***ACCELERATORS - it sounds fast doesn't it? Well, it can be. Accelerators can increase your speed and optimize your keyboard even more than customizing the ACAD.PGP file. You don't need to know how to program in AutoLisp or any other language to increase your speed in AutoCAD.
Accelerators are located in the ACAD.MNU file (AutoCAD Menu) and they are as easy to edit as the ACAD.PGP file we discussed last month.
First we'll have to find the ACAD.MNU file, which should be located in your SUPPORT folder within your AutoCAD folder. If you're not sure where AutoCAD is loaded then the easiest way to locate it is to go to the Windows 'Start' button then to 'Find' and 'Files or Folders'. In the 'Named:' area type ACAD.MNU and click the 'Find Now' button.
If it finds more than one copy then you will need to review steps 1-3 in the previous article to determine which one is being read by AutoCAD.
Once you've located the ACAD.MNU file you're ready to edit it using any word processor, such as NotePad or WordPad. In the ACAD.MNU file the Accelerators are located at the very end of the (very long) file. Hopefully it doesn't look to intimidating. You've probably been using Accelerators for a while I didn't even realize it. If you use Ctrl+C for Copyclip and Ctrl+V for Pasteclip, then you're using Accelerators.
You'll find these two and many others defined in your menu file.
When modifying or customizing any part of AutoCAD you'll always want to think about making the least amount of hand movements and keystrokes. When your hand movements are quick and accurate you might notice you develop momentum while drawing. The following are keys that I have become accustom to:
[CONTROL+"Q"]Quad; = Quadrant osnap
[CONTROL+"W"]'Zoom;w; = Transparent zoom
[CONTROL+"E"]Endp; = Endpoint osnap
[CONTROL+"R"]Near; = Near osnap
[CONTROL+"T"]Perp; = Perpendicular osnap
[CONTROL+"A"]Mtext; = Multiline text
[CONTROL+"S"]Inse = Insertion osnap
[CONTROL+"D"]Midp; = Midpoint osnap
[CONTROL+"F"]Lafrz; = Custom layer freeze
[CONTROL+"G"]Laiso; = Custom layer isolate
[CONTROL+"Z"]Tang; = Tangent osnap
[CONTROL+"X"]Inte; = Intersection osnap
[CONTROL+"C"]Cent; = Center osnap
[CONTROL+"V"]Node; = Node osnap
[CONTROL+"B"]'Zoom;p; = Transparent zoom previous
Upon inspection of the keyboard you might notice that all of the accelerator key that I use are located on the left side of the keyboard. The intention is to be able to execute commands quickly while keeping my right hand planted on the mouse as much as possible.
If you try this you might feel that the Control key is a bit of an awkward reach. The Alt key would probably be more comfortable. Prior to the Windows versions of AutoCAD I used something called ANSI.SYS in DOS to redefine my Ctrl and Alt keys, but Windows uses Alt for quick access to pull down menus.
This means that Alt keys can't be redefined through standard means in Windows or AutoCAD.
However, there are even easier ways to configure your keyboard, such as AutoHook2K (a program I heard about through one of AutoDesk's discussion forums), which allows you to redefine most of the keys on your keyboard (including Alt keys! :).•0
Part I - ACAD.PGP
Coming soon:
Part III - Menus & Toolbars
Part IIII - AutoLisp
