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Document URL 1 Created by Barbara Ellison

http://handouts.tamu.edu/pdf/CAD2000_one.pdf Updated on 5/2000

Introduction to AutoCAD 2000Part I

Introduction

This handout is intended to be a quick reference that will help you get started using AutoCAD. Itcovers opening and saving files in CAD, setting up a drawing, and using basic CAD drawingtools.

AutoCAD Interface Components

The AutoCAD interface has several different components, each of which provide differentinformation or command options for the user. This diagram labels the most vital parts of theinterface:

Figure 1: AutoCAD Interface Components

Modify Toolbar

Draw Toolbar

Menu Bar

Object Properties Toolbar

StandardToolbar

Model Tab

Layout Tabs

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Introduction to AutoCAD - Part I

- 2 - Created by Barbara Ellison

Last Updated: 5/2000

Component Name Component Function

Menu Bar Contains text headings that access the main pulldown menus.

Object Properties Toolbar Contains icons that allow you to change the color, layer, andlayer characteristics of objects in a CAD drawing.

Standard Toolbar Contains icons that control many commonly used commands, like

Save, Open, and Plot.Modify Toolbar Contains icons that let you copy, erase, and modify the position

and shape of objects in a CAD drawing.

Draw Toolbar Contains icons that allow you to draw CAD objects.

Model Tab Displays the drawing you have created.

Layout Tabs Displays the layout of the drawing on paper.

Command Window Displays prompts and allows you to type in commands.

The Model Space tab is the part of the interface in which you will do most of your drawing.

File Handling Tips

To Open a File in AutoCAD:

1. First, start AutoCAD. To do this, click on Start Programs Applications AutoCAD.

If the Startup dialog box comes up, click on Cancel.

2. Click on File on the Menu Bar at the top of the screen, then click on Open.

3. Select the file you want to open in the dialog box that appears, then click on Open.Remember that CAD will only open files with extensions .dwg (drawing files), .dxf (filesimported from another software package), and .dwt (drawing template files). Files with the

.dwg extension are the filetype most commonly used in CAD.

4. The file should now load into CAD and come up onscreen.

To Create a New File in AutoCAD:

1. Click on File on the Menu Bar, then click on New .

2. When the Create New Drawing dialog box pops up, select the Quick Setup option under the

'Select a Wizard' heading and click OK.

3. Choose the type of units you want the drawing to be measured in by clicking on the button

next to the desired unit type. Unit types are as follows:

Unit Type Characteristics of Unit Type

Architectural Drawing will be measured in feet and inches, with fractions of inches measured

in halves, quarters, eighths, etc.

Engineering Drawing will be measured in feet and inches, with fractions of inches measuredin tenths, hundredths, etc

Fractional Drawing will be measured in numerical units using fractional notation.

Scientific Drawing will be measured in numerical units using scientific notation.

Decimal Drawing will be measured in numerical units using decimal notation.

Try picking each unit type in this dialog box to get a better idea of the differences betweenthem. When you have selected the unit type you want, click on Next.

Note:You can also create a new file from the Startupdialog box by selecting Quick

Setu and clickin OK.

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4. Choose the width and length of the rectangular area you want the drawing to cover, and type

those measurements into the blanks under Width and Length in the QuickSetup dialog box.This will set the DrawingLimits the coordinates of the lower left and upper right corners ofthe drawing. For example, entering 200 as the width of a drawing and 100 as its length

(after setting the units to Architectural) produces a drawing with Limits (0-0, 0-0) and(200-0, 100-0).

When you have chosen the width and length you want, click on Finish, and CAD will create anew drawing file according to your specifications.

To Save a File in AutoCAD:

1. Click on File on the Menu Bar, then go to Save As.

2. Specify a name for the file, and select where you want the file to be saved.

3. Make sure you are saving the drawing as an AutoCAD 2000 drawing, unless you have a

compelling reason to save it as a different file type.

4. Make sure the drawing name includes the extension .dwg, which is the standard extension

for an AutoCAD drawing file.

5. Click on Save. AutoCAD will now save the file to the location you specified. After you have

saved a file once, you can simply click on FileSave to save it again to the same location asthe previous save. If you want to save the file to a location different from the previous save,

you still need to use the FileSave As command sequence.

Making and Using Backup Files:

AutoCAD makes a backup file when you save a .dwg file to a particular location for the secondtime, and updates the backup file any time you save it to that location thereafter. A backup filehas a .bak extension instead of a .dwg extension, but otherwise has the same name as the

drawing file from which it is produced. The purpose of the backup file is to give you an automaticbackup copy of your drawing file, in case the drawing file itself gets corrupted or deleted. If thathappens, the backup file can be converted into a drawing file by completing these steps:

1. Exit AutoCAD.

2. From the Desktop, click on My Computer and find the .bak file you want to convert to a .dwg

file.

3. Click on that file, then go to the Menu Bar and click on EditCopy. Next, click on Edit

Paste. You should now have a second .bak file named Copy of backup_filename.bak.Making a copy of the backup file and converting the copy into a .dwg file ensures that youllkeep an unchanged version of your backup file intact.

Remember:

If you have set the unit type to Architectural or Engineering, enter the width and length as feet

and inches.

CAD drawings are set up and measured using a Cartesian coordinate system. The Origin of the

drawing is usually set at the lower left corner of the drawing.

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4. Click on the copy of the backup file, then go to the Menu Bar and click on FileRename.Give the file a name ending with the extension .dwg. (One possibility would be

converted_backup.dwg). Click on Enter. The renamed file will now function as a .dwg file.

Setting up Your Drawing:

The basic setup procedures for a drawing were covered briefly in the Creating a New Filesection of this handout. However, if you wish to modify the initial Setup of your drawing, or to

manipulate your drawing setup in a more precise manner than the Quick Setup wizard allows,heres how:

Adjusting Drawing Units:

Click on FormatUnits. This brings up the Drawing Units dialog box, where you canchange the types of units that the drawing uses to measure both linear distances and angles.

To select a type of units for linear distances, highlight a particular type in the 'Types' pulldownmenu under the 'Length' subheading. To select a type of units for angles, highlight thedesired type in the 'Types' pulldown menu under the 'Angle' subheading.

Adjusting Drawing Limits:

Click on FormatDrawing Limits. This brings up a prompt on the command line for you toenter the x and y coordinates of the lower left corner of the drawing area. After you have

typed in the coordinates for that corner, CAD will prompt you for the coordinates for the upperright corner. When you have typed in coordinates for both corners known as the limitsof thedrawing, CAD will re-define the rectangular area of the drawing according to those limits.

Selection Methods and Drawing Aids

Selection Methods:Many of CADs tools require that you select objects for the tools to act upon. CAD allows you touse several methods to select any given object or group of objects, and each of these methods

functions in a slightly different way.

1. Clicking on an object:

This is the simplest selection method. When prompted to select an object, place the pointerover the object you want to select and click on the left mouse button. Doing this selects onlythe object that the pointer is directly over.

2. Using a Window Selection Box:One good way to select multiple objects is to draw a Window Selection Boxenclosing the

objects you want to select. You can do this by clicking first on the point that you want to bethe top left corner of the window, and then on the point that you want to be the bottom rightcorner of the window. This causes CAD to draw a rectangular selection window with solid

sides and to select every object that is completely enclosed by the window. Objects thatintersect one of the sides of the window are not selected.

3. Using a Crossing Selection Box:

Another method for selecting several objects at once is to draw a Crossing SelectionBoxthat intersects or encloses the objects you want selected. You can draw a Crossing

Selection Box by clicking first on the point that you want to be the top right corner of the box,and then on the point that you want to be the bottom left corner of the box. (This procedure isexactly the reverse of the one used to draw a WindowSelection Box.) When a Crossing

Selection Box is drawn, CAD selects the objects that are intersected by one of the sides ofthe box plus those enclosed by the box.

4. Using a Crossing Selection Polygon:If youre having problems enclosing a set of objects within a rectangular selection box withoutselecting objects you dont want, try using a Crossing Selection Polygon. You can trigger

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this selection method by typing cp at the command line when prompted to select objects,then pressing Enter. CAD then prompts you to select the first Polygon point, and continues

accepting points of the polygon and drawing the resulting selection shape onscreen until youpress Enter. CAD then selects any object enclosed or intersected by the polygon.

5. Using a Selection Fence:Another method for selecting hard to reach objects is to use a Selection Fence . You canactivate the Fence selection option by typing f at the command line when prompted to select

objects, then pressing Enter. CAD proceeds to prompt you for fence points -- points thatdefine a continuous series of line segments, forming the Selection Fence . CAD continues toaccept fence pointsand draw the resulting series of connected line segments until you press

Enter, whereupon it selects any object intersected by a fence segment.

Drawing Aids:

CAD offers certain settings for the drawing environment that are designed to make producing adrawing easier. These settings are called Drawing Aids.

1. Using Orthographic Mode:The Orthographicdrawing mode constrains the line command, the move command, andmost other commands to operate only at 90 degree angles. Hence, when Orthographic

mode is on, you can only draw horizontal or vertical lines--not diagonal ones. Also, you canonly move objects horizontally or vertically-- not in any other directions. This helps quite a bitwhen working on laying out floorplans, elevations, and other drawings in which most of the

lines are either vertical or horizontal. To toggle Orthographicmode on and off, use the F8key on your keyboard or the ORTHO button at the bottom of the AutoCAD window.

2. Using the Drawing Grid:Activating the DrawingGridmakes a grid of dots appear in the drawing area, which can beused to align objects and estimate the distances between them. You can set the spacing of

the DrawingGriddots by clicking on ToolsDrawing Aids, and then entering whichever Xand Y increments you wish in the Grid section of the Drawing Aids dialog box. TheDrawingGridwill not appear on printouts or plots of the drawing. You can turn the Drawing

Gridon and off using the F7 key or the GRID button at the bottom of the AutoCAD window.

3. Using Snap Mode:

Snap Mode restricts the movement of the pointer to intervals that you have defined. WhenSnap Mode is on, the cursor seems to adhere, or snap to an invisible grid, which is usefulwhen you need lines and other objects to start and end at precise points. You can set the

snap intervals by clicking on ToolsDrawing Aids, and then typing in the desired X and Yspacing in the Snap section of the Drawing Aids dialog box. You can toggle the SnapModeon and off using the F9 key or the SNAP button at the bottom of the AutoCAD window.

Drawing Tools

Below is a table of the names of commands commonly used in CAD, the icons used to activatethe commands, and summaries of their functions. Aliases for the commands are given as well.

Command Aliases are shortened forms of command names that can be typed at the commandprompt to activate the commands. Since many of the aliases have only one or two letters, it oftentakes less time to type the alias for a command than it takes to find and click on the commandsicon using a mouse.

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Table of Command Icons, Command Aliases and Command Functions

CommandName

Icon Alias Function

Arc aDraws an arc according to user-

specified points. Default mode:Specifying 3 points along arc.

Area aa

User selects points that define theperimeter of a space, and then

presses Enter. CAD returns area ofspace.

Array ar

Creates a set of copies of a specifiedobject. Set can be organized in a

rectangular or polar coordinatefashion.

Chamfer chaExtends or trims two nonparallellines so that they intersect with a

beveled line.

Circle cDraws a circle according to user-specified dimensions. Default mode:Specifying center point and radius.

Copy co, cpMakes copy of selected object(s),

then prompts user for placement ofcopy.

Distance diUser specifies start and end points ofdistance to be measured; CAD

returns the linear distance.

Ellipse el

Draws an ellipse according to user-specified dimensions. Default mode:specify endpoints of first axis, then

specify half the length of the secondaxis.

Erase eErases selected object(s) fromdrawing.

Extend exExtends specifies line to meet auser-selected boundary line orobject.

Fillet f

Connects two specified objects with

an arc of a specified radius, or with asharp corner if the radius is set tozero.

Hatch bhatchShades a specified area with a

specified pattern.

Help help Brings up Help Topics dialog box.

Line lDraws a line from one user-selectedpoint to another.

Mirror miProduces a mirror image of a

selected object on the other side of auser-specified line.

Move mMoves an object along a user-specified line.

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CommandName

Icon Alias Function

Mtext t, mt

Prompts user to specify a rectangle,places multiple lines of text user thenenters within the sides of that

rectangular area. Text may overflow

the top and/or bottom of rectangulararea.

New file newBrings up dialog box to create a new

CAD .dwg file.

Offset oCreates a new object that is similarto the selected object, but separated

from it by a user-specified distance.

Open file open Brings up dialog box to open a file.

osnap os

Brings up the dialog box for setting

running object snaps. Object snapsallow the user to locate specificpoints on objects without typing in

coordinates. (See following entriesin table for points that can be locatedusing osnap.) Osnap settings

specified in this dialog box remain onuntil user turns them off.

Osnap tocenter

-Temporarily snaps to center ofobjects like circles & ellipses.

Osnap toendpoint

-Temporarily snaps to closestendpoint of objects.

Osnap tointersection

-Temporarily snaps to closestintersection of objects.

Osnap toapparentintersection -

Temporari ly snaps to the imaginaryintersection of two objects that would

intersect if they were extended alongtheir natural paths.

Osnap tomidpoint

-Temporarily snaps to midpoint ofobjects like lines.

Osnap toquadrant

-Temporarily snaps to the closestquadrant of an arc, circle, or ellipse.

Osnap totangent

-

Temporarily snaps to the point on acircle or arc that, when connected to

the last point, forms a circle or linetangent to that object.

Osnap toperpendicular

-Temporarily snaps to point on thenormal from the selected point to the

selected object.

Pan pan

Allows user to move horizontally andvertically within the drawing. Afterclicking on this icon, hold the mouse

button down and drag the mouse topan.

Polyline plineDraws a continuous line that passesthrough a series of user-specified

points.

Polyline edit peditAllows user to edit properties of aselected polyline.

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CommandName

Icon Alias Function

Polygon polygon

Draws a polygon having a specifiednumber of equal-length sides that iseither inscribed in or circumscribes a

circle with a user-specified center

and radius.(user also has option of specifying

the length and location of one edgeinstead of giving the dimensions fora circle.)

Plot plot Brings up plotting dialog box.

Rectangle recDraws a rectangle between user specified top and bottom corners.

Redo redo Redoes the action just undone.

Rotate roRotates a selected object about a

specified point through a specified

angle.

Save saveBrings up dialog box to save file orjust saves it in the last specified

location.

Stretch s

Stretches objects intersected by acrossing window or crossing polygonfor a userspecified length in a user-

specified direction. Moves objectstotally enclosed by a crossingwindow or polygon for the same

distance in the same direction.

Trim tr

Prompts the user to select objects tobe used as cutting edges, then to

select objects to be trimmed. If theobjects to be trimmed are intersectedby two cutting edges, then the partsof the objects between those two

edges are deleted. If the objects tobe trimmed are intersected by onlyone cutting edge, then the parts of

those objects extending beyond thatcutting edge are deleted.

Undo oops

Undoes the most recent action.Typing in undo at the command line

allows you to specify the number ofactions you want to undo. Default:one.

Zoom -

Allows user to zoom freely in and

out, using the mouse to control theamount of zoom. ( After clicking onthis icon, hold the mouse button

down and move the mouse to zoom )

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CommandName

Icon Alias Function

Zoom previouszp

(Note: z p meansthat you type in z, then press Enter,then type p, and press Enter again.

This form of notation is used to

explain several other zoom optionsbelow.)

Returns to the zoom setting CADhad prior to the last zoom command.

zoom allza

Zooms out so that all of the drawingarea is displayed onscreen.

zoom dynamiczd

Brings up a selection box whose sizeand position user can adjust. Whenuser presses Enter, CAD zooms into

the area contained in the selectionbox.

zoom extentsze

Zooms in or out so that all of thedrawing area that contains drawing

objects is displayed onscreen.

zoom inincrementally

-Zooms in a set amount each time theicon is clicked.

zoom outincrementally

-Zooms out a set amount each timethe icon is clicked.

zoom windowz

w

Prompts user to select top and

bottom corners of a window -- zoomsin to frame the area contained in thewindow.

Basic Troubleshooting (Audit and Recover):

The audit and recover commands come in handy when dealing with a file that you suspect mayhave become corrupted. If you can open the file:

1. Type audit on the command line or click on FileDrawing UtilitiesAudit.

2. This tells CAD to go through the file and look for errors.

3. When CAD displays the question Fix any errors detected? on the command line, type y andpress Enter. This tells CAD to fix any errors it finds.

4. Save your drawing to ensure that you have the corrected version stored.

If a file has errors that audit doesn't correct, or if youre unable to open the file, try using the

recover command to fix the file. To use the recover command:

1. Click on FileDrawing UtilitiesRecover, or type recover on the command line.

2. CAD will then display a Select File dialog box. Select the file you want to recover, then clickon Open.

3. CAD will attempt to correct any errors in the drawing and open the drawing. If CAD findserrors, it will output information about them on the command line.

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4. After the drawing is successfully recovered and opened, you should save it to ensure that youhave the corrected version stored. If recover fails to open your drawing, it is most likely

corrupted beyond repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I cancel a command?Press the Escape key on your keyboard. That should automatically return you to the

command prompt without executing the function you were in. (Example: if you press theOffset icon by accident and dont actually want to offset anything, hitting Escape gets youout of Offset mode.)

2. How often should I save?AutoCAD will lock up occasionally, especially when handling large drawings. This makes it

important to save about every 15 minutes, so that you wont lose a lot of work if you have torestart CAD.

3. What if I cant find an icon I want?If you cant find an icon that you want to use, you can look through other toolbars for that icon

by clicking on ViewToolbars, which brings up the Toolbars dialog box. Within that dialog

box, place an X in the box next to the toolbars that youd like to see. CAD will then bringthose toolbars up onscreen. If you want to keep a given toolbar onscreen, simply click on it,hold the mouse button down, and drag it to one side of the CAD window, where it will dock

itself and become a part of your CAD display. To remove a toolbar from your display, bringup the Toolbars window again, and turn off the Xs in the boxes next to those toolbars youwant to disappear. CAD will then remove them from your screen.

For More Help

If you need more assistance while working with AutoCAD, please feel free to ask any of OALSupport Staff or call Help Desk Central at (979) 845-8300.

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