Tipster Perry Medina shares three macros that will help you to quickly adjust your UCS (user coordinate system) in AutoCAD. These three menu macros align the UCS to a line the user draws. Perry frequently works on aviation projects, and often uses these to ensure the runway is horizontal with the screen or the viewport.

"All the macros turn the UCS icon on so you can be aware that you are in a user coordinate system. It is critical to know if your x,y,z readings no longer relate to the standard world coordinate system.

1. This first one creates a UCS parallel to a line that you pick. Then the plan view is made current so that the selected line is now horizontal on your screen. It matters which end of the line you select, because the opposite end of the line will yield different results.

^C^Cucs;ob;plan;;ucsicon;on;

2. This macro aligns the UCS to the selected object, but does not alter the view and keeps the UCS set to World.

^C^Cucs;ob;plan;;ucsicon;on;ucs;world;

3. This macro aligns the UCS to the selected object, the plan view is made current so that the selected line is now horizontal on your screen, and it gives the USC the assigned name of "sheet." Replace the name with one of your choosing.

^C^Cucs;ob;plan;;ucsicon;on;ucs;save;sheet;

Notes from Cadalyst Tip Reviewer Brian Benton: Getting your UCS just right can be a bit of a bother. These macros will rotate your UCS along an object. There are three choices here: The first one adjusts the UCS to an object, then rotates everything so that the new UCS's x line is horizontal to your screen. The second makes a new UCS but doesn’t change the view in your screen. The third macro is the same as the first, but also saves the view so you can easily restore it later. These are simple macros, but they can be very useful.