Here’s a little bit about our interface and how it works…
For the most part the interface (
in the standalone, pre-alpha version) appears to the user as a large, blank drawing area (
See image below) with menus and toolbars obviously missing.
When installed as an AutoCAD add-in however, the interface will look like the user’s normal AutoCAD screen… with all menus and toolbars (
associated customization included) visible and available for the user to use. This is the beauty of the interface… you can use it whenever you want while having all of AutoCAD’s existing functionality available as well.
To use our interface to create and edit entities
WITHOUT using menus, toolbars, and the command line… the user must activate a ‘
TASK MODE’ by pressing the key associated with the general task they wish to accomplish. There are 4 TASK MODES that the user can work in….
Create,
Alter (modify),
Transform, and
Annotate. They are activated using the following keys:
Create =
Ctrl key
Alter =
Alt key
Transform =
Shift key
Annotate =
Tab key
Once the user activates a particular TASK MODE it remains active until the user invokes a different TASK MODE or interacts with AutoCAD’s interface. The user must then use the pointing device (
mouse, stylus, etc) to execute the pre-defined interaction pattern associated with the command they wish to execute.
For example… if the user wants to draw 1 or more lines… the
Create TASK MODE must be active. The user then picks points on the screen to draw the line(s). To terminate the line drawing action the user simply right-clicks or presses the Crtl key and they are ready to draw another entity.
If they want to draw a circle using the Center Point > Diameter method, the user double-clicks the circle center point and then picks a point to define the circle diameter. If they wanted to draw the circle at a specific diameter… they would double-click the center point… enter the circle diameter in the Interpreter (
See Image below) and press the ENTER key.
To draw an arc using the Center Point > Start Angle > End Angle method, the user simply double-clicks the arc center point… picks a point to define the arc radius/start angle… and picks a point defining the end angle. Had they wanted to draw the arc at a specific radius… they would need to enter the radius prior to picking a point defining the start angle.
Modifying or altering entities is simple and intuitive. Lets say the user wants to extend the endpoint of an existing line. If the active TASK MODE is not the Alter mode… the user must press the
Alt key in order to activate it. They would then pick the endpoint of the line they wish extend … and then pick the point to extend it to.
Likewise, if they wanted to extend the endpoint to an existing entity… they would pick the endpoint of the line they wish extend … and then pick the entity they wish to extend it to.
To extend 2 entities to meet at their intersection… they would drag from 1 entity dragging to the other entity. If they wanted to filet the 2 entities they would need to enter the fillet radius in the Interpreter prior to dragging from 1 entity to the other.
As you can see, it’s how the user interacts with the computer (
using the mouse and keyboard) while working in a particular TASK MODE that determines what they are trying to do. The amount of user interaction is reduced to the absolute bare minimum since they do not need to identify what they want to do before doing it. It allows you to work almost as fast as you think.
As in any software application… to be truly productive the user must first learn it. Our interface is no different… it must be learned in order to be productive and since it must be learned… it is not intended for the part-time, casual user.
You can download a copy of the pre-alpha version using the following link:
http://www.yousendit.com/download/T2dlak8rK3hOQncwTVE9PQ 
