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Chuck Wintle
06-26-2007, 10:17 PM
I need help if there are any autocad experts in the forum. I am just beginning to learn it and in drawing my building somehow the limits are negative at the bottom instead of being 0. is there someway to reset this reference so when I plot the drawing I see the entire thing? :confused:

Jeffrey Makiel
06-27-2007, 7:18 AM
Charles.
AutoCAD gives you several options to plot your model directly from "model space". Here they are:

Limits: This is determined when you first start a drawing using the Drawing Wizard. It asks you what the size is of your model will most likely be in full scale units. I never use this feature...and I never plot using 'limits'. However, folks like to use this when setting up an entire drawing layout (viewports, drawing sheet template, title bar, etc.) diirectly from Model Space instead of using Layout Space.

Extents: When choosing this option, it will plot everything you have drawn whether or not is is currently displayed on your viewscreen.

Window: This option allows you to choose exactly what you wish to plot. If plotting from Model Space (that is, you did not bother to create a drawing sheet in Layout Space), this is a nice feature to quickly plot your entire model, or part of your model.

Display: This option will plot only what you currently have on you display screen and ignore everything that is 'off' the screen and out of view.

Good Luck...Jeff

Chuck Wintle
06-27-2007, 8:17 AM
Jeff,
I think the "extents" command was what i was looking for. Thanks. :)

TYLER WOOD
06-27-2007, 10:03 AM
Charles,
I am a professional draftsman using autocad. Anytime you have questions or problems, feel free to holler from pm. I am not really busy at work these days, so I spen my day here taling to you guys and gals.I would be more than happy to help. I have 12 years experience in autocad since version 10 to version 2006. So anytime any problem, I would maybe be able to answer or know where to find it quickly and get back to you.

David Epperson
06-27-2007, 10:25 AM
Anything Tyler can't help you with (Like older versions) I probably can. I started with Version 2.62 (Before they were called releases at around Release 9). I got out of the business of using it at around Mechanical Desktop 2004 or so.

Chuck Wintle
06-27-2007, 10:29 AM
I am working with Autocad 2004. I bought a selfhelp book and I have a project in mind that will involve layers, elevations etc.:D

Cliff Rohrabacher
06-27-2007, 10:38 AM
I have Release 13 and I can't quite get myself used to it no matter what I do. I bought one of those TOMES for instruction and it's n no help . The instructions in the R 13 Book don't seem to apply to My R 13 issue of the software.


I came up using CADKEY which I still use, even though I have to have a DOS dedicated box to run it.

TYLER WOOD
06-27-2007, 11:02 AM
Yup, currently using 2004 at the office, have 2006 at home on the laptop. I do work from home on the side sometimes. I'm getting 2007 for home in a couple of weeks. So hopefully I will be ready on it when we upgrade here at work. Man sometime I think I have been working on it forever, then I hear about others running pre-9

Jeffrey Makiel
06-27-2007, 12:48 PM
I have Release 13 and I can't quite get myself used to it no matter what I do.

Release 13 is actually painful to use. Most significant is that the mouse is not fully functional. Unfortunately, newer versions of AutoCAD are not priced for the hobbyist.

-Jeff :)

Chuck Wintle
06-27-2007, 12:53 PM
Release 13 is actually painful to use. Most significant is that the mouse is not fully functional. Unfortunately, newer versions of AutoCAD are not priced for the hobbyist.

-Jeff :)

Which version is release 13?:D

Jeffrey Makiel
06-27-2007, 1:53 PM
AutoCAD once went by release number. Now they go by date.
R13= around 1995 or 6
R14= around 1998
2000
2002
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008 (latest..just released)

AutoDesk, the maker of AutoCAD, now updates their software every year. They stop supporting versions that are three years old and older. This usually means that you can't update the old version, but rather, must buy a new full seat.

-Jeff :)

Cliff Rohrabacher
06-27-2007, 1:59 PM
Which version is release 13?:D

R 13_cl1 from 01/12/0095

Recently I bought a CD from a Creeker on Rocking chairs and the drawings on the CD are in DWG and SKF format and I can't open any of 'em.

Jim Becker
06-27-2007, 2:04 PM
Recently I bought a CD from a Creeker on Rocking chairs and the drawings on the CD are in DWG and SKF format and I can't open any of 'em.

Yes, the formats have changed over the years, too...you can download the free AutoCAD viewer software, however, to at least get them on your screen and onto paper.

Jeffrey Makiel
06-27-2007, 3:20 PM
R 13_cl1 from 01/12/0095

Recently I bought a CD from a Creeker on Rocking chairs and the drawings on the CD are in DWG and SKF format and I can't open any of 'em.

The DWG format is grouped like this:
R13, R14 opens as R13/R14 DWG file

2000 and 2002 open as 2000 DWG files

2004, 5 & 6 open as 2004 DWG files

2007 & 8 open as 2007 DWG files

You can always save-down. But if somebody sends you a newer DWG format, and you have an older software version, all is not lost. Go to AutoDesk.com and download DWGTruConvert. It's a free utility that allows you to convert a new DWG file into the format you need for your software version. My experience shows that it works pretty well.

-Jeff :)

Cliff Rohrabacher
06-27-2007, 6:24 PM
Go to AutoDesk.com and download DWGTruConvert.

Thanks. ---

Bill Lewis
06-28-2007, 6:45 AM
I came up using CADKEY which I still use, even though I have to have a DOS dedicated box to run it. Boy that's ancient! I have been using Cadkey since version 2, It is now called KeyCreator. It is still the same program as the old DOS program, with a multitude of enhancements from the early versions. For the longest time you could sitll run it in "classic" mode which emulated the old DOS version (which might still be possible). Even with switching over to the windows version you can still use all of the keyboard shortcuts (immediate mode commands) that existed in the DOS version, but now you can also do a custom configuration.
Even though I also have Solidworks, I still prefer using Cadkey (Keycreator) instead. I still find it far more intuitive and easier to use.