Black Box 4/BlackBox.cdr/autocad/datumd.arj/README.DOC

Text File | 1991-08-27 | 12KB | 319 lines

******************************* README.DOC ***********************************


Thank you for downloading DATUMDIM.LSP from the Autodesk forum.
Instructions on using DATUMDIM can be found at the end of this
document.  DATUMDIM.LSP has been uploaded to COMPUSERVE to give
AutoCAD users an idea of the great power of add-on utilities.

If DATUMDIM performs for you, please register your copy, by printing
out the included registration form and sending it and $25.00 to:

            DMC Design
            1919 Fruitdale Ave. #E-214
            San Jose CA 95128


DATUMDIM.LSP is one of the key features of The PROTAB System 4.0
Mechanical Enhancement utility for AutoCAD 10 and 11.  The PROTAB
System is an add-on utility for mechanical engineers, designers and
draftsman.  It greatly increases productivity and performance, while
improving accuracy, and reducing user error.  Some of the features
of The PROTAB System are shown below:


Features of The PROTAB System 4.00


o Restructured ACAD.MNU

o Automatic and manual datum line dimensioning -- DATUMDIM

o Automatic orthographic to isometric projection --  ISOPROJ

o Item ballooning -- BALLOON

o Reduced menu searching for commands -- QWIKSTART

o Multi function LEADER: with multiple text lines, with balloon,
  with triangle, and alignment with circle, etc. -- LEAD

o All types of exploding: Attributes, mirrored, to layer, multiple blocks.

o "HANDS OFF" automatic plotting utility -- PLOTTHIS

o Insertion &  scaling utility for users borders -- DSCALE

o Quick mathematic calculations -- MATH

o Select next drawing to edit from list on the screen menu -- START

o Select next drawing to edit by searching all directories on
  hard drive -- NEXT

o Unattended prplotting of multiple drawings -- PRSCRIPT

o Mechanical fasteners sizes #2-56 through 1/2-13

o All types of layer and  text manipulation and modification.

o Changing entity layers, linetypes, colors, etc.

o Easy creation of SLOTS & RECTANGLES

o Change multiple lines and arcs to POLYLINES -- CTOPLINE

o Export text to word processor & import corrected text into
  the drawing -- CHKTEXT

o Enter fractions in response to prompts for a number -- FRACT

o Replace multiple insertions of a block with a different block -- BLOCKREP

o Replace selected circles of a common radius, with a block. -- REPBLOCK

o Break a layout into .DWG's ready for detailing. -- DETAILS

o Fillet sheet metal command -- FS

o Automatically log plots to an ASCII file. -- (PLOTLOG)

o Insert a drawing by searching all directories. -- INSDWG

o Access CIRCLE & ARC quadrants at the rotation of the snap angle -- (QUAD)

o High productivity macros for the LINE & DIST commands

o Restore a view by selecting a point.  Display view locations. - VW

o Serial number protection to discourage illegal copying.

o Informational slides and symbol libraries

o Much more!

The PROTAB System contains utilities that, if purchased separately,
would cost over $700

The PROTAB System retails for $149, but is available to COMPUSERVE
members for $99.  If you have registered your copy of DATUMDIM.LSP,
you may purchase The PROTAB System for only $60.00


For more information on The PROTAB System 4.0, please write to:


            DMC Design
            1919 Fruitdale Ave. #E-214
            San Jose CA 95128


Or fax your request for information to:

            [phone]



************************* DATUMDIM.LSP *****************************


DATUMDIM.LSP is capable of automatically adding dimensions to objects you
select, as well as adding an identification string, DIM-CENTER marks, and
counting any CIRCLES it finds.  It also creates a list of the CIRCLES,
displaying their diameter, identifying string, and how many it found.  The
DATUMDIM command uses AutoCAD's dimensioning variables to maintain the integrity
of  your drawing.  New to this version of DATUMDIM is the ability to save
DATUMDIM's settings for each individual drawing.  Each time you use DATUMDIM
the settings are read-in from an ASCII file.  The file name is  that of the
current drawing with the extension .DD3 instead of .DWG

To load DATUMDIM automatically, please add the following lines to your
ACAD.LSP file:


    (DEFUN C:DD () (LOAD "DATUMDIM") (C:DD))
    (DEFUN C:DATUMDIM () (C:DD))


Or you may load it at the AutoCAD command prompt by typing:

    COMMAND: (LOAD "DATUMDIM")


To start the DATUMDIM command type:

COMMAND: DD <ENTER>

                 or

COMMAND: DATUMDIM <ENTER>

Please  wait... Reading DATUMDIM settings
Layer for dimension text <DIM>: <ENTER> or type layer name
Layer for dimension lines <DIM>: <ENTER> or type layer name
Autodim/Boundaries/Exit/Origin/Settings/Xdim/Ydim/<Exit>:

NOTE:  If no settings can be found from a previous session, the defaults
will be accepted, and the two lines above asking for layer names will be
displayed.



Definition of menu options
--------------------------

Autodim        Automatically places dimensions on selected objects.
        Dimensions may be placed on the  X axis, Y axis, or both
        X & Y axis.

Boundaries    This option sets (or resets) the left, right, top, and
        bottom boundaries for Autodim.

Exit        Exits the DATUMDIM command, and save settings to a file.

Origin        Sets, or reset, the 0,0 (datum origin).

Settings    Modify DATUMDIM settings

Xdim        Place dimensions along the X axis.

Ydim        Place dimensions along the Y axis.



Once you have selected a function, it will remain as the default until
you select another.

When selecting the Settings option, the following menu appears:

Circles/Dimensioning/Layer/Menu/Offset/Precision/Status:



Definition of menu options
--------------------------

Circles        Turn on or off the circle identification and DIM-CENTER
        placement

Dimensioning    Turn on or off the dimensioning of multiple occurrences
        of a  point

Layer        Change the text and extension line layers

Menu        Return to main menu

Offset        Turn on or off the offsetting option for the Xdim and Ydim
        options

Precision    Change the number of decimal places displayed for each
        dimension.  This option simply changes the setting of
        the LUPREC AutoCAD system variable.

Status        The status option flips you to the text screen and displays
        the status of many DATUMDIM settings



System Variables:
-----------------

DATUMDIM  makes  use of the following AutoCAD  system  variables to provide
accurate dimensioning: DIMSCALE, DIMCEN, DIMALT, DIMALTD, DIMALTF, DIMLFAC,
DIMTXT, DIMEXO, BLIPMODE, CMDECHO,  AUNITS.  The DIMSCALE and DIMTXT variables
work together to determine  the  correct textsize.  The TEXTSIZE variable
is  not used.   DIMSCALE  and DIMEXO determine the  spacing  between  the
selected   Dimension  to  point and the beginning  of  the  datum extension
line, and also the distance from the end of the  datum extension line to the
start of the text.  DIMALT toggles on and off the alternate units dimensioning
option providing you with a number such as:  4.625 [117.48]  The number in
brackets is a multiple of the first number and is usually in millimeters, but
the multiplication factor may be changed with the DIMALTF variable which has
a default of 25.4  By using the DIMLFAC variable, DATUMDIM can dimension parts
that have been scaled up or down.


Getting Started - Xdim/Ydim/Origin
----------------------------------

At  the main menu select Xdim.  As with all of the functions,  you may  start
them by typing in key letters such as X, Xd,  Xdi  or Xdim,  to start the Xdim
command.  If no origin has been set,  you are  asked to set the datum origin
(0,0).  You then select  where to  dimension  to.   The X dimensions tell the
X  location  of  a dimension, they are drawn with text rotated 90 degrees and
with vertical extension lines.  After selecting you will be asked to specify a
location for the X dimensions.  This location will be above or  below the point
selected for dimensioning, and it represents the point at  which  the dimension
line will end and the text  will  start.  After  specifying this location you
are prompted to  specify  an offset start point.  If you need to run the
dimension around some object you should use this option.  Once you are done
offsetting, the  text will be displayed and you have the option to accept  it
or  change it.  To accept it, press <ENTER>.  To change it  type the new text
and press <ENTER>.  If at any time you wish to relocate your Origin select
Origin at the main menu.


Boundaries
----------

The Boundaries option lets you set or reset the boundaries used by the Autodim
option.  For Y dimensions you are asked to specify a left boundary as well as a
right boundary.  The Y dimensions are placed horizontally to the left and right
sides of the objects being dimensioned.  When using the Autodim option  each
object is compared with the two boundaries and dimensioned to the closest of
the two boundaries.  If you wish to place all dimensions along a single
boundary, when defining the boundaries, you should make one of the boundaries
far away from the object being dimensioned, and the other in the location where
you would like the dimensions to appear.  During dimensioning, all of the
points will be closer to the one boundary, therefore all dimensions will go to
that boundary.  For X dimensions you are asked to specify Upper and Lower
boundaries.  X dimensions are placed along the X axis of the part being
dimensioned.  The text and extension lines are vertical.  For Y dimensions you
are asked to specify a left and right boundary.  Y dimensions are placed along
the Y axis of the part being dimensioned.  The text and extension lines are
horizontal.  Once the boundaries have been defined, a red box will be shown on
your screen showing you the boundary locations.  The box is not an actual
AutoCAD entity, and will disappear if you press REDRAW, so don't try to erase
it.


Autodim
-------

This option will automatically dimension selected objects.  You may choose to
dimension, the X, the Y or the X & Y axis.  When dimensioning circles, Autodim
spaces away the distance of the DIMCEN + DIMEXO variables from the center of
the circle.


Tips for success with Autodim
-----------------------------

While no computer program can read your mind (yet), DATUMDIM does try its best
to give you what you need.  To increase your datum dimensioning productivity,
here are a few guidelines to try and follow.

1)  When selecting a window of objects to Auto-dimension try and avoid
    selecting entities which have other entities hidden underneath them.

2)  When selecting circles, do not select the DIM-CENTER marks too.  DATUMDIM
    will interpret their selection as just two more lines to go ahead and
    dimension.  If you can remember, do not place the DIM-CENTER marks on the
    circles, let DATUMDIM do it for you.  Also, if you have two concentric
    circles, remember, you only need to dimension one of them.  If you pick
    them both, they will both be dimensioned.

3)  If you select plines, or objects which are considered by AutoCAD to be
    plines, such as ellipse, donut, and polygons, only the first point will
    be dimensioned, so if possible, explode these entities, or dimension them
    with the Xdim and Ydim options (manual).

4)  Blocks are dimensioned to the insertion point.

5)  Lines are dimensioned to the starting end of the line.  Assuming that your
    objects are a series of connected lines, you can select the whole set and
    theoretically it will dimension only one end of each line, therefore every
    point where two lines meet, a start and an end will be, and DATUMDIM will
    place only one dimension.