Displaying Data in a Text Window

Displaying Data in a Text Window
You may have noticed that as you work in AutoCAD, the activity displayed in the Command window
scrolls up. Sometimes, it’s helpful to view information that has scrolled past the view shown
in the Command window. For example, you can review the command activity from your session
to check input values or to recall other data-entry information. Try the following exercise to see
how the Text Window works:
1. Choose Tools  Inquiry  List.
2. At the Select objects: prompt, click the arc, and press ↵. Information about the arc is displayed
in the AutoCAD Text Window (see Figure 2.22). Toward the bottom is the list of the
arc’s properties. Don’t worry if the meaning of some listed properties isn’t obvious yet; as
you work through this book, you’ll learn what the properties of an object mean.



3. Press F2 to close the AutoCAD Text Window.
TIP Pressing F2 is a quick way to switch between the drawing editor and the AutoCAD Text Window.
The scroll bar to the right of the AutoCAD Text Window lets you scroll to earlier events. You
can even set the number of lines that AutoCAD retains by using the Options dialog box, or you can
have AutoCAD record the AutoCAD Text Window information in a text file.
When you have more than one document open, the AutoCAD Text Window displays a listing
for the drawing that is currently active.

Displaying the Properties of an Object
While we’re on the subject of displaying information, you’ll want to know about the Properties palette.
In the preceding exercise, you saw how the List command showed some information regarding
the properties of an object, such as the location of an arc’s center and endpoints. You can also
double-click an object to display a Properties palette that shows similar information. (You might
accidentally display the Properties palette from time to time!)
TIP Since the Properties palette is so useful, you may want to consider leaving it open all the time.
To see what this palette is for, try the following exercise:
1. Select the arc in the drawing, right-click it, and select Properties to open the Properties palette,
which displays a list of the arc’s properties. Don’t worry if many of the items in this
palette are undecipherable; you’ll learn more about this palette as you work through the
early chapters of this book. For now, just be aware that this palette appears whenever you
double-click an object and that it displays the object’s properties. You can also use it to
modify many of the properties listed.



2. Click the small Auto-Hide box at the bottom left of the Properties palette: It’s the icon that
looks like a double arrow. The icon changes to a single arrow. The Auto-Hide option in the
Properties palette lets you keep the palette open without having it take up too much of
the drawing area. This can be useful when you need to edit the properties of many objects.



3. Move the cursor away from the Properties palette. The Properties palette collapses so that
only the title bar remains.
4. Hover the cursor on the Properties palette title bar. The Properties palette opens to display
all the options again.
5. Click the Auto-Hide box again to restore the “always open” mode of the palette.
6. Close the Properties palette by clicking the X in its upper corner. (The X appears in the
upper-left or upper-right corner, depending on the placement of the palette in the AutoCAD
window.) You can also right-click the title on the side of the Properties palette and then
choose Close from the shortcut menu.
7. You’re finished with the door drawing, so choose File  Close.
8. In the Save Changes dialog box, click the No button. (You’ve already saved this file just as
you want it, so you don’t need to save it again.)
TIP In many cases, you can open the Properties palette by double-clicking an object. Some
objects, however, display a dialog box to allow you to edit the object.