Hi all. My autocad skills are very limited as im still trying to find my way with the program. Apologies if my terminology is not up to scratch. Im trying to make these conveyor blocks dynamic to help streamline my layout abilities.

With the straight section i would like to stretch the width (between frame width) and length of the conveyor block (limited by manufacturing constraints) but in doing so i would like the mid section of the roller to stretch when changing the width maintaining full width. Keeping both of ends of the roller as is with no change.

With the curve i would like do pretty much the same but when making the between frame width dynamic i would like only the outside radius to stretch keeping the inside radius as is. But in doing so i would like the conical rollers to stretch and maintain full width between frames same as the straight sections. Is there a way to do this?

Many thanks in advance for any help in this matter :)

Images:

https://ibb.co/27B1v4MV https://ibb.co/fzXp8yxs

Architect and the only job i could find was basically shop drawing at a civil engineering firm (don't ask). It's not that hard to learn but I find the workflow they use is tedious and time-consuming.

What we basically do is model the design on revit into 3d, then use section on revit to extract sections for autocad. Then they use pen and paper to jot down the different qualities of the columns (height, width, column names) and they use that to group the columns together. After you get the groups, let's say you have 30 types, they draw these in detail with their steel reinforcement using the IFC file.

My question is, there has to be an easier way to do this right? I find it so confusing and often times if you mistake some numbers you get some major erros in the final drawings.

The part I'm in charge of is extracting the sections using revit, then grouping them, then preparing the types on a separate cad drawing for the steel guys to draw the steel.

If there's an easier or more logical way to do this please recommend.

Because some of these projects have about 200 columns (big projects in saudi) and it takes forever to finish this task

I had to find a job in engineering because it's all I could find in this country, and it's good enough but pretty redundant and complicated, any way i could simplify this i would take it.

Also my question is, is this the common protocol and method used? Surely there is something easier

I have a client that cannot copy line work from our drawing files. I am using AutoCAD Map 3d 2020 with Carlson Civil Suite 2020. My client has AutoCAD 2019 with Carlson 2021 they tell me. When I send them any of our project drawings they cannot copy any line work and have to do the work arounds. We are their only consultant that they have issues with. This morning we were trouble shooting and discovered that if I open a blank drawing and draw random lines in it they are able to copy those lines and past into one of their drawings. They are able to work around this but as a consultant we do not want our client to have to deal with this. We use xrefs but when sending them drawings we insert all the xrefs into the drawing and save it as a 2018 file version. That file is saved to sharepoint where they are able to download it. We have sent smaller drawings over email and have the same issue.

Are there any settings I can have them look at or maybe we should look at?

Ive noticed this for about a year now. I edit certain parts of a block because exploding it would mess with the dimensions since they are scaled. And after i save changes and exit the edit mode, the entire file is laggy, especially when i try to drag, move or make a simble border select. Sometimes the problem fixes itself when i just bite the bullet and exploded the block. But sometimes it doesnt get rid of the problem. I even delete unused items or restart the pc, to no avail.

Anyone else experience the same thing and how do i fix it?

Hi all I’m just starting out my journey with autocad. I use it a fair bit at work for editing electrical layout drawings so already know a few basics etc. can anyone share any helpful tips or point me in the direction of any online courses that would beneficial.

Hi, looking for a UK 4000gal tanker vehicle if anyone has any to share!

I'm having an issue with a custom linetype, I'm curious if this is a widespread/well-known problem, or if I'm just doing something wrong. A linetype that I've created with a text component that has its "upright" parameter set (meaning it should rotate within the linetype to always be parallel to the line using the linetype, but would flip 180° to stay readable) is rotating under the correct circumstances, but is rotating around the wrong point so the text component is becoming misaligned.

I've created a drawing to illustrate: https://imgur.com/a/D8IL0Ws

Here's the code for the linetypes:

; Normal
*ST,----ST----  
A,.74,-.05,-.08,["ST",STANDARD,x=-.08,y=-.05,s=.1],-.08,-.05

; Upright
*ST U,----ST----  
A,.74,-.05,-.08,["ST",STANDARD,x=-.08,y=-.05,s=.1,u=0],-.08,-.05

I manage a commercial roofing design department where we design and quote low-slope drainage roofing systems. We do this in a program called Taper Plus and it provides us the information we need in an .xls format. We then manually take that information into Excel to get our pricing, then input that pricing (and other pertinent info into an AutoCAD document with our roof design). It's pretty laborious and the manual entering has led to some issues.

Does anyone have any recommendations on where to find someone that would be able to streamline this process?

See image (https://imgur.com/a/iL5dt6u)

I want to draw something like this - a evenly spaced distance indicator (bottom, example is 0-37m).

I know how to draw the lines with array, but how do I do the numbers? Yes I can do it manually but there's gotta be a way to do it fast right?

please help.

Thank you

i already tried using A3 full bleed and extend and also tried creating a custom paper size but in preview and plotting the drawing is still getting cut off, please help.

here is the screenshot of plotted area https://imgur.com/a/UvZidBx

Is there a way to set a layer to always be 'in back' when plotting?

I draw for interior design, and frequently need to show wall tile finishes on elevations which are a custom pattern ( so I can't use a hatch ) and would like these to always be 'in back'. I already use transparency for these patterns so they plot softer, but as I typically create the room's perimeter first ( outer walls, floor, ceiling in section ) and later infill with the tile pattern I'm not liking how the 'newer' tile lines overlap the 'older' wall lines. Example: https://imgur.com/a/VojkQ88 It's nit-picky I know, but when my plots are used for presentation ( powerpoint ) it looks weird.

I also plot via ctb if that matters. I don't know how to create custom hatch patterns ( no lisp experience ) and as these patterns change from project to project ( or within the same project ) so this would be an ever-changing situation.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

And yes, I am asking about the version for DOS from 1987.

I have an IBM PC XT with the MDA and CGA monitors. I believe you can have AutoCAD output the console to the MDA screen. How do I do this?

Thanks.

This is not something that is commonly asked for in our environment but when it does happen it causes a bit of panic. Does anyone know of an app that is trusted to handle this workload?

Hey there -

I’m working in a model that has multiple lot lines in it. I need to create separate line and curve tables for each one that display only the labels they have and I can’t figure out how to do it.

Anybody know?

I am currently working to improve my teams CAD standards and I want to look into developing an application to aid someone actively working in a drawing add a layer based on National CAD Standards.

Currently we have a basic list of general layers that will be created when you open a template and then importing an .las file after for your specific group. But, our engineers struggle to follow proper naming conventions with additional layers that they create and it’s a mess to involve others on projects.

What I would like to do is create an application within AutoCAD that you can dropdown select your Discipline Designator and then do the same for Major and Minor codes where it filters at each level. The layers will be built in with specific color palettes, line types and thicknesses. Create a set of layers and then add them as new layers to the drawing you’re working in.

I’m only familiar with basic lisp commands myself but want to expand into application development that can look clean and integrate into AutoCAD. I’m looking for suggestions that could best lead me down that path. Thanks!

I am working on a template for my company and I am working on a master .ctb file for use as a standard. I remember years ago I believe there was a .dwg that had a bunch of lines and colors that demonstrated the colors and line weights. I am using Carlson 2025 with Intellicad and someone told me buried somewhere in one of the support folders they had that .dwg as well as another with all the symbols? Just wondering if anyone was aware of this or where I could find it. Thank you in advance!

I’m working on an RCP and the template I’m using was done by someone in the past. For the life of me, I cannot identify what method they’re using for a “quick” ceiling grid. Here’s how it behaves:

There is ceiling grid made up of 2x4 panels which seem to have been created using ARRAY. However, you can’t click on it and edit it like an array, so that’s the weird part. Not so much the issue here. The following is what trips me up:

This “arrayed” grid is outlined with a visible polyline on a no-print layer. When you move the grid out of the polyline boundaries, it disappears. When you stretch the boundaries, you can move the grid anywhere inside it but it’s only visible when it’s within the polyline boundaries. My first suspicion was WIPEOUT, however, when you move them both over top of anything, no other parts of the drawing are affected. They are mutually exclusive to one another. When I click on the polyline, there’s nothing special about it. AutoCAD identifies it as just a polyline. The grid is also not a HATCH or a block.

This is driving me crazy, but I would love to replicate it for other ceiling grids or blocks. Any help or ideas are greatly appreciated!

so I have to draw this thing here, https://imgur.com/a/cZEEE2i, which I already know how to do, but I was unsure about how I could add the width dimension (the one that says three). In the end, I managed to get something like this, https://imgur.com/a/KANQrco, but as you can see, the line of the dimension is overlapping the hidden line (which shouldn't be the case as seen in the other pic). How can I write the dimension of the width without overlapping the hidden line? And before anyone asks, yes, it has to be written in the exact same place as the original pic. Thank you

Good afternoon everyone!

Is it possible to have a leader that you can just use the trim command to shorten? I don't know much about customization when it comes to Autocad. The job I'm currently working on has a ton of leader lines to call up items in straight lines, so copying an oversized leader with text then being able to trim would make life a ton easier.

Thoughts on if that's even possible? My mouse has been acting up so clicking the damn end to shorten it has been quite frustrating today lol

How on earth do you rotate MTEXT quickly and easily?

I'm labeling a bunch of stuff that requires me to type and maneuver MTEXT - I've seen in videos people easily rotate it with a rotational grip, but for the life of me I can not find out how to do this and nothing appears on the internet.

This is the most frustrating problem I've ever had with any software - how is this simple task not intuitive??

I'm trying to create a lisp for creating layouts that selects a block, renames the current layout tab based on an attribute then zooms to the object, then sets the viewport scale based on the value of another attribute in the same block. I have the first part, naming and zooming, working fine but I cannot find any references on how to set a viewport scale based on an attribute. My scale list is in architectural units (i.e. 1/2"=1'-0") and the scale attribute in the block matches this perfectly based off a look up table. Does anyone have any input on where to start with this?

When i go into points groups, it is there on all points. It’s like a pencil with a “deny” sign in front of it. Like a red circle with a white line through it.

Edit: adding a link to a picture of it

https://imgur.com/a/OBRmew9

At a previous job, someone had changed my dynamic input so if I typed "C" it defaulted to copy instead of circle. I grew to take this for granted, and now at a new job, I can't break the habit.

How do I make that change? I've tried to figure out how to change the dynamic input shortcuts but I can't seem to find it. Any help is appreciated, thank you.

Small inconvenience but I have no idea why this just started. Does anyone have any suggestion my file type id is set to 1. I heard it can cause an issue if it’s not but it is so that isn’t the problem.