Welcome to MYCADKEYS - the biggest improvement to your CAD skills that you could ever make:

You have found my website so you must be interested in improving your CAD skills. I know that you would prefer a video but stick with me for just a few minutes while I explain what MYCADKEYS is all about.  But before I do that let me make some personal observations about CAD programs and tutorials in general.  Autodesk and other program writers rarely say anything about how to produce a GOOD drawings EFFICIENTLY. Instead and understandably so they focus on how to use the program, usually using menus. Dissapointingly this is also largely true of  most tutorials that rarely discuss how to construct efficient and meaningful drawings. MYCADKEYS was developed expressly to make the drawing process more efficient, reduce drawing effort and make drawings more accurate, informative and better structured. 

In addition to wondering what MYCADKEYS does you will be wondering: 1. What does it cost?  2.Will it improve my CAD skills?  3.How long will it take me to learn? 4.Is it worth the effort?  5.Will I become locked into MYCADKEYS.  Short answers: 1.It will cost you nothing. 2.Yes you will become a faster smarter drafter. 3.You can get started within one hour, will be effective within one week and professional within one month.  4.It will be the most valuable step you have taken in becoming a CAD professional. 5. MYCADKEYS is easily transported wherever you go and if necessary it can be run from your personal external HD Drive or USB stick.

What is MYCADKEYS?

MYCADKEYS is an add-on for standard Autocad and any other Autocad-like drafting programs that incorporate Lisp programming.  MYCADKEYS is an integrated collection of Autolisp functions developed over a period of twenty-five years to reduce drawing, editing and plotting effort.  MYCADKEYS is so divergent from conventional CAD menu  based techniques and is such an in-depth program that it requires a change of mindset and some initial effort and commitment to get started.  BUT once used you will never give it up because it will DOUBLE your output and it is enjoyable to use.

MYCADKEYS actually conssists of MYCADKEYS, MYCADFUNS, MYCADLAYERS and MYCADZONES but for simplicity it is all referred to as MYCADKEYS because the first thing you will notice is that it is keyboard command line based and the second thing is the extraordinary reduction in keystrokes required to execute commands.  MYCADKEYS and MYCADFUNS are about efficient drawing input while MYCADLAYERS and MYCADZONES are about the organization of drawing data for viewing editing and printing.

MYCADLAYERS provides an automated Layer Naming Standard and functions to create and manage them.  MYCADZONES is an advanced optional outcome of MYCADLAYERS.  It provides the strategy and functions to manage the WORKZONES into which the layers are organized (plans, sections, elevations etc.)   MYCADZONES differs from standard layer manager tools in that it provides a way to automatically manage multiple WORKZONES on multiple levels or cross-sections in a single model single file.

MYCADKEYS/FUNS/LAYERS/ZONES are not just another collection of command aliases nor are they a program replacement for Autocad or a specialty "vertical" add-on for a particular profession. MYCADKEYS/F/L/Z is a "horizontal" program enhancement for all CAD programs that offer LISP user customization.  MYCADKEYS does not attempt  to compete with or change the special functions of a particular program but instead provides significant enhancements to the user interface of generic commands plus its own special command enhancements.  And it does this for all Autocad-like programs.

MYCADKEYS will be most appreciated by experienced drafters looking for a professional advantage but will also help newer users to learn to use Autocad and its commands more quickly and effectively.

Why Use MYCADKEYS?

MYCADKEYS:

• Provides a clean screen - no Ribbon menus needed.

• Eliminates hunting for menu icons - enter commands and responses directly to the command line.

• Solves the problem of inconsistent, confusing and incomplete ALIAS names - a proficiently designed command alias method provides for every command in a systematic, understandable and easily remembered way.

• Provides max two character Aliases - common editing commands are single character and only composite commands exceed two.

• Makes use of 50+ characters on keyboard to multiply alias naming options.

• Speeds learning of AutoCAD and encourages learning of commands and their responses and is a proactive rather than reactive approach to using Autocad..

• The Commandline was the first and always has been the best way to control CAD. 

• Provided your program offers LISP customization and you are not committed to RIBBON you can literally double (YES DOUBLE) your rate of drawing output.

• Offers optional OVERLAY drafting and resulting WORKZONES that reduce drawing effort and speed up and simplify editing and plotting.

Here is an example of OVERLAY drafting and what MYCADKEYS will help you to produce:

This Single overlaid model contains all five floor plans.

The same drawing with layers automatically filtered for editing and plotting.

 

CONTENTS:

TUTORIALS: MYCADKEYS Why use the Commandline Understanding Alias Names Commandline interpretation Autocad Command/Alias List Alias/Command List Drawing Aliases System Aliases Complete Alias List MYCADFUNS Accelerator Keys Single Key Command Options Data Picks Object Selection Object Snap Point Entry Status Line Text command improved Dim command improved Autosave

MYCADLAYERS Layer Naming and Management Layer Naming Q & A Layer Naming Standards Overlays & Workzones Example Palace drawings Example Kitchen drawings Example Water Street drawings Drawing types Pen color   MYCADZONES   INSTALL How to install MYCADKEYS Getting started LINKS   ABOUT Autobiography of author Thanks Terms of use

OTHER STUFF Blocks and Inserts Blocks and XREFS Customising Autocad SHARING Layer Tips SCALES TIPS Becoming a Drafter Why use the Commandline History of the Command line PAPERSPACE Are you self employed

Worried about BIM?

Are you worried that 2D drafting is a thing of the past?  Although some major projects may be using products such as Revit, Archicad or DRAWABLE to produce Building Information Models (BIM)  the majority of use still seems to be for presentation modeling and simple 2D drawing outcomes.  The jury seems to be still out on Revit and BIM and myths and complaints are plenty.  In the the meantime AutoCAD 2D is still going strong.  AutoCAD has significant underused capabilities of Overlay modeling that can avoid the common errors of alignment and clashes inherent in traditional methods of drawing and claimed to be avoided by BIM. The advanced automated layer management that comes with MYCADLAYERS not only facilitates but encourages and automates Overlay Modeling to produce multi-discipline, multi-level, single integrated models saving time and enhancing data integrity.  With both BIM and 2D drafting the data extracted is only as good as the data put in. In less complimentary colloquial terms "garbage in garbage out". Overlay modeling provides an excellent opportunity to ensure good data in.

Interested in MYCADKEYS?

Before doing anything else have a quick look at Install and Getting Started.

Want to learn more?  Go to MYCADFUNS then keep going to MYCADLAYERS and MYCADZONES.

Author's comments:

• AutoCAD is a great program but the problem is that the user interface is burdened by endless slow to use graphical menus unlike the Commandline that gives access to ALL commands.  Autodesk now acknowledges this with the introduction of the new "Smart" command line. Here are a couple of good descriptions: article 1 and article 2 but as flexible and helpful as the upgraded Commandline is to the new user it is not an answer for experienced professional users who wish to reduce command input. And remember that none of Autocad's commands or aliases do more than start commands. 
• All AutoCAD has ever needed is short logical easily remembered command names and the removal of endless key pressing to confirm intentions.  AutoCAD made an attempt with Aliases but these are often clumsy and random and do not cover all commands (1400 if you count system variables).  Now there is an alternative.  MYCADKEYS.
• Changing work practices can be difficult and take time and effort and create a fear of running against the current but depending upon how well you are currently organized MYCADKEYS can put you ahead of the competition.
• MYCADKEYS is especially beneficial to the Self Employed seeking a cost advantage.
• Lately smaller high resolution screens have made the Commandline  even more relevant and MYCADKEYS makes makes a clean screen and the Commandline work
• Are you thinking that Autocad has outlived its relevance to simple 2D drafting? 
• If you are in doubt about the current relevance of Autocad have a look at NOVEDGE's website.
• If you are in doubt about the cost of Autocad have a look at Intellicad or BricsCAD for all intents and purposes Autocad workalikes.
• There are three "L"s in AutoCAD: Command Line, Layers and AutoLisp. MYCADKEYS makes extensive use of all three  providing the user interface that AutoDesk should have provided.
• To see what AutoLisp is all about jump to Customising Autocad.
• Have a look to see what experienced professional drafters think about Keyboard vs Menus.
• To try something straight away go to Getting Started.

 

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