9.5 Extra Steps

When All Else Fails “ Ask for Help!
- My Wife (When I couldn't find the right exit)

We're really making progress through our course! Have you noticed the Help pull-down menu yet? Have you tried to use it?

One of the smartest things you (or any student) can do is to know what resources are available to help you when you get into a bind.

Make a list of the resources available to you “ begin with this text. Add your instructor (if you're in a classroom environment), the smart guy sitting next to you, the AutoCAD Assistant, and any other classroom references (handouts, books, tests, etc.). Most importantly “ add your willingness to explore and experiment with the software (never underestimate the power of trial and error as a learning tool).

Note  

I'm convinced that we learn more through exploration, experimentation, and error than by any other means.

- Anonymous

Now take a look at the Help pull-down menu. The first thing you may notice is the number of selections available to you. Let's look at some of these:

• Help provides access to a standard Windows Help dialog box. Three tabs provide access to information using a table of contents format, a subject index format, and a word search format. Tabs also exist for accessing Favorites (sites you bookmark within the Help menu) and a new tab that enables you to simply ask a question.

  I suggest starting with the subject index “ simply enter the subject for which you're searching and pick the Display button. If that doesn't provide a solution, try the word search ( Search ) tab.

• Active Assistant calls the AutoCAD Assistant.

• The New Feature Workshop helps if you're already familiar with AutoCAD but new to this release.

• As so many software companies are doing now, AutoCAD also provides access to Online Resources. These are useful mostly for upgrades and expansion of your software online support, while often cheaper than telephone support, is generally quite slow.