If you’re a frequent user of AutoCAD, setting shortcuts can greatly improve your efficiency and speed up your workflow. Shortcuts allow you to access commonly used commands and tools with just a few keystrokes, saving you valuable time. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the steps to set AutoCAD shortcuts.
Step 1: Accessing the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor
To begin setting shortcuts in AutoCAD, you’ll need to access the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor. To do this, follow these steps:
- Click on the “Manage” tab located at the top of the AutoCAD window.
- Click on “Customization” in the “Customization” panel.
- Select “Customize User Interface” from the drop-down menu.
Step 2: Creating a New Command
Once you’re in the CUI Editor, it’s time to create a new command for your shortcut. Here’s how:
- In the CUI Editor, expand the “Partial Customization Files” section.
- Right-click on “Custom Commands” and select “New Command”.
Note:
In this example, we’ll create a shortcut for the “Line” command.
Step 3: Configuring Your Shortcut
Now that you’ve created a new command, it’s time to configure your shortcut. Follow these steps:
- In the “Properties” pane of the CUI Editor, fill in the following information:
- Name: Enter a name for your new command.
- Description: Provide a short description of the command.
- Macro: Enter the command or series of commands you want your shortcut to perform.
For example, to create a line, you would enter “line” without the quotes.
- Optional: You can also assign a specific icon to your shortcut by clicking on the “Browse” button next to the “Button Image” field. This will allow you to easily identify your shortcut.
Step 4: Assigning Your Shortcut
Now that you’ve configured your new command, it’s time to assign it to a keyboard shortcut. Here’s how:
- In the CUI Editor, expand the “Keyboard Shortcuts” section.
- Expand the desired keyboard shortcut category (e.g., “Shortcut Keys”, “Alias Editor”).
- Select an empty slot in the list and right-click on it.
- Select “New Keyboard Shortcut” from the context menu.
Step 5: Testing Your Shortcut
To ensure that your new shortcut is working correctly, exit the CUI Editor and return to AutoCAD. Now try using your newly assigned shortcut and check if it performs the desired command or series of commands.
Note:
If your newly assigned shortcut doesn’t work as expected, double-check that you entered the correct macro in Step 3.
Conclusion
In this tutorial, we’ve walked you through the process of setting shortcuts in AutoCAD. By following these steps, you can customize AutoCAD according to your preferences and streamline your workflow.
Remember that shortcuts can be a powerful tool to enhance your productivity, so take the time to create shortcuts for the commands you use most frequently. With practice, you’ll find yourself completing tasks in AutoCAD more efficiently than ever before.