PREFERENCES Command

Customizes AutoCAD LT settings

	Tools menu: Preferences
	Command line: preferences

The Preferences dialog box is displayed.

• Work Space Tab. Controls user-interface settings.
• Color Tab. Specifies color preferences for AutoCAD LT components.
• Font Tab. Specifies text font preferences for the AutoCAD LT command window and text window.
• System Tab. Specifies a number of general AutoCAD LT operating preferences.
• Printer Tab. Customizes printer or plotter settings and sets the current printer.
• Files Tab. Specifies the location of temporary files, support folders, and several default file names.

Work Space Tab (PREFERENCES)

Controls user-interface settings.

Show the Start Up Dialog

Controls whether the Start Up dialog box is displayed when you start AutoCAD LT. You can use the Start Up dialog box to specify settings in the new AutoCAD LT session.

Beep on Error

Controls whether a sound is emitted when AutoCAD LT encounters an input error.

Display Scrollbars

Controls whether the scrollbars display on the bottom and right side of AutoCAD LT.

Graphics Cursor Size

Controls the size of the crosshair. The allowable range is from 1 to 100 percent of the total screen. At 100% the ends of the crosshair are never visible. When the size is decreased to 99% or below, the crosshairs have a finite size, and the crosshairs' ends are visible when moved to the edge of the graphics area. The default size is 5%.

Right-Click Mouse Button

• AutoCAD Classic (Enter). Repeats the last command.
• Shortcut Menu. Displays a pop-up menu containing selections relevant to the previous action.

Shortcut (Accelerator) Keys

• MS Windows Standard. Follows Microsoft Windows standards in interpreting shortcut keys. For example, CTRL+C equals COPYCLIP.
• AutoCAD LT Classic. Interprets shortcut keys using AutoCAD LT standards rather than Microsoft Windows standards. For example, CTRL+C equals cancel. CTRL+C does not cancel dialog boxes.

Running Object Snap/Coordinate Entry Priority

• Running Object Snap. Running object snaps override specific coordinates at all times.
• Coordinate Entry. Specific coordinates that you enter override running object snaps at all times.
• Coordinate Entry (except scripts). Specific coordinates that you enter override running object snaps, except in scripts.

User Name

Specifies the user name inserted into your drawing with REVDATE.

Color Tab (PREFERENCES)

Specifies color preferences for AutoCAD LT components.

Window Element

Specifies which element you are changing.

Basic Colors

Sets the colors for the currently selected AutoCAD LT window element. Select a color or use the sliders to adjust the color.

System Colors

Resets the AutoCAD LT window colors to the default colors.

Monochrome Vectors

Displays all objects in a drawing in a single color regardless of layer and color assignments.

Font Tab (PREFERENCES)

Specifies text font preferences for the AutoCAD LT command window and text window.

Font

Specifies a text font from a list.

Font Style

Specifies a display style, such as italic, bold, or regular, for the selected font.

Size

Specifies the point size of the text font.

Font to Change

Specifies whether you are changing the font in the text window or the command window.

Sample Text Window Font

Displays a sample showing your changes.

System Tab (PREFERENCES)

Specifies a number of general AutoCAD LT operating preferences.

External Reference File Demand Load

Controls demand loading of xrefs. Demand loading improves performance by loading only the parts of the referenced drawing that are needed to regenerate the current drawing.

Always Create Backups (BAK)

Specifies whether a backup copy of a drawing is created when you save the drawing.

Maintain a Log File

Specifies whether the contents of the text window are written to a log file. To specify the location and name of the log file, use the Files tab. You can also control the log file using LOGFILEMODE and LOGFILENAME.

Save Thumbnail Preview Image

Specifies whether an image of the drawing should be displayed in the Preview area of the Select File dialog box. Save Thumbnail Preview Image is also controlled by the RASTERPREVIEW system variable.

Automatic Save Every

Choose Automatic Save to save your drawing automatically at the interval you specify. You can also set the interval using the SAVETIME system variable.

Pointing Device Input

Sets the current AutoCAD LT pointing device.

• System Pointing Device. Specifies the system pointing device, typically a mouse, as the AutoCAD LT pointing device.
  IntelliMouse Zoom Factor. Controls the response rate of zooming with an IntelliMouse wheel.


• Wintab Digitizer. Specifies a Wintab-compatible digitizing tablet as the AutoCAD LT pointing device.
  Digitizer Input from Calibrated Tablet Only. Specifies that AutoCAD LT accepts pointing device input only from the digitizing tablet, and only when the tablet is calibrated and tablet mode is on. If you have no tablet calibrated, this option is unavailable.
  Digitizer Input from Tablet or Mouse. Specifies that AutoCAD LT accepts pointing device input from the system pointing device in addition to the digitizing tablet.

Printer (PREFERENCES)

Customizes printer or plotter settings and sets the current printer.

Current Printer

Displays the name of the current printer.

List of Printers

Displays a list of the available printers.

Printer Description

Displays information about the currently selected printer.

Set Current

Makes the selected printer the current printer.

Modify

Reconfigures the selected printer. Select a printer from the list of available printers and choose Modify. In the Reconfigure a Printer dialog box, provide a description for the printer. Then choose Reconfigure. AutoCAD LT displays the text window with prompts for printer settings. If you just want to update the printer description, choose OK instead of Reconfigure in the Reconfigure a Printer dialog box.

New

Displays the Add a Printer dialog box. To add a printer, select a printer from the list of available printers, provide a description, and then choose OK. AutoCAD LT displays the text window with prompts for printer settings.

Open

Opens a printer configuration file. In the Replace from PC2 File dialog box, select the configuration file for the device you want to use. Then choose OK.

Save As

Saves the complete configuration information for a printer to a file. Specify a directory and name for the PC2 file. Then choose OK.

Remove

Removes the selected printer from the list of available printers.

Files Tab (PREFERENCES)

Specifies the folders in which AutoCAD LT looks for text fonts, menus, plug-ins, drawings to insert, linetypes, and hatch patterns that are not in the current folder. Also specifies optional user-defined settings such as which dictionary to use for checking spelling.

Search Paths, File Names, and File Locations

Displays a list of the folders and files used by AutoCAD LT. To specify a location for a folder or file, select the directory or file from the list. Choose Browse and use the Browse for Folder dialog box to locate the directory or file you want to use.

Support File Search Path

Specifies the folders AutoCAD LT searches for support files. In addition to the files required to run AutoCAD LT, you can specify folders for fonts, menus, drawings to insert, linetypes, and hatch patterns in the support file search path.

Menu, AutoSave, Log, and Default Internet Location

Specifies the names and locations of various types of files.

• Menu File. Specifies the location of the AutoCAD LT menu file to use.
• Automatic Save File. Specifies the path for the file that is created if you select Automatic Save on the System tab.
• Log File. Specifies the path for the file that is created if you select Maintain a Log File on the System tab.
• Default Internet Location. Specifies the default Internet location used by Connect to Internet on the Help menu.

Dictionary and Font File Names

Specifies a number of optional settings.

• Main Dictionary. Specifies the dictionary to use for checking spelling.
• Custom Dictionary File. Specifies a custom dictionary to use if you have one.
• Alternate Font File. Specifies the font file to use if AutoCAD LT cannot locate the original font and an alternate font is not specified in the font mapping file.
• Font Mapping File. Specifies the file that defines how AutoCAD LT should convert fonts that it cannot locate.

Print File Name

Specifies an alternate name to use for the temporary plot file name. The default name is the name of the drawing plus the file extension .plt.

Template Drawing File Location

Specifies the folder for the template files used by the start-up wizards.

Temporary Drawing File Location

Specifies the folder AutoCAD LT uses to store temporary files.