Autodesk Certified Professional in AutoCAD for Design and Drafting Practice Exam

What action keeps a palette from being docked while dragging it?

1. Press and hold the Alt key

2. Press and hold the Control key

3. Release the mouse button quickly

4. Drag the palette slowly

The correct answer is: Press and hold the Control key

Pressing and holding the Control key while dragging a palette in AutoCAD prevents it from docking. This key modifies the behavior of the application, allowing the user to move the palette freely without it snapping to the sides or docking points of the workspace. This is particularly useful when users want to arrange their workflow without the palettes automatically attaching themselves to specific areas on the screen, which can disrupt their design process. The other methods mentioned do not achieve the same result. For instance, clicking and releasing the mouse button quickly would generally result in placing the palette where it is released, which could lead to an unintended docking action. Dragging the palette slowly might not prevent docking and could lead to it automatically snapping into place, depending on the specific cursor position and interface settings at that moment. Meanwhile, while holding the Alt key has various functions in AutoCAD, it does not specifically contribute to preventing docking while dragging palettes, which is why pressing the Control key is the most effective solution.