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Happy Holidays from ArchBlocks.com
Holiday Card - Happy Holidays from ArchBlocks.com
Happy Thanksgiving from ArchBlocks.com!

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

ArchBlocks.com is filled with gratitude for being able to serve our customers through out this year.

This was our 11th year providing CAD resources to all types of design disciples.

mid-century CAD blocks by Archblocks

Enjoy the day with good rest, family, and food.

Good luck on all your projects!

~Kevin

How To Choose a CAD Workstation on a Budget

Check out this great white paper from the editors at Cadalyst.

Get the advice you need for your hardware while keeping costs low.

Cadalyst Whitepaper on How to Choose a CAD Workstation on a Budget

You’re not looking to splurge on all the bells and whistles; you just need a reliable and affordable workstation that will get the job done. But what type of configuration will meet your needs? And which components and capabilities are must-haves? The sample configurations and expert advice in this guide will help you decide.

Download this white paper today!

Discounts for Cadalyst readers are available.

From the Editors of Cadalyst

Regards, Kevin

ArchBlocks Products and AutoCAD Compatibility

I get questions every once in a while asking if the ArchBlocks.com products are compatible with certain versions of AutoCAD. All of the ArchBlocks.com products are saved back to the AutoCAD 2000 version, so they will work in all versions of AutoCAD back to AutoCAD 2000. This includes all the CAD blocks, fonts, hatch patterns, and title blocks.

If you have a very old version of AutoCAD, like AutoCAD R14, send me a note and I can send you the products for any older version.

Please feel free to send me any questions you might have.

Good Luck on all your projects!

~Kevin

ArchBlocks.com Headquarters
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AUGIWorld May 2018 Issue is Available Now

How to implement new Autodesk releases is one of the main articles in the new AUGIWorld May 2018 issue.

Download it now:

AUGIWorld May 2018 Issue

Good luck on all your projects!

Kevin

Technology is Liberating the Role of the Designer

Designers are finding more time to be creative as computers are doing all the repetitive work for them.

Check out this great article in the newsletter Redshift from Autodesk:

Autodesk newsletter Redshift Article

-Kevin

AutoCAD 2018 100+ Hatch Patterns Installation Instructions

How to Install the 100+ Hatch Patterns in AutoCAD 2018

Installing the 100+ Hatch Patterns product in AutoCAD has never been easier!

The hatch patterns and the previews integrate seamlessly into AutoCAD’s pop down Hatch menu. Below is a screen shot of the AutoCAD 2018 Hatch command pop down menu previewing the 100+ hatch pattern called Versailles:

AutoCAD Hatch Patterns How in Install Tutorial

Inserting the 100+ hatch patterns into your AutoCAD drawing is very easy. All you do is enter the Hatch command, select a pattern from the drop down menu, then pick an internal point (boundary area) that you want to place the pattern, then hit the enter key and you’re done!

Below is the Versailles hatch pattern placed in a master bath floor plan:

Master Bath AutoCAD floor plan. AutoCAD Hatch Patterns

Please click on the link below to see the hatch pattern installation detailed instructions:

https://www.archblocks.com/100-plus-hatch-patterns-installation-instructions-autocad-hatch-patterns

If you have any questions, Please send Kevin an email by clicking on the Contact link below:

Email Kevin with a question.

Happy 2018 from ArchBlocks.com!
Holiday Card - Happy New Year from ArchBlocks.com.

We would like to give a big thanks to all our customers from 2017!

Here’s wishing everyone a great year in 2018!

Thank you!

AutoCAD Defpoints

AutoCAD Defpoints Tutorial

What are Defpoints in AutoCAD, and why is there a Defpoints layer in my AutoCAD drawing file?

Defpoints, or Definition Points are point objects that are created when you select two origin points as you place a dimension in your drawing. See the AutoCAD 2018 screen capture below:

Defpoints screen capture

The two yellow points you see are the first and second points you picked to locate the dimension in your drawing. These points are used by AutoCAD when you are placing “Associative” dimensions in your drawing. Associative dimensions are a setting in AutoCAD that when turned on, will let you stretch, or scale an object, and the dimension text will be updated to the new size. An example is if I stretch a wall length from 10′-0″ to 15′-0″, the dimension text will now read 15′-0″ showing the new true length. So your dimensions are “associated” to the objects they are placed on. It is a “best practice” to always leave your associative dimensions setting turned on. It is also a “best practice” to create a separate layer for all your dimensions, I have always used a short name version and called my dimension layer “Dims”.

You may have noticed when you start a drawing from scratch that there is only 1 layer created, layer “0”. The Defpoints layer is not created until you place your first dimension in the drawing. AutoCAD creates the Defpoints layer automatically when the first dimension is placed. The dimension objects, dimension line, extension lines, ticks/arrows, and dimension text will all go on the current layer. But the defpoints points themselves will go on the newly created layer called Defpoints. The “Defpoints” layer has special properties, it is a “no plot” layer, so you can see the defpoints on your CAD drawing screen, but they will never plot. The color of the defpoints layer is determined by the current layer that you placed the dimension on. Once the defpoints layer is created by placing your first dimension, it cannot be deleted from your drawing file.

You can set the Defpoints layer current and draw, but none of the objects on the defpoints will plot/print.

TIP: Back in the day, we used to set the Defpoints layer current when we wanted to place design notes on the drawing that we didn’t want to show up on the prints. You can still use the defpoints layer for this in all the versions of AutoCAD from AutoCAD 2018 on back. In the later versions of AutoCAD you can now create any layer and set it to “No Plot” to place anything in a drawing that you don’t want printed.

I hope this post on AutoCAD Defpoints was helpful. The two points “defpoints” at the origins of all AutoCAD dimensions, and the Defpoints layer have always been kind of a mystery. I hope this AutoCAD tutorial was helpful. Please send me a note if you have any questions.

Click here to email Kevin a note.

-Kevin

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