Configuring the System
The System tab controls AutoCAD’s system settings. These settings control the current 3D graphics display, options relating to the current pointing device, options relating to database connectivity, and other general options.
The System tab is organized into six areas, as shown in Figure 3.10. The six areas are as follows:
Figure 3.10. The System tab in the Options dialog box controls AutoCAD’s system settings.
Current 3D Graphics Display. Controls settings that relate to system properties and configuration of the 3D graphics display system.
Current Pointing Device. Controls options that relate to the pointing device.
Layout Regen Options. Controls display methods for when using layouts.
dbConnect Options. Controls options that relate to database connectivity.
General Options. Controls general options that relate to system settings.
Live Enabler Options. Controls frequency of Live Enabler updates.
Current 3D Graphics Display
The Current 3D Graphics Display area has two features. The first allows you to select from the list of available 3D graphics display systems. The second displays the 3D Graphics System Configuration dialog box.
These two features work in conjunction with each other. For example, when you select a 3D graphics display system from the drop-down list, the Properties button displays the 3D Graphics System Configuration dialog box set for the current 3D graphics display system.
The default 3D graphics display system is the Heidi 3D graphics display system (GSHEIDI10). When this system is highlighted, select the Properties button and the 3D Graphics System Configuration dialog box display appears as shown in Figure 3.11. If you are using a different graphics display system, the options on the 3D Graphics System Configuration dialog box will be different from the ones shown here. You will need to refer to AutoCAD’s documentation for more information.
Figure 3.11. The 3D Graphics System Configuration dialog box.
Current Pointing Device
The Current Pointing Device area controls options that relate to the pointing device. In this area, you can select the desired pointing device from a drop-down list, which displays the available pointing devices.
AutoCAD comes installed with two pointing device options. The first is the Current System Pointing Device option, which sets the current Windows pointing device (typically your mouse) as the AutoCAD pointing device. The second is the Wintab Compatible Digitizer option, which sets the Wintab Compatible Digitizer as current. (This option is only available if you have a Wintab compatible digitizer installed on your system.) If you choose the Digitizer option, you can specify whether AutoCAD accepts input from both a mouse and a digitizer, or ignores mouse input and accepts only digitizer input.
Layout Regen Options
The Layout Regen Options control how model and layout tabs should cache their display for improved performance. There are three options, described as follows:
Regen when switching layouts. This toggle is the slowest of the three options and was the effective type for AutoCAD 2000. Every tab switch will initiate a full regeneration of the display.
Cache model tab and last layout. The most economical for memory usage, this setting will cache model space display and the last layout used. Switching between layout tabs will initiate full regenerations of the display.
Cache model tab and all layouts. The default setting in AutoCAD 2002 will cache all tabs for optimal display performance. Switching the display between tabs will be immediate. This option does use the most memory but today’s systems are plenty sufficient for the added benefit.
The Layout Regen Options are discussed in detail in Chapter 19, “Paper Space Layouts.”
dbConnect Options
The dbConnect Options area allows you to control two features that deal with connecting to external databases. The features are described as follows:
Store Links Index in Drawing File. This feature stores the database index within the AutoCAD drawing file. Select this option to enhance performance during SQL queries. Clear this option to decrease drawing file size and to enhance the opening process for drawings with database information.
Open Tables in Read-Only Mode. Specifies whether to open database tables in Read-only mode within the AutoCAD drawing file. Select this option to open tables in read-only mode, preventing unwanted edits. Clear this option to allow the table to be edited.
The dbConnect Options are discussed in detail in Chapter 24, “Using External Databases.”
General Options
The General Options area allows you to control such features as whether you can open multiple drawings in a single AutoCAD session, whether the Startup dialog box displays when you launch AutoCAD, or whether you can use long symbol names. There are seven features you can control in this area, described as follows:
Single-drawing compatibility mode. This toggle specifies whether a Single-Drawing Interface (SDI) or a Multi-Drawing Interface (MDI) is enabled in AutoCAD. If you select this option, AutoCAD opens only one drawing at a time. If you clear this option, AutoCAD can open multiple drawings.
Display OLE properties dialog. This toggle controls the display of the OLE Properties dialog box when inserting OLE objects into AutoCAD drawings. OLE objects are discussed in detail in Chapter 23, “Effective Applications for OLE Objects in AutoCAD 2002.”
Show all warning messages. This toggle controls whether all dialog boxes that include a Don’t Display This Warning Again option will appear. If you select this option, AutoCAD displays all dialog boxes with warning options, regardless of previous settings specific to each dialog box. If you clear this option, dialog boxes with the Don’t Display This Warning Again option toggled on will not appear.
Beep on error in user input. This toggle controls whether AutoCAD sounds an alarm beep when it detects an invalid entry.
Load acad.lsp with every drawing. This toggle specifies whether AutoCAD loads your acad.lsp file into every drawing. If this option is cleared, only your acaddoc.lsp file is loaded into all drawing files. Clear this option if you do not want to run certain LISP routines in specific drawing files. The acad.lsp and acaddoc.lsp files are discussed in Chapter 22, “Introduction to AutoLISP Programming.”
Allow long symbol names. Named objects can include up to 255 characters. Names can include letters, numbers, blank spaces, and any special characters not used by Windows and AutoCAD for other purposes. When this option is enabled, long names can be used for layers, dimension styles, blocks, linetypes, text styles, layouts, UCS names, views, and viewport configurations. This option is saved in the drawing.
Startup. This drop-down list controls what is displayed at AutoCAD’s initial opening. The default is the Today startup, providing quick access to a wealth of information. Other options include the traditional Startup dialog box or a command-line version of the OPEN command.
Live Enabler Options
The Live Enabler Options area permits AutoCAD 2002 to help manage itself as new systems become available. Through a connection to the Internet, your system can maintain updates to the software, download bug fixes, and update information content like the Help system. The features are described as follows:
Check Autodesk Point A for Live Enablers. This controls when AutoCAD should look for updated items. If you do not have an Internet connection, setting this to Never is appropriate. Have this option set to Always is obviously excessive. Set this option to When you have a live Internet connection, Autodesk Point A is available and your system spends a minimal amount of time checking for new items, but enough to keep you completely up-to-date.
Maximum number of unsuccessful checks. In some circumstances your system might lose its Internet connection. If so this option will keep it from bogging down with repetitive attempts to check for new items.