MicroStation Tips» AccuDraw Tips

Axiom releases V8i Essentials — Draw Accurately, another LearningBay MicroStation training course for V8i.

MicroStation Tips — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:46:13 +0000

Axiom’s self-paced MicroStation e-learning courses allow users to learn from MicroStation gurus without having to travel around the country or sit in a course room. In fact, any user can learn new skills or brush up on existing knowledge without leaving his or her desk!

This course is an introduction to AccuDraw, a design and drafting aid that assists in the drawing process. It starts by introducing the Cartesian Coordinate System and how MicroStation uses precise key-ins to place geometry. Then it continues to show how AccuDraw can be used during the design process. Upon completion, students will be able to:

Start, stop and suspend AccuDraw and AccuSnap, as required.
Toggle between the Rectangular and Polar Modes.
Use important AccuDraw Shortcuts when placing geometry.
Design productively using AccuDraw.

To speak directly with an Axiom MicroStation consultant about Axiom’s line of MicroStation training solutions (including on-line and in-house, customized training), call 727-442-7774 extension 1854 or visit Axiom on the Web.

Quick Access to Past Values in AccuDraw

MicroStation User — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:56:40 +0000

AccuDraw is a truly fabulous tool for design work. Something you may not be aware of, to speed up even more, is that you can use the “Page Up” and “Page Down” keys to cycle backward and forward through past key-in values. This is great if you have to make lots of entries of similar distances, but not the same one over and over which AccuDraw already does well. For example you are drawing a line string. The first segment is 6’:6”, the next is 8’:4.5” and you want to reuse the 6’:6” value again. Lock to the appropriate axis and hit page up twice and then data point. The new segment will be 6’:6”.

Using AccuDraw to Modify Elements

MicroStation User — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:54:35 +0000

AccuDraw can be a great time saver in modifying certain types of elements quickly and with precision. For instance if you have a line selected, with AccuDraw active, just click on one of the handles, type in a length value and Presto!; you have a line that exact length. Have you ever wanted to change the vertices of a linestring from sharp to rounded. With AccuDraw active select the modify element tool and data point on a vertex. Notice the tool settings box displays the vertex type button and the rounding radius field. To change between sharp, rounded and chamfered just hit the key with the tilde (~) on it and AccuDraw “bumps” the value between the three. Set the rounding radius or chamfer offset and data point. You’re done.

Faster Key-ins with AccuDraw

MicroStation User — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:53:45 +0000

When you are typing values in AccuDraw did you know that you can use the semicolon or the colon as the working units separator?
No need to use the shift key so you can keep you hand on the mouse.
Want to draw a line segment 1’-4”?

With AccuDraw running Place the first point, lock to an axis and type 1;4, then data point.

Quick access to past values in AccuDraw

MicroStation User — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:52:36 +0000

AccuDraw is a truly wonderful tool for design work that speeds up your production. But something that you may not be aware of is that you can use the and keys on your keyboard to cycle through past key-in values. This is great to know when you have to make lots of entries of similar distances, but not the same one over and over.

Here is a really simple example. Let’s say you want to draw a rectangle that is five working units wide and ten working units long. You would place your first line segment (five working units) and then the next line segment (ten working units). For the third segment you would want to re-use the first value, so you would lock to the appropriate axis and hit until you find the value you need. If you go past it, you can hit to go back. Do the same for the fourth segment and you’ll have your rectangle.

While using AccuDraw, by pressing on your keyboard’s and buttons, you can quickly access values you have used before.

Changing the AccuDraw coordinate units

MicroStation User — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:50:43 +0000

Ever wanted your AccuDraw window to display North (N) and East (E) coordinates instead of X and Y? Well, you can change that! In the Key-in window (Utilities | Key-in) type the following:

accudraw settings northeast

The AccuDraw dialog box will look like the image below.

To change it back to XY, key-in:

accudraw settings xy

Thanks to Khoi Dinh-Vu of the Australian magazine ControlAltDelete for this tip.