Tutorials CadCraft help Coming from other software
Command map: what to type
Every command CadCraft has with its short names, A to Z, made from the program itself, and the habits from other drafting programs that differ.
Written for CadCraft 0.7.1. The same help is inside the app: press F1.
CadCraft takes the command names and short names people know from other drafting programs: type L for a line, TR to trim, E to erase. So there is no translation table to learn for most of them: the name you know is the name here. The list below is every command CadCraft has, made from the program itself. ReturnEnter repeats the last one; HELP in the command line prints the same list.
The few that are not the same, or not built:
- Save downloads a copy in the browser (
SAVE,SAVEAS); in CadCraft Studio it writes the file. See Coming from other drafting software. - PLOT makes a PDF (also PNG and SVG), with a plot style table; there is no page setup manager.
- DIMSTYLE and PEDIT are built; PEDIT has no Edit-vertex option (grips do that).
- TABLE is not built;
XREF,SPLINEandWBLOCKare. - A routine's own commands (AutoLISP
C:NAME) show up after you load it withAPPLOAD; they are not listed here.
All commands (248)
| Command | Short names | What it does |
|---|---|---|
3DORBIT | 3DO, ORBIT | Orbit the 3D view with the left button |
ALIASEDIT | Edit command aliases in one text file (the familiar L, *LINE format) | |
ALIGN | AL | Move and turn objects so that source points land on destination points (one, two or three pairs), and scale them if you want |
ALIGNPANEL | ALP | Open the Align and distribute panel |
ALIGNTO | Line up the selected objects' left, centre, right, top, middle or bottom edges, on the selection, the first or last picked object, or a point | |
APPLOAD | AP | Load applications: LISP routines (.lsp) and their dialog files (.dcl); the Startup Suite (AP) |
ARC | A | Three points, or center, start and end |
AREA | AA | Area and perimeter by points or of an object; Add and Subtract keep a running total (AA) |
ARRAY | AR | Copies in rows and columns, or round a center (AR) |
ARRAYPOLAR | Copies round a center point | |
ARRAYRECT | Copies in rows and columns | |
ASBUILT | ASB | ASBUILT reads the as-built points a crew measured (CSV / TXT, as EXPORTPOINTS writes) and compares them with the drawing’s points: within or outside the tolerance, not measured, extra. Marks them on the layer AS-BUILT and downloads a CSV report. |
ATTDEF | ATT, DDATTDEF, -ATTDEF | Define an attribute (a tag a block asks a value for) to put in a block (ATT) |
ATTEDIT | ATE, -ATTEDIT | Edit a block reference's attribute values on the command line, one after another (Enter keeps a value) |
ATTSYNC | Bring a block's references in line with its attribute definitions: new ones added with their defaults, removed ones dropped, positions and text reset; values kept | |
AUTOCONSTRAIN | Add coincident, horizontal and vertical constraints where the geometry is already close | |
BATTMAN | Block attribute manager: order, tags, prompts, defaults and modes of a block's attributes, then its references updated | |
BCLOSE | Close the block editor: save the block or discard the changes | |
BEDIT | BE | Block editor: edit a block's objects and attributes; BCLOSE saves (BE) |
BLOCK | B, BMAKE | Make a block from objects (they become one reference) |
BOX | A box: two corners and a height (3D) | |
BPARAMETER | BPARAM | Not built yet: adding a parameter (such as Visibility) to a block. |
BREAK | BR | Break a line, arc, circle or polyline between two points (BR) |
BREAKATPOINT | Split a line, arc or polyline in two at a point | |
BVHIDE | BVH | In the block editor: hide objects in the current visibility state. |
BVSHOW | BVSH | In the block editor: show objects the current visibility state hides (they show faded to pick). |
BVSTATE | BVS | In the block editor, on a block with visibility states: switch to a state, or add, rename or delete one. |
CAL | Work out a length or number: + − * / and brackets, as you type them anywhere | |
CHAMFER | CHA | Bevel the corner between two lines (D two distances, A length and angle, P every corner of a polyline) |
CIRCLE | C | Center and radius, diameter, 2 or 3 points |
COMPARESETTINGS | CMPSET | Compare dimension styles, text styles, layers, sheets or units: two in this drawing, or this drawing against another open one, and copy a value across. |
CONSTRAINTBAR | CBAR | Show or hide the constraint bars (Showall / Hideall, or per object) |
COPY | CO, CP | Copy objects, as many times as you click |
COPYBASE | Copy objects to the clipboard with a base point you pick | |
COPYCLIP | Copy objects to the clipboard (Ctrl+C); PASTECLIP places them | |
COUNT | BCOUNT | Count block references: pick one to select and count every reference of its block |
CUTCLIP | Cut objects to the clipboard (Ctrl+X): copy, then erase | |
CYLINDER | CYL | A cylinder: centre, radius and height (3D) |
DCALIGNED | DCALI | Dimensional constraint: true distance between points, a point and a line, or two lines |
DCANGULAR | DCANG | Dimensional constraint: angle between two lines, or of an arc |
DCCONVERT | Turn dimensions drawn on constrainable geometry into dimensional constraints | |
DCDIAMETER | DCDIA | Dimensional constraint: diameter of a circle or arc |
DCDISPLAY | Show or hide dimensional constraints on the drawing | |
DCHORIZONTAL | DCHOR | Dimensional constraint: horizontal distance |
DCLINEAR | DCLIN | Dimensional constraint: horizontal or vertical distance, from where you place it |
DCRADIUS | DCRAD | Dimensional constraint: radius of a circle or arc |
DCVERTICAL | DCVER | Dimensional constraint: vertical distance |
DELBLOCKS | Delete blocks: every reference (nested ones too, on every sheet) and the definitions | |
DELCONSTRAINT | DELCON | Remove every constraint (geometric and dimensional) from the objects you select |
DESELECT | AI_DESELECT, SELECTNONE | Clear the selection (Esc) |
DIMALIGNED | DAL, DIMALI | True distance between two points |
DIMANGULAR | DAN, DIMANG | Angle between two lines, of an arc, or by three points |
DIMASZ | Dimension setting: Arrow size | |
DIMBASELINE | DBA, DIMBASE | Dimensions stacked from one base line |
DIMCONSTRAINT | DCON | Dimensional constraints: linear, aligned, angular, radius, diameter, convert |
DIMCONTINUE | DCO, DIMCONT | A chain of dimensions, each from the end of the last |
DIMDEC | Dimension setting: Decimal places | |
DIMDIAMETER | DDI, DIMDIA | Diameter of an arc or circle |
DIMEDIT | DED, DIMED | Change dimension text (Home, New text, Rotate) or slant the extension lines (Oblique) |
DIMEXE | Dimension setting: Extension beyond the dimension line | |
DIMEXO | Dimension setting: Offset from the origin | |
DIMGAP | Dimension setting: Gap round the text | |
DIMLINEAR | DLI, DIMLIN | Horizontal or vertical distance (R for any angle) |
DIMLUNIT | Dimension setting: length format (1 scientific, 2 decimal, 3 engineering, 4 architectural, 5 fractional) | |
DIMRADIUS | DRA, DIMRAD | Radius of an arc or circle |
DIMSCALE | Dimension setting: Overall scale (sizes × this) | |
DIMSTYLE | DST, DDIM, D | Make, change, set current, delete, apply and compare named dimension styles (the dialog; -DIMSTYLE on the command line) |
DIMTEDIT | DIMTED | Move dimension text to the left, right or center of the dimension line, or turn it |
DIMTEXTUNIT | DTU | Dimension text in mm, cm, m or km, or in the drawing's own units: the selected dimensions, else new ones (DTU) |
DIMTXT | Dimension setting: Text height | |
DIST | DI | Distance and angle between two points |
DISTRIBUTE | Space the selected objects evenly, side to side or up and down: equal steps between centres, or equal gaps; the outer two stay | |
DUPLICATE | DUP | A copy that moves with the pointer: click to put it down (Ctrl+D) |
DXFOUT | Download the drawing as DXF R12 (Save keeps its own format) | |
EATTEDIT | DDATTE | Edit a block reference's attributes: values, text and properties, one attribute at a time |
ELLIPSE | EL | Axis endpoints and the other half-axis |
ERASE | E, DELETE | Remove objects |
EXPLODE | X | Break polylines, blocks and dimensions into their parts |
EXPORT | EXP | Save a copy of the drawing in a file type an add-on writes |
EXPORT3D | 3DEXPORT | Export the 3D model: GLB, OBJ or STL |
EXPORTPOINTS | EXPPTS | Write points, and blocks' insertion points with one attribute as the description, to a CSV or TXT file (PNEZD, PENZD or XYZ) for BIM and survey programs |
EXTEND | EX | Lengthen objects to meet others: click near an end, drag through several, or Shift+click to trim |
EXTRUDE | EXT | Extrude closed 2D objects into solids (3D) |
FILLET | F | Round or square the corner between two objects (R radius, P every corner of a polyline, M several) |
FIND | Find and replace words in text, attribute values and dimension text | |
GCCOINCIDENT | Constraint: two points meet, or a point stays on an object | |
GCCOLLINEAR | Constraint: two lines stay on one line | |
GCCONCENTRIC | Constraint: two circles or arcs share a centre | |
GCEQUAL | Constraint: two lines stay the same length, or two circles/arcs the same radius | |
GCFIX | Constraint: a point or a whole object stays where it is | |
GCHORIZONTAL | Constraint: a line (or two points) stays horizontal | |
GCPARALLEL | Constraint: two lines stay parallel | |
GCPERPENDICULAR | Constraint: two lines stay at right angles | |
GCSYMMETRIC | Constraint: two points, lines or circles mirror each other across a line | |
GCTANGENT | Constraint: a line and a circle or arc (or two of them) stay tangent | |
GCVERTICAL | Constraint: a line (or two points) stays vertical | |
GEOMCONSTRAINT | GCON | Geometric constraints: horizontal, vertical, parallel, tangent, coincident… |
GLBOUT | Export the 3D model as GLB (glTF) | |
HATCH | H, BH, BHATCH, -HATCH | Fill an area with a solid fill or a pattern: click inside it, or select closed objects (H) |
HELP | ? | This list |
HISTORY | HIST | HISTORY (HIST): the versions of this drawing — copies kept on this computer when Studio saves it, and the cloud's versions — to open, restore, and compare with what changed shown in colour. |
ID | Coordinates of a point | |
IMAGE | IM | Give CadCraft the picture files a drawing uses (a DWG stores only where they were). |
IMAGEATTACH | IAT, IMAGEATT | Place a picture (PNG or JPEG) from a file. |
IMAGECLIP | ICL | Clip a picture to a rectangle or a polygon, or remove its clip. |
IMPORT | IMP | Import a file of a kind an add-on reads, into this drawing |
INSERT | I, DDINSERT | Place a block (S scale, R rotate); F from a DWG/DXF file, L from the library |
INTERSECT | IN | Keep only what solids have in common (3D) |
JOIN | J | Join lines, arcs and polylines that meet end to end into one polyline; lines on one line into one line (J) |
LASER | LASERCUT | Open the Laser panel: send layers to a laser cutter or engraver (GRBL G-code) |
LASSOMODE | Press and drag draws a lasso (1) or a rectangle (0) | |
LAYDEL | Delete a layer and every object on it (in the model, on sheets and in blocks) | |
LAYER | LA | Show the layers panel |
LAYFRZ | Freeze the layer of each object you pick | |
LAYISO | Isolate the layers of the selected objects (every other layer off) | |
LAYMCUR | Make the layer of the object you pick current | |
LAYMRG | Merge layers: their objects move to a target layer, and the merged layers go | |
LAYOFF | Turn off the layer of each object you pick | |
LAYON | Turn every layer on | |
LAYOUT | LO, NEWLAYOUT | A new sheet with a title block and a viewport |
LAYTHW | Thaw every layer | |
LAYUNISO | Turn back on the layers LAYISO turned off | |
LENGTHEN | LEN | Lengthen or shorten lines, arcs and polylines: by an amount, a percentage, to a total, or by dragging (LEN) |
LIBRARY | LIB | The library panel: place items, check for updates, credits |
LINE | L | Straight segments, each its own object |
LINETYPE | LT, CELTYPE | The linetype new objects get (by layer, by block, or a named one) |
LINKVIEWS | SYNCVIEWS | Pan and zoom every pane together (split screen), to compare two drawings or revisions |
LIST | LI, LS | Describe objects in the history |
LTSCALE | LTS | The drawing's linetype scale (every dash and gap is multiplied by it) |
LWDISPLAY | LWT | Show or hide lineweights on screen (the LWT button in the status bar) |
LWEIGHT | LW, LINEWEIGHT | The lineweight new objects get (by layer, by block, default, or mm) |
MAPLAYERS | ML, GEOMAP | map layers under the model space: the drawing’s coordinate system, tiles, WMS, WMTS, ArcGIS, pictures |
MATCHPROP | MA, PAINTER | Match properties: copy one object's layer, color and more onto others (MA) |
MEASUREGEOM | MEA | Measure a distance, a radius, an angle or an area (MEA) |
MIRROR | MI | Mirror objects across a line |
MLEADER | MLD, MLEAD | Multileader: an arrow, a leader and a note, as one object (MLD) |
MOVE | M | Move objects by a base point and a second point |
MSPACE | MS | Work on the model through a viewport of the open sheet (or double-click inside the viewport). |
MTEXT | MT, T | Paragraph text: drag its width, then type in place; Enter starts a new paragraph (T) |
MVIEW | MV | A viewport onto the model, on a layout |
NAMEDVIEW | NV, VIEWS | Named views: save the view on screen (or a window) under a name and go back to it (NV) |
NEW | Start a new drawing | |
OBJOUT | Export the 3D model as OBJ | |
OFFSET | O | Parallel copies at a distance |
OPEN | Open a DWG or DXF from this computer | |
OPENIN3D | Open this drawing in the 3D modeling app, in a new tab (nothing is uploaded) | |
PARAMETERS | PAR, PARAMETERSMANAGER, PARAM | The Parameters panel: user parameters and dimensional constraints in one table |
PARTSLIST | PLIST | A parts list table of every standard part and steel section placed from the Library |
PASTECLIP | Paste the clipboard: it follows the cursor, click where it goes (Ctrl+V) | |
PASTEORIG | Paste the clipboard at the coordinates it was copied from (Ctrl+Shift+V) | |
PDF | Give CadCraft the PDF files the drawing's underlays use | |
PDFADJUST | Fade, contrast, monochrome or switch off a PDF underlay | |
PDFATTACH | PDFATT | Attach a PDF page as an underlay (PDFATTACH) |
PDFCLIP | Clip a PDF underlay to a rectangle or polygon | |
PDFIMPORT | PDFIM | Turn a PDF page's lines, fills and text into drawing objects (PDFIMPORT) |
PDFLAYERS | Switch the layers of a PDF underlay on or off | |
PEDIT | PE | Edit a polyline: close, open, join, width, fit curve, spline curve, decurve, linetype generation, reverse; lines, arcs and splines can be turned into polylines |
PLAN | Turn the view so the UCS X axis (Current ucs, a saved Ucs, or the World) is level on screen. Nothing in the drawing moves. | |
PLINE | PL | A polyline of line and arc segments |
PLOT | PRINT, PUBLISH, EXPORTPDF | Plot to PDF: a layout, or the model at a scale |
PLOTSTYLES | STYLESMANAGER, PSTABLES | Plot style tables: set what each colour prints as (colour, black, gray, ink, lineweight); kept with the drawing (STYLESMANAGER) |
POINT | PO | Point objects |
POINTCLOUD | PC | the attached point cloud: slice, height, thickness, color, size, visible, zoom, detach |
POINTCLOUDATTACH | PCATTACH, POINTCLOUDATT | attach a point cloud (LAS, LAZ, XYZ, PTS) under the drawing |
POLARANG | The polar tracking step in degrees (90, 45, 30, 22.5, 15 …) | |
POLYGON | POL | A regular polygon |
PRESSPULL | Push or pull a face of a solid (3D) | |
PROPERTIES | PR, PROPS, CH, MO, DDMODIFY | Open the Properties panel (also Ctrl+1, or double-click an object) |
PROPERTIESCLOSE | PRCLOSE | Fold the Properties panel to the edge of the window |
PSPACE | PS | Leave the viewport you are working in and go back to the sheet (or double-click outside it). |
PUBLISH | -PUBLISH | Plot several or all sheets into one PDF (a page and a bookmark per sheet) |
PURGE | PU | Remove block definitions nothing uses |
QPMODE | QP | Quick Properties by the cursor on or off |
QSELECT | QS | Quick select: every object of a type whose layer, color, size or name matches (QS) |
RASTERSNAP | Turn snapping to the lines of scanned sheets on or off. | |
RAY | Ray: a construction line from a point, endless one way. | |
RECTANG | REC, RECTANGLE | A closed polyline from two corners |
REDO | Redo what was undone | |
REFCLOSE | Finish editing a block in place: save it, or discard the changes | |
REFEDIT | Edit a block in place, where a reference of it sits, with the rest of the drawing faded; REFCLOSE saves it | |
REGEN | RE | Rebuild what is drawn in this tab from the drawing |
REGENALL | REA | Rebuild what is drawn in every tab, pane and open drawing |
REGISTERSCANS | REGSCAN, SCANREG | Register several scans: place them in one frame by picked point pairs or targets, refine with ICP, export one LAS or E57 |
REINIT | Reload your aliases file | |
RENAME | -RENAME, REN | Rename a layer or a block (every object or reference follows) |
REVCLOUD | RC | Revision cloud: round a rectangle, a polygon, a freehand path or an object (RC) |
REVOLVE | REV | Turn closed 2D objects about an axis into solids (3D) |
ROTATE | RO | Rotate objects about a base point |
SAMPLES | SAMPLE | Open one of CadCraft's sample drawings (an architectural set, an as-built) to learn from |
SAVE | QSAVE | Download the drawing in its format (DWG or DXF) |
SAVEAS | Download the drawing as DWG or DXF: choose which | |
SCALE | SC | Scale objects about a base point |
SCALELISTEDIT | SCALELIST | Add, edit and delete the drawing's own scales; they appear in the viewport and plot scale lists and are saved in the file (SCALELIST) |
SCANALIGN | SCL | Align a scanned sheet to two points: move, turn and, if you choose, scale it. |
SCANATTACH | SCA, SCANIMAGE | Insert a scanned drawing: a PNG, JPEG or TIFF (one page or all pages of a multi-page file) or a PDF page that is a picture. |
SCANCLEAN | SCC | Make a scanned sheet black and white and remove specks. |
SCANCROP | SCR | Crop a scanned sheet to a window. |
SCANDESKEW | SCD | Find the angle a scanned sheet's long lines lie at and turn the sheet square once you accept the angle. |
SCANERASE | SCE | Erase an area of a scanned sheet: a rectangle, a polygon or a lasso. |
SCANINFO | SCI | Show a scanned sheet's original file and the steps taken since. |
SCANSCALE | SCS | Scale a scanned sheet: pick two points on it and type the true distance between them. |
SCANTRACE | SCT | Trace a scanned sheet into lines and arcs on a new layer, to a tolerance you set. Text and hatching stay as raster. |
SELECT | Select objects now (for P, Previous, in the next command) | |
SELECTALL | AI_SELALL | Select every object you can edit on this tab (Ctrl+A) |
SELECTSIMILAR | SIM | Select every object like the ones you pick: same type, layer and color (SIM) |
SHEETSET | SSM, SHEETSETMANAGER | Shows the Sheet Set panel: sheets from many drawings, numbered, published as one PDF. |
SHORTCUTS | KEYS | Give any command a key of your own (Ctrl or Alt with a letter, or a free function key), kept in this browser or desktop app. |
SPLINE | SPL | Draw a spline through points (or with a control polygon), or turn a polyline into one |
SPLINEDIT | SPE | Edit a spline: fit points, control points and weights, open or close it, reverse it, or convert it to a polyline |
SPLIT | Split the drawing area into panes (as VPORTS on the model; from a sheet too) | |
STEELMEMBER | SMEMBER | A steel member in 3D from a standard section: two points (a beam) or a base point and a height (Column) |
STLOUT | Export the 3D model as STL (millimeters) | |
STRETCH | S | Stretch: drag a crossing window over the ends to move; what is inside moves, the rest stays (S) |
SUBTRACT | SU | Take solids away from others (3D) |
SWBOUT | SWMACRO | Download a macro for SolidWorks (.swb) that rebuilds the model as one constrained sketch |
SWEEP | Sweep closed 2D objects along a path (line, polyline, arc, circle) into solids (3D) | |
TEXT | DT, DTEXT | Single-line text; Enter starts the next line |
TEXTEDIT | ED, DDEDIT | Edit text in place: pick a text (or double-click one) (ED) |
TEXTMASK | TMASK | Put a background mask behind texts (the drawing's background or a colour), or take it away. |
TOOLBAR | Choose what the toolbar buttons show: icons and text, just icons, or just text (Ctrl+F1) | |
TOOLBARDOCK | TBDOCK | Put the toolbar on the top, bottom, left or right of the window |
TOOLBARROWS | Choose how many rows the toolbar uses: wrap to fit, 2, or 1 (Shift+Ctrl+F1) | |
TOUR | TUTORIAL | Take the six-step first-drawing tour again |
TRIM | TR | Cut objects back to where others cross them: click a piece, drag through several, or Shift+click to extend |
TRIMEXTENDMODE | How TRIM and EXTEND start: 1 Quick (every object is a cutting edge or boundary), 0 Standard (choose the edges first) | |
TTR | A circle tangent to two objects, with a radius you give (the same as CIRCLE T). | |
TURNLEFT | Turn the view 90° left (counter-clockwise): UCS Z -90, and the view follows. Nothing in the drawing moves. | |
TURNRIGHT | Turn the view 90° right (clockwise): UCS Z 90, and the view follows. Nothing in the drawing moves. | |
TURNWORLD | Back to the world: UCS World, and the view is level again. | |
UCS | Your own coordinate system: an origin and an X axis (origin, Z angle, 3point, OBject, Previous, World, NAmed). Points you type, ortho, polar tracking, the grid and new text follow it; the view turns so its X axis is level. Nothing in the drawing moves. | |
UNDO | U | Undo the last command |
UNION | UNI | Join solids into one (3D) |
UNITS | UN, DDUNITS | How lengths are shown and typed: decimal, feet and inches, fractions (UN) |
USDOUT | Export the 3D model as USD (.usda text, .usdc binary or a .usdz package) | |
VIEW | -VIEW, V | Standard 3D views, perspective or parallel (3D) |
VIEWBASE | FLATSHOT | Place a flat 2D view of the 3D solids (front, top, side or isometric, hidden lines dashed) on a sheet or in the model |
VIEWLABEL | VL | A view title on a sheet that shows its viewport's view name, and changes with it. |
VPLAYER | Freeze or thaw layers in some viewports only (Freeze, Thaw, Reset), and choose which layers new viewports start frozen (Vpvisdflt). | |
VPORTS | VIEWPORTS | Split the drawing area into panes, each with its own view (on a sheet: a viewport, as MVIEW) |
VPVIEW | Set what a viewport shows: pick a window on the model | |
VSCURRENT | VS, SHADEMODE | Visual style of the 3D view: shaded, edges, hidden line, wireframe, X-ray |
WBLOCK | W, -WBLOCK | Write a block, some objects or the whole drawing to a new DWG or DXF file (W) |
WEDGE | WE | A wedge: two corners and a height; it slopes away from the first corner (3D) |
XATTACH | XA | Link another DWG or DXF into this drawing, shown read-only (XREF lists and reloads them) |
XCLIP | XC | Clip block references and linked drawings to a rectangle or a polygon, or remove the clip. |
XLINE | XL | Construction line, endless both ways: through two points, horizontal, vertical, at an angle, bisecting an angle, or offset from a line. |
XREF | XR, -XREF | Linked drawings (external references): list, attach, reload, bind, detach |
ZOOM | Z | Extents, or a window |