I wanted to share a valuable AutoCAD tip that has significantly improved my workflow, saving me a lot of time and effort.
Previously, I used to manually add scales to my drawings, which was quite time-consuming. I discovered a method to automate this process, allowing me to import all my frequently used scales with a single click. Here’s how you can set it up:
First, create a drawing with all your necessary scales (e.g., 1:20, 1:30, 1:40, etc.). Save this drawing and copy it into a dedicated folder for easy access. Make sure to clean up the drawing by removing any unnecessary elements and purging it to ensure it’s tidy.
Next, open the Tool Palette in AutoCAD (Ctrl + 3) and create a custom macro. You can draw a simple rectangle, drag it to the Tool Palette, and right-click to access its properties. Rename it to something memorable like “Lazy Scales.” the macro string will look like this:
^C^C_-insert;”G:/My Drive/01_BUSINESS/01_LAZYARQUITECTO/01_AUTOCAD/DRAWING-SCALES/SCALES.dwg”;^C(alert “SCALES ADDED TO THIS DWG”);
In the command string, insert the path to your saved drawing. Make sure to replace backslashes with forward slashes and enclose the path in quotes.
Test your new macro to ensure it functions correctly. It should insert the drawing in the background, making the scales available without physically inserting the drawing. To handle multiple scales efficiently, create a text object with annotative properties, add all desired scales, and save this as your template.
With this setup, you can now import your scales into any drawing effortlessly. Just use your custom macro, and your scales will be ready to go, allowing you to focus on more important aspects of your design work.
I hope this tip helps streamline your AutoCAD tasks as much as it has for me.
If you want to see all of our command macros in one place, check out our Patreon group.