Chapter 14: Utility Commands

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Chapter 14 Utility Commands
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After completing this Chapter, you will be able
to use the followingfeatures (contd on the next
slide)

• Create, customize, and use tool palettes
• Partial Load drawings
• Manage drawing properties
• QuickCalc
• Manage named objects
• Command Modifier - Multiples
• Utility display commands
• Changing The Display Order Of Objects
• Object Properties
• Use X,Y,Z filters
• Set up a drawing by means of the MVSETUP utility

3
After completing this Chapter, you will be able
to use the followingfeatures (contd from
previous slide)

• Use the Layer Translator
• Use the TIME and AUDIT commands
• Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)
• Passwords, Encryption, Digital Signature
• Customize AutoCAD settings
• Export and Import data
• Working with CAD Standards
• Action Recorder
• Working with Slides and Scripts
• Set up and use workspaces

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Tool Palettes
Tool palettes are created to make it quicker and
easier to insert blocks, draw hatch patterns and
implement custom tools developed by a third
party. Tool palettes are separate tabbed areas
within the Tool Palettes window. This allows
blocks and hatch patterns of similar usage and
type to be grouped in their own tool
palette. The TOOLPALETTES command causes the
Tool Palettes window to be displayed.
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The default position for the Tool Palettes window
is docked on the right side of the screen.
Double-clicking causes the Tool Palettes window
to become undocked and to float in the drawing
area.
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Shortcut menu in the Tool Palettes window tab.
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Shortcut menu in the Tool Palettes window with
the selection of the element.
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Shortcut menu in an open area Tool Palettes
window.
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The Customize dialog box lets you manage the
palettes and groups of palettes shown in the Tool
Palettes window.
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Shortcut menu in the title bar of the Tool
Palettes window
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The Tool Properties dialog box for block/drawing
tools
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The Tool Properties dialog box for pattern tools
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Creating tool palette from DesignCenter
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Partial Load
The PARTIAL LOAD command allows to work with just
part of a drawing by loading geometry only from
named objects. Named objects include blocks,
layers, dimension styles, linetypes, layouts,
text styles, viewport configurations, UCSs, and
views. With the PARTIAL LOAD command you can
load additional information into the current
drawing as long as the drawing is partially open.
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Partial Load dialog box
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Drawing Properties
Drawing Properties allows to keep track of the
drawings by having properties assigned to them.
The properties that are assigned will identify
the drawing by its title, author, subject, and
keywords for the model or other data. Hyperlink
addresses or paths can be stored along with ten
custom properties. You can use the Search
feature to locate the drawings by using one or
more assigned properties.
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The General tab in the Drawing Properties dialog
box displays the drawing type, location, size,
and other information. These come from the
operating system. These fields are read-only.
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The Summary tab in the Drawing Properties dialog
box lets you specify title, subject, author,
keywords, comments, and a hyperlink base for the
drawing. Keywords for drawings sharing a
common property will help in search.
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The Statistics tab in the Drawing Properties
dialog box displays information such as the
dates files were created and last modified. You
can use Search feature for files created at a
certain date and time.
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The Custom tab in the Drawing properties lets you
specify up to ten custom properties. Enter the
names of the custom fields in the left column,
and the value for each custom field in the right
column.
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QuickCalc
AutoCAD provides an on demand calculator with a
full range of mathematical, scientific, and
geometric calculations, which can be used to
create and use variables and convert units of
measurement. This QuickCalc calculator includes
shortcut functions that are found in the
Geometric Calculator but are more easily accessed
in QuickCalc.
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The QuickCalc Palette
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Managing Named Objects
The RENAME command allows to rename blocks,
dimension styles, layers, linetypes, text styles,
views, User Coordinate Systems, or viewport
configurations.
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Deleting Unused Named Objects
The PURGE command is used to selectively delete
any unused named objects.
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Command Modifier - Multiples
MULTIPLE is not a command, but when used with
another AutoCAD command, it causes automatic
recalling of that command when it is completed.
You must press ESC to terminate this repeating
process. You can use the MULTIPLE command
modifier with any of the draw, modify, and
inquiry commands. PLOT, however, will ignore the
MULTIPLE command modifier.
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Utility Display Commands
AutoCAD provides the following Utility display
commands to enhance the performance of the
drawing.

• Saving View
• Controlling the Regeneration
• Controlling the Drawing of Objects
• Controlling the Display of Marker Blips

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Saving View
The VIEW command allows to give a name to the
display in the current viewport and have it saved
as a view. You can recall a view later by
using the VIEW command and responding with the
name of the view desired. This is useful for
moving back quickly to needed areas in the
drawing without having to resort to zoom and pan.
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View Manager and New View/Short Properties dialog
boxes
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Controlling the Regeneration
The REGENAUTO command controls automatic
regeneration. When the REGENAUTO is set to ON,
AutoCAD drawings regenerate automatically.
When it is set to OFF, then you may have to
regenerate the drawing manually to see the
current status of the drawing. When you set
REGENAUTO to OFF, what you see on the screen may
not always represent the current state of the
drawing.
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Controlling the Drawing of Objects
The DRAGMODE command controls the way dragged
objects are displayed. Certain draw and modify
commands display highlighted dynamic
(cursor-following) representations of the objects
being drawn or edited. This can slow down the
drawing process if the objects are very complex.
Setting DRAGMODE to OFF turns off dragging.
When DRAGMODE is set to OFF, all calls for
dragging are ignored. Setting DRAGMODE to ON
allows dragging by use of the DRAG command
modifier. Setting DRAGMODE to Auto (default)
causes dragging wherever possible.
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Controlling the Display of Marker Blips
The BLIPMODE command controls the display of
marker blips. When BLIPMODE is set to ON, a
small cross mark is displayed when points on the
screen are specified with the cursor or by
entering their coordinates. They have no effect
other than visual reference and can be removed at
any time by using the REDRAW, REGEN, ZOOM, or PAN
commands. Any other command requiring
regeneration causes the blips to be removed.
When BLIPMODE is set to OFF, the blips marks are
not displaced.
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Changing The Display Order Of Objects
The DRAWORDER command allows you to change the
display order of objects as well as images. This
will ensure proper display and plotting output
when two or more objects overlay one another.
For instance, when a raster image is attached
over an existing object, AutoCAD obscures them
from view. With the help of the DRAWORDER command
you can display the existing object over the
raster image.
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Object Properties
There are three important properties that control
the appearance of objects color, linetype, and
lineweight. You can specify the color, linetype,
and lineweight for the objects to be drawn with
the help of the LAYER command or you can assign
the properties by invoking the appropriate
command

• Color
• Linetype
• Lineweight

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Color
COLOR command allows you to specify a color for
the objects to be drawn, separate from the layer
color.
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AutoCAD displays the Select Color dialog box. The
color may be entered as a standard name or by the
number code (1 through 255). Or you can respond
with BYLAYER or BYBLOCK . BYLAYER (default)
causes the objects drawn to assume the color of
the layer on which it is drawn. BYBLOCK causes
objects to be drawn in white until selected for
inclusion in a block definition. Subsequent
insertion of a block that contains objects drawn
under the BYBLOCK option causes those objects to
assume the color of the current setting of the
COLOR command. In addition you can also choose
true from True Color tab and colors of actual
materials from Color Books tab.
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Linetype
LINETYPE command allows to load linetype
definitions from a linetype library file (default
ACAD.LIN), make a linetype current, or modify
linetype scales. A linetype must exist in a
library file and be loaded before you can apply
it to an object or layer.
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Linetype Manager dialog box.
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AutoCAD lists the available linetypes for the
current drawing and displays the current linetype
(default is ByLayer) setting next to the Current
button. To change the current linetype setting,
select the appropriate linetype from the Linetype
list box and select the Current button. To
load a linetype explicitly into your drawing,
choose the Load button and select the linetype
from Load or Reload linetypes dialog box.
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Lineweight
The LINEWEIGHT command allows you to specify a
lineweight for the objects to be drawn, separate
from the assigned lineweight for the layer.
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Lineweight Settings dialog box.
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X, Y, and Z filters
The AutoCAD filter feature allows to establish a
2D point by specifying the individual (X and Y)
coordinates one at a time in separate steps.
In the case of a 3D point you can specify the
individual (X, Y, and Z) coordinates in three
steps. Or you can specify one of the three
coordinate values in one step and a point in
another step, from which AutoCAD extracts the
other two coordinate values for use in the point
being established. The filter feature is used
when being prompted to establish a point, as in
the starting point of a line, the center of a
circle, drawing a node with the POINT command, or
specifying a base point or second point in
displacement for the MOVE or COPY command, to
mention just a few.
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Setting up a Drawing
The MVSETUP command is used to control and set up
the view(s) of a drawing, including the choice of
standard plotted sheet sizes with a border, the
scale for plotting on the selected sheet size,
and multiple viewports. MVSETUP can be
customized to insert any type of border and title
block. Options and associated prompts depend on
whether the TILEMODE system variable is set to ON
(1) or OFF (0). When TILEMODE is set to ON, Tiled
Viewports is enabled. When TILEMODE is set to
OFF, the Floating Viewports menu item is enabled.
Other paper spacerelated drawing setup options
are available.
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Layer Translator
The Layer Translator is used to make selected
layers in the current drawing match layers in
another drawing or in a CAD standards file.
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Time Command
The TIME command displays the current time and
date related to your current drawing session. In
addition, you can find out how long you have been
working in AutoCAD. The command uses the clock
in your computer to keep track of the time
functions and displays to the nearest millisecond
using 24-hour military format.
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Audit Command
The AUDIT command serves as a diagnostic tool to
correct any errors or defects in the database of
the current drawing. AutoCAD generates an
extensive report of the problems, and for every
error detected AutoCAD recommends an action to
correct it.
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Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)
Object linking and embedding (OLE) is a Windows
feature that combines data from different
applications into one document. To use OLE, you
need both server and container applications that
support OLE. A source application is called the
server and creates the OLE objects that you embed
or link. A destination application is called the
container and accepts those OLE objects. AutoCAD
supports OLE as both a server (source) and a
container (destination) application. The
relationship between embedding and linking is
similar to that between inserting a block and
creating an external reference in AutoCAD
respectively.
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An embedded OLE object is a copy of information
from another document. When you embed objects,
there is no link to the original document and any
changes made to the original document are not
reflected in other (container) documents. A
linked object is a reference to information in
another document. Link objects when you want to
use the same information in more than one
document. Then, if you change the original
information, you need to update only the links in
order to update the document containing the OLE
objects. You can also set links to be updated
automatically.
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COPYLINK command copies the current view to the
Clipboard. You can paste the contents of the
Clipboard into a document as an OLE object.
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INSERTOBJ command inserts a linked or embedded
object into an AutoCAD drawing.
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OLELINKS command Updates, changes, and cancels
existing OLE links
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Passwords, Encryption, Digital Signature
AutoCAD password protection makes it possible to
prevent a drawing file from being opened without
first entering the pre-assigned password. Invoke
the SECURITYOPTIONS command to assign a password
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Security Options dialog box with the Password tab
selection
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AutoCAD allows to encrypt drawing properties,
such as the title, author, subject, and keywords,
thus requiring a password to view the properties
and thumbnail preview of the drawing. On the
Password tab of the Security Options dialog box,
after you have entered a password in the Password
or phrase to open this drawing text box, check
the Encrypt drawing properties check box. Under
the Password or phrase to open this drawing text
box AutoCAD displays the current encryption type.
To change the encryption type, select the
Advanced Options button, AutoCAD displays
Advanced Options dialog box and select one of the
available encryption types.
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AutoCAD provides a means to sign the drawing file
electronically. This allows to verify that a
drawing has had a distinct and unique digital
signature attached to it when it was last saved.
Along with this positive electronic
identification, you can also apply a time stamp
and comments. To attach a digital signature to a
drawing, you must first obtain a digital ID.
Once a digital ID has been established on your
computer, invoke the SECURITYOPTIONS
command. AutoCAD displays the Security Options
dialog box. Select the Digital Signature tab, and
AutoCAD displays various options available for
Digital Signature. AutoCAD displays a list of
digital IDs that you can use to sign files.
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Custom Settings with the Options dialog box
The Options dialog box allows to customize
AutoCAD settings. Custom settings can be saved
and restored called a profile. A profile
includes preference settings that are not saved
in the drawing, with the exception of pointer and
printer driver settings. By default, AutoCAD
stores the current settings in a profile named
ltUnnamed Profilegt.
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Options dialog box - Files tab specifies the
directory in which AutoCAD searches for support
files, driver files, project files, template
drawing file location, temporary drawing file
location, temporary external reference file
location, and texture maps. It also specifies
the location of menu, help, log, text editor, and
dictionary files.
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Options dialog box Display tab controls
preferences that relate to AutoCAD performance.
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Options dialog box Open And Save tab lets you
determine formats and parameters for drawings,
external references, and ObjectARX Applications
as they are opened or saved.
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Options dialog box Plot and Publish tab lets
you select the parameter for plotting your
drawing.
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Options dialog box System tab has sections for
managing the Pointing Devices, dbConnect Options,
and General Options.
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Options dialog box User Preferences tab
controls options that optimize the way you work
in AutoCAD.
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Options dialog box Drafting tab lets you
customize drafting options such as AutoSnap
Settings, AutoSnap Marker Size, AutoTrack
Settings, Alignment Point Acquisition, and
Aperture size.
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Options dialog box 3D Modeling tab of the
Options dialog box lets you customize options
related to working with solids and surfaces in
AutoCAD.
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Options dialog box Selection tab lets you
customize selection options such as Selection
Modes, Pickbox Size, Grips, and Grip Size.
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Options dialog box Profile tab lets you manage
profiles. A profile is a named and saved group of
settings. This profile can be restored as a group
when desired. By default, AutoCAD stores your
current options in a profile named Unnamed
Profile.
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Saving Objects in Various File Formats (Exporting)
The EXPORT command allows to save selected
objects in various file formats.
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Importing Various File Formats
The IMPORT command allows you to import various
file formats into an AutoCAD drawing.
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Standards
The Standards feature allows to verify that the
layers, dimension styles, linetypes, and text
styles of the drawing you are working in conform
to an accepted standard, such as a company,
trade, or client standard. You can create a
standards file from an existing drawing or you
can create a new drawing and save it as a
standards file with an extension of .DWS. Open
an existing drawing from which you want to create
a standards file or create a new drawing and set
appropriate standards for layers, text styles,
dimension styles and linetypes. Invoke the SAVEAS
command, and save as AutoCAD 2004 Drawing
Standards (.dws) file.
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The STANDARDS command manages the association of
standards files with AutoCAD drawings.
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Configure Standards dialog box
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The Standards Files Associated with the Current
Drawing section lists all standards (DWS) files
that are associated with the current drawing.
To add a standards file, choose Add Standards
File button or press the F3 function key. Select
a standards file from an appropriate folder. To
remove a standards file from the current drawing,
select the file and choose Remove Standards File
button or press the DELETE key on your keyboard.
If conflicts arise between multiple standards in
the list, the standard that appears first in the
list takes precedence. To change the position of
a standards file in the list, select it and
choose the Move Up or Move Down button.
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In the Plug-ins tab of the Configure Standards
dialog box the Plug-ins Found section lists the
standards plug-ins that are installed on the
current system. For the CAD Standards
Extension, a standards plug-in is installed for
each of the named objects for which standards can
be defined (layers, dimension styles, linetypes,
and text styles).
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The CHECKSTANDARDS command checks the current
drawing for standards violations.
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Check Standards dialog box
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Problem section provides a description of a
nonstandard object in the current drawing. To fix
a problem, select a replacement from the Replace
With list and then choose the Fix button or press
the F4 function key. Replace With section lists
possible replacements for the current standards
violation. If a recommended fix is available, it
is preceded by a check mark. Preview of Changes
section indicates the properties of the
nonstandard AutoCAD object that will be changed
if the fix currently selected in the Replace With
list is applied.
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Action Recorder
With action macros, you can automate repetitive
tasks with no previous programming experience.
The Action Recorder is used to record an action
macro. After an action macro is recorded, you
can save the recorded commands with the file
extension ACTM and playback the repetitive tasks.
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Slides and Scripts
Slides are quickly-viewable, non-editable views
of a drawing or parts of a drawing. There are
two primary uses for slides. One is to have a
quick and ready picture to display symbols,
objects, or written data for informational
purposes only. The other very useful application
of slides is to be able to display a series of
pictures, organized in a prearranged sequence for
a timed slide show. The slide show is
implemented through the SCRIPT command.It
should be noted that a slide merely masks the
current display. Any cursor movement or editor
functions employed while a slide is being
displayed affects the current drawing under the
slide and not the slide itself.
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The MSLIDE command creates a slide file of the
current model viewport or the current layout.
The Create Slide File dialog box is displayed.
Specify a file name and a raster image of the
viewport is created. In model space, MSLIDE
makes a slide file of the current viewport only.
In paper space, MSLIDE makes a slide file of the
paper space display, including all viewports and
their contents. Off-screen portions of the
drawing, or layers that are off or frozen, are
not included in the slide.
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The MSLIDE command displays an image slide file
in the current viewport.
The Select Slide File dialog box, a standard file
selection dialog box, is displayed. Enter a slide
file name (.sld extension) to display. When you
press ENTER or choose Open, the slide file is
opened in AutoCAD.
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Scripts are similar to the macros that are
created to enhance word processing programs. They
permit you to combine a sequence of commands and
data into one or two entries. Use a text
editor to write the script file (with the
extension .SCR), which contains the instructions
and data for the SCRIPT command to follow.
Familiarity with sequences of prompts that will
occur and the types of responses required is
necessary to have the script function properly.
SCRIPT command executes a sequence of commands
from a script file.
AutoCAD displays the Select Script File dialog
box and specify the script file name.
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Workspaces
Combination of settings, content, and
arrangements of the menus, toolbars, and dockable
windows (such as the Tool Palettes window or
DesignCenter) can be saved to a named
workspace. Workspace can be recalled by its name
and have the same combination of settings,
content, and arrangements that was in effect when
you created the workspace. You can set a
workspace as current from the Workspace icon on
the status bar.