PLEASE USE THE ENTER KEY OR

RIGHT CLICK ON THE MOUSE TO ADVANCE

PLEASE FIRST READ LESSON #6 – Starting and Setting Up Drawings and

Opening Existing Drawings

Prior to viewing this presentation.

What are the steps to create a NEW DRAWING ?

When Autocad is first opened a drawing is displayed called Drawing1.dwgThis drawing contains pre-set settings which need to be changed. The changes will provide the tools for a better creative CAD drawing.

These changes will improve your speed, accuracy, efficiency and grade.

Most of the setting changes will take place within DIALOG BOXES.

The Dialog Boxes will be quickly accessed through the Format Pull-Down Menu.

CREATING A NEW DRAWING AS A TEMPLATE OR

STANDARD DRAWING FOR USE IN LATER ASSIGNMENTS

STEP 1SAVE YOUR DRAWING

Lets first change the drawing name.

Select from the Menu Bar File, Save As

The Save Drawing As DIALOG BOX appears displaying your student directory. Enter the file name using your

initials followed by the drawing name as illustrated.NEVER USE THE SAME NAME TWICE

The new drawing name will appear above

STEP 2MAKING CHANGES

WITHIN THE DIALOG BOXES

Select Format from the Menu Bar

The following DIALOG boxes will be changedLayer…, Linetype…, Text Style…,

Dimension Style…, Point Style…,Units…,Drawing Limits…

Lets first examine the content of each Dialog BoxPrior to making changes.

The Layer Properties Manager controls the components listed within Layers. As you can see a minimum number of layers exist. Layers will later be explained in greater detail in another presentation.

Lets create another layer by selecting the New Layer Icon.Call the layer DIMENSIONS and make its color Red

New Layer Icon.

New Layer

Using LAYERS is imperative while working in Autocad

Lets add addition Linetypes by selecting Load…

LOADING LINETYPES

A dialog box appears giving you the ability to load line types. Proceed to load in the following line types: Center and Hidden

Slide shows several Linetypes loaded.

The Text Style Dialog Box contains the Standard Style Font. DO-NOT CHANGE THE STYLE OF THIS FONT

Add additional Fonts by selecting the font name choice under Font and then select the New….. button. In the next Dialog Box give the name of

the new font style using the same name of the font selected.

The new style Times New Roman has been added to the list.

The Dimension Style Manager controls the look of dimensions as they are placed on a drawing. Using the Modify... Pick Box

will display a Dialog Box for editing basic settings.

The Dimension Style Manager

This Dialog Box will be explained in another presentation.

Change the point style and size as show.Be sure to select the Radial Button

Set Size IN Absolute Units

POINT STYLE DIALOG BOXPoint Styles are used with other commands such as the Divide Command.

Depending on the type of drawing you are working (Mechanical or Architectural ) The Drawing Units may need to be changed.

The drawing units may be changed to any of (5)choices. They are:DECIMAL, ARCHITECTURAL,

ENGINEERING, FRACTURAL, SCIENTIFIC

CHANGING THE DRAWING LIMITS

Drawing Limits represents the sheet size or paper size of your drawing.

This is the area in which a helping grid will appear.

LOOK AT THE COMMAND LINE AREA.You will see that after selecting Drawing Limits from the Format pull-down Menu Bar the system asks you for the location of the lower left corner of the paper edge. The value displayed <0.000, 0.000> must be

selected by depressing the Enter key.

A SECOND QUESTION IS PRESENTED TO THE OPERATOR

Specify upper right corner the value <12.000, 9.000> is the pre-set size and can be

changed to any sheet size paper you wish.

Coordinates of the sheet are typed in by entering the X value & then the Y value of the upper right corner.

To change the paper to a large C size sheet type 22, 17This number represents a sheet size of 22 inches in length along the X

axis and 17 inches in height along the Y axis.

To confirm the limits have been changed simply move the Cursor to the upper right corner of the drawing space.

The new value of the upper right corner of the Drawing Limits has been entered.

Move the Cursor to the upper right corner to confirm the change.

The new value of the upper right corner of the Drawing Limits has been entered.

Confirming the upper right corner coordinates of the drawing limit is made easy by first displaying the Grid

pattern (F7) and having the Snap Mode (F9) turned ON.

Move the Cursor to the upper right corner and read the coordinates in the Coords Display 22.000,17.000,0.000

The numbers indicate the coordinates of the upper right corner of the paper sheet working area and confirms the

changes made to the Drawing Limit.

THE FINAL DRAWING SETTING CHANGES

Will be made by selecting the icon from the Object Snap Toolbar called Osnap Settings….

The Drafting Settings Dialog Box will appear and changes to the sizes of the helping features known as GRID and SNAP can

be made.

Selecting the Object Snap Tab will enable you to pick OSNAP (Object Snap) settings which will enable you to select

any point on objects such as lines and circles Accurately with ease of picking the point.

OSNAP WILL BE EXPLAINED IN GREATER DETAILIN A LATER PRESENTATION.

The Drafting Settings Dialog Box can also be

opened by simply typing DS on the

keyboard

Change the size of the helping GRID and SNAP to the

same value.

Select the Object Snap Tab and check

off the following choices:

ENDPOINTMIDPOINT

CENTERINTERSECTION

PERPENDICULAR

Notice the symbols representing the

Object Snap Modes

We have now completed SETTING UP a Standard Drawing or Template for use

on other CAD Assignments.

REVIEW THIS PRESENTATION AND FOLLOW ITS INSTRUCTIONS IN CLASS TO CREATE YOUR OWN

TEMPLATE.