Escape from Autodesk's madness

March 8, 2007 4:04 AM

AutocadFilter: I'd like to change two shortcuts that aren't possible via the "aliasedit" command.

The first one, I suspect, will be straightforward: I'd like a shortcut for Select the Object/Right-Click/Display Order/Send to Back (or front.)

The second thing I'd like to change is the Esc key. It would great if it could be F12 or something on the number pad (in addition to Esc). I'm so tired of accidentally hitting F1 and getting the help screen.

posted by DenOfSizer to computers & internet (10 comments total)

I dont know what version version of AutoCAD your using, so i will assume you have the latest (2007):

Please elaborate on your first question, as these shortcuts exist in the various mouse menus and there are a thousand ways to skin a cat in autocad

To remap your Function keys in AutoCAD 2007 see this link

Let me know your version and we'll keep tryin!
posted by Wezzlee at 6:24 AM on March 8, 2007

Hey Wezzlee - I'm on 2006. With regard to the first question, what i"m looking to do is just select an object and send it to the back, without having to rely on drop downs or right clicks. I'd love to hit "bk" with an object selected and just send it backwards. (I'm using a lot of wipeouts, so it's a drag re-ordering the drawing order.) It's under "Basic modify tools." The link looks great, I'm parsing through it now!
Thanks!
posted by DenOfSizer at 6:47 AM on March 8, 2007

I just added a "DW" alias in acad.pgp for draworder, and since is the default, DW[space][space] sends stuff back, DW[space]F[space] brings it forward.

Anything faster/shorter than that, and you need to do it in lisp
posted by misterbrandt at 7:02 AM on March 8, 2007

I'm not a cad manager, but I've worked with autocad for a long time and I'm pretty sure that the ESC key is hard-coded. Too bad that F1 is too :(
posted by Chris4d at 7:33 AM on March 8, 2007

If you really, really want to remap the ESC key in windows, the free program KeyTweak will do it for you. As long as you have the proper windows permissions/privileges (see your company's IT person).

As far as your draworder issue, misterbrandt's answer would work quite well. You could create a toolbar button to do it also.

A quick search in the AutoCAD newsgroups reveals this LISP routine that may help also. FYI; the varied AutoCAD related newsgroups are a great resource for little gems just like the one above.
posted by Wezzlee at 8:25 AM on March 8, 2007

I work with 2006, and I have a draworder toolbar already, but our CAD overlay system is pretty extensive so that might be a custom thing.

Otherwise, getting into your pgp file and tweaking the key settings in there is highly worthwhile, as some of the standard ones are really silly. For example: no one I know has to draw circles more than they use copy, so having C set to draw circles is just odd. Also, there are a lot of shortcuts in there that I didn't know existed for a long time; now pretty much everything in the draw and modify toolbars I do with key entry.

I'm so tired of accidentally hitting F1 and getting the help screen.

I feel your pain.
posted by LionIndex at 8:34 AM on March 8, 2007

I'm so tired of accidentally hitting F1 and getting the help screen

I was too, until i found these instructions and remapped it in AutoCAD! it is pretty much the same for versions 2006 & 2007
posted by Wezzlee at 8:47 AM on March 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

Man oh man is that going to make running AutoCAD from my laptop keyboard instead of my Model M a whole lot easier.
posted by Mitheral at 10:48 AM on March 8, 2007

On (way later) post, I meant "and since back is the default."

And I know at least one guy in my office who built a little cardboard shield around the F1 key to minimize collateral F1 damage. Wezzlee, that link is awesome. We are still on 2005, but as soon as we go 2007 (and CUI) I am definitely re-mapping F1, and telling everybody else in the office about it too. sweet!
posted by misterbrandt at 12:43 PM on March 8, 2007

2005, no prob, just edit the mns file:

Find your ACAD.MNS file. This should be in the C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2005\Support\acad.mns
Open the file in Notepad (or other text editor) and Find the section titled ***Accelerators
Add the following lines of text

["F1"]^C^C
[CONTROL+"F1"]'help

The first line turns a basic F1 press into the same as pressing the Esc Key, so you wont even know you've missed the Esc key. The second line still allows you keyboard access to help by pressing Control + F1.

Save the File and close. Restart AutoCAD, the F1 key should no longer bring up Help! Voila, say goodbye to your cardboard shield!

Props go to the most awesome: Lynn Allen
posted by Wezzlee at 1:29 PM on March 8, 2007