AutoCAD 2016 : Some New Feature Guides

User interface

File tabs

The New Tab drawing file tab has been renamed to Start and remains persistent as you create and open additional drawings. The NEWTABMODE system variable has been renamed to STARTMODE. When set to 0 the Start tab is not displayed.

A new deployment option enables you to control whether the Start tab is displayed for install deployments.

You can press Ctrl+Home or use the new GOTOSTART command to switch focus from the current drawing to the Start tab. The new CLOSEALLOTHER command offers command line access to close all the open drawings except the one in focus.

The Tip of the Day on the Learn page is updated every 24 hours. You can use the arrows to cycle through multiple tips one at a time and the tips can now contain inline images.

Layouts

Layouts now support drag and drop to move or copy layouts to positions that are hidden in the overflow menu. As you drag the selected layouts to the right or left edge of the layout tabs they automatically scroll, enabling you to drop the layouts into the proper position.

New controls in the right-click menu enable you to dock the layout tabs in line with the status bar or above it.

Status bar

The Status bar can now automatically wrap onto two rows when there are more icons than can fit into a single row. At any given time, the model tab and at least one layout tab are always displayed.

Isolate Objects and Lock UI have been added to the Status bar customization menu.

The Lock User Interface tool on the Status bar enables you to check and uncheck multiple UI elements at one time instead of having to reopen the flyout each time. Click the icon to enable or disable UI locking.

Ribbon

The new GALLERYVIEW system variable enables you to control whether Ribbon galleries are displayed. When GALLERYVIEW is set to 1, thumbnail preview images of blocks as well as dimensions, mleaders, and tables display in the Ribbon. 

                             

When it’s set to 0, the Insert dialog box is displayed to access Blocks and traditional style lists are displayed in the Ribbon to access dimension, mleader, and table styles.

                  

A360 Single sign-on

You are automatically signed into Help documentation when you sign into your A360 account from AutoCAD and vice-versa. Signing into Help documentation enables you to Like a Help topic.

 

Documentation

Dimensioning

DIM command enhancements

The DIM command is significantly enhanced in AutoCAD 2016 and is now accessible from the Annotate ribbon tab. Next to it you’ll find a new dimension layer control. Dimensions created using the DIM command are automatically placed on the specified layer. If an appropriate dimension layer doesn’t currently exist in the drawing, you can quickly create one and apply it to the DIM command using the new DIMLAYER system variable.

 

Options within the DIM command are now displayed at the command line and in the right-click menu, eliminating the need for you to remember which options are available and how to enter them. 

 

However, even the need to specify Dimension options is significantly reduced in AutoCAD 2016. Now the DIM command automatically creates appropriate dimensions based on the type of objects you select. A preview as you pass the cursor over those objects enables you to see the resulting dimension before you actually create it. For example if you launch the DIM command and hover the cursor over a linear object, a preview of the appropriate horizontal, vertical, or aligned dimension is displayed. After selecting the object you can either place the dimension or hover the cursor over another non-parallel linear object to display and place an angular dimension.

 

                       

If you hover the cursor over a circle or an arc object, a preview of a diametric or radial dimension is displayed and the command prompt offers relevant options including the ability to switch between Radius and Diameter. Arc objects include the additional option to create an angular dimension.

 

The DIM command further simplifies creating dimensions by eliminating prompts to modify the dimension text and angle. Instead, the default values are automatically applied. Mtext, Text, and Text Angle options are available from the command line and right-click menus if you choose to change the default values.

If you attempt to create a dimension that overlaps with other similar dimensions, a cursor menu offers options to automatically move, break up, or replace the existing dimension in addition to simply placing the new dimension on top of the existing ones without affecting them.

 

When using the Baseline or Continue options, you are automatically prompted to select the first extension line origin.

Regardless of which type of dimension you create, the DIM command remains active, enabling you to easily place additional dimensions until you exit the command. 

Text wrap in Dimensions

When editing dimension text, a width sizing control is displayed above the text, enabling you to specify the width for text wrapping. This was the #8 AUGI wishlist request.

 

Text

To address the AUGI #5 wishlist request, a new Text frame property has been added to Mtext objects, enabling you to create a border around the text. 

 

The Match text formatting button in AutoCAD 2016 is “sticky,” so you can apply the properties of the selected text multiple times within an Mtext object. It's available for all objects that use Mtext including mleaders, tables, and dimensions.