CAD Questions Thread?

[Rob]

Right...

Right click up the top on any toolbar, it'll open a drop down menu, in this menu select "dimensions"

This will open a dimensions toolbar. In this tool bar there's an icon that's to change the "dimstyle"

Make a new dim style (from a copy of standard) go into that style and change the text and arrow size.

As for your blocks, they're not small, they're the size they are.

If you find a reference point, you can scale them.....

i.e say you have a side you know is suppose to be 5mm long, and it's 1mm long, you know the whole thing is 5x too small....

With that in mind, double click the block and open it (so you can edit). Then select the whole thing and type "scale" now, select a base point to scale from (bottom corner or middle or whatever suits you) then type "5".

This will then take it to the "correct" size.

Sounds like a bit of tom foolery has gone on with the blocks though.. need more explanation.

[andy_con]

something is just not right.

everything was fine the other day, but not now.

if i open a drawing and check the dimensions they are spot on, if i insert that item as a block it comes out tiny. when i check the dimensions they are completely wrong

[Adam.]

Are your units still the same?

Looks like you have it set to meters or cm instead of mm.

[andy_con]

indeed just worked that one out.

seems its measuring in inches not MM

so when i type in 20 its doing inches not mm

how do i alter that (yes im new to cad)

[Adam.]

There will be a units option in the tools menu.

Then you'll either need to start again or get busy with a calculator to work out how to scale it down to the right dimension.

[conneh]

When drawing in 3D view... my straight lines are vertical however when i draw a circle/arc - it is drawing it horiz, any idea? Pissing me off.

[Adam.]

Enable the UCS toolbar and that click global UCS.

[andy_con]

very strange when i go into the tools the unit options are MM

but when im inserting a block they are being put in as inches

[andy_con]

another issue.

www.lazershows.co.uk/test/rgbmirrormount2.dwg

drawing is done, layout1 is sorted go to plot preview and all looks perfect. click on layout2 click on plot preview and all the dimensions are missing. why?

[andy_con]

bump?

[Rob]

On a phone at the moment, I'll look and answer tomorrow.

[Steven103]

You may want to have a serious look at Solidworks, especially if you're venturing into 3D. It's an absolute doddle to use, and that's compared to anything not just conventional command-based packages like AutoCAD, and still extremely powerful. If you're serious I do recall Solidworks 2013 will be 64bit only so make sure your hardware is up to it (though a 64bit OS pales into insignificance given the cost of CAD software!)

Student version is free but I don't think you're a student Not sure if they offer trials. Short story is convince your employer to invest in it - afterall it's fully fledged industry standard 3D world-leading CAD so it's still hilariously expensive (IIRC for freelance use it's circa £2.5k for premium version + £4k for CFD + £2k tech support)

[Rob]

Andy... have you considered google sketchup??

It's about 5,000x more simple to achieve what you want I think?

As for the dimensions not showing, you've got them frozen off in certain viewports on layout two.

What do you want showing and where?

[andy_con]

sadly im a one man band trying to start a business in designing and building lasers. i dont have two beans to rub together so splashing out on solid works just isnt going to happen. im going to have to stick with my free copy of autocad for the moment.

You may want to have a serious look at Solidworks, especially if you're venturing into 3D. It's an absolute doddle to use, and that's compared to anything not just conventional command-based packages like AutoCAD, and still extremely powerful. If you're serious I do recall Solidworks 2013 will be 64bit only so make sure your hardware is up to it (though a 64bit OS pales into insignificance given the cost of CAD software!)

Student version is free but I don't think you're a student Not sure if they offer trials. Short story is convince your employer to invest in it - afterall it's fully fledged industry standard 3D world-leading CAD so it's still hilariously expensive (IIRC for freelance use it's circa £2.5k for premium version + £4k for CFD + £2k tech support)

[andy_con]

now i know what im doing in CAD i find it pretty easy its just these stupid little things that get me. there are so many options in silly places that dont make sense.

yep i see what you mean in layer manager they are turned off. sorted now many thanks

Andy... have you considered google sketchup??

It's about 5,000x more simple to achieve what you want I think?

As for the dimensions not showing, you've got them frozen off in certain viewports on layout two.

What do you want showing and where?

[Knuckles]

does anyone know how to fix a UG problem?

every now and then it'll throw a hissy fit and wont let me put any more components in an assembly. it'll open the assembly list, let me move the part around but wont apply constraints. it wont even highlight the parts. its pissing me right off! lol

[conneh]

Still cant get my circles to draw verticle - can't seem to work this UCS stuff :/ all i wanna draw is 1 shape, copy it 4 times - draw a block for the road and render it

[conneh]

May just submit my paint drawing. This is all i wanna draw

[Darren S]

Andy... have you considered google sketchup??

It's about 5,000x more simple to achieve what you want I think?

As for the dimensions not showing, you've got them frozen off in certain viewports on layout two.

What do you want showing and where?

Think I'll give that go - see what its like

D.

[Rob]

May just submit my paint drawing. This is all i wanna draw

Does it need to be 3d? I can knock it up in sketchup in accurate sizes in 10 minutes for you?

I can probably do it in CAD too.