Topic: CAD Test

[deegeecees]

I stand by my quick and easy test as follows:


1. Have them sit down at a computer with AutoCAD (non-version specific) installed and running. On the screen you have drawn a 4 sided polygon.

2. Have them locate the center of that square with ONLY TWO PICK POINTS.

A substandard CAD person will draw a line from corner to corner, then grab the midpoint.

A quality CAD person will use point filters, or tracking (depending on the version).

Fairly simple, if they know that much, then they probably have the cognitive skills to sufficiently complete job related tasks.

[PDJ]

Well, it's official I reckon, I'm a substandard CAD person.. I would draw the line and snap to midpoint (or use the new snap command) instead of messing with point filters.  In fact, I've never much messed with any filters except when using the SSX command.  Then I'm just using it to single out a selection.  

I'll turn in my key to the quality CAD operators restroom after lunch and clean out my virtual cubical.

[PDJ]

I still like one test I heard many moons ago where they wanted the guy to make a rectangular box and type his name in the center of the box.  Then they turned off the monitor and said "Start"..

[deegeecees]

Well, it's official I reckon, I'm a substandard CAD person.. I would draw the line and snap to midpoint...  

I'll turn in my key to the quality CAD operators restroom after lunch and clean out my virtual cubical.

YOU MADE THREE PICKS!

[daron]

I could do it in one pick. Temporary tracking points set to whatever as long as midpoint is in it, get cad to find the mids of two perpendicular lines and pick the center.

In 13 or 14, use tracking in two points. Tracking from midpoint move out toward the middle and beyond the middle of the adjacent line, snap to midpoint of said line.

Previous to that, .xy filters which of course, still work, I just haven't used them since R14.

[Mark]

I could do it in one pick. Temporary tracking points set to whatever as long as midpoint is in it, get cad to find the mids of two perpendicular lines and pick the center.

Let's pretend I'm t-bears neighbor, show me.

[Mark]

2. Have them locate the center of that square with ONLY TWO PICK POINTS.

How about this . . .

Code: [Select]


Command: line
Specify first point: m2p ( or mtp )
First point of mid: Second point of mid:


[Kerry]

Yep .. that's how I would have answered.

The word locate in the test question is a little ambiguous. I assumed an active pickpoint.

[deegeecees]

Ok, I should have said:

TWO **OR LESS** PICK POINTS.

[daron]

I could do it in one pick. Temporary tracking points set to whatever as long as midpoint is in it, get cad to find the mids of two perpendicular lines and pick the center.

Let's pretend I'm t-bears neighbor, show me.

How's that? Not a single pick yet and I'm already at the middle of the rectangle. If Allignment Point Acquisition is set to Automatic, I wouldn't even have to hit shift.

[deegeecees]

The thing is, in my experience anyone who does not draw lines for their placement of entities, etc. has enough experience to really understand the what and how of any cad platform, be it AutoCAD, ProE, SolidWorks, Intergraph (there's an oldie), or any of em'. And in my opinion, such people are worthy of my attention and commeraderie as a potential employer.

[Keith™]

Of course on an older cad installation that would NOT be an option ...

One thing I had a serious problem with when I was working at a large corporation with their "test" was that the person administering the test had no earthly idea what was part of AutoCAD as a vanilla installation (or any vertical product for that matter) ... the cad manager on my previous job would talk bad about people who didn't know about proprietary commands that were developed specifically for them. like someone is supposed to know about your flipiso command or baseproj command .. go figure

[Bob Wahr]

I recently hired a couple of people and used a cad test that existed before I started working here.  I will probably revise it at some point but keep the general format as it really worked well for me.  I have a CAD drawing that is partially completed, a sheet of paper with the redlines required to complete the drawing, and a sheet of paper with details.  The test consists of completing the drawing and filling in some section cuts based on the details provided.  This shows me their ability to follow redlines, their ability to figure out how the drawing should be in relation to standards based on the entities already in the drawing, and their ability to reason out what is actually occurring on the drawing based on the section cuts.

[Keith™]

I just realized that I too would be a substandard cad person .... but then I march to a different drum anyway .... funny how that works ... I make extensive use of construction lines, solid model spheres as points in 3d space for easy reference and a whole host of other references that make my drawings more accurate and less troublesome ...

I'll pack up my belongings too ... I hope the unemployment line isn't too long

[daron]

Then, like I said, R13-14 and I believe 12, I don't go back further than that, can be done with point filters. Just did it to prove it to myself:
start line command or whatever, middle click to get .y filter, select vertical line at its midpoint and select the midpoint of an adjacent line and voila, center point in two picks.