Help Center

General Information
- Introduction
- Modular Program Configuration
- System Requirements
- Program Installation
- Program Registration
- Launch of nanoCAD
- Help
- Exit from nanoCAD
- Trademarks
nanoCAD User Interface
- Working with Commands
- nanoCAD User Interface
- Interface. The nanoCAD Button
- Quick Access Toolbar
- Interface. Ribbon
- Main Menu
- Interface. Toolbars
- Interface. Drawing Window
- Interface. Context Menu
- Interface. Properties Bar
- Command Line
- Status Bar
- Restore UI State
- Managing Interface Elements
- Application Look
Working With Documents
- Opening a document
  - Opening a Document
  - Float Document Window
- Creation of New Document
- Saving a Document
- Export
  - Export
  - Integration with CAE Fidesys
- Import
- CAD Standards
- Utilities
- Working with Documents
- Drawing Properties
- Closing a Document
- Create Transmittal Package
- File Explorer
- Drawing Comparison
Tuning nanoCAD
- Transferring user interface settings
- Tuning program parameters
- Graphic subsystem settings
- Customize User Interface
- Design settings
- Migration of Settings from Previous Versions
- Drawing Units
- Scale List
- Symbol Scale and Measurement Scale
- System Variable Monitor
Coordinate Systems
- User Coordinate System
- Coordinate Systems
Precision tools
- Precision modes
- Precision Tools
- 2D Constraints
Graphic Display Management
- 3D Navigation
- Order of objects
- Control the Display of Objects (Isolation)
- Viewports of Model Space
  - Viewports of Model Space
  - Managing Viewports from the Command Line
- Visual Styles Editor
- Display Modes
- Setting of the Orthographic and Isometric Views
- Managing the Display of Annottaive Objects
- Visual Styles
- Managing display of line weight on the screen
- Managing Named Views
- Isodraft
- Drawing Regeneration
Objects’ Properties
- Line Types
  - Line Types
  - Linetype Editor
- “Properties” bar
- Layers
- Distributing Objects by Layers
- Objects’ Properties
- Drawing Explorer
- Select Color Dialog Box
- Managing the Transparency of Objects
Geometric objects
- Construction and reference geometry
- Linear Objects
- Curved Objects
- Geometric Objects
Editing Objects
- Selection of objects
- Ways to edit objects
- Commands to edit geometric objects
- Commands to edit objects
  - Path Array
  - Associative Arrays
  - Explode Geometry
  - Rectangular Array
  - Polar Array
  - Edit Array
  - Array
  - Commands to Edit and Replicate Objects
  - Copy
  - Mirror
  - Offset
  - 2D Arrays
  - 3D Array
  - Delete Duplicates
  - Move
  - Rotate
  - Scale
  - Stretch
  - Align
  - Distributing Copies
  - Divide
  - Measure
  - Chamfer
  - Fillet
  - Explode
  - Explode All nanoCAD Objects
- Editing Objects
Creating and editing complex objects
- Blocks
  - Block Attributes
  - Reset Block
  - 3D Block Editor
  - Blocks
  - Creating a Block
  - Block Insertion
  - Editing Block Definition (Block Redefinition)
  - Block Editor
  - Exploding a Block Reference
  - Managing Blocks in the Current Drawing
  - Saving a Block in a Separate File
- Proxy Objects
  - Proxy Objects
  - Removing Proxy Objects
  - Exploding Proxy Objects
- External references control
  - External References Manager
  - Bind External References
  - Bind Named Objects of External References
  - External References Notification
  - Renaming Named Objects
- Underlays
  - Underlays
  - Insert Underlay
- Show boundary
  - Setting Clip
  - Setting of the Show Boundary for a Raster Image
  - Show Boundary
  - Setting of the Show Boundary for the Block or External Reference
  - Boundary
  - Setting Viewport Border for Underlay
- External References Control (Classic Version)
- Binding and Embedding OLE-Objects
- Open OLE-Object
- Update All OLE-Links
- Using Drawing Explorer to Work with Groups
- Clip Map Underlay
- Unload Map Underlay
- Load map underlay
- Insert Map Underlay
- Insert OLE-Object
- Updating Links of OLE-Objects
- Groups of Objects
- Object Grouping Dialog
- Insert External Reference
- Edit References
- Hyperlinks
Working with raster images
- Create new image and rasterize objects
- Displaying quality of raster images
- Correcting raster image geometry
- Color correction
- Filtering color raster images
- Color reducing
- Monochrome filtering
- Raster drawing
- Digitizing raster data (vectorization)
- Working with Raster Images
- Insert Raster Image
- Separate Raster Image
- Embed Raster Image
- Image Settings
- Selecting Data in Raster Images
- Separation by Type and Size
- Rasterization
Execution of Drawings commands
- The Filling and Hatch Commands
  - Overriding Layer for New Hatches and Fills (HPLAYER)
  - Hatch Dialog Box
  - The Filling and Hatch Commands
  - Gradient Fill
  - Fast Hatch
  - Fast Gradient
  - Modify Hatched Areas
- Work with Text
  - Arc Text
  - Work with Text
  - Text
  - Multiline Text
  - Background Mask for Multiline Text
  - Editing Text
  - Justification of the Text Objects
  - Editing the Content of the Text Objects
  - Creating a Text Style
  - Spellchecker
  - Find and Replace Text
  - Convert Text to Multiline Text
  - Justify Text
  - Text Fit
  - Explode Text
  - Change Text Case
  - Quick Text Mode
  - Field
  - Update Field
  - Edit Field
  - Convert Field to Text
- Dimensioning
  - Dimensioning
  - Dimensioning with a Single Command
  - Ordinate Dimensioning
  - Group Dimensioning
  - Base Dimensioning
  - Chain Dimensioning
  - Radial Dimensioning
  - Big Radius Dimensioning
  - Horizontal, Vertical and Aligned Dimensioning
  - Diameter Dimensioning
  - Angular Dimensions
  - Arc length dimensioning
- Dimensions editing
  - Dimensions Editing
  - Oblique Dimension
  - Break and Restore Dimensions
- Dimension styles
  - Modify a Dimension Style
  - Dimension styles
- Multileader
  - Multileader
  - Removing Leader Lines from the Multileader
  - Adding Leader Lines to the Multileader
  - Aligning Multileaders
  - Collecting Multileaders
  - Multileader Style Manager
- Notes
  - Mechanical Note
  - Construction Note
  - Comb Leader Note
  - Section Note
  - Note for Multilayered Constructions
  - Node Note
  - Linear Aligned Note
  - Chain Note
  - Editing the Leaders
  - Advanced Grips for Design Elements
- Tables
  - Tables
  - Editing Tables on the Drawing
  - Interface of the Table Editor Dialog
  - Cell Properties dialog
  - Editing the Size of Rows and Columns
  - Work with MS Excel
  - Page Division
  - Convert Tables
  - Expression Builder
  - Report Creation
  - Grouping and Merging Cells
- .dwg Tables
  - Insert .dwg Table
  - Table Styles .dwg
- Getting Inquiry
  - Distance
  - Point Coordinates
  - Cumulative Length
  - Cumulative Area
  - List
  - Inquiry
  - Mass Properties
  - Set Variable
- Features of the design elements
  - The Edit Command
  - The DDEdit Command
  - The FEdit Command
  - The In Place Edit Command
  - Parameters Redefinition
  - Regenerate
- Shape
- Topographic Hatches
- Boundary
- Region
- Solid
- Wipeout
- Revision Cloud
- Calculator
- Notepad
3D Modeling and Visualisation
- Surfaces
  - Box
  - Wedge
  - Cone
  - Sphere
  - Torus
  - Pyramid
  - Dish
  - Dome
  - Mesh
  - 3D Mesh
  - 3D Face
- Light Sources
- Materials
- Surfaces
- 3D Module
Tool Palettes
- Tool Palettes
Point Clouds
- Point Clouds Display Settings
- Information
- Point Clouds
- Import of Point Clouds
- Export of Point Clouds
- Extract from View
- Create a new Cloud Based on Clipping
- Exporting Cloud Data to a Database
- Transformation to Default Coordinates
- Point Clouds Data Formats
- Configuring Connections to Database
- Recalculation of point cloud coordinates
- Import Cloud Data from DBMS
- Recalculation of point cloud coordicates
- Work with DBMS-Based Point Cloud Storage
Topoplan module
- Creating surfaces
  - Create TIN by Points
  - Exploding a Cloud into Points
  - Import Elevation Grid
  - Converting Model to 3D Faces
  - Converting Model to SubMesh
  - Converting Model to Polyface Mesh
- Tools to work with surfaces
  - Flip Edge
  - Delete Edge
  - Add Vertex
  - Delete Vertex
  - Change Elevation
  - Moving a Vertex
  - Add Structure Line
  - Mesh Boundary
  - Cut Mesh
  - Classification Mesh
- Tools to work with relief elements
  - Offset of a 3D-Polyline
  - Create Contour Lines
  - Delete Contour Lines
  - Creating Bergstriches
  - Contour Lines Labels
  - Building a Profile Line
  - Projecting a Line onto a Mesh
  - Correction of Zero Elevation
- Texturing and Calculation
  - Flat Texture Overlay
  - Raster Texture Mapping
  - Mesh Coloring by Height
  - Calculating Volumes between Models
  - Calculting Surface Area
  - Calculating Surface Volume
- Import and export
  - Import of KML/KMZ files
  - Import Geopoints
  - Import from LandXML
  - Export to LandXML
  - Import from GIS
  - Export to GIS
- Importing Geo-linked Rasters
- Add Measurement File
- Mesh Seal Holes
- Creating Marker Styles of Geopoints
- Hide Frames
- 2D Slope
- Create Geopoints Group Manually
- Create Layouts by Frames
- Save to Measurement Archive
- Edit Marker Style of Geopoints
- Converting to Meshes or 3D Faces
- 3D Slope
- Geopoint Object
- Delete frames
- Save as Geounderlay
- Create Geopoints Manually
- Adding Edge
- Conventional Signs
- Editing Properties of Geopoint Groups
- Recalculation of Coordinates by EPSG Codes
- Search for Key Lines on the Surface
- Create View Frames
- Creating Geopoint Groups by Original Description
- Edit Label Styles of Geopoints
- Measurement Archive
- Export Geopoints
- Creating Customized Library of Conventional Signs
- Attach GeoUnderlay
- Import measurements
- Mesh Simplification
- New Topoplan
- Topoplan Module
- Creating Label Styles of Geo points
The Component Layout and Plot Drawing
- Work with Layouts
- Viewports
- Document Plot
- Model space and paper space
EDS
- EDS
Sheet Set
- Sheet Set Manager Functional Bar
- Sheet Set Properties
  - Sheet Set Properties
  - Sheet Set Custom Properties
- Blocks in the Sheet Sets
- Sheet Set
- Create Sheet Set
- Open Sheet Set
- Actions on sheet set and its elements
Command Scripts and Extensions
- Software Extensions
- Creating Commands from Downloadable Applications and Command Scripts
- Command Scripts
- Script Editor (JS, VBS, LSP, DCL, SCR)
- Run nanoCAD from Command Line with Program Module
Mechanica Module
- INTRO
- Basic knowledge
- SETTINGS
- WORKING WITH STANDARD ELEMENTS
- DESIGNING
- ENGINEERING ANALYSIS
- DRAWING SPECIFICATIONS
- DRAWING DESIGN
- EDITING
- MECHWIZARD
- DEVELOPER'S GUIDE DATABASE
- UTILITIES
Construction Module
- MechWizard
- INTRO
- BASIC KNOWLEDGE
- SETTINGS
- DRAWING DESIGN
- EDITING
- UTILITIES
Messages
- Save changes?
- Saving in demo mode
- Switch it to 3D render mode
Version 24
- Area
- VP Freeze Layer in All Viewports Except Current
- Manage Block Marker Attributes
- Add a Group of Points
- Formation of a Legend
- Modify a Description Key
- Surface Difference
- Create Geopoints by Interpolation
- Creating Hatch
- Create Geopoints by Points and Texts
- Managing Point Cloud Revisions in the Database
- Displaying a Point Cloud
- Convert Points
- Creating Geopoints by Surface
- Create Description Key Set
- Delete a description key
- Modify Description Key Set
- Layers Functional Bar
- Layer Translator
- Hiding the Point Cloud
- Offset Dimension
- Project Objects onto a Surface
- Create a Description Key
- Texture Editor
- Delete Description Key Set

File Explorer

CAD drafting File Explorer 0 Ribbon: Manage – Palettes > CAD software File Explorer 1 File explorer

CAD drawing File Explorer 2 Menu: Tools – File Explorer

CAD software File Explorer 4 Menu: View – Toolbars – Functional – FileExplorer

CAD drafting File Explorer 6 Toolbar: Main –

CAD drawing File Explorer 8 Command line: FILEEXPLORER, ADCENTER

File Explorer is association of Windows explorer and drawing definition table. Drawing definition table is tables of layers, layouts, external references, block definitions, linetypes, text styles, and dimension styles.

File explorer displays only the following files:

· drawing files – dwg, dxf, dwt;

· underlay files – dwf, dwfx, pdf;

· raster image files – jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, pcx, tiff.

File explorer not display files with other types.

Note: File explorer need more horizontal area than other functional toolbars.

CAD drafting File Explorer 9

The File Explorer window has a built-in toolbar located below the window title.

Toolbar button:

	Selects a file in the tree, but using the Open dialog box.
	Moves to the previous state of the window.
	Moves to the next state of the window (according to the list of previously made transitions).
	Moves to the folder marked as primary (home).
	Moves to the Favorites folder.
	Moves up one level in the tree.
	Menu to set up the list display in the right area of the window (Large icons, Small icons, List, Details).

The central part of the window is a moving vertical line (splitter) divided into two parts. Left part (Folders) displays folders tree of current user. Right part displays content of selected tree node. Right part divided into three parts: full list of elements, description of selected element and image of selected element. Every element type has own icon.

Right part of dialog box shows the following elements: Folder, Drawing file, Underlay file, Raster image file, definitions table (Layers, Blocks, Text styles, Linetypes, Dimstyles, Layouts, XRefs), named object (Layer, Block definition, Text style, Linetype, Dimstyle, Layout, XRef).

Actions

Actions on elements from the right part of File Explorer: Drag&drop, double click, right click. Sometimes multiple preselection is available (with SHIFT and CTRL).

This makes it easy to copy definition table elements from one drawing to another

Drag and drop is used for the following elements:

Type of element	Effect

Blocks ()	Copy block definition to the current drawing. Multiple selection is available. Does not copy if block with the same name exists in current drawing.
Visual Style	The visual style is copied to the current drawing. If a style with the same name already exists in the current drawing, it is not copied.
Dimstyles ()	Copy dimension style to the current drawing. Multiple selection is available. Does not copy if dimstyle with the same name exists in current drawing.
Layers ()	Copy layer to the current drawing. Multiple selection is available. Does not copy if layer with the same name exists in current drawing.
Multileader style	The multileader style is copied to the current drawing. If a style with the same name already exists in the current drawing, it is not copied.
Table Style	The table style is copied to the current drawing. If a style with the same name already exists in the current drawing, it is not copied.
Textstyles ()	Copy text style to the current drawing. Multiple selection of styles is available. Does not copy if text style with the same name exists in current drawing.
Linetypes ()	Copy line type to the current drawing. Multiple selection is available. Does not copy if line type with the same name exists in current drawing.

Material ()	The Material is copied to the current drawing. Multiple choice of materials is possible. The new Materials appear in the Materials Browser. If a Material with the same name already exists in the current drawing, it is not copied.

Double click is used for the following elements:

Type of element	Effect
Folder ()	Transition into the folder.
Drawing file ()	Open list of named objects definitions.
Underlay file ()	Open the Insert underlay dialog.
Raster ()	Open Insert Raster image dialog box.
Named objects definition (, , , , , , , , , , , , )	Open content of named objects definition.
Layers ()	Copy layer to the current drawing. Does not copy if layer with the same name exists in current drawing.
Block ()	Copy block definition to the current drawing. Does not copy if block with the same name exists in current drawing.
Textstyles ()	Copy text style to the current drawing. Does not copy if text style with the same name exists in current drawing.
Linetypes ()	Copy line type to the current drawing. Does not copy if line type with the same name exists in current drawing.
Dimstyles ()	Copy dimension style to the current drawing. Does not copy if dimstyle with the same name exists in current drawing.
Layout ()	Copy layout to the current drawing. Correct the layout if list with the same name exists in current drawing.
XRefs ()	Open Insert External reference dialog box.
Material ()	The Material is copied to the current drawing. Multiple choice of materials is possible. The new Materials appear in the Materials Browser. If a Material with the same name already exists in the current drawing, it is not copied.

Following elements contain context menu:

Element type	Context menu commands
Folder ()	Explore – transition into the folder; Set as Home – selected folder becomes a Home (main) folder. Add to Favorites – adding a link to the selected folder to the Favorites folder. Organize Favorites – opens the Favorites folder in Windows explorer, which allows for a wide range of actions with files.
Drawing file ()	Explore – transition into list of named objects definitions; Attach as XRef… – open Insert External reference dialog box; Open… – open selected file; Insert as Block… – open Insert Block dialog box; Create tool set – a tool set is created from all blocks of this file; Set as Home – selected file becomes a home (main) folder. Add to Favorites – adding a link to the selected file to the Favorites folder. Organize Favorites – opens the Favorites folder in Windows explorer, which allows for a wide range of actions with files.
Underlay ()	Insert underlay…– open Insert Underlay dialog box. Add to Favorites – adding a link to the selected file to the Favorites folder. Organize Favorites – opens the Favorites folder in Windows explorer, which allows for a wide range of actions with files.
Raster Image ()	Attach raster … – open Insert Raster Image dialog box. Add to Favorites – adding a link to the selected file to the Favorites folder. Organize Favorites – opens the Favorites folder in Windows explorer, which allows for a wide range of actions with files.
Named objects definition (, , , , , , )	Explore – open content of named objects definition. Create tool set – a tool set is created from all blocks of this file (only for table of blocks).
Layers ()	Add layer(s) – copy layer to the current drawing. Does not copy if layer with the same name exists in current drawing.
Blocks ()	Insert Block(s) – open Insert Block dialog box.
Textstyles ()	Add Textstyle(s) – copy text style to the current drawing. Does not copy if text style with the same name exists in current drawing.
Linetypes ()	Add Linetype(s) – copy line type to the current drawing. Does not copy if line type with the same name exists in current drawing.
Dimstyles ()	Add Dimstyle(s) – copy dimension style to the current drawing. Does not copy if dimstyle with the same name exists in current drawing.
Layouts ()	Add Layout(s) – copy layout to the current drawing. Correct the layout if list with the same name exists in current drawing.
XRefs ()	Attach … – open Insert External reference dialog box
Material ()	Add – the selected materials are copied into the current drawing, the names of which do not repeat the names of already existing materials in the current drawing. The new materials appear in the Materials Browser.

File Explorer Toolbar

File Explorer dialog box contains toolbar placed under window title.

Toolbar buttons:

Button	Command
	Select file in a tree with Open dialog box.
	Returns to the most recent location.
	Returns to the next later location.
	Returns to your home (main) folder.
	Transfer to the Favorites folder.
	Returns to one level above the current folder.
	Select display formats for the content that is loaded in the right area (Large icons, Small icons, List, Details).

Toolbar contains context menu that is identical to View > Toolbars:

Item	Context menu command
Customize…	Open Customize dialog box.
nanoCAD Toolbars	Show/hide nanoCAD toolbars.
Set configuration file…	Calls the Configuration files dialog box.
Toolbars	Submenu of loading and uploading of tool palettes.
Functional	Show/hide functional toolbars.

Info: NanoCAD is an easy-to-use, low cost, and yet powerful, CAD program for personal computer, that provides an outstanding user experience by providing top-level performance, full capability, a classic interface and native.dwg format support. nanoCAD has been built to deliver design and project documentation for all industries. nanoCAD includes a full suite of basic and advanced CAD tools for 2D/3D drafting and creating industry-standard DWG-compatible CAD files. Our program provides progressive, collaborative and customizable features to boost your efficiency, and includes a few API's, allowing anything from routine task automation to complex CAD software development. You may try nanoCad for free, using the links below, and purchase later, if you like it.