AutoCAD 2011 introduced a new feature whereby selecting an xref in the External Reference palette automatically highlights the corresponding xref objects in the drawing. It works in the opposite direction as well--selecting an xref object in the drawing automatically highlights the corresponding xref in the palette.

Caption: Xref highlighting in AutoCAD 2011, as illustrated in Help file.

Unfortunately, this capability can slow down the process of selecting xrefs in the External References palette, especially when you’re working with large, complex drawings. Set the system variable ERHIGHLIGHT to 0 (zero) to turn off this feature. Type ERHIGHLIGHT at the command line, then enter 0.

Way back when, it was common practice to place objects that weren’t supposed to print on the Defpoints layer. This layer is automatically created when you first add dimensions to a drawing. It holds the “definition points” (anchor or reference points) for your dimensions, hence the name. The Defpoints layer can’t be printed, but you can set it to be current and draw on it. It thus became a handy destination for anything else that wasn’t supposed to print.

Caption: Defpoints layer highlighted in the Layer Manager.

AutoCAD 2000 added the ability to create nonplotting layers as destinations for anything that you don’t want to plot. Create a new layer and label it in a way that indicates it doesn’t plot. In the Layer Manager, Set the layer to No Plot to keep it from plotting. Click on the printer icon in the Plot column to toggle between Plot and No Plot.

Caption: Nonplotting layer. Click the icon in the Plot column to set the plotting status.

If you run the Audit command and the Defpoints layer contains anything besides dimension definition points, AutoCAD creates a new layer called $AUDIT-BAD-LAYER and moves all the non-defpoint objects there.
If you use STB styles to plot, you can also set individual objects to be nonplotting. Open the Plot Styles Manager from the File menu and double-click on the plot style table you want to add the style to. Make sure it’s an STB file, not a CTB file.

Caption: Plot Styles Manager displays all your STB and CTB files.

The Plot Style Table Editor will open. Select the Form View tab and click on the Add Style button at bottom right.

Caption: Select Add Style in the Plot Style Table Editor.

Name your new style something distinctive so you’ll know its purpose. Set screening to 0. Select Save and Close.

Caption: Set screen to 0 (zero) to create a plot style that won’t print.

Once your style is created, you can select any object you don’t want to plot. In the Properties palette, click the arrow to expand the Plot style selections under General.

Caption: Plot style options in the Properties palette.

Select Other . . .  at the bottom of the list. This displays the Select Plot Style dialog box, where you can select your nonplotting style.

Caption: Click on the nonplotting plot style to assign it to the selected object.

This week we continue our reacquaintance with the myriad options of the Zoom command with a quick review of Zoom Dynamic. This option gives you two commands for the price of one--you can zoom and pan at the same time. When you select the Dynamic option, AutoCAD displays a blue dashed rectangle that represents the drawing extents or limits (whichever is bigger). A green dashed rectangle denotes your current view.
Zoom Dynamic has two modes. You switch between them by clicking your left mouse button. In Pan mode, the cursor appears as an X within a solid rectangle that delineates the new view. Initially, the box is the same size as the current view. You can move the view box to any location within the blue dashed box.

Caption: Zoom mode is indicated by a black box with an X in the middle. Note the blue dashed box (extents) and the green dashed box (current view).
In Zoom mode, the cursor appears as an arrow in the view box. The left side of the box remains fixed as it was when you switched to Zoom mode. Move the arrow cursor to expand or shrink the box.

Caption: A right-pointing arrow denotes Zoom mode. Move the arrow to make the view box bigger or smaller.

Once you’ve panned and zoomed to the view you want, click your right mouse button.

Consecutive zoom and pan operations count as only one operation when you invoke the Undo command. If you want each one to count as a separate operation, go to the User Preferences tab in the Options dialog box, accessible in the Tools menu. In the Undo/Redo section, uncheck the Combine Zoom and Pan Commands check box.

Once you create a list of sheets and/or drawings to publish in the Publish command’s Sheets to Publish window, you can save that list by clicking on the Save Sheet List button. Drawing lists use the DSD file extension.

Caption: Click the button with the disk icon to save the current sheet list. The button to its immediate left opens saved sheet lists.
When you launch the Publish command, you can select Load Sheet Lists to open a saved drawing list. Or type +Publish at the command line to automatically launch the Select List of Sheets dialog box.