⏭ Command Aliases

Searchable AutoCAD Command & Alias Reference
Download PDF AutoCAD Basic Drafting Guide Scaling & Units Manual
Architectural • Engineering • Civil • Metric
Anthony Squires • Senior Drafter • 2026
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Alias Full Command Category Description

⌨️ Keyboard Shortcut Cheat Sheet

F1
Open AutoCAD Help. Context-sensitive — if a command is active, jumps to that command's help page.
F2
Toggle Text Window / Command History. Shows full list of recent commands and prompts — useful for reviewing past operations or copying output text.
F3
Toggle Running Object Snaps on/off. Quick way to temporarily disable all OSNAPs without opening the Drafting Settings dialog.
F4
Toggle 3D Object Snap. In 3D workflows, enables/disables snapping to 3D geometry edges, midpoints, and faces.
F5
Cycle Isoplane (Left / Top / Right) when drawing isometric geometry. Only active when SNAP style = Isometric (DSETTINGS).
F6
Toggle Dynamic UCS. When on, the UCS aligns automatically to the face you're working on in 3D. Essential for 3D modeling workflows.
F7
Toggle Grid Display. Turns the background dot/line grid on or off. GRIDMODE system variable. Does not affect snap behavior.
F8
Toggle Ortho Mode. Constrains cursor movement to horizontal or vertical only. Quick lock for drawing straight lines. Conflicts with Polar Tracking — F8 disables polar when enabled.
F9
Toggle Snap to Grid. Locks cursor to the snap increment (set in DSETTINGS). Independent of the visible grid. SNAPMODE system variable.
F10
Toggle Polar Tracking. Snaps cursor along defined polar angles (15°, 30°, 45° etc. — set in Drafting Settings). Disables Ortho when active. AUTOSNAP system variable.
F11
Toggle Object Snap Tracking. Tracks from OSNAP points along polar angles. Hover over an OSNAP point first — then move away to see the tracking vector. AUTOSNAP bit 8.
F12
Toggle Dynamic Input (DIN). Shows command prompts and coordinate input at the cursor position. Most users keep this on — it's faster than watching the command line for quick distance/angle input.
Ctrl + A
Select All objects in the current drawing (or current space — model or paper). Respects layer lock/freeze states.
Ctrl + C
Copy to Clipboard (COPYCLIP). Copies selected objects with base point at the selection centroid. Paste into any DWG or other application.
Ctrl + Shift + C
Copy with Base Point (COPYBASE). Prompts you to pick the insertion point before copying — use when paste placement matters (PASTECLIP then snaps to that point).
Ctrl + V
Paste from Clipboard (PASTECLIP). Pastes at the original coordinate location or prompts for insertion point depending on clipboard content source.
Ctrl + Shift + V
Paste as Block (PASTEBLOCK). Wraps the clipboard content in an anonymous block definition before inserting — keeps pasted geometry as a single entity.
Ctrl + Z
Undo. Repeatable — press multiple times to walk back through history. UNDO command with the Number option lets you undo a specific count in one step.
Ctrl + Y
Redo (REDO). Reverses the last Undo. Can only redo steps that were undone in the current session — saving the file clears the redo stack.
Ctrl + S
Save (QSAVE). Saves to the current filename without a dialog. If the file is new/unnamed, opens Save As dialog. Set SAVETIME for auto-save interval (default 10 min).
Ctrl + Shift + S
Save As (SAVEAS). Opens the Save Drawing As dialog. Use to save to a different name, location, or DWG version (2018, 2013, etc.).
Ctrl + O
Open file (OPEN). Opens the file browser to select a DWG, DWT, DXF, or DWS to open.
Ctrl + N
New drawing (NEW). Opens the Select Template dialog to start a drawing from a DWT template.
Ctrl + P
Plot / Print (PLOT). Opens the Plot dialog for the current layout or model space view.
Ctrl + X
Cut to Clipboard (CUTCLIP). Removes selected objects from the drawing and places them on the clipboard. Combines Copy + Delete in one step.
Ctrl + 1
Toggle Properties Panel (PROPERTIES). Shows/hides the Properties palette for the current selection. Essential for checking and editing object properties.
Ctrl + 2
Toggle DesignCenter (ADCENTER). Browse and insert blocks, layers, linetypes, text styles, and other named objects from other DWG files into the current drawing.
Ctrl + 4
Toggle Sheet Set Manager (SHEETSET). Manage project sheet sets, plot sets, and drawing references across an entire project.
Ctrl + 8
Toggle Quick Calculator (QUICKCALC). A floating calculator with access to AutoCAD variables, object snaps, and coordinate math — use it mid-command to calculate values without canceling.
Ctrl + 9
Toggle Command Line visibility. If you accidentally close the command line, this brings it back. COMMANDLINE / COMMANDLINEHIDE commands do the same.
Ctrl + 0
Clean Screen (CLEANSCREENON/OFF). Maximizes the drawing area by hiding toolbars, ribbons, and palettes. Toggle to restore. Good for reviewing or presenting a drawing.
MID ↵ (override)
One-shot Midpoint snap. Type MID when prompted for a point — snaps to the midpoint of the next clicked object only. Overrides running OSNAPs for one pick.
END ↵
One-shot Endpoint snap. Snaps to the nearest endpoint of a line, arc, or polyline for the next pick only.
CEN ↵
One-shot Center snap. Snaps to the center of circles, arcs, or ellipses for the next pick.
INT ↵
One-shot Intersection snap. Snaps to where two objects cross. Works on apparent intersections in 3D when combined with APP.
PER ↵
One-shot Perpendicular snap. Draws a line perpendicular to the selected object — AutoCAD calculates the exact point to create a 90° angle.
TAN ↵
One-shot Tangent snap. Snaps to the point on a circle or arc that creates a tangent line from the previous point.
NEA ↵
One-shot Nearest snap. Snaps to the point on an object nearest to the cursor. Useful for placing objects at non-specific positions along a line.
NON ↵
One-shot No Snap override. Disables all running OSNAPs for the next pick only — picks an exact cursor position. Same as Shift+Right-click → None.
Shift + Click
Remove from selection set. Click a selected object while holding Shift to deselect it without starting a new selection. Works with window selections too.
Esc
Cancel current command or clear selection set. If a command is active, Esc cancels it. If objects are selected but no command is running, Esc deselects all.
Spacebar / ↵
Confirm input or repeat last command. At a blank command line, pressing Space or Enter repeats the most recently used command — faster than retyping or using the ribbon.
Ctrl + Click (cycle)
Cycle through overlapping objects. When objects are stacked on top of each other, Ctrl+click cycles through them one by one so you can select the one you want.
Right-to-Left Window
Crossing Window selection (green dashed border). Selects all objects that the window crosses OR that are fully inside it. Use when objects extend outside your view.
Left-to-Right Window
Enclosing Window selection (blue solid border). Selects only objects that are completely inside the window. Ignores objects that extend outside the boundary.
Scroll Wheel
Zoom in/out centered on cursor position. ZOOMFACTOR system variable controls zoom speed per scroll step (default 60%). Scroll toward an object to zoom in on it.
Middle Button + Drag
Real-time Pan. Hold middle mouse button and drag to pan the view. Faster than using the Pan command or scrollbars. Works in both model and paper space.
Middle Button Double-Click
Zoom Extents (ZOOM E). Fits all visible objects into the current view. Same as typing Z → E → Enter. Essential for finding lost geometry.
Ctrl + Shift + H
Toggle object visibility (HIDEOBJECTS / ISOLATEOBJECTS). Hide selected objects temporarily, or show all hidden objects. Great for isolating geometry without changing layers.
RE ↵ (REGEN)
Regenerate the drawing display. Fixes jagged arcs/circles that appear polygonal at current zoom, and refreshes linetype scaling after LTSCALE changes.
Ctrl + Tab
Switch between open drawings (tabs). When multiple DWGs are open, cycles through them in order. Ctrl + Shift + Tab cycles in reverse.

🔣 Special Character Codes

AutoCAD supports two special character systems. %% codes work in single-line text (TEXT/DTEXT), attribute values (ATTDEF), and MText. \U+ Unicode codes work in MText and attribute editors that support Unicode. Click any code to copy it.
Code Symbol Name Works In Notes Copy
%%c Ø Diameter symbol TEXT, ATTDEF, MText Also %%C (case-insensitive). Most common in utility & mechanical drafting.
%%d ° Degree symbol TEXT, ATTDEF, MText Use for angles, temperatures, bearings. e.g., 45%%d = 45°
%%p ± Plus/Minus (tolerance) TEXT, ATTDEF, MText Standard tolerance symbol. e.g., 1.500%%p0.005
%%u U Underline toggle TEXT, ATTDEF, MText Toggles underline on/off. Use twice to underline a portion: %%uWord%%u
%%o O Overline toggle TEXT, ATTDEF Toggles overline (bar above text) on/off. Less common than underline.
%%% % Percent sign TEXT, ATTDEF, MText Since %% is the escape prefix, use %%% to output a literal % character.
\U+00B0 ° Degree MText, ATTDEF Unicode alternative to %%d. Preferred in MText for portability.
\U+00B1 ± Plus/Minus MText, ATTDEF Unicode alternative to %%p. Standard tolerance notation.
\U+00D8 Ø Diameter (Ø) MText, ATTDEF Unicode alternative to %%c. Capital O with stroke.
\U+2300 ⌀ Diameter sign MText, ATTDEF The true ISO engineering diameter symbol (distinct from Ø). Font support varies.
\U+2260 ≠ Not equal to MText, ATTDEF Used in specifications and tolerancing notes.
\U+2248 ≈ Approximately equal MText, ATTDEF For estimated dimensions or calculated approximations.
\U+2264 ≤ Less than or equal MText, ATTDEF Used in clearance and specification notes.
\U+2265 ≥ Greater than or equal MText, ATTDEF Used in minimum clearance or load specifications.
\U+00D7 × Multiplication sign MText, ATTDEF For dimensions e.g., 4×4 plate, or cross-section notation.
\U+00F7 ÷ Division sign MText, ATTDEF Mathematical notation in calculations or notes.
\U+221A √ Square root MText, ATTDEF Radical symbol for engineering calculations in drawing notes.
\U+2220 ∠ Angle MText, ATTDEF Geometric angle symbol. Used in structural and civil notes.
\U+2234 ∴ Therefore MText, ATTDEF Used in engineering calculations and proofs.
\U+2032 ′ Prime (feet / minutes) MText, ATTDEF Correct typographic foot mark. Also used for arc minutes. Distinct from apostrophe (').
\U+2033 ″ Double prime (inches / seconds) MText, ATTDEF Correct typographic inch mark. Also arc seconds. Distinct from quotation mark (").
\U+00B5 µ Micro sign (µ) MText, ATTDEF SI prefix for micro (10⁻⁶). Used for µm, µA, µF etc. See also Greek mu (\U+03BC).
\U+00B9 ¹ Superscript 1 MText, ATTDEF Exponent notation. MText also supports stacked fractions for cleaner output.
\U+00B2 ² Superscript 2 (squared) MText, ATTDEF Area units: ft², m², in². e.g., 1500 ft\U+00B2
\U+00B3 ³ Superscript 3 (cubed) MText, ATTDEF Volume units: ft³, m³, yd³. e.g., 250 m\U+00B3
\U+2082 ₂ Subscript 2 MText, ATTDEF Chemical formulas: H₂O, CO₂. Font support varies — test before using in production.
\U+2083 ₃ Subscript 3 MText, ATTDEF Chemical formulas. e.g., Fe₂O₃
\U+00BC ¼ One quarter (¼) MText, ATTDEF Pre-composed fraction. MText stacked fractions are more flexible for arch fractions.
\U+00BD ½ One half (½) MText, ATTDEF Pre-composed fraction glyph.
\U+00BE ¾ Three quarters (¾) MText, ATTDEF Pre-composed fraction glyph.
\U+03B1 α Alpha (α) MText, ATTDEF Angles, thermal expansion coefficient (α), electrical resistivity.
\U+03B2 β Beta (β) MText, ATTDEF Angles in structural analysis, current gain in electronics.
\U+03B3 γ Gamma (γ) MText, ATTDEF Unit weight in geotechnical engineering. Also shear strain.
\U+03B4 / \U+0394 δ / Δ Delta lower/uppercase MText, ATTDEF Δ = change/difference. δ = deflection in structural. Very common in engineering notes.
\U+03B8 θ Theta (θ) MText, ATTDEF Standard symbol for angles in math, physics, and engineering.
\U+03BC μ Mu (μ) MText, ATTDEF True Greek mu. Used for friction coefficient, dynamic viscosity, micro prefix. Preferred over \U+00B5.
\U+03C0 π Pi (π) MText, ATTDEF Mathematical constant π ≈ 3.14159. Used in area, circumference, and wave calculations.
\U+03C3 / \U+03A3 σ / Σ Sigma lower/uppercase MText, ATTDEF σ = normal stress, standard deviation. Σ = summation in structural calcs.
\U+03C6 / \U+03A6 φ / Φ Phi lower/uppercase MText, ATTDEF φ = angle of friction (geotechnical), phase angle (electrical). Φ = magnetic flux, strength reduction factor.
\U+03A9 Ω Omega / Ohm (Ω) MText, ATTDEF Electrical resistance unit. Also angular velocity in mechanical engineering.
\U+03BB λ Lambda (λ) MText, ATTDEF Wavelength, thermal conductivity, slenderness ratio in structural.
\U+03C1 ρ Rho (ρ) MText, ATTDEF Density, electrical resistivity, radius of curvature.
\U+03C4 τ Tau (τ) MText, ATTDEF Shear stress in structural/mechanical. Also time constant in electrical.
\U+03B5 ε Epsilon (ε) MText, ATTDEF Normal strain in structural/mechanical. Also permittivity in electrical.
\U+2192 → Right arrow MText, ATTDEF Flow direction, reference pointer in notes. Use MText leader or QLEADER for drawing arrows.
\U+2190 ← Left arrow MText, ATTDEF Reverse flow or reference direction.
\U+2191 ↑ Up arrow MText, ATTDEF North direction in notes, vertical flow, increase indicator.
\U+2193 ↓ Down arrow MText, ATTDEF Downward flow, depth reference, decrease indicator.
\U+2194 ↔ Left-right arrow MText, ATTDEF Bidirectional flow, dimension span indicator in text notes.
\U+00A9 © Copyright MText, ATTDEF Title block copyright notice.
\U+00AE ® Registered trademark MText, ATTDEF Used in product/brand references on drawings.
\U+2122 ™ Trademark MText, ATTDEF Unregistered trademark symbol.
\U+2022 • Bullet MText, ATTDEF List bullets in general notes. MText has a built-in bullet list tool, but \U+2022 works inline.
\U+2014 — Em dash MText, ATTDEF Long dash for ranges or parenthetical notes. Wider than en dash (–).
\U+2013 – En dash MText, ATTDEF Numeric ranges: 100–200 kPa. Cleaner than a hyphen for ranges.
\U+00A7 § Section sign MText, ATTDEF Code or specification section reference: "per §NEC 230.70".
\U+00B7 · Middle dot MText, ATTDEF Multiplication dot or separator in SI units: N·m, kW·h.
\U+00A3 £ Pound sterling (£) MText, ATTDEF British currency. Also used in bid documents and project cost notes.
\U+20AC € Euro (€) MText, ATTDEF European currency for international projects.
\U+00A5 ¥ Yen (¥) MText, ATTDEF Japanese/Chinese currency for international project documents.
💡 How to use Unicode codes in AutoCAD: In MText (MTEXT command), type the \U+xxxx code directly — AutoCAD converts it automatically on input. In single-line TEXT or attribute values, use the %% codes instead. You can also use Windows Character Map (Win+R → charmap) or hold Alt and type the decimal code on the numpad (e.g., Alt+0176 = °).
💡 %%nnn ASCII codes: In TEXT and ATTDEF you can type any character by decimal ASCII code: %%060 = <, %%062 = >, %%064 = @, %%091 = [, %%093 = ], %%123 = {, %%125 = }. Values above 127 depend on the active Windows OEM code page.

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AutoCAD 2024 — Scaling & Units Reference  •  Pole Configurations  •  Anthony Squires • Senior Drafter • 2026
Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for general reference and educational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, all calculations, standards, specifications, and reference data should be independently verified before use in any professional, engineering, or construction application. This site is not affiliated with Autodesk, SDG&E, NESC, NEC, or any other referenced organization or standards body. SDG&E manual content (OHCS, EDD, UGCS) is reproduced for reference only — always consult the current official SDG&E documentation for construction decisions. Nothing on this site constitutes professional engineering advice. Anthony Squires and the contributors to this site accept no liability for errors, omissions, or damages arising from reliance on any information contained herein. Use at your own risk.