5.6 Extra Steps

These may be the most important paragraphs in the text!

AutoCAD provides several system variables ( generally called SYSVARS) including one called Savetime .

The Savetime command sequence is

Command: savetime

Enter new value for SAVETIME <10>:

The default time shown here is 10 minutes. I prefer this setting, but you can set it to whatever makes you feel comfortable. Remember that whatever number you assign to Savetime is the amount of drawing time you may lose in case of a system crash.

Note  

SYSVARS (system variables) are one of the ways AutoCAD provides for you to configure the software for optimal user performance.

As just set, AutoCAD will automatically save the current file every 10 minutes. But you don't have to worry about it overwriting a file if you don't want your changes saved. AutoCAD saves the drawing to a file called [drawing name ].SV$ and puts it in the \Local Settings\Temp folder.

If you lose your drawing (power failure, forget to save, etc.), simply change the extension of the [drawing name].SV$ file to .dwg. You can then open it as you would any other drawing.

5.7 What Have We Learned?

Items covered in this lesson include:

• Commands

  • Arc

  • Circle

  • Ellipse

  • Polygon

  • Savetime

Lines and circles (and their various complements) shape our world. With this lesson, we wrap up the basic drawing tools. You're now able to draw quite a few things in the 2-dimensional world. But remember that only about 30% of CAD is drawing. The rest is modifying what you have drawn and entering text. We'll consider many of AutoCAD's modifying tools in Lesson 7, but first, we'll look at adding a bit of flavor to our work in Lesson 6.

Work on the exercises until you're more comfortable with what you've learned so far. Then go on to the next " colorful " lesson.