Hey Everybody,
Brandon here and in today’s post I wanted to ask you all a question.
What do you do when you get stuck or run into an issue in AutoCAD?
Let me know your go-to site in the comments below.
Following up with my question to you all, I wanted to share a few of the sites that I think can be a great resource for those times where you’re just not sure what’s going on or you want to read about how others might have dealt with a similar issue.
I think it’s probably a given, but I just wanted to point out that these sites are just a very small few of many, many great AutoCAD and design sites that are out there on the web. These are just a couple that I like to read and wanted to share with you all today, I’ll continue to share more great resources in the future and look forward to learning which ones are your favorites.
- The AutoDesk Knowledge Network (AKN): The AutoDesk Knowledge Network is understandably one of the largest and easiest to search databases of information, basic training, answers and more when it comes to all of AutoDesks products. It should be one of the first stops when you run into an issue and are struck when working in one of their programs. The AutoCAD specific page is especially useful for beginners and seasoned vets, providing plenty of troubleshooting answers and general tutorials.
- AutoCAD Forum: The official AutoCAD forum and typically one of the first results on google when you search your issue. Sometimes it really seems like every question has already been asked and usually solved when it comes to AutoCAD on the forum. Which is a good thing and can save you time when looking for an answer to your problem. I highly recommend creating an account and checking in on the forum when you need a hand, or posting when you just can’t find the answer you need, replies are typically fast and helpful, be sure to use the search first though to avoid asking the same question as others and follow typical forum etiquette.
- Lynn Allen’s Blog: Lynn’s blog and annual Tips & Tricks booklet contain a wealth of great tutorials, tips, tricks and time-saving techniques for working with AutoCAD and should be on your list of blogs to check in on to continually improve your skill and speed with AutoCAD. I recommend checking out this year’s Tips & Tricks Booklet to start: Check it out here
- The CAD Geek Blog: Donnie’s CAD Geek blog is another great resource for AutoCAD Tips and tricks as well as a great source for keeping up with industry news and training events like AutoDesk University. Plus he’s also a fellow AutoCAD 35 under 35 alumni, so check out his blog and give him a follow. Here’s a helpful tip from the blog on how to remove or turn off the glowing highlight effect when you select objects in AutoCAD: Check it out here
- Bonus: I should also point out that if you are stuck on something in AutoCAD or really any software in general, one of the best starting points is to search Google and Youtube using some basic keywords that you think another person with the same problem would have used as well. It’s very likely that the first results will be links to one of the sites I listed above, or quite possibly this site (CAD Intentions) but by using the search it will also help you narrow down your results to only those that best match your situation.
That’s all for todays post, as always thank you all so much for reading and don’t forget to let me know one of your favorite CAD sites in the comments below!
Oh and if you haven’t already, make sure to check out Episode #1 of Coffee Break my new series that highlights and reviews cool tech, products and gear for Designers, creatives and engineers! Read it Here
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