Autodesk has compiled a list of the top four reasons AutoCAD users receive serial number errors. Let’s count them down:

Reason #4: The contact information you are using does not match the information associated with the serial number when it was first registered. Be sure to keep your contact information up to date, especially when you change your name, your company name, or your address.

Reason #3: Your serial number isn’t valid anymore. The number may be associated with a product that you aren’t licensed to use. There are also some circumstances in which a serial number becomes obsolete.

Reason #2: The serial number you are trying to use does not match the product. The serial number may be valid, but could be associated with a different product--for example, you try to use a serial number for AutoCAD LT to register AutoCAD. Or it could be associated with a different version of the same product--you try to register AutoCAD 2011 with an AutoCAD 2009 serial number. Or it may be for a network deployment and you are trying to use it as a stand-alone license (or vice versa). Before you register, make sure your serial number matches the product, release, and type of license you have purchased.

Reason #1: Typographical errors, or the fat fumbling fingers of futility. Take care when you enter your serial number, host name, and other license information. It doesn’t help that the serial numbers are usually printed in 7-point type.

To speed up layer creation, use Alt+N to create a new layer in the Layer Properties Manager. The new layer will have the properties of the layer that is currently selected when you press the <Alt>+N key combination. It will be called Layer 1, but this text will be automatically highlighted so you can type right over it to rename the layer without having to reselect it.

Caption: Press the <Alt>+N key combination to create a new layer in the Layer Manager.

Once you type in a new name, type a comma instead of Enter if you want to create additional layers. AutoCAD will create another new layer, named Layer 1, with its name highlighted so you can rename it. 

Caption: Type a comma after you change the name of your new layer to automatically create another new layer.

If you have Snap set to on and your snap distance is too large, your cursor may appear jumpy and you may find it difficult to snap to desired points. Press F9 to toggle Snap on and off. Or change your snap settings to use smaller spacing. Right-click on the Snap tab and select Settings from the shortcut menu that appears. On the Snap and Grid tab, adjust snap spacing in the upper left corner.

Caption: Change your snap spacing on the Snap and Grid tab in the Drafting Settings dialog box.

The SSX command is a handy alternative to Quick Select (Qselect) when you want to group similar entities (that is, objects that share a particular trait). SSX is listed in the Express Tool Help, but doesn’t appear on the menu. If nothing happens when you type SSX at the command line, try loading the command by typing:

(load “ssx”)

Type SSX at the command line, or type (ssx) at any object selection prompt. Then select the property you want to match. AutoCAD creates a selection set that contains all objects in the drawing that share the property. For example, suppose you want to select all BOLT-14 blocks in your drawing. Once you start SSX, choose an instance of that block with the selection box. Press Enter. AutoCAD will display the number of BOLT-14 blocks it found.

If you press Enter again instead of selecting an object or text, SSX offers several filter options you can use to create your selection set:

Block name: Block name to add or remove
Color: Color number to add or remove
Entity: Object type to add or remove
Flag: Toggles the Entities Follow flag
Layer: Layer name to add or remove
Ltype: Linetype name to add or remove
Pick: Select objects
Style: Text style name to add or remove
Thickness: Thickness to add or remove
Vector: Extrusion vector to add or remove

Once you create a filter list, you can remove any filter by selecting its option and pressing Enter. If you select an option that is already in the filter list, your new value will overwrite the old value. You can have only one of each type of filter in a single filter list.

Caption: In the example above, the layer filter “pear” is changed to “apple,” and then removed entirely.

Once you’ve used SSX to create a selection set, you can run a new command and type P (for previous selection) when prompted to select objects.

Here’s a few more examples of things you can do with SSX.

Suppose you want to delete all Wipeout objects in a drawing. Type SSX at the command line. Press Enter twice, then E for entity. Type in Wipeout, then press Enter twice. Now type Erase at the command line and press Enter. Type P, then press Enter twice. AutoCAD will erase all of your Wipeout objects.

Caption: SSX command trail to select and remove all wipeout objects.

Here’s another Express Tool that can save you time when editing your drawings. MoCoRo combines the Move, Copy, and Rotate commands, with Scale thrown in for good measure. You can perform all of these operations without leaving the MoCoRo command. MoCoRo appears in the Modify flyout in the Express Tools menu, or you can simply type Mocoro at the command line. You are prompted to select objects. When done, press Enter.Specify a base point. Then select from options to Copy, Move, Rotate, Scale, Base, Undo, and Exit. Base allows you to change your base point on the objects you selected.

Unlike AutoCAD, recent versions of AutoCAD LT don’t allow you to export to EPS format. The workaround is to use the Plot command to create an EPS file. Select Plotter Manager from the File menu and select the Add-a-Plotter wizard. Select My Computer in the Begin window. In the Plotter Model window, select Adobe. Three different PostScript levels should appear under models at right.

Caption: Select Adobe under Manufacturers, then select a PostScript option under Models.

Select one, then press the Next button twice to get to the Ports window. Select Plot to File (top middle option).

Caption: Select Plot to File in the Ports window.

Proceed to the next window and give your new plotter a name.

Caption: Name your new plotter.

To create EPS files, run the Plot command and select the plotter you just created. Note: If you aren’t pleased with the resulting EPS, try switching to a different PostScript level.

Caption: To create an EPS file, run the Plot command and select your PostScript plotter.