LEGAL NOTICE. MycadKEYS, MycadFUNS, MycadLAYERS and MycadZONES have no relationship business or otherwise with Autocad, Autodesk, MyCAD or CADKEY. MyCAD seems to have little to do with conventional CAD programs. CADKEY has since been renamed to “KEY CREATOR“
MYCADHELPER is an AutoLISP productivity system for AutoCAD-compatible CAD programs. It reduces command input, automates layer management, improves drawing organisation and can dramatically increase drafting speed.
MycadHELPER is a distilation of the work and thinking of one person over 40 years of CAD practice; now retired. Before it is too late, Colin wishes to offer whatever is useful from that experience to others. He has used and taught AutoCAD since AutoCAD Release One, has saved his thoughts on a personal website mycadhelper.com. It is there for anyone who wishes to borrow some pretty productive ideas.
If you would like to give MycadHELPER a try drop a line to calfredwright@gmail.com or leave a comment under MycadHELPER at https://www.cadtutor.net/forum/
MycadHELPER is Best for:
- Basic 2D drafters looking for improved production
- Experienced AutoCAD drafters
- Small drafting businesses
- Architectural technicians
- Civil drafters
- Mechanical drafters
- Self-employed CAD consultants
- Users of AutoCAD-compatible CAD systems
Not For:
- Casual users
- Ribbon-only users
- Visual modelling or BIM
- Not a replacement for REVIT
Questions:
1. What does `HELPER cost?
2. Will `HELPER improve my CAD skills?
3.How long will it take me to learn `HELPER?
4.Is learning `HELPER worth the effort?
5.Will I become locked into `HELPER.
Short answers:
1.`HELPER will cost you nothing.
2.Yes you will become a faster smarter drafter.
3.You will be effective within one week and professional within one month.
4.`HELPER will be the most valuable step you have taken in becoming a CAD professional.
5. `HELPER is easily transported wherever you go and if necessary it can be run from your personal external HD Drive or USB stick.
MycadHELPER is a custom user interface
`HELPER is an add-on for standard Autocad and any other Autocad-like drafting programs that incorporate Lisp programming. ‘HELPER is an integrated collection of Autolisp functions to reduce drawing, and plotting effort.
MycadKEYS – the original driving force of `HELPER
MycadKEYS provides an efficient and easily understandable and learnable system of very short command aliases that cover almost every AutoCAD command and every `HELPER custom function.
If reqired KEYS Aliases can be used not only to initiate `HELPER commands and improved AutoCAD commands but can also be used to initiate generic AutoCAD commands simply by prefixing the MycadKEYS Alias with a hyphen.. Thus PL starts MycadHELPER Place Line whereas -PL starts AutoCAD LINE. Thus there is no need to retain AutoCAD’s Aliases. (Although unless overwritten by MycadHELPER will remain active).
HELPER eliminates graphical menus
‘HELPER eliminates menus, long command names and excessive <enter> keystrokes from command execution and adds many drafting assist tools such as Osnaps and Select object options. Importantly it provides advanced Layer and Workzone commands. MycadHELPER is so divergent from conventional CAD menu based techniques and commands that it requires a change of mindset and some initial effort to get started. I believe that `HELPER DOUBLED my outpu. What is more is that it is professionally enjoyable to use.
MycadLAYERS
Underpinning MycadHELPER is MycadLAYERS that provides an automated Layer Naming Standard and functions to create and manage professional production drawings.
MycadZONES
MycadZONES is an advanced optional outcome of MycadLAYERS. It provides the strategy and functions to manage the WORKZONES into which your drawing objects are organized (plans, sections, elevations, levels, trade-zones etc.) `ZONES differs from standard layer manager tools in that it provides a way to automatically manage multiple WORKZONES in the same single model single file.
Advantages of MycadHELPER
MycadKEYS/CLUES/LAYERS/ZONES are not just another collection of command aliases nor are they a program replacement for Autocad or a particular profession. MycadKEYS/F/L/Z is an enhancement for all CAD programs that offer LISP user customization. MycadHELPER does not attempt to compete with or change the special functions of your CAD program but instead provides significant enhancements to the user interface of generic commands plus its own special command enhancements. And it does this for most programds offering AutoLISP.
The bottomline is that MycadHELPER 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.
Sumary
- Supports a CLEAN SCREEN – no Ribbon menus needed.
- Eliminates hunting for menu icons – commands and responses are entered directly to the command line.
- Solves the problem of inconsistent, confusing and incomplete command ALIAS names. MycadHELPER’s proficiently designed command alias method provides for every command in a systematic, understandable and easily remembered way.
- Command commands are single character, most are two a few are three. Only composite commands or complex named commnds exceed two.
- Speeds learning of AutoCAD and encourages learning of commands and their responses and is a proactive rather than reactive approach to Autocad..
- AutoCAD’s Commandline was the first and always has been the best way to control CAD.
- At the professional end MycadHELPER offers optional COINCIDENT OVERLAY DRAFTING to produce WORKZONES (production drawings) that reduce drawing effort, speed up and simplify editing, increase accuracy and alignment of multi-level multi-function data-models ready for plotting.
Example of ‘HELPER WorkZONES
Here is a project with all of its plan information for 5 floor levels overlaid.
Here is the same project with layers filtered for editing and plotting.
WorkZones vs BIM?
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. AutoCAD’s advanced automated layer management that comes with MycadLAYERS and MycadZONES not only facilitates but encourages and automates Coincident 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.