Autodesk AutoCAD LT 2012

AutoCAD LT 2012 is Autodesk's 2D design and drafting software, covering all the steps from drafting to publishing. It is aimed at design professionals in all industries who require full DWG file format compatibility but do not require 3D capabilities or advanced customization of their software.

New features include:

• Associative Arrays
• AutoCAD WS
• Autodesk Content Explorer
• Autodesk Exchange
• Auto-Complete Commands
• Blend Objects
• Combine Objects into Groups
• Delete Duplicate Objects
• Fillet & Extend Spline Objects
• Multi-Functional Grips
• Multileader Enhancements
• Multiple Locations for Plot Support Files
• New Layer Management Option
• Copy Array
• Nudge Objects
• Preview Fillets & Chamfers
• Reset Settings Tool
• Sheet Set Manager

Its features include:

Efficient drafting:

• Create simple or complex 2D drawings from standard shapes: lines, polygons, arcs, circles, ellipses.
• Modify existing geometry with commands that:
  • Stretch, fillet, or chamfer
  • Move, copy, and rotate
  • Scale, trim, and extend
  • Offset, mirror, erase, or explode
  • Align objects
  • Add and edit properties—Easily display and change the current properties for any object in your CAD drawing
  • Retrieve distance, radius, angle, area, and volume of an object or a sequence of points
• Annotate your CAD drawings:
  • Text: Create and add text objects to your CAD drawing with familiar word processing tools such as indents and tabs, automatic bulleted or numbered lists, and in-place spell-checking.
  • Dimensions: Add accurate dimensions to display distances, angles, and arc lengths with intelligent dimension objects. Independently control linetypes and arrow locations. Create jogged dimensions for dimensioning large radii or distances.
  • Tables: Create tables that are easily resized and modified, and which can perform calculations using formulas similar to Microsoft Excel software.
  • Annotation scaling: Set the current scale of a viewport or model space view and apply that scale to each text, dimension, or hatch object. Its size, placement, and appearance will then automatically adjust based on the scale set for the viewport.
  • Fields: Fields are special text objects that store the properties of objects or drawings. Use them to display properties, such as the length of a line, the area of a polyline, or the name of a layout. When a property changes, the fields will update.
• Use the QuickCalc calculator to perform calculations, convert units, and derive values from drawing entities.

Simplified data exchange:

• Publish intelligent design data with DWF technology. At 1/10th the size of other file formats, DWF is the fastest, easiest way to communicate design information while helping to ensure secure and efficient sharing at any stage of the project lifecycle.
• Seamless data sharing across AutoCAD products.
• AutoCAD LT enables you to reference data in other files and a variety of formats into your CAD drawings, including DWG, images, DWF, PDF, and Excel.
• Publish high-quality PDFs directly from AutoCAD LT drawings. Text in a drawing is exported as TrueType font, enabling you to highlight, search, and copy text in the PDF viewer. Select the appropriate font files to embed when you specify the PDF plotter properties. Once plotting is complete, the PDF automatically appears.
• Share drawing files with consultants and clients by saving DWG files in the DXF file format to exchange data with users of other design or CAD software.
• You can protect the authenticity of your DWG files with digital signatures.

Optimize your AutoCAD LT work environment:

• The Layer Properties Manager makes creating and editing layer properties fast and easy. Changes made in the dialog are instantly reflected in the drawing.
• Blocks can save time and standardize drawings by eliminating the need to redraw repetitive standard components.
• Tool Palettes let you quickly access frequently used content, such as blocks, hatches, and commands.
• Show externally referenced files as faded for on-screen display to visually differentiate objects in xrefs from objects in the current drawing.
• Quickly find your way around the screen with tools to locate commands, view all open drawings, and navigate between different areas in an open drawing. Optimize your work environment by customizing the location and appearance of commands. Shortcuts include the following:
  • The Ribbon interface presents commands in a concise visual format, allowing you to quickly select the commands you need. Customize the ribbon, so it's optimized for your needs and meets your company’s standards.
  • The Menu Browser allows you to search for command names. Thumbnail images of recent and open files also appear, along with detailed information about when the file was last saved. Organize recently used files by name, date, or title.
  • The Quick View features use thumbnails in addition to file names, making opening the correct drawing file and layout faster and decreasing the time spent opening incorrect files.
  • Show multiple views of your drawing on one layout with viewports. Viewports can be any size or shape required to show an area of interest. When a viewport is rotated, you can also rotate the view to maintain the view orientation relative to the viewport.
  • Use the wheel on your mouse to quickly zoom and pan to see different areas of your drawing.
  • Dynamic Input provides a command interface near the cursor to help keep your focus in the drafting area. When Dynamic Input is on, tooltips display information near the cursor that is dynamically updated as the cursor moves. When a command is active, the tooltips provide a place for user entry.
  • The Autodesk SteeringWheels navigation tool provides quick access to the Zoom and Pan commands. It also has a rewind function that enables you to step back through previous views of your drawing.

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