How to Create a Drawing in BricsCAD
Quick answer: Every new BricsCAD drawing starts as a copy of a template. You can create one from the Start page, or via the QNEW, NEW, or NEWWIZ commands, or by double-clicking a .dwt file directly. Which template gets used, and how much control you have over drawing setup, depends on which method you pick.
Ways to Create a New Drawing
- From the Start page
- The
QNEWcommand - The
NEWcommand - The
NEWWIZcommand - Double-clicking a
.dwtfile in your file browser
Setting Up Your Templates
Template folder location: Settings dialog > Program options > Files > Templates > Template path, then Browse to select a folder. Stored in the TEMPLATEPATH system variable.
Default template drawing: Settings dialog > Program Options > Files > Templates > Template, then Browse to select a .dwg or .dwt file. Stored in BASEFILE.
Creating a Drawing from the Start Page
- Open the Start page (
GOTOSTARTif it’s not already open). Hover over the New Drawing button to see which template is currently selected. - Optionally pick a different template. Only templates matching your current workspace (Drafting, Modeling, Mechanical, Civil Survey, or BIM) are listed; choose More… to browse the full Templates folder instead.
- Click New drawing.
Creating a Drawing with the Default Template
Three ways to do this without picking a template each time:
- Click the + button to the right of the document tabs.
- Run
QNEW. - Run
NEWWIZ, choose Start from Default Template, then click Finish.
If no default template is specified, NEWWIZ falls back to either the Create New Drawing wizard (depending on the STARTUP variable) or the Select Template dialog instead.
Using the New Drawing Wizard (NEWWIZ)
NEWWIZ offers three distinct starting points:
Start from Scratch: choose Imperial or Metric defaults, then Finish. Whether the new drawing ends up using CTB (colour-dependent) or STB (named) plot styles depends on BASEFILE and PSTYLEPOLICY:
| BASEFILE | PSTYLEPOLICY | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Not specified | Off | STB |
| Not specified | On | CTB |
| Specified | Either | Whatever the template itself defines |
Start from Template: pick a template from the Templates folder list, or Browse for any .dwg or .dwt file directly.
Use a Wizard: a longer, guided setup: Imperial or Metric, unit and angle precision, CTB or STB plot styles, default colour and linetype, and Grid/Snap/UCS icon/Marker Blip settings, before finishing. You can optionally save the result as a new template afterwards via Save As in the File menu.
Setting the Plot Style Policy
Settings dialog > Program Options > Plot and publish > Plot style policy. Choose Associate an entity’s plot style with its colour for CTB, or No association between colour and plot style for STB.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every new drawing start from a template, even a blank one? Yes. Even “Start from Scratch” in the wizard is really just choosing Imperial or Metric template defaults rather than skipping templates entirely.
Why do I only see some templates on the Start page? The Start page only lists templates matching your current workspace. Choose “More…” to see the full contents of the Templates folder instead.
What decides whether my new drawing uses CTB or STB plot styles? If you’re using a specified default template (BASEFILE), whatever it defines. Otherwise it comes down to PSTYLEPOLICY: off means STB, on means CTB.
What’s the fastest way to start a new drawing with my usual settings? Click the + button next to the document tabs, or run QNEW. Both use your default template directly without any dialogs.