AutoCAD Web App Adds Command Line

The browser-based AutoCAD continues to pick up steam.

The command line is now available in the AutoCAD web app. (Image courtesy of Autodesk.)

The command line is now available in the AutoCAD web app. (Image courtesy of Autodesk.)

Earlier this year, Autodesk announced a change to their AutoCAD suite that would see “One AutoCAD,” a unified front for all of AutoCAD’s former verticals (AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Mechanical, etc.). At the same time, Autodesk announced the launch of a new AutoCAD web app that could be accessed from a web browser.

In the months since, the AutoCAD web app has been gaining some traction. The app was a finalist in the user experience category of Fast Company’s 2018 Innovation by Design Awards, and received an honorable mention in the web design category. The app also received a shout-out at Google I/O 2018 in an address called The Web: State of the Union.

Now, a significant development in the AutoCAD web app has arrived: the command line. Users of the desktop version of AutoCAD will be all too familiar with the command line interface, giving them quick keyboard access to drafting tools.

The command line in the AutoCAD web app works in much the same way, with users able to type commands to bring up tools. Sub-commands are also supported, allowing users to more fully utilize the command line. For example, users can enter the FILLET command and then specify a radius, or pull up the DIM command and use continuous dimensions.

The AutoCAD web app supports sub-commands in the command line. (Image courtesy of Autodesk.)

The AutoCAD web app supports sub-commands in the command line. (Image courtesy of Autodesk.)

According to Autodesk, the command line was the number one feature requested by users of the web app, and its addition brings the app one step closer to feature parity with the desktop version.

Written by

Michael Alba

Michael is a senior editor at engineering.com. He covers computer hardware, design software, electronics, and more. Michael holds a degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Alberta.