We’ve previously mentioned the Mtext Editor’s automatic numbering capabilities. When this capability is turned on, you can type a number or letter, then a period, then press the <Tab> key. Type your first list item, then press Enter. The next line is automatically numbered with the next number or letter needed to create an ordered list. Keep in mind that you don’t have to start with 1 or A. You can start with any number or letter. Subsequent numbers will follow in sequence. Also note that you can add your choice of prefix text before the number or letter. You do need to follow the prefix with a period, like so:

Note.1.<Tab>

Or

Step.A.<Tab>

Caption: AutoCAD will repeat your prefix text when you use the autolist format.

Subsequent items will retain the prefix, and the number or letter will increment with each <Enter>.

One last autolist tip: You can include sub-lists in your AutoCAD lists. For example, let’s say we want step 6 to have three sub-steps: 1, 2, and 3. When you finish typing Step 6 and hit Enter, Step.7. automatically appears at the start of the next line. Instead of typing a step 7, press the <Tab> key again. Step.7. is replaced by step.6.1, which is indented slightly under step 6.

Type your substep, then press Enter. The next line will start with step.6.2.

Caption: Create sublists by pressing the <Tab> key before you enter text.

Continue on until your sublist is complete. You can also add sublists to your sublist simply by pressing <Tab> after the list number instead of typing. To return to previous list levels, press the <Shift>+<Tab> combination.

Caption: You can make many list levels in AutoCAD’s Mtext Editor.

When you use AutoCAD’s Action Recorder, found in 2009 and up, take care not to give your macros the names of commands that already exist in AutoCAD. First of all, AutoCAD won’t let you name an Action Recorder macro with the name of a native AutoCAD command. If you get sneaky and rename the file to use the name of a native command, AutoCAD will refuse to load it.

These safeguards apply only to native AutoCAD commands—those that are built into the product. You’ll also need to watch out for any user-defined commands in AutoLISP routines, third-party add-ons, and command aliases. If you assign one of these command’s names to an Action Recorder macro, you may find that the command no longer works. In addition, if you name an Action Recorder macro the same name as an AutoCAD localized command name, the macro will run the original command, not the macro.

Last time we described how to use AutoCAD’s Action Recorder to record a sequence of actions. Each macro is saved as an .ACTM file. As noted previously, the Action Recorder dwells in the ribbon and can also be accessed by typing Actrecord at the command line. Once you create a macro, you will see a list of its commands and inputs in the Action Tree window of the Action Recorder.

Use the Action Tree window to fine-tune your macro.

When you select an item in the Action Tree, a shortcut menu appears with available options.

You can change the input you provided when recording the macro. You can select Request User Input to allow the person running the macro to provide the needed information. Select Insert User Message to present a text message to the user at this point in the macro playback.

In tips past, we’ve looked at how to create new ribbon panels and flyouts in the CUI (Customize User Interface). Now we’ll look at how to spiff up those ribbon panels by adding controls such as pull-down lists, sliders, text boxes, and other controls. Some controls are specific to particular ribbon panels. For example, the Layers panel includes controls to change layers in a drawing.

Open the CUI by typing CUI at the command line or selecting the Tools tab on the ribbon, then the Customization panel, then User Interface. In the CUI Editor, select the plus sign next to Ribbon Panels in the Customizations in All CUI Files window. Click the plus sign next to My Tools. Now go to the Command List window and click on Control Elements in the Categories list. Now you will see the available control elements in the Command List window.

Just as you would add a command to a panel, drag (or copy and paste) your desired control elements from the Command List window to a row in the My Tools tree. Use the indicator bar to specify the position of the control. Select OK. You can preview the placement of your control in the Panel Preview window.