1. 1. AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012 BibleTable of Contents Part I: Introducing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT BasicsQuick Start: Drawing a Window SummaryChapter 1: Starting to Draw Exploring AutoCADs Advantages Comparing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Starting AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Creating a New Drawing Using the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Interface Exploring the drawing area Exploring the Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar Using the Application menu Using the command line and dynamic input tooltip Exploring the status bar Creating a New Folder Using the Interface Saving a Drawing Closing a Drawing and Exiting from AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT SummaryChapter 2: Opening a Drawing Creating a New Drawing from a Template Working with Templates Customizing the default template Creating your own templates Creating a Drawing with Default Settings Opening an Existing Drawing Switching among open drawings
2. 2. Saving a Drawing under a New Name SummaryChapter 3: Using Commands Understanding the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT InterfaceWorking with the RibbonDisplaying and using menusUsing shortcut menusWorking with dialog boxesUsing the Quick Access ToolbarManaging palettesUsing the Tool Palettes window Using the Command Line and Dynamic InputEntering commands with Dynamic InputUnderstanding command namesResponding to commandsRepeating commandsUsing recent inputCanceling commandsUndoing a commandRedoing a commandUsing one command within another command Using Mice and Pucks Getting HelpGetting help on a commandUsing the main Help systemWorking with Help pages SummaryChapter 4: Specifying Coordinates Understanding the X,Y Coordinate SystemDrawing unitsTyping CoordinatesUsing the Dynamic Input tooltip to enter coordinates
3. 3. Working with absolute Cartesian coordinates Working with relative Cartesian coordinates Using polar coordinates Using direct distance entry Working in Orthogonal mode Using polar tracking Displaying Coordinates Picking Coordinates on the Screen Using Snap settings Using object snaps Running object snaps and Object Snap mode Overriding Coordinate Settings Locating Points Using object snap tracking Using the temporary tracking feature Finding points with point filters Finding offset points with the From feature SummaryChapter 5: Setting Up a Drawing Choosing Unit Types Setting the drawing units Setting the angle type Setting the angle measure and direction Drawing Limits Understanding Scales Working with scale formats Using annotative scales Customizing the scale list Deciding on a scale and sheet size Creating a Titleblock Specifying Common Setup Options Summary
4. 4. Part II: Drawing in Two Dimensions Chapter 6: Drawing Simple LinesUsing the LINE CommandDrawing RectanglesDrawing PolygonsCreating Construction LinesCreating RaysSummary Chapter 7: Drawing Curves and PointsDrawing CirclesUnderstanding the circle optionsCreating circlesDrawing ArcsUnderstanding arc optionsCreating arcsCreating Ellipses and Elliptical ArcsUnderstanding ellipse optionsUnderstanding elliptical arc optionsDrawing ellipses and elliptical arcsMaking DonutsUnderstanding DONUT optionsDrawing donutsPlacing PointsChanging the point styleCreating pointsSummary Chapter 8: Viewing Your DrawingRegenerating and Redrawing the DisplayPanningUsing the PAN commandUsing the scroll bars
5. 5. Using the ZOOM CommandUnderstanding ZOOM optionsUsing ZOOM Dynamic Using the SteeringWheels Creating Named ViewsSaving a viewDisplaying a viewManaging named viewsCreating animated presentations from named viewsUsing named views to manage a drawing Working with Tiled ViewportsConfiguring tiled viewportsUsing tiled viewportsSaving and restoring viewport configurations Using Snap Rotation Understanding User Coordinate SystemsUnderstanding UCS optionsSaving and restoring a custom UCSControlling the UCS icon Creating Isometric DrawingsUnderstanding isometric planesDrawing in Isometric mode SummaryChapter 9: Editing Your Drawing with Basic Tools Editing a DrawingUnderstanding object-selection basicsErasing objectsMoving objectsCopying objectsCopying and moving objects from one drawing to anotherRotating objectsScaling objects
6. 6. Using the CHANGE command Selecting Objects Selecting objects after choosing a command Cycling through objects Selecting objects before choosing a command Implied windowing Customizing the selection process SummaryChapter 10: Editing Your Drawing with Advanced Tools Copying and Moving Objects Mirroring objects Using the ARRAY command Offsetting objects Aligning objects Resizing commands Trimming objects Extending objects Lengthening and shortening objects Stretching objects Using Construction Commands Breaking objects Joining objects Creating chamfered corners Creating rounded corners Creating a Revision Cloud Hiding Objects with a Wipeout Constraining Objects with Parameters Using geometric constraints Auto-constraining objects Using dimensional constraints Working with the Parameters Manager Double-Clicking to Edit Objects
7. 7. Editing with Grips Stretching with grips Moving with grips Rotating with grips Scaling with grips Mirroring with grips Customizing grips Editing with the Quick Properties Palette and the Properties Palette Using the Quick Properties palette Using the Properties palette Working with object selection in the Properties palette Working with Selection Filters Using Quick Select to select objects Using the FILTER command Naming and editing filters Using filters Working with Groups Creating and modifying groups Using groups SummaryChapter 11: Organizing Drawings with Layers and Object Properties Working with Layers Understanding layers Creating new layers Using layers Using special layer tools Modifying layers Manipulating Object Color, Linetype, Lineweight, and Transparency Changing an objects color Changing the current color Altering an objects linetype Altering the current linetype
8. 8. Changing an objects lineweight Changing the current lineweight Altering an objects transparency Altering the current transparency Working with Linetype Scales Changing linetype spacing by using a different linetype Changing linetype spacing by changing the global linetype scale Altering linetype spacing by changing the object linetype scale Matching Properties SummaryChapter 12: Obtaining Information from Your Drawing Drawing-Level Information Listing the status of your drawing Listing system variables Tracking drawing time Object-Level Information Listing objects Finding coordinates Measuring objects Getting information from the Properties palette Getting information from the Quick Properties palette Dividing and Spacing Commands Dividing objects Measuring objects AutoCADs Calculator Calculating numbers Using coordinates Using object snaps Using the scientific calculator Converting units Working with QuickCalc variables Using QuickCalc in the Properties palette
9. 9. SummaryChapter 13: Creating Text Creating Single-Line Text Justifying single-line text Setting the height Setting the rotation angle Adding special characters and formatting Editing single-line text Understanding Text Styles Creating a new text style Renaming and deleting text styles Modifying a text style Making a style current or changing a text objects style Importing a text style Creating Multiline Text Using the In-Place Text Editor Creating text for different scales Editing paragraph text Importing text Creating Tables Inserting a table Specifying a table style Adding data to a table Modifying a table Inserting Fields Creating fields Editing and updating fields Managing Text Using Quicktext Using AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT fonts Turning off text layers Using MIRRTEXT
10. 10. Finding Text in Your Drawing Checking Your Spelling SummaryChapter 14: Drawing Dimensions Working with DimensionsUnderstanding the elements of a dimensionPreparing to dimension Drawing Linear DimensionsSpecifying the dimensioned objectUsing dimension optionsCreating jogged dimension lines Drawing Aligned DimensionsSpecifying the dimensioned objectUsing the options Creating Baseline and Continued DimensionsDrawing baseline dimensionsDrawing continued dimensions Dimensioning Arcs and CirclesMarking arc and circle centersDimensioning arc lengthsCreating radial dimensionsCreating diameter dimensions Dimensioning Angles Creating Ordinate Dimensions Drawing LeadersCreating a multileaderEditing multileadersCreating a multileader styleAligning and combining leaders Using Quick Dimension Creating Inspection Dimensions Creating Geometric Tolerances
11. 11. Starting the tolerance frameInserting the tolerance frameEditing a tolerance frame Editing DimensionsEditing associativityUsing the DIMEDIT commandUsing the DIMTEDIT commandFlipping dimension arrowsEditing dimension textUsing the Properties palette to edit dimensionsChanging annotative scalesSpacing dimensions equally apartBreaking dimensionsUsing Quick Dimension to edit dimensionsUsing grips to edit dimensionsEditing objects and dimensions together SummaryChapter 15: Creating Dimension Styles Understanding Dimension Styles Defining a New Dimension StyleManaging dimension linesDefining symbols and arrowsManaging dimension textFitting dimensions into tight spacesDefining primary unitsDefining alternate unitsFormatting tolerances Changing Dimension StylesChoosing a new current dimension styleCreating a variant of a dimension styleModifying a dimension to use a new dimension styleModifying dimension styles
12. 12. Overriding a dimension style Updating dimensions Comparing dimension styles SummaryChapter 16: Drawing Complex Objects Creating and Editing Polylines Using the PLINE command Editing polylines with the PEDIT command Grip editing polylines Editing polylines with the Properties palette or Quick Properties palette Drawing and Editing Splines Understanding splines Creating splines Editing splines Creating Regions Creating Boundaries Creating Hatches Understanding hatch patterns Defining a hatch Determining the hatch boundary Managing Islands Dragging and dropping hatch patterns Creating gradient fills Editing hatches Using the SOLID command Creating and Editing Multilines Creating a multiline style Drawing multilines Editing multilines Creating Dlines in AutoCAD LT Using the SKETCH Command Digitizing Drawings with the TABLET Command
13. 13. Summary Chapter 17: Plotting and Printing Your DrawingPreparing a Drawing for Plotting or PrintingDoing a draft plotPlotting a drawing from model spaceCreating a Layout in Paper SpaceEntering paper spaceUsing the Layout WizardLaying out a drawing in paper space on your ownAnnotating a layoutSaving a layout templateWorking with Plot StylesSetting the plot-style modeCreating a plot-style tableAttaching a plot-style table to a layoutSetting the plot-style property for a layer or objectPlotting a DrawingSpecifying plot settingsPreviewing your plotCreating a plot stampCreating the plotSummaryPart III: Working with Data Chapter 18: Working with BlocksCombining Objects into BlocksUnderstanding base points and insertion pointsCreating a blockSaving blocks as filesReplacing an existing fileInserting Blocks and Files into DrawingsUsing the Insert dialog box
14. 14. Using the DesignCenter Managing Blocks Working with layers Exploding blocks Using the XPLODE command Redefining a block Editing blocks Creating and Using Dynamic Blocks Understanding action-based parameters Understanding the work flow of dynamic blocks Defining a dynamic block with action-based parameters Inserting and using dynamic blocks Using Windows Features to Copy Data Manipulating objects with the Windows Clipboard Using drag-and-drop SummaryChapter 19: Adding Attributes to Blocks Working with Attributes Creating attribute definitions Mode section Attribute section Text Settings section Insertion Point section Creating the block Inserting blocks with attributes Editing attributes Editing attribute properties with the BATTMAN command Editing attribute properties with the ATTEDIT command Making global changes in attributes Redefining attributes Extracting a database from attributes Summary
15. 15. Chapter 20: Referencing Other DrawingsUnderstanding External ReferencesAttaching an external referenceOpening an xrefUsing the External References paletteEditing an Xref within Your DrawingChoosing the xref or block to editEditing the xrefControlling Xref DisplayWorking with dependent symbols in xrefsAvoiding circular referencesClipping xrefsSpeeding up the display of large xrefsManaging XrefsGetting xref notificationUsing DesignCenter to Attach a DrawingAttaching Xrefs and Drawings from the Content ExplorerCreating an xref log fileWorking with DWF, DGN, and PDF UnderlaysAttaching a DWF underlayAttaching a DGN underlayAttaching a PDF underlayModifying an underlaySummaryPart IV: Drawing in Three Dimensions Chapter 21: Specifying 3D CoordinatesWorking in a 3D EnvironmentUsing 3D CoordinatesAbsolute and relative Cartesian coordinates in 3DCylindrical and spherical coordinatesUsing editing commands with 3D wireframesUsing point filters, object snaps, object tracking, and grips in 3D
16. 16. Creating 3D polylines Creating helixes Using point clouds Using Elevation and Thickness Creating surfaces with thickness Using the HIDE command Controlling the display of hidden lines and objects Adding elevation to objects Working with the User Coordinate System UCSs and viewpoints Dragging the UCS icon Using UCS options to change the UCS Changing the UCS dynamically SummaryChapter 22: Viewing 3D Drawings Working with the Standard Viewpoints Using the VPOINT command Looking at a drawing from the standard viewpoints Using DDVPOINT Using the ViewCube to View Your Drawing Creating a Named View with a Camera Creating a camera Editing a camera Adding a Background to a Named View Displaying a Quick Plan View Displaying Parallel and Perspective Projections Using 3D Orbit Starting 3D Orbit Navigating with 3D Orbit Refining your 3D Orbit view Using ShowMotion to Cycle Through Views Creating shots
17. 17. Displaying shots Walking through a Model Navigating in Walk mode Specifying Walk mode settings Flying through a model Saving the walk as a movie file Using a motion path to save a movie file Navigating with the SteeringWheels Using DVIEW to Create a Perspective View Using DVIEW Understanding the DVIEW options Working with Visual Styles Displaying visual styles in AutoCAD Creating custom visual styles Using the shading options in AutoCAD LT Display materials, textures, and lights as you work Laying Out 3D Drawings Flattening 3D drawings Creating 2D view objects Using SOLVIEW to lay out paper space viewports Using SOLDRAW to create hidden lines and hatching Using SOLPROF to create profiles Printing in 3D SummaryChapter 23: Creating 3D Surfaces Drawing Surfaces with 3DFACE Using the 3DFACE command Making 3D face edges invisible Drawing Surfaces with PFACE Creating Polygon Meshes with 3DMESH Using the 3DMESH command Drawing Procedural and NURBS Surfaces
18. 18. Creating Planar Surfaces Revolved surfaces Drawing an Extruded Surface Working with the TABSURF command Working with the EXTRUDE command Sweeping objects along a path Drawing Surfaces Between Objects Creating ruled surfaces Lofting objects Using the EDGESURF command Using the SURFNETWORK command Connecting surfaces with the SURFBLEND command Patching holes with the SURFPATCH command Editing and Analyzing Surfaces Creating surfaces with the SURFOFFSET command Trimming and extending surfaces Filleting surfaces with the SURFFILLET command Projecting objects onto surfaces Analyzing surfaces Working with Multiple Types of Objects Converting 2D objects to surfaces Converting meshes to smooth surfaces Thickening a surface into a solid Sculpting surfaces to create a solid Extracting edges from a surface or a region SummaryChapter 24: Creating Solids and Editing in 3D Drawing Basic Smooth Solids Drawing a box Drawing a wedge Drawing a cone Drawing a sphere
19. 19. Drawing a cylinderDrawing a torusDrawing a pyramidCreating Extruded SolidsManaging objects used to make other objectsUsing the EXTRUDE commandDrawing Swept SolidsDrawing Revolved SolidsDrawing Lofted SolidsDrawing Polyline-Like SolidsManipulating SolidsGrip-editing solidsSelecting sub-objectsMoving, rotating, and scaling with the gizmosWorking with Mesh ShapesCreating meshesEditing meshesConverting solids and meshesCreating Complex SolidsCombining solidsSubtracting solidsCreating a solid from the intersection of two solidsCreating a solid from surfaces that enclose a volumeCreating a new solid by using INTERFEREPressing or pulling a regionUsing solid historySectioning and Slicing SolidsUsing the SECTION commandCreating an interactive section objectUsing the SLICE commandUsing Editing Commands in 3DMirroring in 3DArraying in 3D
20. 20. Rotating in 3D Aligning in 3D Trimming and extending in 3D Filleting in 3D Chamfering in 3D Exploding and converting 3D objects Using the SOLIDEDIT Command Editing faces Editing edges Editing bodies Listing Solid Properties SummaryChapter 25: Rendering in 3D Understanding Rendering Learning the steps Doing a default rendering Creating Lights Setting the default light Creating a point light Specifying a target point light Creating a spotlight Creating a Free spotlight Producing a distant light Simulating the sun Managing lights Working with Materials Attaching a material from the Materials Browser Using the Materials Editor palette Creating your own materials Attaching and removing materials Using backgrounds Doing the Final Render
21. 21. Using Statistics Saving rendered images SummaryPart V: Organizing and Managing DrawingsChapter 26: Keeping Control of Your Drawings Accessing Drawing Components with the Content Explorer Finding Components with the DesignCenter Finding named components and drawings Accessing named drawing components Purging Unused Components Accessing Drawing Content with Tool Palettes Creating a new tool palette Adding content tools Adding command tools Copying a tool Setting tool properties Organizing tool palettes Using a tool palette Setting Standards for Drawings Using the CAD Standards tools Using layer notification Translating layers Renaming named objects Working with Sheet Sets Understanding sheet sets Creating a sheet set Setting up sheet set references Using a sheet set Organizing Your Drawings Archiving drawings Finding drawings Specifying drawing properties
22. 22. Maintaining Security Password protection Digital signatures Keeping Track of Referenced Files Handling Errors and Crashes Taking care of temporary files Repairing corrupted drawing files Using backup drawings Recovering from a crash Managing Drawings from Prior Releases SummaryChapter 27: Working with Other Applications Importing and Exporting Other File Formats Exporting drawings Importing files Working with Raster Images Attaching images Managing images Clipping images Controlling image display Pasting, Linking, and Embedding Objects Embedding objects into a drawing Using Paste Special Linking data SummaryChapter 28: Creating Electronic Output Sending Drawings Using eTransmit Specifying transmittal settings Opening Drawings from the Web Using the Browse the Web dialog box Using i-drop to drag objects into a drawing
23. 23. Working with drawings on AutoCAD WS Creating Object HyperlinksCreating a hyperlinkUsing a hyperlinkEditing a hyperlink Publishing DrawingsUnderstanding DWF and DWFx filesCreating 2D DWF and DWFx filesCreating 3D DWF and DWFx filesUsing the Publish to Web WizardPosting DWF and DWFx files directlyEditing web pagesViewing DWF and DWFx drawings SummaryPart VI: Customizing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTChapter 29: Customizing Commands, Toolbars, and Tool Palettes Working with Customizable FilesEditing customizable filesBacking up customizable filesUsing the command-line form of commandsDocumenting your files Creating Shortcuts for CommandsCreating shortcuts to Windows programsCreating keyboard shortcuts to commands Customizing ToolbarsCustomizing classic toolbarsRemoving buttons from an existing toolbarCreating a new toolbarRemoving custom commands Customizing the Quick Access ToolbarCreating and displaying a Quick Access ToolbarAdding a drop-down list
24. 24. Customizing Tool Palettes SummaryChapter 30: Creating Macros and Slide Shows Creating Macros with Script Files Creating the script file Running a script file Recording Actions Creating an action macro Editing an action macro Managing a macro file Playing back a macro Creating Slide Shows Creating slides Viewing slides Using scripts to create slide shows Creating Slide Libraries SummaryChapter 31: Creating Your Own Linetypes and Hatch Patterns Creating Linetypes Creating simple linetypes Creating complex linetypes Creating Hatch Patterns SummaryChapter 32: Creating Shapes and Fonts Creating Shapes Using shape files Creating shape files Editing shape files Creating Fonts SummaryChapter 33: Customizing the Ribbon and Menus
25. 25. Working with the Customization File Understanding the Customization file Loading and unloading customization files Customizing the Interface Looking at a ribbon panel Writing macros Customizing the ribbon Customizing the Menu bar and shortcuts menus Customizing mouse buttons and tablet buttons Customizing image-tile menus Customizing tablet menus Creating keyboard shortcuts Customizing the double-click behavior Customizing the Quick Properties palette and rollover tooltips SummaryPart VII: Programming AutoCADChapter 34: Understanding AutoLISP and Visual LISP Basics Introducing Visual LISP Opening Visual LISP Opening and loading an AutoLISP file with Visual LISP Loading an AutoLISP file Using an AutoLISP routine in AutoCAD Looking at an AutoLISP routine Using the Visual LISP editor Closing a file and Visual LISP Getting Help in Visual LISP Working with AutoLISP Expressions Understanding AutoLISP syntax Working with numbers and text Using AutoLISP on the Command Line Creating AutoLISP Files Summary
26. 26. Chapter 35: Exploring AutoLISP Further Creating Variables Working with AutoCAD Commands Accessing AutoCAD commands Creating functions Creating functions with arguments Working with system variables Working with Lists Using lists for coordinates Creating dotted pairs Setting Conditions Using Conditional statements Using Loop statements Managing Drawing Objects Getting information about an object Modifying objects Creating selection sets Getting Input from the User Putting on the Finishing Touches SummaryChapter 36: Exploring Advanced AutoLISP Topics Understanding Global and Local Variables Working with Visual LISP ActiveX Functions Reviewing AutoLISP retrieval and modification Using ActiveX with Visual LISP Debugging Code Using the Error Trace window Working with breakpoints Using the Watch window SummaryChapter 37: Programming with .NET Starting to Work with VB.NET
27. 27. Opening the VB.NET environmentGetting acquainted with VB.NETInvestigating the hierarchy modelAccessing helpWriting VB.NET CodeLooking at VB.NET syntaxSaving and opening a VB.NET projectCompiling, loading, and using a VB.NET projectUsing the VB.NET EditorUnderstanding variablesCreating VB.NET statementsGetting User InputCreating Dialog BoxesUnderstanding the Toolbox windowChanging dialog box propertiesAdding dialog box controlsModifying ObjectsUsing constantsUsing functionsTrapping ErrorsMoving to Advanced ProgrammingSummaryA Final WordPart VIII: Appendixes Appendix A: Installing and Configuring AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTPreparing to installStarting installationInstalling the VBA enablerInstalling network licenses and CAD Manager toolsChanging an installationAuthorizing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTCreating and modifying a workspace
28. 28. Switching between workspaces Customizing the status bar Configuring options Using command-line switches Understanding configuration files Creating multiple configurations Using the Plotter Manager Editing a plotter configurationAppendix B: AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Resources Using AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT Help resources Learning from your reseller Taking a course Learning from other users Reading magazines and newslettersAppendix C: Whats on the DVD Using the Drawings folder Using the Results folder Accessing resources from the Links folder Using the Videos folder Using the Bonus Exercise and Bonus Chapter 1 folders Finding software in the Software folder Finding software
29. 29. AutoCAD 2012& AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible Ellen FinkelsteinAutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 BiblePublished byWiley Publishing, Inc.10475 Crosspoint BoulevardIndianapolis, IN 46256www.wiley.comThis book is printed on acid-free paper.Copyright 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. All rightsreservedPublished by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New JerseyPublished simultaneously in CanadaISBN: 978-1-118-02221-4Printed in the United States of America10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior writtenpermission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriateper-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers,MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at
30. 30. www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should beaddressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 RiverStreet, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online athttp://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and the author haveused their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations orwarranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of thisbook and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability orfitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended bysales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategiescontained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with aprofessional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall beliable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but notlimited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.For general information about our other products and services, please contactour Customer Care Department within the United States at (877) 762-2974,outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.Library of Congress Control Number: 2011930299Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and related trade dress are trademarks orregistered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in theUnited States and other countries, and may not be used without writtenpermission. AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT are registered trademarks of Autodesk,Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. WileyPublishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in thisbook.Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Not all content that is available in standard print versions of this bookmay appear or be packaged in all book formats. If you have purchased a versionof this book that did not include media that is referenced by or accompanies astandard print version, you may request this media by visitinghttp://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit uswww.wiley.com.
31. 31. About the AuthorEllen Finkelstein learned AutoCAD in Israel, where she always got to pore over the manual becauseit was in English. After returning to the United States, she started consulting and teaching AutoCADas well as other computer programs, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. She has alsotaught courses on Web writing and usability. Her Web site, www.ellenfinkelstein.com, contains tipsand techniques for AutoCAD, PowerPoint, and presenting, and she publishes the AutoCAD TipsBlog and the AutoCAD Tips Newsletter. Ellen has written extensively on AutoCAD, includingarticles for Autodesks Web site and features for AutoCADs Help system. Ellens first book wasAutoCAD For Dummies Quick Reference. Since then, she has written books on PowerPoint,OpenOffice.org (OpenOffice.org For Dummies), Flash (including Flash CS5 For Dummies), andWeb technologies (Syndicating Web Sites with RSS Feeds For Dummies). Youre holding the twelfthedition (wow!) of this book, which previously appeared for AutoCAD releases 14, 2000, 2002, 2004,2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.To MMY, for teaching me that theres more to life than meets the eye and that the deeperlevels of life are the most intelligent, powerful, and blissful.
32. 32. Credits Senior Acquisitions Editor Stephanie McComb Executive Editor Jody Lefevere Project Editor Jade L. Williams Technical Editors Lee AmbrosiusJames H. Murphy Copy Editor Marylouise Wiack Editorial Director Robyn Siesky Editorial Manager Rosemarie Graham Business Manager Amy Knies Senior Marketing Manager Sandy Smith Vice President and Executive Group Publisher Richard Swadley
33. 33. Vice President and Executive PublisherBarry PruettProject CoordinatorKatherine CrockerGraphics and Production SpecialistsClaudia BellMelanee HabigAndrea HornbergerQuality Control TechnicianRebecca DenoncourProofreadingEvelyn C. WellbornIndexingBIM Indexing & Proofreading ServicesMedia Development Project ManagerLaura MossMedia Development Assistant Project ManagerJenny SwisherMedia Development Associate ProducerMarilyn Hummel
34. 34. F ore w ordWelcome!Whether you are an experienced AutoCAD user or a newer member of the community, you havejust made a great investment with the AutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible. This book will bea valuable reference and guide that we expect you to use on a regular basis to help you becomemore proficient and more productive with AutoCAD.The AutoCAD Bible is an excellent, comprehensive guide for getting up to speed quickly on thepower of AutoCAD 2012. Everything from the basics of AutoCAD drafting and documentation toolsto 3D modeling and design to customization and programming is covered in this book. You willhave access to real-world examples and AutoCAD drawings that will help you understand andapply new concepts through hands-on exercises. With the step-by-step examples, you will be ableto follow along easily and continue learning at your own pace, at any time.Ellen has been writing books about AutoCAD and participating in the AutoCAD community formany years, and has established herself as a passionate AutoCAD contributor. She is an activemember of the AutoCAD beta community and is helping to shape the future of AutoCAD. You canbe assured that you are getting guidance from one of the most experienced professionals in thisfield.Now that you have access to the wealth of information in this AutoCAD Bible, you can jump rightin. Pick out a topic or tool you want to learn about, and discover new ways to take advantage of thepower of AutoCAD 2012. Expand your knowledge and find new ways to work with AutoCAD fordesign and documentation.Thank you, Ellen, for delivering another terrific edition of the AutoCAD Bible. I know our AutoCADcommunity will appreciate your guidance and benefit greatly from your expertise.Diane LiSenior Product Manager, AutoCADAutodesk, Inc.
35. 35. Introduc tionWelcome to the AutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible. Whether you use AutoCAD orAutoCAD LT, youll find complete explanations of all the powerful features that you need to knowabout to design and draw anything. This book is intended to be your comprehensive guide to boththe AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT programs.This book covers every significant AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT feature. If youre a beginning user,youll find everything you need to start out; if youre already using AutoCAD or AutoCAD LTregularly, the book covers advanced material as well. Although you can use this book as a tutorial ifyoure just starting out or learning a new set of features, it also provides a solid reference base tocome back to again and again. The short tutorials on almost every topic will quickly have youcreating professional-level drawings. The DVD is chock-full of drawings, a trial version of bothAutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012, and add-in programs (which are for AutoCAD only). Thisbook contains all that you need to make full use of either program.AutoCAD 2012 offers a wide range of new features, including expanded arrays, a way to store andopen drawings online (AutoCAD WS), faster creation of groups, a new interface to access drawingcontent (the Content Explorer), and many small additions to improve your efficiency in both 2Dand 3D drawings.Is This Book for You?The AutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible covers all of the essential features of AutoCAD andAutoCAD LT and includes clear, real-life examples and tutorials that you can adapt to your needs.Although I fully cover the basics, I have also included material on the many advanced features, suchas AutoLISP, 3D modeling, rendering, and customization. (Most of the advanced features apply toAutoCAD only.) The following categories should help you decide whether this book is for you.If you are a new AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT userIf you are new to AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, the AutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible guidesyou through all that you need to know to start drawing effectively, whatever your field. Just start atthe beginning.If you are upgrading to AutoCAD 2012 or AutoCAD LT2012This book highlights all of the new features and helps you to make the upgrade transition asseamless as possible. Look for the New Feature icons.If you are switching from another CAD program
36. 36. You already know what CAD is all about. This book clearly explains the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTway of drawing the models that you have already been drawing. In addition, youll find a great dealof essential information about transferring files and data from other formats.H ow This Book Is Org a niz e dThis book is divided into eight parts and also includes a DVD.Part I: Introducing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT BasicsPart I provides the background information that you need to start drawing. It starts with a quicktour that has you drawing right away and then covers how to start a drawing, use commands,specify coordinates, and set up a drawing.Part II: Drawing in Two DimensionsPart II covers all of the commands and procedures for drawing and editing in two dimensions. Inaddition, I discuss how to control the drawing process with layers, zooming, and panning. This partalso includes information about dimensioning, plotting, and printing.Part III: Working with DataPart III covers many ways to organize and share data, including using blocks, attributes, andexternal references.Part IV: Drawing in Three DimensionsPart IV explains everything that you need to know to draw in three dimensions. It also discusseshow to present 3D drawings using shading and rendering techniques.Part V: Organizing and Managing DrawingsPart V helps you to incorporate AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT into your workflow by explaining howto set standards, manage drawings, and work with other applications. It concludes with a chapteron creating electronic output.Part VI: Customizing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTPart VI introduces the tools that you need to customize commands, toolbars, linetypes, hatchpatterns, shapes, fonts, and the ribbon. Youll also find a chapter on creating macros with script filesas well as the Action Recorder.Part VII: Programming AutoCADPart VII introduces you to programming AutoCAD. It includes three chapters on AutoLISP andVisual LISP, and one chapter on VB.net. This part applies to AutoCAD only.Part VIII: Appendixes
37. 37. Part VIII provides additional information for AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT users. Appendix A givesinstructions for installing and configuring AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. Appendix B coversadditional resources for AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT users. Appendix C explains what youll find onthe DVD.The DVDThe DVD contains all of the drawings that you need to do the exercises in this book. These drawingsare a great resource to help you learn using real-world examples. In addition, the DVD includes thedrawings that result after you finish an exercise or tutorial. In this way, you can check whether youhave done an exercise correctly. If you lose the DVD or have an electronic version of this book, youcan download the drawings at www.wiley.com/go/autocad2012bible.The DVD also contains many add-on programs that I hope you will find useful. I am especiallypleased to include 30-day trial versions of AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012 on the DVD. Inaddition, I have created some video tutorials to help you visualize some of the exercises. Thereseven a Bonus Chapter on connecting to external databases. For more information, read AppendixC.H ow to U se This BookYou can use this book in two ways: as a tutorial and learning tool, or as a reference.As a tutorialThe overall organization of the book goes from simple to complex, and each chapter has severalstep-by-step exercises. This enables you to use the book as a tutorial, from beginning to end. Youcan always go back and redo any exercise when you need to refresh your memory on a particularfeature. Ive taught AutoCAD using this book and it makes a great textbook!For newcomers to AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, Parts I (Introducing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTBasics) and II (Drawing in Two Dimensions) are essential. After that, you can refer to chapters thatinterest you. Parts III (Working with Data) and V (Organizing and Managing Drawings) are alsouseful for beginners. Intermediate users will probably be familiar with most of the material in Part Iand will be more likely to skip around, looking for the specific topics that they need. However, dontforget that many new features are introduced in Part I. Enough material appears in this book tobring intermediate users up to an advanced level.I have designed this book to be comprehensive and to include every significant feature of AutoCADand AutoCAD LT. Therefore, do not be concerned if some of the material seems too advanced. Itwill be there when you are ready for it.As a referenceThe AutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible is organized as a reference that you can usewhenever you are stuck, or when you try to do something for the first time. Each chapter covers atopic completely, making it easy to find what youre looking for. You can do each Steps exercise
38. 38. (with a few exceptions) on its own without doing the other exercises in the chapter. You can easilylook up a topic and complete a related exercise without having to go through the entire chapter. Acomplete index at the back of the book can also help you to find features and topics.Using the Kindle versionThe AutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible is available in a Kindle version. Unfortunately, theDVD doesnt come with this version. Therefore, you need to access the drawings fromwww.wiley.com/go/autocad2012bible. In addition, you can download a 30-day trial of AutoCADfrom www.autodesk.com/autocad-trial. For AutoCAD LT, go to www.autodesk.com/autocadlt-trial.D oing the E x e rc ise sI recommend that you do the exercises from the beginning. These earlier exercises includeimportant instructions that may affect your system later. For example, one of the first exercises is tocreate a new folder to hold the drawings for other exercises. This folder keeps your exercisedrawings separate from other drawings that have been created in your office. However, mostexercises stand on their own so that you can go back and do only the exercises that you need.AutoCAD is a very customizable program. AutoCAD LT can also be customized in many ways,although to a lesser extent. This book assumes that you are working with the default setup.However, a number of changes may have been made to your system that could result in the userinterface and drawings appearing or even functioning differently from those shown in this book. Ifyou installed AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT yourself and made some adjustments, you know whatchanges you have made. However, if you are using a computer that was set up by someone else, itmay help to talk to that person first, to see what changes they made.In addition, as you workthrough some of the exercises in this book, you will make certain changes in the programs setup.Most of these are minor changes that any user would make while drawing. For safety, Cautions andTips accompany all changes that could have serious consequences, such as customizing the menu.For example, when customizing the menu, you will be instructed to copy the menu file under anew name, and you will then work with the new menu file, not the original one. Nevertheless, ifyou are working on a network or sharing your computer with someone else, it is important toconsult with others who may be affected by the changes that you make.Cross-ReferenceYou c a n c re a te y our own c onfig ura tion to he lp e nsure tha t c e rta in c ha ng e s tha t y ou m a k e will not a ffe c tothe rs. Instruc tions for doing this a ppe a r in Appe ndix A unde r the he a ding Cre a ting MultipleConfig ura tions. nThe exercises in the AutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible have been carefully checked by atechnical editor to ensure accuracy. However, we cannot anticipate all situations, due to eithervarying hardware and software configurations or customization. If you have a problem with anexercise, contact me at the e-mail address listed at the end of this Introduction so that I can correctthe problem in the books next edition. I will also try to give you the information that you need tocomplete the exercise.
39. 39. Conv e ntions U se d in This BookGiven all the ways in which you can execute a command in AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, youll findit useful to read this section, which describes this books typographical conventions. You will findthis section helpful for doing the step-by-step exercises as well.Using commandsAutoCAD and AutoCAD LT offer workspaces (covered fully in Appendix A) that provide verydifferent ways of executing commands. The default workspace, Drafting & Annotation, uses theribbon and Application menu, whereas the Classic workspace uses more traditional menus andtoolbars. I use the default workspace (or the 3D Modeling workspace for 3D drawing in AutoCAD)throughout the book. All workspaces offer a command line, where you can execute a command byentering its name.When I explain how to execute a command, I give the instructions for doing so on the ribbon. Inaddition, I almost always provide the name of the command so that you can enter it on thecommand line.The new ribbon created a quandary for me, because I know that some people, especially thoseupgrading from earlier releases, dont use it; instead, they will prefer to use the Classic workspacewith its familiar menus and toolbars. However, I felt that explaining how to execute each commandin three ways (the ribbon, the menu/toolbar, and the command line) would be awkward, perhapsconfusing, and space-consuming.So what should you do if you are using this book with the Classic workspace? In many cases,especially if youre upgrading, youll already know where to find familiar commands. For newcommands, its easy to find their location in the Classic workspace by going to the Help system.Follow these steps:1. Type the name of the command on the command line or in the Dynamic Input box.2. Press F1 to open the Help window of Autodesk Exchange.3. Look at the top of the right-hand pane, where youll find instructions for all the availablemethods of executing the command.When referring to the ribbon, I might say, Choose Home tabDraw panelLine, which means toclick the Home tab if its not already displayed, look for the Draw control panel, and click the Linebutton in that panel. If youre not sure which button to click, hover the mouse cursor over a buttonto see its tooltip, which provides more information. You can expand many control panels byclicking their title at the bottom of the ribbon; if a command is on the expanded section, I indicatethat in the instruction.A few of the ribbon panels have drop-down lists, which are equivalent to sub-menus. Therefore, toindicate which button to click, I may need to tell you to choose View tabNavigation panelZoomdrop-down listZoom Extents. Although I havent found a good alternative, this is not completelysatisfactory for two reasons. First, its a mouthful! Second, the drop-down lists names do not
40. 40. appear, making it hard to know which is the Zoom drop-down list. However, in most cases, thebutton icon will make it obvious which drop-down list Im talking about.To indicate that you should choose a command from the Application menu, for example, I say,Choose Application ButtonSave, which means that you should click the Application Button atthe upper-left corner of the application window (which opens the Application menu), and thenclick the Save item.Every command also has a command name that you can type on the command line, which appearsat the bottom of your screen. Command names are shown in capital letters, as in CIRCLE. AutoLISPfunctions (which apply to AutoCAD only) are shown in small capital letters, as in command.FiguresIn order to create clear, legible figures, I have used a white background in AutoCAD. However,many people use a black or dark gray drawing area. In Appendix A, I explain how to change thiscolor. As you read through the book, you should be aware that you may see on your screen anegative image of what I show in the figures a dark background and light-colored objects. Onceyou get used to this difference, youll easily recognize what you see in the figures.In AutoCAD, the 3D environment further changes what you see on your screen. The default 3Dbackground is gray. Again, I have sometimes changed the background color to white for thepurpose of creating a clear figure.Prompts, your input, and instructionsIn the step-by-step exercises, most instructions are presented in the same font and style that you arereading now. However, when I reproduce the command line, the prompts appear in anonproportional font. Other instructions (such as Type the first coordinate) are shown in italic. Inany context, input that you need to type appears in bold.The Dynamic Input feature shows prompts near your cursor, but additional options only appear ifyou click the down arrow on your keyboard. To make clear all of the available options, I use thecommand line format of prompts.I often refer to specific elements in a drawing. References to these elements appear in the text asnumbers in circles, such as 1, 2, 3, and so on. Youll find the corresponding number in the figure towhich the text refers.Mouse and keyboard termsYou can draw using a mouse or a puck. The mouse is familiar to all users. A puck (or sometimes astylus) is used with a digitizing tablet. Because most users do not have a digitizing tablet, I do notdirectly refer to it in this book. If you have one, follow the instructions for using the mouse in thesame way but using your puck.A mouse can have two or more buttons. Many users like using a mouse with at least three buttonsbecause you can customize the buttons to suit your needs. However, because many mice have only
41. 41. two buttons, I assume only two plus a wheel. The left mouse button is used to choose commandsand toolbar buttons and to pick points in your drawing. For this reason, it is sometimes called thepick button. The right button usually opens a shortcut menu.The time-sensitive right-clicking feature enables you to use the right button either to open ashortcut menu or as the equivalent of pressing Enter. Because this feature is not on by default, I donot assume that you have turned it on. I use the term right-click when you need to access a shortcutmenu. If you have time-sensitive right-clicking turned on, you need to hold down the right mousebutton for more than 250 milliseconds (by default) to display the shortcut menu. See Chapter 3 andAppendix A for more details.If I say one of the following Choose Application ButtonOptions Choose Home tabDraw control panelLine Select the circle in your drawingit means you need to use the left button on your mouse.When I say to press Enter, it means that you need to press the key that is marked Enter, Return, or on your keyboard. Often I use the bent arrow symbol that you see on your Enter key to indicatethat you should press Enter.I also use the mouse terms listed in the following table. M ous e Te r m sTe r m D e s c r i pt i on The shape on your screen that shows you where the mouse is pointed. It can take a number ofCursor forms, such as crosshairs, a pickbox, or an arrow. It is also known as the mouse pointer.PickboxA type of cursor consisting of a small box, used to select drawing objects.Crosshairs A type of cursor consisting of intersecting lines, sometimes with a pickbox at their center.Pick Point to a drawing object and click the left mouse button.ClickPress the left mouse button once and release it.Double- Press the left mouse button twice in rapid succession.clickClick and Click the left mouse button and hold it down while you move the mouse, dragging an object ondragyour screen with it. Click a ribbon item, menu item, toolbar button, or dialog box item. You can sometimes choose an item using the keyboard, as well. I also use this word when you need to choose a commandChoose option, which you can do by choosing from a shortcut menu with a mouse, as well as by typing the options abbreviation on the keyboard.Right- Press the right mouse button once and release it. If you have turned on time-sensitive right-
42. 42. click clicking, hold the right mouse button for at least 250 milliseconds (by default) before releasingit.Shift andWhile holding down the Shift key, press the left mouse button once and release it.clickShift andWhile holding down the Shift key, press the right mouse button once and release it.right-clickShift andmouse Press the Shift key and hold down the mouse wheel, using it like a button.wheelHighlight an object in a drawing by picking it or by using another object selection method, orSelecthighlight text in a dialog box or text document.Wha t the Ic ons Me a nThe AutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible is liberally sprinkled with icons symbols in the leftmargin that call your attention to noteworthy points.AutoCAD OnlyThis ic on m e a ns tha t the fe a ture tha t I a m disc ussing is not a v a ila ble in AutoCAD L T. nCautionThe Ca ution ic on m e a ns tha t y ou should pa y spe c ia l a tte ntion to the inform a tion or instruc tions be c a use y ouc ould c a use a proble m othe rwise . nCross-ReferenceCross-re fe re nc e s re fe r y ou to a re la te d topic e lse whe re in the book . Be c a use y ou m a y not re a d this bookstra ig ht throug h from c ov e r to c ov e r, y ou c a n use c ross-re fe re nc e s to quic k ly find just the inform a tion y oune e d. nNew FeatureThe Ne w F e a ture ic on m e a ns tha t a fe a ture is ne w to AutoCAD 2012 or AutoCAD L T 2012 or ha s be e nsig nific a ntly c ha ng e d. nNoteA Note ic on a le rts y ou to som e im porta nt point tha t re quire s spe c ia l a tte ntion, or a dditiona l inform a tion tha tm a y be he lpful. nOn the DVDThe O n the DVD ic on hig hlig hts re fe re nc e s to re la te d m a te ria l on the DVD. nTipA Tip shows y ou a wa y to a c c om plish a ta sk m ore e ffic ie ntly or quic k ly . Youll find ple nty of pra c tic a la dv ic e he re . nOthe r Informa tion
43. 43. This book assumes that you know the basics of Windows, although the instructions that youll readhere are usually detailed enough to get you through any task.The AutoCAD 2012 & AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible covers AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012.However, most of the information also applies to the 2011 release of both programs. I have usedAutoCAD in Windows 7, but almost everything also applies to Windows XP and Windows Vista,although some of the screens will look different. If you are using AutoCAD LT 2012, again, some ofthe screens will look different. Where there is a significant difference between AutoCAD andAutoCAD LT, I explain the difference.Conta c ting the AuthorI would be happy to hear any comments that you have about this book. The best way to contact meis by e-mail at ellen@ellenfinkelstein.com. You can also use the United States Postal Service(a.k.a. snail mail) and write to me in care of Wiley. Please note that I cant provide technical supportfor my readers. The publisher maintains a page on its site that includes the drawings used in theexercises (in case you lose your DVD) and any errata at www.wiley.com/go/autocad2012bible. Ihave my own Web site at www.ellenfinkelstein.com that contains information on my books, errata(at www.ellenfinkelstein.com/autoCAD.html#errata), and AutoCAD, including many AutoCAD tips.I invite you to sign up there for my free AutoCAD Tips Newsletter, so that you can continue thelearning process. Go to www.ellenfinkelstein.com/acad_submit.html.Please note that some special symbols used in this eBook may not display properly on all eReaderdevices. If you have trouble determining any symbol, please call Wiley Product Technical Support at800-762-2974. Outside of the United States, please call 317-572-3993. You can also contact WileyProduct Technical Support at www.wiley.com/techsupport.
44. 44. Ac k now le dg me ntsI would like to offer special thanks to Stephanie McComb, my acquisitions editor, who was verysupportive throughout the writing of this book.A huge thank-you goes to Jade Williams, whose extensive organizing power kept the book on track.Jade kept up with a seemingly infinite number of versions of text documents and images,coordinating the writing, editing, and production of the entire book. Shes been doing it for years,an amazing accomplishment!My thanks to Lee Ambrosius (www.hyperpics.com), the highly knowledgeable technical editor formost of the book. Lees comments improved the book throughout. In addition, Lee also took onabout one-third of the chapters to update; his expert help made this huge project a lot easier. Hecompletely rewrote Chapter 37 to cover programming AutoCAD with VB.NET. James Murphy didthe technical editing for Lees chapters. They are both AutoCAD authorities and you, the reader,benefit.I especially want to give credit to Grahame Ede, an AutoCAD teacher and consultant in Australia,for metricating three of the exercises in this book. His expertise was invaluable. And Thanks to PanYue (Mimi) for taking some of the screen captures of the dialog boxes.I also thank Marylouise Wiack for her precise editing of this very technical book, and all of thepeople at Wiley who helped with the production of this book and its DVD.Thanks to Diane Li, AutoCAD Product Manager at Autodesk, Inc., for the excellent Foreword forthis book. I also want to express my great appreciation to the members of Autodesks beta andproduct teams who were very supportive throughout the beta period. Many people contributeddrawings and software for this book. Id like to thank all of them. They have helped to make this themost comprehensive book on AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT available.Finally, I would like to thank my husband, Evan, who helped out around the house while I waswriting, writing, and writing. Without his support, I could not have completed this book.
45. 45. Part I: Introducing AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTBasicsIn This PartQuick StartDrawing a WindowChapter 1Starting to DrawChapter 2Opening a DrawingChapter 3Using CommandsChapter 4Specifying CoordinatesChapter 5Setting Up a Drawing
46. 46. Quick Start: Drawing a WindowLearning AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT is a bit like trying to decide which came first the chicken orthe egg. On one hand, you need to know the basics before you can start drawing. On the otherhand, understanding the basics can be very difficult if you havent had the experience of drawingsomething. In this Quick Start chapter, you resolve this problem by drawing, dimensioning, andprinting a simple window in AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT.This Quick Start chapter is meant for beginners. You get the feel of AutoCADs precision drawingtools and experience how to build a drawing. The AutoCAD/AutoCAD LT interface is verycustomizable. Note that the instructions for the exercise in this chapter assume that no one hasmade major changes to the default settings.NoteWhe n y ou sta rt AutoCAD 2012 for the v e ry first tim e , the Mig ra te Custom S e tting s dia log box m a y a ppe a r,a sk ing y ou to m ig ra te y our c ustom se tting s from a pre v ious re le a se of AutoCAD. By de fa ult, the E x c ha ng ewindow ope ns e a c h tim e y ou ope n AutoCAD; just c lic k the Close button to c lose it. On the DVDThe file use d in this e x e rc ise on dra wing a window, abqs-a.dwt, is a te m pla te loc a te d in the Drawings folde r onthe DVD. 1. Double-click the AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT icon on your desktop to start the program. You see a new drawing. (If you are prompted for a template, skip to Step 2, third sentence.) 2. Choose Application ButtonNew. (The Application Button is the red A at the upper-left corner of your screen.) The Select Template dialog box opens. Navigate to the Drawings folder of the DVD of this book, choose abqs-a.dwt, and click Open. You see a blank drawing. (I explain more about templates and opening drawings in Chapter 2.)CautionDont use the de fa ult dra wing . You ne e d to ope n this te m pla te from the DVD for the re st of the e x e rc ise towork prope rly . 3. To save the drawing and give it a name, choose Application ButtonSave. In the Save Drawing As dialog box, use the Save In drop-down list to navigate to any convenient folder, such as the My Documents folder. Type abQS.(01) in the File Name text box and click Save. (I go into more detail about saving a drawing in Chapter 1.)NoteIn Cha pte r 1, I prov ide instruc tions for c re a ting a spe c ia l AutoCAD Bible folde r for a ll the e x e rc ise s in thisbook . If y ou wa nt to c re a te this folde r now, do so a nd sa v e the dra wing in tha t folde r. 4. To free up the drawing area, close any windows or palettes that are open by clicking their
47. 47. Close (X) button, so that your screen looks like Figure QS.1. Ive changed the background color to white, but yours will probably be dark gray or black.NoteThis c ha pte r a ssum e s tha t y oure using the de fa ult Dra fting & Annota tion Work spa c e . If the Dra fting &Annota tion work spa c e isnt shown in the drop-down list loc a te d in the uppe r-le ft c orne r of y our sc re e n, c lic kthe Work spa c e drop-down a rrow a nd c hoose Dra fting & Annota tion. F i g ur e Q S . 1 The AutoCAD screen, as shown while drawing a rectangle (see Step 6) 5. At the top of the screen, you see a tabbed area filled with buttons, called the Ribbon, which contains the Layers panel (section) on the Home tab, as shown in Figure QS.1. From the Layer drop-down list in the Layers panel, click the down arrow and choose WINDOW, as shown in Figure QS.2. (Layers help you organize the objects in your drawing; I cover them in detail in Chapter 11.) Anything you draw will now be on the WINDOW layer. (If you dont see the WINDOW layer, you may not have started with the abqs-a.dwt template. This template contains the layers that you need to use.) F i g ur e Q S . 2
48. 48. Choose the WINDOW layer from the list of layers.6. With your left mouse button (also called the pick button), choose Home tabDrawpanelRectangle/Polygon drop-down listRectangle. (Using the Ribbon is only one way to giveAutoCAD and AutoCAD LT commands. I explain other ways in Chapter 3. You can find moreabout drawing lines and rectangles in Chapter 6.) Move your mouse so that the cursor is in the main drawing area. Your screen should look like Figure QS.1. If you dont see the tooltip bar also called the Dynamic Input tooltip near the cursor, then click the Dynamic Input button on the status bar at the bottom of your screen. 7. Follow these prompts to draw a rectangle that is 44" wide and 80" high. Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: 0,0 Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: 44,80NoteIn a n a rc hite c tura l dra wing using Im pe ria l units, dista nc e s a re a ssum e d to be in inc he s, so y ou dont ne e d tospe c ify a unit (a lthoug h y ou c a n if y ou wa nt). Notice that the text that you type appears next to the cursor in the Dynamic Input tooltip. When you press Enter, the text that you typed is echoed in the Command Line window at the bottom of the screen.
49. 49. 8. To create a second rectangle inside the first one, choose Home tabModify panelOffset. (Icover this and other editing commands in Chapters 9 and 10.) Follow these prompts:Specify offset distance or [Through/Erase/Layer] : 4 Select object to offset or [Exit/Undo] : Click the rectangles edge toselect it.Specify point on side to offset or [Exit/Multiple/Undo] : Clickanywhere inside the rectangle.Select object to offset or [Exit/Undo] : 9. You can draw from geometric points on objects such as endpoints and midpoints. (I explainhow to specify coordinate points in Chapter 4.) To draw a line between the midpoints of theinner rectangle, choose Home tabDraw panelLine, and follow these prompts:Specify first point: Press and hold the Shift key and right-click. From theshortcut menu that opens, choose Midpoint. Place the cursor near the midpointof the left side of the inner rectangle. When you see a triangle and theMidpoint tooltip, click.Specify next point or [Undo]: Press and hold the Shift key and right-click.From the shortcut menu that opens, choose Midpoint. This time, place thecursor near the midpoint of the right side of the inner rectangle. When yousee the Midpoint tooltip and triangle, click.Specify next point or [Undo]: Your drawing should now look like Figure QS.3. (Your window should be green.)F i g ur e Q S . 3The beginning of a window
50. 50. 10. You will now draw a temporary construction line to help you find a starting point for the pane in the top of the window. Again, choose Home tabDraw panelLine. Follow these prompts: Specify first point: Press Shift and right-click. Choose Endpoint from the shortcut menu. Pick the left endpoint of the last line you drew at 1 in Figure QS.3. Specify next point or [Undo]: 4,4 . (This notation specifies that the endpoint of the line is 4 units above and to the right of the first point. Chapter 4 explains more about specifying coordinates in this manner.) Specify next point or [Undo]: NoteYou should se e a short dia g ona l line g oing up a nd to the rig ht of 1. If y ou dont, it m a y be be c a use y ou ha v ea non-de fa ult se tting tha t use s a bsolute c oordina te s inste a d of re la tiv e c oordina te s. I e x pla in this se tting inCha pte r 4. Me a nwhile , the e a sie st wa y to solv e the proble m is to ty pe u to undo the line y ou dre w. Youllstill se e the prom pt to spe c ify the ne x t point. The n ty pe @4,4 . (Adding the @ sy m bol e nsure s tha t y ou usere la tiv e c oordina te s.)
51. 51. 11. Again, choose Home tabDraw panelRectangle/Polygon drop-down listRectangle. Follow these prompts: Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: Press Shift and right-click. Choose Endpoint and pick the final endpoint of the diagonal line you just drew. Specify other corner point or [Area/Dimensions/Rotation]: 24",24" NoteThis nota tion spe c ifie s 2 fe e t, 4 inc he s in the X a nd Y dire c tions. If y ou ne e de d to use the @ sy m bol for S te p10, the n use it a g a in he re , ty ping @24",24" . 12. Choose Home tabModify panelErase. At the Select objects: prompt, click the short, diagonal construction line that you drew in Step 10. The Select objects: prompt appears again. Press Enter to end the command. (Chapter 9 explains the ERASE command as well as other simple editing commands.) 13. Click the Ortho Mode button on the status bar at the bottom of the drawing area if it is not already selected (blue). The Ortho feature constrains drawing to right angles either horizontal or vertical. (You can find more about Ortho in Chapter 4.) 14. To finish the bottom of the window, choose Home tabDraw panelLine. Follow these prompts: Specify first point: 8",34" Specify next point or [Undo]: Move the mouse cursor down from the start point of the line. You see a temporary drag line. Then type the following length of the line. 28-7/16 TipYou c a n se e wha t y ou ty pe in the Dy na m ic Input tooltip a s y ou a re ty ping . The re fore , y ou c a n c he c k tha ty ouv e ty pe d the rig ht num be rs be fore y ou pre ss E nte r. Specifynext point or [Undo]: Move the cursor horizontally to the right and type 28. Specifynext point or [Close/Undo]: Now try entering the distance using decimalnotation, rather than feet and inches. Move the cursor up and type 32.4375 Specifynext point or [Close/Undo]: 15. To draw shutters, first change the layer. Choose Home tabLayers panel, click the Layer drop-down list, and choose EXWALL. 16. Choose Home tabDraw panelLine. Follow the prompts: Specify first point: Press Shift and right-click. Choose Endpoint from the shortcut menu. Click the upper-left corner of the window. Specify next point or [Undo]: Move the cursor to the left. Type 16" Specify next point or [Undo]: Move the cursor down. Type 68" Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: Type #0,0 . (The pound sign ensures that your line goes to 0,0 no matter where you are.) Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: 17. To draw the opposite shutter, youll mirror the first shutter that you just drew. (I cover the
52. 52. MIRROR command and many other editing commands in Chapter 10.) Choose HometabModify panelMirror, and follow these prompts: Select objects: Click the three lines that make up the shutter. Select objects: Specify first point of mirror line: Press Shift and right-click. Choose Midpoint from the shortcut menu. Place the cursor near the middle of the top horizontal line of the window. Click when you see the triangle and Midpoint tooltip. Specify second point of mirror line: (The Ortho Mode button should still be blue. If it isnt, click it.) Move the cursor downward and pick any point. Erase source objects? [Yes/No] : The window should look like Figure QS.4.F i g ur e Q S . 4The completed window18. To add a dimension to the bottom of the window, you should first change the layer. ChooseHome tabLayers panelLayer drop-down list, and choose DIMENSION. (Chapters 14 and 15explain how to create and format all types of dimensions.)19. To place the dimension, choose Home tabAnnotation panel, and click the Dimension drop-
53. 53. down list. Choose Linear from the list of dimension types. Follow the prompts. Specify first extension line origin or : (Pressing Enter lets you select an object to dimension.) Select object to dimension: Pick the bottom horizontal line of the window (the bottom of the rectangle). Specify dimension line location or [Mtext/Text/Angle/Horizontal/Vertical/Rotated]: Move the cursor down until the dimension is nicely spaced below the window. Click to place the dimension line.NoteIf y ou dont ha v e e noug h room to pla c e the dim e nsion be low the window, ty pe pa n a nd pre ss E nte r. Clic ka nd dra g upwa rd a bit. Pre ss the E sc k e y to e nd pa nning . 20. Click Save on the Quick Access Toolbar at the upper-left corner of the window to save your work. 21. To prepare for printing, click the A Title Block-Landscape tab just above the Command line, on the left. (If you dont see a tab, click the A title Block-Landscape button, which is the second button from the left in the right-hand group of buttons on the status bar at the bottom of your screen.) You then see the window inside a titleblock and border, as shown in Figure QS.5. This titleblock and border come with the template to help you easily prepare the drawing for printing. (Chapter 17 explains how to lay out and print/plot a drawing.) F i g ur e Q S . 5 The window with a titleblock as it appears on the Layout tab.
54. 54. 22. To set the scale for printing, click the magenta viewport border (labeled in Figure QS.5).Choose View tabPalettes panelProperties. In the Properties palettes Misc. section, click theStandard Scale item. (To see this item, you may have to scroll down in the Properties palette orenlarge it by dragging on its bottom and right edges. If the palette collapses to a thin bar, passyour cursor over the bar to expand it.) Click the down arrow that appears to the right of this itemand check that the scale is set to 1" = 1-0". Click the Close button at the top of the Propertiespalette. (I explain more about scales in Chapter 5.) 23. If the window and its dimension are not centered in the viewport window, double-clickinside the viewport border. Then choose View tabNavigate 2D panelPan. Click and drag asnecessary to center the window in the viewport. Press Esc to exit Pan mode. Double-click outsidethe viewport border to return to the layout.24. To add some text to the titleblock, you need to zoom in. (I explain zooming in more detail inChapter 8.) Choose View tabNavigate 2D panelZoom drop-down arrow (the bottom buttonin the panel)Window. At the first prompt, click slightly above and to the left of the wordsProject Name. At the next prompt, click slightly below and to the right of the words City ST ZIP.These words should now appear very large in the drawing area. They are already placed andformatted, so all you need to do is replace them. (I explain all about how to create and edit textin Chapter 13.)25. Click the Project name text. Then right-click and choose Mtext Edit from the menu thatappears. A Text Editor tab appears, along with a ruler, as shown in Figure QS.6.
55. 55. F i g ur e Q S . 6Editing text for a drawing26. Select the text by dragging from the upper-left corner to the lower-right corner. Type thefollowing:Double-hung window 2010 Coral Lane Anytown, IA 12345Click the Close button at the right end of the Text Editor tab to close the In-Place Text Editor.27. To return to your previous view, choose View tabNavigate 2D panelBack.28. Click Save on the Quick Access Toolbar to save your drawing.29. Youre ready to print your drawing! Depending on your setup, either you can print directly toyour printer, or if you have a plotter available, you can use that. (The layout is set up to fit on an812-x-11-inch or A-size sheet of paper.) Choose Plot on the Quick Access Toolbar. The Plotdialog box opens. (I cover printing and plotting in Chapter 17. Appendix A explains how toconfigure a printer or plotter.)30. In the Printer/Plotter section of the Plot dialog box, click the Name drop-down list and choosethe printer or plotter that you want to use. In the Plot Area section, make sure that the What ToPlot drop-down list reads Layout; if not, choose Layout from the list.
56. 56. 31. Click the Preview button to open the preview window. You should see the window and its titleblock laid out, as shown in Figure QS.7. F i g ur e Q S . 7 Viewing the window in Preview modeNoteIf thing s dont se e m rig ht, c lic k the Close Pre v ie w Window button a nd re v ie w the pre v ious ste ps to se e if y ouc a n find the proble m . Also, se e the side ba r, He lp! My dra wing doe snt look lik e the fig ure . 32. Make sure that your printer or plotter has an 812-x-11-inch or A-size sheet of paper, and click the Plot button on the Preview windows toolbar. Congratulations youve just created and printed your first drawing! 33. Click the Close button at the upper-right corner of the AutoCAD application window to close both AutoCAD and the drawing. Click Yes to save your changes.Help! My Drawing Doesnt Look Like the FigureIf your drawing doesnt look like the image shown in Figure QS.7, there could be several reasons. To fix the problem, tryone of the following solutions:
57. 57. You may have made a mistake when creating the drawing. Start over and follow the prompts again. You may have started AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT based on a template with different properties from the default. Be sure touse the template on the AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012 Bible DVD, as explained in Step 2 of the preceding exercise.Then follow the prompts again. If your drawing still seems wrong, put this books DVD in your DVD drive. Choose Application MenuOpen and use theOpen dialog box to find abQS.(01).dwg in the Results folder on the DVD. This drawing contains the end result of theexercise. Try to find the difference between this drawing and yours. You can also copy abQS.(01).dwg from the DVD toyour hard drive and print or plot it.One of the preceding options should solve your problem.On the DVDIf y oure still ha v ing proble m s with the e x e rc ise , v ie w Q S -Dra wing _ a _ Window.a v i, a v ide o of the e x e rc ise .S umma ryIn this exercise, you practiced many of the skills that you need to use AutoCAD or AutoCAD LTeffectively. Most of your work in AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT builds on these basic skills. The rest ofthe chapters in this book explain these procedures in more detail as well as many features notcovered in this Quick Start exercise.
58. 58. Chapter 1: Starting to DrawIn This ChapterGetting acquainted with AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTStarting a new drawingExploring the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT interfaceStoring your drawingClosing a drawing and exiting AutoCAD and AutoCAD LTIn this chapter, I explain the essentials that you need to start drawing. After a little background, Idiscuss the basics of the screen that you see when you open AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, and how touse it. If youve never used AutoCAD before, do the Quick Start: Drawing a Window chapter first.AutoCAD and its younger sister, AutoCAD LT, are both created by Autodesk. Together they are themost widely used technical drawing programs anywhere. AutoCAD alone has more than 6,000,000registered users. According to Autodesk, CAD stands for computer-aided design, but it can alsostand for computer-aided drafting or drawing.The first version of AutoCAD, running under DOS, came out in 1982. AutoCAD was the firstsignificant CAD program to run on a desktop computer. At the time, most other technical drawingprograms ran on high-end workstations or even mainframes. AutoCAD LT was introduced in 1993,as a less expensive alternative to AutoCAD, for people who dont need all of AutoCADs advancedfeatures.E x ploring AutoCAD s Adv a nta g e sAutoCADs success has been attributed to its famous open architecture the flexibility that the enduser has to customize the program by using source code files in plain text (ASCII) format andprogramming languages (such as AutoLISP, VB.NET, C#, and C++).As a result, AutoCAD is an extremely flexible drafting program, applicable to all fields. AutoCADssupport for languages other than English, including those using other alphabets, is unparalleled,making AutoCAD highly popular abroad. As a result, AutoCAD is used in all disciplines and in morethan 150 countries.Through a high level of technical innovation and expertise, Autodesk has created a program withadvanced features and capabilities, including 3D surface and solid modeling and visualization,access to external databases, intelligent dimensioning, importing and exporting of other file formats,Internet support, and much more.The major disciplines that use AutoCAD are:
59. 59. Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Mechanical Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Surveying and Civil Engineering Facilities Management Electrical/electronic MultimediaHowever, AutoCAD has many other lesser-known uses, such as pattern making in the garmentindustry, sign making, and so on. In this book, I provide examples from several fields. The world ofAutoCAD is very broad, and you can learn from seeing the many approaches that AutoCAD makespossible.Compa ring AutoCAD a nd AutoCAD L TAutoCAD LTs advantages are its lower cost and its compatibility with AutoCAD. The programmingcode that is used to create AutoCAD LT is a subset of the code used in AutoCAD. Here are the majordifferences between AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT: AutoCAD includes features that enable CAD managers to hold drawings to certain standards, such as for layer names and text styles. AutoCAD LT doesnt contain these features. AutoCAD LT is not as customizable as AutoCAD, which is both programmable and fully customizable. It also doesnt include the Action Recorder. AutoCAD LT includes minimal options for 3D; AutoCAD includes a full-featured 3D capability. AutoCAD LT has fewer presentation features than AutoCAD, which includes visual styles and 3D rendering. AutoCAD LT is deployable on a network but does not have AutoCADs network license management feature that includes reporting and flexible licensing. AutoCAD LT does not offer the database connectivity feature, but you can use tables to connect to data in a Microsoft Office Excel file; AutoCAD offers the flexibility to connect to other types of databases, create labels from the data, and so on. AutoCAD LT does not come with Express Tools, a set of additional routines that ship with AutoCAD. AutoCAD LT does not include parametric constraints, which allow you to constrain the relationships among objects, but you can use the parametric constraints that are in a drawing that was created with AutoCAD.New FeatureS he e t se ts, a fte r be ing in AutoCAD for a long tim e , ha v e now m a de the ir wa y into AutoCAD L T 2012. AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT have a few other minor differences, as well. Some of these differences
60. 60. are only in the user interface, so you can accomplish the same task but the procedure is slightlydifferent.S ta rting AutoCAD a nd AutoCAD L TThis section starts a quick tour of AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. The first step is to start the program.On the DVDThe DVD c onta ins a 30-da y tria l v e rsion of AutoCAD 2012 a nd AutoCAD L T 2012. This book covers AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD LT 2012 running on Windows XPHome/Professional, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. (The figures were taken in Windows 7.) Everycomputer is set up somewhat differently, so you may need to adjust the following steps slightly. Ifyou didnt install the software yourself and are unfamiliar with the folders (also called directories)on your computer, get help from someone who is familiar with your computer system.NoteAutoCAD is now a v a ila ble for the Ma c O S ; this book doe snt c ov e r it, but y ou c a n find out m ore a nd g e t afre e tria l from the Autode sk we bsite . Go to www.a utode sk .c om /a utoc a dform a c to le a rn m ore . Cross-ReferenceIf y ou ne e d inform a tion on insta lling AutoCAD or AutoCAD L T, se e Appe ndix A. Appe ndix A a lso c ov e rsc onfig uring the softwa re a nd printe rs or plotte rs. By default, installing AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT places a shortcut on your desktop. You can double-click one of the shortcuts to launch the program that is installed on your machine, or use theWindows Start menu to choose one of the following: For AutoCAD. Start(All) ProgramsAutodeskAutoCAD 2012 EnglishAutoCAD 2012 English (or as appropriate for your language) For AutoCAD LT. Start(All) ProgramsAutodeskAutoCAD LT 2012 EnglishAutoCAD LT 2012 English (or as appropriate for your language)New FeatureWhe n y ou first ope n AutoCAD or AutoCAD L T, the Autode sk E x c ha ng e window a ppe a rs, prov iding a c c e ss tothe He lp fe a ture , re la te d a pplic a tions for purc ha se , tra ining , tips, a nd m ore . To c lose the window, c lic k itsClose button. If y ou dont wa nt to se e this window whe n y ou ope n AutoCAD, unc he c k the S how This Windowa t S ta rt Up c he c k box a t the lowe r-le ft c orne r of the window. To displa y the Autode sk E x c ha ng e window a ta ny tim e , c lic k the E x c ha ng e button on the rig ht side of the title ba r (se e F ig ure 1.1). Cre a ting a N e w D ra w ingAfter you launch AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, it automatically opens a new drawing namedDrawing1.dwg. You can see the drawing name on the title bar. You can start drawing immediately.In Chapter 2, I explain how to start a drawing based on a template and how to open an existingdrawing.
61. 61. S TE PS : S ta r ting AutoCAD or AutoCAD L T 1. Click Start on the Windows task bar at the bottom of your screen. 2. Choose one of the following: For AutoCAD. Start(All) ProgramsAutodeskAutoCAD 2012 EnglishAutoCAD 2012 English For AutoCAD LT. Start(All) ProgramsAutodeskAutoCAD LT 2012 EnglishAutoCAD LT 2012 English You see a blank drawing named Drawing1.dwg.If you are continuing with this chapter, keep this drawing open. I cover exiting from AutoCAD andAutoCAD LT later in this chapter.U sing the AutoCAD a nd AutoCAD L T Inte rfa c eAutoCAD offers four quite different preset workspaces, depending on how you want to work. Forexample, these workspaces determine the Ribbon components, toolbars, and other interface itemsthat you see. AutoCAD offers both 2D and 3D environments. AutoCAD LT has only 2Denvironments, and the 2D environments for AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT are similar. In this section,I discuss the 2D environment. Both AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT offer two 2D workspaces: Drafting& Annotation and AutoCAD (or AutoCAD LT) Classic. The Drafting & Annotation workspace is thedefault workspace and displays the Ribbon for executing commands. The AutoCAD Classic andAutoCAD LT Classic workspaces display toolbars and a menu instead.NoteAutoCADs 3D Mode ling a nd 3D Ba sic s work spa c e s c re a te a 3D e nv ironm e nt a long with the 3D dra wingte m pla te s acad3D.dwt a nd acadiso3D.dwt. (I c ov e r te m pla te s in Cha pte r 2.) I c ov e r this 3D e nv ironm e nt inPa rt IV, Dra wing in Thre e Dim e nsions. Figure 1.1 shows the default screen that appears when you first open AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT.Your screen may look somewhat different remember that AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT can becustomized in many ways but the general features will be the same. If you see other items openon your screen, you can close all these items by clicking their Close (X) button.NoteBy de fa ult, y ou se e a g rid whe n y ou ope n AutoCAD. I e x pla in how to turn off the g rid in Cha pte r 4. Thede fa ult sc re e n c olor is da rk g ra y . You c a n le a v e it tha t wa y or c ha ng e the dra wing a re a c olor, a s I e x pla in inAppe ndix A. I use a white ba c k g round for the fig ure s in this book for c la rity . F I G U RE 1. 1The AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT screens are very similar. The AutoCAD LT screen doesntinclude the Express Tools tab on the Ribbon.
62. 62. If you find yourself in a 3D environment in AutoCAD, youll see a gray background and aperspective view. To work in 2D in AutoCAD, switch to a 2D environment, following these steps inAutoCAD:1. From the Workspace drop-down list, choose Drafting & Annotation. This displays the Ribbon
63. 63. with 2D commands. 2. Choose Application ButtonNew. From the Select Template dialog box, choose acad.dwt and click Open. This places you in a 2D view.The AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT screens consist of four important areas. These are discussed in thefollowing sections.Exploring the drawing areaThe blank area in the middle of the screen, called the graphics window or drawing area, is whereyou draw. You can think of this as a sheet of drafting paper, except that this piece of paper can beany size even the size of a huge factory or an entire county!By default, you draw in model space, so called because thats where you draw your models. Whenyou create a new drawing, by default, you are in model space, so you can just start drawing. Youcan lay out your drawings for plotting in paper space, also called a layout. To switch from modelspace to a layout, you use the Layout tab at the bottom of the drawing area. You click the Model tabto switch back to model space. (See Chapter 17 for details.)NoteRa the r tha n the m ode l a nd la y out ta bs, y ou m a y se e Model a nd Layout1 buttons on the sta tus ba r. You c a nswitc h be twe e n the buttons a nd ta bs by rig ht-c lic k ing e ithe r fe a ture a nd c hoosing from the shortc ut m e nu. When you start to draw, you need to specify where to start drawing. One way is to use coordinates.To specify a coordinate, the universally accepted convention is to put the X coordinate first,followed by a comma, and then the Y coordinate. Examples are 3,5, 3,2, 6,2, and 1,1. Thesecoordinates specify points in the drawing area. You can see the current coordinates of the cursordisplayed at the lower-left corner of the AutoCAD window.Cross-ReferenceCha pte r 4 e x pla ins how to spe c ify c oordina te s. To c re a te thre e -dim e nsiona l m ode ls, y ou ne e d to a dd a Zc oordina te whe n spe c ify ing a point. Cha pte r 21 disc usse s thre e -dim e nsiona l c oordina te s. TipIf y ou wa nt the m a x im um a m ount of fre e spa c e for dra wing , c lic k the Cle a n S c re e n button a t the rig ht side ofthe sta tus ba r to re m ov e the Ribbon. Clic k the sa m e button to g e t it ba c k . You c a n a lso pre ss Ctrl+0 to tog g lebe twe e n the two displa y s. You c a n double -c lic k the a c tiv e ta b to c y c le throug h thre e displa y sta te s of theRibbon tha t c olla pse a nd e x pa nd the Ribbon. The UCS ic onNotice the symbol with two perpendicular lines and X and Y labels in the drawing area in Figure1.1. This symbol is called the User Coordinate System (UCS) icon. The lines point to the positivedirections of the X and Y axes to help you keep your bearings. (In a 3D environment, you see a Zaxis as well.) You can change the look of this icon, and turn it on and off, as I explain in Chapter 8.The c r ossha ir sIn the drawing area of Figure 1.1, notice the intersecting lines with a small box at their intersection.
64. 64. The small box is called the pickbox because it helps you to select, or pick, objects. The lines arecalled crosshairs. They show you the location of the mouse cursor in relation to other objects inyour drawing.The Vie wCube a nd Na v ig a tion Ba rOn the right side of the drawing area, semi-faded, you see two navigational tools, the ViewCube andthe Navigation Bar (or NavBar). The ViewCube is not available in AutoCAD LT. These are mostlyused for 3D navigation, which I cover in Chapter 22. You can use the NavBar to zoom and pan in2D; see Chapter 8 for more information.Exploring the Ribbon and Quick Access ToolbarAt the top of the application window is the title bar, and directly beneath the title bar is the Ribbon.On the left side of the title bar is the Quick Access Toolbar. The Ribbon has tabs, and each tab isdivided into control panels (usually called just panels), which are sections of related commands. Iexplain how to work with the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar in Chapter 3.NoteThe AutoCAD Cla ssic a nd AutoCAD L T Cla ssic work spa c e s do not show the Ribbon; inste a d, y ou se etoolba rs, whic h a re usua lly doc k e d a long the le ft, top, a nd rig ht side s of the sc re e n. F rom the Work spa c edrop-down list (just to the le ft of the Q uic k Ac c e ss Toolba r), try switc hing be twe e n the Dra fting & Annota tionwork spa c e a nd the AutoCAD or AutoCAD L T Cla ssic work spa c e to se e whic h one y ou pre fe r. In Appe ndix A,I e x pla in how to c ustom iz e work spa c e s. On the Home tab, in the Draw panel of the Ribbon, hover the cursor over the leftmost button. Yousee a tooltip that says Line, as shown in Figure 1.2. Below the tooltip, a description tells you that thisbutton creates straight-line segments. If you continue to hover the cursor over the Line button, thetooltip expands to provide more information about the command.You use buttons on the Ribbon to execute commands. For example, to draw a line, you click theLine button on the Draw panel of the Ribbons Home tab. You get some practice drawing lines inthe exercise that follows. (In the AutoCAD Classic or AutoCAD LT Classic workspace, you wouldclick the Line button on the Draw toolbar to draw a line.)F I G U RE 1. 2Hovering the cursor over the Line button displays a tooltip that shows the command and adescription of its function.