# PrismCAD — How to use it PrismCAD is an AutoCAD plug-in that turns plain-English requests into a previewable plan. It never changes the drawing until you review and approve the plan. This page is written for the PrismCAD website, help centre, or in-product onboarding. ![PrismCAD first-use workflow](images/first-use-workflow.png) ## Before you start You need Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), AutoCAD 2025 or 2026, and a valid PrismCAD beta license. You do not need a separate Python installation. PrismCAD includes the local service it needs. For the beta, request a free license at [insightits.com/prismcad/beta](https://www.insightits.com/prismcad/beta). By activating it, you accept the beta agreement, including upload of the local PrismCAD diagnostic log at most once per day and only when the log changes. Your DWG drawing files are not uploaded. ## Install PrismCAD ### Standard install 1. Close AutoCAD. 2. Download `PrismCAD-Release.msi` from the PrismCAD website. 3. Double-click the MSI and complete the Windows Installer steps. 4. Open AutoCAD. PrismCAD appears under **Plug-Ins → PrismCAD**. The MSI installs PrismCAD only for the current Windows user and does not require Administrator access. For managed or offline deployment, an IT administrator can distribute the PrismCAD bundle using the included PowerShell installer. ### Local test build 1. Close AutoCAD. 2. In AutoCAD, run `NETLOAD`. 3. Select `PrismCAD.AutoCADNet8.dll` from the local test output folder. 4. Run `PRISMCADHEALTH` to confirm that the plug-in, license, and local sidecar are ready. For the current local build, load [PrismCAD.AutoCADNet8.dll](../Outputs/Plugin/PrismCAD.AutoCADNet8.dll). ## First-time setup 1. In AutoCAD, type `PRISMCADLICENSE` and press Enter. 2. Paste your PrismCAD license key. 3. Confirm that you accepted the beta agreement. 4. Select **Activate**. 5. Type `PRISMCADHEALTH`. You should see a licensed status and `healthy=True` for the PrismCAD sidecar. If activation fails, make sure you have installed the newest PrismCAD build; older builds trust the retired bootstrap licensing key and cannot validate newly issued production licenses. ![PrismCAD license activation window](images/license-activation.png) ## Everyday workflow 1. Open the drawing you want to work on. 2. Select the objects to change when your request applies to a selection. 3. Run `PRISMCAD`, `PRISMCADPALETTE`, or `PRISMCADAGENT`. 4. Describe the desired change in plain English. 5. Review each planned step in the approval window. 6. Select **Approve & Execute** only when the plan is correct. Select **Cancel** to make no changes. For requests about named objects across the drawing, such as “all toilets,” you can leave nothing selected. PrismCAD searches the drawing’s local project index and shows the proposed target objects before execution. ## AutoCAD command reference ### `PRISMCAD` Opens a compact prompt window for one request. Use it for a quick selected-object action. Example: `move selection north 10` ### `PRISMCADPALETTE` Opens the dockable PrismCAD command palette. Use it when you prefer to keep a prompt panel open while drafting. ### `PRISMCADAGENT` Opens the per-drawing agent panel. It keeps the chat history and shows the current project-index status for the active drawing. ![PrismCAD agent panel with suggested actions, selected-object context, planned commands, and execution history](images/agent-panel.png) ### `PRISMCADAGENTREFRESH` Refreshes the agent panel’s current selection and drawing context. Use it after changing your selection or switching drawings. ### `PRISMCADAGENTREINDEX` Forces a full rebuild of the active drawing’s local project index. Use it when a project-wide request cannot find recently added or renamed blocks, rooms, layers, or attributes. ### `PRISMCADAGENTRUN` Runs a prompt queued from the agent panel. Normally the agent panel calls this command for you; it is available for troubleshooting and advanced workflows. ### `PRISMCADLICENSE` Opens the activation window to enter or refresh your PrismCAD beta license. ### `PRISMCADSETTINGS` Opens AI settings. PrismCAD works for supported commands without an AI API key. Optionally add your own OpenAI-compatible API key for better interpretation of long or ambiguous requests. Your key is stored locally on your computer. ### `PRISMCADHEALTH` Checks the two things required for PrismCAD to run: license status and the local sidecar service. Run this first when PrismCAD is unavailable or a prompt fails to plan. ## Supported prompt types and examples ### Move selected objects Select objects, then use a direction and distance. ```text move selection north 10 translate east 25mm shift selected walls left 8 nudge selection down 2.5 ``` ### Rotate selected objects Select objects, then provide an angle in degrees. ```text rotate selection 90 turn selected entities 45 degrees spin the selected doors 180 ``` ### Copy selected objects Select objects, then use a direction and distance. ```text copy selection north 10 duplicate selected blocks east 5mm clone the selection up 2 ``` ### Delete selected objects Select objects before using a delete request. ```text delete selection remove selected entities erase the selected construction lines ``` ### Update a block attribute or material code Select block references with the target attribute. For a project-wide request, name the block type instead of making a selection. ```text set material code to WC-01 on selection update attribute MATERIAL to TILE-42 apply mat code ABC-123 to selection set material code WC-02 for all toilets ``` The target must be a block reference that actually contains the requested attribute tag, such as `MATERIAL` or `MAT_CODE`. ### Insert supported fixture blocks Use a fixture name and, where needed, place it at the drawing cursor. ```text add a toilet create a toilet insert a door at the cursor place a wall add a window ``` ### Label rooms and named spaces Select the room boundary or relevant entities, then provide the room name/type and floor when known. ```text this is the kitchen on the second floor this is room 6265 on floor 2 label the selection as bathroom on level 1 name this room 6162 floor 3 ``` You can also harvest existing room labels from the drawing: ```text extract room tags from this drawing read room tags already in this drawing scan this drawing for rooms ``` ### Multi-step requests Combine supported requests with `then`, `and then`, `followed by`, or `;`. PrismCAD displays every step separately for approval. If an approved multi-step execution fails, PrismCAD rolls back the transaction rather than leaving a partial change. ```text move selection north 10 then rotate 90 copy east 5; delete selection shift the selected walls left 8, rotate them 45 degrees, then duplicate them upward by 2 ``` ## Writing reliable prompts - Select objects first when using move, rotate, copy, delete, or selection-based attribute updates. - State a direction and distance for move and copy requests. - State an angle for rotate requests. - Use the actual block attribute name when you know it, for example `MATERIAL`. - For a project-wide request, specify the target clearly: `all toilets`, `the selected doors`, or `room 6265`. - Read the approval plan before accepting it. Correct the prompt if the plan does not match your intent. ## What PrismCAD does not do yet PrismCAD only executes its supported, validated operations. It does not run arbitrary AutoCAD commands from a prompt. Requests such as creating custom geometry, hatching, dimensioning, plotting, attaching xrefs, redefining blocks, creating layers, or 3D extrusion may be declined until those operations are added to PrismCAD. ## Troubleshooting ### “Licensing is temporarily unavailable” or activation fails Run `PRISMCADHEALTH`. Confirm that you installed the newest PrismCAD bundle, have internet access to the licensing service, accepted the beta agreement, and pasted the license key exactly as issued. Then retry `PRISMCADLICENSE`. ### The sidecar is not healthy Close AutoCAD, reopen it, and run `PRISMCADHEALTH` again. For a local test build, make sure you used `NETLOAD` on the current DLL and not an older copy. If it still fails, include the full `PRISMCADHEALTH` output when contacting support. ### PrismCAD cannot find the objects I mean Use `PRISMCADAGENTREINDEX`, wait for the index to refresh, and retry with a more specific description. You can also select the objects first and use a selection-scoped prompt. ### The approval plan is not what I intended Select **Cancel**. No drawing change is made. Rephrase the request with a clear target, direction, distance, angle, attribute tag, or room/floor name. ## Privacy and support PrismCAD runs its standard planning flow locally. If you configure an optional AI provider key, PrismCAD sends prompt text and relevant retrieved context to that provider. The beta diagnostic log may be uploaded to Insight ITS no more than once a day when it has changed; drawing files are not uploaded. For help, email [insightits.info@gmail.com](mailto:insightits.info@gmail.com) and include your AutoCAD version, Windows version, and the output from `PRISMCADHEALTH`.