Lecture 03

AutoCAD
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Setting up CAD

Introducing Tool Bars

You can see there is a number of different tool bars on the screen.
The main tool bar which is located under the Menu bar. These are the most frequently used tool
bars. If you place your mouse on it and right click, you will get a list of other tool bars that you
may want to display (by scrolling down and clicking on them).

This tool bar offers

This tool bar offers

different shapes
and objects to
draw. You can
see what they do
by putting your
mouse on each one
and waiting until
a balloon with
description pops up.

different ways of
editing your drawing(s).
*Remember the name of the
command that pops up in the help
balloon by putting your mouse over
each button.
If you remember the command, you
can later type it in the command
line and achieve the same result.

Where To Get Help

If you have any questions, you can always refer to
AutoCAD Help.
You can get there by typing in Help in the command line
or hitting F1.
After the AutoCAD window opens up, select Search tab.
Then you can type in a topic you would like to search for.

Where To Get Help

Layers and Layer Control

(from AutoCAD Help): You can reduce the visual complexity of a
drawing and improve display performance by controlling the number
of objects that are displayed or concealed. For example, you can use
layers to control the visibility of similar objects, such as electrical
parts or dimensions. Also, you can lock a layer to prevent objects on
that layer from being accidentally selected and modified.

Click here in order to create and modify layers.

Setting Up Line Weights

There are two ways to change Line Weights. One way is assign a line weight to a layer.
Every line and object on that layer will then have the same line weight. The second way to
change line weight is by manually changing it one line at a time.

1) a. In order to assign line weight to a layer, click on Layer Properties Manager button.
b. Click here to change the line weight.
c. A box will pop up where you can assign line weights.

2) In order to change line weights one line at a time. Highlight the line on the screen and change
line weight by clicking on Line Weight Control button and scrolling down to pick the
thickness.

Drawing using OSNAP, POLAR, ORTHO,

OTRACK buttons

On the bottom of the screen there are a number of buttons SNAP, GRID, ORTHO,
POLAR, OSNAP,OTRACK, LWT, MODEL By right clicking on each button, you are
able to change the settings for each mode. By left-clicking on each button, you are able
to turn each mode on and off.
SNAP- snaps onto grid points.
GRID- turns on/off grid.
ORTHO- (from AutoCad Help) In Ortho mode, cursor movement is constrained to the
horizontal or vertical directions (relative to the UCS) and with the current grid rotation
angle. AutoCAD ignores Ortho mode in perspective views.
OSNAP- snaps onto parts of the object. You can change what your cursor snaps onto, ex:
endpoints, crossings, corners
OTRACK- (from AutoCad Help) Use object snap tracking to track along alignment paths
that are based on object snap points.
LWT- displays the actual thickness of each line.
MODEL- switches back and forth between layout space and model space.

Setting up CAD Start up Dialog box

On the Black background, Right-Click and select Options.

In the Options dialogue box, select the SYSTEM tab across the top.

In the SYSTEMS tab, on the middle right in the drop-down menu, change from
the Today Dialogue, to the Traditional startup Dialogue.

Setting up CAD.
2. Close Down AutoCAD, and Restart to get the
Traditional Startup Dialogue.
Open a Drawing
Create a new
Drawing
Use a Template
Use a Wizard

For the Moment, choose:

Create a New Drawing, with
Metric Settings, and click OK.

(Templates, will be used

10
Later)

Setting up CAD Resolution

In the Options dialogue box, select the SYSTEM tab across the top.

In the DISPLAY tab, change first value from 1000 to 20000. Value range is
1(Minimum) to 20000 (Maximum). Also increase segments etc

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Setting up Drawing Units

Command

Drawing
Units

Keystroke

un

Icon

No icon

Menu

Format >
Units

Result
The drawing
Controls
coordinate and
angle display
formats and
precision of the
proposed
drawing.
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Setting up Drawing Units

2
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Setting up Drawing Limits

Command

Drawing
Limits

Keystroke

Limits

Icon

Menu

Format >
No icon Drawing
Limits

Result

The drawing
limits are the
boundaries
for the
proposed
drawing.
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Setting up CAD Drawing Limits

3. With a New default Metric Drawing open, SET THE
DRAWING LIMITS. (The Drawing Limits are the
boundaries for the proposed drawing. These can be
changed later if the drawing exceeds the planned size.)
Type in Limits into the Command Window (press Enter)

Type in (0.0000, 0.0000) for the origin. (press Enter)

Type in (420, 297)

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Setting up CAD Drawing Limits

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Setting up CAD.

4. In order to see the Drawing Area/ Limits, Turn on the GRID

Left Click Turns ON/OFF the grid.
Right Click changes the SETTINGS of the Grid.
Change the Grid X Spacing to 10, and Y Spacing to 10.

In order to see the Grid Correctly Type the Following:

Z (short for zoom) [press Enter], A (short for all) [press Enter]
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Setting up CAD.
5. In order to SNAP to the grid, Turn on the SNAP
Left Click Turns ON/OFF SNAP.
Right Click changes the SETTINGS of SNAP.
Change the Snap X Spacing to 5, and Y Spacing to 5.

6. Using the Rectangle Command

, draw a border
around the Drawing Area/ Limits.
Zoom out
slightly to help see all
of the grid.
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AutoCAD Setup and Ready for Drafting

Special Notice:
Only the SNAP and GRID buttons need to be
turned on. Leave MODEL untouched at the end.

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Line
Command

Line

Keystroke

Line / L

Icon

Menu

Result

Draw > Line

Draw a straight
line segment
from one point
to the next

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Implementation

From the Draw menu, choose Line.

Specify the start point.
You can use the pointing device or enter a coordinate on
the command line.
Complete the first line segment by specifying the
endpoint.
To undo the previous line segment during the LINE
command, enter u or choose Undo on the toolbar.
Specify the endpoints of any additional line segments.
Press ENTER to end or c to close a series of line
segments.
To start a new line at the endpoint of the last line drawn,
start the LINE command again and press ENTER at the
Specify Start Point prompt.
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Entering Points in AutoCAD

Draw a box using polar co-ordinate input. Start
the LINE command
Begin at point 8,2 then enter.
Type @1<45 to draw the first line.
Next enter @1<135 then
@1<225 then
@1<315 (or C to close).
Draw rectangle using this system
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Undo
Command

Undo

Keystroke

Icon

Menu

Result

Edit > Undo

Undo the last

command.

(Don't use
'Undo' for
now)

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Erase
Command

Keystroke

Erase

Erase / E

Icon

Menu

Modify >
Erase

Result

Erases an
object.

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Implementation

From the Modify menu, choose Erase.

At the Select Objects prompt, use a selection
method to select the objects to be erased or enter
an option:

Enter L (Last) to erase the last object drawn.

Enter p (Previous) to erase the last selection set.
Enter all to erase all objects from the drawing.
Enter ? to see a list of all selection methods.

Press ENTER to end the command.

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Implementation

Note: OOPS command restore the

deleted object
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Have a Nice Day

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