Cleaning up in AutoCAD is an essential part of the design process. It helps to maintain a neat and organized drawing, making it easier to work with and share with others. In this tutorial, we will explore various techniques to clean up your AutoCAD drawings effectively.
1. Removing Unused Layers:
One of the first steps in cleaning up your drawing is to remove any unused layers.
By doing this, you can reduce clutter and make your file more manageable. To remove unused layers, follow these steps:
- Open the Layer Properties Manager by typing “LA” and pressing Enter.
- Select the “Unused” filter from the top of the Layer Properties Manager dialog box.
- Highlight the unused layers and click on the “Delete” button.
2. Purging Unused Blocks:
Blocks are reusable objects in AutoCAD that can quickly accumulate in a drawing, especially if you use external references (Xrefs). To clean up unused blocks, use the PURGE command:
- Type “PURGE” in the command line and press Enter.
- Select “Regapps” and click on the “Purge All” button to purge all unreferenced objects.
- Select “Blocks” from the list and click on the “Purge All” button again.
3. Erasing Duplicate Objects:
Duplicate objects can clutter your drawing and increase file size unnecessarily. The OVERKILL command helps you remove duplicate or overlapping geometry efficiently:
- Type “OVERKILL” in the command line and press Enter.
- Select “All” as your object selection method.
- Adjust other settings as per your requirements and click on “OK.”
4. Cleaning Up Linetypes and Text Styles:
Sometimes, unused linetypes and text styles can accumulate in your drawing, making it harder to manage. To clean up these styles:
- Type “STYLE” in the command line and press Enter.
- In the Text Style Manager dialog box, select the unused text styles and click on the “Delete” button.
- To clean up linetypes, type “LTSCALE” in the command line and press Enter.
- Set the linetype scale to an appropriate value to ensure consistency throughout your drawing.
5. Audit and Recover:
The AUDIT command checks your drawing for errors and fixes them automatically. It is recommended to use this command periodically to keep your drawing in good health:
- Type “AUDIT” in the command line and press Enter.
- Select “Yes” when prompted to fix errors automatically.
If you encounter a corrupted or damaged drawing file, you can use the RECOVER command:
- Type “RECOVER” in the command line and press Enter.
- Select your damaged file and click on “Open”.
- If AutoCAD successfully recovers your file, save it with a new name to prevent further loss of data.
Cleaning up your AutoCAD drawings is crucial for maintaining efficiency and productivity. By following these techniques, you can keep your files organized, reduce file size, and avoid potential issues down the line.
Conclusion:
In this tutorial, we explored various techniques for cleaning up in AutoCAD. We learned how to remove unused layers, purge blocks, erase duplicate objects, clean up linetypes and text styles, and use the audit and recover commands. By incorporating these practices into your workflow, you can ensure that your AutoCAD drawings are neat, organized, and ready for further editing or sharing with others.
Remember to periodically clean up your drawings to maintain optimal performance and avoid potential problems. With a clean drawing, you can work more efficiently and focus on the creative aspects of your design process.