AutoCAD Tips to Work Smarter - March 2004
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Creating CAD Standards
CAD Standards are a set of guidelines established by a group of users sharing drawing files to facilitate the use and exchange of the data contained within the drawing files. Typically, a CAD Standard will cover the naming and use of layers and linetypes, the appearance of text and dimensions and title block formats.
More extensive CAD Standards will include the use of blocks and external references (linked drawing files) and may include drafting and design practices. Considerable time can be saved when all users adhere to the established CAD Standards.
CAD Standards Commands
Three new tools were added in AutoCAD 2002 related to CAD Standards: The Batch CAD Standards Checker, Layer Translator and CAD Standards Checker. In AutoCAD 2004, new CAD Standards Notification options were added.
Before CAD Standards can be checked, a standard must be established. The best place to start is with a template file. A template drawing is used to begin a new drawing. The new drawing will contain the layers, text styles, dimension styles, linetypes and layouts that exist in the template file. Different templates can be developed for different types of drawings and applications. (For more information on template files Click Here). Since the template file presumably contains all the settings used for a particular type of drawing, it is reasonable to assume these settings set a standard.
CAD Standards checking involves comparing the names of properties (layer, text style, dimension styles, etc.) in the current drawing to those in the standards file. Properties that exist in the current drawing, but are not in the standards file, have non-standard names. The individual characteristics of properties in the current drawing are compared to the standards file as well. The layer name Dimension may be a standard layer name, but the color, linetype or lineweight of the layer in the current drawing could differ from those in the standards file. This layer would have non-standard properties. The CAD Standards checker can not determine if objects are assigned to the proper layers, text styles or dimensions styles.
Let's examine the steps necessary to create a standards file for simple part drawings from an existing template file named Details.Dwt. Begin by opening the Details.Dwt template. Right-click and choose Save Target As to download the Details.dwt file.
Select the Save as... command from the File menu.
Change the Files of type to AutoCAD Drawing Standards (*.dws).
Click on the Save button. If you look at the title bar at the top of the screen, you will notice that the name of the current file now has an extension of Dws. Close the Details.Dws file.
Open the Details.Dwt again. To associate a CAD Standards file with the template (or drawing), select Tools > CAD Standards > Configure from the menu bar.
Click on the + button (1) to choose the Details.Dws file. You can choose more than one standards file.
The Settings button (2) allows you to enable automatic correction of non-standard properties. You can also control CAD Standards alerts in AutoCAD 2004.
Once a standards file has been selected, you can check the current drawing by clicking on Check Standards… button (3) or exit Configure Standards by clicking on the OK button.
Save the Details.Dwt template file.
Begin a new drawing using the Details.Dwt template.
Let's make a change to one of the items tracked by the CAD Standards alert system. Change the color of the Dimensions layer to Green.
If you are using AutoCAD 2004 and have enabled the status bar icon alert, the standards violation balloon is displayed as soon as you close the Layer Manager.
Left-click on Run Check Standards in the balloon to correct the problem.
The Check Standards window shows you the item in violation (1) and the change (2) that will occur if you fix the problem. Left-click on the Fix (3) button to correct the standards violation.
After the problem is corrected, the Checking Complete window is displayed. Left-click on the OK button.
Finally, left-click on the Close button in the Check Standards window.
The Dimensions layer is returned to its standard color.
CAD Standards Tips
Use a well thought out template file to create a Dws file.
Configuring the CAD Standards Checker in a template drawing will associate a Drawing Standard file with the template file. All drawings created with the template will automatically be configured as well.
The Drawing Standard file name is saved with the drawing, but not the contents of the file. Therefore, there is no need to reconfigure the CAD Standards Checker when the Drawing Standard file is changed.
The CAD Standards Checker can be used effectively to update drawings when office standards change.
Learn more about implementing CAD Standards, attend in CCAD's Effective CAD Techniques Workshop.
For information visit Click Here.