30" Monitor

[Jude Alexander]

Does anybody have a 30" Monitor to do their CAD work and what is your level of satisfaction?

[mindesign]

I use a 24 inch widescreen LCD from DELL - 30 could only be better, depending on its resolution

Steve

[Jude Alexander]

Yeah, I was seriously considering a 24" and I'm leaning toward 30" and I'm thinking the same way as you are. The resolution checks out with AutoCAD's suggestions on their site.

"mindesign" wrote in message news:46313adc$0$4612$ [e-mail]...

[gruhn]

I don't. If that's all you care about, you can stop reading here.

I have a 21" tube which I adore. Run the thing at 2048 x 1536 pixels and if I'm tired really should switch the UI to "big buttons".

There is still aliasing (I work light on black, unlike some Don's I could name) but it's fine grained enough not to be a distraction. The details don't smoosh together into bright blobs at reasonable levels of zoom out. That's something of an aesthetics issue, but I prefer to look at drawings that look like drawing not greeking.

I used a 19" tube at 1600 x 1200 at the office for five years and it was... perfectly adequate.

When the drivers for the 21" permitted 2048 pixels I suddenly found myself not maximizing my applications as much. I generally keep n apps open and would alt-tab between them. Now I keep the big apps (cad, 3d, painting) un maximized with bits of others showing to be monitored visually and grabbed by mouse (if that's what suits me at that moment). For apps like Photoshop (ok, ok, I'm using Elements) with unconstrained child palettes, I move them outside the app.

I do keep a second tube around (currently a dump find... looks like maybe a 17", running at... whatever suits me. 1280 if I want the real estate. I was running at 800 the other day because the Illustrate options are pickyass in small type and the extra distance to the side monitor isn't good). Had a task correcting some drawings based on PDFed scans of faxes of field sketches. CAD on one tube, PDF on the other. Yeah, I have to turn my head a bit but it's better than switching windows to front on the one tube, imo. ymmv.

There are times, less so with the monitor in a lower position than a higher one, when schlepping all the way across the monitor for a button or menu gets to be a distraction. UI people have a 2 second rule for responsiveness. There may be an n inch rule for head turning. And that is the issue. It's a head movment not just an eye flick. It probably wouldn't be as bad if I didn't wear glasses which put the nose piece right between my right eye and the upper left corner ;-). Still, it may be a consideration. Makes you learn the keyboard commands and that's good for you. Builds character. Increases employability.

If you're running a wide 30" then I can see putting up CAD here and reference material next to it, or getting a better view of a web page or using more of them new fangled palette thingies (which I'm finally getting around to integrating into my workflow usefully). Or keeping the properties panel open ALL the time. Or properties AND palettes!

I had a... musta been a 17" flat running at ... some stupid low cheap LCD pixel count at the last job. That was not enough. In order to work smoothly I had to print out those floor plans on real paper. And that's one of the problems I have with the LCDs. You want how much money for how much screen that will run how few pixels (and look how marginal)?

I could only find:

1024x768 VGA with True Color (more under Vista)

Is that what you mean, or something else?

If so, sure we used to run on far less back in the day, but IMO unless you are talking special vision needs, assume 1280 minimal. I know I'm a freak with the 2048, but 1024 and you are just talking too crowded in this day and age. And CHUNKY on a 30". That's gotta be what... like

60ppi.

[Jude]

I'm not sure what you mean "if that all you care about." I have hand drawn for a long time and got used to being able to read different information n a regular sheet size without having to zoom twice in to something and then zoom twice out and then compare what I saw on the first 2 zooms to other information on the drawings that I have to AGAIN zoom in and then out, on and on.

A bigger monitor, as long as the resolution is correct, is always better on the eyes and ability to read more information on drawing without zooming.

I have a 19" and I don't adore it.

Well, we obviously don't agree on what's adequate. I'll say that it WORKABLE. One can do the work but it is far from the best experience.

[gruhn]

"Do you have a 30" monitor?" "No."

Everything there after addressed _not_ a 30" monitor. If you only care about 30" monitors then prattling on about 17" monitors would be of you use to you.

And some people will actually whine if you try to help beyond their specific perceived cares. So I try to pre-empt them. The lurkers still might learn something.

Obviously. I think "adequate" means "adequate" and "best experience" doesn't. You appear to conflate the terms.

[Edgar]

AutoCAD should be experienced with as few icons as possible, more-so because you have a 30" monitor and having to mouse back and forth for those icons would be a huge pain in the butt. Learn shortcuts and you'll have an even MORE AWESOME AUTOCAD EXPERIENCE, with even more real estate used for the actual drawing.

I can hear Don already...

[Jude Alexander]

Well, I'm actually typing with my 30" Dell Monitor right now. I thought I may have problems with the resolution but with all the control Windows gives you in font and type size, I've managed to correct the "tight" resolution in order to avoid "pixilation" (or however it's speleed). I've also started a new project and it's totally awesome. I'm able to read door and window schedules and look over at the drawing and see the door and window marks. I can actually proofread like that without zooming in and in and then out and out in one area to proofread in another part of the drawing when I had to zoom in and in and then out and out again. With many functions, I only have to zoom in once. AutoCAD also allows large icons and with all the icons to the left and right of the drawing (vs above) I get the maximum size of the drawing to the extends.

But the way, I didn't "conflate" the terminology, jerk. Oh, and bye bye now. I'm having an AWESOME AUTOCAD EXPERIENCE! If you want to spend $1,400, you too overcome having an ADEQUATE experience and experience AutoCAD like it should be experienced..

[Michael Bulatovich]

What's your screen resolution?

[Jude Alexander]

I'm already used to that but I'm moving the mouse, obviously, a bit more than usual. Even though I learned with commands only with only a small reliance on the tablet, I now personally perfer icons, mouse and pull downs. One other thing I noticed was that I'm moving my head more! lol Actually, I'm taking your advice since I'm using more shortcuts than I did before getting my new computer and monitor. Also, to rid myself of the icons would only give me, perhaps, 1/2" more of drawing at the top with nothing on the sides. When I have my drawings to the extends, it has a lot of space left to right of drawing. That is why is all but zoom icons to the left & right of the screen. Later.

[Jude Alexander]

1600 X 25something.

[gruhn]

Aye.

And don't be afraid to override them. Though if you do, learn how to move them to another machine or you'll be hurtin' ;-)

Examples:

How often do you COPY? CIRCLE? Shouldn't COPY be C? Let CIRCLE be CI.

Last place I worked I did more checking than drawing. I'm left handed with the mouse. Made dimension shortcuts IL, II, IO. Very nice for single right hand typing. I prefer to invent SOME kind of logic for memory ('cause I"m slow that way). So I for d_I_mension. _L_inear, c_O_ntinue and al_I_gned. Your milage will likely vary.

Also, don't be afraid to have a look at LISPs. They can be real handy for slicking up AutoCAD to work smoothly YOUR way. Example: I use SCALE RELATIVE all the time.

(defun C:SR () (setq sel (ssget)) (setq pt_base (getpoint "\\nbase:")) (setq pt_from (getpoint "\\nfrom:")) (setq pt_to (getpoint pt_base "\\nto:")) (command "._SCALE" sel "" pt_base "r" pt_base pt_from pt_to) (princ) )

changes

SC select enter click R enter click click click

to

SR select enter click click click

Which doesn't SEEM like much, but for me it streamlines what had always felt like an awkward speedbump.

Last job I kept having to move drawings to 0,0:

(defun C:MZ () (setq sel (SSGET)) (setq base (getpoint "\\nBase Point: ")) (command "._MOVE" sel "" base "0,0,0") (princ "ZWOOOP") (princ) )

My ultimate point not being "you need to adopt these commands". You probably don't. But rather - see how a few lines of code can adapt AutoCAD to behave like you think.

It's not for everybody and totally OT ;-)

While I totally agree, I've sorta stopped agreeing. I've got enough screen now that a couplefew toolbars aren't making that much difference. And it gets worse!

That last job with the checking, I did a lot of drawing layout lines and dimensions on an existing drawing. I wanted dimensions of style temp on layer tempdim. I got tired of switching layers. Once per drawing I'd need to use a specific hatch on the entry arrow and one of two specific hatches on the floor tile. I made palette items for these. Leave the thing on layer LAYOUT, click _my_ dimension button and draw a dimension of my style on my layer and end up still on the LAYOUT layer. The only thing I'd have to do is type 'L' again. Click on the hatch and click in the arrow and it's hatched in the right style, scale, rotation, on the right layer. Those palette things take up way too much screen real estate but they were worth it. Even on the

1024.

And then, with the 21" on 2048 I don't necessarily maximize the app. So I'm already willing to work on a "document" that isn't as full screen as possible. It's weird and I worry that I'm a heretic.

[gruhn]

Does it drive you nuts or are you getting used to it? I got used to it moving to the 21, but haven't gotten used to it with dual-head and worry that I may never. Maybe a better arrangement. Or a 30" ;-)

Seems a good plan.

[gruhn]

presuming that's vert x horiz.

I think I wouldn't have to complain about that.

[Michael Bulatovich]

The screen area is one thing, but the real benefit of using aliases is that the cursor can stay near the work (SPEED). One keystroke with your other hand, right-click enter, and you're right there. That's the fastest way to work. Buttons/menus are fine for infrequently used stuff. Custom buttons are great for scripts or complex command sequences, but for simple commands, your top 50 should be via command alias, IMHO.

[Michael Bulatovich]

Aren't they usually 3x4 in proportion? Then 1600 would be only 2133..... My 19" is set to 1280h x 1024v and a 30" would be 2021 at the same dot pitch.

25something doesn't sound right.

[Jude Alexander]

I'm not used to it yet but I gather that I will be eventually. Everything new requires adaptation... obviously... It all worked out okay even though I had some reservations, given what some people told me. I even view the internet @ 150% which is near perfect for 30" monitor. I just had to change a setting to have it at that percentage all the time. The whole success really depended on Windows,. Explorer & AutoCAD giving you the power over the size of icons & text. Later.

>

[Jude Alexander]

Yes, it's x times y, and it's 160 x by 2580y. Yet, you have to use large icons and put all your icons & block manager to the left & right of the screen. If you do that, you get a really nice & large drawing and you can actually read the whole (24"x36") drawing without zooming. Also, most functions while designing require only one zoom (except for details such as breaking wall lines, etc.). Take care.

>

[Jude Alexander]

No, I checked it out. The resolution is 1600 x 2580 (close to 2:3 ratio), and my screen size is approx. 16"x by 25.5"y

[Jude Alexander]

Correction: That should read 1600 x 2560 (not 80)