ASSIGNMENT 2: WINDOW
DEMO(S):
1. Trim and Trim Shortcut (right click to select cutting edges)
2. Extend Command (preview)
3. Object Snap and Running Object Snap Settings
4. Creating back up Saves to an alternate drive (Windows Explorer)
REVIEW:
A Quick review of Line, Erase, Pick and Crossing Windows, Zoom(s)/Pan, and Offset and Fillet “0” serve things well … if for no other reason, we promised to review these things during the first assignment’s demos.
LECTURE / DISCUSSION:
TRIM and EXTEND:
When presenting the Trim command, we set up a display on the screen that will allow us to contrast and compare its function with the Fillet command … specifically how the Fillet will remove “all” the excess line segment at the selected corner, but the Trim will allow just a portion of the segment to be removed; and that the Trim can be used in place of the Fillet command. Reading the command prompt line is emphasized and especially the requirement of selecting the Cutting Edges first – THEN selecting “the guys that are leaving town. We draw a parallel between Entering to tell AutoCAD that your done selecting Cutting Edges with Entering to tell AutoCAD you’re done selecting lines to Erase, etc. We believe it important for students to start looking for similarities in the selection process and begin to see similarities in executing the variety of commands, especially the way entities are selected in the Modify group. Building this kind of intuition, making these connections, will help students navigate their way through new commands that lie ahead.
As part of the Trim Command, we discuss the right click shortcut to selecting cutting edges, and also show students – as a “preview” – the Extension command, drawing parallels between selecting Cutting edges and Boundaries, and the right click shortcut for selecting these entities.
OBJECT SNAP:
We set up a screen full with some random lines and circles, then demo the OSnaps functions. We also “show” the OSnaps toolbar, the method of typing and entering to employ OSnaps, but rely more heavily on the Running OSnaps settings. As part of this demo, we walk the entire class through setting the Running OSnaps through the Drafting Settings dialog box, and point out the toggle for turning them on and off. We explain that most of our drawing will be done with running OSnaps On, but there might be times when the computer will be snapping to an unwanted location, and that it is important that students begin to look for and identify the various symbols attached to each of the individual OSnaps options. At times the OSnap toggle might need to be turned off.
We normally have students set up for the five OSnaps indicated in the exercise. Again our machines “clear” adjustments to settings made during each work session and actually default to the five OSnaps of choice. If your machines do not have such safeguards, then it’s important to explain to students that they will need to check these settings at the beginning of each work session, as they may have been “readjusted” by other students in other classes.
CREATING BACK UP FILES:
It’s been our experience that one of the most difficult tasks for students to master is file management. We begin this talk with a review of the drives available for student use; drive names, locations and designations, etc. Emphasize the difference between Save and Save AS – the first allowing a Save to the CURRENT drive with the CURRENT name .. and the Save As which can be used to Save “AS SOMETHING DIFFERENT”. I use the analogy of comparing different drives to different drawers in a file cabinet. The Save updates the current file in the same drawer with the same name, the Save As lets me make or update a copy of the file in a different drawer (drive) and/or with a different name – again letting one Save the file “as” something different.
For the Current Drive discussion, I use the analogy of “the horse you rode in on”. If you open a drawing from the C: drive (on our case from the students server file H: drive) then regular saves update the drawing to that location. If you “ride in on the C: drive,” then Saves automatically go to the C:. If however, you want to “change horses – i.e.: switch to a “different horse” then you need to do a Save As. That means that subsequent Saves will no default to the “new horse” or the newly selected file drawer (or drive).
It’s been our experience that the most efficient way – and safest way – for beginning students to create and maintain back up files, is to go through Windows Explorer – at the END of each work session or assignment. This keeps them working on the “proper drive (working on the A: has proven problematic for a variety of reasons), it introduces them to the Explorer functions, and importantly, it seems to make the most sense in the quickest manner to the beginner.
We walk them through, as a class, for the first “drag and drop” copy of the Door, and then the Window, having them back up on the A:. We provide floppies – but are now urging students to purchase so-called thumb drives/memory sticks/flash drives because of the speed and storage capacity these devices offer.
Importantly, we remind them that this, like other processes will become easier with time, and emphasize the importance of asking for individual help from us or a neighbor if they have ANY question about making back ups.
Saving Problems:
If students “loose” a file, the first place we look is to AutoCAD’s Program files default locations. On our machines, however, these Saves will be deleted along with other hard drive modifications made during the work session. We do not require students to start over in these instances – in the first class – if they loose a file. Rather we let the “scare” be a “learning experience” in itself, and then load another student’s drawing (or reclaim a backup file) for the unfortunate one, making sure that it is renamed and “adjusted” to the progress point of the lost file.
We set AutoSAVE for 15 minute intervals, but in the beginning class, we don’t want the students to rely on this option for their safety net. To that end, we make a cursory reference to AutoSAVE, if we mention it at all. Again tough love here … we want students to become automatic with their Saves while they work, and a few “horrible” warnings do the trick. There’s nothing like a lost file at one work station to set off a flurry of Saves at the remaining stations. The clicks become deafening!
PROCESS:
Again with this group of lectures/demos we require students to watch the demos, though some speedballs may have already begun (or even finished) the exercise ahead of the class.
One of my favorite disclaimers during the demo/lecture is that the “explanation is often more complex than the application”. I constantly remind students of this, and constantly remind them “just to watch” and that even if things appear complicated, they will unfold more simply when the command is applied, especially if they follow the command prompt line.
On that last point, during the demos, we repeatedly, unrelentingly, “read” the command prompt line demands as we execute the commands, and repeatedly point out the “Enter” command to tell AutoCAD when one is “done typing” or “done selecting”.
For practice, we have students go through the Set Up for each of the assignments. Remind them to Zoom All to capture the entire screen and check that their Set Up, specifically the Area, is correct. Typically, if there’s an error here, it’s because students don’t pick Finish when done setting the drawing area. This will cause AutoCAD to default to a 9” paper length, producing a “long, narrow grid”. This also produces a good opportunity to discuss changing Drawing Limits using the (x,y) coordinates (Format Pulldown).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
Make sure that students are following the written directions along with the drawing.
We have found it important to make sure that students are indeed using OSnaps with this exercise. Also we have found it necessary to be a bit of a nag about students using the Zoom and Pan commands. Those young eyes let them work very small … but the goal in fact is for them to formalize themselves with the basic operations, of which Zoom and Pan are vital. It’s not unusual at this point for us to start to have “mini” demos at individual stations, running students through these commands – especially Zoom Window, Zoom Previous, Zoom All and Pan.
PLOTTING:
Same process and goals here as for the Door.
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