Update to Set Working Folder Dialog

Set Working Folder Uses File Open Style Dialog

A new feature of Civil 3D 2019 is an update to the Set Working Folder dialog. Previously it was strictly a browse and select folder dialog. As of Civil 3D 2019, the Set Working Folder dialog now resembles a File Open dialog.

This may seem like something small but for those of you that must drill multiple folders deep to select the Working Folder for a project, this new dialog is a nice improvement because now you can copy then paste a folder path from the Windows Explorer address bar into the Set Working Folder dialog address bar or Folder path.

Set Your Site...On Feature Lines

When importing LandXML files into Civil 3D 2019, there's a new setting for Feature Lines:

Use this setting to select a site for the Feature Lines you are importing. You can select a site from the dropdown list or use the green pic icon to select a site in the drawing.

You can also assign a site independently for Alignments and Parcels if any exist in the LandXML file that is being imported.

Are SHX Font Comments in PDFs a Problem for You?

Both AutoCAD 2016 and AutoCAD 2017 include improvements for working with PDFs in AutoCAD.

That means the popularity of vector PDFs will continue to grow. With or without layers, the ability to convert a PDF into CAD objects to edit and republish is a very useful process, but what if you open the PDF and move your cursor around the screen and see SHX text in comments like this?

If you want your SHX text to be converted to a comment in the PDF and you are using AutoCAD 2016, then you're in luck. If you don't want those comments created by default, just install AutoCAD 2016 Service Pack 1 and set the EPDFSHX system variable to 0 then publish to PDF.

There's an Autodesk Knowledge Network page describing the resolution to this issue.

Drawing text appears as Comments in a PDF created by AutoCAD 2016
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Drawing-text-appears-as-Comments-in-a-PDF-created-by-AutoCAD.html

Note that the setting should be 0 before you publish to PDF.

What's your favorite new feature in AutoCAD 2017?

In case you haven't heard, AutoCAD 2017 is now available for download. Many websites are now posting the new features you'll find in this version. There's even a feature list comparing the last few versions of AutoCAD for you to review.

In case you want to learn about the new features in AutoCAD 2017, begin with the (1) Learn portion of the Start Tab. There's a (2) What's New video showing the latest and greatest new features in AutoCAD 2017. The (3) Getting Started Videos can help show you around the interface and help you start using the software. The (4) Learning Tips are useful for many disciplines and the right and left arrow buttons can be used to access additional tips. Finally there's an (5) Online Resources section with links to additional learning resources, such as The Hitchhiker's Guide to AutoCAD Basics.

 

You can also access Learning Videos in the Autodesk Desktop App.

If you initially decided not to migrate/import your settings from your previous version of AutoCAD, you can later access this newly updated feature using the Migrate From a Previous Release command in the Start Menu. You will need to close AutoCAD 2017 to run this command.

The new Migrate Custom Settings dialog is more user friendly than previous versions.

Centerlines and centermarks are new features for AutoCAD 2017 as well. They are dynamic, which means they move with the source objects as shown in this video.

There are more new features such as improved PDF import support and graphics enhancements including making arcs look like arcs instead of segmented arcs even during a move command. For now, though, I want to discuss one of my favorite improvements in AutoCAD 2017. You might not even notice it until I describe it to you.

In previous versions of AutoCAD, when you click the New Folder icon, you had to then select the folder and right click or select the folder twice, slowly, to edit the folder name.

In AutoCAD 2017, the folder name is highlighted by default upon creation. That means you can start typing a folder name immediately after clicking the New Folder icon.

Yes this is how it works in Windows Explorer, but now it works the same way in AutoCAD 2017.


That leads me to my initial question: What's your favorite new feature in AutoCAD 2017?