Old draftsman needs help

#1
When in my teens, I studied drafting the old-fashioned way, t-square and drafting machine. I worked shortly as a draftsman, but have not been employed as such in 20+ years. I wanted a CAD program to use in my woodworking and blacksmithing hobbies, and intellicad seemed the solution. I don't need highly technical drawings, just some simple shapes. However, after messing around with it for an hour or so, and using the .pdf help file, I find I am going to have to learn a new language. Some specific questions-
1. How do I change the background color? I like white, not black. I did change the line color.
2. I put some dimensions on the object I was drawing, or thought I did. They seemed to disappear...how do I make them visible?

#2
Audie,

Welcome to the electronic age - yes it is like learning a new language because there are thousands of settings that affect the look and feel of ICAD.

To change the graphics screen color select Tool-->Options from the pull down menu and select the Display tab on the dialog box.

You will see a Graphics screen color button - just select it then select the color you want.

White backgrounds are generally prefered to new users because it looks more like drawing on paper, while advanced users prefer black because it is easier on the eyes when using the computer for long hours. Still it is good to have a choice.

The case of the missing dimensions can be caused by setting the graphics background the same color as the dimension. When you change the background color they may become visible. To find out if a dimension is there, select a crossing window where the dimension should be and look for handle markers.



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Regards
John Finlay
Don't want to post a question - email me direct on john@acecad.com.au