AutoCAD 2022

New and/or enhanced functions

Trace

Trace provides a safe space to collaborate on drawing changes in the AutoCAD web and mobile apps without fear of altering the existing drawing. The analogy of trace is a virtual, collaborative tracing paper that's laid over the drawing, allowing collaborators to add feedback right in the drawing.

Create traces in the web and mobile apps, then send or share the drawing to collaborators so they can view the trace and its contents.

Functionality differs slightly depending which version of the app you're using. While you can view traces in the desktop, web, or mobile apps, you can only create or edit traces while using web and mobile.

Quickly and accurately count the instances of objects in a drawing. You can insert a table with the count data into the current drawing.

The Count feature offers visual count results and more control over the count criteria. Specify a single block or object in the model space to count its instances. You can also use the Count palette to display and manage the counted blocks in the current drawing.

When you're in an active count, the Count toolbar displays at the top of the drawing area. The Count toolbar includes the number of objects and issues, along with other controls to manage the counted objects.

The count details icon changes depending on whether the current count contains errors. Click  or  to open the Count palette and view more details.

	Displays the count criteria including the general properties of the counted objects and any user-defined block attributes and parameters.
	Displays the count criteria including the general properties, user-defined block attributes and parameters, and the issue report of the counted objects. Issues can include overlapping, exploded, or renamed objects.

Note: The count list includes blocks that are nested within other blocks.

New Commands

COUNT - Counts and highlights the instances of the selected object in the drawing.

COUNTCLOSE - Closes the Count toolbar and exits the count.

COUNTFIELD - Creates a field that's set to the value of the current count.

COUNTLIST - Opens the Count palette to view and manage the counted blocks.

COUNTLISTCLOSE - Closes the Count palette.

COUNTNAVNEXT - Zooms to the next object in the count result.

COUNTNAVPREV - Zooms to the previous object in the count result.

COUNTTABLE - Inserts a table containing the block names and the corresponding count of each block in the drawing.

Changed Commands

FIELD - Creates a multiline text object with a field that can be updated automatically as the field value changes.

New System Variables

COUNTCHECK - Controls the types of errors to check in the count.

COUNTCOLOR - Sets the highlighting color on objects in a count.

COUNTERRORCOLOR - Sets the highlighting color on objects that can cause potential errors in a count.

COUNTERRORNUM - Displays the number errors in the current count.

COUNTNUMBER - Displays the number of the current count.

COUNTPALETTESTATE - Reports whether the Count palette is open or closed.

COUNTSERVICE - Controls the background indexing of the count.

Floating Drawing Windows

You can now drag a drawing file tab off of the AutoCAD application window, making it a floating window.

Some benefits of the floating drawing window feature are:

• Multiple drawing files can be visible at the same time without switching between tabs.
• One or more drawing files can be moved onto another monitor.

New System Variables

SYSFLOATING - Controls the dock state of the drawing file tabs.

Share Current Drawing

Share a link to a copy of the current drawing to view or edit in the AutoCAD web app. All related DWG xrefs and images are included.

Share works similar to ETRANSMIT in AutoCAD desktop. The shared file includes all related dependent files such as xrefs and font files. Anyone with the link can access the drawing in the AutoCAD web app. The link expires seven days after it's created. You can choose between two permission levels for recipients: View only and Edit and save a copy.

New Commands

SHARE - Shares a link to a copy of the current drawing, including its DWG xrefs and images.

Push to Autodesk Docs (Subscription Benefit)

Push to Autodesk Docs allows teams to view digital PDFs in the field for reference. Use Push to Autodesk Docs to upload AutoCAD drawings as PDFs to a specific project on Autodesk Docs.

Collaborate in the field by pushing your drawing layouts as PDFs to Autodesk Docs. Select layouts from multiple drawings and upload them as PDFs to a selected project folder on Autodesk Docs.

New Commands

PUSHTODOCSOPEN - Opens the Push to Autodesk Docs palette where you can select AutoCAD layouts to upload as PDFs to Autodesk Docs.

PUSHTODOCSCLOSE - Closes the Push to Autodesk Docs palette.

New System Variables

PUSHTODOCSSTATE - Indicates whether the Push to Autodesk Docs palette is open or closed.

Start Tab Redesign

The Start Tab has been redesigned to provide a consistent welcome experience for Autodesk products.

The Start tab highlights the most common needs, such as:

• Resume work - Continue working where you left off.
• Begin new work - Start something new, either from a blank slate, template content, or existing content in a known location.
• Learn - Explore the product, learn new or improve existing skills, discover what has changed in the product, or receive relevant notifications.
• Engage - Engage in a customer community, give feedback, or contact customer help or support.

Autodesk Docs

Autodesk Docs provides a way to open & save files to your connected drives. One drive type that you can try during the AutoCAD beta is BIM360. You will need to have Desktop Connector installed to access the connected drives on Autodesk Docs.

Desktop Connector

Desktop Connector is a desktop service that integrates an Autodesk data management source (or data source) with your desktop folder and file structure for easy file management.

The files in the data source are replicated in a connected drive. You can manage files in the data source through the connected drive, just as you would any other folder on your machine. Changes made in the connected drive are automatically uploaded to the data source.

The first time you click Autodesk Docs you may see the following message:

Click How do I install Desktop Connector on the Start tab and follow the instructions to download and install Desktop Connector.

Test Project Access

You will need to request access to the BIM360 test project for the AutoCAD beta. Once you have access, the test project displays when you click Autodesk Docs on the Start tab.

3D Graphics Technical Preview

This release includes a Technical Preview of a completely new cross platform 3D graphics system being developed for AutoCAD, leveraging all the power of modern GPUs and multi-core CPUs to offer a smooth navigation experience for much larger drawings than in prior releases.

This technical preview is off by default. When turned on, the modern graphics system takes over viewports using the Shaded visual style. The modern graphics system may eventually replace the existing 3D graphics system. Before we finalize it, we want you to try it out and give us feedback.

Feedback

If you have feedback about missing functionality that you can't live without, encounter bugs, experience less than smooth navigation or interactions regardless of model size, please let us know. We would love to hear your feedback about this technical preview!

Provide feedback at the Autodesk Feedback Community: https://feedback.autodesk.com

Note: Because this feature is a technical preview, details and functionality are subject to change.

Requirements

The modern graphics system requires DirectX 12 capable hardware and software. The minimum DirectX 12 feature level is 11_0. You can verify these requirements are met by running the DXDIAG command from the Windows Start menu. This is an example of a system that meets the requirements:

Activating and Deactivating

The technical preview is turned ON and OFF with the 3DTECHPREVIEW system variable.

Important: You'll need to restart AutoCAD for the change to take effect.

By default, the technical preview is OFF. To turn it ON, enter the following at the command line:

Then restart AutoCAD.

In the Shaded visual style, (GSF) is shown in the viewport control to indicate that the technical preview is active and using the modern graphics system.

Limitations

The modern graphics system does not currently support the following features:

• Raster images
• TrueType text
• Wide line support (e.g., line weights, wide polylines)
• Ray/XLine
• Line types and patterns
• Fence and lasso selection
• Block editor (BEDIT)
• Display and sub entity selection of edges in 3D objects
• Drawings that are saved with an active Shaded viewport will not have a valid preview

It is also limited to the Shaded viewports outside of PAPERSPACE. In PAPERSPACE, a Shaded viewport continues to use the existing graphics system.

New System Variables

3DTECHPREVIEW - Specifies whether the 3D technical preview is turned on or off.

Installer

The 2022 products provide a new, faster, more reliable install and deployment experience. When installing the product, there are fewer options so that you are up and running faster. For a more customized install or deployment creation, use the Custom Install workflows in your Autodesk Account. This gives you complete control over the options you want, without needing to download the product first. With the Custom Install, you can include multiple products in a single installation, with all options, extensions, and plugins.

See the following Help topics for more information on the improved installer:

• Basic software installation
• Planning and installing software licenses for your network
• Creating a deployment with improved installation services
• Using Microsoft Configuration Manager to deploy and manage Autodesk products

Additional enhancements

Performance improvements: Background publishing and hatch boundary detection now take advantage of multiple cores of a processor.

BGCOREPUBLISH (System Variable) Controls whether background publishing uses a single (acad.exe is used) or multiple cores (accoreconsole.exe is used under certain circumstances).

By default, background publishing utilizes multiple cores of your processor to improve the performance of outputting to a:

• Single sheet DWF/DWFx or PDF file
• Multi-sheet PDF file, if the publish option "Include Hyperlinks" is unchecked

This allows for multiple drawing sheets to be output in parallel and simultaneously.

This setting doesn't improve the performance of:

• Background publishing to a hardcopy device or multi-sheet DWF/DWFx file
• Foreground publishing
• Background or foreground plotting

1/4 of the cores are used. If you have 16 cores AutoCAD will launch up to 4 sessions in parallel under certain circumstances. It can also use accoreconsole.exe and that is much quicker than acad.exe that was used earlier. 

Graphics improvements: Microsoft's DirectX 12 is now supported for 2D and 3D visual styles.

Enhanced Integration with Autodesk Docs and BIM 360 (New in 2022.1)

The newest update provides more robust integrations with Autodesk Docs and BIM 360. We have introduced a new naming convention tool for compliance with ISO 19650 standards. When saving to Autodesk Docs or BIM 360, this new tool will provide users with menus to properly name their files in an ISO 19650 compliant format. Additionally, drawings from Autodesk Docs or BIM 360 already in an ISO 19650 environment that are opened in AutoCAD will be required to be saved in that format with this new tool. There is no need to worry about having to manually enter the file name in the compliant format and risking error.

Performance Improvements (New in 2022.1)

With the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT 2022.1 update, you’ll notice much faster performance when opening folders to locate files with Desktop Connector. Folders with hundreds of files will now open in a matter of seconds rather than minutes. Additionally, automatic counting and multi-core plotting run smoother than ever before.

My Insights (New in 2022.1)

Product usage insights are displayed on the Start tab. My Insights is information that's shown to you based on your usage of AutoCAD. The content is designed to be informative and actionable. See suggestions for commands and functionality that you might try along with other productivity insights.

Insights are emailed to you and they can also be viewed under Reporting Insights in your Autodesk Account. An email is sent out about once a month and only when we have new insights to share.

You can opt out of receiving the email as part of your communication preferences by setting "Product Learning Content" to No under Receive Email Communications. See FAQ: What Data is Being Collected? for more information.

Data Behind an Insight
As you interact with the product, certain actions, called waypoints, are recorded and sent back to Autodesk. Based on the product, a waypoint might occur when a:

File is opened or saved
Command or tool is started
View is manipulated
Setting in the product is changed

A waypoint never contains information to recreate a file as a whole or in part, and it never includes the actual geometry stored in a design file. However, it might include statistical information about a file, or the objects stored in a file. Here are some examples of statistical information that are captured as part of a waypoint:

Open and save time
File size
Number of objects in a drawing; 2D objects, 3D solids, blocks, annotation, xrefs among others

The following insights are currently available:

Command Recommendations
We use machine learning to discover commands that you previously haven't tried or haven't used in a while and might benefit from.

Feature Recommendations
We may recommend new features or updated commands that you are likely to use.

Undoing More than You'd Like?
By looking at sequences of commands you execute, we look for commands that are frequently followed by the UNDO command. Perhaps a little assistance could be helpful.

Update Recommendations
If you are using an earlier release or version of the product, we may offer suggestions to upgrade if you are using a feature that has been enhanced in the latest release or version.

Usage by Category
This is a high-level summary of the types of commands you execute. Commands are counted over a 30 day period and gathered into the following categories:

Category Name
Commands Related To
3D Modeling: Creating and modifying 3D faces, 3D meshes, and 3D solids.
Annotations: Creating and modifying text, multileaders, hatches and more.
Application: Using the user interface and accessing the online help of the product.
Blocks: Creating, inserting, and editing blocks.
CAD Standards: Checking and fixing CAD standards.
Collaboration: Sharing and working with others on drawings.
Constraints: Applying geometric and dimensional constraints to geometry and using parameters.
Content Re-Use: Adding and using geometry to a drawing with tool palettes and DesignCenter.
Create Objects: Creating 2D objects; lines, circles, arcs and more.
Customization: Customizing the user interface and automating workflows.
Dimensions: Adding and editing dimensions and dimension styles.
Drafting Aids: Using running object snaps, grid display and snap, UCS and more.
Drawing: Setting drawing units and undoing commands.
Edit Objects: Modifying drawing objects.
Express Tools: Using tools that are part of Express Tools.
External Databases: Working with external data using the dbConnect feature.
External References: Working with Xrefs, raster images, and underlays.
File Management: Opening, saving, and closing drawing files.
Geographic Location: Defining the geographic location of a drawing.
Import and Export Files: Importing and exporting other file formats.
Inquiry Tools: Getting the distance between two points, area of an object, or location of a point.
Layouts: Working with named layouts.
Object Properties: Working with the general properties of drawing objects.
Plot and Publish: Outputting a drawing to a hardcopy or an electronic format.
View Tools: Viewing 2D and 3D drawing objects.
Visualization: 
Applying visual styles and rendering 3D objects.

API and more for Programmers

For LISP and VBA, most all apps should work on AutoCAD 2022 without change.

public void ClearClipboardAndLoadCatalogs()
{
    IDataObject dataObj = System.Windows.Forms.Clipboard.GetDataObject();
    string[] fmts = dataObj.GetFormats();
    bool bFound = false;
    foreach(var fmt in fmts)
    {
        if (fmt.IndexOf("ACTC") != -1)
        {
            bFound = true;
            break;
        }
    }

    if (bFound)
    {
        System.Windows.Forms.Clipboard.Clear();
    }

    Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows.ToolPalette.ToolPaletteManager.Manager.LoadCatalogs();
}

AutoCAD 2022 System requirements

FlexNet version 11.18.0.0 for Autodesk Network License Manager. 

Autodesk recommends installing the Network License Manager in the default installation folder. Starting with version v11.13.1.2, the default installation folder has changed to C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager.

Supported operating systems for the license manager are:

Mac OS® X System Requirements

Linux® System Requirements

More details here.

List of product fixes included in AutoCAD 2022:

As a result of the detailed information that we received from customers who used the Customer Error Reporting Utility, we were able to identify and fix several defects including the following:

The following customer reported issues have been fixed:

Still missing. Wish list for the next time.

Setting for how many virtual processors to use for background Publish. 

Unfortunately there is no tooltip or preview image when holding the mouse over a layout tab name in the vertical layout list. This makes it hard to see layout names that are too long to show completely.

Support multi-line text in Sheet Set Manager or allow to enter Unicode \U+000A to force a new line (line feed).

Add the ability to create custom subset properties in Sheet Set Manager. Subset custom properties.

A wish for future updates to AutoCAD is that DXEVAL settings would be used to automatically update also the Sheet List Table.

Add support for Sheet Revision Number, Sheet Revision Date, Sheet Purpose, Sheet Category as Sheet List Table Data types.

MEASUREGEOM yellow color needs to be customizable as it is very hard to see against a white background. 

When copying and pasting between drawings not have the current layer copied too when there are no objects copied on that layer. 

Existing bugs, defects, feature limitation or other issues.

Running an AutoLISP function while running a regular command can freeze AutoCAD. 

WBLOCK dialog box is not handling blocks containing dots correctly. The file name is cut after the dot. 

HIGHLIGHTSMOOTHING is missing. 

Personal Mtext Symbols functionality is broken. The first one is not working, the second one takes the value from the first one, etc.

Plotting through accoreconsole.exe is not updating Sheet Set Manager callouts and labels in xrefs

If either of the Sheet title, Layout name or File name includes # (number sign, hash, or pound sign) then you will be in trouble. First of all the Sheet Number may be incorrect, second the Sheet Title may be incorrect and third if you click through on the hyperlink you can get the “Hyperlink destination cannot be found.” error. Workaround is to use this similar looking character ＃. 
Either copy it from here ＃ or press and hold down the Alt key, type on the numeric keypad 065283 and then release the Alt key.

Following a hyperlink from one drawing to another drawing will change the size of the AutoCAD window if it is maximized.

When opening a drawing with lost set association the dialog box shows the text %PathToSheetSetAndFileName% instead of the actual path and file name.

When trying to change height of ATTEDIT dialog box it looks like the height can be changed because the cursor changes.

In ATTEDIT dialog box there is a lot of extra space below the buttons.

APPAUTOLOAD set to 0 still loads .NET apps.

Enhanced Attribute Editor (EATTEDIT) is missing & in block names and tag names (at the top) containing &. For example a block named a&b shows up as ab. Similar problem with ATTEDIT dialog box.

On the Start tab the Recent Documents preview icons are not scaled correctly. Make a drawing with a circle and notice how it is compressed to an ellipse in the preview.

EXPORTLAYOUT command to support wipeout objects. (Export Layout to Model/Save Layout as Drawing)

Isolating layer from Layer Properties Manager and then running LAYUNISO results in "No layers to restore from LAYISO command.".

(osnap (getpoint) "QUI,END") will always return nil because quick osnap is not available in AutoCAD 2016 or newer.

BROWSER command should not force open Internet Explorer, it should open the web browser that is set as default like Microsoft Edge or Chrome or whatever. (possibly fixed by an update) 

Installer still force opens Internet Explorer when clicking on links like the help.

Compare is not handling attribute definitions correctly. 

Renaming category of sheet category name in SSM is not working. The old name returns after opening the view once. 

Text justification issue with attributes in block based multiline leaders. Detailed information. 

Unicode characters (possibly Sheet Set Manager related) not resolving in fields in simple Text. Detailed information. 

Tips & Tricks

AutoCAD 2022 also is referred to as ACAD2022 or ACAD 2022.

AutoCAD 2022 product key is 001N1.

Network License Feature code for AutoCAD 2022:87545ACD_2022_0F

AutoCAD Package Feature Code (perpetual on maintenance plan): 64300ACD_F

AutoCAD Package Feature Code - Term (subscription with multi-user access): 64300ACD_T_F

Full list of FlexNet feature codes and descriptions.

DWG 2018 file format is used just as in AutoCAD 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Default command line to start AutoCAD 2022: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\acad.exe" /product ACAD /language "en-US"

In vanilla AutoCAD without service pack:
Command: _vernum
_VERNUM = "S.51.0.0 (UNICODE)" (read only)

2022.0.1 Update _VERNUM = "S.74.0.0 (UNICODE)" (read only)

2022.1 Update _VERNUM = "S.113.0.0 (UNICODE)" (read only)

2022.1.1 Update _VERNUM = "S.154.0.0 (UNICODE)" (read only)

2022.1.2 Update _VERNUM = "S.162.0.0 (UNICODE)" (read only)

2022.1.3 Update _VERNUM = "S.173.0.0 (UNICODE)" (read only)

Readme

Release notes available online here.

DWG Convert, Etransmit, and Archive

The ZIP option of the DWGCONVERT, ETRANSMIT, and ARCHIVE commands now create UTF-8 ZIP files, which uses the popular 8-bit form of Unicode for file names. This means that you can package files that have names with extended font characters. The file names will not display correctly if you use ZIP utilities that don't support UTF-8 ZIP files. Use a ZIP utility such as 7-Zip to correctly display and extract these files.

Feature-Specific Requirements

• Starting with AutoCAD 2017-based products, BMP files no longer support the color value of 192,192,192 as a transparent color. Custom images that need to support transparency must now be saved as a PNG file.

• AutoCAD’s Data Extraction workflow will now automatically use Microsoft’s Access Database Engine by default when it’s available on your system. If the Access Database Engine is not available, the Jet Database Engine will be used as with previous releases.

Updates & Service Packs & Hotfixes

2022.1.3 Update released Sep 22, 2022

2022.1.2 Update released Jun 2, 2022

2022.1.1 Update released November 3, 2021

2022.1 Update released July 13, 2021

AutoCAD 2022 GSF Update April 23, 2021

2022.0.1 Update released April 12, 2021

Autodesk AutoCAD Plant 3D 2022 Object Enabler

Open Light 2022 Object Enabler (64-bit)

Other downloads:

Scale List Cleanup Utility for AutoCAD® 2022

Regapp ID Cleanup Utility for AutoCAD® 2022

AutoCAD 2022 Language Packs - English, Brazilian Portuguese (Português - Brasil), Czech (Čeština), French (Français), German (Deutsch), Hungarian (Magyar), Italian (Italiano), Korean (한국어), Polish (Polski), Russian (Русский), Simplified Chinese (简体中文), Spanish (Español), Traditional Chinese (繁體中文)

AutoCAD 2022 Templates

Download & Install AutoCAD 2022 Product Help

Download the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Module (VBA)

Visual Studio Code Extension for AutoCAD® AutoLISP

Cascading Sequences for Autodesk 2022 Products

Understanding Cascade Licensing for Autodesk Products 

Links.

Autodesk's AutoCAD Discussion Group:
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-2013-2014-2015/bd-p/706

AutoCAD 2022 Help online:  http://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2022/ENU/ 

VBA Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Module can be downloaded here.

Autodesk App Store

Compare AutoCAD versions

AutoCAD subscription members can download AutoCAD 2022 from the Autodesk Account page.

Download a free trial of AutoCAD 2022: http://www.autodesk.com/products/autodesk-autocad/free-trial

Find the certified and recommended computer hardware for the products or suites you are planning to install. For more information, go to www.autodesk.com/hardware.

To download and install the latest hardware certification XML file, visit http://www.autodesk.com/autocad-graphicscard.

For developers: http://www.autodesk.com/developautocad and http://help.autodesk.com/view/OARX/2022/ENU/

About DXF format.

If you want to participate in the Beta testing for the next release of AutoCAD (AutoCAD 2023) visit http://beta.autodesk.com.

JTB World Blog posts about AutoCAD 2022.

New and Updated Commands:

The following commands are new and updated in AutoCAD 2022.

Removed or Obsolete Commands and System Variables:

No commands were designated as obsolete during this release.

No systems variables were designated as obsolete during this release.

New and Updated System Variables:

The following system variables are new in AutoCAD 2022.

AutoCAD 2022 Updated Commands and System Variables