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The Tutorials section provides over 100 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications. Michael’s Corner is an archive of productivity articles that brings you the best AutoCAD tips and tricks. Our Forum is a lively community where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Downloads area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free images.
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AutoCAD Productivity
“Best of” Basics: Irregular Viewport
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #145
Originally published: April 2016
When you need a viewport shape other than a rectangle, the first order of business is to be able to view the objects in Model Space at the desired scale. From there, you can create a polyline to essentially ‘crop’ the objects in Model space, then turn it into a viewport.
The best drawing for testing this is in the path…
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 20xx\Sample\Database Connectivity
If you have AutoCAD 2014 or prior, the drawing name is db_samp.DWG
If you have AutoCAD 2015 or later, the drawing name is Floor Plan Sample.DWG
How to Create an Irregular Shaped Viewport
Right-click on a layout tab and make a new layout with a large viewport.
Double-click in the viewport, then set the desired scale from the scale list on the Status bar. You may want to start with 1/64″ = 1′-0″ so you can see all of it.
Return to Paper space and create any closed polyline, spline or circle to be the viewport.
Note: If you are creating a Polyline, you must use the Close option if it is to be converted into a viewport. If you did not use the Close option, use Pedit and select the polyline, then use the Close option.
In this illustration, I created a polyline around the perimeter of the floorplan. (Ideally, this would be on a dedicated layer on which you typically create your viewports).
On the Layout tab, click Clip.
When prompted to select the ‘viewport to clip’, select the rectangular viewport.
When prompted to select the ‘clipping object’, select the polyline (or whatever object you created in Step 3, above).
AutoCAD will convert the polyline into a viewport and erase the original rectangular viewport!
See all the articles published in April 2016
Michael's Corner
Between 2003 and 2016, Michael Beall (and one or two guests) wrote almost 600 articles for CADTutor. The focus of these articles is AutoCAD productivity, and although some of them are now more than a few years old, most remain relevant to current versions of AutoCAD. The article above is just one example. Check out Michael's Corner for a full listing.
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Tip of the Day
Using Imprint to sub-divide faces
The Imprint command ( ) gives the first impression of nothing more than adding graffiti to solids. Upon closer investigation, however, we find that it actually modifies the face on which it is placed, effectively sub-dividing it. Sub-divided faces can then be extruded using the Extrude faces command ( ).
Procedure
- Create a box.
- Draw a line on one of the faces.
- Imprint that line on the solid.
- Use Extrude faces to extrude the sub-divided face.
To generate this modified part with Boolean operations would not be difficult but, as we all know, speed and accuracy are the name of the game. The procedure describe above can be auto-executed with the command macro:
^C^C_line;\\;_solidedit;b;i;\last;y;;;f;E;\;\\;;
The UI could benefit from some advanced programming, but if one pays attention to the Command Prompts, it's not so bad.
Note: This tip relates to versions of AutoCAD before 2007. Although the technique works with 2007 and above, the same operation can be achieved more easily using the Presspull tool.
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