If you’re writing AutoLISP or creating custom commands, you can replicate this behavior using:
AutoCAD relies on strict system variables and command parameters to maintain performance and prevent drawing corruption. When you see this error, AutoCAD is expecting a whole number (an integer) within a constrained limit, and the current input—or an automated script/tool—is feeding it something else.
Adopting a few best practices can help you avoid this error and optimize performance.
: Usually related to Tooltip Delay settings, often caused by migrating settings from versions older than 2018. autocad please enter an integer from 1 to 20000
In modern AutoCAD (2020s releases), that limit persists for backward compatibility. It is not a hardware limit but a legacy software constraint.
Example 3 — Copy-paste error:
Problem: Attribute definition for a part number required values up to 50,000. Error: Appeared when saving the block. Solution: Changed attribute type from Integer to Text/String, then entered numbers without integer validation. If you’re writing AutoLISP or creating custom commands,
Before diving into solutions, it's helpful to know why AutoCAD uses this specific range. The 1-20000 limit is commonly associated with the , which controls the display smoothness of curves and circles by increasing the number of line segments used for on-screen representation. A higher value produces smoother visuals at the cost of performance, while a lower value yields a faster display of simpler, faceted shapes.
If you are locked out of the dialog box because of this message, use these steps to reset the value:
If raising MAXHATCH to 20,000 does not work, your hatch pattern scale is too dense for the selected area. Select the problematic hatch pattern. Open the palette ( Ctrl + 1 ). Locate the Scale field under the Pattern section. : Usually related to Tooltip Delay settings, often
In the world of AutoCAD, the prompt "Please enter an integer from 1 to 20000"
For non-array operations (e.g., attribute values), consider splitting the data across multiple attributes or using an external database with AutoCAD Data Extraction.
Before the dynamic array ribbon (introduced around AutoCAD 2012), the ARRAYCLASSIC dialog box was the standard. In this legacy tool, when creating a rectangular or polar array, you must specify the number of rows, columns, or items. AutoCAD will reject zero or negative values, triggering the prompt.