Autocad 2d Module 38 PDF

8/14/2019 Autocad 2d Module 38 PDF

1/15

Learning Outcomes:

AutoCAD Self-paced Learning Modules

AutoCAD 2DModule 38

DesignCenter

When you have completed this module, you wil l be able to:

1. Describe how the DesignCenter can be used to increase drawing productivity.

2. Describe and apply the commands ADCENTER.

DesignCenter

DesignCenterorganizes access to drawings, blocks, hatches and other drawing content. From

DesignCenter, you can insert, copy or drag and drop objects from an open drawing, fileddrawings, a network or even the internet to your current drawing. Drag and drop is the process

of dragging an object such as a block from one drawing and dropping it into another

Another important feature of DesignCenter is being able to copy and paste or drag and drop

layer definitions, dimensioning styles, linetypes, layouts, text styles and xrefs betweendrawings. A nice feature of DesignCenter is that the drawings you are copying from do nothave to be open at the time you are copying from them. However, the drawings you arepasting into must be open when you are pasting. You can also redefine block definitions, xrefsand hatches. DesignCenter can also be used to open drawing files.

AutoCAD Command: ADCENTERThe ADCENTER command is used to open the DesignCenter dialogue box.

Shortcut: ADC or CTRL-2

2004-2008

2000-2002

DesignCenter The CAD Guys Ltd. Copyright 1993 - 2007 Module 38
http://www.abbyy.com/buyhttp://www.abbyy.com/buy


2/15

38 - 2 AutoCAD Self-paced Learning Modules - AutoCAD 2D - Revised 2007-04-14

Using DesignCenter in 2004-2008

For AutoCAD 2004-2008 users only. If you are using AutoCAD 2000-2002,

skip to page 38-8)

Step 1 Start a new drawing

using the template ModuleTemplate Layout English.

Step 2 Save and name the

drawing AutoCAD 2D Workalong38-1.

Figure Step 5

Step 5 Enter the PURGE command and

purge all of the blocks in the current drawing.There should be only 3 blocks to purge asshown in Figure Step 5.

Step 6 Enter the ADCENTER command. It

will open the DesignCenter window as shownin Figure Step 6. The folder structure will

display differently on your computer then itdoes in the figure.

...continued on page 38-3

Figure Step 3

Step 3 Using the OPEN command,open the drawingAutoCAD 2D Lab 30-1 that youcreated in Module 30. You will nowhave two drawings open at the sametime. To confirm that they are bothopen, click the Windows pull-down asshown in Figure Step 3.

Step 4 Set the drawing AutoCAD2D Workalong 38-1 as the current

drawing.

Figure Step 6



3/15

AutoCAD Self-paced Learning Modules - AutoCAD 2D - Revised 2007-04-14

Using DesignCenter in 2004-2008 - Continued

Step 7 Enable the Open Drawings tab as

shown in Figure Step 7. It will display the twodrawings currently open in your AutoCAD

session.Step 8 Click the + sign beside the drawing

AutoCAD 2D Lab 30-1.dwg to expand it asshown in Figure Step 8. It will now displaythe - sign beside it which means It isexpanded and will list the items in thedrawing.

Figure Step 7

Step 9 Click the item Blocks. It will high-

38 - 3

Figure Step 8

Figure Step 9

light as shown in Figure Step 9. Along theright side of the window it will display theicons of the blocks that are currently defined

in the block definition table.

Figure Step 10A

Step 10 Enable the Preview icon. It is located along the top right

side of the window. See Figure Step 10A and 10B.

Authors Comments:Figure Step 10B

There are two methods of copying blocks from one drawing to another using DesignCenter.

The first method is to use the Insert dialogue box and the other is to use the Drag and Dropmethod. To use the drag and drop method, click the block icon and while holding down theleft mouse button, drag it from DesignCenter into the drawing. When you have it in thedesired location, release the button.


http://www.abbyy.com/buyhttp://www.abbyy.com/buyhttp://www.abbyy.com/buy


4/15



Step 11 Highlight the Chair icon and it will

display a preview of the Chair block in the lowerright corner of the window. See Figure Step 11. If

your window appears differently then the figure,adjust the size or the frames inside the window.

Figure Step 12A

Figure Step 11

Step 12 Ensure that the drawing AutoCAD 2D Workalong 38-1 is the current drawing.

Right click the Chair icon. On the right-click menu, as shown in Figure Step 12A, clickInsert Block. When the Insert dialogue box opens, set it as shown in the figure and clickthe OK button. See Figure Step 12B.

Figure Step 12B




5/15



Step 13 Using the graphic cursor,

select any location on the drawingand press the pick button. See

Figure Step 13.

Step 14 In this step, use the drag

and drop method of copying a blockfrom one drawing to another usingDesignCenter. Click the Desk iconin DesignCenter and while holdingdown the left mouse button, drag theicon from DesignCenter into thecurrent drawing and release thebutton. See Figure Step 14.

Figure Step 13

38 - 5

Figure Step 14


Step 15 Using the methods you

just learned, copy the eightadditional blocks into yourdrawing. Copy four with eachmethod. Your drawing shouldappear similar to Figure Step 15.

Figure Step 15



6/15



Authors Comments:

Another way to work with DesignCenter is towork using drawings that are not open at the

time.Step 16 Enable the Folders tab and then

find the folder: C:\CAD Courses\AutoCAD2D\Lab Exercise as shown in Figure Step 16.

Figure Step 17

Figure Step 16

Step 17 In the folder, locate the drawing

AutoCAD 2D Lab 30-2.dwg. Expand thedrawing and expand Blocks as shown inFigure Step 17.

Step 18 Using the Insert block method, insert all the blocks from the drawing AutoCAD 2DLab 30-2.dwg into the current drawing. Insert them at a scale of 100. See Figure Step 18.

Figure Step 18




7/15



Step 19 Your drawing should appear similar to Figure Step 19.

Figure Step 19

Step 20 Delete all of the blocks in

the drawing but do not purge them.They are still in the block definitiontable. Your drawing should appearblank.

Step 21 Enable the OpenDrawings tab and expand thedrawing AutoCAD 2D Workalong

38-1. Right-click the View icon andin the right-click menu, select Listas shown in Figure Step 21.

Figure Step 21

Step 22 Ensure that the drawing AutoCAD 2D

Workalong 38-1 is still the current drawing. In the

Open Drawings tab, expand the drawingAutoCAD 2D Lab 30-1 and the item Layers asshown in Figure Step 22.

38 - 7


DesignCenter

Figure Step 22

The CAD Guys Ltd. Copyright 1993 - 2007 Module 38


8/15



Step 23 Select all of the layers as shown in

Figure Step 23. They will highlight as shown inthe figure.

Step 24 Using the drag and drop method, drag

the layers in the current drawing. See FigureStep 24. You have just copied the layers fromone drawing to another.

Figure Step 24

Figure Step 23

Step 25 Save and close thedrawings.

DesignCenter

A good way to use the DesignCenter window is to dock it along the left side of the

graphic window as shown below.



9/15


Using DesignCenter in 2000-2002

38 - 9

For AutoCAD 2000-2002 users only. If you are using AutoCAD 2004-2008,

skip to 38-15)

Step 1 Start a new drawing usingthe template Module TemplateLayout English.

Step 2 Save and name the

drawing AutoCAD 2D Workalong38-1.

Figure Step 3

Step 3 Using the OPEN command,

open the drawingAutoCAD 2D Lab 30-1 that youcreated in Module 30. You will nowhave two drawings open at the same

time. To check this, click theWindows pull-down as shown inFigure Step 3.

Figure Step 5

Step 4 Set the drawing AutoCAD 2D Workalong 38-1 as the current drawing.

Step 5 Enter the PURGE command and purge all of the blocks in the current drawing.There should be only 3 blocks to purge as shown in Figure Step 5.

Step 6 Enter the ADCENTER command.

It will open the DesignCenter window asshown in Figure Step 6. The folderstructure will display differently on yourcomputer then it does in the figure.


DesignCenter

Figure Step 6



10/15



Step 7 Enable the Open Drawings tab

as shown in Figure Step 7A. It willdisplay the two drawings currently open

in your AutoCAD session as shown inFigure Step 7B.

Figure Step 7B

Step 9 Click the item Blocks. It will high-

light as shown in Figure Step 9. Along theright side of the window it will display theicons of the blocks that are currentlydefined in the block definition table.

Figure Step 9

Figure Step 7A

Step 8 Click the + sign beside the drawing

AutoCAD 2D Lab 30-1.dwg to expand it asshown in Figure Step 8. It will now displaythe - sign beside it which means It isexpanded and will list the items in thedrawing.

Figure Step 8

Step 10 Enable the Preview icon. It islocated along the top right side of thewindow. See Figure Step 10.

Figure Step 10

Authors Comments:

There are two methods of coping blocks from one drawing to another using DesignCenter.The first is to use the Insert dialogue box and the other is to use the Drag and Drop method.To use the drag and drop method, click the block icon and while holding down the leftmouse button, drag it from DesignCenter into the drawing. When you have it in the desiredlocation, release the button.




11/15



Step 11 Highlight the Chair icon and it will

display a preview of the Chair block in thelower right corner of the window. See Figure

Step 11. If your widow appears differently thenthe figure, adjust the size or the frames insidethe window.

Figure Step 11

Figure Step 12A

Step 12 Ensure that the drawing AutoCAD 2D Workalong 38-1 is the current drawing.

Right click the Chair icon. On the right-click menu, as shown in Figure Step 12A, click

38 - 11

Insert Block. When the Insert dialogue box opens, set it as shown in the figure and clickthe OK button. See Figure Step 12B.

Figure Step 12B




12/15



Step 13 Using the graphic

cursor, select any location on thedrawing and press the pick

button. See Figure Step 13.Step 14 In this step, use the

drag and drop method of copyinga block from one drawing toanother using DesignCenter.Click the Desk icon inDesignCenter and while holdingdown the left mouse button, dragthe icon from DesignCenter intothe current drawing and releasethe button. See Figure Step 14.

Figure Step 14


Figure Step 13

Step 15 Using themethods you justlearned, copy the eightadditional blocks intoyour drawing. Copy fourwith each method. Yourdrawing should appearsimilar to Figure Step15.

Figure Step 15



13/15



Authors Comments:

Another way to work with DesignCenter is to work usingdrawings that are not open at the time.

Figure Step 16A

38 - 13

Figure Step 16B

Step 17 In the folder, locate the drawing

AutoCAD 2D Lab 30-2.dwg. Expand thedrawing and expand Blocks as shown inFigure Step 16.

Step 18 Using the Insert block method,

insert all the blocks from the drawingAutoCAD 2D Lab 30-2.dwg into the currentdrawing. Insert them at a scale of 100. SeeFigure Step 18.


Step 16 Click the Desktop icon as shown in

Figure Step 16A. Find the folder: C:\CADCourses\AutoCAD 2D\Lab Exercise. as

shown in Figure Step 16B.

Figure Step 17

Figure Step 18



14/15



Step 19 Your drawing should appear similar to Figure Step 19.

Figure Step 19

Step 20 Delete all the block in thedrawing but do not purge them.They are still in the block definitiontable. Your drawing should appearblank.

Step 21 Enable the OpenDrawings tab and expand thedrawing AutoCAD 2D Workalong

38-1. Right-click the View icon andin the right-click menu, select Listas shown in Figure Step 21.

Step 22 Ensure that the drawingAutoCAD 2D Workalong 38-1 is still thecurrent drawing. In the Open Drawings tab,expand the drawing AutoCAD 2D Lab 30-1

and the item Layers as shown in FigureStep 22.


Figure Step 21

Figure Step 22



15/15

\



Step 23 Select all of the layers as shown in

Figure Step 23. They will highlight as shownin the figure.

Step 24 Using the drag and drop method,drag the layers in the current drawing. SeeFigure Step 24. You have just copied thelayers from one drawing to another.

Figure Step 23

Step 25 Save and close thedrawings.

Figure Step 24

Opening both the DesignCenterand Properties window is oftenrequired while working on adrawing. If you dock both of themon the left side of the graphicwindow it allows you a larger areaof the graphic window for yourdrawing. See figure right.

The Key Principles in Module 38

1. The most powerful use of DesignCenter is being able to copy blocks, layers,

dimensioning styles, linetypes, layouts, text styles and xrefs from one drawing toanother. Using it will improve your overall drawing speed and production.

38 - 15


Documents

Autocad 2d Module 38 PDF