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Acting Shift-y
Tip# 3690 By Adam Luko On 17-Jul-2011
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Rated By 2 users
Categories : 2D Operations
Software type : AutoCAD 2012
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The Shift key can help you do more than just type upper-case letters.

Designer and Senior Technician Adam Luko shares with us some AutoCAD tricks you can perform with the Shift key.

"Shift is a good multi-function key — it can help with more than just typing upper-case letters. The Shift key can do the following:

  • If you hover over an object that overlaps another object, hold the Shift key down and hit the spacebar. This allows you to switch between the objects and select the object you want (you don't have to use draw order all the time).
  • If you do a crossing window, you can hold the Shift key down to deselect the objects you don't want in the selection (you don't have to Escape and start over again with the selection).
  • In the Trim command, if you hold down the Shift key you can extend instead of trim (it's nice being able to do this without getting into the other command); this works with the Extend command also."

Notes from Cadalyst Tip Patrol: There are many ways to input commands and functions into AutoCAD; using the Shift key is one of them. Everyone knows that the Shift key will let you type in upper-case letters (or, if Caps Lock is on, lower-case letters). This probably seems like basic information, but did you know about the other tips? Selecting objects with the Shift key press will unselect them; I use this one often. Did you know about the added Trim functionality? Another trick is to select any object to activate its grips. Hold the Shift key down and pick a grip — now it's a hot grip. Pick another while holding the Shift key; now these two hot grips can be edited, but will retain their special relationship when you do. Oh, and don't forget right-click.
 

 

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