Author Topic: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)  (Read 5279 times)

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Bethrine

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AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« on: May 08, 2015, 02:40:22 PM »
As Se7en is considering Revit certification, I have been planning AutoCAD certification. So...same question. How hard is it? I've gone over the exam topics and objectives in two books and believe I can minimally get the Professional Certification. So...how hard is it?

~they say that copy catting is the highest form of flattery.  :-)

mjfarrell

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2015, 03:05:31 PM »
It really is't that hard....however one should have some proficiency with the program.

Although beware I do recall one trick question...they as to measure distance from a thing (a desk) to a wall....and the line is right on top of the wall
so the 'right' answer is technically wrong because WE all know the edge of a desk is NOT in the same place as the EXACT edge of a wall.
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JohnK

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2015, 03:09:37 PM »
:)

I became fairly confident with AutoCAD but I never considered taking the certification test mainly because most people soon realized I could "make coffee with AutoCAD" and I didn't really care if others believed in my abilities or not. However, reading some about your stories I feel you should very much go take that test.

I also think you should ask your boss to pay for it too!
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mjfarrell

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2015, 03:13:17 PM »
:)

I became fairly confident with AutoCAD but I never considered taking the certification test mainly because most people soon realized I could "make coffee with AutoCAD" and I didn't really care if others believed in my abilities or not. However, reading some about your stories I feel you should very much go take that test.

I also think you should ask your boss to pay for it too!

After passing it....
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trogg

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2015, 11:07:07 PM »
The first time I took it at AU 2011, I didn't refresh the files so that I was working with new files and I failed it. The good thing about AU is that you can just go back and take it again.

Lesson learned - Refresh files

As was said, there are a lot of distance and area inquires. There is usually a modification of some type like move, stretch, rotate... prior to the inquiry. One trick that helps when you are asked for a distance to and from something, draw a line and then use that to get the length instead of simply using the distance command and snapping to the points. At the same time - use the hatch command when you are asked to use the AREA command.

It is still worth while knowing how to use these commands but sometimes it is just quicker to draw a line or place a hatch and then use the LIST command on them to get your answers.

~Greg

Rob...

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2015, 07:34:19 AM »
sometimes it is just quicker to draw a line or place a hatch and then use the LIST command on them to get your answers.

That's a good tip when working with congested drawings so that you can verify that your snap landed correctly, but I find properties to be faster than LIST.
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jumpy

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2015, 05:54:38 AM »
Probably different over the pond there, but I did City & Guilds courses in 2d, 2d wireframe and 3d solids in AutoCAD. This must be 10 plus years ago now, doing a couple of nights a week at a local technical college after work had finished.

Gave me a lot of knowledge that some of my contemporaries who'd been at cad for much longer than I had, didn't know.

I say go for it. If you get a recognised bit of paper (for where you are) then it's almost certainly worth the money you pay for it.
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mjfarrell

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2015, 12:20:01 PM »
The first time I took it at AU 2011, I didn't refresh the files so that I was working with new files and I failed it. The good thing about AU is that you can just go back and take it again.

Lesson learned - Refresh files

As was said, there are a lot of distance and area inquires. There is usually a modification of some type like move, stretch, rotate... prior to the inquiry. One trick that helps when you are asked for a distance to and from something, draw a line and then use that to get the length instead of simply using the distance command and snapping to the points. At the same time - use the hatch command when you are asked to use the AREA command.

It is still worth while knowing how to use these commands but sometimes it is just quicker to draw a line or place a hatch and then use the LIST command on them to get your answers.

~Greg

I  would suggest you start ussing the TAB command when 'snapping' to points.
This will HIGHLIGHT the object or point you are snapping to, so that you can be sure of exactly where or what you have snapped to.
It will save you drawing a lot of lines only to erase them. (note this function has been around since r12, yet so few people take advantage of it)
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Bethrine

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2015, 12:29:54 PM »
I  would suggest you start ussing the TAB command when 'snapping' to points.

I am looking that up.

Bethrine

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2015, 06:34:43 PM »
I  would suggest you start ussing the TAB command when 'snapping' to points.

I am looking that up.

I am not finding it.  :-(

Krushert

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #10 on: May 11, 2015, 07:53:48 PM »
I am not finding it.  :-(

http://www.cadtutor.net/tutorials/autocad/object-snap.php

Scroll down halfway to Section "Object Snap Cycling"

I did not know that tip.  Thanks.
 I think I still like my shift-mnemonic key better but to each their own.
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mjfarrell

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2015, 08:48:25 AM »
I am not finding it.  :-(

http://www.cadtutor.net/tutorials/autocad/object-snap.php

Scroll down halfway to Section "Object Snap Cycling"

I did not know that tip.  Thanks.
 I think I still like my shift-mnemonic key better but to each their own.

That method still will not prevent snapping to the wrong object(s);
whereas TAB cycling will give one a better chance on not doing so.
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Bethrine

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2015, 10:19:07 AM »
I've been using selection box but tab in awesome too. Thank you both!  :-)

Mark

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2015, 11:08:22 AM »
That method still will not prevent snapping to the wrong object(s);
whereas TAB cycling will give one a better chance on not doing so.
Do you use TAB cycling all the time? It has its moments but man that would take for ever to actually draw something. :)
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mjfarrell

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Re: AutoCAD Certification: How hard is it? (Thank you 7)
« Reply #14 on: May 12, 2015, 11:20:28 AM »
That method still will not prevent snapping to the wrong object(s);
whereas TAB cycling will give one a better chance on not doing so.
Do you use TAB cycling all the time? It has its moments but man that would take for ever to actually draw something. :)

I use it in conjunction with limiting what is or isn't visible on screen at any given time.

So IF I am working with an alignment, or Parcels, I have as little possible other information visible as possible at that time.
This is achieved through combination of layer control and or Hide/Isolate objects functionality.

This is of course weighted by how accurate do I want my work to be?  (and or how accurate must the results be?)
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Michael Farrell
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