Learning these 70+ AutoCAD commands Will Make Your Life Easier

1) APPLOAD

The appload feature defines which applications to load upon opening / starting AutoCAD.

2) AUDIT

The audit command is incredibly useful since it will detect and correct some errors found within
the drawing.

3) AUTOSCALE SETTING

You can adjust your default scale factor by setting the Auxiliary scale factor to Plot Scale or
Dimscale.

4) BACKGROUND

If you do not like the default light grey colour, then you can manipulate the background image so
that it is a solid colour, a gradient, or an image you've uploaded from your computer.

5) BATTMAN

If you're looking to change your blocks that contain attributes, then you should use the battman
control. This command manages all attribute properties and settings within a selected block. This
means that when it is used, it can allow you to change the properties and order of block
definitions.

6) BMPOUT

This command allows you to save selected objects to a file in bitmap (.bmp) format.

7) BOUNDARY

By drawing a line through an object and then using the boundary command, the object becomes
split in half. AutoCAD will automatically determine the boundary line and create properly sized
polylines for each half.

8) BOX

The boxcommand will create a 3D box. You can still define the height, width, and depth of the
3D box before it is created within the drawing.
9) BURST

The burst command is highly valuable as it explodes a block or an object, but keeps its attributes
intact after exploding it.

10) CHSPACE**

Allows you to move objects in a drawing from layout to model space by choosing a viewport to
push the text or objects into. This works in both directions. Moves objects from the layout to the
model, and vice versa. The best part is that the objects are scaled automatically in the new space.

11) Change Your MText to Lower Case or Upper Case

Accidentally forgot to capitalize text? Luckily, this can be easily fixed by right clicking and then
selecting change case. Alternatively, you can use CTRL + SHIFT + U or CTRL + SHIFT + L,
for upper case and lower case respectively.

12) CLOSEALL

If you've finished your project, choosing the close all command will close all AutoCAD
windows easily, but not before asking you to save each unsaved drawing. Once you've saved, the
windows will close, but the AutoCAD interface will remain opened.

13) COLOR

If you're looking to incorporate multiple distinguished layers within the drawing, for example
furniture, lines, or block, then you should choose the color command as it allows for you to
choose a new layer colour for each object.

14) Ctrl+Shift+V

The Ctrl+Shift+Y command allows you to paste as block

15) DEFAULT NO PLOT LAYER

If you want to change a layer's plot style or want to add notes to your project, then you should
consider the 'default no plot layer' command. This creates a layer called DEFPOINTs where you
can add notes. The drawback to this method is that it will not plot.

16) DIMALIGNED

If you're looking to create an aligned linear dimension, then you should use this command. There
are two options for this command: you can choose an extension line origin, where you can
specify the first and second extension line origin points. Or you can select the object and the
origin points will be automatically determined.
17) DIMANGULAR

If you need to know the angle between geometric objects or 3 points, then you should use the
dimangular command.

18) DIMBASELINE

The dimbaseline command creates a linear, angular, or ordinate dimension from the previous or
selected baseline dimension.

19) DIMRADIUS

Unlike dimangular and dimbaseline, the dimradius command creates a radius dimension for
circles and arcs.

20) DIMROTATED

The dimrotated command makes a linear dimension with a rotated dimension line.

21) DIMTEDIT

To change the text location of existing dimensions then use the dimtedit command.

22) DIVIDE

If you want to create evenly spaced point objects or blocks along the length of a line or the
perimeter of an object, then use the divide command.

23) EDGESURF

If you're looking to create a three-dimensional polygonal mesh, then you can use the edgesurf
command. It's important to note that while creating the mesh, you must have all of the edges
touch at their endpoints in order to create a single, closed loop.

24) EXPLODE

The explode command dissects your object into each of its individual components. It's important
to note that before using the tool, you are on the correct layer.

25) FILEDIA

If you're looking to open dialog boxes in AutoCAD, then you should use the filedia command.
You can set the value to 1 which will allow for dialogue boxes, or you can set it to 0 to have
everything done in the command line instead.
26) FLATTEN

To create 2D views from 3D objects, select the flatten command. You can also manually flatten a
drawing by selecting objects with the qselect command, then choosing the object type, and then
picking elevation, and defining it as not equal to 0.

27) ID

If you're looking for the coordinates of any point in your project, then use the ID command as it
displays the coordinates of any point on the worksheet.

28) IMAGECLIP

If you're looking to crop an image in your DWG drawing, then use the imageclip tool.

29) IMPORTING BLOCK DEFINITIONS

If you're looking to obtain block definitions you've previously made, then you can achieve this
by clicking on the annotate tab, then clicking on the symbold panel, and then clicking import
AutoCAD Block.

30) LIGHT

Whether you want the illusion of natural or artificial lighting, you can manage lights and lighting
effects on 3D models in AutoCAD. For each image there is a default lighting selected that can
be turned off or customized.

31) LINETYPE

Whether you're looking to create a pattern of dots, dashes, or solid lines, you can create,
organize, and select various line types through the linetype command.

32) MATLIB

If you're looking to transfer materials from and to a library, then you can use the matlib
command to easily import and export.

33) MENUBAR

A menu bar is not automatically shown, however, easily accessible. If you navigate to the top-
left of the application window, then you can find a Quick Access toolbar which includes the
command for 'show menu bar' within the list.
34) MLINE

Instead of drawing multiple parallel lines, you can use the mline function to do this for you.

35) MLEDIT

If you want to delete lines after you create the multiple parallel lines with the mline command,
you can do so with the mledit command.

36) Mocoro

The mocoro command allows you to move, rotate, copy, and scale selected objects with the
single command.

37) MULTIPLE

Whether you want to include more parallel lines or remove some, the multiple command will
repeat the command that you entered until you press Esc.

38) MVSETUP

To set up the layout of the drawing, choose the mvsetup command.

39) NCOPY

If you want to copy objects or linework from a nested object into a new drawing, then you can do
so by using the ncopy command.

40) OOPS

If you're looking to restore recently deleted items, then you can use oops to potentially get them
back. The restorative properities of oops are highly dependent on how many commands have
been completed before your desired restoration. If you use purge, you cannot use oops.

41) OVERKILL

The overkill command will scan your entire model and remove any duplicate or overlapping
items.

42) PAGESETUP

If you want legal sized paper, a template to work within, or a specific plotting device, then you
should use the page setup to specify all of your needs for each new layout.
43) PREVIEW

After you've configured your page setup layout and finished your drawing, you can select the
preview command to see how the drawing will look when printed or sent to a plotter.

44) PURGE

Using a series of filters: block, layers, materials, etc, the purge command will remove any
unused objects in the drawing you are presently working on.

45) QDIM

After selecting objects, you can use the qdim command to create a dimensions.

46) QLEADER

While it's heavily recommended that you use the mleader command to create leader objects, you
can also use the Qleader to quickly create a leader and a leader annotation.

47) QSAVE

As long as the drawing is named, then the qsave command will autosave the file without
requesting a new file name. This function is incredibly useful (and recommended) if you're
working on a large project but not frequently saving your work.

48) QSELECT

With the qselect command, you can select objects according to a variety of filters such as colors,
layers, line type, etc.

49) RECOVER

Whether you've accidentally deleted a file, or had a computer malfunction, the recover command
typically can recover a damaged file.

50) REGEN

If you're looking to get different viewpoints of your drawing, then the regen command is
recommended as it regenerates the drawing from within the current viewport.

51) RENDER

The render command creates a raster image model based on the 3D objects in a scene.
52) REVOLVE

Once you have a defined axis, you can choose the revolve command to creates revolved solids
(3D) by rotating 2D objects around the axis.

53) RULESURF

The rulesurf command creates a surface that joins two curves previously defined by the user. The
type of surface created can be defined by selecting a variable such as 0 to create legacy polyface
or polygon mesh.

54) SAVEALL

If you tend to have multiple drawings open, then you should use the saveall command since it
will automatically save all of them.

55) SETBYLAYER

When you choose the setbylayer command, you'll be altering the properties of all layers and
objects so that they can be editable by each individual layer.

56) SHOWMAT

After clicking on a selected object, you can see a set of information about the object such as the
color, dimensions, line thickness, radius, and more.

57) SKETCH

If you're looking to trace with a digitizer or create irregular boundaries, then you should use the
command sketch as it will allow you the freedom to sketch. You can specify the type of
sketching you're looking to do by choosing the object type, tolerance, or increment.

58) SPELL

To ensure accuracy with your spelling on drawings, use the command spell. Your drawings will
be checked for spelling using the language settings from your operating system.

59) Stop REGEN After PAN

If you're viewing a drawing from an outside source, then AutoCAD has been known to
occasionally autoregen after you pan around. To prevent this from occurring, use the viewres
command, type 'yes' to fast zooms, and then set your zoom percentage to 200 percent.
60) STRETCH

The stretch command does what its name implies - it stretches or moves objects. You can use the
command for multiple objects or singular.

61) SUBTRACT

If you have a 3D model built, but want to separate its components to make a new object, then
you can use subtract to create a 3D solid from the overlapping region of the 3d model.

62) SUPERHATCH

The superhatch function hatches an area using a selected image, block, xref, or wipeout object.

63) TABLET

If you have a tablet or Wacom device, then use the command tablet in order to have them
calibrate and be configured with the program.

64) TIME

If you're wanting to keep track of the time you've spent on the project, then use the time function
which will display the creation date of the file, the last update you made to it, and the last edit
that was made.

65) TORIENT

If you're finding your text is at an unreadable angle, then use the torient function to ensure that
the text is placed at an angle that is most readable.

66) U

The U command does the same as Ctrl + Z - it undoes the most recent operation.

67) VPORTS

If you want to have multiple open view ports in model space or in a layout, then use the vports
command.

68) WIPEOUT

If you want to eliminate everything behind designated lines, then use the wipeout function.
69) XCLIP

If you're looking to trim a block's visible area with a boundary line, then you can do so by using
the xclip command. After you've completed the command, you can then set or draw the
boundary for the object.

70) XLINE

Use the xline command to create an infinite line.

71) XDWGFADECTL (System Variable)

You can control the level of Xref fading in your drawing by adjusting the XDWGFADECTL
system variable. If you do not want your objects to be faded then select 0 as the value. If you
would like fading, you can enter a positive value which will allow for fading up to 90 percent.

72) 3DSOUT

If you're looking to export a file that is compatible with 3D studio (.3ds format) then you should
use the 3dsout command.