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user s guide

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using zwcad edition2011

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contents user s guide 1 1 1.1 introduction and installation 1 zwcad introduction 1 1.1.1 about zwcad and other cad software 1 1.1.2 comparing zwcad drawing with manual drafting 2 1.1.3 working with other data and programs 8 1.1.4 using advanced cad features 9 1.1.5 getting more information 9 1.2 installation 9 1.2.1 system requirements 9 1.2.2 installing zwcad 10 2 2.1 the user interface 11 menus and shortcut menus 11 2.1.1 menus 11 2.1.2 shortcut menus 11 toolbars 12 the command window 13 2.3.1 enter commands or system variables 13 2.3.2 edit within the command window 15 2.3.3 switch between dialog boxes and the command line 16 dynamic input 17 customize the drawing environment 17 2.5.1 set interface options 17 2.5.2 save and restore profiles 20 tool palettes 20 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 3 3.1 create and save a drawing 22 create a new drawing 22 3.1.1 start a drawing from scratch 22 3.1.2 use a setup wizard 22 3.1.3 use a template file to start a drawing 23 3.2 open an existing drawing 24 3.2.1 find and open a drawing file 24 3.2.2 work with multiple open drawings 26 3.2.3 recover a damaged file 26 3.3 save a drawing 27 3.4 error report 29

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4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 control the drawing views 31 redrawing and regenerating a drawing 31 magnify a view zoom 31 pan a view 35 use aerial view window to pan and zoom drawings 37 display multiple views in model space 37 4.5.1 set model space viewports 38 4.5.2 working with multiple drawings 40 4.6 save and restore views 41 4.7 specify a 3d view 42 4.7.1 view a parallel projection in 3d 42 4.7.2 setting the viewing direction 42 4.7.3 isometric 43 4.7.4 define a 3d view with coordinate values or angles 44 4.7.5 change a 3d view dynamically 45 4.7.6 hide lines or shade 3d objects 45 4.7.7 creating rendered images 46 4.7.8 creating custom rendered images 47 4.7.9 printing a rendered image 48 5 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 precision tools and the properties of drawing 50 specify units angles and scale 50 drawing limits 53 grid and grid snap 53 use object snaps 56 use polar tracking and object snap tracking 58 use orthogonal locking ortho mode 60 work with linetypes 61 5.7.1 load and use linetypes 61 5.7.2 change the linetype of an object 61 5.7.3 control linetype scale 62 5.8 work with layers 63 5.8.1 overview of layers 64 5.8.2 create and name layers 64 5.8.3 change layer settings and layer properties 65 5.8.4 filter and sort the list of layers 69 5.8.5 save and restore layer settings 70 5.9 work with colors 71 5.9.1 using index colors 71 5.9.2 using true colors 72 5.9.3 using color books 72 5.10 control lineweights 73 5.10.1 overview of lineweights 73

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5.10.2 display lineweights 73 5.10.3 change the lineweight of an object 74 5.11 control the display of overlapped objects 75 5.12 extract or calculate geometric information from objects 77 5.12.1 calculating areas 77 5.12.2 calculating distances and angles 79 5.12.3 displaying information about your drawing 80 5.13 specify intervals on objects 81 6 6.1 coordinates and coordinate system 85 coordinates 85 6.1.1 enter 2d coordinates 85 6.1.2 using three-dimensional coordinates 88 6.1.3 use coordinate filters 89 6.2 control the user coordinate system 91 6.2.1 coordinate system 91 6.2.2 control the user coordinate system in 3d 92 6.2.3 defining and naming user coordinate systems 93 6.2.4 setting the current user coordinate system 94 6.2.5 use ucs presets 94 6.2.6 control the user coordinate system 94 7 7.1 create objects 100 draw linear objects 100 7.1.1 lines 100 7.1.2 rays 101 7.1.3 construction lines 101 7.1.4 multiple-line objects 102 7.1.5 polylines 103 7.1.6 create polylines from the boundaries of objects 105 7.1.7 polygons 107 7.1.8 rectangles 108 7.1.9 points 108 7.1.10 traces 109 7.1.11 freehand sketches 109 7.2 draw curved objects 111 7.2.1 arcs 111 7.2.2 circles 114 7.2.3 ellipses and ellipse arcs 116 7.2.4 splines 117 7.2.5 dounts 119 7.3 create 3d objects 121 7.3.1 set 3d thickness and elevation 122 7.3.2 create wireframe models 123

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7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.3.3 create surfaces 124 7.3.4 create 3d solids 131 create regions 141 create revision clouds 143 create break lines 143 create wipeouts 144 8 8.1 modify objects 146 select objects 146 8.1.1 select objects individually 146 8.1.2 select multiple objects 148 8.1.3 quick selection 150 8.1.4 group objects 151 modify objects 152 8.2.1 remove objects 152 8.2.2 copy objects 153 8.2.3 mirror objects 154 8.2.4 offset an object 156 8.2.5 create an array of objects 157 8.2.6 move objects 160 8.2.7 rotate objects 162 8.2.8 align objects 164 8.2.9 scale objects 164 8.2.10 lengthen objects 166 8.2.11 stretch objects 166 8.2.12 trim or extend objects 168 8.2.13 wrap processing 173 8.2.14 create breaks 174 8.2.15 create chamfers 175 8.2.16 create fillets 178 modify compound objects 181 8.3.1 disassociate compound objects 181 8.3.2 modify polylines 182 8.3.3 modify multilines 186 use grips to edit objects 187 8.4.1 control status and displaying of grips 188 8.4.2 grip edit mode 189 8.4.3 multi-grips edit mode 192 modifying the properties of entities 195 modify 3d solids 196 8.6.1 fillet and chamfer 196 8.6.2 section and slice 198 8.6.3 modify faces of 3d solids 199 8.6.4 modify edges of 3d solids 204 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6.

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8.6.5 imprint separate shell check and clean 3d solids 205 8.7 use windows cut copy and paste 207 8.8 correct mistakes 208 9 9.1 notes and labels 210 create text 210 9.1.1 single-line text 210 9.1.2 multiline text 211 9.1.3 leaders 215 9.1.4 multileader 216 9.2 change text 218 9.3 work with text styles 219 9.4 checking the spelling of text 224 10 dimensions and tolerances 227 10.1 overview of dimensioning 227 10.2 use dimension styles 228 10.2.1 overview of dimension styles 228 10.2.2 control dimension elements 230 10.2.3 control dimension text 232 10.2.4 control dimension values 236 10.2.5 set the scale for dimensions 240 10.3 create dimensions 240 10.3.1 create linear dimensions 241 10.3.2 create angular dimensions 245 10.3.3 create radial dimensions 247 10.3.4 create diameter dimensions 248 10.3.5 create ordinate dimensions 249 10.3.6 create quick dimension 250 10.3.7 create arc length dimension 250 10.4 modify existing dimensions 251 10.4.1 modify dimension style 251 10.4.2 making dimensions oblique 252 10.4.3 modify dimension text 252 10.4.4 dimension jogged 254 10.4.5 dimension inspection 255 10.4.6 adjust dimension space 256 10.4.7 dimension break 257 10.5 add geometric tolerances 258 10.6 table 262 11 11.1 blocks attribute and xrefs 267 create and insert blocks 267 11.1.1 create blocks 267

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11.1.2 create drawing files for use as blocks 268 11.1.3 insert blocks 269 11.1.4 control the color and linetype properties in blocks 270 11.1.5 modify a block definition 271 11.2 define and use block attributes 272 11.3 reference other drawing files xrefs 274 11.3.1 attach external references 275 11.3.2 nest and overlay external references 277 11.3.3 update attached external references 278 11.3.4 edit external references 279 11.3.5 edit external references in place 284 12 hatches and realistic images 287 12.1 hatches 287 12.1.1 overview of hatch patterns and fills 287 12.1.2 define hatch boundaries 288 12.1.3 choose and define hatch patterns 292 12.1.4 solid 294 12.2 work with raster images 295 12.2.1 attach scale and detach raster images 295 12.2.2 modify and manage raster images 297 13 layout plot and publish drawings 304 13.1 create multiple-view drawing layouts 304 13.1.1 overview of layout 304 13.1.2 viewing drawings in paper space and model space 307 13.1.3 specify layout settings 308 13.1.4 create and modify layout viewports 312 13.1.5 create nonrectangular layout viewports 318 13.2 plot drawings 319 13.2.1 overview of plotting 320 13.2.2 plot settings 321 13.2.3 use plot styles 325 13.2.4 plot files to other formats 331 13.2.5 batch plot 333 13.3 publish drawings 333 14 share data between drawings and applications 335 14.1 saving and viewing snapshots 335 14.2 link and embed data 335 14.2.1 overview of object linking and embedding 336 14.2.2 import ole objects 337 14.2.3 export ole objects from drawings 340 14.2.4 work with proxy objects 345

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14.3 package a set of files for internet transmission 346 15 compile and work with customize applications 350 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 lisp 350 vba 352 sds 354 dcl 354 16 glossary 355

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introduction and installation 1 introduction and installation 1.1 zwcad introduction 1.1.1 about zwcad and other cad software zwcad is designed for anyone who wants a fast and efficient cad program with all the power and versatility of standard programs such as autocad® by autodesk® inc or microstation® by bentley systems inc at an affordable price using today`s advanced technology zwcad integrates the microsoft® windows® interface with a powerful cad engine zwcad provides unparalleled compatibility with autocad using most of the same file formats including those for drawings dwg files commands linetypes hatch patterns and text styles you can also use autocad menu files and run autodesk® autolisp® programs zwcad is more compatible with the autocad program than any other cad product delivers additional tools with advanced cad features and has a seamless microsoft® windows integration this powerful program provides a superb combination of features for cad users like architects engineers and designers zwcad incorporates standard features found in other cad programs along with features and capabilities you won`t find anywhere else its multiple document interface mdi lets you open and work with several drawings at the same time you can easily copy drawing entities between drawings using autocad legacy drawings zwcad fully supports autocad legacy drawings zwcad reads and writes dwg files in their native format without any loss of data from autocad 2009 back to version 11 including autocad lt® because zwcad uses dwg as its native file format no translation is required zwcad supports three-dimensional wireframes and surfaces three dimensional drawings can be displayed in wireframe hidden line view and surface shading zwcad supports displaying and working with raster images in your drawings when a drawing containing proxy entities is loaded into zwcad a message displays indicating that some entities will not display it`s easy to customize zwcad you can modify menus and toolbars create custom menus dialog boxes command aliases and scripts and add custom programs written in any of several programming languages including lisp and sdstm solutions development systemtm the program`s autodesk® adscompatible language there is also microsoft® visual basic for applications vba you can run existing lisp applications in zwcad with little or no modification zwcad uses the appload command so you can easily load lisp programs zwcad reads files that contain dialog control language dcl statements as well which 1

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chapter 1 makes zwcad compatible with dialog boxes created for autocad using autocad commands with zwcad because zwcad supports hundreds of autocad commands you use the commands you already know for example to draw a circle use the circle command to copy a circle use the copy command when you press enter or the spacebar you activate the command just like in autocad zwcad accepts the special characters used by autocad such as point filters for example .xy relative coordinates the symbol and the apostrophe the prefix for transparent commands zwcad function keys are also similar to those used in autocad.because you do not need to learn a new set of commands you are immediately productive with zwcad 1.1.2 comparing zwcad drawing with manual drafting zwcad greatly reduces the time and effort it takes to create and revise drawings not only can you produce accurate drawings faster you can also reuse the information in your drawings these are the primary reasons for making the transition to cad from traditional manual drafting on paper as with any tool however to use it effectively you need to be familiar with some of the special features functions and concepts of cad if you are familiar with manual drafting you`ll find some conceptual similarities in cad as well as some differences drawing to scale in traditional manual drafting you usually determine the scale of the drawing before you even start to draw because you are working with a sheet of paper of a fixed size you may have to reduce or enlarge the entity you are drawing to fit within the confines of the paper when you create a drawing in zwcad you draw everything full size you determine the type of units in which your drawing is measured if you are drawing a building 1 drawing unit might equal 1 inch if you are drawing a map 1 drawing unit might equal 1 mile your drawing environment and the cad drawing file itself are not limited to the size of a particular sheet of paper 1 drawing unit equals 1 inch 2 1 drawing unit equals 1 foot.

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introduction and installation as you draw you can use commands such as pan and zoom to work on different part of the drawing and to magnify the display of the drawing to view small details these commands have no effect on the actual size of the entities in your drawing they affect only the way the drawing is displayed on your screen only when you print or plot your drawing do you need to set the scale so that the printed drawing fits within a specific paper size using tools in manual drafting you use tools such as pencils rulers t squares templates erasers and so on when you create a drawing in zwcad you use a mouse instead of a pencil and you use the mouse to select other tools-commands you select from a menu or a toolbar you use some tools to create basic entities such as lines circles and arcs and other tools to modify existing entities for example to copy or move them or to change properties such as color and linetype organizing information in traditional drafting you often separate elements such as walls dimensions structural steel members and electrical plans onto separate translucent overlays when you want to print the working drawings you can create several different drawings by combining different overlays when you create a drawing in zwcad you use layers to organize elements in a similar manner however the layers feature in cad offers numerous advantages over physical transparencies the number of overlays you can combine to print a manually drafted drawing is limited by the printing process there is no such limitation in cad with zwcad you can define an unlimited number of layers any of which can be visible or invisible at any time you can name each layer and assign each its own color linetype lineweight and print style you can also lock individual layers to ensure that information on those layers isn`t altered accidentally 3

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chapter 1 use layers to organize drawing information drawing accurately when you create a manual drawing ensuring accuracy typically requires a lot of manual calculations and rechecking by contrast zwcad offers a number of drawing aids that ensure accuracy from the start for example you create and modify entities based on an underlying cartesian coordinate system every location in the drawing has its own x,y,z coordinates you can also display a grid as a visual reference to your coordinate system each position in the cad drawing has its corresponding x,y,z coordinates within cartesian coordinate system point 5,2,0 is 5 units to the right along the x axis 2 units up along the y axis and 0 units alongthe z axis from the origin the 0,0,0 point settings such as snap and entity snap allow you to draw accurately without specifying coordinates the snap setting forces the selected points to adhere to the grid increment or to any other increment you set entity snaps let you snap to precise geometric points on existing entities for example the endpoint of a line or the center of a circle another setting orthogonal constrains lines so that they are drawn parallel to the vertical and horizontal axes polar tracking and object snap tracking help you draw objects at specific angles or in specific relationships to other objects when you turn on polar tracking and object snap tracking temporary alignment paths help you create objects at precise positions and angles you will discover techniques that make specific design tasks easier paper based drawings lack the high degree of accuracy possible when using cad lines 4

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introduction and installation often overlap or fail to meet adjacent lines snap and entity snap force the cursor to adhere to a specified increment or attach to key geometric points on existing entities you can also constrain lines to vertical and horizontal axes drawing efficiently in paper based manual drafting you often have to redraw the same entity several times at different scales or from different vantage points you may also need to redraw the border and title block on each new sheet one of the most powerful features of zwcad is that when you create a drawing you can reuse individual entities borders and title blocks as often as you want you need draw an entity only once the final printed drawing can show the entity at several different scales and viewpoints you usually begin drawing in model space on the model tab creating the drawing a floor plan a map or a three dimensional part without regard to the final layout on paper when you are ready to print your drawing you have the option to switch to paper space on a layout tab where you lay out the drawing as you want it to appear on a sheet of paper you create the basic drawing in model space on the model tab 5

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