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CADTutor delivers the best free tutorials and articles for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and associated applications along with a friendly AutoCAD forum and an AutoCAD FAQ. If you need to learn AutoCAD, you're in the right place. Visit the AutoCAD tutorials page for more information or see our tip of the day to start learning right now!

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The Tutorials section provides over 80 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications such as Photoshop and Bryce. Michael’s Corner is a monthly article that brings you the best up-to-date AutoCAD tips and tricks. The CADTutor Forum is a lively bulletin board where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Download area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free digital images.

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Michael’s Corner - November 2008

Actions and Edits

November is the month (at least here in the northern hemisphere) when the days get noticeably shorter and many of us will be leaving work of an evening in the dark.

So, to brighten up your day, CADTutor brings you another helping of tips, tricks and insights from Michael Beall.

The November Corner has lots to commend it. Those of you who have yet to dabble with the new Action Recorder in AutoCAD 2009 will get a useful introduction. There is also a nice little trick with alternate units and… well, why not take a look for yourself.

Image of the Week - 12th May 2008

Image of the Week is a new feature that showcases some of the best work from our forum members. Each week, a new image will be displayed here on the homepage. If you'd like to see your work displayed here, why not join the forum and submit your best images.

New FAQ Section - 1st February 2008

I am very pleased to announce the launch of the CADTutor AutoCAD FAQ. The idea is to provide model answers to the most frequently asked questions about AutoCAD. It's a fantastic new resource that will continue to grow in the future. I hope you find it useful. The FAQ has been developed with the help of some of our most gifted forum members and I am very grateful to them. Do let us know what you think of our latest endeavour.

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Tip of the Day

AutoCAD Expert

Are you an expert in AutoCAD? Well according to Autodesk you aren't, well not unless you tell the program otherwise. The EXPERT system variable (default 0) can be changed so that annoying "Are you sure?" commands will go away. Here is the list and what they do:

EXPERT = 0

Issues all prompts normally.

EXPERT = 1

Suppresses "About to regen, proceed?" and "Really want to turn the current layer off?"

EXPERT = 2

Suppresses the preceding prompts and "Block already defined. Redefine it?" (BLOCK) and "A drawing with this name already exists. Overwrite it?" (SAVE or WBLOCK).

EXPERT = 3

Suppresses the preceding prompts and those issued by the LINETYPE command if you try to load a linetype that's already loaded or create a new linetype in a file that already defines that linetype.

EXPERT = 4

Suppresses the preceding prompts and those issued by UCS Save and VPORTS Save if the name you supply already exists.

EXPERT = 5

Suppresses the prompt, "That name is already in Use, redefine it?" issued by the -DIMSTYLE Save option when you supply the name of an existing dimension style.

Today's tip is by Sean Nesbitt

Missed a Tip?

Did you miss yesterday's tip? Maybe you forgot to drop by or maybe you don't visit over the weekend. If so, you can now see all the tips published during the past week. Also, if you have a tip you'd like to share with us, you can post it on our forum and if we like it, we'll publish it here.