Chapter 12: AutoCAD DesignCenter

1
Chapter 12 AutoCAD DesignCenter
2
After completing this Chapter, you will be able
to use the following

• Overview of DesignCenter
• Container, Content Type and Content
• Working with DesignCenter
• Viewing Content
• Adding Content to Drawings
• Opening drawings from DesignCenter

3
What is AutoCAD DesignCenter?
AutoCAD DesignCenter is a specialized window that
allows to manage content within your drawing.
Content includes blocks, external references,
layers, raster images, linetypes, layouts, text
styles, and dimension styles. Content can be
managed between currently open drawing and other
sources such as other drawings, whether currently
open, stored on any drive, or even elsewhere on a
network or somewhere on the Internet. Contents
can be dragged and dropped into current drawing.
In addition, you can create shortcuts to
drawings, folders, and Internet locations that
you access frequently and find drawing content on
your computer and on networked drives.
4
Container, Content Type and Content
Container can be a drawing file or a folder that
contains files. The primary container is a
drawing that contains blocks, images, linetypes,
and other definitions that are most commonly
sought to add to your current drawing. Drawings,
its contents, and images can be dragged and
dropped into your current drawing from the
Palette. So, a drawing can be both content and a
container. Content types are types or
categories such as Blocks, Layers, Xrefs, etc.
and not the items themselves. Content includes
block definitions, external references, layer
names and compositions, raster images, linetypes,
layouts, text styles, dimension styles, and
custom content created by third-party
applications.
5
DesignCenter Window
6
Opening the DesignCenter Window
The AutoCAD DesignCenter is a window rather than
a dialog box. It is like calling up a special
program that runs along with AutoCAD and
expedites file managing and drawing content
handling tasks.
7
Working with the DesignCenter Window
The DesignCenter consists of five major areas
Toolbar, Tree View Pane, Content Area, Preview
pane, and Description pane.
8
The DesignCenter consists of five major areas
Toolbar, Tree View pane, Content Area, Preview
pane, and Description pane. Toolbar contains
buttons designed especially to help you select
and manage the type of content desired within the
DesignCenter window. Tree View or navigation
pane is an optional area on the left side of the
DesignCenter window for displaying files such as
drawings and images and their paths. The Tree
View also displays content types and displays
multiple levels and operates in a manner similar
to the Windows Explorer.
9
Content Area or content pane is AutoCAD
DesignCenters primary area for displaying the
names and icons representing content. Preview
pane displays a raster image in the Preview pane
of the selected item of content if the item is a
drawing, block, or image. Description pane
displays description of the selected item of
content selected in the description pane if there
is one available.
10
Managing DesignCenter
The buttons on the toolbar are used to manage the
DesignCenter panes and what is being displayed in
them.
11
Viewing Content
The names of content type, such as blocks,
linetypes, linestyles, and so on, and containers
such as drawings, image files, folders, drives,
networks, and Internet locations, can be viewed
in the Tree view as well as Content Area. Names
of content can be viewed in the Content Area but
not in the Tree View pane. Either pane can be
used to move up and down through the path from
the drive to the item of content. It is usually
quicker to navigate the path in the Tree View
because of its ability to display multiple levels
of hierarchy. When the container appears in the
Tree View, select it and then view the name of
the items of content (if any) in the content area.
12
Selection of a block named C720_P and the
corresponding preview image and description are
shown in the Preview pane and in the Description
pane.
13
Viewing Images
If the item of content is a bitmap image, its
name is displayed in the Content Area by
selecting the name of its container in the Tree
View. The preview of the image and description
are displayed in the preview pane and description
pane respectively.
14
Adding Content to Drawings
Layers, Linetypes, Text Styles and Dimensions
Styles can be dragged into the current drawing
from the Content Area. It will become part of the
current drawing as though it had been created in
that drawing. A block definition can be
inserted into the current drawing by dragging its
icon from the Content Area into the drawing area.
You cannot, however, do this while a command is
active. Only one block definition at a time can
be inserted from the Content Area. There are
two methods of inserting blocks from the AutoCAD
DesignCenter Autoscaling (scales the block
reference as needed based on the comparison of
the units in the source drawing to the units in
the target drawing) and using Insert dialog box
to insert block.
15
To insert the Block definition by Autoscaling,
drag the block definition from the Content Area
into your drawing, and release the button on the
pointing device (drop) when the block is at the
desired location. The block will be inserted with
the default scale and rotation. To invoke the
Insert dialog box, right-click the block
definition in the Content Area and then select
Insert Block from the shortcut menu. From the
Insert dialog box, specify the Insertion Point,
Scale, and Rotation, or select Specify On-Screen.
16
You can also drag and drop from the Content Area
to tool palette.
17
A raster image such as a digital photo, print
screen capture saved in a paint program as a
bitmap, or a company logo can be copied into the
current drawing by dragging its icon from the
Content Area into the drawing area. To attach
an xref to the current drawing, drag its icon
from the Content Area by holding right button on
the pointing device into the drawing area. Then
release the button and select Attach from the
shortcut menu. The Attach Xref dialog box is
displayed, from which choose the appropriate
settings.
18
Opening Drawings
To open a drawing being displayed in the Content
Area, right-click on its icon and choose Open In
Window from the shortcut menu. You can also
drag and drop the icon in the drawing area. Be
sure to drop the icon in an area that is clear of
another drawing. If necessary, resize or minimize
any open drawing(s).
19
Exiting AutoCAD DesignCenter
You can exit AutoCAD DesignCenter by either
selecting the X in the upper right corner of the
DesignCenter Window or entering adcclose at the
AutoCAD On-screen prompt.