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[PAUG Large Logo Image] ToolPac 3.0 REVIEW
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[Bullet Image] ToolPac 3.0 Software Review by David Sherrill

ToolPac 3.0 by DotSoft is a "tool pack" of AutoCAD productivity utilities for use with AutoCAD R12, R13 and R14. It contains many lisp routines to increase your productivity when using AutoCAD. To best describe what ToolPac has to offer is hundreds of utilities which you would have to search the web for months or even years and put it all in one software package. Now, I know many of you have done this and PAUG’s soon to be released PAUG CD contains many similar routines found in this package but the organization of the routines in a very simple to use menu system would take hours of menu customization to accomplish. Here is a summary of the tools supplied with ToolPac 3.0:

To completely cover all the tools provided with this software would require a small book instead of this software review. DotSoft which is the maker of ToolPac 3.0 has already done this in there 170 page ToolPac manual. The manual is well laid out and explains each utility quite well including pictures on how to access the commands through the pulldown menus and short cut keys. But don’t worry you won’t need to read very much of the manual because most of ToolPac’s features are self explanatory. If you have a question on a particular command it is easy to find what your looking for in the manual.

I went through the manual installation procedure that is explained step by step in the manual and all went extremely well. DotSoft does provided an automatic installation but I decided to use the manual install because I didn’t want any of my other personal or third party add-ons disrupted by the installation of the ToolPac utilities.

Since the list of utilities of ToolPac is quite long I will briefly point out some of the pluses and minuses I have found. By the way the minuses I found were very few in number.

Polyline Utilities:

Object fill & Z-Ordering controls:

Text Controls:

Drawing Tools:

Drawing Tools:

Conclusion: In conclusion ToolPac 3.0 contains an immense amount of useful time saving routines for a mere $195.00. Although I haven’t the time to cover all of them here or even explore all of them in time for this writing I have found this package to be everything DotSoft has said it is. I have also include the 301 reasons why you need ToolPac 3.0 that DotSoft publishes. Also you can’t lose since ToolPac comes with a 30 day money back guarantee if you don’t agree that you are more productive using it. For information on how to purchase ToolPac 3.0 call Terry Dotson at 606-564-5028 or visit the DotSoft web site at http://www.dotsoft.com.

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301 Reasons Why You Need ToolPac 3.0:
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[Click here for larger image file] BLOCK CONTROL

ToolPac's block routines include tools to automate the placement and management of blocks and give you complete control over the normally unmanageable attributes found in inserted blocks.

[Click here for larger image file] ATTRIBUTE CONTROL

[Click here for larger image file] CURRENT VALUES

Quickly set the following current drawing properties by picking an object or by dialog:

[Click here for larger image file] CONVERSIONS

Quickly convert selection sets of objects from one type to another.

[Click here for larger image file] DISPLAY CONTROLS

[Click here for larger image file] DRAWING TOOLS

[Click here for larger image file] OBJECT CONTROL

[Click here for larger image file] OBJECT FILL & Z-ORDER CONTROL

[Click here for larger image] LAYER CONTROL

Quickly control the status of layers. Picking an object (or choosing from a dialog list) can make that layer current, turn it of{ freeze it, lock or unlock it. It can also isolate the layer (turning off or freezing all others), erase everything on the layer, or select and highlight all of its objects for future editing commands.

ToolPac’s layer controls work well with xreferenced drawings. When used inside paper space viewports, it only manipulates the layers in that viewport.

[Click here for larger image] POLYLINE CONTROL

AutoCAD's PEDIT command does an acceptable job on a single polyline. ToolPac does it one better by allowing you to open, close, spline, fit curve, de-curve, or set the width of a selection set of polyline objects.

[Click here for larger image] TEXT CONTROLS

[Click here for larger image] XREF CONTROL

[Click here for larger image] OTHER TOOLS

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[Bullet Image] ToolPac Update:

Dear AutoCAD Users Group:

DotSoft would like to take this opportunity to inform you and your group of the changes to our AutoCAD add-on called ToolPac. A new version 4.0 is now available, which contains yet another 100 functions bringing the total to 400+. This makes this an even better value at the same low price as 3.0 We don't want to go into detail about all the new tools in this message, but take this one new tool for example: Convert Text to Mtext Multiple, the ultimate converter of its kind. It will convert thousands of lines of text into hundreds of mtext *paragraphs* in seconds, as simple at typing ALL at the select objects prompt. Works on text of all sizes, rotated text, even upside down.

Find out about all the new tools at http://www.dotsoft.com

Other Points of Interest: Individual Modules Available: At the request of many, we have broken out the major portions of this collection to form numerous very low priced modules from $40-$85. Site License Pricing: We have also made some changes in our pricing structure, allowing users with numerous stations to acquire site licenses at a very low cost per station.

Thanks to all for your time,

Terry W. Dotson
DotSoft

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Revised: June 23, 2000.