TAB button

Here is a real quick tip.

Have you ever needed a command that you used a few months back and you don't remember the exact key-in, but you might remember at least the first few letter?

What you can do is start to type the command at the command line and then hit the TAB key. The command line will scroll through all the command that start with those first letters you started with.

For example, lets say you wanted the the command to un-isolate layers after doing a layer isolate. You remember it starts with LAYU. Type LAYU at the command line and then hit the TAB key. It will scroll through all the commands that start with LAYU.

If you are bored you can can type one letter and scroll through all the commands that start with that letter.

I should correct myself and say that this doesnt jsut scroll through commands, but System Variables. Stuff that you don't use that much.

I almost always forgot the system variable to bring up the point style dialog box, but I know it starts with DDP. So I type DDP and hit the TAB a few times and then I see DDPTYPE and BAM, up pops up the point style dialog box.

For those of you using AutoCAD 2012, you will see a list of commands popping up while you type. But for all us using 2011 and before you can take advantage of the TAB key.

AutoCAD Quick Tip #1

Ok, It has been almost a year since I posted and I am going to try to at least make 1 post a week. To make sure I am going to keep this up I am going to post really simple quick tips.

The first one I will be giving you is Clean Screen.

Basically, if you aren't lucky enough to have a big 23"+ screen you will be hoping for more screen real estate. You probably have already set up your workspace the way you like. If you are a more advanced user you might have already set up different workspaces for different types or tasks (a topic I will cover in the future)

but,

If you just need more room to do something quick just do this.... "Ctrl+0" (control key+ the zero key). This will get rid of the ribbon and toolbars and open up your screen. When you want your ribbon and toolbars back just do "Ctrl+0" again and BAM they are back. If you are command line person the keyins are CLEANSCREENON and CLEANSCREENOFF.

added tip, if you want to get rid of your command line just do "Ctrl+9". This toggles the command line on/off.  Some people have even made the move to turn off the command line and just use dynamic input.

I should probably not mention this, but these tips could also be fun jokes to play on people who don't know about