The AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT 2020.1 update offers new software enhancements and tools to simplify your workflows and improve productivity. Here’s what you need to know about the first update to AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT 2020 for subscription and maintenance plan customers, now available everywhere.
If you’re on AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT 2020, you automatically get all your updates as they become available, right in the Autodesk Desktop App. Just accept the update, and you’ll be up and running with the new features immediately. To help you quickly identify new features within the AutoCAD user interface, make sure the “Highlight New Features” option in the Help menu is turned on.
Set a Default Layer for Text
Ready for an update that can save you time, help maintain drawing standards, and keep you organized? Enter the new TEXTLAYER command, which allows you to set a specified layer for all text. Manually assigning each block of text to a layer every time you create text can be time-consuming. With TEXTLAYER, anytime you create text in AutoCAD, the text will automatically assign itself to a predetermined layer – regardless of whatever layer you’re currently on.
TEXTLAYER operates the same way as CENTERLAYER, DIMLAYER, HPLAYER, PDFSHXLAYER, and XREFLAYER. These system variables control a layer override for new dimensions, hatches, centerlines, center marks, Xrefs, and now, text.
Add Multileader Styles to CAD Standards
You may have used the Standards dialog box to set standards for dimensions, layers, linetypes, and text. The Standards dialog has now been enhanced to include multileader styles, to help enforce and support standards checking for multileader styles.
In addition, when you save your DWGs to DXF format, AutoCAD now preserves block attributes in multileader styles.
Note: This improvement is not available in the AutoCAD LT 2020.1 update.
Blocks Palette Improvements
Based on customer feedback, we’ve made improvements to a favorite new feature of AutoCAD 2020 – the Blocks palette. The overall performance of the Blocks palette has been improved, including faster display of thumbnails and better usability with the View setting persisting across tabs. Tooltips can now be suppressed with the TOOLTIP system variable. You can also drag and drop blocks with Scale and Rotation settings, which can help save time with repeated block insertion.
Updated 3D Translators
AutoCAD 3D translators have been updated to support new software versions of popular non-Autodesk providers. Updated translators support Creo 6.0 and Granite 12, SolidEdge 2019, NX 1847 Series, JT 10.4, Parasolid 31.1, and Rhino 6.0.
Note: This improvement is not available in the AutoCAD LT 2020.1 update.
New Security Controls Available
For customers who want to increase security controls for ObjectARX, a new sysvar (SECUREREMOTEACCESS) has been added that can restrict ObjectArx applications from loading files from remote servers or remote servers.
Learn More about the 2020.1 Update
To read more about the improvements offered in the AutoCAD 2020.1 update, check out this page on the Autodesk Knowledge Network. If you’re on a subscription or maintenance plan, download AutoCAD 2020.1 and AutoCAD LT 2020.1 from your Autodesk desktop app or find it in your Autodesk Account.
For more information on the benefits of switching to a subscription for AutoCAD and other Autodesk products, see the Autodesk Subscription Benefits page.
