Expert: Bob - 9/21/2009

Question
Hi Bob,

I have been using Auto cad for close to 20 years. Currently using 2004 version. I am doing building drawings for a garage. I consider myself an above average user for 2D designs.

I have 2 new problems I have encountered, not sure if they are related or not.

Problem 1: Changing units has no effect on dimensioning, it always defaults to decimal. This was previously working and I was using arch units without any problem. recently though I cannot get them to change in either a new or old dwg. I am using the UNITS command and selecting the new units in that window.

Problem 2: When I go to select lines to erase, I was previously able to select multiple lines 1 at a time and it would add to all the lines I had selected. Now I can only select 1 line and as soon as I select a second line the first one deselects. Using the ADD function also does not cure this issue. This problem is true for all commands such as MOVE, ERASE COPY etc. I can only select multiple items that I can window around, but cannot add additional ones.

I appreciate any insight you may have.

I don't know if I have inadvertently changed a setting to lock these in place, but literally this all was working fine one day and not the next

Thanks

Kevin

Answer
Hi, sorry for delay

1-- All I can say is that I don't know a correlation between drawing units and dimension style, though I might be wrong. Decimal vs Architectural dimension units is a choice in your dimension styles dialog.
ALWAYS I would set up and name my dimension styles needed for various purposes, then, when dimensioning, make the appropriate style current.
(or on 2004 forward, I might place my commonly used dimension tools in tool palettes, so that the layers could be set)

2-- Here is where a setting changed on you, as was too common in old releases. Go to OPTIONS, settings tab, and see if "use shift to add to selection" is checked. That is probably it, but, if not, mess with the other settings one at a time -- you will find it.
I have NEVER used ADD, but would use "shift" to select, in a case where I had disallowed multiple selection (working in close quarters, for instance)
(nicely - you should know your way around OPTIONS and might have solved this in 2 minutes -- and the answer is also in HELP)

Last -- sorry, meant helpfully: Users who started before 2000 often are self-taught, with old or odd habits, and missing a lot of more recent knowledge. Perhaps this might apply to you, to some degree.
Your #1, above, is entirely caused by not working from a drawing template file (.dwt)you have made for your office --- again, common since 2000 --- with all your styles, etc preloaded.
A good book on AutoCAD 2004 and some time learning might make your work easier.

I don't mean to criticize, but to say that I hate to see people wasting time by not using all the newer tools.

BOB