Symetri
In this blog, we are going to outline 3 new features and updates in AutoCAD 2022:
AutoCAD 2022 has introduced an alternative method of collaborating with others with regards to notification of essential modifications or rework to a drawing.
An AutoCAD drawing file (.DWG) is opened from a Cloud Storage provider (Dropbox, box, Google Drive, etc.) in either the AutoCAD Web App or AutoCAD Mobile App and with the introduction of the new Trace tool, notes and elements are then added, as an overlay (Traces), to communicate to the draughtsperson, what changes are required within the drawing.
These elements can be placed upon their own assigned layer and are added onto the equivalent of electronic `Tracing Paper’. These are referred to as Traces. A drawing can have multiple Traces assigned to it and each one opened independently. They can also be revisited to be modified, if required.
When the draughtsperson opens the drawing, within desktop AutoCAD, a notification bubble appears in the bottom right corner of the screen, indicating, “Design feedback is ready for review and a trace was added or modified.” Within this notification will be a link at the bottom, when clicked upon, it will reveal the Trace elements.
In desktop AutoCAD, within the Collaborate Tab, there is a new Traces Palette. The palette lists the available Traces, indicating when the Trace was created and by whom as well as when it was modified. It provides the ability to open or close the Traces, in other words, show or hide them. Also, the palette enables the renaming and deletion of Traces.
Traces can quickly be moved to the back of the draw-order to make visualising the drawing elements easier so modifications can be made. There are also a number or new Trace related System Variables which have been added and worth investigating.
So, in summary, by adding the Trace tool, AutoCAD 2022 has introduced a quicker method of adding and reviewing mark-ups to a drawing. Yes, there are other methods available like Autodesk Design Review alongside TrueView and Autodesk Viewer, but the new Trace tool makes the process that little bit easier.
To learn more about the Trace feature and see a demonstration of it being used, please watch our video review here.
Another new feature that Autodesk has released in the 2022 new versions is the Count feature. This is an instant Block counter. Although there are alternative methods of counting the number of Blocks within a drawing, this new feature is very quick and provides some additional functionality. When the new Count Palette is enabled it lists all the names of the inserted blocks and the number of insertions for each.
When the name of the Block is selected, those specific blocks are instantly highlighted. A blue boundary appears around the Graphics window and a count toolbar appears top centre of the view.
The horizontal arrows, when selected, will Zoom into each individual Block sequentially. The Green Tick simply ends the highlighting of the Blocks. The icon between the right arrow and the green tick will insert a Field containing the number of insertions for that specific Block. If the Block is either copied, inserted, or deleted the number field will update when the drawing is saved, or a regeneration occurs.
The Count palette also comes with an icon as shown, to create a table containing the selected objects from the count. The table will indicate the name of the Block together with how many are inserted. If the Blocks are either copied, inserted, or deleted the number field will update when the drawing is saved, or a regeneration occurs.
Please note, this table does not update the same as a Data Extraction table. If new Blocks are inserted, this table will not update to incorporate those. Instead, a new table will need to be created using the same table generating icon.
If an error is discovered, e.g., a Block has been copied perfectly overlapping itself or has been exploded, a yellow warning triangle will appear, adjacent to the name of the block within the palette. If the name of the Block is selected within the Count Palette the Count Toolbar will also display the warning triangle and the affected Blocks will highlight in Red.
If the triangle is selected, an error report is shown, indicating the nature of the problem.
Floating Drawing Tabs now provide the ability to `tear off’ drawings to another monitor or elsewhere within a single monitor setup. Previously, if multiple open drawings needed to be viewed simultaneously, for cross referencing purposes maybe, it required `Tiling’ them. This, however, would only occur on a single monitor, sometimes making the viewing of these drawings not easy.
With Floating Drawing Tabs capability, each drawing can be dragged, by its Tab, to another monitor or elsewhere within a single monitor outside of the default AutoCAD graphics area making the viewing of these drawings, simultaneously, a lot easier.
This view shows drawings which have been dragged from the AutoCAD Graphics window onto an adjacent monitor.
Whereas this view shows a drawing has been dragged, within the same monitor, outside of the AutoCAD Graphics window.
To return the drawings back to the AutoCAD Graphics window is simply a matter of clicking within the view title area and dragging back to the top of the AutoCAD graphics area until the Drawing Tab reappears then release the pick button.
Watch our video below to see these new features in action:
To learn more about AutoCAD, please visit our product page or call us on 0345 370 1444 or email info@symetri.co.uk
