Course: Section:

Name: Date Performed:

Instructor: Date Submitted:

LABORATORY ACTIVITY NO.1

GETTING STARTED WITH AUTOCAD

1. Objective(s):
The activity aims to:
1. Examine the AutoCAD environment by browsing its elements such as menus, toolbars, and ribbon,
and discovering drawing area.
2. Differentiate Computer-Aided Drafting from Manual Drafting
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):

The students shall be able to:

1. Use the menus, toolbars and ribbon in creating objects

2. Interact with AutoCAD
3. Differentiate Computer-Aided Drafting from Manual Drafting
4.
3. Discussion:

AutoCAD has been around since 1982. AutoCAD is developed and marketed by Autodesk Inc.
and was one of the initial CAD programs that could be executed on personal computers. AutoCAD is a
program for creating two and three dimensional technical drawings in which measurements and
precision are important because these kinds of drawings are often used to build something. These
drawings must adhere to standards established long ago for hand-drafted drawings. The key reasons
for using AutoCAD rather than pencil and paper are:

√ Precision: Creating lines, circles, and other shapes of the exact dimensions is easier
√ Modifiability: Drawings are much easier to modify on the computer screen and modifications are
cleaner.
√ Efficiency: Creating many kinds of drawings is faster especially drawings that involve repetitions,
such as floor plans in a multistory building.

AutoCAD also support numerous application program interfaces for automation and
customization. DWG (drawing) is the native file format for AutoCAD and a basic standard for CAD data
interoperability. The software has also provided support for design Web format (DWF), a format
developed by Autodesk for publishing CAD data.

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4. Resources:

Computer with installed AutoCAD Software

5. Procedure and Output

AutoCAD Environment
When you start AutoCAD, the AutoCAD window opens. The window is the design space that contains
the elements that are used in designing. The main parts of the AutoCAD window are:

Workspaces

Ribbon

Toolbars
Crosshairs Drawing
Area

UCS Icon Paper and Model

Space Tabs Command Line(s)

Drawing and Construction Aids

Figure 1.1. AutoCAD screen elements

Figure 1.2. Workspace switching menu

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Workspaces – is a collection of menus, palettes, toolbars and/or Ribbon panels tailored for specific tasks,
such as 3D modeling and 2D drafting as shown in figure 1.2 located at the top left of the screen, depending
on settings. When you click on the down arrow of the menu, it shows different workspaces. Try each
workspace, what did you observe?
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Drawing Area – The drawing canvas takes up most of the screen and is colored a dark gray in the default
version of the environment. This where you work and your design appears. If you wish to change the color
of the drawing canvas, right-click in Options, choose the display tab, then colors. Try to change the color of
your drawing area. What did you observe every time you change the color?
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Command Line(s) – Right below the drawing are is the command line or, by default, three lines. This is
where the commands may be entered and also where AutoCAD tells you what it needs to continue. This is
one of the main ways that AutoCAD communicates with you. Draw a line by entering the following
commands:

Keyboard: Type in line and press Enter

What did AutoCAD tell you? _________________________________________________________
What was your action? ______________________________________________________________
After your response, what did AutoCAD tell you again? ___________________________________
How was your conversation with AutoCAD ended? ______________________________________

UCS Icon – This is a basic X-Y-Z (Z is not visible) grid symbol. Y axis is “up” and the X axis is “across”

Paper Space/Model Space Tabs – These Model/Layout1/Layout2 tabs indicate which drawing space you
are in. Click on them to see what happens. What did you notice? _________________________________
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Toolbars – Toolbars contain icons that can be pressed to activate commands. They are an alternative to
typing and the Ribbon, and most commands can be accesses this way. Draw a line by pressing the toolbar
icon.

What was the response of AutoCAD? _______________________________________________________

Crosshairs – Crosshairs are simply the mouse cursor and move around along with the movements of your
mouse. The can be full size and span the entire screen or a small size. You can change the size of the
crosshairs if you wish, and full screen is recommended in some cases.

Drawing & Construction Aids - These various settings assist you in drafting and modeling. By default,
these aids are in graphical symbol form and some may be activated, which you can determine by observing
their color.

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Ribbon – This is relatively new way of interacting with AutoCAD’s commands

Cascading Drop-down Menus – This is another way to access commands in AutoCAD. These menus, so
named because they drop out like a waterfall, may be hidden initially, but can be easily make them visible
via the down arrow at the very top of the screen.

Interacting with AutoCAD

There are four primary ways to interact with AutoCAD. These are the ways to tell AutoCAD what we want to
drawn.
Method 1: Type in the commands on the command line

Figure 1.3 Command Line (circle typed in)

Method 2: Select the commands from the drop-down cascading menus

Figure 1.4 cascading menu

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 Method 3: Use toolbar icons to activate the commands

Figure 1.5 Draw Toolbar

Method 4: Use the Ribbon tabs, icons, and menus

Figure 1.6 Ribbon

Do the following using the four methods. Just follow the instructions given.

1. Draw a line.

Keyboard: Type in line and press Enter

Cascading menus: Draw Line
`

Toolbar icon: Draw toolbar

Ribbon: Home tab Line

Step 1. Begin the line command via any of the preceding methods.
o AutoCAD says: Specify first point:
Step 2. Using the mouse, left-click anywhere on the screen.
o AutoCAD says: Specify next point or [Undo]:
Step 3. Move the mouse elsewhere on the screen and left-click again. You can repeat Step 2 as
many times as you wish. When you are done, click Enter or Esc.
2. Draw a circle

Keyboard: Type in circle and press Enter

Cascading menus: Draw Circle Center, Radius
`

Toolbar icon: Draw toolbar

Ribbon: Home tab Circle

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 Step 1. Begin the circle command via any of the preceding methods.
o AutoCAD says: Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]:
Step 2. Using the mouse, left-click anywhere on the screen and move the mouse out away from
that point.
o AutoCAD says: Specify radius of circle or [Diameter] <1.9801>:
Notice the circle that forms; it varies in size with the movement of your mouse. The value
in brackets may of course be different in your case.
Step 3. Left-click to finish the circle command.

Based on the four methods of interacting with AutoCAD, which method you prefer to use? Why?
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6. Conclusion:

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7. Assessment (Rubric for Laboratory Performance):

BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT
Intended Learning Outcomes SCORE
1 2 3
Was able to use
Was not able to use Has difficulty in using the menus,
Use the menus, toolbars, and
the menus, toolbars the menus, toolbars toolbars and
ribbon in creating objects and ribbon in creating and ribbon in ribbon in creating
objects creating objects objects without
difficulty
Was able to
Was able to interact
interact with
Fails to interact with with AutoCAD but
AutoCAD without
Interact with AutoCAD AutoCAD in creating with the supervision
the supervision
objects of the faculty
of the faculty
member
member
Other comments/observation: TOTAL SCORE
RATING = (total score) x 100%
2

Evaluated By: Date:

Faculty Member
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