How To Place Horizontal And Vertical Dimensions Onto A Drawing?

AutoCAD Technical Design

Part 9 of 13 in our How To Use AutoCAD series

Placing dimensions in AutoCAD is essential for documenting your drawing. AutoCAD 2016 offers the same dimensions as the previous versions, that is: linear, aligned, angular, arc, radius, diameter, ordinate and jogged.

Using the “Linear” dimension command, you can create and place a horizontal, vertical or rotated dimension line.

You can accomplish this task by following these simple steps:

1.Locate the dimensioning tools in the Annotation panel, on the Home tab. Click on the drop-down arrow and choose “Linear”.  This will give us a horizontal or vertical distance between the selected points.

Locating AutoCAD Dimensioning Tools

2.Click on the snap points to specify the dimension line location.

3.Once you specify the dimension points, you have several choices: if you pull to the right, you’ll get horizontal measurement; if you pull upwards you’ll get vertical measurements.

4.Left click to complete the dimensioning and continue with your work.

In practice, you’ll probably have to create various dimensions, as well as utilize different dimension styles, depending on your project. For an all encompassing guide on using this AutoCAD feature check out CAD Tutor’s  AutoCAD Dimensioning Tutorial.

Top 5 Tips For Solving Your Common Digital Document Problems

Technology Support

As a PDF converter solutions company, we’re no strangers to document-related stress. We deal with it on a daily basis. And because of this, we’ve shared a number of tips that have made working with documents and their content less stressful.

We’ve covered solutions to some of the most stressful and, unfortunately, common issues that can pop up at any given time. To ensure you have a solution when you need it, we’ve collected some of our best hits into one single mashup where you can access and find that one tip you’re looking for.

We have the low-down on a good workaround if you are….

…Required To Send Both A PDF File And A Word Document

PDF Embedded Word File

It’s known that you could always add other files, like MS Word to PDF documents. But what about the other way around? This post on How to Attach a PDF File to Microsoft Word Documents  shows you an MS Office feature which allows you to do just that.  The feature we cover can be a timesaving workaround when you need to attach multiple files to an email.

…Working With An Expired Microsoft Office Subscription 

Now that Microsoft Office  is offered as a subscription service, free MS Word alternatives can act as a good emergency backup.  When your Office subscription expires, your documents are left uneditable, locked in viewing mode. And when it does, Google Drive is generally the number one solution. So for this, we included our post on using Google Docs and Sheets Add-ons which offers you a look at how you can create a research paper from beginning to end right in your browser if needed.

…Trying To Edit PDF Text And Pages

When you need to make changes to your PDF, your natural instinct is to do it directly on the page. Why ignore that knee-jerk reaction? This article on How to Edit a PDF Document will show you how you can naturally and intuitively make changes to both text and pages in your PDF without Acrobat.

…Struggling To Work Efficiently Between OpenOffice And Google Docs

Entering GoogleDocs Credentials

Working between a desktop and online document processor is now a quick and easy way to get things done. You create a document on your desktop, save it and then upload the file to the online application. But believe it or not, you can make things even simpler than that when working OpenOffice and Google Docs. How to Export Open Office Files to Google Docs features a tutorial on how to transfer OpenOffice documents directly from the application to the online suite with one simple extension.

…Stuck With PDF Documents In a Different Language

Can’t speak 50 different languages? Don’t worry. We included our post on How to Translate PDF Documents without Learning Another Language to this list because working with PDFs in other languages can be a part of how you categorize, research and process documents in your work. In the post, you’ll learn a few ways to translate PDFs on-the-spot with the help of the web.

We know this list is short compared to the list of document-related problems you may have. But let us know what document issues you need a workaround for in the comments and we’ll see if we have a post on it that we can add to the above.

How To Quickly Create Perfectly Parallel Lines, Parallel Curves And Concentric Circles?

Part  8 of 13 in our How To Use AutoCAD series

While working in AutoCAD, you’ll often come across a situation where you need to draw perfectly parallel lines, rectangles or circles. Whether they’re for designing a structure, designing a machine part, or creating an object, precision is the goal.

Since it’s extremely important to be as accurate as possible when working on your drawings, the best way to quickly create perfectly parallel shapes is by using the “Offset” command.

The “Offset” command in AutoCAD 2016, is located on the bottom right of the Modify panel, on the Home tab.

Locating AutoCAD Offset Command

Here’s how to use the Offset command:

1.Draw a shape that you would like to offset.

2. Click on the Offset command (bottom right on the Modify panel).

3. Select the Offset distance. You can do this in two ways. The first is to enter the distance manually into the number box. The second way is to left click on a blank space in the drawing window and then move your cursor in any direction.

4. Select the object to offset. Left click on the object and you will get a perfectly parallel copy.

Using AutoCAD Offset

 

As a general rule of thumb, don’t forget to use Offset when drawing stairs, concentric circles or any other element. This command will save you a ton of time editing and re-adjusting your drawing by getting them right the first time around.

How To Go From Full Time MBA Student To Productive Business Pro In Less Than 5 Tips

Empty Meeting Room

You’ve graduated. You’ve secured a job. Now what? As the reality sinks in, you’ll realize that getting that coveted position was only half the battle.  Making the leap from a full time student to a full time professional is the other, much tougher, half.

By far, the biggest challenge is finding the right balance as you adjust to your new position.  It calls for a shift in your daily habits, your lifestyle, and your productivity. And effective tech habits are part of that. They’re crucial to how we work. If they can’t be efficiently put to use, neither will your time.

Obviously, we all have our own ways of working with tech. Yet what habits you had in business school might not work in your new position.  Fortunately, it’s possible to make a smooth transition with a few productivity tech tips that will keep you on track and well-adjusted.

1. Optimize Your Computer Workflow

To start, make sure your computer is set up to complement the way you need to work. Put your everyday files within one or two clicks by optimizing your desktop station with Dropbox. A simple cloud service like Dropbox can keep you constantly connected and highly organized.

If you’ve used this as an MBA student then you know how well it can back up your documents across mobile and desktop platforms. And as a business pro, it can bump up your productivity by using it to create an effective file folder and labeling system.

File Folder Case

How:

Labeling your folders is key. When working with documents, we usually work with them as a part of an on-going process.

So name your folders according to stages in your work: Working Drafts, Documents To Review, Finalized Documents, and so on. Then create subfolders for different categories—Clients, Office documents, Monthly reports, and the like.

This system lets you instantly dig up and locate a file according to where it is in the workflow rather than having to sift through broad categories first.

2. Stay On Track With A Personal Task Manager

Make sure you set up a good daily routine that includes a task list.  Setting up goals safeguards your time and keep you from multitasking because the amount of time spent on different things doesn’t always equate to productivity.

An app like To-Doist is simple yet powerful enough to keep you on task. It has both a web and free app that are easy to use.

How:

To work effectively, sort your tasks by priority and length of completion time. Tasks of high priority with short deadlines go to the top of the list. Low priority tasks with longer deadlines go at the bottom.

For on-going jobs, break them down. Schedule them in for the next day at the end. This way you’re constantly working on them bit by bit until completed.

Also, reserve blocks of time for emails, phone calls, lunch, and frequent breaks to prevent you from getting side tracked and ensuring that you have a well balanced routine.

Scheduling your day is important during the first weeks when you’ll naturally be working slower than usual. Setting up your task list like this allows you to focus and give you time to accomplish one task at a time.

3. Boost Your Mobile Phone 

 For the first week, you will probably be shown around the company as part of your orientation. Remembering everything from procedures to document processing is key.

Simplify this by getting an app that can raise your mobile productivity.  For instance, an app like Evernote is a popular utility that will let you take notes right on the spot.

Uploading Files To Cloud

How:

Create a New Note for every reminder you need and categorize them into Notebooks for different aspects of your orientation: Procedures, Team Members & Roles, Clientele, and so on.

The best part is that you aren’t limited to typing your notes. You can record voice memos when you don’t have time to type and take snapshots of examples you may need for reference later on.

With the many services and apps you can use, Evernote becomes a powerful cheatsheet tool that can make the first few weeks a breeze.

4. Connect With Professionals Online

As the new kid on the block, you’ll want to be prepared for any project that comes your way. Whether this means turning to an image editing tool for custom graphics and media projects or YouTube videos for MS Office how-to’s, you should have the right resources at your fingertips.

For times when you need guidance and advice, you should join Quora, one of the top Q & A sites where you can connect with experts.

How:

If you follow top business influencers in your field, you can gain valuable insight based on real life experience.

The advantage of this site is that you can get in touch directly with professionals. First, you can visit their profiles and send them a simple message introducing yourself.

Or second and more effectively, you can use the network’s Ask to Answer feature. This allows you to have your question sent to a professional of your choice directly. So the more active you are the better a resource Quora can become!

You’ve worked hard to earn your position, so don’t let a few snags affect your performance. There are many ways to improve your technical game. Use what works for you. Give these tips a test run and let us know how you plan on making the transition easier.

How to Calculate CAD Scale Factor?

Industrial Technical Drawing

Part 7 of 13 in our How To Use AutoCAD series

When working in AutoCAD, you’re not only working with objects and drawings, you’re also working with dimensions and measurements. The latter two elements are what can make or break your drawing. If you can’t resize basic values when you need to, your drawings can’t be as accurate as needed.

Calculating a scale factor in CAD is, thus, a simple, but important task. When the drawings are printed for production, they’re represented much smaller than they actually are. Hence, we need to understand and implement the scale factors in order to adequately size dimensions, text, blocks and lines.

In short, the scale factor is the relationship between our printed units and our drawing units.  The simplest way to calculate the scale factor is by using these simple formulas.

For calculating scale factor out of architectural drawing scale:

  1. Choose your scale. For example:  1/4” = 1”
  2. Invert the fraction and multiply by 12 to get:  4/1 x 12 = 48
  3. Your scale factor is 48

For calculating the scale factor from an engineering drawing scale, only multiply the feet by 12. For an in-depth look at both engineering and architectural scales, check out this tutorial on CAD Scale Factors by ArchToolbox.