DataCAD How-To's

This page is intended as a resource for all DataCAD users. Althought new users might make the most use of this site, even seasoned users will probably find something of value.

FAQ PAGE! What is a FAQ? It's a "Frequently Asked Question." But more important than the questions are, of course, the answers, which our page will try to answer. While we can't hope to post answers to everything, we will endeavor to add more questions and answers as we receive them.

HOW TO:

Use Multi-Scale Plotting - Includes the use of Clip Cubes

Make Keyboard Macros - Make your own Keyboard Shortcuts; includes new Windows version

Our Current Keyboard Macro - View and download; includes new Windows version

Make Icon Toolbar Files - Make your own Windows-style Toolbars

Make Icon Buttons - Those graphic icons in the Toolbars

Turn your 2D Drawings into 3D Models - The "easy" way

Use the "Multiple Drawings in One File" Technique - One method for CADD efficiency

Use 3D Goto Views - This is a must-read for new users

Import and Export .DXF Drawing Files

Using TxtScale (Text Scale) - A combination explanation / tutorial

Networking in Windows 95/98 - Including how to get your network printers and plotters to work

Networking DataCAD Symbols and Templates - If you have DataCAD on two or more computers networked together, this will increase efficiency 10-fold.

Masking Tricks - Including the use of Selection Sets and Layer Locking

Shameless Plug No.1 - If you like the information on this web page, Rick Morse and I have written an entire 1,300 page book dedicated to DataCAD. It comes with a CD-ROM full of tuturials, samples, custom files, trial versions of DataCAD macros, and much more. The most recent version of the book covers Version 9 of the software. You can find it at the DataCAD web site, or on Amazon.com. At the Amazon site you can see 65 sample pages from the book.

Shameless Plug No.2 - I have a program available on the Cheap Tricks Ware site. It's called the "INI-Outi Editor". It is a Windows program which allows you to change the DCADWin.INI file (for the Windows version) in a fully point and click fashion.

Shameless Plug No.3 - I have another disk available on the Cheap Tricks Ware site. It renames and reorganizes your templates and symbols. Click here to read more about it.

Template & Symbol Primer - Adapted from the README file of the above noted "Shameless Plug". This will give you a good idea of how Templates and Symbols work in DataCAD. It includes the differences between how the Templates and Symbols are handled between the DOS version and the Windows versions.

3D Rendering
DataCAD LLC has bundled Visual Reality (with its rendering module Renderize Live) with DataCAD. Go here for a sample animation (.AVI format) of a LIBRARY fly-by done by Mike Smith with Visual Realilty. (The file is 1.32MB zipped).

Contact: Mike Smith -- mike.smith208@verizon.net

Last Updated: September 12, 2002

*HOW TO:*
Use Multi-Scale Plotting - Includes the use of Clip Cubes
Make Keyboard Macros - Make your own Keyboard Shortcuts; includes new Windows version
Our Current Keyboard Macro - View and download; includes new Windows version
Make Icon Toolbar Files - Make your own Windows-style Toolbars
Make Icon Buttons - Those graphic icons in the Toolbars
Turn your 2D Drawings into 3D Models - The "easy" way
Use the "Multiple Drawings in One File" Technique - One method for CADD efficiency
Use 3D Goto Views - This is a must-read for new users
Import and Export .DXF Drawing Files
Using TxtScale (Text Scale) - A combination explanation / tutorial
Networking in Windows 95/98 - Including how to get your network printers and plotters to work
Networking DataCAD Symbols and Templates - If you have DataCAD on two or more computers networked together, this will increase efficiency 10-fold.
Masking Tricks - Including the use of Selection Sets and Layer Locking
Shameless Plug No.1 - If you like the information on this web page, Rick Morse and I have written an entire 1,300 page book dedicated to DataCAD. It comes with a CD-ROM full of tuturials, samples, custom files, trial versions of DataCAD macros, and much more. The most recent version of the book covers Version 9 of the software. You can find it at the DataCAD web site, or on Amazon.com. At the Amazon site you can see 65 sample pages from the book.
Shameless Plug No.2 - I have a program available on the Cheap Tricks Ware site. It's called the "INI-Outi Editor". It is a Windows program which allows you to change the DCADWin.INI file (for the Windows version) in a fully point and click fashion.
Shameless Plug No.3 - I have another disk available on the Cheap Tricks Ware site. It renames and reorganizes your templates and symbols. Click here to read more about it.
Template & Symbol Primer - Adapted from the README file of the above noted "Shameless Plug". This will give you a good idea of how Templates and Symbols work in DataCAD. It includes the differences between how the Templates and Symbols are handled between the DOS version and the Windows versions.