Quick Tips

From Cheap Tricks, Dec 93 Issue

Published By:
Shu Associates, Inc.
120 Trenton St., Melrose, MA 02176-3714
(617)662-0020 (FAX Same)
eshu@world.std.com

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Template Quick Tips

2. If you are running two copies of DataCAD (e.g. DataCAD 6 and DataCAD 7), you can have them both access the same set of templates and symbols. However, if you call up a template and no symbols appear, it may be that the template is using the shortcut path method noted in Item #1. You should edit these files to include their full paths (i.e. add in the C:\DATACAD) and now you should be able to use these templates from both DataCAD versions in two different directories.

3. The pipe ( | ) symbol (shift backslash) as shown in the last symbol path in the example below indicates that the first symbol is to be shown in the template window but the second symbol after the pipe is to be placed in the drawing. You can therefore create a symbol "tag" that is only used as a label (or a 3D depiction of your symbol) for display in the template windows.

4. To make a template into a floppy drive accessible template, copy all the pertinent symbol files to your floppy. Then using the EDIT Command, revise the Template file. Use the Search and Change ALL commands to change all the C:\DATACAD\SYM\ paths to A:\ in one single step. (See Dr. DOS., Dec 93)

5. You may want to save out "blank" symbols on occasion to allow you to organize your template windows graphically so that "like" symbols group together by column or row.

6. Your most frequently used symbols (e.g. company logo) can be accessed from several different templates without making more copies of the symbol file. Add the path for that symbol file (via a Text Editor) to any template where you wish to have your symbol available.

7. In making a new template or adding symbols to an existing template, NEVER use "Autopath". This feature is a stinker (our opinion) that will invariably cause you more problems than it is worth.