Some AutoCAD commands, system variables and features are not fully supported in AutoCAD Mechanical toolset.
Action Recorder
You can run a recorded macro, but you cannot record any macros from within AutoCAD Mechanical toolset.
Annotation Scaling
AutoCAD lets you select objects used to annotate drawings as annotative. Only annotative objects react to the annotation scale.
Some AutoCAD Mechanical toolset objects do not react to the annotation scale. For example, if you are using power dimensions, you should not flag them as annotative. AutoCAD Mechanical toolset Objects are designed to react to scale areas and may not behave as expected if they are made annotative.
Associative Array
Associative arrays place the object to be arrayed in an anonymous block, and places block references in a pattern. Hence a change made to the anonymous block propagates across all block references in the array. As such one instance in the array is not independent of the others.
If you array an AutoCAD Mechanical toolset object in an associative array, the instances of the objects in the array are not independent of one another. Hence, each instance loses the ability to react intelligently to their surroundings.
As such, we prevent the following objects from being included in associative arrays. We also block the usage of the ARRAY command from within the Content Editor.
Symbols
- Leader notes
- Surface texture symbols
- Welding symbols
- Feature control frame symbols
- Datum identifier symbols
- Datum target symbols
- Edge symbols
- Feature identifier symbols
- Taper and slope symbols
- Marking and stamping symbols
- Dead joint symbols
- Weld representation symbols
Special Lines and Objects
- Centerlines
- Detail borders
- Detail view labels
- Fits lists
- Hide situations
- Hole charts
- Section lines
- Section view labels
Content Objects
- All standard content
- All custom content
- Shafts and Shaft Ends
AMTITLE, Title Block Objects
- Drawing border
- Title block
- Inverted drawing number
- Revision list
Mechanical Structure Objects
- Component views
- Annotation views
- Annotation view labels
Calculation Objects
- FEA objects
- Deflection lines
- Belt length calculation objects
- Moment of inertia objects
- Predefined profile sections
- Cam objects
- Shaft calculations
- Screw calculations
- Bearing calculations
Blocked Commands
The following commands have an adverse effect on Inventor Linked models. They are hence blocked from drawings created using the Inventor Link option inAutoCAD Mechanical toolset.
- SECTIONPLANE
- SECTIONPLANEJOG
- SECTIONPLANESETTINGS
- SECTIONPLANETOBLOCK
Block Editor
The AutoCAD BEDIT command invokes the block editor, an environment for creating block definitions and adding dynamic behavior. Not all AutoCAD Mechanical toolset commands can be executed within the Block Editor.
Blocked Commands
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AMANALYSEDWG |
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AMAUTODETAIL |
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AMBALLOON |
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AMBOM |
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AMBOMEXTTEMP |
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AMBOMMIGRATE |
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AMBROUTLINE |
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AMAMBREAKATPT |
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AMBROWSER |
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AMBROWSERCLOSE |
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AMBROWSEROPEN |
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AMCARRAY |
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AMCARRAYEDIT |
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AMCHATCH |
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AMCHATCHEDIT |
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AMCONTENTADD |
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AMCONTENTEDIT |
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AMCONVDWG |
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AMCOPYVIEW |
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AMCPARTREF |
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AMCSETTINGS |
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AMCSWITCHVIEW |
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AMCTABLE |
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AMCTESTCONTENT |
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AMDETAIL |
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AMDELVIEW |
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AMDWGVIEW |
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AMEDITPSCUTLINE |
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AMEDITVIEW |
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AMEXPLODE |
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AMIVLINK |
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AMIVUPDATE |
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AMIVPROJECT |
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AMLANGCONV |
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AMLANGTEXT |
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AMMIGRATEBB |
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AMMIGRATESYM |
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AMMODE |
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AMPARTLIST |
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AMPARTREFEDIT |
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AMREFCLOSE |
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AMREFCOPY |
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AMSACTIVATE |
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AMSBASE |
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AMSCAREA |
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AMSCATALOG |
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AMSCATALOGCLOSE |
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AMSCATALOGOPEN |
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AMSCMONITOR |
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AMSCOPYDEF |
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AMSCREATE |
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AMSEDIT |
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AMSEXTERNALIZE |
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AMSHIDE |
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AMSHIDEEDIT |
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AMSINSERT |
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AMSETUPDWG |
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AMSLOCALIZE |
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AMSMOVE |
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AMSNAVMODE |
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AMSNEW |
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AMSPURGE |
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AMSREPLACEDEF |
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AMSSMODE |
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AMVIEWALL |
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AMVIEWCEN |
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AMVIEWLL |
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AMVIEWLR |
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AMVIEWOUT |
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AMVIEWUL |
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AMVIEWUR |
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AMVPORT |
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AMVPORTAUTO |
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AMVPZOOMALL |
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AMZOOMVP |
DDIM / DIMSTYLE Command
AutoCAD Mechanical toolset creates dimension styles on demand. Hence, when you use the DDIM or DIMSTYLE command to customize dimensions styles, you may not be able to access to all the dimension styles that the AMPOWERDIM command uses.
Instead of using the DDIM or DIMSTYLE command, use the Edit Dimension Styles dialog box to customize dimension styles. With this dialog box you can access all dimension styles that the AMPOWERDIM command uses.
To display the Edit Dimension Styles dialog box:
- On the command line, enter AMOPTIONS.
- Click the AM:Standards tab.
- In the Standard Elements list, double-click Dimension.
- In the Dimension style section, click Edit.
System Variables with Restrictions
AutoCAD Mechanical toolset ignores any changes you make to the following system variables
- ISAVEPERCENT
- MAXOBJMEM
- FORCE_PAGING
- INDEXCTL
- QAFLAGS
- PLINETYPE
- DEMANDLOAD
- PROXYGRAPHICS
- SKIP2DREGENS
Important Notes on Scaling - DIMLFAC & DIMSCALE
AutoCAD Mechanical toolset uses several scaling mechanisms that are not available in AutoCAD. For example, scale areas allow model space to be divided into areas having different scales. Power dimensioning recognizes the different scales and automatically compensates for them (regular AutoCAD dimensions don't recognize scale areas). To preserve this behavior, you must leave scale related settings at their default values. Accordingly, do not to change the DIMLFAC and DIMSCALE system variables - leave them to be controlled by AutoCAD Mechanical toolset.
Instead of using the DIMLFAC system variable, use the Units tab in the Power Dimensioning dialog box or use Scale Areas. Instead of using the DIMSCALE system variable, use the scale settings on the AM:Standards tab of the Options dialog box.
System Variables with Overidden Initial Values
| System Variable | Initial Value in AutoCAD | Initial Value in AutoCAD Mechanical toolset |
|---|---|---|
| CONSTRAINTSOLVEMODE | 1 | 0 |