How to install these update patches of GStarICAD?
The update patches of GStarICAD and industry software are independent, so you should install respectively. Usually speaking, the latest patches cover past ones (the earliest version that can be updated is specified in update patches), so you just need to install the latest update patches. Please pay attention to never cover the new update patch with the old one.

How to feedback questions when you have any problem or question in using GStarICAD?
Several ways are available. You can visit live support at our website: www.GStarsoft.com, or Email us for help.

Why does the network version of the software after users installed ask users to input serial number, or can't startup?
Some reasons for this situation as follows: when installing software, not select "network" version; Network locks and driver are not properly installed or activated; You may specify the wrong name of network lock server and IP address, you can inspect item to item. If the server installs Windows XP sp2 or other firewall may also lead to the abnormity of network lock. Please close system firewall or open 6001 and 6002 port.

Some commands can not be used normally after clicking ESC when opening a drawing.
Some programs are loaded while opening files. The drawings can be opened normally by clicking "ESC", but some programs are not loaded, so some functions can't be used normally.

What service can be provided by GStarsoft.com?
GStarsoft.com has a pursuit of excellent services to ensure the interests of customers. Sustained and effective technical service is available for customers after purchase to ensure the good functioning of products. We provide you the following services: Life-long maintenance and upgrade. Small version upgrade is free, you can directly download upgrade patches from www.GStarsoft.com. Upgrade needs 80~150 fee. If the dongle locks are damaged, feel free to contact us for replacing. You can visit our website: www.GStarsoft.com or Email us for help.

Whether can industry software purchased before be loaded on GStarICAD?
Now the industry software such as Structural Software, Architectural Software, Electrical Software, Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning Software, Water Supply and Drainage Software, Mechanical Software can be based on GStarICAD.

Whether can inspect the network lock customers' using condition?
Yes. A network surveillance program is setup as setting up the network lock driver. You can execute surveillance program to observe the situation of network lock. You can run the program by one-clicking "start" button, select-->Rainbow Technologies-->SuperPro -->6.3-->Monitoring tool, this program will display the number of software users using currently. Surveillance program is used for only monitoring the situation of network lock, not must run it.

What are the system requirements for GStarICAD?
You need the following software and hardware to install and run GStarICAD; Microsoft Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, Windows 2000; Intel Pentium Processor (Pentium III 700 or faster recommended); Minimum 64M RAM (256M RAM recommended); More 100 MB Hard Disk (1G MB recommended); CD-ROM drives if installing from a CD; Mouse or other coordinates input devices; Color Monitor; Output Devices (Printer or Plotter);

What are the authorization methods of GStarICAD?
There are two authorization methods: registered number and dongle. Dongle is divided into stand-alone version and network version. A stand-alone version belongs to a single customer, covering GStarICAD and industry software which also can be used on different computers. Network version should be set up on the server (any computer in network), but the number of users should limit within the authorized number by the network lock.

Is the registration number of GStarICAD valid all the time?
The registration number of Greatstar is matched with your computer. You need not to re-import registration number when you reinstall GStarICAD if you do not change hardware or reinstall operating system, except the method of registering update version changes. If you just reinstall operating system, the previous number is still valid, re-import it after installation can make you through. If you change mainboard or hardware, the previous number is invalid, you have to get a new free registration number from GStarsoft.com.

What's the difference between Trial Version and Authorized Version?
Trial Version has the same function as Authorized Version. The only difference is the using term. You have 30 days' full functional evaluation. After that, some functions (such as save &print) will be restricted.

What's the difference of installation between network version and stand-alone version of GStarICAD?
The installation program of network version and stand-alone version is completely the same, but to select stand-alone version or network version according to authorization methods on installing. If you install the stand-alone version when you use network lock, you can only use 30 days as installing the trial version. When you use stand-alone lock, it is not necessary to install lock drive if you use USB lock, but necessary if system (WIN98, etc.) can't identify USB interface. Network lock is usually parallel lock and need link to parallel (printing interface) and install network lock drive on the machine which install lock. Select network version when installing GStarICAD at customer end. If network lock installs normally, setting is not necessary at customer end. If there are two or more network locks in one network, it's better to setup the locks in different computer and then set the name and IP address of the computer onto which set the network lock at customers' end.

What's the difference between GStarICAD Standard and GStarICAD Professional?
GStarICAD Professional can create and edit 3D Solid however GStarICAD Standard can't. GStarICAD Professional is suggested if you need 3D Solid design or open 3D Solid drawings; GStarICAD Standard is suggested if there is no 3D Solid. 3dpoly and 3D planes are supported in GStarICAD Standard.

Is GStarICAD compatible with AutoCAD?
GStarICAD's native file format is .DWG, so when you open an existing Autodesk AutoCAD file (AutoCAD2.5 to R2007) there's no file conversion and no data loss. You can direct read-write DWG and the DXF documents of AutoCAD. In addition to drawing (.dwg) files, you can also save a drawing in a Drawing Exchange Format (.dxf) file or a drawing template (.dwt) file. Not only the drawing file format of GStarICAD is compatible with AutoCAD's, but also all kinds of file styles (such as linetype, hatch pattern, text style, etc.) are all the same. So to speak, GStarICAD and AutoCAD are bidirectionally compatible.

Why entities in other layers are also deleted when deleting entities in some layer?
Block definition and block entity maybe not in the same layer. For example, the entity is in a layer when the block is defined, if you insert the block in B layer, then, the block definition is in B layer, and the entity is still in a layer. This situation appears when you copy a plenty of entities from a drawing and paste as blocks in another drawing. The entities of the blocks are still in their previous layer. For example, if you paste a building drawing as a block, the wall is still in the WALL layer, the window is still in the WINDOW layer. If you close the WALL layer, the entities in the WALL layer of this block will also disappear. But if you delete some entity of this block in the WINDOW layer, then the whole block is deleted, including the hidden entities in the WALL layer. When you close some layers and delete some objects, please note if the object is part of the block, and if delete the entities of the block in other layers.

Are there plot style files in GStarICAD?
There are no stored plot style files in GStarICAD temporarily, but plot configuration files can be saved. After the set color and line width mapped, it can be saved as plot configuration files(*.pcp) in "Advance" option card of "Print" dialog box. Repeat setup can be avoided by saving common-used print setup as pcp files. It can save not only settings of color and line width but also of printer, such as print direction, paper size, etc

Why can't open drawings saved by GStarICAD in AutoCAD R14?
Impertinently save edition. If the files in GStarICAD are saved as DWG files of 2000 or 2004 version, it can not be opened by AutoCAD R14

How to set the resolving power of virtual printer?
Click button "Print Setup" in "Print" dialog box, select "GreatStar virtual printer", click "Property" button, setup directly the orientation and color in " Property" dialog box, One-click "Advanced" button, you can setup paper size, copy count and so on. Print resolving power of GStarICAD is set according to dpi, short for" Dot per inch" which can set four resolving power: 90,120,180,360. Export pixel dots equals exported paper inches multiply DPI value of resolving power. For example, if export A4 paper, horizontal dots of 360dpi is 8.27X360, vertical dots is 11.69X360, check list of paper size and resolution

Why is the plot-out line width not correct?
There are two methods to control the print-out line width, one is setting up print-out line width by color, one is to use the set objects' line width. In GStarICAD 2007, the situation will not appear. If you want to print by set line width in the latest version, please select corresponding color and open the option "use objects' width".

Why doesn't some content in the drawing printed out?
You can set some layers as "Not Print" in layer manager, the set layers can not be printed out. If similar situation appeared, please check if the layer was set as "Not Print".

Is print preview of GStarICAD different from that of AutoCAD?
Boundaries are left out of set size of paper in both of GStarICAD and AutoCAD. Print area and boundary in AutoCAD are displayed white, and in GStarICAD print area is gray, boundary is white. Thus it is easy to check whether the drawing can be printed normally. Because white boundary must be left when printing, so the paper size must be set bigger than print frame. For example, A4 frame printed by A4 printer can't export according to real size, but shrink properly. If it is A0, the set size should be bigger than real one.

What development tools are supported by GStarICAD?
Support the re-development of Lisp, ADS, DCL, 95% support ARX at present.

Why is the line printing out too light?
There are several reasons: A) not set color mapping when printing, print by multicolor directly, multicolor lines are printed gray by black-white printer; B) set dark gray as black in setting color mapping; C) not setup print line width according to color mapping or select "use line width" resulting in printing as the Minimum line width, and the Minimum was set too small. It is better to setup the export color as 7 (white), line width 0.2, adjust properly according to special requirements.

How to install printer driver?
GStarICAD use the system print driver program, as long as setting printer driver in operating system, you can select this printer to print out.

Why sometimes can't print, print setting exit, or appear unrecognized characters in printing?
GStarICAD transfers the printer driver program of operation system. If appeared problems such as print setting exit, or appear unrecognized characters in printing, please down load and install the latest printer driver.

Why is the snap invalid after switching to drawing paper space?
You can't snap entities in viewport temporarily before entering the view port in paper space. You can do that by dblclicking the viewport and enter it.

How to accelerate operation?
Reduce the quantity of application programs running together with Windows, and the quantity of opening drawings in GStarICAD. Use "Purge" to erase useless drawing datum in DWG drawing. Reduce snap items or not snap if not necessary. It is suggested to close program and reopen GStarICAD if you have run GStarICAD for a long time.

How to display line width in view?
Line width can be displayed according to practical settings by pressing the line width button in Status Bar.

What's the meaning of the speedy multi-files in auto-save?
Backup system simultaneously records users' entire drawing process and no necessary to worry about any lost of your work by the unexpected error. Its automatic backup system adopts a new vector image format (with the suffix .dwh) originally created by GreatStar Software, Comparing with the standard .dwg file, automatic and timely backup system greatly increases automatic backup speed, for example when the drawing size is no more than 10M, time for backup is about one second. This prompt backup system achieves real time (e.g. automatically backup every 5 minutes). In case of accidents, such as power failure or abnormal exit, it will restore to the last-edited drawing, reducing losses to minimum. In addition, users can set how many copies and how long it will be kept. If you save wrong drawing after improper operation or delete the drawing by mistake, you can restore the file by inputting file name and the save time.

Why are the formats of the same dimension style different?
The program allows dimension entities of the same dimension style to have different special parameters, that is, dimensions of the same style may have some different parameters. two method to realize: A) In "Dimension Style Manager" dialogue box, select a dimension style(such as XXX), click "Overrides" button, then the dimension style display

Why is it so slow to transfer print interface?
While transferring print interface, software will try to link to default printer and other printers existing in printer list. If the printer is abnormal in panel, it would be very slow to transfer interface. You can delete the iffy printer.

Can print boundary be adjusted?
There is a Printer.ini file under GStarICAD catalog, in which record boundary, max/min line width, extended parameter and export catalog of virtual print. This file can be opened and edited by notepad. Margin is the space between print area and paper boundary, default value will be used if it was set as negative, and boundary can be change if positive. Please make sure the image is in gray print area. MinWidth is Minimum line width, if the set line width is smaller then min width, it will print as min width. You also can adjust the value if you feel it too small. Then it doesn't need to reset if print as min width in color mapping. MaxWidth is Maximum line width, the default value is 10. You must adjust this value if the wanted value is bigger than 10. Offset Factor is pixel of offset, this value can be adjusted properly if it doesn't print normally by snapping frame-select boundary of paper. It doesn't need adjustment usually.

Whether can we use wheel to zoom and pan during drawing in GStarICAD?
Yes, you can. Zoom in upward, zoom out downward; you can pan by pressing the wheel and dragging.

When drawing circle or arc, why is polygon instead of circle or arc?
It is because the precision setting in viewers is too low, you can heighten the precision properly. If this situation appeared at zoom out drawings, input "r" to redraw. It won't affect the printing effect, if the similar situation appeared when print, please install or update the latest version of GStarICAD 2007.

How can I do? If Z coordinate of certain lines is not 0 which will lead to abnormality of chamfer and trim?
You can change Z coordinate in Express Pop-menu in GStarICAD 2007. You can select all objects, change the Z coordinate to unitive value, such as 0. It is better to find out the reason why the Z coordinate is not 0 to avoid the same situation again. If you are not sure, you can send the drawings to support@GStarsoft.com, our developers will analyze, then find out the reason and modify.

Why can't snap the divided point?
It is better to close the "Nearest" snap option when you snap the divided point.

Why the scale and position of created customized blocks are not correct?
You must define the Inserting point correctly when creating blocks, or else it is difficult to position when inserting blocks. Besides, pay attention to paper scale in defining blocks, for example, it is better to define blocks at 1:1. You can open some blocks in the software gallery, observe the inserting position, scale and dimension of the block.

How to customize the color and size of crosshair?
Select? "Tools-->Config" in pop-menu or input "config" in "Command Area", open "Configuration" dialogue box, click "Display" option card, in which you can setup crosshair color and size.

How to add hatch patterns?
Hatch patterns of GStarICAD are saved in GStarICAD 2007 ProfessionalPatterns. You can directly paste the edited or copied hatch definitions into icad.pat files, or save one or more hatch patterns as independent *.pat files and put it under the "Patterns" catalog. It is suggested not to paste whole acad.pat into icad.pat. The new version software has stored plenty of hatch patterns. Please pay attention when you save a file as independent *.pat file, the name of the file should be the same as the hatch name defined in the file.

All the commands can not be used when switch to another file window.
When you open several files, switch to another window before ending a command to the previous window, you will find the command can't be used. The GStarICAD will suggest: "Switch the document after finish the current command".

How to add text style files?
Copy font files to corresponding catalog GreatStarICAD 2007 ProfessionalFonts.. Please don't copy the whole font file of other software to GStarICAD randomly, it's better only to copy useful font files.

Why is the text size in GStarICAD different from that in AutoCAD?
The font files between the software maybe different. If font files are the same completely, then the text size should be the same. Even if font files of the same name between the software may be not the same completely. You can testify if they are the same files by according to byte quantity and creating date.

Want to display some special steel symbols, so replace txt.shx in ICAD, why is the text style still the previous one having covered the same name file in font catalog?
Because IC-txt.shx was mapped as txt.shx in ICAD. If you want to replace txt.shx, you can change the file's name as IC-txt.shx and then cover the same name file in ICAD font catalogue.

Why can't paste the entities in clipboard as block by clicking Ctrl+V?
In AutoCAD14, you can paste the entities in clipboard as blocks by using Ctrl+V, but in versions after AutoCAD 2000, drawings are pasted as independent entities by using Ctrl+V, and pasted as blocks only by using Ctrl+Shit+V. Operation custom of GStarICAD is customized according to that of AutoCAD 2000. if you are used to previous operation style, you can select "Tools-->Customize-->Keyboard" to modify the defination of shortcut keys.

How to customize aliases?
Select "Tools-->Customize-->Keyboard" in pop-menu or input customize in "Command Area" directly, open dialog box "Customize", click option card "Aliasees", you can select command in the right list, then input a alias to add alias. In professional software, click "new", then input command and alias in "command" and "alias" respectively, then click button "add command". You can also export a existing GStarICAD alias as*. ica file of plain text, then import the *. ica file by WORDPAD after editing. Though PGP of AutoCAD can also be imported, it contains some commands which are not recognized by GStarICAD, so, don't import PGP files directly. Defined alias is saved in ICAD.mnx files under the GStarICAD setup catalog. You can backup this file; it needn't to edit aliases after resetting the software. Defined aliases of industry software based on GStarICAD are saved in system or sys catalog in industry software setup catalog. The file name is also ICAD.mnx.

How to customize selection of the size of pickbox and snap aperture?
Select "Tools-->Drawing settings" or input "Settings" in "Command Area" to open "Drawing Settings" dialogue box, click "Coordinate input" option card, select "entity selection" in dropdown list "Change Settings for " and then it will display the "Entity Selection Pickup" box and "Entity Snap Aperture" box and then you can adjust the settings of them.

How does virtual printer of GreatStar export image files?
After setting up GreatStar virtual printer, click "Print Setup" in "Print" dialog box, select "Greatstar virtual printer" in the pop-menu of printer name. Options of set export image are not added in "Print" dialog box, so use the setting ""Print to file" temporarily. Select "Print to file" in "Print" dialog box, then input in the textbox or click the after button to scan and select the path to save image. Then click "Print to file" to cancel the selection, the file named "hcvplot.png" will be exported by clicking button "Print", and serial number (1),(2)will be added if exported again. Please note that it uses only the path setting "Print to file" in virtual printer, the set file name is valid only to PLT files, invalid to virtual printer. PNG files can be opened and edited by image editing software such as PHOTOSHOP.