AutoCAD and the Third Dimension

When using versions of AutoCad prior to Release 10 the only way to input the Z
dimension was to change the thickness and/or the elevation of various entities. Also the
drawing tools only worked in the !" plane! this made drawing such items as hori#ontal
cylinders rather difficult.
With the introduction of Release 10 greater three dimensional fle$i%ility was made
possi%le! %ut it&s still not perfect. 'he ma(or new concept is the )ser Co*ordinate +ystem
)C+. 'he old versions had only one datum point and all drawing entities were referenced
from this point! this method is now known as &world co*ordinates& WC+. 'he )C+
defines a drawing plane the origin of which may %e at any !"!Z co* ordinate and at any
attitude, ie having drawn a -. house the slanting roof may %e defined as the new drawing
plane.
'he most useful )C+ options are /rigin 0 -point. /n selecting /rigin a new origin may
%e defined %y either keying in or picking a new 1 or - dimensional point. 2f a 1. point is
input all that is achieved is a datum shift in the current plane! a -. input will define a
new plane.
+electing the -point option will ask for three -. points that define your new plane! these
points may %e keyed in %ut picking three geometric features makes more sense. 'he first
point defines the new origin! the &direction& from the first to the second point defines the
new && a$is and the &direction& from the second to the third point defines the new &"& a$is.
Within the drawing are many system varia%les! an important one to know a%out is
)C+3/44/W if this is set to 1 then the display will always redraw and show the plan
view ie from the current Z a$is. 5o redraw occurs when )C+3/44/W is set to 0.
SETVAR UCSFOLLOW 0
/ur system is used mainly to teach 1. and so the )C+ icon is always in the lower left of
the screen. "ou should set up your own prototype drawing with the )C+ icon fi$ed to the
origin of the current system. SETVAR UCSICON 3 2f the orgin is not within the visi%le
screen area the the )C+ icon will revert %ack to the 6ottom left again.
2nserting predefined windows on each wall of a house is now easy! for each wall define
7 using )C+ - 8 a new drawing plane then insert the windows at the re9uired location.
Careful though! these windows are pictures hung on the wall a real winow has to %e
knocked through.
:;/R'+ is the new way to display your drawing on the screen it allows you to see many
views of the drawing at the same time! eg<* front and %ack of an o%(ect.
=ach :;ort may have different varia%le settings such as :iew ;oint! )C+3/44/W!
Z//>! ?R2.! +5A; etc.
'ry with the college prototype drawing :;/R'+ Restore -. then Z//> = in each port
and then :;/R'+ +ave -..

Let's Draw a House

BASIC PLAN in metres

LINE 0,0 11,0 11,6 0,6 C
ZOOM E
ZOOM .7X

CHANGE THICKNESS

DDCHPROP Last change the Thickness t !.00
"hat # $% kn& a'%t the CH(N)E c**an#+

,P --! . /0 0 is*et1ic 2ie&
HIDE

ADD THE ROOF
1. -.3AC=
1. =5. of pick at point 1
-. =5. of pick at point 1
@. ." of >2. of pick at point -
7need Z8< A
B. ." of >2. of pick at point @
7need Z8< A
C. .rop the command with D=nterE
O3N(P END
/D4(CE 5ick the 6%1 5ints - at the 1i#ge an# - n the
h%se t #e6ine the the1 s75e

CHANGE USER COORDINATE S!STE"

3ET,(R 8C34OLLO" 0
8C3 / 5ick at 5int 1
5ick at 5int -
5ick at 5int T
TILE THE ROOF

H(TCH
Patte1n 9+ 1
na*e:8,st$7e;<=RIC>
3ca7e 61 5atte1n ?1.0000@< 0.-
(ng7e 61 5atte1n ?0.0@< 0
5ick 6i1st 6 the t& /#6aces

GET READ! FOR THE #INDO#S
O3N(P END
8C3 / 5ick at 5int (
5ick at 5int =
5ick at 5int 1
O3N(P NONE
A!E A WINDOW

LINE 5ick at an$ c7ea1 a1ea 6 the #1a&ing
A1,0
A0,1
AB1,0
C #1a&s a 1 '$ 1 sC%a1e

=LOC> "INDO" MID 5ick *i# 6 7&e1 7ine
then 5ick a77 D 7ines t *ake the ne& '7ck

PLACE THE #INDO#


IN3ERT "INDO" 5ick a 5int n the &a77
.E
-.1
0

This sh%7# gi2e $% a E00 '$ -100 ** "in#& &ith Fe1 Rtatin
CHANGE THE DISPLA! "ODE


$PORTS R %D then F* E in each 2ie&51t



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(%tC(DGs g1a5hics #is57a$ int *%7ti57e 2ie&51ts, each 6
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41*at< ,IE"PORT3
3a2e:Rest1e:De7ete:Hin:3Ing7e:+:-:I/J:D<

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sa2es it 61 7ate1 1et1ie2a7.
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acti2e 2ie&51t.
+ B Lists the na*e# an# c%11ent 2ie&51t
cn6ig%1atins.
- B Di2i#es the c%11ent 2ie&51t in ha76.
/ B Di2i#es the c%11ent 2ie&51t int / 2ie&51ts.
D B Di2i#es the c%11ent 2ie&51t int D eC%a7
2ie&51ts.

Nte that $% *a$ *2e the c%1s1 a1%n# the sc1een 61*
2ie&51t t 2ie&51t, '%t n7$ &hen it is in the c%11ent
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3ee a7s< 3ectin 6.7 6 the Re6e1ence Man%a7.
c*5a1e &ith Pa5e1 35ace . M#e7 35ace.

Te11$ Ra&kins -0 (51i7 1EED
6ack