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AutoCAD 2014 Command Input Settings

In AutoCAD 2014 you can customize the behavior of the command line using controls in the Input Settings menu when you right-click on the command line. In addition to the previous options to enable AutoComplete and search for system variables, you can enable AutoCorrect, Search Content, and Mid-string Search. All of these options are turned on by default.

Another right-click option provides access to the new Input Search Options dialog box.

Much of the new command line functionality, including AutoCorrect, mid-string search, and adaptive suggestions, is also available using dynamic input.

View command input settings and other Command line enhancements in the AutoCAD 2014: Command Line video.

AutoCAD 2014 Command Line Categories

To make the suggestion list easier to navigate in AutoCAD 2014, system variables and other content are organized into expandable categories. You can click the plus symbol at the right end of the item to expand a category or press the Tab key to cycle through each category.

View command line categories and other Command line enhancements in the AutoCAD 2014: Command Line video.

AutoCAD 2014 Command Line Content

In AutoCAD 2014, you can use the command line to access layers, blocks, hatch patterns/gradients, text styles, dimension styles, and visual styles. For example, if you enter Door at the command line and the current drawing has a block definition with the name Door, you can insert it directly from the suggestion list to the drawing. Similarly, if the drawing has a layer name with Door, you can set that layer current right from the suggestion list.

View command line content and other Command line enhancements in the AutoCAD 2014: Command Line video.

Do you use mathematical software or tools?

If so, we want to hear from you!

Autodesk is conducting research about how CAD designers and engineers use mathematical software or tools in their design workflows. We are especially interested in hearing from people who use tools like Mathematica, Maple, Matlab, Excel or QuickCalc. We are also interested in hearing about other types mathematics software tools support the design process.

We want to find out:

1. Do you use mathematics software or tools 
2. If so, which mathematics software or tools do you currently use 
3. How you incorporate the results of mathematical calculations in your design workflows

If you have 5 minutes to spar we would appreciate it if you would take this quick survey. Thanks in advance! 

Survey is located here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QDTCPR7

AutoCAD 2014 Command Internet Search

In AutoCAD 2014, you can quickly search for more information on a command or system variable right from the suggestion list. Move the cursor over the command or system variable in the list and choose the Help or Internet icons to search for relevant information. The term AutoCAD is automatically prepended to the current term for searching the Internet.

View command internet search and other command line enhancements in the AutoCAD 2014: Command Line video.

AutoCAD 2014 Command Synonyms

The Command line in AutoCAD 2014 has a built-in synonym list. Enter a word at the Command line and it will return a command if a match is found in the synonym list. For example, if you enter SYMBOL, AutoCAD finds the INSERT command so you can insert a block. Or if you enter Round, AutoCAD finds the FILLET command so you can add a fillet to a corner. 

You can add your own words to the Synonym list by choosing Edit Synonym List from the Manage ribbon tab. This is especially helpful for new AutoCAD users and those that have been using other CAD applications.

View command synonyms and other command line enhancements in the AutoCAD 2014: Command Line video.

AutoCAD 2014 Adaptive Command Suggestions

Commands in the suggestion list are initially displayed in the order of their usage based on general customer data. As you continue to use AutoCAD 2014, the order of commands in the suggestion list will adapt to your own usage habits. For example, if you type B at the command line when you first start using AutoCAD 2014 you’ll notice the Break command is towards the bottom of the suggestion list. If you use the Break command more frequently than the commands above it, it will move up the list. 

If you prefer to see the suggestion list in alphabetical order, you can select it in the Input Search Options dialog box, accessible from the Customize tool on the Command line.
 

View adaptive command suggestions and other Command line enhancements in the AutoCAD 2014: Command Line video.

AutoCAD 2014 AutoComplete Command Entry

AutoComplete command entry is enhanced in AutoCAD 2014 to support mid-string search. This is one of my favorite command line enhancements because you no longer have to remember exactly how the name of a command or system variable begins. You only have to know part of the name, anywhere in it! For example, if you want to change the geometric settings for parametric constraints, you might not know the command name is CONSTRAINTSETTINGS or even that it starts with CONSTRAINT. For all you know it might be GEOMETRICSETTINGS or PARAMETRICSETTINGS or even GPSETTINGS. But you can be pretty sure it has SETTINGS somewhere in it. With AutoComplete command entry in AutoCAD 2014, you can start typing SETTINGS to see all the commands and system variables containing the word SETTINGS.

Mid-string search is automatically enabled in AutoCAD 2014. You can turn it off and on from Input Settings on the right-click menu.

 
View mid-string search and other Command line enhancements in the AutoCAD 2014: Command Line video.

AutoCAD 2014 Command Line

The Command Line has been removed in AutoCAD 2014. Ha! April Fools! You’ll find just the opposite in AutoCAD 2014! The command line has been significantly enhanced to provide smarter, more efficient access to commands and system variables. You can even use the command line to access other content such as blocks, hatch patterns, and Internet help.

First, let's take a look at new AutoCorrect command support in AutoCAD 2014. If you mistype a command, instead of responding with “Unknown command,” AutoCAD autocorrects to the most relevant and valid AutoCAD command. For example, if you accidently type TABEL, the TABLE command is automatically launched. If a command that you frequently mistype doesn’t automatically launch the correct command, you can train AutoCAD to do so!

For example, quickly type HETCH and press enter (before the suggestion list appears). Notice that AutoCAD automatically launches the HATCH command. But, maybe when you type quickly, you accidentally tend to type HRTCH. Try it! You’ll get an “Unknown Command” error. Now try it again, a little slower so the suggestion list appears. HRTCH wasn’t close enough to automatically launch the HATCH command but it was close enough to display HATCH in the suggestion list. Now select HATCH from the suggestion list. After three mistypes where you’ve entered HRTCH and then selected HATCH from the suggestion list, AutoCAD will remember and start autocorrecting for you! Now you can type HRTCH as fast as you want (not waiting for the suggestion list) and always launch the HATCH command!

You can control the number of mistypes that are required before a command is added to AutoCorrect. Choose the Customize tool on the Command line and then select Input Search Options.

The corrections are automatically added to an AutoCorrect list which you can access from the Manage ribbon tab. It’s similar to the command alias (pgp) list.

If you wish, you can manually edit the AutoCorrect list to add more customizations. For example, what if I tend to mistype HATCH so bad that the suggestion list won’t even find it? What if I always type HEIDI instead of HATCH? That’s not a problem! Add it to the suggestion list using similar syntax and save!  Keep in mind, however, if you manually add something to the AutoCorrect list you’ll have to close and relaunch AutoCAD before those additions will work.

Give AutoCorrect a try and stay tuned for more Command Line enhancements! Here's a video to help you get started!