Managing Content with

AutoCAD DesignCenter

In This Chapter

This chapter introduces AutoCAD DesignCenter.

14

Finding, viewing, and working

with drawing content

You can now locate and organize drawing data
and insert blocks, layers, external references, and
customized drawing content by dragging them into

Loading and viewing content,

and navigating in the AutoCAD

DesignCenter palette
Creating descriptions and icons

for block definitions

your drawing from your own files, network drives,
or Internet locations.

Adding, copying, and attaching

blocks, raster images, xrefs, and

layers
Managing frequently used

content (Favorites)

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Working with Drawing Content

Reusing and sharing content is fundamental to efficient management of a
drawing project. Creating block references and attaching external references
(xrefs) help you reuse drawing content. With AutoCAD DesignCenter, you
can manage block references, xrefs, raster images, and content from other
sources, including other applications. In addition, if you have multiple drawings open, you can streamline your drawing process by copying and pasting
content, such as layer definitions, between drawings.
AutoCAD DesignCenter also provides powerful tools for viewing and reusing
content. You can navigate your local system and any network drives and
even download content from the Internet.
With Autodesk Favorites (the default folder for AutoCAD DesignCenter), you
can cut down on the time you spend getting to the drawings, folders, and
Internet locations you use most often. Autodesk Favorites provides a shortcut to drawing content in various locations. For example, you might want
to create a shortcut to a network folder that you access frequently.

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With AutoCAD DesignCenter, you can

Browse different sources of drawing content: from the drawings you

currently have open in AutoCAD to symbol libraries on a Web page.
View object definitions such as block and layer, of any drawing file and
insert, attach, or copy and paste the definitions into the current drawing.
Create shortcuts to drawings, folders, and Internet locations that you
access frequently.
Find drawing content on your computer and networked drives. For example, you might search for a drawing based on the name of a particular layer
or the date the drawing was last saved. Once you have found the drawing,
you can load it into AutoCAD DesignCenter, or drag it directly into the
current drawing.
Open drawings by dragging a drawing (DWG) file from the palette into
the drawing area.
View and attach raster image files by dragging the image file from the
palette into the drawing area.
Control the display of palette contents by switching between large and
small icons, lists, and details. You can also display preview images and any
descriptions associated with the drawing content in the palette.

AutoCAD DesignCenter accesses the following kinds of content:

Drawings as block references or xrefs

Block references within drawings
Other drawing content, such as layer definitions, linetypes, layouts, text
styles, and dimension styles
Raster images
Custom content created by third-party applications

Viewing Content
Using AutoCAD DesignCenter, you can now easily locate and organize
content and drag it into your drawing.
You can use the content pane of the AutoCAD DesignCenter window, or the
palette, to view the items of content located in the source that you are browsing. The navigation pane, or tree view, provides a hierarchical listing of the
content source.

Viewing Content

493

To display AutoCAD DesignCenter

From the View menu, choose AutoCAD DesignCenter.

Command line ADCENTER
The first time you open AutoCAD DesignCenter, it is displayed in the default
position, docked at the left of the drawing area. The palette displays large icons;
the tree view on the left displays the Desktop tree. Use the tree view to browse
sources of content and load content into the palette.
Resize AutoCAD DesignCenter by clicking a border, the bar between the palette and the tree view, or the size grip in the lower-right corner, and dragging
the window to the required size. The minimum size of the palette is the width
required to display two columns of large icons.
Undock AutoCAD DesignCenter by clicking any part of its toolbar, dragging
it away from the docking region, and dropping it to make it a floating window. You can move the floating window anywhere on the screen and change
its width and height with the pointing device.
Dock AutoCAD DesignCenter by dragging it until it is over the right or left
docking regions of the AutoCAD window or by double-clicking the title bar
of the undocked AutoCAD DesignCenter window. When the floating window reaches the edge of the drawing area, it snaps into the docked position.

Using the Tree View

The tree view displays open drawings, custom content, history, and files and
folders on your computer and network drives.
To display the tree view

Choose the Tree View Toggle button in AutoCAD DesignCenter.

The tree view opens, displaying the hierarchy for the current palette content.
Shortcut menu Right-click the palette background and choose Tree.

To hide the tree view

Choose the Tree View Toggle button in AutoCAD DesignCenter.

AutoCAD DesignCenter lists content from different sources in the tree view.
You can control the source by choosing buttons on the toolbar.

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For example, you might choose the Desktop button to view symbol libraries
that you have created on a local drive.

NOTE Use ADCNAVIGATE to direct the Desktop in AutoCAD DesignCenter to

the file name, directory location, or network path you specify.
To change the source of the content displayed in the tree view
Choose one of the following buttons in the AutoCAD DesignCenter:

Desktop: Lists your local and network drives.

Open Drawings: Lists the drawings that are currently open in AutoCAD.
History: Lists the last 20 locations accessed through AutoCAD DesignCenter.
Custom Content: Lists the currently registered applications that provide
custom content (for example, ObjectARX applications) if Custom
Content is present.

Shortcut menu Right-click the palette background and choose a content

source.
Content in the tree view is displayed in hierarchical form. Select an item in the
hierarchy to display its contents in the palette. Click the plus (+) or minus signs
() to display and hide additional levels in the hierarchy. You can also doubleclick an item to display deeper levels. To change the size of either the tree view
or the palette, use your pointing device to drag the bar that separates the two.
Although the tree view is convenient for navigating your drawing content,
you can load the palette without opening the tree view.

NOTE The Tree View Toggle button isnt active in History mode. Select a
different option, such as Desktop or Open Drawing, to activate the Tree View
Toggle button.

Viewing Content

495

Using the Palette

You use the palette to view the content of open drawings and other sources
and to display preview images
images and
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Loading the Palette

You load the palette by selecting content sources in the tree view or the Load
Palette dialog box. Both display content from open drawings, files on local
and network drives, your Autodesk Favorites folder, Internet locations, or
custom sources.
The tree view displays the contents of drawings, folders, and drives as you
browse for files, blocks, and custom content.
To load the palette using the tree view
1 If the tree view is not displayed, choose the Tree View Toggle button in
AutoCAD DesignCenter.
2 Choose a button in AutoCAD DesignCenter to specify a content source.
See To change the source of the content displayed in the tree view on page
495.
3 Select the item whose content you want to load into the palette.
AutoCAD displays content in the palette. For example, if you select a drawing
file in the tree view, the palette displays icons for layers, blocks, xrefs, and
other drawing content. If you select the Layers icon for a drawing in the tree
view, the palette displays icons for the layers in that drawing.
If you select a custom content ObjectARX application that is not running
currently, AutoCAD loads it, and it remains active until you close AutoCAD
DesignCenter, the application itself, or AutoCAD.

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To load the palette using the Load DesignCenter Palette dialog box
1 In AutoCAD DesignCenter, choose the Load button.
2 In the Load DesignCenter Palette dialog box, choose one of the following
options:

Look In: Displays files and folders on local and network drives from the
Look In list.
Favorites icon: Displays content of the Autodesk Favorites folder.

3 Select the item whose content you want to load from the list or from the Web
Browser dialog box (see Opening and Saving Files from the Internet on
page 813).

NOTE To access drawing content from an Internet location, you must have
selected the optional Internet Browser Components during installation.
Content from the source you select is displayed in the palette. The status bar
in the palette indicates the source of the displayed content.
By default, the Load Palette dialog box displays the contents of the specified
AutoCAD working directory.
Shortcut menu Right-click the palette background and choose Load.

Using the Palette

497

Loading the Palette from Windows Explorer

You can also use Microsoft Windows Explorer to load content into the palette. For example, if you are browsing a network drive in Windows Explorer
to find a drawing file, you can drag the selected file directly into the palette.
To load the palette using Windows Explorer
1 Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the item that you want to load in the
palette and select the item.
2 Drag the item from Windows Explorer and drop it into the palette. The item
is displayed in the palette.
The status bar in the palette indicates the source of the content displayed.

Navigating Within the Palette

You can move up or down through the hierarchy of drives, folders, files, and
block and layer definitions in the palette without opening the tree view.
To display the contents of an item

Double-click the item.

If you display the contents of a drawing that contains nested blocks, the hierarchy of nested blocks is flattened. All block definitions are displayed at the
same level.

To display the next higher level in the hierarchy

Choose the Up button in AutoCAD DesignCenter.

If you continue to the top level of the hierarchy, the palette displays folders
for Desktop, Open Drawings, and Custom Content.

Changing the Palette Display

AutoCAD DesignCenter provides four different options for displaying
content in the palette:

Large Icons
Small Icons
List
Details

With View, you can also sort the items by name, size, type, and other properties, depending on the type of content displayed in the palette. For example,

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you might use Large Icons when displaying block definitions within a drawing file but switch to Details view when displaying a folder of drawing files so
that you can sort them by size.
To select a view

Choose the View button in AutoCAD DesignCenter, and then choose an option.
Shortcut menu Right-click the palette background and choose View and
then one of the options.

Displaying Descriptions and Previews

In addition to a name for a block definition or custom content, AutoCAD includes the option to provide a text description, which you can use to search for
and locate the content you created. You can also use preview images to help you
identify content more easily. For more information about adding descriptions
and preview images to block definitions, see Defining Blocks on page 447.

NOTE To generate preview images for blocks you created with Release 14 or
earlier, use the BLOCKICON command. The command works on your current
open drawing and prompts you for the names of blocks that you want updated
with preview images. For information about preview images (or block icons), see
BLOCKICON.

Using the Palette

499

To display a preview image

1 Select an item in the palette.
2 Choose the Preview button in AutoCAD DesignCenter. If a preview image is
available for the selected item, it is displayed at the bottom of the palette. If
none is available, the Preview pane is empty.
3 To resize the preview image, drag the bar between the palette and the preview
pane. The image remains centered as the size changes.
Shortcut menu Right-click the palette background and choose Preview.
To display a description
1 Select an item in the palette.
2 Choose the Description button in AutoCAD DesignCenter. If a description is
available, the text is displayed at the bottom of the palette. If none is
available, the Description pane is empty.
3 If the description extends beyond the pane, resize the pane by dragging the
bar above it, or use the scroll bars.
Shortcut menu Right-click the palette background and choose Description.
If you display both panes, the Description pane is displayed below the
Preview pane, separated by a bar.
You can copy the description to the Clipboard. Select the text you want to
copy, right-click inside the pane, and then choose Copy to Clipboard from
the shortcut menu.
You cannot edit the text description in AutoCAD DesignCenter. To make
changes to block definition descriptions see Editing Block Descriptions on
page 452.

Refreshing the Palette and Tree View

You can refresh the contents of both the palette and the tree view. For example, you might copy additional drawing files into a folder that you are
browsing in the tree view. Refreshing updates the tree view and reflects the
new content in the folder.
To refresh the tree view or the palette

500

Right-click in the tree view or the palette and choose Refresh.

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Opening Drawings Using AutoCAD

DesignCenter
With AutoCAD DesignCenter, you can open a drawing by dragging the
selected file into an empty drawing area. You should not drag a drawing
from AutoCAD DesignCenter onto another open drawing.
To open a drawing from AutoCAD DesignCenter

Right-click the drawing icon in Palette, and choose Open in Window.

Drag the icon of the drawing file you want to open from the palette and
drop it in the drawing area.

Shortcut menu Right-click the drawing icon and choose Open in Window.
Make sure the background area is visible; you may need to resize the windows
displaying any currently open drawings. If you drag the drawing icon outside
the AutoCAD window, the icon changes to a slash circle, indicating that the
action is invalid.

Finding Content
In addition to browsing the Desktop tree view to locate content, you can search
for drawings, other content such as block and layer definitions, and any custom content by using Find in AutoCAD DesignCenter. The Find dialog box
provides various criteria to narrow your search, including the date last modified, and can search for text in block definition descriptions and any of the
fields specified in the Drawing Properties dialog box. For example, if you dont
know the name of a drawing file, you might search for the keyword text that
you entered in Summary. You might search for drawings and blocks if you
cannot remember whether you saved a block within a drawing file or as a
drawing file itself.

Opening Drawings Using AutoCAD DesignCenter

501

To find content on your computer or a network drive

1 In AutoCAD DesignCenter, choose the Find button.
2 In the Find dialog box, in the Look For list, select the type of content you
want to find.
The tabbed search fields change to reflect your selection.
3 To specify the location to start the search, choose Browse or enter a search
path. If you want the search to include all levels of the specified location,
select Search Subfolders.
4 If you select Drawings in Look For, the Find dialog box contains the following three tabs with different search criteria that you can use to define your
search.

502

Drawings: Specifies the name or text that you want to search on, and the
particular field if applicable. The name of the tab reflects the content type
you specified in the Look For drop-down list. For example, if you selected
Drawings, the tab name is Drawings and the search fields help you locate
drawing files by selecting search parameters such as file name or authors
name.
Date Modified: Specifies the date on which the file or content was created
or last modified, or a date range, or a period of days or months prior to the
current date. By default, AutoCAD leaves the date unspecified.
Advanced: Specifies additional search parameters. For example, enter text
to search for drawing files containing the specified text, either in the drawing files as block definition names or attributes, or as part of block or

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drawing descriptions. The Advanced tab also provides a place for you to
specify a minimum or maximum file size. For example, if you select At
Least and enter 100 in KB, AutoCAD searches for all specified drawing files
that are 100 kilobytes or larger.
Whenever you enter text to define a search, you can enter all of the name
or words you are searching for. You can also use the standard wild-card
characters, such as * and ?, to refine your search. See Using Wild-card
Characters on page 160.
5 If you search for content other than drawings in Look For, the Find dialog
box displays one of the following tabs:

Blocks: Searches for the name of the block.

DIM Styles: Searches for the name of the dimension style.
Drawings and Blocks: Searches for the names of the drawing and block.
Layers: Searches for the name of the layer.
Layouts: Searches for the name of the layout.
Linetypes: Searches for the name of the linetype.
Text Style: Searches for the name of the text style.
Xrefs: Searches for the name of the external reference.

6 Choose Find Now to start the search. The Find dialog box expands to display
the results. If the item you want is located before the search is complete, you
can save time by choosing Stop to end the search.
7 To initiate a new search with new criteria, choose New Search to clear your
current search.
8 To reuse search criteria, click the arrow button next to the search box to
display the list of the search names. Select from your previously defined
searches.
Shortcut menu Right-click the tree view or palette background and choose
Find.
When you have located the item and it is displayed in the search results list,
you can add it to an open drawing or load it into the palette (see Adding
Content to Drawings on page 504). You can load an item displayed in the
search results list directly into the palette.
To load the palette from the Find dialog box
You can use either of the following methods:

Drag the item from the search results list into the palette.
Right-click the item in the search results list and choose Load into Palette.

Finding Content

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Adding Content to Drawings

With AutoCAD DesignCenter, you can drag items of content from the palette
or the Find dialog box directly into an open drawing. In addition, you can
copy content to the Clipboard and paste it into a drawing. The method you
choose depends on the type of content you insert.

Using AutoCAD DesignCenter to Insert Blocks

Block definitions can be inserted in a drawing. When you insert a block into
a drawing, the block definition is copied into the drawing database; thereafter any block instance that you insert in the drawing references the block
definition. For more general information about creating and editing block
definitions, see Defining Blocks on page 447.
You cannot add blocks to a drawing while another command is active, and
you can only insert or attach one block at a time. For example, if you attempt
to insert a block while a command is active from the command line, the icon
changes to a slash circle, indicating the action is invalid.
AutoCAD DesignCenter provides two methods for inserting blocks in a drawing:

Default scale and rotation: Uses Autoscaling, which compares the units of
the drawing with those of the block, and scales the block instance as
needed based on the ratio between the two. When you bring in objects,
AutoCAD scales them to the Insert Units value set in the Units dialog box.

NOTE Dimension values inside blocks wont be true if a block or drawing is

scaled automatically when you drag it into the drawing from AutoCAD
DesignCenter.

Specify coordinates, scale, and rotation: Uses the Insert dialog box, where you
can specify parameters for the selected block instance.

To insert a block with default scale and rotation

1 From the palette or the Find dialog box, select the block to insert and drag it
into the open drawing.
The object is autoscaled and displayed when the pointing device moves over
the drawing. Any running object snaps that you set are displayed so you can
position the block relative to any existing geometry.
2 Release the pointing device button at the place where you want to locate the
block. The block is inserted with default scale and rotation.

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To insert a block with specified coordinates, scale, and rotation

1 From the palette or the Find dialog box, use the right button on the pointing
device to drag the block into the open drawing.
2 Release the pointing device button and choose Insert from the shortcut
menu.
3 In the Insert dialog box, enter the values for Insertion Point, Scale, and
Rotation, or select Specify On-Screen.
4 To explode the block into its component objects, select Explode.
5 Choose OK to insert the block with the specified parameters. You can also
insert a block by double-clicking it or by selecting Insert from the shortcut
menu.
For more information about inserting blocks with different object properties,
see Inserting Blocks on page 450.

Using AutoCAD DesignCenter to Attach Raster

Images
You can attach raster images such as logos or aerial, satellite, or digital photographs to your drawings. Raster images are similar to xrefs that are attached
by using specific coordinate, scale, and rotation parameters.
To attach a raster image using AutoCAD DesignCenter
1 Drag the icon of the raster image file that you want to attach from the palette,
and drop it in the AutoCAD drawing area.
2 Enter values for Insertion Point, Scale, and Rotation.
Shortcut menu Right-click the image file and choose Attach Image.

Using AutoCAD DesignCenter to Attach

External References
Like a block reference, an xref is displayed in the drawing as a single object,
and it can be attached using specific coordinate, scale, and rotation parameters. If the xref was present in the drawing, it will appear in the xref section
of AutoCAD DesignCenter. An xref does not significantly increase the file
size of the host drawing. Any nested xrefs will be read in depending on
whether you choose to attach or overlay an xref. For more general information about xrefs, see Using External References on page 460.

Adding Content to Drawings

505

To attach or overlay an xref using AutoCAD DesignCenter

1 From the palette or the Find dialog box, use the right button on the pointing
device to drag the xref into the open drawing.
2 Release the pointing device button and choose Attach from the shortcut
menu.
3 In the Attach Xref dialog box under Reference Type, select Attachment or
Overlay.
4 Enter values for Insertion Point, Scale, and Rotation, or select Specify
On-Screen to use the pointing device.
5 Choose OK.
You can also attach an xref by dragging or by selecting Attach as Xref from
the shortcut menu.

Copying Blocks Between Drawings

You can use AutoCAD DesignCenter to browse and locate the block you want
to copy. You can then copy the block to the Clipboard and paste it into the
drawing.
To copy a block to the Clipboard using AutoCAD DesignCenter

Select the block to copy, and then right-click and choose Copy.
See Copying with the Clipboard on page 269.

Inserting Custom Content Types

Like blocks and drawings, linetypes, dimstyles, text styles, layouts, and custom content can be added to an open drawing by dragging the selected
content from the palette to the AutoCAD graphics area. What happens with
Custom Content (for example, AutoCAD prompting) depends on the application that generated the content.

Copying Layers Between Drawings

You can use AutoCAD DesignCenter to copy layers from any drawing to another by dragging. For example, you might have a drawing that contains all
the standard layers needed for a project. You can create a new drawing and
use AutoCAD DesignCenter to drag the predefined layers to the new drawing, which saves you time and ensures consistency between drawings.

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NOTE You need to resolve duplicate layer names before you drag layers into
AutoCAD DesignCenter. See Resolving Name Conflicts When Adding Content
on page 507.
To drag layers into an open drawing
1 Make sure that the drawing you want to copy layers to is open and current.
2 In the palette or the Find dialog box, select one or more layers you want to
copy.
3 Drag the layers into the open drawing and release the pointing device
button.
The selected layers are copied into the open drawing. For information about
copying layers into an open drawing that contains layers of the same name,
see Using Layer Properties on page 330.
To copy and paste layers into an open drawing
1 Make sure that the drawing you want to copy layers to is open and current.
2 In the palette or the Find dialog box, select one or more layers you want to
copy.
3 Right-click and choose Copy to Clipboard.
4 To paste the layers, make sure the drawing you want to paste to is current,
then right-click and choose Paste.
You can also drag or copy layers by double-clicking or selecting Insert from
the shortcut menu.

Resolving Name Conflicts When Adding Content

When you drag a named object from AutoCAD DesignCenter into an open
AutoCAD drawing that contains an object of the same name, a warning is
displayed on the command line. The object you dragged is not inserted. The
object with the duplicate name in the target drawing is not changed or overwritten. Rename one of the objects before you try again.

Block and Xref Name Conflicts

When you insert a block or xref into an open drawing, AutoCAD checks
whether the name of the item to be added is already listed in the drawing
database.

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507

If the block name or xref you are inserting already exists in the open drawing,
a warning is displayed on the command line:
Duplicate definition of [object] [name] ignored.
If the xref name you are inserting already exists in the open drawing, a
warning is displayed on the command line:
Xref [name] has already been defined. Using existing definition.

Layer, Linetype, and Other Object Name Conflicts

When you insert a layer, a linetype, or any other object besides a block or
xref, AutoCAD does not check whether the name of the item to be added is
listed in the drawing database. Instead, AutoCAD warns you that it cannot
insert objects with duplicate names:
Add [object] operation performed. Duplicate definitions will be ignored.

Storing and Retrieving Frequently Used

Content
AutoCAD DesignCenter provides a solution to finding content that you need
to access quickly on a regular basis. The Load Palette dialog box and the
shortcut menus in both the tree view and the palette include options that
activate a folder called Autodesk Favorites.

Adding Shortcuts to Autodesk Favorites

When you select a drawing or folder or another type of content and choose
Add to Favorites, a shortcut to that item is added to the Autodesk Favorites
folder. The original file or folder doesnt actually move; in fact, all the shortcuts you create using AutoCAD DesignCenter are stored in Autodesk Favorites,
a folder saved in the Windows system Favorites folder. The Autodesk Favorites
folder contains shortcuts to items on local or network drives as well as in
Internet locations.
To add items to Autodesk Favorites

508

Right-click the item in the tree view or the palette, and choose Add to
Favorites.

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To add all the items currently loaded in the palette

Right-click the palette background and choose Add to Favorites. The

container of the palette contents is added to the Autodesk Favorites folder.

Displaying a List of Favorites

There are several ways to display the contents of the Autodesk Favorites
folder.
To display the contents of the Autodesk Favorites folder

In AutoCAD DesignCenter, choose the Favorites button.

When you are working in the tree view, you can use Desktop button to
navigate to the Autodesk Favorites folder.
Shortcut menu Right-click the palette background and choose Favorites.

Organizing Your Favorites

The shortcuts you have saved in the Autodesk Favorites folder can be moved,
copied, or deleted in Windows Explorer.
To organize your Autodesk Favorites folder
1 To display the contents of the Autodesk Favorites folder on the palette,
choose the Favorites button in AutoCAD DesignCenter.
2 Right-click the background in the palette and choose Organize Favorites.
Windows Explorer displays the contents of the Autodesk Favorites folder.
You can use Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer to add, delete, and
organize items in the Autodesk Favorites folder.

Making Drawings Easier to Find

You can make drawings easier to find by adding custom text information. For
example, the Drawing Properties dialog box automatically defines some properties for you, such as the authors name and the date the file was created.
However, you can also set your own properties. You might want to group a
number of drawings that relate to a specific project youre working on, even
when they are in different locations.
When you search for drawings using AutoCAD DesignCenters Find dialog
box, you can search for any of the text descriptions you provided for your
drawings. See Finding Content on page 501.

Storing and Retrieving Frequently Used Content

509

For more information about adding properties to drawing files, see Viewing
and Updating Drawing Properties on page 86.

Making Blocks Easier to Find

With AutoCAD DesignCenter, you can not only view and insert blocks into
drawings, you can also display text descriptions and previews to help you
identify them. You can add descriptions and preview images as you create
block definitions. The Block Definition dialog box includes options to add a
custom text description and a preview image based on the geometry of the
block. For example, you might have a series of blocks that you need for a particular project. By assigning the same keyword and a unique description for
the blocks, you can use AutoCAD DesignCenters Find dialog box to easily
locate them all and distinguish between them quickly. By displaying the text
descriptions and preview images of blocks as you browse using AutoCAD
DesignCenter, you can identify the blocks more rapidly.
For more information about adding text descriptions and preview images to
blocks, see Editing Block Descriptions on page 452.

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