What’s New in AutoCAD 2023

A look at the new features and updates included with AutoCAD 2023

Trace, a new feature in AutoCAD 2023, lets users provide feedback on a drawing without altering it.

Trace, a new feature in AutoCAD 2023, lets users provide feedback on a drawing without altering it.

It’s that time of year again—spring—when AutoCAD users get the latest and greatest version of the software. Well, it’s here. Welcome, AutoCAD 2023. And as with every year, this release offers new features and tools and enhances others.

Autodesk listens to user feedback when formulating the additions and improvements that will be in a new release, according to Dania El Hassan, director of AutoCAD Product Management.

“We’re excited about the future of AutoCAD and are committed to addressing our customers’ rapidly evolving modern workflows.” Pointing to the why, she went on to say, “We strive to make sure the time users spend in AutoCAD continues to be efficient and productive. The automations and insights we’re developing will continue to leverage the latest technology to guide users toward completely new design outcomes.”

This article looks at some of the new and enhanced features in AutoCAD 2023 that are meant to improve the user experience, shorten CAD workflows and allow for greater collaboration.

Markup Import and Markup Assist

Drawing revisions are almost always required on every project. The Markup Import and Markup Assist feature use machine learning to help with drawing revisions while working through drawing markups or redlines, whether the drawings have been marked up digitally or by the old-school manual method of handwritten revision notes on paper in the field. Markup Import allows users to take both digital and manual markups and insert them into the CAD file and overlay them directly on top of the original file. This makes it easier to view and incorporate required changes to the drawing, saves time and ensures accuracy. A PDF version of a marked-up drawing that has text and revision notes added can be inserted as an overlay on top of the original drawing. Likewise, a printed version of a drawing containing handwritten revision notes can be photographed and imported into the CAD file. The ability to change the background transparency of the markup enables users to easily view both the original drawing and the markup while revising the drawing. Supported filetypes for Markup Import include PDF, PNG and JPG. Imported markups are overlaid on top of the original drawing in the Trace workspace.

Markups are automatically identified as MText, MLeader and revision clouds thanks to Markup Assist. Clicking on an identified markup allows the user to insert it into the drawing as CAD geometry and edit the text.

The ability to work with both digital and manual markups ensures that this feature will help users work through markups faster and more intelligently. While smartphones and tablets have become more prevalent on job sites, making digital markups possible, manual markups on drawing prints are still part of the CAD process workflow—and will be for some time.

Macro Advisor

Command macros, which help automate repeated tasks using a sequence of commands and system variables, have been available in AutoCAD for quite some time. Thanks to new machine learning algorithms, AutoCAD 2023 takes macros to a whole new level: the software automatically recommends macros based on what commands users employ the most!

Recommended macros, known as macro insights, show up as notifications at the bottom of the screen. Clicking on a macro notification takes the user to the Command Macros palette, where the user can view, try, customize and save suggested command macros. Users can even save their favorite command macros to the ribbon for added accessibility. This feature is sure to help reduce repetitive tasks, enforce CAD standards and simplify CAD workflows.

LISP API for AutoCAD Web

Another new feature in AutoCAD 2023 that will help AutoCAD Web users customize and automate the sequences of steps in AutoCAD is the LISP API for AutoCAD web feature. Only available to AutoCAD subscribers, LISP API for AutoCAD Web allows Web users to load and manage LISP files by typing in LISP commands just as they would with AutoCAD on a desktop.

LISP applications allow users to access built-in AutoCAD commands directly, modify and create objects directly in the drawing database, and can even prompt users for input. By creating LISP routines, users can add discipline-specific or workflow-driven commands to AutoCAD. Because the cloud-based AutoCAD Web app is free at this point, it means that all users have access to LISP routines. The LISP API for AutoCAD Web feature helps users save time and complete drawings quickly, even when working remotely or from a job site.

Floating Drawing Windows

In addressing a frequent user request, AutoCAD 2023 includes a command line for any active window, making drawing manipulations easier and more efficient. Other enhancements to Floating Drawing Windows include:

  • Anchored command windows now stay with the active drawing window.
  • Floating command windows maintain their position.
  • On overlapping drawing windows, the active drawing window will be displayed on top.
  • Drawing windows can be pinned to a location. Pinned drawing windows remain on top of the main AutoCAD application window.
  • Right-clicking the title bar of a floating drawing window provides users with additional options.

Trace

Trace (see first picture) is a space within AutoCAD where users can provide feedback on a drawing without altering it. Autodesk describes this space as a virtual collaborative tracing paper that is laid over the drawing and allows collaborators to add markups and comments on the drawing. Users are notified of new traces. Upon opening the trace, users can see exactly what was added and then make decisions based on the feedback provided. The main enhancement to Trace in AutoCAD 2023 is that users can now create trace layers in AutoCAD desktop as well as the web and mobile apps. Users can now also add to Traces that were created by other collaborators.

There are two new commands that are part of the trace capability. TRACEEDIT changes the active trace to edit mode so that users can contribute to the trace and TRACEVIEW changes the active trace to view mode so the parent drawing can be edited.

Count

The Count feature allows users to quickly and accurately count objects in a drawing, showing a visual display of counted objects and giving options to control the count criteria. Users can also insert a table including the count data into a drawing. The main enhancement to Count in AutoCAD 2023 is the ability to count objects within a specified area. Areas can be specified with rectangular or polygonal selection areas, the entire model space, or a boundary object can be selected as a count area. A count area that was defined in a previous session can be included in a current count. Added functionality to the Count toolbar includes the ability for users to select counted objects and use the arrow keys to move to the previous or next counted object.

3D Graphics

While 3D drawings are great for helping illustrate large and complex structures, the resulting large file sizes may mean compromised performance while working on the drawing. AutoCAD 2023 includes a new cross-platform 3D graphics system that can render 3D objects up to 10 times faster than the previous release. This means less latent drawing navigation while working in larger CAD files. It is available for Shaded and Shaded with Edges visual styles and is turned on by default. It can be turned off by using the FASTSHADEMODE command in the command line.

Conclusion

The new and enhanced features in AutoCAD 2023 are sure to help users improve their CAD project workflows. The intuitive automation (ML that suggests macros) helps to minimize tedious and repetitive tasks, while the ability for increased collaboration will help teams continue to be cohesive no matter if they are working from the office, remotely, or from a job site.