Command Line - Understanding

The command line is one of the most unique and recognizable components of the interface. It has been there since the very earliest releases of AutoCAD, when the program ran under the DOS operating system. The command line is where you will see instructions and options when using commands.

For example, on the Home ribbon, in the Draw panel, click the Line tool. On the command line, the program prompts you to specify the first point of the line. Once you click to pick that point, the prompt changes. Now on the command line, it states Specify next point or [Undo], and notice that the word "Undo" is inside square brackets. Click to pick some additional points. Once you have drawn two line segments, the prompt in the command line changes. It still states Specify next point, but inside the square brackets, it now states Close/Undo, and those words have a gray background.

The words inside the square brackets are options, and most commands display one or more options. When options are available, you can choose one of those options by either typing the capital letter (in this case C or U), by right-clicking and choosing the desired option from a shortcut menu, or by clicking the option right in the command line. For example, click the Close option to create one more line segment from the end point of the second line back to the starting point of the first line segment. This also ends the LINE command.

The command line you see here is actually a Command Line Window that is floating and snapped to the bottom of the drawing area. But you can click and drag the command line window and dock it at the top or bottom of the drawing window. When docked, it displays three lines of information and takes up space that could otherwise be used to display the drawing. When un-docked, the command line displays just a single line, which helps maximize the drawing area. Most users prefer this arrangement.

Although the command line now shows just one line of information, it includes a semi-transparent prompt history that enables you to display up to 50 lines of history without affecting the drawing area.

You can press the F2 key to expand the command line to see additional command line history, or simply click the button at the right end of the command line.

When the command line is undocked, you can snap it to the right or left edge of the program window or to a docked palette. For example, on the Home ribbon, in the Layers panel, click the Layer Properties button to open the Layer Properties Manager palette. Right-click the palette title and choose Anchor Left <. Then, snap the command line to the edge of the palette. When you move the cursor over the palette, the palette expands and covers the command line.

Right-click the palette title and turn off Auto-hide. Now, the command line remains snapped to the edge of the palette. If you resize the palette, the command line stays snapped to the edge of the palette. When you close the palette, the command line snaps to the edge of the program window.

Drag the left end of the command line to float it again and snap it back to the bottom of the drawing area.

A quick glance at the command line indicates whether a command is active or not. When no command is active, the command line states Type a command. When a command is active, the command name appears on the command line, along with its command icon. For example, click the Line tool again to start the LINE command. On the command line, you can see the name of the command and its command icon. You can click the command icon to view and launch the most recently used commands. Press ESC to cancel the command. Even when no command is active, you can still access the most recently used commands.

You can also close the command line by clicking the Close button. When you do, the program displays a warning dialog, asking if you really want to close the command line window. It also tells you that you can display the command line window again by pressing CTRL+9. Click Yes to close the command line.

Although you closed the command line window, there is still a separate command line text window that you can access at any time by pressing the F2 key. This window not only shows the command line, but also, you can actually scroll back to see up to 400 lines of previous commands and command prompts. You can also highlight text within this window, right-click, copy the text to the Windows clipboard, and then paste that text back to the command line, or even copy and paste the text into a Word document.

Press F2 to close the text window, or simply click its Close button.

Then, press CTRL+9 to restore the command line window to its previous location.

If you wish, you can lock the user interface to prevent the command line from being relocated. The tools for locking the user interface appear on the Status bar, but by default, these tools are not initially visible. On the Status bar, expand the Customization menu and select Lock UI to add the Lock UItool to the Status bar. Then click away from the menu to close it. The Lock User Interface tool now appears on the Status bar, but is initially toggled off.

Click the arrow adjacent to the Lock User Interface tool to display its shortcut menu. The menu has four options. Floating Toolbars/Panels prevents you from moving any toolbar or ribbon panel that is currently floating. Docked Toolbars/Panels prevents you from moving any toolbar or ribbon panel that is currently docked. Floating Windows prevents you from moving any palette that is currently floating. And, Docked Windows prevents you from moving any palette that is currently docked or anchored.

In the shortcut menu, select Floating Windows and Docked Windows (so that check marks appear adjacent to those options) and then click away from the menu to close it. Notice that the Lock User Interface tool is now toggled on, as indicated by its blue background. When you move the cursor over the tool, the tooltip also shows you that Lock User Interface is on.

Now try to move the command line window. When you do, you see a small red circle with a line through it, indicating that you cannot undock the palette. When the UI is locked and Docked Windows is selected, you cannot undock a docked window. However, you can temporarily unlock a window. Press the CTRL key and then try to drag the command line window. As long as you press the CTRL key, you can move it.

Now that the command line window is floating, release the CTRL key and try to move it. Again, you see the icon indicating that you cannot relocate the window. When the UI is locked and Floating Window is selected, you cannot move a floating window. But again, you can press the CTRL key to temporarily unlock the UI and then relocate the window.

You can toggle off Lock User Interface in order to move any user interface element freely. Or, you can leave Lock User Interface enabled, but toggle off Floating Windows and Docked Windows so that you can once again relocate any window without restriction. In this case, on the Status bar, toggle off Lock User Interface. Then, expand the Customization menu and click Lock UI to toggle off the display of the Lock User Interface tool.

Being able to lock the user interface helps ensure that various tools remain where you have placed them, but it does not completely prevent them from being moved.