Topic Title

Can hot key be set up, i for Indentify and set? Like I is for Indendify.

Hello Curt,

If you are using the full version of DataCAD (as opposed to LT), then sure; Alt-I (ID/Set All) is the granddaddy of all shortcuts!

Code: Select allI^·^È^;^S1^$^S8^S0¸^É

Copy and Paste this into the DataCAD/Support Files/DcadWin.MCR file at the approriate location, and that should do it! (If you are using v10 or earlier, it is in the SUP folder.) Enjoy.

Neil,

Are you saying Alt-I (ID/Set All) will not work in 10LT?
If so, where does the problem lie?

Hello,

This is one of the features that is not included in DataCAD LT, because it is a "light" version of DataCAD. They give you a lot of powerful features, like all the 3D and MSP plotting, but they had to leave out some things -- otherwise who would buy the full version? (Creating XRef's and the file size limit are the other major ommisions, I think?) You can always upgrade, and you essentially get full credit for the cost of LT, IIANM.

Thanks for the info. I can stop driving myself crazy now, after copying,pasting, etc. in my sup folder and modifying the mcr file!


Wolverine

Ok, let's turn this into even more of a learning experience.

I hear everyone saying about using Identify/Set All. I never use this, mainly because I don't fully understand how it works. How about a bit of tutorial.

Is it similar to a Match Properties command?

If you use Identify you get a side menu list of things like:

Entity
Layer Name
Color
Linetype
Spacing
Line Weight
Overshoots
Z-Base
Z-Height

If you click on any of the above items DataCAD will make that item current. So if you pick the Layer Name then you get set to that Layer. If you pick the Color then that color is made current.

Down at the bottom there is a button labeled Set All. If you click on this then all of the above settings are made current. You are set to that layer, color, linetype, etc... So if you had clicked on an entity you wanted to start using all of it's settings then it is as easy as clicking on it.

Then there is the Alt-Key keyboard macro:

I^7#^$^S8^S0^

This allows you to locate your cursor over an entity that you want to "Set All" to. Press Alt+I and the macro then sets everything to match instantly!

Hope this helps.

Hello Greg,

Identifiy/Set All is the easiest way to change the active layer and then just draw on the new layer. You do not need to open the Layer menu, or Layer Manager, or use the Tab key, to change the active layer.

When I saw this for the first time, I did not see the power, either. But after I tried it -- it became very obvious how great this shortcut is:

Place the cursor near a line, that is on a layer you want to draw on -- hit Alt-I -- and draw!

Simple, but very important.

I use "Identify" all the time ("I" or "i", after modifying those magic 140 and 141 lines in the .msg file), then set what I want.

The thing I don't like about the Set All part of it is that it sets z-base and z-heights. One of the guys that used to work here did the "Identify/Set All" thingy all of the time, which led to **NASTY** "z" settings ... which seemed to compound the more he used it. That would then lead to other z-related problems. Therefore, I stay away from that shortcut, and am pretty quick to express my opinion to others that want to use it.

I wish we could set, as some sort of default, what the "Set All" actually set, so I could turn off the "z" stuff. Then I would use it.

Just my opinion...

Now that I'm thinking of it, I **CAN** set the Alt-I to set what I want ... without the z's!!! Just modify the shortcut. I keep forgetting that the "Alt" keys use the same code as the toolbars!!!

DUH!!!

Ah...I see my thinking problem. I was thinking it works like a change all the information of an entities to match another.

More in the line of using it to get your settings when doing something new.

We had problems with Alt+I when set as the typical Identify/Set All for the reason stated above (crazy Z settings). I modified the one that we use to:

I^;^7#^$^F1^F2^F3^F4^F5^F6^F7^F0^F1^F2^F3^F4^F5^S0^
//identify/set most

This will Identify/Set everything except the Z values (including Hatch parameters).

Since making this change the number of crazy drawing crashes has decresed by 90%. (We had a number of details that had been based on manufacturers' ACAD dwg files that contained crazy Z values - these migrated to other drawn entities by way of the earlier Identify/Set All keyboard macro).

I^;^7#^$^F1^F2^F3^F4^F5^F6^F7^F0^F1^F2^F3^F4^F5^S0^
//identify/set most

From the F0 on this doesn't make sense. It does nothing except reset the F1-F5 information. There is no F0.

Can you explain this more?

I^;^7#^$^F1^F2^F3^F4^F5^F6^F7^F0^F1^F2^F3^F4^F5^S0^
//identify/set most

From the F0 on this doesn't make sense. It does nothing except reset the F1-F5 information. There is no F0.

Can you explain this more?

I think it is for the Hatch set all.
But I await conformation from more informed members.


Bruce

Yeah, that is exactly what it does