo View in
order to view the red line data file as it is overlaid onto an AutoCAD
drawing. 2000i now offers the Rmline command that lets you import Volo
View .RML data files into a drawing for viewing.
To use Rmline, choose Insert > Markup… from the AutoCAD 2000i
menubar. You are presented with a standard AutoCAD file dialog box. You
can then locate a .RML file to be inserted into the current drawing.
Plotting Enhancements
AutoCAD 2000 offered a major break from earlier versions of AutoCAD
with it’s redesigned printing and plotting features. While some users found
the new features difficult to adjust to, eventually users found that the 2000
printing and plotting tools to be a major improvement. AutoCAD 2000i
offers a set of additional features to 2000’s printing and plotting. This
section describes those new features and how they can be used.
Plot stamp
To help cross reference your printer or plotter output to AutoCAD drawing

files, it’s a good idea to add a plot stamp to your drawings that identify the
date, time, and drawing file name that generated your paper drawing. To
accomplish this, the new Plot Stamp feature lets you imprint data onto your
plotted drawings, usually in the lower left corner. In addition, Plot Stamp
has an option that lets you keep a record of your plots in a log file.
To use Plot Stamp, type Plotstamp (cr) at the AutoCAD command
prompt. You can also click the Settings… button in the Plot Stamp group of
the Plot dialog box (File > Plot from the AutoCAD menubar). The Plot
Stamp dialog box appears (see Figure X.23).
" The Plot Stamp group in the Plot dialog box also lets you
turn the Plot Stamp feature on and off.
Figure X.23: The Plot Stamp dialog box.
The Plot Stamp dialog box offers a number of options that let you
determine what to include in the stamp.
! If you find that the options are grayed out, click the Save
As button to save Plot Stamp settings under a new file.
The Plot stamp fields group lets you include a number of pre-defined
options in your stamp including drawing, layout, and output device name.
The User defined fields group lets you add custom text to the stamp. To use
this feature, click the Add/Edit button in the User defined fields group. The
User Defined Fields dialog box appears as shown in Figure X.24.
Figure X.24: The User Defined Fields dialog box.
As indicated in the dialog box, you can use the Add, Edit, or Delete
button to the right of the dialog box to add or make changes to the user
defined fields. Once you’ve added a field, it will appear as a list in both of
the list boxes in the User defined fields group of the Plot Stamp dialog box.
To control the location, orientation, font and font size of the plot
stamp, you can click the Advanced button in the lower left corner of the
Plot Stamp dialog box. This opens the Advanced Options dialog box as
shown in Figure X.25.
Figure X.25: the Advanced Options dialog box.
This dialog box lets you determine the orientation of the stamp on
the page as well as the exact location of the stamp in relation to either the
printable area or the paper border. In addition, you can set whether to save a
record of your plotting activities in a log file using the Log File Location
group.
Merge control
Some output devices let you control how overlapping lines and shaded
areas affect each other. This is known as Merge Control. In versions of
AutoCAD prior to 2000, merge control was handled through additional
commands such as Hpconfig or OCEconfig.
AutoCAD 2000i now includes Merge Control as part of the Plotter
Configuration Editor dialog box (see Editing a Plotter Configuration on
page 414 of Mastering AutoCAD 2000 for more on the Plotter
Configuration Editor dialog box).
You can gain access to Merge Control by opening the Plotter
Configuration Editor and expanding the Graphics listing in the list box.
You can do this by clicking the plus sign next to the Graphics listing.
If your device supports Merge Control, you will see it listed under
Graphics as shown in Figure X.26.
Figure X.26: Merge Control in the Plotter Configuration

Editor.
Filter paper sizes
AutoCAD displays all of the available paper sizes for a selected output
device in the Page Setup or Plot dialog box. For some plotters, the list can
be a bit overwhelming. You can filter out paper sizes that you do not need
by using the Filter paper sizes option in the Plotter Configuration Editor
(see Editing a Plotter Configuration on page 414 of Mastering AutoCAD
2000 for more on the Plotter Configuration Editor).
Go to the Plotter Configuration Editor, then click on the plus sign
next to the User-defined Paper Sizes and Calibration listing. You’ll see
Filter Paper Sizes as a listing as shown in Figure X.27.
Figure X.27: Filter Paper sizes option in the Plotter

Configuration Editor.
Filter printers
In some instances, you may want to hide the Windows system printer from
the list of printers shown in the AutoCAD Plot dialog box. You can do this
by turning on the Hide System Printers option in the lower left corner of the
Plotting tab in the Options dialog box (Tools > Options…). This limits the
selection of printers and plotters to those that have a .PC3 plotter
configuration file (see “Making Detailed Adjustments with the Plotter
Configuration Options” in Appendix A of Mastering AutoCAD 2000 for
more on .PC3 files). You can further limit the plotter selections by moving
.PC3 file out of the AutoCAD 2000i Plotters folder and into a another
folder for storage.
Plot Preview background color control
If you prefer to use a color other than white for the plot preview
background, you can set the plot preview background color using the Color
options dialog.
1. Choose Tools > Options…
2. Select the Display tab.
3. In the Windows Elements group, click the button labeled Color.
The Color Options dialog box appears as shown in Figure X.28.
4. Select Plot Preview Background from the Windows Elements
drop down list.
5. Select a color from the Color drop down list.
6. Click the Apply and Close button.
Figure X.28: The Color Options dialog showing the Plot
Preview Background option in the Windows Element drop
down list.
Control Windows Metafile background Color
If you like using the Windows Metafile file type to export AutoCAD
drawings to other programs, you can now control the background color of
your exported file. The AutoCAD WMFBKGND system variable lets you
control the background color of exported Windows Metafiles.
The WMFBKND system variable offers two settings. The 0 (zero)
setting generates a transparent background and the 1 (one) setting generates
the background color of the current view. The initial default value is 1.
To find out more about Mastering AutoCAD 2000, go to
the following web site:
http://www.omura.com/autocad/2000prem.htm

I A CAD 2000: Understanding The Active Assistant

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I A CAD 2000: Understanding The Active Assistant

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INTRODUCING AUTOCAD 2000I

! If you’re using Mastering AutoCAD 2000 to learn AutoCAD,

Understanding the Active

Getting Familiar with AutoCAD

The My Drawings group acts as a replacement for the Startup dialog

Working with the My Drawings Group

Opening Existing Files with AutoCAD Today

In addition, you can view the history list in a number of different

Creating New Files with AutoCAD Today

Figure x.7: The Create Drawings tab

Figure x.8: The Select How to Begin drop down list.

Editing the AutoCAD 2000i Symbols Library

" For a complete tutorial on the Design Center, see page

Using the AutoCAD Today Bulletin Board

2. At the http://PointA dialog, click the Browse button.

Through the Bulletin Board, project updates, schedules, or other

Working with the Autodesk PointA Group

As of this writing, the PointA web site contains the following

News and Views

Using the Shift Key for Multiple Selections in

Opening the Properties Dialog in 2000i

Differences in the UCS Icon

Now you’re ready to take the

Revised Tools in AutoCAD 2000i

Trim and Extend

Properties Dialog Selection Tools

Figure x.14: Two new buttons in the Properties dialog let

The functions of these two new buttons are as follows.

The dialog box temporarily disappears allowing you to select

11. Click Accept. The circular array appears in the drawing.

Figure x.15: The Offset distance and direction tools.

Figure x.16: The Purge dialog from a drawing that

! One very important option now available in the Purge

Enhanced Polyline Editing

! Another key feature of AutoCAD 2000i is it’s ability to join

True Color Plot Style

Saved Layer Settings

The Save Layer States dialog appears.

The Layer State Manager dialog appears.

New Tools and Commands in 2000i

! This section is under construction. Check our web site at

Full Drawing Path in title bar

Drag and Drop Hatch

Transporting Project Files with eTransmit

Publishing to the Web

The E-mail Address button changes the Insert Hyperlink dialog to

To help cross reference your printer or plotter output to AutoCAD drawing

Figure X.23: The Plot Stamp dialog box.

Figure X.26: Merge Control in the Plotter Configuration

Figure X.27: Filter Paper sizes option in the Plotter

Plot Preview background color control

Control Windows Metafile background Color

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