On 12/11/2010 6:56 PM, Leon wrote:
"Jack wrote in message
This makes it easier to use the mouse to size things. I spend a lot of
time trying to get lengths to a half inch or 1/4" before giving up and
typing the numbers in. I still do, but this helps.
For years I waited for AutoCAD LT and Auto Sketch to add Dirrect Distance
Entry, DDS. Much much faster if you simply click to start a line and drag
the mouse in the dirrection you want to go. Type in the distance you want
and enter, done deal. Watching for a snap distance can be tedious.
I agree, but my mind somehow looks at it as a challenge when I try to do
the snap distance thing. I use the mouse, and overshoot by 1/64, under
shoot by 1/4, over shoot by 1/8th and have to force my self to type in
the number, as my brain wants to beat the snapper into submission. I
always start out using rectangles and and typing in the distances but
sooner or later along the way, when I'm not paying attention my mind
slips into the game mode...
My next tip is hot keys. You must learn some always used hot keys for
woodworkers. These are imperative:
Spacebar: Select
R: Rectangle
M: Move
P: Push
I also suggest adding L to start a line. G to form a component. D for
dimension, Alt D to dimension an angle. T for Tape measure. Some of these
are "MY" shortcuts. Any time I can type in a letter instead of going to an
icon for a command I save time. These short cuts can be changed and or
added very easily.
For sure. I left out the L line thing because when I first was learning
I used the line tool to start everything. That was a waste of time and
now I use it infrequently compared to the 3 I listed. I should have
added G for for component. Others I use a lot is Alt and double click
the scroll wheel which centers the drawing wherever your cursor is and
shift and hold down the scroll wheel to get the pan tool.
Anyway, once you start using the shortcuts, you quickly learn all the
most used, and edit some to suit your personal Preferences.
AND I set my center scroll wheel click to invoke the Orbit command.
I think the default if you hold it down, is the orbit tool, and with
shift is the pan tool.
--
Jack
To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is
research.
http://jbstein.com