DDJ 1503 Rev01

REV 01
1.0 About AutoCAD Documentation

• AutoCAD® Release 14 contains an extensive
documentation suite that comprises online
documentation, multimedia learning tools, and printed
manuals.
– The AutoCAD Documentation Suite
– Where to Start
– Additional Help Resources
– Typographical Conventions
DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 1

REV 01
2.0 Introduction to AutoCAD

• The AutoCAD Interface
• Starting a Drawing
• Drawing Objects
• Viewing and Editing
• Preparing Your Drawing for Plotting
• Advanced Features
• Customizing and Programming

REV 01
2.1 The AutoCAD Interface

AutoCAD's main window comprises the
components shown in the following figure.

REV 01
• You use AutoCAD by running commands

using one of these methods:
 Choosing a menu item

 Clicking a tool on toolbar
 Entering a command

REV 01
2.2 Starting a Drawing

• Units determines the measuring units you will
use to draw objects
• Scale determines the size of a unit when

plotted on paper
• To help you visualize units, you can display

an array of dots, called a grid, on your screen.

REV 01
• Limits indicate to AutoCAD where in the drawing

area's infinite space you intend to draw
• Snap enables you to locate and position points

exactly on the grid or some subdivision of it.

REV 01
2.3 Drawing Objects
– Polylines are complex multi segment lines
– Hatching fills an irregular area or object with a line

pattern
– Fills are similar to hatching except that the area is

filled completely.

REV 01
– AutoCAD has several text creation and editing

commands
– AutoCAD has extensive dimensioning, leader,

and tolerance capabilities
– Extra: Undoing mistakes drawing, accurately,

object properties, creating standard symbols

REV 01
2.4 Viewing and Editing
– Viewing Your Drawing
– Editing Your Drawing
– Looking Up Drawing Data

REV 01
2.5 Preparing Your Drawing for Plotting

REV 01
2.6 Advanced Features
– 3D Modeling. (include wireframes, meshes, solids,

and 3D polylines.)
– Raster Images.(can be copied, moved, rotated,

resized, and clipped.)
– Database Support. (database queries, create new

database files, and generate reports.)
– Internet Features

REV 01
2.7 Customizing and Programming

– AutoCAD supports several programming languages,
from simple scripts to a C++ interface.
– You can add, remove, or modify the menus and

toolbars that are provided with AutoCAD.

REV 01
3.0 Getting Start 2D

3.1 Checking System Requirements
3.2 Installing AutoCAD
3.3 Starting AutoCAD
3.4 Accessing Information from the Help Menu
3.5 Pointing Devices

REV 01
3.6 Understanding the AutoCAD Interface

– Toolbars: Toolbars contain tools, represented by icons,
that start commands.
– Menus: The menus are available from the menu bar

at the top of the AutoCAD window.
– Cursor Menu: The cursor menu is displayed at your

cursor location when you hold down SHIFT while
pressing the return button on the pointing device.

REV 01
– The Command Window: The command window is a

dock able window in which you enter commands and
AutoCAD displays prompts and messages.
– The Text Window: The text window is similar to the

command window in which you enter commands and
view prompts and messages.
• Navigating in the Text Window
• Setting Text Window Preferences

REV 01
3.7 Accessing Commands

– Using a Toolbar
– Using a Menu
– Using the Command Line
– Using Commands Transparently
– Using Long File Names
– Switching from Dialog Box to Command Line
– Using Scripts to Run Commands
– Editing Command or Text Window Text

REV 01
3.2 Using System Variables

– System variables are settings that control how certain
commands work.
– They can turn on or off modes such as Snap, Grid, or
Ortho.
– They can set default scales for hatch patterns.
– They can store information about the current drawing
and AutoCAD's configuration.
– Sometimes you use a system variable to change a
setting; sometimes you use a system variable to
display the current status.

REV 01
3.8 Correcting Mistakes

– The simplest is to use the U command to undo a
single action.
3.9 Refreshing the Screen Display
– You refresh the display to remove blips or temporary

markers that indicate points you have specified
– To refresh the drawing display, you can either redraw

or regenerate.

REV 01
3.10 Modifying the AutoCAD Environment

– You can change many of the settings that affect the
AutoCAD interface and drawing environment in the
Preferences dialog box.
– Controlling Warnings
– Saving Your Drawing Automatically
– Selecting Colors for the AutoCAD Window
– Selecting Fonts for AutoCAD
– Specifying Support Directories and Menu Files
– Setting the System of Measurement
– Specifying the Location of Temporary Files

REV 01
3.11 Opening Existing Drawings

– Use the drawing browser to view small images of
drawings, to open drawings, and to search for files.
• Browsing Through Files
• Searching for Files
3.12 Saving Drawings

– The SAVETIME system variable sets the time interval
at which AutoCAD automatically saves your work and
can set this interval in the Preferences dialog box

REV 01
3.13 Exiting AutoCAD

– If you have saved your most recent changes, you can
exit AutoCAD without saving the drawing again.
– If you have not saved your changes, AutoCAD
prompts you to save or discard the changes or cancel
the command.

REV 01
4.0 Using Coordinate Systems

4.1 Using a Coordinate System to Specify Points
4.2 Using Direct Distance Entry
4.3 Shifting and Rotating the Coordinate System

REV 01
4.1 Using a Coordinate System to Specify

Points
– When a command prompts you for a point, you can use
the pointing device to specify a point in the graphics
area or you can enter coordinate values on the
command line.
– Use Grid and Snap mode to specify evenly spaced
points on the graphics area.
• Using Cartesian and Polar Coordinate Systems.
• Specifying Cartesian and Polar Coordinates

REV 01
Using Cartesian and Polar The following illustration

Coordinate Systems. demonstrates the location of
points on the XY plane.
• Locating Points
– In AutoCAD, you can enter coordinates in
scientific, decimal, engineering,
architectural, or fractional notation.
– You can enter angles in grads, radians, and
surveyor's units or in degrees, minutes, and
seconds.
– This guide uses decimal units and degrees.

REV 01
• Displaying Coordinates
– Dynamic display is updated as you move the cursor
– Static display updates only when you specify a point
– Distance and angle (distance<angle) display is

updated as you move the cursor. This option is
available only when you draw lines or other objects
that prompt for more than one point.

REV 01
• Specifying Cartesian and Polar Coordinates.

– In two-dimensional space, you specify points on the XY plane, also called
the construction plane.
– It is similar to a flat sheet of grid paper.
– The X value of a Cartesian coordinate specifies horizontal distance, and
the Y value specifies vertical distance.
– The origin point (0,0) indicates where the two axes intersect.

REV 01
 Entering Absolute X,Y Coordinates.

 For example, to draw a line beginning at an X value of -2 and a Y value
of 1, make the following entries on the command line:
Command: Enter line
From point: Enter -2,1
To point: Enter 3,4
 AutoCAD locates the line as follows:

REV 01
 Entering Relative Coordinates.

– Use relative X,Y coordinates when you know the
position of a point in relation to the previous point. For
example, to locate a point relative to -2,1, precede the
next coordinate with the @ symbol:
Command: Enter line
From point: Enter -2,1
To point: Enter @5,3
– This draws the same line shown in the preceding

illustration.

REV 01
 Entering Polar Coordinates.

 To enter a polar coordinate, enter a distance and an angle, separated by
an angle bracket (<). For example, to specify a point that is at a distance of
1 unit from the previous point and at an angle of 45 degrees, enter @1<45.
 To move clockwise, enter a negative value for the angle. For example,
entering 1<315 is the same as entering 1<-45.

REV 01
 You can change the angle direction for the

current drawing with the DDUNITS command or the
ANGDIR system variable. Also, ANGBASE sets the
direction of the Ø angle.
The following example shows a line drawn with polar
coordinates.
Command: Enter line
From point: Enter 0,0
To point: Enter 4<120
To point: Enter 5<30

REV 01
 Specifying Units and Angles.

 You can specify the unit type according to your
drawing's requirements: architectural, decimal,
scientific, engineering, or fractional.
 You can enter coordinates in decimal form or in feet,
inches, and degrees or in other notation.
 Use the prime symbol ('): for example, 72'3,34'4. You
don't need to enter the double prime symbol or
quotation marks (") to specify inches.

REV 01
 If you use surveyor angles when specifying polar

coordinates, indicate whether the surveyor angles
are in the north, south, east, or west direction.
 For example, to enter a coordinate relative to the

current coordinate for a property line that is 72 feet,
8 inches, long with a bearing of 45 degrees north,
20 feet, 6 inches, east, enter @72'8"<n45d20'6"e

REV 01
4.2 Using Direct Distance Entry

– Instead of entering coordinate values with direct
distance entry, you can specify a point by moving
the cursor to indicate a direction and then entering
the distance from the first point. This is a good
way to specify a line length quickly.
– You can use direct distance entry to specify points

for all commands except those that prompt you to
enter a single real value, such as ARRAY,
MEASURE, and DIVIDE. When Ortho is on, this
method is an efficient way to draw perpendicular
lines. In the following example, you draw a line 25
units long using direct distance entry.
REV 01
4.3 Shifting and Rotating the Coordinate System.
– There are two coordinate systems: a fixed system

called the World Coordinate System (WCS), and a
movable system called the user coordinate system
(UCS).

REV 01
– You can relocate the user coordinate system using

several methods:
• Specify a new XY plane
• Specify a new origin
• Align the UCS with an existing object
• Align the UCS with the current viewing direction
• Rotate the current UCS around any of its axes
• Select a previously saved UCS

REV 01
• Shifting the XY Plane.

– One way to relocate a UCS is to specify a new UCS origin and the
direction of its positive X and Y axes.
• Locating a New UCS Origin.

– you can adjust coordinate entry to be relevant to a specific area or object
in your drawing. For example, you might relocate the origin point to the
corner of a building or to serve as a reference point on a map.

REV 01
• Restoring the UCS to WCS.

– If you have been working with a UCS, you can restore
the UCS to be coincident with the WCS.
• Saving and Reusing a UCS
– Once you have defined a UCS, you can name it and
then restore it when you need to use it again. If you
no longer need a named UCS, you can delete it.
• Displaying the UCS Icon.
– AutoCAD displays the UCS icon in various ways to
help you visualize the orientation of the drawing
plane.

REV 01
The following figure shows some of the possible icon

displays.
Examples of UCS icon display

REV 01
5.0 Editing Methods

• AutoCAD offers two approaches to editing: you can issue
a command first and then select the objects to edit, or you
can select the objects first and then edit them.
• Working with Named Objects • Inserting Breaks in

• Selecting Objects Objects
• Editing Objects Using the • Exploding Objects
Object Properties Toolbar
• Matching Properties of Other • Editing Polylines
Objects • Editing Multilines
• Copying Objects • Editing Splines
• Moving Objects • Chamfering Objects
• Erasing Objects
• Resizing Objects • Filleting Objects
• Editing Hatches
REV 01
5.1 Working with Named Objects.

• In addition to the graphic objects used by AutoCAD,
descriptive designations associated with them, for
example, blocks, layers, groups, and dimension styles.
• Purging Named Objects.

– Purging reduces drawing size. You cannot purge
objects that are referenced by other objects.
– You can purge individual objects, all objects of a
specific type, or all named objects in a drawing.

REV 01
• Renaming Objects.
– For example, layer 0 or the CONTINUOUS line type.
– Valid characters are letters, digits, and the special
characters dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and underscore
(_).
– For example, STAIR$0$STEEL.
• Renaming Groups of Objects.

– For example, to rename the group of layers
STAIR$LEVEL-1, STAIR$LEVEL-2, STAIR$LEVEL-3
to S_LEVEL-1, S_LEVEL-2, S_LEVEL-3, enter stair$*
under Old Name and s_* under Rename To.

REV 01
5.2 Selecting Objects

• Choose an editing command. Then select the objects
and press ENTER.
• Enter Select Then select the objects and press ENTER.
Select the objects with the pointing device.
• Define groups.
• Note: To select objects before choosing an edit
command, the PICKFIRST system variable must be on.

REV 01
• Choosing the Command First.

– Using Selection Windows.
– Using Selection Fences, Selecting Objects Close
Together.
– Customizing Object Selection.
– Filtering Selection Sets.
• Removing Objects from a Selection Set.
• Selecting Objects First.

REV 01
• Editing with Grips.

– Multiple Copy Mode
– Multiple Copy Mode and Offset Snap Locations
– Multiple Grips as Base Grips
• Using Groups.
– Creating Groups.
– Selecting Groups.
– Editing Groups.

REV 01
5.3 Editing Objects Using the Object Properties

Toolbar
• Selecting an Object in PICKFIRST Mode
• Editing Layers
• Editing Colors
• Editing Line types

REV 01
5.4 Matching Properties of Other Objects

• Object properties you can change with Match Properties
5.5 Copying Objects

• Copying within a Drawing
• Multiple Copying Using Grips
• Copying with the Clipboard
• Copying Views
• Offsetting Objects
• Mirroring Objects
• Arraying Objects

REV 01
5.5 Moving Objects

• Use snap, coordinates, grips, and object snap modes to
move objects with precision.
– Rotating Objects.
– Aligning Objects.
5.6 Erasing Objects

REV 01
5.7 Resizing Objects

• Stretching Objects.
– Moving by Stretching
– Stretching with Grips
• Scaling Objects.
– Scaling by a Scale Factor
– Scaling by Reference
– Scaling with Grips
• Extending Objects.
– Extending to an Implied Boundary
– Extending Polylines
– Extending Infinite Lines

REV 01
• Changing the Length of Objects.

– Dragging an object's endpoint (dynamically).
– Specifying a new length.
– Specifying an incremental length or angle.
– Specifying the object's total absolute length or
included angle.
• Trimming Objects.
– Trimming to an Implied Intersection
– Trimming Complex Objects
– Trimming to the Nearest Intersection

REV 01
5.8 Inserting Breaks in Objects
5.9 Exploding Objects

• Exploding objects converts them from single objects to
their constituent parts but has no visible effect.
• For example, exploding forms simple lines and arcs from
poly lines, rectangles, donuts, and polygons.

REV 01
5.10 Editing Polylines

• Edit poly lines by closing and opening them and by
moving, adding, or deleting individual vertices.
• It is better to use a true spline, which maintains its

spline definition.

REV 01
5.11 Editing Multi lines

• Adding and Deleting Multiline Vertices.
• Editing Multiline Intersections.

• Editing Multiline Styles.
– control the number of line elements in a multiline and the color, line type,
and offset from the multiline origin of each element.

REV 01
5.12 Editing Splines

• You can delete fit points of a spline, add fit points for
greater accuracy, or move fit points to alter the shape of a
spline. O
• Open or close a spline and edit the spline start and end
tangents.

REV 01
5.13 Chamfering Objects

• Chamfering connects two nonparallel objects by
extending or trimming them to intersect or to join with a
beveled line.
– Chamfering by Specifying Distances

– Trimming Chamfered Objects
– Chamfering by Specifying Length and Angle
– Chamfering Polyline Segments
– Chamfering an Entire Polyline

REV 01
5.14 Filleting Objects
• Filleting connects two objects with a smoothly fitted arc of

a specified radius.
– Setting the Fillet Radius
– Trimming Filleted Objects
– Filleting Circles and Arcs
– Filleting Line and Polyline Combinations
– Filleting an Entire Polyline
– Filleting Parallel Lines

REV 01
5.15 Editing Hatches
• You can edit both hatch boundaries and hatch patterns.

– Removing Hatch Associativity
– Editing Hatch Boundaries and Patterns

REV 01
5.0 AutoCAD Techniques
5.1 Layer
– Each layer has an associated color, line type, line weight, and plot
style.
– To organize drawings into groups of objects as well as to identify
different objects with varying colors, line types, and line weights.

REV 01
5.2 Color
– All other colors must be specified by an ACI number (8 through 255).
Colors 1 to 7
Color number Color name
1 Red
2 Yellow
3 Green
4 Cyan
5 Blue
6 Mangenta
7 Black/White
– You can assign a color to a layer, set the current color for new objects that
you create (including BYLAYER or BYBLOCK), or change the color of
existing objects in your drawing.

REV 01
5.3 Line type

– Line type is a repeating pattern of dashes, dots, and blank spaces.
– A complex line type is a repeating pattern of symbols along with dashes,
dots, and blank spaces.
– The line type name and definition describe the particular dash-dot
sequence, the relative lengths of dashes and blank spaces, and the
characteristics of any included text or shapes.

REV 01
5.4 Setup Screen

• Line weights add width to your objects, both on screen
and on paper.
– Setting Drawing Parameters
– Setting Dimensioning Variables
– Setting the Layers
– Adding the Border and Title Panel

REV 01
5.5 Dimensioning
– Dimensioning is the process of adding measurement
annotation to a drawing.
– Can create dimensions for a wide variety of object
shapes in many different orientations.
– Can specify measurements for all drawing objects
and shapes.
– Can measure vertical and horizontal distances,
angles, diameters, and radii.
– Can create a series of dimensions measured from a
common baseline or create a series of dimensions
measured incrementally.

REV 01
5.6 AutoCAD Text

– For title blocks, to label parts of the drawing, to give
specifications, or to make annotations.
– For short, simple entries, use line text.
– For longer entries with internal formatting, use
multiline text.
– Although all entered text uses the current text style,
which establishes the default font and format settings,
you can customize the text appearance.

REV 01
5.7 Blocks
– Can organize and manipulate many objects as one
component.
– Associate items of information with the blocks in your
drawings—for example, part numbers and prices—by
attaching attributes.
– Specification sheets or bills of materials can be
created using this information.
– You can attach or overlay entire drawings in your
current drawing by using AutoCAD external
references, or xrefs.

REV 01
5.8 Osnap
• Object snaps include a visual aid, called AutoSnap™, to
help you see and use object snaps more efficiently.
AutoSnap includes the following elements:
– Markers: Indicate the object snap type by displaying a
symbol at the object snap location.
– Tooltips: Identify the object snap type at the object
snap location below the cursor.

REV 01
– Magnet: Moves the cursor automatically to lock it onto a snap point

when the cursor nears the point.
– Aperture box: Surrounds the crosshairs and defines an area within
which, as you move the cursor, AutoCAD evaluates objects for object
snaps. You can choose to display or not display the aperture box, and
you can change the aperture box size.
• The AutoSnap markers, tooltips, and magnet are turned

on by default. You can change AutoSnap settings in the
Options dialog box.

REV 01
6.0 Plotting & Printing

6.1 Model Space & Paper space
• When you begin designing a layout environment to plot, you step
through the following process:
– Configure a plotting device.
– Activate or create a layout.
– Specify settings for plotting such as plotting
device, paper size, plot area, plot scale, and
drawing orientation.
– Insert a title block.

REV 01
– Create floating (layout) viewports and position

them in the layout.
– Set the view scale of the floating viewports.
– Annotate the layout as needed.
– Plot your layout.
– Single or multiple paper space environments can be

easily designed and manipulated using layout tabs.
– Each layout represents an individual plot output
sheet, or an individual sheet in a drawing project.

REV 01
– Using Layout Tab

• Choosing a layout tab places you into the paper space environment
• Rectangular outline (shadow) indicates the paper size of the currently

configured plotting device
• The margins displayed within the paper indicate the printable area of
the paper.

REV 01
• After creating an initial layout for your project, you can

choose to create multiple layouts to display various sheets
for plotting.
• NOTE: When a paper space layout is made current for the

first time, and a default viewport is created in the layout, the
VIEWRES setting for this initial viewport is the same as the
VIEWRES setting for the Model tab viewport.

REV 01
– Layout Wizard To Specify A Layout Setting
• Before you use the Create Layout wizard to specify a layout
environment, you should make sure that you have access to a
configured plotter.
• Access the Create Layout wizard from the Tools menu by choosing
Wizards, or by entering layout wizard on the command line.
• Can specified, specify the orientation of the drawing on the paper,
select a title block to use for the layout, and determine a viewport
setup.
• can also determine the units of paper using the Layout wizard.

REV 01
6.2 Preparing Layout

• AutoCAD displays the Page Setup dialog box, in which you specify
layout and plot device settings.
• The layout settings you specify are stored with the layout.
• Once you've created a layout, you can delete, rename, move, or
copy the layout by right-clicking the layout tab, and then choosing
an option from the shortcut menu.

REV 01
6.3 Plotting Drawing
– Overview of Plotting
• Plotter Manager
– a window that lists plotter configuration (PC3)
files for every nonsystematic printer that you
install.
– Plotter configuration settings specify port
information, raster and vector graphics quality,
paper sizes, and custom properties that
depend on the plotter type.
• Layouts
– Elements that only appear on a plotted page,
such as title blocks and notes, are drawn in
paper space in a layout.
– The objects in the drawing are created in model
space on the Model tab.

REV 01
• Page Setup
– You can control these settings for layouts and
for the Model tab using the Page Setup dialog
box.
– You can name and save page setups for use
with other layouts
• Plot Styles
– A plot style controls how an object or layer is
plotted by determining plotted properties such
as line weight, color, and fill style.
– Plot style tables collect groups of plot styles.

REV 01
– How Plotting Can Changed From Previous Version.

• With multiple paper space layouts, you can now set up and save
several plot configurations for each drawing. Each layout is
associated with an output device and page setup.
• Wizards lead you through plotter configuration and plot setup.
• The tasks performed by plot configuration files (PCP and PC2 files)
have been split between layouts, plot configuration files (PC3 files),
and plot style tables (CTB and STB files). Plot style tables control
pen assignments, line weight, and other plotted properties of an
object.

REV 01
• Color-dependent plot style tables maintain the relationship between

color and an object's plotted appearance. If you used pen
assignments to control line weight in previous versions of AutoCAD,
you can import those settings to create a color-dependent plot style
table.
• Named plot style tables remove the relationship between color and
plotted line weight. You now can assign a plot style to an object to
control the object's plotted line weight and color. Using named plot
style tables, you can plot color-for-color.

REV 01
– you can customize each part of the plotting process, import configurations
used in previous versions, and share layouts and configurations with
others to ensure consistent results when plotting.

REV 01
• Setting Up Page For Plotting

– Before plotting a drawing, you must determine the
paper size and how the drawing will be positioned on
the paper.
– The paper sizes that are available at plot time, or
when you set up a layout, are determined by the
printer or plotter that you select on the Plot Device tab
of either the Plot or the Page Setup dialog box.

REV 01
• Controlling How Object Are Plotted

– You can control how objects are plotted by setting the
plot scale, by using plot styles and plot style tables,
and by setting an object's layer properties.
– Every object in your drawing has a plot style property
that controls its plotted appearance.
– One way to control which objects are plotted is with
the Plot/Don't Plot option in the Layer Properties
Manager.
– Several options in the Plot and Page Setup dialog
boxes define plot appearance.

REV 01
• Specifying The Area To Plot

– Layout or Limits:
• When plotting a layout, plots everything within the margins of the
specified paper size, with the origin calculated from 0,0 in the
layout. When plotting the Model tab, plots the entire drawing area
defined by the drawing limits. If the current viewport does not
display a plan view, this option has the same effect as the Extents
option.
– Extents:
• Plots the portion of the current space of the drawing that contains
objects. All geometry in the current space is plotted. AutoCAD may
regenerate the drawing to recalculate the extents before plotting.

REV 01
– Display:
• Plots the view in the current viewport in the Model tab or the current
paper space view in a layout tab.
– View:
• Plots a view saved previously with the VIEW command. You can
select a named view from the list provided. If there are no saved
views in the drawing, this option is unavailable.
– Window:
• Plots any portion of the drawing you specify. Click the Window
button to use a pointing device to specify opposite corners of the
area to be plotted, or enter coordinate values.

REV 01
• Previewing The Plot
– Generating a preview saves time and material.
– You can generate a full preview from the Plot dialog box; plotted,
including line weights, fill patterns, and other plot style options.
– In the Plot dialog box, you can also generate a partial preview,
– The illustration shows a partial preview.

REV 01
• Plotting to Files and Web Format

– DXB:
• can create DXB (drawing interchange binary) files. This is
commonly used to "flatten" 3D drawings to 2D.
– DWF:
• can publish electronic drawing files to the Internet. The files you
create are stored in drawing Web format (DWF). DWF files can be
opened, viewed, and plotted by anyone with an Internet browser
and the Autodesk WHIP! 4.0 plug-in. DWF files support real-time
panning and zooming as well as control over the display of layers,
named views, and embedded hyperlinks.

REV 01
– Raster Formats:
• can produce a variety of image formats for use with any application
that uses raster files.
– Postscript:
• can use AutoCAD drawings with an array of page layout programs
and archive tools such as the Adobe Acrobat Portable Document
Format (PDF).
– HP-GL and HP-GL/2:
• Finally, some applications that do not understand the DXF or WMF
formats can use HP-GL and HP-GL/2 file data to reproduce drawing
information.

REV 01
• Using The Batch Plot Utilities

• Understanding Batch Plotting
– Drawing File
» The name of the drawing to be plotted.
– Path
» The full path for the drawing file.
– Layout
» The name of the layout you want to plot.
– Page Setup
» The name of the page setup for plotting this
drawing. You can choose from any page
setup in the drawing.
– Plot Device

REV 01
• Adding and Removing Batch Plot Drawings
– To create the list of drawings to plot, you add
them to the Batch Plot window
• Opening, Creating, and Saving Batch Plot Lists
– You can open an existing BP3 file, create a new
one, and save your changes.
• Testing the Batch Plot
– Can check for missing xrefs, fonts, or shapes. If
you encounter errors, quit the Batch Plot utility.
• Plotting the Drawings
– When you plot the list of drawings, the AutoCAD
window moves to the front.

REV 01
• Creating Log Files
– can record who plotted each drawing and when
and any errors encountered during plotting.
• Adjusting Plot Settings
– After you've added a drawing to the batch plot
list, you can specify the layout to plot and the
page setup, plot device, and plot settings to use
when you plot the list.

REV 01
7.0 Orthographic, sectioning & Machine Drawing
• Definition of Orthographic
• Theory of Third Angle Projection
• Theory of First Angle Projection
• Theory of Sectioning Drawing
• Theory of Machines Drawing

REV 01
8.0 Sketching Technique
• Specifying 3D coordinates is the same as specifying 2D

coordinates with the addition of a third dimension, the Z
axis.
• When drawing in 3D, you specify X, Y, and Z values of
the coordinate in either the world coordinate system
(WCS) or the user coordinate system (UCS).

REV 01
• Specifying 3D Coordinates
– Specifying 3D coordinates is the same as specifying 2D coordinates with
the addition of a third dimension, the Z axis.
– Specify X, Y, and Z values of the coordinate in either the world
coordinate system (WCS) or the user coordinate system (UCS).
– X, Y, and Z axes of the WCS.

REV 01
– Using the Right-Hand Rule
• The right-hand rule determines the positive axis
direction of the Z axis when you know the direction
of the X and Y axes in a 3D coordinate system. The
right-hand rule also determines the positive rotation
direction about an axis in 3D space.
• To determine the positive rotation direction about an

axis, point your right thumb in the positive direction
of the axis and curl your fingers as illustrated. Your
fingers indicate the positive rotation direction about
the axis.
REV 01
9.0 Introduction to 3-D
• 3-D Coordinate
– Entering 3D Cartesian coordinates (X,Y,Z) is similar to entering 2D
coordinates (X,Y).
– In addition to specifying X and Y values

REV 01
9.1 User Coordinate System

– Standard Views
• Top, Bottom, Right, Left, Front, Back
– Standard Projections
– Isometric Views
– The Glass Box

REV 01
9.2 Viewing 3-D

– Save a coordinate system when you save a named
view; restore the view, and the UCS settings are
restored
– Assign a Z-depth to an orthographic UCS to provide
different working planes for the same orthographic
view
– Apply any of six orthographic views to a viewport
– Restore the corresponding orthographic UCS
whenever you assign an orthographic view to a
viewport

REV 01
– You can use the Orthographic & Isometric Views tab

of the View dialog box to restore orthographic views.
– You restore an orthographic view with an orientation
relative to a coordinate system, specified by the
UCSBASE system variable.
– When an orthographic view is restored, AutoCAD
zooms to extents in that view.

REV 01
9.3 Creating Object In 3-D

• Creating Wireframes
– position 2D objects in 3D space by using any
of the following methods:
» Creating the object by entering 3D points.
You enter a coordinate that defines the X,
Y, and Z location of the point
» Setting the default construction plane (XY
plane) on which you will draw the object
by defining a UCS
» Moving the object to its proper orientation
in 3D space after you create it

REV 01
– Creating Solids
• You create solids from one of the basic solid shapes of box, cone,
cylinder, sphere, torus, and wedge or by extruding a 2D object along
a path or revolving a 2D object about an axis.
• Solids can be further modified by filleting, chamfering, or changing
the color of their edges.
• The ISOLINES system variable controls the number of tessellation
lines used to visualize curved portions of the wireframe.
• The FACETRES system variable adjusts the smoothness of shaded
and hidden-line objects.

REV 01
9.4 Editing In 3-D
– You can edit 3D objects by, for example, rotating,

arraying, mirroring, trimming, chamfering, and filleting.
– ARRAY, COPY, MIRROR, MOVE, and ROTATE can

be used for 3D objects as well as 2D objects.
– You can also use object snaps (except Intersection

and Apparent Intersection) to ensure accuracy when
you're editing your 3D objects.

REV 01
10.0 Project
• 3D isometric view
• Wireframe
• Hidden
• Orthographic
• Dimensioning
• Name parts

DDJ 1503 Rev01

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

DDJ 1503 Rev01

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

REV 01

1.0 About AutoCAD Documentation

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 1

2.0 Introduction to AutoCAD

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 2

2.1 The AutoCAD Interface

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 3

• You use AutoCAD by running commands

 Choosing a menu item

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 4

2.2 Starting a Drawing

• Scale determines the size of a unit when

• To help you visualize units, you can display

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 5

• Limits indicate to AutoCAD where in the drawing

• Snap enables you to locate and position points

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 6

2.3 Drawing Objects

– Polylines are complex multi segment lines

– Hatching fills an irregular area or object with a line

– Fills are similar to hatching except that the area is

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 7

– AutoCAD has several text creation and editing

– AutoCAD has extensive dimensioning, leader,

– Extra: Undoing mistakes drawing, accurately,

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 8

2.4 Viewing and Editing

– Viewing Your Drawing

– Editing Your Drawing

– Looking Up Drawing Data

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 9

2.5 Preparing Your Drawing for Plotting

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 10

2.6 Advanced Features

– 3D Modeling. (include wireframes, meshes, solids,

– Raster Images.(can be copied, moved, rotated,

– Database Support. (database queries, create new

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 11

2.7 Customizing and Programming

– You can add, remove, or modify the menus and

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 12

3.0 Getting Start 2D

3.2 Installing AutoCAD

3.3 Starting AutoCAD

3.4 Accessing Information from the Help Menu

3.5 Pointing Devices

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 13

3.6 Understanding the AutoCAD Interface

– Menus: The menus are available from the menu bar

– Cursor Menu: The cursor menu is displayed at your

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 14

– The Command Window: The command window is a

– The Text Window: The text window is similar to the

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 15

3.7 Accessing Commands

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 16

3.2 Using System Variables

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 17

3.8 Correcting Mistakes

3.9 Refreshing the Screen Display

– You refresh the display to remove blips or temporary

– To refresh the drawing display, you can either redraw

DDJ 1503 TECHNICAL DRAWING 18