Creating a drawing

A new drawing is always created as a copy of a template drawing. The default template is saved through the BASEFILE system variable.

In BricsCAD you can create new drawings:

  • In the Start tab.
  • Using the QNEW command.
  • Using the NEW command.
  • Using the NEWWIZ command.
  • Double-clicking a *.dwt file in a Windows Explorer window.

Specifying the template folder

  1. Open the Settings dialog box.
  2. Under Program Options > Files > Templates, select Template Path (TEMPLATEPATH system variable).
  3. Click the Browse button.
  4. On the Browse for folder dialog box, select a folder, then click the OK button.

Setting the default template drawing

  1. Open the Settings dialog box.
  2. Under Program Options > Files > Templates, select the BASEFILE system variable.
  3. Click the Browse button.
  4. On the Choose a File dialog box, select a drawing file (*.dwg) or drawing template (*.dwt), then click the Open button.

Using the Start tab

  1. Click the Start tab.

    Launch the GOTOSTART command to open the Start tab if necessary.

    The name of the current drawing template is displayed beneath the New Drawing button.

  2. Do the following:
    • (option) Click the template list* button, to choose a different template drawing.
    • Click the New Drawing button.

    * All template drawings in the Template folder matching the current workspace (Drafting, Modeling, Mechanical or BIM), are listed here. Choose More… to see the full content of the Template folder.

Creating a drawing using the default template drawing

First method:

Click the + button at the right hand side of the document tabs.

Second method:

Launch the QNEW command.

Third method:

  1. Launch the NEWWIZ command.
  2. On the Create New Drawing dialog, choose Start from Default template, then click the Next button.
Note: If the default template drawing is not specified, the Create New Drawing wizard is launched depending on the current value of the STARTUP system variable, otherwise the Select Template dialog box appears.

Creating a drawing using the New command

  1. Launch the NEW command.

  2. On the Create New Drawing dialog box, choose Start from Scratch, then click the Next button.

  3. Choose between either Imperial or Metric default settings.

    Click the Finish button to create the drawing.

Note: Using the above procedure, it depends on the status of the BASEFILE and PSTYLEPOLICY variables whether CTB (Color table) or STB (Named plot style table) will be used to set up plotter configurations in the newly created drawing.
BASEFILE PSTYLEPOLICY CTB or STB?
not specified OFF STB
not specified ON CTB
specified ON or OFF as defined in the template drawing

Setting the Plot style policy

  1. Open the Settings dialog box.
  2. Under Program Options > Plot and publish, select Plot style policy (PSTYLEPOLICY system variable).
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Choose Associate an entity's plot style with its color for Color dependent (CTB) plot styles.
    • Choose No association between color and plot style for Named (STB) plot styles.

Creating a drawing using a template drawing

  1. Launch the NEWWIZ command.

  2. On the Create New Drawing dialog box choose Start from template, then click the Next button.

  3. Do one of the following:
    • Choose a template drawing in the Select a template list.

      By default this is the content of the Template folder.

    • Click the Browse... button to select a template drawing.

      You can choose between *.dwg and *.dwt file types.

Creating a drawing using a wizard

  1. Launch the NEWWIZ command.
  2. On the Create New Drawing dialog box, choose Use a Wizard, then click the Next button.
  3. Choose between either Imperial or Metric default settings, then click the Next button.
  4. Select the Unit of measurement and the display Precision, then click the Next button.
  5. Select the Angle of measurement and the display Precision, then click the Next button.
  6. Choose between Color Dependent plot styles (CTB) or Named plot styles (STB), then click the Next button.
  7. Select the default Color and Linetype.
  8. Define the Grid, Snap, UCS icon and Marker Blips settings.
  9. Click the Finish button to create the drawing.

    (option) Choose Save As.. in the File menu to save the drawing as a new template in the Templates folder.