Here are more details on fine-tuning the sensitivity of tool palette Auto-hide rollup and rollout. Note that effective with AutoCAD 2010, the timer settings have moved to the individual running profile XML file. In AutoCAD 2009, they lived in the fixed profile XML file. Use a text editor such as Notepad to edit the appropriate XML file.

The fixed profile XML file is called FixedProfile.AWS and it resides here:

C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2009\R17.2\enu\Support\Profiles

The individual running profile XML file is called Profile.AWS. Each profile folder found at the location below has its own Profile.AWS file:

C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2010\R18.0\enu\Support\Profiles

Be sure to back up the file before you start editing it. Open the file in your text editor and search for this string: <AcApData>. It should be near the beginning of the file. Immediately after this string, paste in this text:
<PaletteRolloutInfo PaletteRolloutDelay="100"/>
<PaletteRollupInfo  PaletteRollupDelay="800" PaletteHoldopenDelay="4000"/>

The numbers in quotes control the values for the various delays, in milliseconds. The numbers shown above are the default values:

• Rollout delay: 1/10 second
• Rollup delay: 8/10 second
• Hold open delay: 4 seconds

Change these numbers as you wish. When you’re done, save and close the XML file. You will need to restart AutoCAD for your changes to take effect. Your changes will affect all tool palettes.

Liberal use of hatch patterns can bog down AutoCAD performance, especially in earlier versions. Here are a few tips to help minimize their impact. Place hatches on a separate layer so you can turn that layer off while you work. And never explode hatches—they will explode into all their component entities. The hatch boundary also loses associativity.

Caption: When you explode a hatched area, you end up with all the entities that make up the pattern.

In the Layer Properties Manager, if you try to delete a layer that contains entities, AutoCAD won’t let you.

Caption: AutoCAD balks at deleting layers with objects on them.

To get around this refusal, use the Laydel command (may be an Express Tool, depending on your version of AutoCAD). Type Laydel at the command line. AutoCAD prompts you to:

Select object on layer to delete or [Name]:

Type N to display a dialog box where you can select a layer to delete.

Caption: The Laydel command lets you select layers with objects on them for deletion.

Note that any entities on the layer will be deleted also. Laydel won’t let you delete layer 0 and the current layer.

Last time we looked at how to plot to raster file formats. If you aren’t worried about output quality and simply need a screen capture of your drawing, use AutoCAD’s Saveimg command. When you type Saveimg at the command prompt, the Render Output File dialog box appears and provides several raster format options.

You can save to BMP, PCX, TGA, TIFF, JPEG, and PNG formats. Depending on the format you select, you can specify additional options.

Caption: Saveimg options for the JPEG format (left) and the TIFF format (right).

If you want to open an xref but don’t know its name, use the Xopen command. Type Xopen at the command line. AutoCAD will prompt you to select an xref, then opens it for you.

Several options are available to convert splines to polylines. AutoCAD 2009 subscription customers have access to the AutoCAD 2009 Bonus Pack, which includes a spline converting utility. Users of earlier versions of AutoCAD can use the Flatten Express Tool to convert splines to polylines.

Caption: Spline in need of conversion.

Caption: Use the Flatten Express Tool to turn the spline into a polyline.