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, SPLINE and WBLOCK are.
  • A routine's own commands (AutoLISP C:NAME) show up after you load it with APPLOAD; they are not listed here.

All commands (248)

CommandShort namesWhat it does
3DORBIT3DO, ORBITOrbit the 3D view with the left button
ALIASEDITEdit command aliases in one text file (the familiar L, *LINE format)
ALIGNALMove and turn objects so that source points land on destination points (one, two or three pairs), and scale them if you want
ALIGNPANELALPOpen the Align and distribute panel
ALIGNTOLine up the selected objects' left, centre, right, top, middle or bottom edges, on the selection, the first or last picked object, or a point
APPLOADAPLoad applications: LISP routines (.lsp) and their dialog files (.dcl); the Startup Suite (AP)
ARCAThree points, or center, start and end
AREAAAArea and perimeter by points or of an object; Add and Subtract keep a running total (AA)
ARRAYARCopies in rows and columns, or round a center (AR)
ARRAYPOLARCopies round a center point
ARRAYRECTCopies in rows and columns
ASBUILTASBASBUILT 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.
ATTDEFATT, DDATTDEF, -ATTDEFDefine an attribute (a tag a block asks a value for) to put in a block (ATT)
ATTEDITATE, -ATTEDITEdit a block reference's attribute values on the command line, one after another (Enter keeps a value)
ATTSYNCBring 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
AUTOCONSTRAINAdd coincident, horizontal and vertical constraints where the geometry is already close
BATTMANBlock attribute manager: order, tags, prompts, defaults and modes of a block's attributes, then its references updated
BCLOSEClose the block editor: save the block or discard the changes
BEDITBEBlock editor: edit a block's objects and attributes; BCLOSE saves (BE)
BLOCKB, BMAKEMake a block from objects (they become one reference)
BOXA box: two corners and a height (3D)
BPARAMETERBPARAMNot built yet: adding a parameter (such as Visibility) to a block.
BREAKBRBreak a line, arc, circle or polyline between two points (BR)
BREAKATPOINTSplit a line, arc or polyline in two at a point
BVHIDEBVHIn the block editor: hide objects in the current visibility state.
BVSHOWBVSHIn the block editor: show objects the current visibility state hides (they show faded to pick).
BVSTATEBVSIn the block editor, on a block with visibility states: switch to a state, or add, rename or delete one.
CALWork out a length or number: + − * / and brackets, as you type them anywhere
CHAMFERCHABevel the corner between two lines (D two distances, A length and angle, P every corner of a polyline)
CIRCLECCenter and radius, diameter, 2 or 3 points
COMPARESETTINGSCMPSETCompare dimension styles, text styles, layers, sheets or units: two in this drawing, or this drawing against another open one, and copy a value across.
CONSTRAINTBARCBARShow or hide the constraint bars (Showall / Hideall, or per object)
COPYCO, CPCopy objects, as many times as you click
COPYBASECopy objects to the clipboard with a base point you pick
COPYCLIPCopy objects to the clipboard (Ctrl+C); PASTECLIP places them
COUNTBCOUNTCount block references: pick one to select and count every reference of its block
CUTCLIPCut objects to the clipboard (Ctrl+X): copy, then erase
CYLINDERCYLA cylinder: centre, radius and height (3D)
DCALIGNEDDCALIDimensional constraint: true distance between points, a point and a line, or two lines
DCANGULARDCANGDimensional constraint: angle between two lines, or of an arc
DCCONVERTTurn dimensions drawn on constrainable geometry into dimensional constraints
DCDIAMETERDCDIADimensional constraint: diameter of a circle or arc
DCDISPLAYShow or hide dimensional constraints on the drawing
DCHORIZONTALDCHORDimensional constraint: horizontal distance
DCLINEARDCLINDimensional constraint: horizontal or vertical distance, from where you place it
DCRADIUSDCRADDimensional constraint: radius of a circle or arc
DCVERTICALDCVERDimensional constraint: vertical distance
DELBLOCKSDelete blocks: every reference (nested ones too, on every sheet) and the definitions
DELCONSTRAINTDELCONRemove every constraint (geometric and dimensional) from the objects you select
DESELECTAI_DESELECT, SELECTNONEClear the selection (Esc)
DIMALIGNEDDAL, DIMALITrue distance between two points
DIMANGULARDAN, DIMANGAngle between two lines, of an arc, or by three points
DIMASZDimension setting: Arrow size
DIMBASELINEDBA, DIMBASEDimensions stacked from one base line
DIMCONSTRAINTDCONDimensional constraints: linear, aligned, angular, radius, diameter, convert
DIMCONTINUEDCO, DIMCONTA chain of dimensions, each from the end of the last
DIMDECDimension setting: Decimal places
DIMDIAMETERDDI, DIMDIADiameter of an arc or circle
DIMEDITDED, DIMEDChange dimension text (Home, New text, Rotate) or slant the extension lines (Oblique)
DIMEXEDimension setting: Extension beyond the dimension line
DIMEXODimension setting: Offset from the origin
DIMGAPDimension setting: Gap round the text
DIMLINEARDLI, DIMLINHorizontal or vertical distance (R for any angle)
DIMLUNITDimension setting: length format (1 scientific, 2 decimal, 3 engineering, 4 architectural, 5 fractional)
DIMRADIUSDRA, DIMRADRadius of an arc or circle
DIMSCALEDimension setting: Overall scale (sizes × this)
DIMSTYLEDST, DDIM, DMake, change, set current, delete, apply and compare named dimension styles (the dialog; -DIMSTYLE on the command line)
DIMTEDITDIMTEDMove dimension text to the left, right or center of the dimension line, or turn it
DIMTEXTUNITDTUDimension text in mm, cm, m or km, or in the drawing's own units: the selected dimensions, else new ones (DTU)
DIMTXTDimension setting: Text height
DISTDIDistance and angle between two points
DISTRIBUTESpace the selected objects evenly, side to side or up and down: equal steps between centres, or equal gaps; the outer two stay
DUPLICATEDUPA copy that moves with the pointer: click to put it down (Ctrl+D)
DXFOUTDownload the drawing as DXF R12 (Save keeps its own format)
EATTEDITDDATTEEdit a block reference's attributes: values, text and properties, one attribute at a time
ELLIPSEELAxis endpoints and the other half-axis
ERASEE, DELETERemove objects
EXPLODEXBreak polylines, blocks and dimensions into their parts
EXPORTEXPSave a copy of the drawing in a file type an add-on writes
EXPORT3D3DEXPORTExport the 3D model: GLB, OBJ or STL
EXPORTPOINTSEXPPTSWrite 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
EXTENDEXLengthen objects to meet others: click near an end, drag through several, or Shift+click to trim
EXTRUDEEXTExtrude closed 2D objects into solids (3D)
FILLETFRound or square the corner between two objects (R radius, P every corner of a polyline, M several)
FINDFind and replace words in text, attribute values and dimension text
GCCOINCIDENTConstraint: two points meet, or a point stays on an object
GCCOLLINEARConstraint: two lines stay on one line
GCCONCENTRICConstraint: two circles or arcs share a centre
GCEQUALConstraint: two lines stay the same length, or two circles/arcs the same radius
GCFIXConstraint: a point or a whole object stays where it is
GCHORIZONTALConstraint: a line (or two points) stays horizontal
GCPARALLELConstraint: two lines stay parallel
GCPERPENDICULARConstraint: two lines stay at right angles
GCSYMMETRICConstraint: two points, lines or circles mirror each other across a line
GCTANGENTConstraint: a line and a circle or arc (or two of them) stay tangent
GCVERTICALConstraint: a line (or two points) stays vertical
GEOMCONSTRAINTGCONGeometric constraints: horizontal, vertical, parallel, tangent, coincident…
GLBOUTExport the 3D model as GLB (glTF)
HATCHH, BH, BHATCH, -HATCHFill an area with a solid fill or a pattern: click inside it, or select closed objects (H)
HELP?This list
HISTORYHISTHISTORY (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.
IDCoordinates of a point
IMAGEIMGive CadCraft the picture files a drawing uses (a DWG stores only where they were).
IMAGEATTACHIAT, IMAGEATTPlace a picture (PNG or JPEG) from a file.
IMAGECLIPICLClip a picture to a rectangle or a polygon, or remove its clip.
IMPORTIMPImport a file of a kind an add-on reads, into this drawing
INSERTI, DDINSERTPlace a block (S scale, R rotate); F from a DWG/DXF file, L from the library
INTERSECTINKeep only what solids have in common (3D)
JOINJJoin lines, arcs and polylines that meet end to end into one polyline; lines on one line into one line (J)
LASERLASERCUTOpen the Laser panel: send layers to a laser cutter or engraver (GRBL G-code)
LASSOMODEPress and drag draws a lasso (1) or a rectangle (0)
LAYDELDelete a layer and every object on it (in the model, on sheets and in blocks)
LAYERLAShow the layers panel
LAYFRZFreeze the layer of each object you pick
LAYISOIsolate the layers of the selected objects (every other layer off)
LAYMCURMake the layer of the object you pick current
LAYMRGMerge layers: their objects move to a target layer, and the merged layers go
LAYOFFTurn off the layer of each object you pick
LAYONTurn every layer on
LAYOUTLO, NEWLAYOUTA new sheet with a title block and a viewport
LAYTHWThaw every layer
LAYUNISOTurn back on the layers LAYISO turned off
LENGTHENLENLengthen or shorten lines, arcs and polylines: by an amount, a percentage, to a total, or by dragging (LEN)
LIBRARYLIBThe library panel: place items, check for updates, credits
LINELStraight segments, each its own object
LINETYPELT, CELTYPEThe linetype new objects get (by layer, by block, or a named one)
LINKVIEWSSYNCVIEWSPan and zoom every pane together (split screen), to compare two drawings or revisions
LISTLI, LSDescribe objects in the history
LTSCALELTSThe drawing's linetype scale (every dash and gap is multiplied by it)
LWDISPLAYLWTShow or hide lineweights on screen (the LWT button in the status bar)
LWEIGHTLW, LINEWEIGHTThe lineweight new objects get (by layer, by block, default, or mm)
MAPLAYERSML, GEOMAPmap layers under the model space: the drawing’s coordinate system, tiles, WMS, WMTS, ArcGIS, pictures
MATCHPROPMA, PAINTERMatch properties: copy one object's layer, color and more onto others (MA)
MEASUREGEOMMEAMeasure a distance, a radius, an angle or an area (MEA)
MIRRORMIMirror objects across a line
MLEADERMLD, MLEADMultileader: an arrow, a leader and a note, as one object (MLD)
MOVEMMove objects by a base point and a second point
MSPACEMSWork on the model through a viewport of the open sheet (or double-click inside the viewport).
MTEXTMT, TParagraph text: drag its width, then type in place; Enter starts a new paragraph (T)
MVIEWMVA viewport onto the model, on a layout
NAMEDVIEWNV, VIEWSNamed views: save the view on screen (or a window) under a name and go back to it (NV)
NEWStart a new drawing
OBJOUTExport the 3D model as OBJ
OFFSETOParallel copies at a distance
OPENOpen a DWG or DXF from this computer
OPENIN3DOpen this drawing in the 3D modeling app, in a new tab (nothing is uploaded)
PARAMETERSPAR, PARAMETERSMANAGER, PARAMThe Parameters panel: user parameters and dimensional constraints in one table
PARTSLISTPLISTA parts list table of every standard part and steel section placed from the Library
PASTECLIPPaste the clipboard: it follows the cursor, click where it goes (Ctrl+V)
PASTEORIGPaste the clipboard at the coordinates it was copied from (Ctrl+Shift+V)
PDFGive CadCraft the PDF files the drawing's underlays use
PDFADJUSTFade, contrast, monochrome or switch off a PDF underlay
PDFATTACHPDFATTAttach a PDF page as an underlay (PDFATTACH)
PDFCLIPClip a PDF underlay to a rectangle or polygon
PDFIMPORTPDFIMTurn a PDF page's lines, fills and text into drawing objects (PDFIMPORT)
PDFLAYERSSwitch the layers of a PDF underlay on or off
PEDITPEEdit a polyline: close, open, join, width, fit curve, spline curve, decurve, linetype generation, reverse; lines, arcs and splines can be turned into polylines
PLANTurn the view so the UCS X axis (Current ucs, a saved Ucs, or the World) is level on screen. Nothing in the drawing moves.
PLINEPLA polyline of line and arc segments
PLOTPRINT, PUBLISH, EXPORTPDFPlot to PDF: a layout, or the model at a scale
PLOTSTYLESSTYLESMANAGER, PSTABLESPlot style tables: set what each colour prints as (colour, black, gray, ink, lineweight); kept with the drawing (STYLESMANAGER)
POINTPOPoint objects
POINTCLOUDPCthe attached point cloud: slice, height, thickness, color, size, visible, zoom, detach
POINTCLOUDATTACHPCATTACH, POINTCLOUDATTattach a point cloud (LAS, LAZ, XYZ, PTS) under the drawing
POLARANGThe polar tracking step in degrees (90, 45, 30, 22.5, 15 …)
POLYGONPOLA regular polygon
PRESSPULLPush or pull a face of a solid (3D)
PROPERTIESPR, PROPS, CH, MO, DDMODIFYOpen the Properties panel (also Ctrl+1, or double-click an object)
PROPERTIESCLOSEPRCLOSEFold the Properties panel to the edge of the window
PSPACEPSLeave the viewport you are working in and go back to the sheet (or double-click outside it).
PUBLISH-PUBLISHPlot several or all sheets into one PDF (a page and a bookmark per sheet)
PURGEPURemove block definitions nothing uses
QPMODEQPQuick Properties by the cursor on or off
QSELECTQSQuick select: every object of a type whose layer, color, size or name matches (QS)
RASTERSNAPTurn snapping to the lines of scanned sheets on or off.
RAYRay: a construction line from a point, endless one way.
RECTANGREC, RECTANGLEA closed polyline from two corners
REDORedo what was undone
REFCLOSEFinish editing a block in place: save it, or discard the changes
REFEDITEdit a block in place, where a reference of it sits, with the rest of the drawing faded; REFCLOSE saves it
REGENRERebuild what is drawn in this tab from the drawing
REGENALLREARebuild what is drawn in every tab, pane and open drawing
REGISTERSCANSREGSCAN, SCANREGRegister several scans: place them in one frame by picked point pairs or targets, refine with ICP, export one LAS or E57
REINITReload your aliases file
RENAME-RENAME, RENRename a layer or a block (every object or reference follows)
REVCLOUDRCRevision cloud: round a rectangle, a polygon, a freehand path or an object (RC)
REVOLVEREVTurn closed 2D objects about an axis into solids (3D)
ROTATERORotate objects about a base point
SAMPLESSAMPLEOpen one of CadCraft's sample drawings (an architectural set, an as-built) to learn from
SAVEQSAVEDownload the drawing in its format (DWG or DXF)
SAVEASDownload the drawing as DWG or DXF: choose which
SCALESCScale objects about a base point
SCALELISTEDITSCALELISTAdd, edit and delete the drawing's own scales; they appear in the viewport and plot scale lists and are saved in the file (SCALELIST)
SCANALIGNSCLAlign a scanned sheet to two points: move, turn and, if you choose, scale it.
SCANATTACHSCA, SCANIMAGEInsert 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.
SCANCLEANSCCMake a scanned sheet black and white and remove specks.
SCANCROPSCRCrop a scanned sheet to a window.
SCANDESKEWSCDFind the angle a scanned sheet's long lines lie at and turn the sheet square once you accept the angle.
SCANERASESCEErase an area of a scanned sheet: a rectangle, a polygon or a lasso.
SCANINFOSCIShow a scanned sheet's original file and the steps taken since.
SCANSCALESCSScale a scanned sheet: pick two points on it and type the true distance between them.
SCANTRACESCTTrace a scanned sheet into lines and arcs on a new layer, to a tolerance you set. Text and hatching stay as raster.
SELECTSelect objects now (for P, Previous, in the next command)
SELECTALLAI_SELALLSelect every object you can edit on this tab (Ctrl+A)
SELECTSIMILARSIMSelect every object like the ones you pick: same type, layer and color (SIM)
SHEETSETSSM, SHEETSETMANAGERShows the Sheet Set panel: sheets from many drawings, numbered, published as one PDF.
SHORTCUTSKEYSGive 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.
SPLINESPLDraw a spline through points (or with a control polygon), or turn a polyline into one
SPLINEDITSPEEdit a spline: fit points, control points and weights, open or close it, reverse it, or convert it to a polyline
SPLITSplit the drawing area into panes (as VPORTS on the model; from a sheet too)
STEELMEMBERSMEMBERA steel member in 3D from a standard section: two points (a beam) or a base point and a height (Column)
STLOUTExport the 3D model as STL (millimeters)
STRETCHSStretch: drag a crossing window over the ends to move; what is inside moves, the rest stays (S)
SUBTRACTSUTake solids away from others (3D)
SWBOUTSWMACRODownload a macro for SolidWorks (.swb) that rebuilds the model as one constrained sketch
SWEEPSweep closed 2D objects along a path (line, polyline, arc, circle) into solids (3D)
TEXTDT, DTEXTSingle-line text; Enter starts the next line
TEXTEDITED, DDEDITEdit text in place: pick a text (or double-click one) (ED)
TEXTMASKTMASKPut a background mask behind texts (the drawing's background or a colour), or take it away.
TOOLBARChoose what the toolbar buttons show: icons and text, just icons, or just text (Ctrl+F1)
TOOLBARDOCKTBDOCKPut the toolbar on the top, bottom, left or right of the window
TOOLBARROWSChoose how many rows the toolbar uses: wrap to fit, 2, or 1 (Shift+Ctrl+F1)
TOURTUTORIALTake the six-step first-drawing tour again
TRIMTRCut objects back to where others cross them: click a piece, drag through several, or Shift+click to extend
TRIMEXTENDMODEHow TRIM and EXTEND start: 1 Quick (every object is a cutting edge or boundary), 0 Standard (choose the edges first)
TTRA circle tangent to two objects, with a radius you give (the same as CIRCLE T).
TURNLEFTTurn the view 90° left (counter-clockwise): UCS Z -90, and the view follows. Nothing in the drawing moves.
TURNRIGHTTurn the view 90° right (clockwise): UCS Z 90, and the view follows. Nothing in the drawing moves.
TURNWORLDBack to the world: UCS World, and the view is level again.
UCSYour 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.
UNDOUUndo the last command
UNIONUNIJoin solids into one (3D)
UNITSUN, DDUNITSHow lengths are shown and typed: decimal, feet and inches, fractions (UN)
USDOUTExport the 3D model as USD (.usda text, .usdc binary or a .usdz package)
VIEW-VIEW, VStandard 3D views, perspective or parallel (3D)
VIEWBASEFLATSHOTPlace a flat 2D view of the 3D solids (front, top, side or isometric, hidden lines dashed) on a sheet or in the model
VIEWLABELVLA view title on a sheet that shows its viewport's view name, and changes with it.
VPLAYERFreeze or thaw layers in some viewports only (Freeze, Thaw, Reset), and choose which layers new viewports start frozen (Vpvisdflt).
VPORTSVIEWPORTSSplit the drawing area into panes, each with its own view (on a sheet: a viewport, as MVIEW)
VPVIEWSet what a viewport shows: pick a window on the model
VSCURRENTVS, SHADEMODEVisual style of the 3D view: shaded, edges, hidden line, wireframe, X-ray
WBLOCKW, -WBLOCKWrite a block, some objects or the whole drawing to a new DWG or DXF file (W)
WEDGEWEA wedge: two corners and a height; it slopes away from the first corner (3D)
XATTACHXALink another DWG or DXF into this drawing, shown read-only (XREF lists and reloads them)
XCLIPXCClip block references and linked drawings to a rectangle or a polygon, or remove the clip.
XLINEXLConstruction line, endless both ways: through two points, horizontal, vertical, at an angle, bisecting an angle, or offset from a line.
XREFXR, -XREFLinked drawings (external references): list, attach, reload, bind, detach
ZOOMZExtents, or a window