File | Layers | Settings | View | Undo | Modify | Query | Model |
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The Home tab opens up numerous functions you can use to view and modify your CAD drawing as explained below:
File
- Append: This option allows additional data files to be added.
- Export: This option will export the current data to the chosen file format as seen below.
For more information on exporting to AutoCAD, please click on the following link: Exporting to AutoCAD
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Adobe PDF: This option will export the data to a PDF format allowing the user to view CAD drawings in Adobe Reader.
Layers
- Status: Allows all active layers in the current CAD drawing to be selected and modified. The status dialog box will open displaying each layer within the CAD model, together with their status and the number of elements (Size) each layer contains.
Status Dialog Box:
The 'Current' option will change the selected layer to become the current one. When this function is used simultaneously with 'Search Current Layer Only' active, this forces the current layer to be used for all operations such as querying and deleting.
The 'Active' option will turn selected layers back on to be viewed and modified.
The 'Visible' option allows users to view elements on a layer but they can't be modified. When the function is active with the 'Exclude Visible Layers from Extents' simultaneously, users can see the elements on the select layer and exclude them when zooming to extents.
The 'Off' option turns off the selected layer so it is no longer visible and no longer usable however the elements on the layer will still be included in the extents of the drawing.
The 'Inactive' option turns off the selected layer so it is no longer visible or usable but it remains within the extents of the drawing.
The 'Rename' option enables users to change the name of the selected layer.
The 'Delete' option will remove the selected layer from the list.
The 'Invert' option will select all the currently unselected layers in the list.
The 'Copy' option allows users to copy and paste layers onto a different CAD drawing.
The 'Report' option creates a typed report of all layers within the Status dialog box.
The 'New' option allows users to create new layers which will appear in the Layer Status list.
- A layer name can be up to 255 characters long (double-byte or alphanumeric) and include letters, numbers and spaces. Layer lists are sorted alphanumerically, with special characters first, numbers in value order and alpha characters in alphabetic order.
- The following special characters can also be used when creating layer names: (< > / \ " : ; ? * | = ')
The 'Properties' option will open a dialog box where users can view and configure the default settings of the selected layer.
The 'Layers' option will open a dialog box with all the possible layer options users can add to the Layer status list.
The 'To Project' option copies all the selected layers and their properties to the n4CE project which can be used in other drawings. This is an excellent way of setting up new layers for use in a project as it allows them to be copied from an existing drawing, whilst simultaneously maintaining all the colours and other settings.
The 'Snapshots' option was created to streamline the task of turning layers on and off. The function allows users to create, update and delete customised lists of layers that are built for specific uses e.g. A user creates a list of buildings and road layers, this snapshot can then be selected in future drawings to speed up the work process.
- Get: When used, the selected elements layer will become the current layer.
- Set: Will replace the layer of a feature with the currently selected layer.
- Off: Turns off any selected features that aren't part of the current layer.
- Cut: Cuts a feature from a CAD drawing and pastes it into a different one in a project.
- Copy: Copies a feature from a CAD drawing and pastes it into a different one.
- Paste: Will Paste any feature that has been Copied or Cut from a different CAD drawing.
Settings
- Pens: This option allows you to modify the parameters set for the pen when drawing in CAD.
The 'Pens' group box allows users to select a new colour from the list menu. For more information on Pens, please click the following link: Pen Settings
The 'Attributes' group box allows users to replace all the elements drawn in a certain colour with a new colour. This feature can be used to display, print or both. The weight of the line (Thickness) can also be configured in the same way.
The 'Display' group box gives users a list of options to change the thickness of all lines. Users can choose to draw in colour and then print in black and white only by selecting the 'Print in Black and White' option.
When selected the 'Display Line Weights on Screen' will display all lines at the chosen 'Default Line Weight', otherwise lines will remain at a weight of 0.00mm.
The 'Wide Line Width' drop-down list option allows users to change the line thickness whilst using the 'Wide Line' option in the properties menu.
- Lines: By selecting this option, a new dialog box will appear once the user selects a line feature. The user can view and modify certain attributes in the dialog box.
- Text: Users can use this option to configure the default values of the text in the CAD drawing.
Any changes applied in Text settings will affect all NEW text generated. Once the Text is plotted, users can change the associated settings by selecting the plotted text, an attributes dialog box will open allowing the configuration of the colour, style, words, justification and the frame.
Text Attributes Dialog Box |
The 'Style' drop-down box allows users to select a new style when plotting text. The three-dot option enables users to configure the text styles i.e. font style, size, spacing etc.
The 'Angle (ddd.mmss)' drop-down box allows a preset angle to be applied when plotting using '1 Point text'.
The 'Size (mm)' drop-down box allows users to change the size when plotting text.
The 'Stretch' drop-down box allows users to stretch text when plotting with the '1 Point Text' function.
The 'Hz Justification' drop-down box allows users to horizontally change the positioning of the text about the plotted point.
The 'Vt Justification' drop-down box allows users to vertically change the positioning of the text about the plotted point.
(The Justification functions are also found in the dialog box that appears when querying a point)
The 'Framing' drop-down box allows users to add or change the framing when plotting text.
The 'Always Readable' option box will ensure that any text plotted is at a readable angle and not plotted upside-down.
- Point: Users can use this option to modify the style and size of the points on the CAD drawing.
The 'Styles' and 'Size' drop-down boxes allow users to change the appearance when plotting points.
View
- Redraw: This option allows users to redraw the CAD drawing to populate any additions or alterations up until that point.
- Extents: When selected, all the data on the CAD drawing will be visible in the viewport.
Extents not selected |
Extents selected |
- View Locations: Allows users to save and recall the current view in a 2D format in a Model or CAD - see video below. For more information, please click on the following link Named View Locations
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UCS - (User Defined Coordinate System): Allows the user to align data to North neatly. This is done by selecting a false origin point and an X-axis to re-align the data to be square to the screen. When selected, users can Apply, Remove, Delete and Create new origins. The origins coordinate can also be applied to the backcloth models by clicking the option at the bottom left of the dialog box. For more information, please click the following link: User-Defined Coordinate System
A video example of this is displayed below.
Undo
- Undo: Will remove the last command carried out by the user.
- Redo: Restores the last command that was removed.
- Flush: Clears the Undo history completely so there is no longer an option to Undo or Redo from that point.
- Enabled: Allows the user to Enable and Disable the Undo/Redo function.
- Flush On Save: When enabled, this function will clear the Undo history when the project is saved.
Modify
- Delete: Remove a designated element.
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Move: Moves elements from their origin to a new location.
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Copy: This will duplicate the chosen element.
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Show: When this option is selected, a new dialog box will open to display the attributes of the chosen element.
Query
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Point: Will query the coordinates of a location.
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Distance: This will query the distance between two locations.
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Running: This will query the distance between a series of locations.
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Offset: Calculates the chainage and offset of a point from a baseline.
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Area: Query an area defined by a series of locations.
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Angle: Will query the angle of three locations.
Model
This tab allows the user to add notes to the project which are time-stamped for referral purposes.
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