DataCAD-DBUG Forum FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)

Version 1: January 26, 1998

From: "Debbie Cockroft" 
Subject: Templates / Symbols
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 22:51:40 +1300

HOW DO YOU ADD MORE SYMBOLS TO YOUR TEMPLATE?		             		  

Choose the template (path) you wish to add to, making sure AUTO PATH is on.
Click on SAVESYMB.
Enter the name of the new symbol.
Make a drag box around the area of the new symbol.
Object snap your reference point on the grey/dashed selected entities, 
and it will now appear in the next available box in the template chart.
Enter a name for the new symbols reference.
Press escape to exit back to the template menu.

HOW DO YOU MODIFY A SYMBOL IN YOUR TEMPLATE?

Choose the template (path) you wish to change, with explode on.
Click on the template and enter it somewhere clear on your drawing.
Make the modifications you want to, to it, eg. change colour, or Z height.
Go back to the template path.
Click on REDEFINE in the template menu.
Click on the symbol you wish to alter.
Reselect the area around the modified symbol, once grey and dashed - click
on Continue, then reselect the reference point, the symbol will now be
replaced with the updated symbol.

HOW DO TEMPLATE PATHS WORK?

When you create a path and enter a template name, you are creating access
to your symbols, which will be held in C:\DCAD6\SYM> directory.  Templates
are found in C:\DCAD6\TPL> directory, e.g. \3DWIND.TPL
      A typical template path line =   SYM\3DWIND\3DWIND
	[ DCAD6 directory ^   SYM directory ^   SYM file name^ ]
You may edit your template paths through either DOS or Windows.  If the
paths are not correct, your symbols will not appear in your template chart,
for selection.  This is normally only necessary to be aware of, when you
are importing or accessing templates from another source. eg. 3.5" disk -
(A:\ drive), CD-ROM Drive, or from another DataCAD user.

For those with Windows 95, editing is the quickest and simplest.  Windows
Explorer will allow you to authorize changes of specific digits and or
sequence, to be replaced with the data you specify, globally - providing
instant updating.
Run Windows Explorer / click on DCAD6 / TPL / *directory / *.tpl
	go to   File / Open / Edit - Replace	- Find What	....................
						- Replace With	....................
Windows 3.11 requires you to to:
Run Winfile (File Manager) / click on DCAD6 / TPL / *directory / *.tpl  - 
highlight the template file you wish to view, 
	go to   File / Run / (type) Notepad in front of the *.tpl  file name.  
Edit the first line, highlight the correct path, then Edit / Copy allows
you to duplicate the path by copying the data to the clipboard, highlight
whatever  is to be deleted and press CTRL-V, to automatically replace it
with the correct path.

To view your template paths in DOS, at C:\DCAD6> (type)CD TPL  press enter
(name of Template directory) the prompt will then read:  C:\DCAD6\TPL>
(type) DIR/W press enter - to see all of your template directories.  
At  C:\DCAD6\TPL> (type e.g.) CD 3DWIND (or the template you wish to view)
press enter,  At C:\DCAD6\TPL\3DWIND> (type) DIR/W, to view the template
name or names.  You then at: C:\DCAD6\TPL\3DWIND> (type e.g.) EDIT 3DWIND.TPL press 
enter. All the paths are now displayed and can be edited. 

As there has been so much discussion regarding template & symbol files of
late, I thought this may benefit some who are struggling to find where
everything is held.

Don't forget that the path you leave set for your templates, becomes the
default directory in your
Config./ Path names setup.  If you ever have a problem regarding Autopath,
go to your Config.exe and reset it there, you can then start afresh. 
(BEWARE IF YOU ACCEPT THE CHANGES CONFIG.EXE MAKES, YOUR RUNDCAD.BAT FILE WILL BE 
REWRITTEN - SO NOTE ANY ADJUSTMENTS OR EDITING YOU HAVE MADE, BEFORE YOU SAVE CHANGES, 
SO YOU CAN RE-EDIT RUNDCAD.BAT AT THE END).


Debbie Cockroft
deb.pcs@clear.net.nz


			Professional CAD Systems
CADKEY Software
Training & Support Services
23 Lachlan Drive, HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND		Telephone/Fax: 064 07 847 1178  
					                       025 775 664


Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 06:04:45 -0800
From: jmcharg@sprynet.com
Subject: FAQ's


Q: Why does autopath work fine for one session and give the incorrect symbol 
path a few days later?

A: Autopath works best when Datacad's configuration is set to send templates to 
dcad5\tpl and symbols to dcad5\sym. If you save a symbol, without using 
autopath, to a path location other than dcad\sym, Datacad's configuration is 
changed to match the most recently used path. Subsequent use of "savesymb" will 
search for the new (changed) symbol path location, whether autopath is on or 
off.


Q: How do I set Datacad and Print A Plot Pro to cause different line colors and 
text colors to print with different line weights to a printer?

A: To set yellow as a narrow line, white as a medium line, lt. cyan as a heavy 
line and lt. green as an extra heavy line:
	Set Datacad as follows:
	select plotter
	turn "clrplt" on
	select "setpens"
	white = pen #1
	yellow = pen #2
	lt. cyan = pen #3
	lt. green = pen #4
	"snglpen" off
	"pensort" off

	Set PPP as follows
	select "set pens"
	pen #1 = .30
	pen #2 = .20
	pen #3 = .40
	pen #4 = .60
(these settings may have to be varied, depending on the printer and upon 
exactly how wide you want your lines) make sure that the "*" is OFF for the 
pens for which you want to assign special weights.

Joe McHarg
	set all colors to "black" (unless you are printing in color)
	set all patterns to "8"



Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 09:48:02 -0200 (GMT)
Posted-Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 09:48:02 -0200 (GMT)
From: David Collins 
Subject: FAQ contribution


Q: How can I make changes to a Dcad font? 
    Can I change an AutoCad font for use in DataCAD?
    What does the shp2chr.exe file in the Dcad/Chr directory do?

Arcdraft America, 2826 College St., Jacksonville FL 32205 tel 904-389-4799
sells a 'Font Toolkit for DataCAD' which provides detailed information about
modifying and creating Dcad fonts and converting AutoCad fonts for use in
DataCAD. [Note: Arcdraft America is reportedly unreachable in general these
days, please check Cheap Tricks Ware listing for other substitutes.]

A *.chr DataCad font file is converted to a *.shp file, which is an ASCII
text file that can be edited. Each character in the font is decribed by a
set of sequential line segments on a coordinate system grid, similar to the
ASCII file that decribes hatch patterns, but much more complex. Even making
minor changes to an existing font can be extremely time consuming.  

Chr2shp.exe, provided by Arcdraft, converts Dcad *.chr files to ASCII *.shp
files. Shp2chr.exe, which can be found in the Dcad/Chr subdirectory,
recompiles the text file into font code *.chr files. Arcdraft also provides
a Shx2Shp.exe file which converts an AutoCad *.shx font file into a *.shp
file, which can then be converted into a Dcad font file.



Date: Sun, 02 Mar 1997 20:55:00 -0500
From: Michael Smith 
Subject: FAQ for thought...

Q: How do I make the switch to Windows 95 without risking my existing 
setup?

A: Try the following:
1. I Changed over my computer at home, before trying it at work.
2. I Re-named my c:\windows directory to c:\win31, so I could still use
Windows 3.1 from Win95 (if I got in trouble or couldn't make something
work in Win95) by shutting down Win95 to MS-DOS mode, then changing to
the Win31 directory, and typing WIN.
3. When I renamed my Windows directory to win31 I had to go to all the
.INI files using Windows WRITE, and used the "replace" function to 
replace all instances of the word WINDOWS with WIN31.  I had to do this 
for some of my desktop icons, too, by changing their PROPERTIES settings 
to win31.  It took only an hour or two for the whole process.
4. I was still able to run DataCAD from the DOS prompt by shutting down
Windows to the MS-DOS prompt.
5. Once I got everything working in Win95 I began to rename all my old
(not required anymore) windows and dos files to x-win31, x-mouse, etc.
That way they were still on my system, but would not be found if
something tried to execute them, and I hadn't irretrievably deleted
them. This was a way of verifying that some directories and programs
were indeed not required anymore. If I found that they were, then I
could just rename the x- file and keep going.

===================================================================
Q: When I turn on Clip Cube some of my entities within the cube 
disappear. Why?

A: Clip Cube is a 3D cube, and DataCAD, by default or by design, draws 
entities extruded in 2-1/2D. So your disappearing entities are probably 
at a Z-base or Z-height which falls outside of the 3D clip cube. 
"Identify" the entities that are disappearing and check their Z-min and 
Z-max dimensions. Now check the Z-min and Z-max of your Clip Cube. 
Change the Z-dimensions of your entities or the Clip Cube to make sure 
everything is inside the cube when you turn it on. 

===================================================================
Q: Can DC Viewer be used for rendering, or just for viewing?

A: It does quickshading and hidden line removal, but has no rendering
engine. It's viewing capabilities, however, are far superior to 
DataCAD's.

===================================================================
Q: I would like to put hatching on walls & roof before doing a 
perspective view & hiding.  Can this be done?

A: If you mean in 3D the only way I know of is with a 3rd party macro
called Touchup, from Unique Software. It works GREAT! You can find it at 
http://www.nxi.com/billd

===================================================================


Mike Smith



From: jgaia@ix.netcom.com
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 1997 22:53:21 -0600 (CST)
Subject: Re: Voids


Q: I seem to be having difficulty in cutting void in floor slab. Any step
>by step process would be greatly appreciated.


1. Create a slab with the same thickness and "z" parameters as your floor slab, 
   which coincides with the desired void.
2. Go to the "Slab", "Voids" menu.
3. Select the Floor Slab as the "Master Slab" and the Void slab.
4. Voila

Best wishes,

James Goodman, AIA




Date: Tue, 04 Mar 1997 00:29:14 -0500
From: Michael Smith 
Subject: Re: line angles
.
 
> Q:I've got a drawing in which the vertical lines on the screen identify as
> 0 degrees and the horizontal's as 270 degrees. I've used Geometry,
> Tangent in this drawing. Did I screw things up there? How do I fix this?



A: If, while in Settings/AngleTyp you accidentally hit F7/Compass, your 
coordinates will shift so that "up" is 0 degress, and "right" is 90 
degress. To get your "right=0 degrees" back, choose StartAng and follow 
the directions at the bottom of the screen.

Mike Smith



From: "Ian Shere" 
Subject: Re: plot problems
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 20:10:37 +1300


Q:  An architect in the Blue Mountains gave up using DataCad and reverted 
to ACad because he could not control the plotter. This is a pen plotter 
and as I understand it the problem was with multiple lines in the hidden
line images causing the pens to clog. Is there any easy way to remove all 
the multiple lines one on top of another?

There is a setting under the "Hide" menu, sub menu Options called deldoubl.
Turn that on and all double lines in a hidden line view will be deleted. 
Also turn on "Join" and "Backface" and you'll speed up your hidden line
time.

Cheers

Ian Shere
Tarzan Design
Auckland  NEW ZEALAND



Date: Tue, 04 Mar 1997 08:33:47 -0800
From: Michael Smith 
Subject: Re: Text Arrow colours



> Q: How can I change the colour of my arrows in text menu so that the head is a
> different colour to the shaft. I control line weights by colour only and I'm
> very fussy re the appearance of my arrows!
.


A: In the arrows menu of text, there is an option for color. This changes 
the color of the arrow heads, while the color of the shaft stays the 
color of your current layer. But be warned that if you change the color 
of your tick marks or arrows in the dimension settings, the arrow heads 
will also change to this color.

Mike Smith



Date: Sat, 8 Mar 1997 06:40:33 -0500
Subject: Re: custom scales
Reply-To: dpa-arch@gate.net


>Could someone please tell me how, or where to find out how to set a
>custom scale for plotting.  I've been trying to find it in Cheap Tricks,
>but I think I'm missing a few issues.  I need 1"=10' scale.  I know it's
>probably in Settings/EditDef, but I don't know how to set it up from
>there.  

You can create your own custom scales; any scales.  DCAD uses the following 
formula to set scales: Scale (as a fraction) divided by 12.  For instance, 1/4" 
= 1'-0" scale would equate to .25"=1'-0", therefore .25/12=.02083333 is the 
"scaling factor."  For 1"=10', the formula would be 1/10"=1'-0" or .10"=1'-0" 
then do division (.10/12) and you get .008333 as your scaling factor.

To add any custom scale into DCAD's pre-determined scales, select SETTINGS, then 
EDITDEFS, then SCALES.  I recommend then selecting LIST to see your existing 
scales.  You may have to wipe out one of them in order to fit another one (DCAD 
can only use 18 different scales at a time).  You could also save out different 
scales settings as scale files, i.e. SITE, PLANS, DETAILS, etc., which can then 
be "loaded" as your current scales settings at any time during drawing.

Then select ADD, and you will get "Enter New String for this scale: _____" at 
the bottom of the screen.  Type in the name of your new scale:  i.e. 1"=10'.  
Hit enter.  Then enter in your new scale's scaling factor you just calculated 
from the formula noted above, as prompted at the bottom of the screen (i.e. 
.008333 for the 1"=10' scale).  Hit enter and you now have the new scale(s).

Back yourself out of the menus and back to drawing.  You should now have your 
new scale(s) for viewing and for selecting them to plot by.


David Porter AIA
David Porter Assoc.-Architects inc
dpa-arch@gate.net
Palm Beach Gardens, FL USA
Voice (561) 694 -0100




Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 01:04:06 -0500
From: Michael Smith 
Subject: Re: Selection Sets


> Q: Could someone please give a common example of the usefulness of SelSets.
> I have a feeling I'm missing out on a useful editing tool, and my manual
> just doesn't quite make sense to me on this particular one.

>Q: What are Selection Sets, and how do I use them?

A: Selection Sets are another method to pick an entity or, more often, a 
group of entities, while retaining their layering. You will find an 
option for SelSet in all the menus that allow you to pick by Entity, 
Group, Area, and Fence. There are a number of ways to use it, but here 
is the most basic.

Let's say you have a number of Cyan-colored entities, on different 
layers, which you want to change to Green. Rather than picking each 
entity individually, you can pick them all at once using Selection Sets, 
and then change all of them at once.

1.  Go to the edit menu.
2.  S2 - EditSets
3.  F2 - AddTo
4.  F1 SelSet1 - F8 SelSet8 -- Pick F1.
5.  F0 - Mask.  This allows you to selectively "mask" entities by 
ENTITY, COLOR, LINETYPE, or WEIGHT.
6.  F2 - Color. Pick this one to mask by color.
7.  Pick (in this example) CYAN.
8.  Exit or right click back 2 menus to ENTITY, GROUP, AREA, etc.
9.  Pick AREA (or one of the other options). Use the AREA bounding box 
to include all CYAN entities that you wish to change.
10. Exit or right click back 1 menu.
11. F0 - SetActiv, then F1 - SelSet1. This makes your Selection Set 
active, so you can use it. A dollar sign will appear in the F1 button to 
indicate that it is now active. It will stay active until you come back 
to SelSet and turn it OFF.
12. Exit back to the EDIT menu.
13. Pick CHANGE/COLOR/GREEN.
14. Pick F5 - SelSet. Everything that you placed in the active selection 
set will now be changed to Green.
15. If you want to automate this process you can make a keyboard macro 
to "clear SelSet8/mask by color/pick a color/make SelSet8 active." It 
looks like this (in the DCAD.MCR file) for Alt-H:

  H^;^S2^F4^F8^F5^F0^F1^F8^S0^F2^F8^F3^F0^F2^S9^

COLOR is the most often used method of "masking," but remember you can 
also mask by Entity, Line Type, or Line Weight.  Perhaps you want to 
delete all your plywood linetypes, or change all your dashed lines to a 
property line-type. Or you want to change all your entities of line 
weight 3 to a line weight of 2. Selection Sets are often the fastest and 
easiest way to do it.



Date: 12 Mar 97 17:12:03 EST
From: DALE WEISS <103636.1751@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: re: missing F1 plot


Q: Within the plot menu within DataCAD, one of our machines is missing 
the buttons for F1 (Plot) and F2 (background).

First try checking S8 Select in the Plotter menu to see if your specified
plotter is correct. The reason you don't have these functions available is
because your selected plotter is configured with its plot port "to file". If you
need to change this go into Dcad's config program under Plotter/printer Options,
Pick your Plotter  no. and change the port to the one you use.

DW



Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 06:56:40 -0800
From: Naftali Flink 
Subject: the great "polar" route


Regarding my question regarding customizing the values in the angle menu
for use in relative polar input, I was surprised that the great answer that
I received never appeared in the Digest version of DBUG.  So for the benefit of my
fellow Dcad-ians who prefer the "polar route", and to give credit where credit
is due,

>From the Utility menu (Edit is at the bottom) select F10 Settings, F4 Edit
>Defs, F2 Angles, F6 SaveFile (save as default or something), F3 Change.
>Then follow the prompts on the command line.  When you're done save the
>new list as custom1 or something.  The new values are now assigned to the
>new F keys.  After entering your distances, these values should pop up
>(along with several others. You may simply wish to memorize their "F" values
>(ie F1, F2 etc.)

>Sean Flanagan
>Drafting Services

The info  provided worked perfectly, except that when you make a new
list, it Must be in ascending numerical order,  I made a list like
this                         
F1 45-0' 
F2 90-0' 
F3 135-0' 
F4 180-0' 
F5 225-0' 
F6 270-0' 
F7 315-0'          

Like Sean said, use and enjoy                                                                    


Naftali Flink



From: "Bill D'Amico" 
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 00:15:31 -0500
Subject: Re: Plotting with Windows 95 on a Novell Network


> When I send a drawing to plot, I get the usual "sending
> drawing to plotter" message and I wait longer than normal
> for that to finish before I get the "plotting complete"
> message. Then I just sit there. .....and sit.....and
> sit.....
> 
> But, if I exit Datacad and return to Windows95, the
> plotter starts right up.

This is due to the need to set the 'Timeout' value in your
Novell client. Depending on which Windows95 client you are
using with your Novell network (Client32 or the Microsoft
Client for Netware), the setting may be in a different
place. Hopefully you are using Client32, and if so look in
the properties of the client (Control
Panel/Network/Client32/Properties) and there should be a
tab that will have a setting controlling the printing time
value. Set this to 10 seconds. What this means is that old
DOS programs like DataCAD that are completely unaware of
Windows and networks just send print/plot data to the
designated port and send no 'end of job' command. The only
way the network can be sure that the print job is done is
when the program exits, which is why you get results once
you exit DataCAD. The 10 second timeout you set will tell
the network that if LPT print data comes in and then no data comes 
for a 10 second period, the job must be finished so send it 
on to the printer/plotter. This should solve your problem.


Bill D'Amico
billd@nxi.com



Date: Fri, 9 May 1997 13:44:20 -0400
From: eshu@world.std.com (Evan H Shu)
Message-Id: <199705091744.AA04729@world.std.com>
To: arctek@redrose.net
Subject: Re: whoa!!! Keyboard macros vs. keyboard interrupts


> I was just inside the dcad.mcr file and whoa!  What are all those funky
> marks?  I understand the () ^ marks but I cant even find keys on the
> keyboard to show you the others.   I thought this was suppose to be
> relativly painless?  I want to make both M and m do move.  D and d do dim.
> Can I possibly set up macros to do the door and window commands?  Arrow
> macro?  Heeeelllllllppppppp!!

I am sending you the reprint from Cheap Tricks on writing custom macros (reprints on 
the web page at http://world.std.com/~eshu/cheap/reprints) that tells you how to work 
with the DCAD.MCR file. Unfortunately, your desire to make M and m both do "move" is 
not a custom macro (ALT plus key) but a keyboard interrupt. Most of these are hard wired, 
but you can make some adjustments by modifying your DCAD.MSG file. Here is another 
excerpt from one of our Q & A columns that answers that question:

"From Q & A, Cheap Tricks, Jul 92"

Yes, there is a way to return it to the old way (pre DataCAD 4.0) by editing the 
DCAD.MSG file. In line 1140 (this is a BIG file, it's "140" the second time 
around) change the first lower case "m" in the line (about 33 characters in) to 
an upper case "M". This file is critical, so be sure you make a copy of it with 
a different name before you try to mess around with it.



Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 18:01:44 -0400
From: Michael Tardif 
Subject: Re: X Y Angle Dist line

Q: My Distance settings have suddenly disappeared, how do I get them back?

This one keeps comin' around.  Go to Settings, DistDlay.  Set the value 
to something other than zero.  Three usually works fine.  Your colleague 
accidentally re-set this value to zero with an undocumented set of 
keystrokes.


Michael Tardif
architechnologie, inc.
architechnologie@worldnet.att.net

P.O. Box 358
Summit, New Jersey  07902-0358
908-598-9347

201 Charles Street
Cambridge, Massachusetts  02141-2003
617-491-8018



Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 09:20:44 -0400 (EDT)
Reply-To: NEBlancDMC@aol.com
Subject: Can't get DataCAD to run

<< I can't get datacad to run at all.  I get the message that it can't load
the message file ck config.sys files = 40. >>

I had this exact problem the other day.  The problem is that somewhere in
your DataCAD config, there is an improper path name.  Check all the path
names to be sure that you are pointing stuff to directories that actually
exist.

Sincerely,
Neil Blanchard



Date: Fri, 1 Aug 1997 08:13:19 -0400
From: eshu@world.std.com (Evan H Shu)
To: datacad-dbug@world.std.com
Subject: Re: Mm  =  move

> Some time ago someone posted info on how to change the "M" key in datacad
> so that it will invoke the move command instead of the Macro...or Tools
> menu. The end result was that "M" and "m" both invoked move. Anyone
> remember how to do this?

August 1, 1997

>From Cheap Tricks, July 92 (That's how long this FAQ has been around!)

Yes, there is a way to return it to the old way (both m, M to Move) by editing 
the DCAD.MSG file. In line 1140 (this a big file -- it will read the second time 
around for 140) change the first lower case m in the line (about 33 characters 
in) to an upper case M. This file is critical, so be sure you make a copy of it 
with a different name before you mess around with it.


Good Luck!

Evan Shu
eshu@world.std.com



Date: Mon, 04 Aug 1997 14:48:52 -0700
From: "Mark S. Woodruff" 
Subject: Re: measuring increments

> I recently started using Datacad7.  What menu do you go to to set
> increments that you want to use to measure, in other words if I wanted
> to work to the nearest 1/8, 1/4, or 1 inch.  I have read through the
> manul looking for this and am sure it is a simple thing.  Thanks

You can do two things:

1) If you want to round-off dimensions: Go to Utility Menu...then
"Dimension"/"Linear"/"DimStyle"/"Rounding"/...then select "Precision" to
specify a tolerance (i.e., 1/8", 1/4", etc.)

2) Or if you like to use the Snap Grid feature (I personally don't use
it too much), you can set the Snap Grid increments by going to
"Utility"/"Grids"/"GridSize"/...then you can select "SetSnap" to
customize your SnapGrid ("SetGrid1" and "SetGrid2" allow you to control
your Display Grids).

Sincerely,
Mark