LT Unlimited

In Training

I’m in training this week – and therefore away from my computer – so look for regular posts to pick up again next week.

Gradient Hatches

If you’ve explored the Pattern panel of the new contextual Hatch Creation tab in AutoCAD LT 2011, you may have seen the new “gradient” patterns that have been added next to the traditional line patterns.

(Gradient hatches have been around in AutoCAD for a while, but support for them in LT is new this year.)

There are 9 different built-in patterns to choose from, but you can get practically infinite variation by modifying the color and angle of the patterns.

You might use a gradient pattern to give a more 3D feel to a shape, or just to add some visual interest.

In the elevation below, notice how both the roof and the windows used “linear” shading to give a sense of depth to the 2D drawing.

Automatic Publish

Automatic Publish is probably on of the more obscure features of the Options dialog – and, despite its name, isn’t at all related to the Batch Plot command.

You’ll find it on the Plot and Publish tab of Options, in the lower right-hand corner.

If it’s checked, a PDF or DWF is created every time you save or close a drawing. Which action triggers auto-publish, and which file type is used, is controlled in the Automatic Publish Settings dialog.

As you see, there are options for when to publish (some of which include a prompt before saving), where to publish to, and what to publish. You can also choose the file type, whether or not to include layers, and whether lines that overlap should be merged or overwritten.

I can think of a few of applications for this – general record-keeping, making files available to people without AutoCAD LT – what do you think? Have you ever used Automatic Publish?

Publish Selected Layouts in a Drawing

When you start the Batch Plot command (formerly and still sometimes known as Publish), it will probably populate the sheet list with every layout from every open drawing. (Unless “Automatically load all open drawings” is unchecked, that is.)

But what if that’s not what you wanted? What if you just wanted to publish certain layouts from the current drawing only?

Because this is AutoCAD LT we’re talking about, you have a lot of choices.

First, you could just remove everything from the sheet list except what you need. Not a bad option, unless you find yourself doing it a lot – then it’s an annoyance at best and a waste of time at worst.

Second, you could uncheck the “Automatically load…” button, but you still might have to do some editing of the sheet list. And you also run the risk of the opposite problem of the first option – having to load extra sheets when you want to publish more than one drawing.

One of those two options might work for you, but there’s also a third.

Simply use Shift+select or Ctrl+Select to select the layouts you want to plot, then right-click. In the shortcut menu, you’ll see “Publish Selected Layouts...”

It’s a little hard to tell in that image, but “Building Directory” and “Information Directory” are the only two layouts selected.

When you select that item, the Publish dialog launches, populated only with your selected layouts. No need for any more editing of the sheet list – just publish away!