Action Recorder Action Recorder

With Action Recorder, you can create action macros that can FEATURES
be used to automate repetitive tasks. • Record action macros
• Play back action macros
• Automate repetitive tasks

Insert message Play

Record Preferences

Request user Available

input action macros

Actions
recorded

ACTRECORD
Starts the recording of a new action macro
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2009
TIPS ACTSTOP
Stops the recording of an action macro
Action macros are created The Action Recorder
ACTUSERINPUT
by recording many of the does not require previous
Customize and Extend

Adds a request for user input to one of the recorded

commands that you are programming experience.
actions
already familiar with in
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
ACTUSERMESSAGE
AutoCAD® software.
Adds a custom user message to an action macro that
Place recorded action Action macros can be is displayed during playback
macros on a network drive recorded to prompt for Tutorials
for easy sharing. input during playback. www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 Enhanced Layer Enhanced Layer
Properties Manager Properties Manager
With the Layer Properties Manager you can view layer FEATURES
property changes in real time and edit drawings in an opened • Quickly access the Layer Properties Manager
Layer Properties Manager. You can also customize the layer • Use layer filters in real time
interface easily.
Collapses the layer Search for
filter tree layer

Frozen column

Controls the visibility

for layers not isolated
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2009
TIPS
Place the Layer Properties Use wild-card characters
LAYER
Manager in a secondary to filter layer names. For
Opens the Layer Properties Manager dialog box
display while drafting in example, enter *text* to
LAYERCLOSE
your primary display. search for all the layers
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
Closes the Layer Properties Manager dialog box
that contain the word text.
-LAYER
Use Freeze column to lock Use the Hide/Show layer Creates and manages layers from the command line
Productivity

the position of the Name filters button to control Tutorials

column while you scroll the layer filter tree display. www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
horizontally through the
layer columns. New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 Ribbon Ribbon
The ribbon is composed of tabs. Each tab has labeled panels FEATURES
that contain many of the same controls that are available in • Display the ribbon horizontally or vertically
dialog boxes and toolbars. • Hide the ribbon until you need to access it
• Detach panels from the ribbon and “float” them
within the drawing workspace
Minimize
Active tab Contextual tab
button

Slideout
pane Contextual
panel

Panel Push pin Close

button
Send to Ribbon

Options

Toggle
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2009
orientation
TIPS Slideout
indicator
Associate a tool palette “Float” a ribbon panel by
group with each panel on dragging it into the drawing Floating Panel
the ribbon. Right-click the area. The floating panel is
RIBBON
ribbon panel to display a displayed only when the
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
Opens the ribbon windowV
list of available tool palette associated ribbon tab is
RIBBONCLOSE
groups. selected.
User Interface

Closes the ribbon window

Rearrange ribbon tabs by
dragging them to a new
position on the ribbon.
Align the ribbon horizontally
along the top of the drawing
window or vertically to the
left or right of the drawing
window.
Tutorials
www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 Ribbon Customization Ribbon Customization
The ribbon can be customized using the Customize User FEATURES
Interface (CUI) Editor. Panels, tabs, and commands can be • Organize the commands that you commonly use on
added, modified, or removed. the ribbon
• Use existing or create new toolbars and commands to
customize ribbon panels
• Control the location of the ribbon and the display of
tabs and panels on the ribbon through a workspace

Sub-Panel

Panel
separator
Flyout

Row
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2009
TIPS
Create custom tabs to Organize commands and
organize and control the controls on a panel with
Customize and Extend

display in which panels rows, sub-panels, flyouts,

CUI
appear on the ribbon. and separators.
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
Use existing toolbars to Use the Panel Preview to
add new rows to a ribbon visually see how commands
panel. and controls will appear on
a panel
Displays the CUI Editor
RIBBON
Opens the ribbon window
Tutorials
www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 ViewCube ViewCube
The ViewCube displays the orientation of a 3D model and
™
FEATURES
enables you to change the current view of a 3D model. • View the current orientation of a model
• Change the view of a model to one of 26 preset views
• Define and restore the Home view for a model
• Change the view projection for a model
• Set a named user coordinate system (UCS)

Orthogonal view Roll arrows

controls

Home view

Active preset
view

Compass
2009

TIPS
Use the ViewCube feature
to switch to preset views
by clicking a faces, edge or
corner.
®
2009
UCS menu
Define a Home view that
can take you to back to a
known view of the model.

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
User Interface-3D

You can orbit a model by Saved UCSs can be set NAVVCUBE

dragging the ViewCube.
current from the UCS
menu on the ViewCube.
Shows or hides the ViewCube
Tutorials
www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 SteeringWheels SteeringWheels
The SteeringWheels feature provides access to 2D and 3D
™
FEATURES
navigation tools from a single user interface. • Access 2D and 3D navigation tools in a single user
interface
• Restore previous views or the Home view of a model
• Choose wheels in two different versions: big and mini
Close

Wedge

Wheel Menu

Tooltip
Full Navigation Wheel Mini Full Navigation
Wheel
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2009
TIPS
Objects can be selected The Full Navigation
before a navigation tool wheel provides access to
2D Navigation View Object Tour Building
is activated to control the all available 2D and 3D Wheel Wheel Wheel
center point used by the navigation tools from a
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
User Interface-3D

navigation tools. single wheel.

The Tour Building and Full
Navigation wheels can be
used to walk/fly through or
look around a 3D model.
You can restore the Home
view, with which you can
go back to a known view
of the model.
NAVSWHEEL
Displays the SteeringWheels feature
Tutorials
www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 ShowMotion ShowMotion
The ShowMotion™ feature enables you to play back a view FEATURES
with motion for each of the named views saved with a model • Create named views with or without motion and, if
and restore a named view. desired, arrange them within a category
• Navigate a model by using saved named views
• Play back the motion associated to a named view
Go to view

Playback motion

Views organized by
View category
category

Click to pin Close

ShowMotion ShowMotion
Play New view
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2009
TIPS Stop Loop

Existing named views You can specify the

NAVSMOTION
created with previous transition to use when
Displays ShowMotion feature
releases work with playing back the motion
VIEWPLAY
ShowMotion without any associated to a named
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
Plays the motion associated with a named view
User Interface-3D

modifications needed. view.

Named views can be Views can be played back
organized by categories. individually or all views in
a category can be played
back.
VIEWGO
Restores a named view
Tutorials
www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 Tools in the Application Tools in the Application
Window Window
The application window has been enhanced to display FEATURES
common tools such as the menu browser button, the Quick • Quick access to tools for navigating open drawings,
Access toolbar, and InfoCenter. layouts, and views
• Access commands you frequently want to use with
the Quick Access toolbar
Quick Access
Menu browser
toolbar
• Easily switch workspaces from the status bar
Command Line
window
InfoCenter Application
window controls

Document
window controls

ShowMotion Clean screen

Anchored palette

Steering Wheels
Lock toolbar/
window position
Quick View
Quick drawings
Drawing tools Properties Workspace
switching
Quick View
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2009
layouts Annotation
TIPS Scale tools

Customize the Quick Access Display the classic menu

toolbar to display only bar by clicking Show Menu
SHOWPALETTES
commands you frequently Bar on the Quick Access
Restores the display of hidden palettes
use. toolbar shortcut menu.
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
HIDEPALETTES
Easily change the setting Quickly search for a variety Hides currently displayed palettes (including the
User Interface

of the polar, object snap, of information sources command line)

and object snap track from
the shortcut menu of these
drawing tools.
with one query and Tutorials
access product updates www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
and announcements with
InfoCenter. New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 Quick View Quick View
With Quick View, you can preview and switch between open FEATURES
drawings and layouts in a drawing by displaying them in a • Preview and switch between open drawings
two-level structure of thumbnail images. • Plot a current layout
• Publish multiple layouts
Plot Publish
Thumbnail images
for model space and
layouts in a drawing

Thumbnail images
of open drawings
New drawing
Pin Quick View
drawings
Close Quick
Open drawing
View drawings
QVDRAWING
Displays open drawings and layouts in a drawing in
preview images
QVDRAWINGCLOSE
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2009
TIPS Closes preview images of open drawings and layouts
in a drawing
Dynamically resize the Save all open drawings
QVLAYOUT
thumbnail images by by clicking Save All from
Displays the preview image of model space and
pressing Ctrl+Scrollwheel. the thumbnail image of a
layouts in a drawing
drawing shortcut menu.
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
QVLAYOUTCLOSE
Plot and publish a layout Close all open drawings Closes preview images of model space and layouts in
View Drawings

by clicking the buttons except the one you want a drawing

at the top corners of the to work on by clicking
thumbnail image when the Close Other Files on the
cursor is on it. shortcut menu of the
thumbnail image of the
drawing you want to
work on.
Tutorials
www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 Quick Properties Quick Properties
With the Quick Properties feature, you can create a customized FEATURES
properties panel for a specific object type or multiple object • Easily access commonly used properties
types in a selection. The Quick Properties panel displays the • Panel can appear floating or attached to the cursor
commonly used properties for each object type. when any object types are selected

Customize
button
Object type
Close panel
drop down list

Options

Properties list
2009

TIPS
Use the Quick Properties
button on the status bar to
control the on or off state
of the Quick Properties
®
2009
Customize the general
properties for undefined
object types using the
Customize User Interface

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
panel. (CUI) Editor.
Set the Quick Properties Clear the Auto-Collapse
Productivity

panel using the QPMODE option on the shortcut Tutorials

system variable to appear menu of Quick Properties www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
only for objects that are panel to display the panel
defined in the CUI Editor to at its full height. New Features Workshop
display properties. See product Help menu.
 DWFx DWFx
DWFx —the future of DWF™ technology— is based on the XML FEATURES
Paper Specification (XPS) format from Microsoft. DWFx files • Share drawings easily as DWFx files can be viewed on
can be viewed using the XPS Viewer, that is integrated into the Windows Vista and Windows XP (with IE 7)
Windows Vista® platform and Windows® Internet Explorer® 7. • Maintain precision as DWFx is a vector based format

PLOT
Plots a drawing to a plotter, printer, or file (DWF/
DWFx)
PUBLISH
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2009
TIPS Publishes drawings to DWF/DWFx files or plotters
DWFATTACH
Use dpi settings in the Re-create the default
Attaches a DWF/DWFx underlay to the current
custom properties of the plotter configuration file
drawing
DWFx plotter configuration using the Add-A-Plotter
MARKUP
file to control the file size. wizard.
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
Displays the details of DWF/DWFx files containing
markups; also enables you to change the markup
Share Drawings

When background plotting Drag drawings from the

is on, use the plotter icon to
view the status.
desktop into the Publish
dialog box to add sheets
to the list.
status and republish
Tutorials
www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 Geographic Location Geographic Location
Geographic location embeds location-specific references FEATURES
–expressed as real-world coordinates (X, Y, and Z)– in your • Include location information in your drawing
drawing. You can then send your georeferenced drawing for • Use geographic location information from Google
review. Earth™ files

To specify a
location on a
map

38° 0’6.36”N, 122°32’12.44”W

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2009
TIPS
Define a location by Import a specific location
importing a KML or from Google Earth™.
KMZ file into AutoCAD.
®

®
AutoCAD

AutoCAD
Display the latitude and Set the GEOMARKERVISIBILITY GEOGRAPHICLOCATION
Share Drawings

longitude values in the
status bar using the
Geographic option on the
shortcut menu.
system variable to see
geographic markers in
your drawing.
Inserts geographic location information in a drawing
Tutorials
www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu.
 Export Layout to Model
Space Drawing
The Export Layout to Model Space Drawing feature exports
visible objects from the current layout to the model space of a
new drawing.
New drawing
2009
TIPS
Solid hatch, in particular,
can take time to export
when clipped by a
viewport boundary.
®
AutoCAD
Share Drawings
As the command can
take a few minutes with
complex drawings, save
your drawing before
running the command.
Layout to be
exported
2009
Exchange drawings with
users of other model
space–based CAD systems.
AutoCAD
The results are best when
objects are not clipped
by viewport boundaries,
particularly xrefs, text, and
hatch objects.
Export Layout to Model
Space Drawing
FEATURES
• Maintain the same layout visual fidelity in model
space
• Automatically binds all external references to the
exported drawing
• Export objects that are outside the boundaries of a
layout
EXPORTLAYOUT
Exports layout to model space drawing
Tutorials
http://www.autodesk.com/autocad-tutorials
New Features Workshop
See product Help menu
Autodesk, AutoCAD, DWF, ShowMotion, SteeringWheels
and ViewCube are registered trademarks of Autodesk,
Inc., in the USA and/or other countries.
All other brand names, product names, or trademarks
belong to their respective holders.
Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings
and specifications at any time without notice, and is not
responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may
appear in this document. © 2008 Autodesk, Inc. All rights
reserved.