Login | Sign Up
   





 
Tip and Trick Detail
Using Aerial Viewer when working with Floating Viewports
*Applies to: AutoCAD R14, 2000, 2000i, 2002, 2004 and 2005*

After working with AutoCAD fo4r many years it just clicked one day.  No, I wasn't sitting around trying to find a really good reason to use Aerial Viewer either.  Aerial Viewer can be a very valuable tool when working with a large or even small drawing that has several Viewports on it.  Aerial Viewer allows you to see your entire drawing when you are trying to line up part of the design through a Viewport.
Step 1 -  Switch to a Layout like you normally would.
 
Step 2 -  Place the viewport like you normally would on your drawing using the VPORTS or -VPORT command.  You can also use the command  LAYOUTWIZARD to help step you through the creation of both a Layout and Viewports.
Step 3 -  Here is were the tip comes in place.  If you normally have Viewport scale set you might have the Viewport locked.  You will need to disable the locking on the Viewport.  To do this select the Viewport and then right-click over it.  Select No from the Locked Display menu flyout.  Otherwise, you can select the Viewport and bring it up in Properties Palette to make the setting change.

Step 4 -  Now that the display has been unlocked you can use the Aerial Viewer.  To call up the Aerial Viewer type in 'dsviewer at the command line or select Aerial Viewer from the View pull-down.
Step 1 -  Switch to a Layout like you normally would.
Step 2 -  After the button is clicked the menu will be displayed on screen.
Step 3 -  The items that are currently being displayed in the Status Bar area are the ones with a checkmark next to them.  Select the item to uncheck and hide the button in the Status Bar or select one that was previously unchecked to reactivate it in the Status Bar.