What's inside the best DWT(s)?
Which elements should be included in a proper AutoCAD Drawing Template File?
- Units (or INSUNITS) are in # 1 Since People tend to forget those. No design is unitless. Drawings with INSUNITS will automatically scale while inserting/attaching.
- Annotation Scales - Best, kept to minimum. It's much easier to add a scale than get rid of one!
- Measurement (Metric or Imperial settings) - This will determine Spacing for Linetypes, Hatch Patterns, Line-Widths, etc.
- Drawing Properties: While upgrading your templates, you might want to apply it on existing files; If more than one recent version - You'd like to know which one was applied. Use the Summary Tab to determine the Author, The Subject, The Title and then add comments like the Updated @ MM/DD/YYYY - If you're not using Sheet Sets, You can still force the Sheet Title Block to quote fields and Auto-Fill itself. Additional File Properties are Optional.
- Best file settings. Say no more.
- Standard Layers. Those that are not being created by tools. This can be replaced by Tools within Tool Palettes for creating Layers, Linetypes, a great deal of styles etc.
- Standard Styles for: Dimensions & all kinds of Annotations, Tables, Table cells,
- Call-out Blocks - for Automatic Labels (Titles, Scales, Referencing Sheets, etc.)
- Standard Layouts with Standard Title Blocks. All Layouts, with Predefined Attached Page Setups for easy Sheet Creation.
- Boundary Rectangles for Named Views Creating (for Sheet Set Manager - Model Views). Those will comply with Standard Media (paper sizes) and standard annotation scales altogether. The rectangles will assist you when selecting the media, especially when your drawing is too big to fit in a specific viewport @ a specific scale.
- Optional: Data Extraction Tables, Sheet List Tables, Legend Table, etc.
What About You? Do You have some Extra Components within Your Template Files You'd like to share? -
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Cheers,
dannyk | "Distilling Exactly The CAD Knowledge You Need"
Designer
8 年What do you mean by Best file settings? Thx
Draftsman
8 年Leave your thoughts here…custom linetypes and or hatch pattens?
Industrial Engineering & Manager Professional
8 年Why are the template files dwt's buried so deep in the file folders? Can and/or do users; use the same dwt template used in AutoCad 2017 in the AutoCad Architecture 2017 software? I noticed the same template is not wasy to place in the Acad Arch software; so I opened it in Acad Arch and saved into a template folder and then as a dwg. but the new drawing does not find this template and I could not find the buried template folder. any help or thoughts What is the shortcut with Acad Achitecture to undock the tool bar panel? I closed this and cannot undock / reopen ; basically do not know where this is done
Autocad Technician at Harris Gray, LLC
8 年Nice article, Danny!
Autocad Technician at Harris Gray, LLC
8 年I like to include the client's logo in my title block. I also like to 24-Hour Contact info and my typical security mark.