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Draftsight - a few simple questions

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SparksRfun

Electrical
Oct 24, 2006
19
US

Just learning Draftsight. A review of the help screens and exploring the interface didn't reveal the answers to these questions, which probably means I am using the wrong search terms, or it's buried in there somewhere I didn't know to look!


First - most CAD people now are using two monitors. I was unable to determine if Draftsight can be displayed on two monitors. I tried the simple "stretch the screen", which seemed to want to snap back to one screen at the first opportunity. Is there a way to make Draftsight display on two screens?

Second, most CAD users like to customize keyboard commands. I am used to "C" means Copy, but "C" means Circle by default in Draftsight and ACAD. There are a number of other common commands that I like to reduce to two-key sequences for quick typing. Can anyone give a hint where to look to customize keyboard commands? I found plenty of places to customize menus or ALT- and CNTRL- keys, nothing for simple command-line typing shortcuts.

Typing? Not Menus? It is faster to type two keys with the left hand than move the mouse to a dropdown menu. I have Carpal Tunnel Issues, which makes it a requirement to distribute the stress of CAD onto both hands. Much lower repetitive strain. For both of these reasons, I prefer typing common commands rather than picking them off the menu with one hand over and over.

-Lawrence

SparksRfun

"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you madder than a wet bobcat"
 
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Hey Sparks,

You wrote:
Typing? Not Menus? It is faster to type two keys with the left hand than move the mouse to a dropdown menu. I have Carpal Tunnel Issues, which makes it a requirement to distribute the stress of CAD onto both hands. Much lower repetitive strain. For both of these reasons, I prefer typing common commands rather than picking them off the menu with one hand over and over.

To be fair, I don't have CT issues with my hands. Old age and arthritis maybe but that's all. When I started Autocad with version 10, I also bought a tablet and programmed it so I could easily draw by clicking a square on the tablet. Later, I used icon driven versions, I'm using 2008 in my home office, but 2009 and 2010 at customer sites. I never really learned that old fashioned typing method which, sad to say is still being taught in tech schools. When I work I have a highly customized Classic screen with many of my own customized icons.

Sometimes coworkers ask me how I get so much done when I rarely type anything. I had about five commands that I typed but it's now four as I recently created an icon for the viewres command. I do everything with the mouse except to input data. I copy and paste a lot.
Different Strokes...

Frank Reid
Reid Engineering Services of Utah
 
Tools > Customize Interface > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts

Have you tried using the Mouse Gestures?
 
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