Command and function of CAD Express Tools

The Express Tools of CAD fall into the following categories: layer management, block editing, text editing, dimension edit, file management, special drawing tools and so on.

Some express tools are very convenient and can greatly improve our working efficiency. The following are some of the commonly-used functions.

Layer Tools

LMAN: Layer States Manager can save the states of layers and allows the layer to switch at any time. We can also write a layer state to file or load files from files.

LAYMCH: Layer Match can match layers of selected objects with other objects’ layers.

LAYCUR: set to current layer is to move selected objects to current layers.

LAYISO: Layer Isolate, point-select or window-select objects to only display the layers of selected objects and other layers will be off, simplifying the graphics and is convenient to operate.

LAYFRZ: Layer Freeze, select one or multiple objects to freeze the layer of selected objects.

LAYOFF: Turn off a layer, select one or multiple objects, turn off the layers of selected objects.

LAYLCK: Layer Lock, select one or multiple objects, lock the layer of the selected object.

LAYULK: Layer Unlock, select one or multiple objects, unlock the layer of a selected object.

LAYON: Turn on all layers, to turn on all the layers on.

LAYTHW: Layer Thaw, thaw all the frozen layers.

Text Tools:

TEXTFIT: to set the text size, decrease or increase the text size.

TEXTMASK: to mask the overlapped objects behind the text

CHT: to batch modify the text properties

TXTEXP: to decompose a text into graphics objects, if the text is part of the design, we can use this method to decompose the text to lines and avoid any changes when opening text in a different environment.

ARCTEXT: text in an arc form, allows users to write text along the arc.

RTEXT: remote text or dynamic text, to link text in the TXT files, if contents in the TXT files are modified, the contents in the drawing will upgrade accordingly and automatically. We can also use DIESEL to define some dynamic text, such as date, the time of saving, drawing file names and so on. The function of the dynamic text is similar to the fields of CAD.

Block Tools:

BURST: to convert attributes to ordinary text. If we use the conventional method of EXPLODE, the attributes of blocks will show the label of attributes instead of the values of attributes, so using this method can directly break up the attribute values of the blocks.

BLOCKTOXREF: to convert the block to an external reference, an external reference can be converted to block by binding and block can also be converted to external reference using this method.

NCOPY: to copy nested objects, we can choose to copy a single graphic in the block without exploding blocks.

GATTE: modify the attributive text content of the block attribute, double click the attribute block to edit the attributes and we can also use BATTMAN tool to batch modify the attributes.

BCOUNT: to count the number of blocks, we can count the blocks of the entire drawing or selected objects and a list will show in history command. This command cannot be found in the command menu, but we can use it after installing express tools.

XLIST: to search block and Xref internal files.

Editing Tools:

MSTRETCH: to specify more than one crossing window or crossing polygon to identify the portions of the object that you want to stretch.

MOCORO：to move, copy and rotate, with this tool we can move, copy, rotate and adjust scale synchronically.

EXTRIM: to extend and trim, to trim all the objects inside or outside a closed object at one time

MPEDIT: to edit a multiline object

XPLODE: to explode objects and specify the properties after exploding

FLATTEN: to remove the z-coordinates of all selected objects and three-dimensional objects will be 2 dimensional

OVERKILL: delete overlapping objects, including overlapping data, overlapping lines or multilines so that the overlapping part won’t affect later editing.

Drawing tools:

SUPERHATCH: to fill picture, block, Xref as filling unit and to generate wipeout that matches the boundaries to cover the graphic behind.

BREAKLINE: to draw breakline

File tools:

MOVEBAK: to move back up files, to move back up files to a specified catalog.

PLT2DWG: to convert PLT file to DWG and this PLT file must be HPGL vector files.

Other tools:

ALIASEDIT: shortcut for editing commands in the dialog box and is more direct than directly editing PGP files.

SYSVDLG: system variable editor, to search and edit the system variables in the drawings and save the system variables in the drawings or read saved system variable files. GstarCAD also provides a tool that compares two drawing system variables and users can locate the problem when abnormal display occurs.

MKLTTYPE: the line type in line type files are defined by simple text, which can be difficult for ordinary designers. Using these tools can help us draw one to two units containing line and text and selecting these graphics can easily define a linetype.

The above are introductions of some of the commonly-used express tools, you can try as many as express tools as you want and choose the one that suits you.