Part 1

PART 1: THE BASICS
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Create, open and save AutoCAD file.

 Identify and customize the AutoCAD interface.
OVERVIEW:
CAD is one of the software (2D and 3D drafting) that has been used in the engineering industries
in the design process. Basically CAD software is the substitutes for pen and paper for drafting, that was
used decades. This module will give few steps on how to start using a CAD software.
LEARNING CONTENT:
1. Exploring the Interface
1.1 Taking a Guided Tour

1.1.1 Launching AutoCAD
1.1.2 The AutoCAD Window
1.1.3 Using the Application in Menu
1.1.4 Using the Ribbon
1.1.5 Picking Points in the Drawing Area
1.1.6 Using UCS
1.1.7 Working with Command Window
1.2 Working with AutoCAD

1.2.1 Opening and Existing File
1.2.2 Getting a Closer Look
1.2.3 Saving File as You Work
1.2.4 Making Changes
1.2.5 Working with Multiple Files
1.2.6 Adding a Predrawn Symbol with Tool
2. Creating Your First Drawing
2.1 Getting to Know the Home Tab’s Draw and Modify Panels
2.2 Starting Your Fist Drawing
2.3 Specifying Exact Distances with Coordinates

2.3.1 Specifying Polar Coordinates
2.3.2 Specifying Cartesian Coordinates
2.4 Interpreting the Cursor Modes and Understanding Prompts

2.4.1 Understanding Cursor Modes
2.4.2 Choosing Command Options
2.5 Selecting Objects
2.5.1 Selecting Object in AutoCAD
2.5.2 Providing Base Points
2.5.3 Using Noun/Verb Selection
2.6 Editing Grips

2.6.1 Stretching Line by Using Grips
2.6.2 Moving and Rotating with Grips
2.7 Understanding Dynamic Input
2.8 Displaying Data in a Text Window
2.9 Displaying Properties of an Object
2.10 Getting Help

2.10.1 Using the InfoCenter
2.10.2 Finding Additional Sources
3. Setting Up and Using the Drafting Tools
3.1 Setting Up a Work Area

3.1.1 Specifying Units
3.1.2 Fine-tunings the Measurements System
3.1.3 Setting Up the Drawing Limits
3.1.4 Looking at an Alternative to Limits
3.1.5 Understanding Scale Factors
3.1.6 Using Polar Tracking
3.1.7 Setting the Polar Tracking Angle
3.2 Exploring the Drawing Process

3.2.1 Locating and Object inn Reference to Others
3.2.2 Getting a Closer Look
3.2.3 Modifying Object
3.3 Planning Laying Out a Drawing

3.3.1 Making Preliminary Sketch
3.3.2 Using the Layout
3.3.3 Erasing the Layout Lines
3.3.4 Putting on the Finishing Touches
3.3.5 Aligning Objects Snap
3.4 Using the AutoCAD Modes as Drafting Tools

3.4.1 Using Grid Modes as a Background Grid
3.4.2 Using Snap Modes
4. Organizing Objects with Blocks and Groups

4.1 Creating and Using Symbol
4.1.1 Understanding the Block Definition
4.1.2 Inserting a Symbol
4.1.3 Scaling an Existing Drawing as a Symbol
4.2 Modifying a Block

4.2.1 Unblocking and Redefining a Block
4.2.2 Saving a Block as a Drawing File
4.2.3 Replacing Existing Files with Block
4.2.4 Understanding the Write Block Dialog Box Options
4.2.5 Other User for Blocks
4.3 Understanding the Annotation Scale
4.4 Grouping Objects

4.4.1 Modifying Members of a Group
4.4.2 Ungrouping Adding, and Subtracting from a Group
4.4.3 Working with the Object Dialog Box
4.4.4 Working with the AutoCAD LT Group Manager
5. Keeping Track of Layers and Block
5.1 Organizing Information with Layers

5.1.1 Creating and Assigning Layers
5.1.2 Working Layer Visibility
5.1.3 Controlling Layer Visibility
5.1.4 Finding the Layers You Want
5.1.5 Taming and Unwieldy List of Layers
5.1.6 Assigning Linetypes to Layers
5.1.7 Adding Linetypes to a Drawing
5.1.8 Controlling Lineweights
5.2 Keeping Tracks of Blocks and Layers

5.2.1 Getting Text File List of Layers or Blocks
PART 1: THE BASICS
1. EXPLORING THE INTERFACE

1.1 TAKING A GUIDED TOUR
1.1.1 Launching AutoCAD
In general, to open AutoCAD double-click on the AutoCAD shortcut in the Windows desktop.
1.1.2 The AutoCAD Window

The AutoCAD Program window is divided into several parts
 Application Menu
 Quick Access Toolbar
 InfoCenter
 Ribbon
 Drawing Tabs
 Drawing Area
 UCS icon (User Coordinate System)
 Viewport Control
 ViewCube
 Navigation Bar
 Command Window
 Status Bar
Figure 1.1: The Start Tab, offers easy access to previous work
Figure1.3: The Quick Access toolbar, featuring basic Windows file-handling
functions, appears above the Ribbon.
1.1.3 Using the Application

Figure 1.4: The Command window and the status bar
Figure 1.5: The Export option
in the Application menu
showing the list of export
options
1.1.4 Using the

Ribbon
Figure1.6: The Open Documents
and Recent Documents tools
Figure 1.7: A typical cue card

from a Ribbon panel tool
1.1.4.1 Expanding Hidden Panels
Figure 1.9: The Properties,

Groups, Utilities, and View
panels are reduced to single
Figure AutoCAD
icons with a smaller 1.8: The arrowhead in the
window panel title bar tells you
that additional tools are available
Figure 1.10: Hover over the

panel to see the tools.
1.1.4.2
Understanding
Flyouts
Figure 1.12 The tool with a flyout
will change to the last tool used
1.1.5 Picking Points in the Drawing Area
Figure 1.13 The Dynamic

Input display cursor
1.1.6 Using the UCS Icon
In the lower-left corner of the drawing area, you see an L-shaped line. This is the User
Coordinate System (UCS) icon, which tells you your orientation in the drawing. This icon
becomes helpful as you start to work with complex 2D drawings and 3D models. The X and Y
indicate the x- and y-axes of your drawing., “Using Advanced 3D Features,” discusses this icon
in detail. For now, you can use it as a reference to tell you the direction of the axes.
1.1.7 Working in the Command Window
As mentioned earlier, at the bottom of the screen, just above the status bar, is a small horizontal
window called the Command window. Here AutoCAD displays responses to your input while
you’re using a command. By default, it shows one line of text. This line shows the current
responses to your command input as well as command options.
1.2 WORKING WITH AUTOCAD
1.2.1 Opening an Existing Files
To start, you’ll open an existing file:
 In the Drawing tab at the top left of the drawing area, click the Close icon to the far right
of the tab.
A message appears, asking whether you want to save the changes you’ve made to the
current drawing. Click No.
 In the Start tab, click the Open Files option just below the Start Drawing icon in the left
column. The Select File dialog box opens.
 In the Select File dialog box, open the Look In drop-down list and locate the folder of a
AutoCAD files. (You may need to scroll through the list to find it.)
 Move the arrow cursor to the file and click it. Notice that the filename now appears in the
File Name text box below the file list. The Preview box also shows a thumbnail image of
the file. Be aware that a thumbnail may not show for files from older versions of
AutoCAD.
 Click the Open button at the bottom of the Select File dialog box. AutoCAD opens the
file.
Figure 1.14 The Select

File dialog box

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PART 1: THE BASICS

 Create, open and save AutoCAD file.

1.1 Taking a Guided Tour

1.2 Working with AutoCAD

2. Creating Your First Drawing

2.2 Starting Your Fist Drawing

2.3 Specifying Exact Distances with Coordinates

2.4 Interpreting the Cursor Modes and Understanding Prompts

2.6 Editing Grips

2.7 Understanding Dynamic Input

2.8 Displaying Data in a Text Window

2.9 Displaying Properties of an Object

2.10 Getting Help

3. Setting Up and Using the Drafting Tools

3.1 Setting Up a Work Area

3.2 Exploring the Drawing Process

3.3 Planning Laying Out a Drawing

3.4 Using the AutoCAD Modes as Drafting Tools

4. Organizing Objects with Blocks and Groups

4.2 Modifying a Block

4.3 Understanding the Annotation Scale

4.4 Grouping Objects

5. Keeping Track of Layers and Block

5.1 Organizing Information with Layers

5.2 Keeping Tracks of Blocks and Layers

1. EXPLORING THE INTERFACE

1.1.1 Launching AutoCAD

1.1.2 The AutoCAD Window

1.1.3 Using the Application

1.1.4 Using the

Figure 1.7: A typical cue card

Figure 1.9: The Properties,

Figure 1.10: Hover over the

Figure 1.13 The Dynamic

1.1.6 Using the UCS Icon

1.1.7 Working in the Command Window

1.2.1 Opening an Existing Files

To start, you’ll open an existing file:

Figure 1.14 The Select

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