Custom Short Commands for Speed
PTCAD supports the creation of custom short commands using 1 or 2 characters, allowing users to quickly access commands without having to type the full command name. For example, L stands for Line, and C stands for Circle.
To create your own shortcut commands, users can go to the shortcut command settings by
typing the command ALIASEDIT and pressing Enter. This will open a dialog box as shown below.
On the left side, you will see the existing aliases (shortcuts), and on the right side, you will see the full command names. For example, clicking on AL reveals that it is the alias for the ALIGN command.
In this example, we’ll create two custom shortcuts for users who frequently work in 3D and often need to switch views between the Top View and the Isometric View.
We will assign the alias PP to the PLAN command.
1.1 Click the New button, then type PP into the Alias field in the lower-left corner.
1.2 On the right-hand side, search for the PLAN command, click it so it turns blue, then click the Assign button as shown below.
Next, we’ll assign the alias Oi to the 3DORBIT command by repeating the same steps as in item 1.
The 3DORBIT command allows you to switch to a 3D view.
Try using the Oi command, then click and hold the left mouse button to change the view in real-time.
Now try using the PP command and press Enter twice — the view will instantly switch back to Top View.
For users who prefer typing commands in the command line, shortcut aliases can greatly help save time and improve workflow efficiency.
Additionally, once you’ve set up a number of aliases, you can export your shortcut set into a file with the .ica extension for backup or transfer.
